"We have a business proposition for you, Duke Sarne." Waithe stood upright before the polished wooden desk of a scowling grey-haired man. Several leather-bound ledger books filled a wooden bookcase behind him. "One that would recover the production and profits from your land. Before you stands a Lady of the Order of Medice, the one that would purge this foul Taint from your land."

The Duke's bushy eyebrows came together in one long line across his forehead as he cast his gaze at the nervous Ceres. He intimidated her, especially after his guards forcibly dragged her before him, at least at first. Once they noticed the mark of the Order on her neck, they showed much more respect. Eira held tightly onto Ceres, almost hiding behind her.

Sarne studied her for a moment. "This is true? I have no time for false promises. Even Overlord Hagen's Chief Shaman failed at this."

Ceres replied, "Aye, Sir. I have done this many times and..."

Waithe interjected, "Sir, there be no risk to you. If she fails, you owe us nothing. But if she succeeds, the benefits to you would be great."

Ceres jumped back into the conversation. "And if so, you only need pay us what you think it worth."

Waithe choked back a groan. With the Duke so tight with his purse, as evidenced by the condition of the buildings and the way he regarded his workers, it would have been much better to have agreed on a price upfront. He made a mental note to discuss negotiating strategies with her in the future.

Sarne thought for a moment. "Very well. Make your attempt." He motioned to one of his burly guards, and with that, they were dismissed.

Ceres led the group beneath a towering oak tree that rose in solitude from a nearby meadow. The tree was nearly stripped of its greenery. A feeling of sorrow came to Waithe that such a stately tree would have so much of its dignity taken by the Taint. The dried leaf litter and wilted grass crunched and crackled under their feet as they reached the trunk. The tree offered what little shade it could to the visitors who gathered below it.

Ceres sat down cross-legged and scooped up a handful of dry soil. She let it trickle out between her fingers and watched as the breeze separated the fine dust from the coarse grains. She turned her eyes up to Waithe. "The Taint is not so deep that it cannot be purged."

With a head tilt, she invited Eira and Waithe to sit beside her. Eira pushed herself close and Ceres wrapped an arm around her.

Ceres spoke to the little girl. "Eira, would you help me call the Spirits? Phy, of course, and I think Anu as well." The little girl nodded.

Ceres closed her eyes and began to hum softly. Eira observed this and copied the actions. Within a moment the two spirits appeared, first Phy's green light and then Anu's silver light. They circled slowly above. Waithe noted that Anu appeared to behave better this time. While not a Shaman, he could nonetheless feel the presence of both Ceres and Eira in the Magic.

The two guards that had accompanied them backed up a few steps with open mouths as shimmering sparks of light enveloped the tree. The Duke abruptly straightened his stance as he watched from a mansion balcony. To Waithe, the lights seemed brighter than in previous Magic encounters. Was Eira actively participating?

The shimmer spread across the land as the Spirits widened their circling flight. Soil, plants, and trees sparkled with the Magic. Dark mists began to rise from them.

Waithe closed his eyes in joyful anticipation. Again, vivid visions of a happy time appeared.

Little Aala clung tightly to the thick rope that hung from an overhead tree branch. She sat on a small wooden plank through which the rope passed, a large knot below holding it in place. Her father gave her a small push and she swung forward, just a bit, in the direction of her grinning mother. Her eyes opened up wide at the sensation. Her mother gave her another small push back toward her father. A smile emerged on her face, this was fun! Back and forth she went, each time higher and faster. Glee radiated from her face.

Waithe opened his eyes. The black mists continued to lift from the land and dissipate into nothingness as the Taint fled from the Life Magic. Soon they ended. He looked up to a rustling sound. Green leaves sprouted from the branches of the massive tree and quivered in the wind. A pleasant coolness came over him as they blocked more and more of the hot afternoon sun. He smiled and nodded at the tree's renewed grandeur. The plants in the surrounding fields and meadows stood green and upright in approval.

The shimmer faded away and the Spirits vanished, their task now completed. Ceres and Eira opened their eyes together and pulled each other into a hug.

*****

Waithe tossed the purse back on the Duke's desk. "Twenty silver marks? The renewed production of your land be worth a thousand times that. This be an insult." Ceres gulped as her eyes widened, a bold negotiator she was not.

Duke Sarne put on a sly smile. "No price was set. You should have considered that."

"Then let there be no deal. We shall leave as if we never arrived and return the Taint to your lands. Good day, sir."

Waithe looked over at Ceres and motioned toward the door. Her eyes narrowed. She seemed not able to move, so Waithe pulled her along.

As Waithe reached for the door handle the Duke called out. "Wait! Perhaps we may come to an agreement."

Waithe turned. "Perhaps so." He returned to the desk but stood silent.

The Duke broke the awkward silence. "I would give you twenty gold marks, no more."

"I think a hundred would be fair. Consider it a profitable investment in your lands."

Duke Sarne shot up from his chair and leaned forward, his face reddened. "Robbery! I could have you all killed."

Only as the Duke stood did Waithe realize how short he was. Waithe leaned on the desk edge and bent forward so that his eyes were level with Sarne. "Harm a Lady of the Order and a hundred armed Medice Guards would descend on you. Your Overlord would not protect you."

