>>5915898The two of you eat strange little nutty shortbread confections (‘ghraybeh’, apparently) and sip a fragrant tea as you catch her up on the summarized, sanitized version of your adventures, scrubbed of any fairy-secrets. She in-turn tells you of her own Apprenticeship—of how she has managed to become the Mistress Gartner’s prime pupil.
“Which is like a glorified housekeeper and seamstress, honestly,” she pouts. “I expected it to be MUCH more glamorous, but with the downturn in trade, we mostly just fill these boooring, repetitive orders for the local noblewomen, fixing up their dresses or doing their make-up and hair for long journeys up north. We never even get any fun galas HERE! Nobody wants to come to a place like this from all the way up North, and it’s not like we get anyone from the SOUTH, obviously.”
“Right,” you agree. “I mean… Sorry to hear it.”
“Well, you know…” Testa trails off, with a sigh, and then shrugs. “Still, I’m learning a lot! All kinds of magic, and design philosophies, and colour theory, and how to enchant different materials…”
“Actually,” you smoothly segue, “that’s what I’m here to discuss, kind of. What you’ve been learning. I bet you’re even better at illusion magic than you sued to be, aren’t you?”
“Uh, duh,” she boasts, then sips her tea and squints at you. “What do you want EXACTLY, though?”
You want…
>Testa to accompany you on a mission to slip inside the Royal Palace of Hawksong, concealing your entry with illusion magic and helping you escape if need be>For Testa to help expose the truth of the Pricne Consort’s nature and intentions, helping break any illusions or mind-clouding magics he has in place>Some accessories or garments for yourself (and for Zith-Zi) to help disguise your true idnetities and cloak your approach>Write-inWhat are you offering her in turn?
>Your remaining gold>Magical assistance with her own projects>To get her a date with Logan Pearce>Your sincere appreciation as a friend>Write-inZith-Zi's recruitment and catch-up will come after this, as well as addressing whatever aid you want to lend the community at Old Maple Hill 