Hunter Or Huntress

The door to the greeting hall had been left open after Jarix departed, Sapphire and Rachuck coming in for a hurried landing. The door started to drop down behind them as soon as they were through with the Clack clack clack of ratchets. There was no one there, save for Herron who was working the winch with practiced efficiency, that was to say nonchalantly leaning on the brake lever, giving them both a chin nod.

“Welcome home, all good?” The young guard questioned looking them up and down.

“Very good yes, make sure the door is secure.” Rachuck ordered, getting a half hearted salute in response along with an“Of course, sir,” as the door continued to slowly creep closed.

“One must be able to fight in any weather after all. I had rather been hoping to see about joining Jarix today, but that is life, ey?” the captain questioned in a slightly more upbeat fashion, looking to Saph.

“Very sorry our near death experience got in the way of your training routine,” Saph rebutted, not cruelly, but with a fair pinch of sarcasm. Rachuck didn’t mean it in any bad way, and he would likely get his chance to see the dragon navigate the poor weather soon enough. Though if she was being honest, the real test would have been yesterday if he truly wanted “any weather.”

“Quite… quite. That and I do believe Jarix wanted to show off too. Expect thunder of the unnatural variety.”

“That figures,” Saph muttered back, silently wishing that anyone willingly out in such weather could damn well have gone with Yldril instead of her. But this close to the keep, they could just come right back down when they got too cold. Which certainly was a luxury she would have appreciated.

They had all made for the door to the grand hall where, upon Rachuck opening it for her, she was met with the most warm pleasant breeze of dry air she had felt in a long time. She hurried inside as to not let the wonderful warmth escape. All three fireplaces crackling gently and a fair deal of people sitting at the long tables playing with cards by the looks of things.

Rachuck hurried inside as well, closing the door behind him. He noted Sapphire looking down the length of the tables to where people had started to notice her. They were looking up and either waving hello or trying to gesture her over. “Why, yes, we have been enjoying the day off thus far. Once you have made a quick report of everything that happened, you are free to do as you please.”

“I better be,” she chuckled. She fully intended on tomorrow being a day off too, even if everyone else would be busy. It might end up a touch lonely, she realized with a touch of bitterness. “Also, I’m going to the kitchen first. And I need a bath.” She tried not to leave any wiggle room in her statement. She wanted something warm and she wanted it now. The damn finger could wait.

“Of course, I shall find someone to take a look at you, then please meet us in the library. I am sure mother and Dakota will want to hear of all this.”

And with that she set off trying to walk past the folk at the table. She gave them a friendly smile and a wave. They wouldn’t have it though. Tom, Jacky, and several children, as well as Edita, cut her off to say hi and hear what had happened.

Saph spared them all but the shortest version of how shit the last two days had been before extracting herself from the small crowd to the sounds of children either finding the brief story cool as hell or arguing about how they could have done it much better. She didn’t care though, and she headed down to the kitchen. She could feel her legs protesting, moving slowly and unsteadily, but with the warm gentle air caressing her it would soon pass.

Down in the kitchen she was in for a pleasant surprise. Ray was already there and she was making tea as well as heating some stew. Saph eagerly lapped up the tea, almost earning herself another burn from the scalding liquid. But, with a little careful slurping, the divinely warm liquid soon made it to where it was meant to go as she savored the warmth spreading through her neck and chest. She set the mug down with a relieved sigh. It wasn’t until the third sip that she had even noticed it was sweetened.

Looking up from the warm mug, she saw Ray was standing there rubbing her hands shyly. The older woman looking like she wanted to ask something but didn’t quite dare.

“Thank you Ray. It is delicious. And sorely needed.”Saph all but poured letting a warm smile spread across her face.

“Oooh. Don’t mention it. The stew is nearly hot too. Is Fengi coming?” Ray questioned cautiously, glancing away towards the stairs. Saph noticed the empty mug sitting on the table.

“She will soon. They are still walking back. Yldril will need some tending to as well I fear.”

“Oh… I will keep it warm then. Here, I think this is warm now as well,” Ray added, starting to pour out a bowl of stew for Saph. “If it needs a bit more just say so.”

With slightly more caution Sapphire tried out the hot stew, and all the bullshit seemed to slowly fade away. Hungry stomachs made the best chefs, and Saph hadn’t had a proper breakfast today. The cold had made even hot water taste good, and this was a good, thick stew. It was herby too maybe even a little spiced.

