Feyra said goodbye to Lydia before walking out on the street to head back to the inn. The world was bathed in an orange light as the sun began to set.
While she walked back a voice came from afar.
"Help me! There is a woman who has collapsed!", a female voice called out from not far away. Feyra walked in the direction the call had come from, winding around a few corners, until she saw a woman waving her arms to attract attention.
Feyra went over to her immediately and the woman seemed relieved seeing someone arrive.
"Please help me. My neighbour... She passed out!", the woman said hurrying over to the house with an open door. Inside was a woman who was lying on the ground unconscious.
Feyra went over to her and brought her in a safe position before checking her pulse and breath.
Good. She's still alive. Though... Her face feels familiar. Whatever... That isn't important now.
Feyra looked at the woman before checking her head. It was hot to the touch.
"Is... Is she going to be okay?", the woman behind her asked being near tears.
"She seems to have a high fever. Until she wakes up it's hard to say what it is but I don't think it's something deadly. Help me for now.", Feyra said.
They moved the woman to a safer place. Feyra took some cloth pieces and used water to cool down the body temperature a bit.
In another room a baby started crying. The woman, who had called for help, ran over and took the baby trying to calm it.
"What is your name?", Feyra asked looking at the woman holding the baby. She sat next to the bed where her patient was lying.
"My name is Melinda. This little one is Ash and his mother, the woman on the bed, is Gerta.", she said moving around so the baby would calm down a bit.
It didn't stop crying and Feyra was wondering if it was hungry. "Could it be the baby is hungry?"
Melinda looked at Feyra. She didn't know anything about it. Overall both Feyra and Melinda didn't know a lot about babies.
"I have no idea. I have no children of my own yet. My husband is always out in the mines and often stays near them. We don't get to see each other often."
"Great... We both know roundabout the same amount... I don't know a lot about babies either.", Feyra said turning to Gerta who seemed to get a bit better.
Not long after, she opened her eyes again. "Is that you, Melinda?"
"Yes it's me! I called for help.", she answered walking over. The woman on the bed seemed a little confused still. Feyra gave her a bit of time until she had recovered a little more again.
"What happened? I'm still confused."
"You passed out. Then I called for help and this lovely woman came.", Melinda explained still trying to calm the baby.
Melinda turned her head to Feyra. "Oh? The woman from a few days ago? You had gotten lost in the capital, right?"
So it is her! I knew she was familiar.
Feyra nodded. "Yes. My name is Feyra. I'm glad you're awake again. May I ask if you felt anything unusual these past days?"
"Hmmm... My body aches and I don't feel so well. I have no idea what this could be."
Combining all I know, and the symptoms she seems to be experiencing, it could be the flu. I have no confirmation yet.
"My head has been aching too since yesterday evening. I feel like getting sick.", Gerta explained holding her hand to her head noticing there was a piece of cloth.
"Headache, body ache and high fever... Do you also feel like coughing?", Feyra asked just to be sure.
Gerta was silent for a while before she started to cough. "I guess so. Can I get some water?"
Feyra went over to get her a glass of water. With all the symptoms she was almost sure it was the flu. She didn't know if these symptoms could also hint at something else but it didn't seem like Gerta had something underlying.
"So do you know what it is?", Melinda asked. The baby in her arms had become quiet and she had brought it back to its sleeping place.
"I'm not one hundred percent sure but I guess she has the flu.", Feyra said to Melinda before she turned to Gerta to ask her a question, "Is your husband home?"
"No. He works at the mines outside the city. He won't come home for a while.", she answered, coughing again.
Feyra nodded and took out her notebook. She wrote something down before ripping out the page and giving it to Melinda. "Those are some herbs that can help. Get them and prepare them as I've described. In a few days, when I leave the Capital, I'll come back to check up on you. Miss Melinda please help her in that time.", Feyra instructed Melinda and Gerta how they could help the recovery.
She also asked Gerta about the baby and that she should instruct Melinda what she can do.
Feyra returned to the inn and fell face first onto her bed. She was exhausted from this day. The Capital was big and getting around wasn't as easy as in other cities. In such times she also often remembered things she had forgotten. Before entering the Capital she had wanted to look for a cooking book, a knife and some other utensils, as well as salt and pepper.
Now I'm already here... And look at that... I have four books that have nothing to do with cooking, a book about Tarot cards and a set of Tarot cards. And on top of that I only have 9450 coins left...
