A few suns had gone by when Claudine awoke one cold, dreary morning to see she had a letter inside her pigeonhole at her home, the Rucesion inn. EvilClown appeared to have sent her a note. The rolled up parchment bore a small crimson coloured ribbon tied around the girth of it to presumably stop the letter from unfurling. Her eyes lingered on the ribbon which drew forth an image of the warrior’s face in her mind. Untying the ribbon around the parchment, she first noticed the untidy handwriting. The contents of the note were to ask for her help acquiring some polished gems he needed. Polgara, Claudine’s sister, was an accomplished gem smith. She assumed this was in exchange for the earrings, so she took a few moments to ink her quill to pen a reply. She dropped it off with the innkeeper asking Maria to make sure her reply was received by EvilClown on her way out of the Inn to ensure her sister made the gems for him.

 

Her reply asked the gladiator to meet her at the Rucesion dock for the gems later that day, when the sun was highest in the sky. The docks were nearest to the black market where her roguish sister had sat upon her cerulean coloured cloth, painstakingly polishing the precious rubies and beryls into an uncut state, some a finished state.

 

Later that day when the sun has risen to its peak before beginning its descent, EvilClown arrived at the Rucesion dock to find Claudine knelt on the floor next to a community board close to where her note said she would be. He inhaled the sharp scent of the sea, hearing some waves crashing against the stone dock gently.

Despite the size of him, he could be very quiet when he felt like it. Claudine was busy and hadn’t noticed him yet, so he took a moment to stare at the maiden. The slight breeze off of the ocean was blowing tendrils of her dark locks around her face. Sat on the path without a cloth under her, she was an untidy mess, wearing a small frown around her delicate mouth.

'She is wearing the scarf I wrapped the earrings in, how nicely it compliments her dark tresses' he thought to himself with immense pleasure.

 

He knew if he took a look over the hand rails separating the docks from the waves swirling beneath, he may even see some fish. The docks were a popular place for fisherman to gather to earn their supper.

Coughing slightly to get the bard’s attention, he knelt down near her as she was lost in her monotonous task.

“Greetings dear bard. I have came as per your letter, I see you have the gems then? A most welcome sight indeed” he did not mean the gems however, he was eyeing the curve of her neck as she leant over the gems she was sorting into piles for him.

She looked up to acknowledge his arrival, “Hello there. Here is what you asked for, I was putting them into separate pouches so they are easier to differentiate between the uncut and the finished gems.”

“Thank you my dear lady, that is a grand idea. My sister shall not cut her fingers as she trades them to Bertil in exchange for knowledge.”

 

Claudine began to close the pouches of gems, upon seeing her struggling to right herself EvilClown put out his hand to once again pull the bard off the ground. His rough dry hands chafed against the smooth, soft skin of hers. There was no denying the spark this time, they both felt it again. The biggest smile bloomed across her face as she peered upwards towards EvilClown, a grin playing around his.

“Thank you for your assistance again. Here you go” she proffered the sack of gems which she was struggling to hold upright due to its weight. His finger brushed hers as took the offering and carried it as easily as if it were weightless.

Claudine thought to herself, 'I wonder if this warrior could carry me as effortlessly as he took those heavy gems from me?' her cheeks grew hot at the thought.

“Dear bard, so this is not the last I see of you, would you accompany me on a little adventure to the ruins of Nobis some time? We should make a fine pair, for exploring the ruins. It shall be a grand adventure, what say you?”

Claudine opened her eyes in surprise, “Would I not be a hindrance? I’m small, and rather weak in comparison to yourself.”

“I shall be able to keep you quite safe I assure you my lady.” EvilClown sensing her shyness pressed on, “I shall not take no for an answer. I will send another letter to arrange this, for now I must leave. I've matters to attend to in the arena. I look forward to next our paths cross.”

Claudine nodded her head as a reply and waved to him from where she stood leaning against the board. As she watched him go, she felt a strange sensation in her stomach.

 

Well over a hundred deochs ago, she’d been a wizard once. Her love of books and acquiring knowledge had however gotten the better of her, as she gained all the wizarding knowledge she could, she simply sought to rededicate herself to becoming a priestess. As a priestess was where she found her true calling. Pulling the woollen scarf closer around her neck, she decided it was time for her to return to the inn as she had reams and reams of parchments to study until a restless sleep would eventually claim her for its own.