“Nutmeg?” Saph asked, looking up from the bowl after the first spoon full.

“Yeah,” Ray answered with a smile. “Pepper too, lots of it. Helps make you warm.”

“Oooh, that’s why it’s so warm. It’s lovely.”

“I wanna make it into pies later. Wiperna got me some eggs for pickling too. Winter is coming after all. Anchor wanted to make some potted meats, but we need to get more butter.”

“Well, the shopping list should be going out tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, right after breakfast. Good thing you didn’t miss that.”

“Oh I would have been soo mad. You got everything you want worked out?”

“Yeah, It is going to be amazing. Best winter I have had in years… nono even better. It might be the best winter ever,” Ray quickly corrected as Saph grew a bit of a smirk.

“Certainly sounds like it’ll beat the best I ever had. Normally we’re bored senseless by the time spring comes around here. I have a feeling that won’t be a problem this year.”

“Nooo… Saph?”

“Yes?”

“Am I allowed to say thank you one more time for all this?” Ray asked in her usually cautious tone, though her head wasn’t held low, and there was a twinge of a smile on her face, her eyes bright and just a little bit mischievous.

“You’re welcome,” Saph replied with a chuckle. “I guess you’ve decided on cooking for your day off then?”

“Yeah… Oh I’m making a roast goose with some of those dotato things as a side. The children really like them even if Essy and Wiperna cannot decide if they count as a vegetable or not.”

“They come out of the ground, of course they are a vegetable,” Saph protested as she started stirring around her stew to see if there were any in there and indeed there were. “Seee. Looks like a vegetable, smells like it.”

“But it tastes more like grain,” Ray countered with a shrug.

“Bread is basically a vegetable too. Just don’t eat too much of it.”

“Oh I know that one… People always got sick when there was only porridge to go round,” Ray let out, ears drooping as she thought back to worse times, but to Sapphire’s delight it did not take her long to recover. “So yes, I think it is more like a grain that grows underground and is big and plump.”

“Fine fine, you win,” Saph snickered, silently relieved Ray hadn’t started into a spiral of sadness.

“And they are very tasty. I am going to be trying to fry them in the big pan.”

“Oh that’s gonna be a hell of a lot of work, you know that right?”

“Of course. I don’t mind. I’m just hoping they won’t get soggy and sad from being kept warm till dinner time.”

“And you’re making pies too?”

“Yes, after dinner,” Ray replied with a big smile as she went and took the stew off the fire. “I made far too much for breakfast.”

“You made that for breakfast?” Saph questioned, doing the headmath on how early that meant Ray had to have been up on her day off.

“Why yes, and everyone liked it.”

“If you need a hand later let me know, I’m hoping to get tomorrow off as well. Though I might just fall asleep in my room after all this.”

“Oh no, you should rest, definitely.”

“I guess… checkup first though. Say hi to Fengi once she gets here. I’ll head down. Stew was great by the way,” Saph said as she got up and put her bowl and mug with the rest of the dirty dishes near the washbasin. Ray had clearly been in the middle of those as well. ‘I guess I’m not the only one not taking a day off today…’ Saph sighed to herself. She had rather hoped Ray wouldn’t spend the day working, but she seemed happy enough as is.

With the warmth of the kitchen, food, and tea as well as the pleasant chat she was feeling much better. Inside the walls of the keep it was nice and warm after all in general. Fires were being kept up in the kitchen and grand hall, and Shiva probably had the smithy lit too today.

In the infirmary it had been Unkai who had come to tend to her first. To say the guy looked miserable was certainly an understatement. She knew why of course. He hadn’t wanted to come. Yet here he was, face to face with why someone like him coming along had been proposed to begin with. The only bright spot Saph could find was that it hadn’t gone any worse. A burnt finger was just a fact of life. But say a crushed leg, being left for a day without tending. That would not have been good. And she was quite certain that was precisely what was going through the guy’s head right now as she saw to her finger.

They didn’t speak. Not aside from “Does this hurt? Is this better?” and such. When they were done, he had stepped back and given her a nod. “I think that is as good as I can get it. Dakota will want to see you in the library, though I would get cleaned up first.”

“Thank you,” Saph replied curtly, rubbing the new bandage a little.

“Is she okay?” he then asked in a more quiet tone, looking down at the floor.