Wait...
Feyra got up and checked her bag again. At the bottom she still had some stones left from the cave.
If I sell them I may get some more coins. Then I could get more salt and pepper as well as a knife. As for a cooking book... Hah... Let's see.
She took out her notebook and wrote down everything she needed to buy before she finally fell asleep.
The streets were bustling and so was the market. Noises drifted into a room in the inn that wasn't particularly expensive but also not the cheapest. Its occupant was a peculiar traveler, none other than Feyra, who was already sitting on the bed and sorting everything in her bags. Today she would go out buying a few things, she guessed that taking both bags with her was a good idea. Although Feyra knew the Minimisation Power, she was not sure if she could use it on that many items.
The stack of books would stay at the inn with the Tarot cards and her clothes. Some herbs were lying in the pot that she may not need.
The mushrooms are also still there... I need to eat them as soon as I can before they go bad. Not only that but... At some point it would be wise having more strings to dry some herbs. Especially in summer drying them will be easy.
There is so much to do. Okay Feyra... One thing at a time.
She calmed herself before she looked at the big bag again and the herbs she had inside. Some of them didn't need to be carried around all the time so Feyra also put them in the pot. She looked in the pot after that and saw a big mess of various herbs, mushrooms and seasonings lying in there.
At that I should try to get some spare cloth to separate the various things I have... Even better would be having small bags too. Better I note it down.
She took out the notebook and wrote a section that were things she would look for but wouldn't be as necessary to get.
Just as she closed her notebook a letter pigeon came to her window holding a heavy letter and tilting its head to the right. The pigeon seemed confused on Feyra's reaction who had gotten scared again.
Feyra pinched the bridge of her nose between her eyes with two fingers. Why am I always getting scared whenever a letter pigeon arrives? It's not even the first time the pigeon came through the window. How else is it supposed to get in!?
She shook her head shortly before standing up and walking over to the pigeon who finally tilted its head back.
Feyra took the letter and opened it. Inside were not just twelve pictures of statues but also some other pictures as well as a letter.
The letter had come from the receptionist and it wrote:
Dear Feyra,
It's nice to know you're very interested in the statues. However, instead of only taking the pictures of the statues we also decided to take some other pictures of people you've met as well as some of the building. I'm unsure if you're also interested in architecture but the statues and the building both have similar designs in some places.
I was also told by some other people that you really liked fountains so I asked my friends from the archive to also take some pictures of the government district. On that note: Frieda said she will soon also send a letter.
But let's put that aside. First we got the twelve pictures of the statues. The next ones are the people you interacted with to get your permit. This is our lovely small team. Jann and Frieda also wanted you to have a picture of them. I must say that Jann has shown himself from his usual side again. Whenever Frieda says he is the personification of sloth then she is almost right. Even Lydia came over this morning to ask if we could still take some pictures of the knights accommodations and the people.
As for the last pictures those are the ones of the fountains and the buildings. They're truly a marvel of architecture. The old style, the age and history behind them. These buildings have stood since the Alliance was formed. If you're interested in more of the history Frieda might be able to help.
But I'm running out of space on this paper so I hope you enjoyed your stay.
Sincerely yours, Robert
Feyra was chuckling a bit reading the last line and seeing the name had been squeezed just at the side of the paper.
He wasn't lying saying he ran out of space.
She took the pictures and looked at them one by one. There were all the people she had met as well as the buildings and fountains she loved.
It may have not been that long since I came here but everyone seems to be kind.
She smiled until she got scared again by the sound of a pigeon sitting at the window.
Now there are already two pigeons...
Feyra went over to the pigeon and took the letter before telling them both they could take their leave.
Feyra opened the letter and saw it was the one from Frieda that Robert, the receptionist, had mentioned.
I got permission to copy some of the details about this case. Come over when you have time.
Frieda had only written a few lines but the statement was clear. Feyra could get the information they had talked about some days ago.
Now I have even more to do. I need to make a plan first...
She shook her head placing the letters on the table and putting the pictures in the back of her notebook.
First I should get more coins by selling these stones. After that I'll look for a knife and the other utensils I need. I suppose I'll visit the archive tomorrow then. To fit everything in one day would be too much.
She nodded, agreeing with the plan before she took both of her bags and left the inn.