The Duke plopped down in his chair and grunted. "Forty. That is my final offer."

Waithe stood up straight and put a hand to his chin and turned his head toward Ceres. Her chin shuddered as she gave him a weak nod. He turned back to the Duke and bowed his head. "Very well, Duke Sarne, we accept. You be a keen negotiator."

A small smile came to the Duke's face but was quickly replaced by his usual scowl. Best leave him believing that he made something of a good deal, Waithe thought.

With new coin in hand, they mounted their horses. Waithe slung his blades that the guards returned to him, sword to his back and long knife to his belt.

"My Lady, I would have my salary and two week's advance."

"Now, Waithe? Best we leave quickly from this place."

"If you would."

Ceres shrugged and extracted several coins from her now heavy purse and gave them to Waithe. He nodded and then detoured from the road toward the house of the little boy that Ceres healed earlier that day. Jaya answered the knock at the door.

Her eyes widened. She stammered, "Sir. My Lady..."

Waithe interrupted her as Ceres and Eira joined him at the door. "How does little Benjamin fare?"

The boy joined his mother as she opened the door. "He still walks uneasy, Sir. But look, he came on his own to the doorway! Thanks to you, my Lady." She bowed and then rose with a smile. "Was it also you that restored the land, my Lady? That be so wondrous!"

Ceres answered. "Aye. That is my calling."

Waithe said, "We wanted to give you this."

He placed the coins into Jaya's hands. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. "For Benjamin and baby Rey. May their futures be bright."

Jaya's eyes moistened and she found some of her voice. "Sir... I..."

"We must be off." He leaned down and gently shook the boy's hand. "Be well, young Benjamin."

*****

"My dear Waithe, you are in danger of becoming a good man."

He laughed as their horses strode down the dusty road northward toward Arshe, the capital city of the Ley Lands. "That fault I learned from you, my fair Ceres."

She glanced down for a moment. A sleeping Eira stirred in her arm. "There is something else I would like to discuss, my protector."

"What troubles you, Ceres?"

"The payment by Duke Sarne..."

"The negotiation went well. We made a sizeable sum."

"Aye. Impressive are your skills in bargaining, but I would not have returned the foul Taint to the Duke's land, even if I was able. And the Order would indeed have sent guards, but to arrest me, not to avenge any harm."

Waithe nodded. "I knew that and you knew that, but the Duke did not. All part of the negotiation."

Ceres raised her voice. "Waithe, my purpose is not ultimately for money, but to serve the people of the Realm. The risks you took with the Duke were too great!"

"My dear Ceres, it be the money that allows you to continue your quest, and in itself may do much good. Just look at what a portion of it did for that family."

"Aye, Waithe, you speak truly. But there is a balance that we must maintain between coin and purpose. Even in my short life, I have witnessed money corrupting good men. The Duke clung to it above all else, such that his life had little other meaning."

Waithe straightened up and furled his brow. "Would you have walked away from the Duke with but twenty silver marks?"

She looked into his eyes. "Aye. I would have." She looked back down. "Forgive me, my protector. No qualms had I about extracting more coin from the cheap grubber, only the risks it imposed. I would ask that we confer together before bargaining."

Waithe thought for a moment. Her rebuke stung, even with her gentle words. Despite the results of the negotiation, did he err to the side of greed? Although they had grown to be friends, she still had the lead on this quest. He nodded deeply. "Very well, my Lady. Together then."

They continued in silence until the sun laid low on the horizon. The road narrowed and wound between rows of tall trees and dense green brush as they approached a small village.

Ceres said, "Perhaps we may find a roadhouse ahead. I would welcome a soft bed rather than..."

The sound of feet and hooves interrupted her as men and horses swarmed out from the dense foliage. Waithe drew his sword and pulled close to Ceres as the dust rose all around them. Eira awoke with a start and grabbed tightly on to Ceres, her lower lip quivered. Ceres wrapped the little girl in her arms as twenty armed men surrounded them, swords and pikes held on the ready.

The men wore the blue and red uniforms of the Medice Guard, all but one. Waithe frowned as he recognized him as one of Duke Sarne's guards. He must have informed the Medice Guard of Ceres' presence. Waithe circled Ceres, pointing his sword to keep the Guard at bay.

A Lieutenant on horseback smirked, the same one who became so red-faced at their first meeting in Delta. "My Lady Ceres, you know well I have a warrant for your arrest. Have your man drop his blades, or he will die."

Ceres cast a solemn expression to Waithe, imploring him to comply. She was right, this was not a fight they could win. He pulled his lips tight and blew a breath out of his nose. He lowered his sword, letting it slip from his hands. The long knife at his belt fell next. They dismounted.

Two men grabbed Ceres and bound her wrists as another pulled a teary-eyed Eira away from her. Waithe took the little girl to himself. He turned his gaze toward the Lieutenant. "Where do you take us?"

The Lieutenant smiled. "Oh, you be not going."

He made a small hand motion. In the next instant Waithe felt a heavy pain to the back of his head, the thud reverberated in his skull. He vaguely heard Ceres cry out his name as the blackness swallowed him up.