Saph hesitated for a moment before answering, glancing at the guy before looking off into the middle distance towards the door. “She is fine. Sort of…”

“I’m sorry,” was all the reply she got from him as he stood there head ducked in shame. She got up from sitting on the bed and walked to his side, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

“That is how it is sometimes… But if I was you, I would be heading out in a damn hurry right now. Easier to make her believe you care if you aren’t hiding away in here.”

“Yes of course,” he replied, almost like speaking to his mother after getting scolded. Saph had a suspicion the scolding part might already have happened, but either way he should really be beating his wings right now rather than hiding indoors.

“Well, what are you waiting for then? Get a move on… and try to bring something warm to drink. At least it’s an excuse for why it took you a while,” Saph added. Unkai turned to hurry out the door without another word, leaving her alone in the infirmary.

“Are you in here playing games, or have I been left out in the cold too?” she questioned, sorta hoping Maiko would answer, but no reply came. Her shoulders sagged a touch as she turned, glancing about the dimly lit room. A pair of glowing eyes opened in the corner soon followed by a smug looking grin.

“Never.”

“Oh you bastard,” Saph chuckled as she livened up a little again.

“What? It’s a shame not to use it,” Maiko protested, clearly pleased with himself.

“Oh yeah? Fucking catch then,” Saph retorted as she raised her hand. Reaching out with her mind, she picked up a small wooden cup and flung it at him as fast as she could.

Maiko, seemingly expecting it to hurt, ducked to the side in good time, the cup sailing past and clattering against the wall.

“Fine throw miss.”

“Oh shut up, you… you,” Saph repeated, struggling to find the right insult.

“Sly bastard?” Maiko tried with a shrug as he got up and sauntered up to her.

“I already called you a bastard,” she countered as he wrapped his hands behind her waist, nuzzling her gently.

“Hmmm… Handsome boy then?”

“But that would make me a liar?” Saph questioned, pulling her head back a touch and smiling evilly.

“Oh well we definitely can’t have that.”

“You’re so sleeping on the floor again.”

“Aaaaw man. Anyhow just wanted to say hi. Vicky has me running errands up here. Get a na-”

“Whoa whoa whoa hang on a minute,” Saph interrupted him for a moment. “Who’s Vicky?”

“Victoria of course, just don’t let anyone know we still call her that.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No, she really doesn’t like it,” Maiko replied with a snort as he backed out of the quick embrace and moved to head out of the room. “I’ll catch you once you have your nap. Or in the morning if it’s that bad you know.”

Saph would rather he didn’t have stuff to do, but that’s life she guessed. She gave him a halfhearted wave as he left sight and soon enough she heard him running down the hall and up the stairs.

“Least you could do was to lead me up there man…”

__________________________________________________________________________________

The catastrophic loss of Edita’s card house following Worpock’s slight accident had managed to kill interest in the game at hand, and shortly after Saph’s arrival home Essy had returned with a crying Holdey to find out what was going on. It had been a delicate operation, but one by one they had all managed to make excuses to get away from the angry mother before any of them ended up taking the blame. Well, everyone save Edita, who was seemingly quite interested in these disciplinary actions and willing to give suggestions, including coal carrying duty, isolation, and latrine washing. Though Edita was of the belief the punishment should go to Worpock for knocking down her house of cards rather than Holdey for his foul mouth.

The following discussion on how to raise children had even allowed Jacky to make her escape despite Essy’s correct assumption that the silvered huntress was certainly to blame in some capacity.

Tom had made for the refuge of the forge, finding Twitch already there and doing his best on his own, which was not saying much. The demo expert had clearly been trying to hammer out plates of iron from straight ingots, with reckless abandon. The shape he was going for seemed to mostly just be described as “ball.” Tom had a feeling that the reason Shiva wasn’t here to oversee him might be to avoid having an aneurysm while looking at the dented mess Twitch had managed to produce.

In stark contrast were the fine pieces of machined brass left seemingly abandoned near the filing bench, which certainly caught Tom’s attention.

“Did you make these?” Tom questioned, looking at the funny little half-finished contraptions and picking one up.

“No, that was of my making,” Tink responded proudly, the inventor having followed him down as well. He proceed to walk over to Twitch, grabbing a pair of tongs to hold the “plate” to the anvil for him and letting Twitch swing with both hands. “It is a fuze.”

“Really now?... How exactly?” Tom questioned a touch bemused as he tried to work out just how that was supposed to work.

“Oh it is quite simple really. It is a spring powered flywheel that slowly unscrews its own axle. When it hits the opposite side of the housing the circuit is complete and kaboom.” Tink replied just as Twitch whacked the plate, sending sparks flying. “Edita showed it to me.”

