No- No, No, Its All Right. Please Dont Use Your Arm.

No- no, no, it’s all right. Please don’t use your arm.

(Merchant tries to ease DG’s injured hand away from his face)

I’m not here because you’re useful to me. I said that because I assumed you would accept help more easily if you felt you were giving something back to me. Perhaps I haven’t adjusted as well as I thought…

Sorry, what? Have you been carrying this opinion of yourself the entire time? DG, my friend, I’ve known monsters. I’ve traded with monsters, and had to run from a few after a failed sale. You are a soldier defecting from a cause you didn’t believe in, and a person who wasn’t taught to be one figuring it out as he goes along.

Most people have had decades to feel out the world by the time they reach your age. You’ve had- what, three months? Four? Memory and knowledge can’t make up for experience.

Give yourself a little grace. A few years to settle in this world. Then come back and re-evaluate whether you’re a monster.

(Merchant is still almost entirely hidden by the cloak, but his posture wilts, indicating some level of self-consciousness.)

Ah… And there I go again. Forgive me, my people have an affinity for the dramatic and I doubt I’ll ever overcome it entirely.

(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)

DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?

MERCHANT!!!!!!

Yess :3

Perhaps we should listen to the dog. She seems to take offense to what you’re saying, friend.

DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.

Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.

'there'? Where/What is 'there'?

The Feywild, stranger.

My friend, Darkclaw is a remarkable dog, but she is a dog. You need a healer, physical or magical - if this heals on its own, it might not heal well. You know from experience how much more painful it is to leave serious injuries untreated.

I know you’re afraid of new people, and you don’t want to burden me, but I could retire now and live comfortably for the rest of my life twice over. I work because I enjoy it, and I demand compensation because it would be wrong of me not to.

This is not a business exchange. You are my friend, and this is a gift. Consider it… Alternate payment for the cloak you said you would make for me. It won’t be done if you can’t use your arms, now, will it?

(A rustling and a quiet sigh from outside the door)

DG? It’s the Merchant, friend, may I come in?

MERCHANT!!!!!!

Yess :3

It’s done.

{The cleric’s voice is so soft it can barely be heard. Sie looks to the blanket hiding the rest of DG}

Anything else?

Are you hurt anywhere else? (The Merchant clarifies)

DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.

Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.

(The Merchant leads a young adult Genasi into the room. The Genasi kneels in front of DG and holds out a hand, expressionless)

From what I’ve seen, he’s not the most… Talkative, but sie wants to help. Can you give him your arm? He’s going to set the bone and heal it enough for your own body to do the rest.

DG? I’ve returned with a cleric. He’s semi-retired, but agreed to see you.

Cleric- o-Okay- There a good cleric right?- they won't hurt me.