"Are you all right?"
Dipak jerked upright, then to his feet—but the angry, defensive words on his lips died as he stared at the open, genuine concern on Euclid's face.No one had ever looked at him like that, like they actually gave a damn.Why would some weird eccentric hiding in the Forbidden Forest care about his feelings?"I'm fine.Bad memories.What happened to all those weeds I chopped down?"
"Weeds?What's a weed?"
Dipak opened his mouth, then closed it, realizing any answer he could give actually didn't make much sense in the current context."Poor choice of words.The plants I tore from the cabin."
"Darrow ivy and creeping roses," Euclid replied cheerfully, moving closer to Dipak with fluid, eager movement."Highly sought after by moss owls and petrichor pixies.Traded them.I left you a royal trout in trade.Was that not sufficient?"
"Not—" Dipak choked."Euclid, back home people would pay ingoldfor a fish like that.If anything, I'm in your debt."He narrowed his eyes."Are you the one who took my nuts and berries?"
"I would never just take something," Euclid replied with astonishing somberness."Stealing is unrefined and dishonorable.I trade with fairness and honor."
That was certainly in keeping with trading nuts and berries for meat.But Euclid couldn't get through his wards."Fine, then.Thank you for the fish.What did you get from the uh, owls and pixies?"
"The pixies gave me some lovely honey, and the owls gave me some feathers.Did you have interest in either?"
"I wouldn't mind more honey," Dipak replied, "but I've nothing to trade currently."
"If I may keep your company for the remainder of the day and all of the night, I would consider that an equitable trade."
Dipak stared.Why did this man consistently leave him flustered and bemused."You'll give me honey in exchange for keeping me company?"
Euclid smiled like it was his sole purpose in life."Yes."
"All right," Dipak said, because what the fuck else was he supposed to say?"Let me move this furniture back into the house, and then I'll butcher the fish and get dinner started."
"That sounds wonderful.I'm terrible at cooking fish, so I never get it.I will go get the honey and return soon."He turned and darted off before Dipak could say a word.
How was the bastard so quiet?He talked and talked, but when he moved, there was barely any sound at all.Dipak had been a hunter, then a scout, then a courier, all jobs that required being quick and quiet, andhecouldn't move that soundlessly, let alone so effortlessly.
Shaking his head, Dipak got back to work, ignoring the strange eagerness to be finished working for the day and get to dinner.
Chapter Three
It was raining when he woke, and for a moment, it was just like being back in his village, rain drumming on the roof as he stayed in bed for as long as he possibly could before he had to get up, make his bed, and get the fire built back up so his father could make breakfast—on the rare days there was any breakfast to make—before they all headed out to do whatever work they had or could find.
Back in the city, there'd always been too much other noise, even on the rainiest days, for it ever to be the soothing, sleep a little longer sound of his childhood.In the military, rain had just made life a thousand times worse, getting inside their shitty tents to ruin everything, making the scouting and the fighting more difficult…
Sighing, he climbed out of bed, packed everything up as he'd hopefully be sleeping in a real bed that night, and set to work lighting the oven he'd spent an entire day getting back into shape.Once that was done, he got some water for tea going and went about getting dressed.
He'd just sat down to tea with honey and some leftover smoked fish when a knock came at his door."Come in!"
Euclid stepped inside, smiling in that sunshine way of his that Dipak would never be capable of, even if his life depended on it."Good morning!Did you sleep well?I have brought items of interest for possible trade."
Amused despite himself, Dipak motioned him to the empty chair."You'll have to wait until I have goods for trading.I'm still trying to get this cabin in order."
"The west-side dwarves traded salt for more honey yesterday, and this morning, I exchanged some porcelain roses for a couple of shed unicorn horns."
"Where did you get the roses?"
"From a fairy who had too many of them, traded them for some vinegar I got from a witch who lives to the south."
Dipak shook his head, amused and impressed."Is that what you do with your days?Go around the forest making trades?"
"Yes," Euclid said with that same startling solemnity he'd displayed before when talking of trade."Fair trade keeps everyone happy and peaceful.Where fair trade is lacking, there is greed and hostility and bloodshed."
"Can't argue with that," Dipak said with a sigh."I was once sent to scout an enemy encampment for some stolen goods.Found them, reported their exact location within the camp.The next day our forces slaughtered the camp and took back the goods.It was food, mostly.The soldiers we killed had been exhausted and starving, same as us."