“... Okay, that’s actually kinda smart… if a little unreliable. Wait, circuit? This is an electric fuze?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Where are you getting electricity from?” Tom questioned with a hint of worry.

“The payload. Remember? Blitz gel in the center to spread the acid out nice and wide.”

“Riiight,” Tom replied, trying not to let the apprehension show. “That would mean running electrical wires into a container of blitzgel which is itself suspended in acid. Right?”

“Yes, that about sums it up,” Twitch added in, enthusiasm utterly unbridled.

“And you don’t see aaanyyyy problems with that whatsoever?”

“Well you better not drop it,” Tink added as if that was all that could go wrong there.

“Well you are right on that one…” Tom yielded as he scratched the back of his head. “How are you gonna make the glass?”

“Oh that is the best bit. Edita promised to teach me about how to blow glass. She brought a fair amount apparently. I am so very excited, even if she did say she was by no means a master herself. But how hard can it be, really?” the inventor boasted, doing a little hop as if to show his excitement. Said hop moved the pieces of metal a bit on the anvil, leading to Twitch missing his swing and putting a massive dent in it where one clearly shouldn’t go.

“Oops,” the demo expert blurted out with a shrug, not seeming bothered as Jacky winced audibly from behind Tom.

“Well that sounds wonderful… Best of luck to the two of you. I’m gonna go see what Shiva is up to,” Tom replied. He didn’t know much at all about glass blowing, but what little he did was mostly on how difficult it was. But if Edita could do it, or at least knew where to find someone who could, then that would be of immense value in the future, that much was assured.

“Of course, don’t you worry. Do you want us to come get you when it’s time to fill it?” Tink questioned, thoughtfully and with genuine care in his voice.

“Maybe just hold off on that part for a little bit, and at least don’t do it indoors.”

“Oh of course, what do you take us for? We will be keeping a safe distance of course. Nowhere near the keep, I assure you.”

“And what about those who have to pour it all in?” Tom questioned leadingly, hoping against the odds that this would have been considered already.

“Well we were rather hoping we could get Jacky to do it in her armor,” Twitch added with a shrug. “She can take a hit in that set.”

“Nuh uh, not happening,” Jacky protested to Tom’s immense relief. “I’m all for a good boom, but not in my face and certainly not combined with acid.” As if to emphasize her point, bright light shone through the cracks in the shutters covering the windows, followed by a boom that made everything rattle around the room.

“I guess plan B then,” Tink replied, looking to Twitch, who didn’t look overly upset either. Both of them shrugged in unison before Twitch gave the plate another whack, this time seeming to achieve next to nothing.

“Sure, I’ll do it. You remember where I put the letter?”

“What letter?” the inventor questioned, seeming to be quite honestly baffled by the question.

"Seriously? The letter to my mum. The one that just says, ‘You win.’ Come on, I told you less than a week ago.”

“Ooh that one. Yes yes of course… Where was it you said you put it?”

__________________________________________________________________________________

Saph had been fearing a stern talking to, or perhaps even a full on reaming once she stepped inside the library. What she got was a lot of concerned faces and a tight hug from Dakota while the rest of the room watched. Which, she noted, included both Investigator Paulin and Major Jortun.

“I’m sorry, that was a stupid risk to run. Are you okay? How is Fengi?” the gilded huntress and de-facto boss of Sapphire in all of this asked as Saph was set back down again, a little bit flabbergasted.

“Oh, uuh, yes. Yes she is perfectly fine. We just took a few knocks.”

“Yes, we heard,” Dakota replied, throwing a glance at Rachuck, who was standing next to his mother’s chair. The captain replied with a slight nod as the old lady rested her head upon her folded hands, a concerned expression on her face.

“And the condition of Yldril?” Paulin then questioned in a far less tender tone.

“She has suffered no major injuries, but the loss of the sled, the cold, and her previous injuries in addition to the beating she took… saving the two of us has her trembling and struggling to even walk,” Saph replied with a touch of reluctance. They would know the whole story soon enough, that didn’t mean she had to like the fact the dragon had saved her life. Even if said dragon was also who had endangered it in the first place.

“Yldril saved the two of you? I am assuming from the slide?” Nunuk questioned from her chair, sounding rather surprised. “Under orders?”

“Yes and no… Ma’am, Fengi’s magic is a bit hard to understand, but Fengi wasn’t spouting much that made sense while sliding through the mud. But it was also her own bone headedness that got us into that mess.”

