#arcanum

Tabitha nodded, perking up at the comment. "It's a mining town?" That was something at least vaguely familiar in this alien land.

"It..." Virgil hesitated. "Yes, but that's been... falling off lately, from what I understand, so they've been leaning more into their agricultural production. Why?"

"Do they... mm. What kind of standards do they have?" She ran a hand down her singed skirts. "I'm worried I'll be an eyesore in my... current state."

He looked over, darting glances at said "state" without lingering too long, which made her smile. "Oh, there's nothing-- That is, you look..."

The tempation to tease grew with the protracted silence of him trying to be polite and encouraging without being presumptuous or lying through his teeth. Millie would tease. Presented with a scruffy and overawed man ready to pledge devotion within two minutes of meeting her? Who thought her a reincarnation of his god? Oh, yes, Millie Booker would have fun with that.

It was Virgil's good fortune Tabitha was not her friend. "I look like I survived a zeppelin crash," she supplied after he floundered a moment longer. "It's a bit hard to miss." She ran her hands over her skirts again, fussed at a rip in one sleeve. "I suppose I'm just wondering if this is the sort of place that will make a fuss."

"Not especially," Virgil said, hands shoved in the pockets of his duster and still darting small glances her way. (If he was wondering if she was real, well, so was she.) "A-At least I don't think. They'll notice, but you shouldn't get run out of town for it. No one really bothered me or Elder Joachim, despite our being strangers." His brow furrowed. "Of course, the zeppelin crash might change that, make people more inquisitive."

Her chatelaine rattled in the folds of her skirt. Tabitha reached to curl her hand around the repurposed compact. "I suppose I should not mention the ring or how it came to my possession? Given we've already encountered one... suspicious character."

"Keeping mum on it would be wise under the circumstances," Virgil nodded, one hand coming free of the duster to scratch the back of his neck. "At least until we've spoken to--"

"Elder Joachim," Tabitha finished. She cocked her head. "If I may say so, you seem to be deferring to him on a lot."

Both hands back in his duster pockets, he shrugged and kicked at the dusty ground. "He's much more knowledgable about the Panarii faith than I, I-I simply don't wish to misinform you about anything important."

She could understand that. And since she was apparently a reincarnated god tasked with defeating great and nebulous Evil, accurate information would be a boon. "I see. Tell me more about Shrouded Hills, then."

Virgil looked sidelong at her. "Anything in particular, my lady?"

Alright, the 'my lady' she could get used to, if that wasn't too bold of her. "You said it's a mining town, but having difficulties at the moment. What sort of stores and establishments do they have? It sounded like a small place from the way you talked about it."

"It is, but they still have a blacksmith, a bank, a healer..." he reeled off a few more, "and, of course, the inn."

Tabitha's shoulders sagged at one notable absence from the list. "No tailor?"

"Not that I saw." Virgil shook his head. "I wasn't on the hunt for one, though. Why...?"

"Well, I'd like to find something more presentable to wear," she laughed wryly. "Something that won't draw attention or questions, if we're trying to go unnoticed."

"Ah. There was a general store, we- you could see if they sell clothing, I suppose. It wouldn't be high quality or a perfect fit..."

"But it would be clean and undamaged." Tabitha fussed some more at her ripped sleeve. Mother would have a fit at her wearing something untailored, but the soot was making her eyes water. And without the bustle, her skirt kept dragging on the ground. Amongst other difficulties. "I'll look when we get there, thank you." A small smile tugged her lips. "After we speak to Elder Joachim, of course."

The back of Virgil's neck colored, but on the whole he did an admirable job not blushing. "Have I been that one-tracked?"

"Mmhm," Tabitha hummed lightly, skirting a pothole. She was grateful for the support of her boots as her feet sank into the grassy turf. "Understandably so, with the circumstances. But yes, I keenly feel the urgency of this conversation to be had."

More of the town was visible now, with the distance they'd covered. Mostly silhouettes, true, but the downhill path at least gave a good view of where the boundaries lay. It was smaller than she expected, even with Virgil's description and how... rural the general vicinity seemed to be. She wondered what brought him and Elder Joachim out this way, but she'd interrogated the man enough. That was for later. Or for Elder Joachim. She could add it to the list. At least she wouldn't need to remember that list much longer; they were making good time.

"Then I shan't... press the issue further, my lady." The sheepish comment pulled her back.

"Well, we're almost there, so it shouldn't be necessary either way, should it?" Tabitha pointed out. "We can speak of other things."

Virgil arched a brow. "Such as?"

"Oh, I'm sure we can find something to discuss. We should get to know each other better, shouldn't we...? Not looking for deep, dark secrets or anything like that," she clarified when his shoulders tensed. Not when we've known each other less than a full day, at least. "I was thinking more along the lines of... simple things; how do you like your tea--or coffee, if you prefer, where are you from, has anything exciting--other than me falling from the sky--happened recently?"

He relaxed, though not as much as she would have expected. "Well, that's fine." He flashed a sheepish smile. "I do have to admit curiosity about where the Living One called--calls?--home."

The title made something odd and feathery squirm in her chest, but Tabitha was homesick enough to brush it aside, breaking into a grin as she began chattering about the virtues of her birthplace. She'd been talking twenty minutes before she realized how neatly he'd turned the conversation back to her.