“I see,” the old lady replied with a thoughtful expression. “And the logs?”

“Soaked through, ma’am.” There was a bit of a wince from the whole crowd at the rather bad news. “In the future I would suggest sticking to flying… with the benefit of hindsight, this was a terrible idea.”

“Agreed,” Dakota sighed, pinching her temples with one hand. “How long until Yldril can fly?”

“If no further damage has been done, half a week to a week,” Jortun added with a curt nod.

“We can’t work in this weather anyway. I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“There is always Jarix and Glira?” Saph tried, not sure she even wanted to raise the point.

“Jarix is able, though Glira would need to be bribed I believe,” Dakota replied in a sharper tone towards the end, looking to Jortun, who didn’t seem to pay her much mind. “But I suppose a load from Jarix could keep us busy for a short while.”

“We would also need a new harness for Yldril. Unless you want to just lash the logs to her and hope for clear skies,” Jortun added with a grumble. “It would be rather uncomfortable, but not unbearable.”

“Then lash them? A harness like that is expensive. Both in time and materials. We can have a proper one done for spring,” Rachuck added in a stern and dismissive tone. “She is to work so she will work. Is there anything else we can make her do in the meantime?”

“Rachuck… she can barely stand. She might be an arse, but give her a rest,” Saph spoke up just as reluctantly as before. But it was the truth. For the moment Yldril was a spent force. “Besides, I doubt Fengi will let you.”

“She is an asset, sometimes assets should be protected,” Paulin added with a nod, seemingly agreeing with Sapphire. She couldn’t actually remember the last time that had happened, nor did it in any way make her feel better about it.

Rachuck for his part straightened up immediately, giving an appreciative nod to Paulin. “Well that is only logical.”

Nunuk gave a bit of a side glance to her son before turning her attention to Sapphire. “What about you, Sapphire? How are you holding up?”

“I will be honest ma’am… I feel like shit. I am tired, I didn’t sleep much, I’ve been freezing all day, and I’m sore all over.”

“Yeees… Unkai’s work leaves something to be desired,” the old lady agreed, looking her up and down. “Take tomorrow off for a start, then we shall see how you feel. Currently I think we shall have to turn our attention to what preparations we can get out of the way while it rains. Dakota, we should send a hunting party tomorrow, weather permitting. Take Jarix out to make up for the loss of Sapphire and Fengi. Load him up. We will have the time to smoke and cure the meats while the building site dries.”

“Yes, mum.”

“And Rachuck,” the old lady continued, her son standing to attention. “Take up Jortun on his offer to help train the guards. With this many experienced dragons and crews, you would be remiss not to take advantage. Besides we shall be fighting alongside them in the future by the sound of things, both above and perhaps even in here.”

“Should we perhaps not leave the skies to those best-suited, mum? Train for corridor fighting with the new equipment?”

“No, leave that for winter. If the enemy is bringing dragons and those blasted bat things, we would rather they never touch the keep.”

“Of course, mum.”

“He is correct though, ma’am,” Jortun interjected. “In such a fight the enemy may well attempt to strike at the keep while we keep any larger threats at bay.”

“We are not untrained, major. We should make best use of the time. Before long we will be barred from any meaningful practice in the air. Winter is coming, the end of campaign season with it. I am more worried for spring.”

“Of course, we shall take to the skies then. Might I add once Yldril is fit for flying, it would be a waste not to see her crewed.”

“Oh that’s gonna be a sight,” Dakota added indignantly glancing at her brother who did not look pleased in the slightest by that idea, likely quite able to work out who that crew would consist of.

“Then I suppose a crew must be found. As you said yourself the keep cannot be left undefended,” Nunuk retorted with a bit of a smirk, glancing at Rachuck as his expression lightened considerably.

“I doubt you will appreciate the offer, but procuring such a crew would be well within our ability,” Paulin added, all the faces turning to her with suspicion.

They had just gotten rid of the inquisitorial forces that had plagued them recently, and it had taken quite some work, protesting, and even borderline treason to do so.

“I believe we would rather see such forces found… elsewhere,” Nunuk replied in a measured tone, giving the investigator a slight nod. “Though the offer is appreciated.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“Perhaps the guard could be of service? It is quite possible to, if not hire such a crew, then perhaps… influence where such soldiers may be sent,” Jortun added, seemingly seeking to give Nunuk a way out of the situation he put her in.

“I believe that will warrant further discussion… For now, Sapphire, go rest. Rachuck, help me up would you? I could do with a touch of fresh air before dinner.”

__________________________________________________________________________________

Tom had quickly abandoned the works going on in the smithy before anything could happen that he might be held accountable for. That and he intended to make good on his promise of making a fishing rod for which problem number one was the line. And he wasn’t going to fix that in the smithy.

When he had tried to open the door to the workshop it was flung right back into his face with considerable force. His hand slipped on the handle, leading to him taking the solid oaken slab right to the face.

“Aoow,” Tom protested, rubbing his now sore nose, trying to work out just what the fuck as he heard the door lock for some reason.

“Is that you Tom?” the voice of Wiperna of all people came from inside. Tom had expected the farm woman to be busy with making sure her precious animals were safe during the cold, but apparently she had set up shop in the workshop for whatever reason.

“Yeah… it is?” Tom replied in a questioning tone, feeling rightfully confused.

“Oh, sorry. Didn’t hear who it was, you really should knock, ya know?”

“Right, got it,” Tom replied, rubbing his nose a little more, Jacky letting out a snicker from behind him.

“Kinda impressive you managed to hurt your snout even though you don’t have one.”

“Ha ha. Very funny… can I come in?” Tom questioned as he heard some rather frantic sounding moving about of things from inside.

“Just a moment,” came the reply, now clearly not at the door anymore.

Then he felt Jacky pull him back towards her, a hand going to gently rub at his now likely red nose. “Awwww, you got a little boo boo.”

“The hell’s gotten into you?” Tom questioned as he heard the door hasp get unlocked. It opened to a smiling Wiperna, who looked like she was suppressing a slight pant.

“Right, how can I help you?”

“Uhm… I was just gonna have a rummage around to see if I could find something that could make for a decent fishing line… and maybe something to make the pole out of.”

“Sure, just promise not to spill the beans,” she replied, sounding all chipper as she stepped aside.

‘The hell are you hiding?’ Tom mused to himself as he walked inside, Jacky letting him go.

“Sorry about that by the way.”

“No harm done… at least not much,” Tom replied. “What are you doing in here anyway?”

“I am working on some jewelry for Ray,” Shiva replied before Wiperna got a word out. Once inside Tom saw the smith standing at the lathe working on something very small indeed.

“Oh, you’re turning down a ring?”

“It is very swift I must give you that,” Shiva replied as she spun down the lathe, going to inspect her work. “And a leather sheet can catch most of the filing for reuse, even if it is only copper.”

“Yup, makes sense… You could also try and use it for inlays or something. With your magic you wouldn’t even need welds or glue.”

“Glue?” Shiva questioned with a confused expression. “You would glue metal?”

“Well more glue something to the metal… But yeah that could be done. What kinda ring is it?”

“Plain copper band with a small topaz. I wanted to use a diamond, but Nunuk didn’t find it appropriate, and she had a nice little one stored away.”

“Oh that sounds quite nice… But diamond on a copper ring. Ain’t that a bit of an odd combo?”

“What do you mean?” Shiva questioned, brow furrowing as she looked up.

“Well they are very precious are they not?”

“No, not particularly?” she questioned, seeming honestly confused.

“I have a pair of diamond earrings. Raulf got them for me for our anniversary years ago. 5 stones in each, ten total. Ten years of marriage… he can be romantic when he wants to.”

“They are quite nice indeed. Silver too,” Shiva added, clearly familiar.

“Yes… They sparkle a lot in the light.”

“But they were expensive, no?”

“I mean the stones cost more than silver… I’m not sure about gold though. What do you think, Shiva?”

“I think they would still be the most valuable part… depending upon the quality of the cut.”

“Huh,” was all Tom got out, staring at the two of them. “I guess we should get to work on some diamond tooling then,” he snickered.

“I do not have any gem-cutting tools. It is my understanding that it is mainly diamond dust that is used in the cutting. But I suppose we could order a set if you wish? I did consider it in case winter led to any free time for us crafters. And this year’s paycheck has been… considerable,” she replied with a bit of a smirk at the end, though it soon disappeared.

“Oh… Wait, you use diamonds to cut other gems with?”

“Why would you not? They are very hard if rather brittle. And rather cheap for a gem.”

“... I mean I suppose so,” Tom admitted, trying to come up with a reason for why diamonds could be considered cheap all of a sudden. But he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. “I mean, it sounds useful. How expensive would those be?”