Laena grabbed Sera's hand and began rushing through the streets, finding cover from the rain wherever they could. The downpour only seemed to grow as they crested over the large hill heading towards the riverfront and the Night Barrows. The sound of the rain was quickly overtaken by music and talk as they approached the orange glow they could see in the distance.

One moment they were walking through dark, dilapidated, abandoned houses and the next the twinkling of firelight and the smell of smoke engulfed them. They emerged into a marketplace the likes of which Sera had never seen before.

Heavy canvas tents were set up craning off the sides of buildings and covering the undeveloped dirt patches where the city and Gabriel had abandoned them. Stalls full of food and fabric and jewelry flashed past them as Laena dragged her into the crowded throngs of people gathered there. Laena's black hair flowed behind her in a vivacious stream being pushed and pulled by the stormy winds.

Look at me, getting pulled through a night market by a pretty girl that I barely know. Sera's thoughts intruded. You would almost think nothing wrong was happening in this place.

"Sera, are you even listening at all? You have not said a word since we came over the hill."

Laena's words snapped Sera out of her over-stimulated stupor.

"I never imagined a place like this could exist here. I mean the rest of the city is so square and gray and this place is just...full of life I suppose."

"I think this is what Lovelle is really like! We have more immigration here than anywhere except for the capital but it's all hidden down the hill."

Looking around, Sera believed her. Compared to their travels over the past couple of months, there were people here who looked differently to anyone she had ever seen. Skin colors as varied as the rainbow, clothes in bright colors that draped over people like curtains, the smell of spices she could not recognize. Around every corner was something new and unique as she window shopped. At the sight of two women kissing each other, Sera blushed and looked sternly at the ground.

"Is there no common decency around here?" Sera questioned tersely.

Laena quickly looked over and seeing the object of Sera's embarrassment gave a knowing grin.

"As long as you are not hurting people, people around here generally keep to themselves. If you are jealous then you could always find your own partner. Come on, we are just getting started!"

Pushing through the last of the crowd, they came into a wider, more open space. In the center of the rows of tents was one tent taller and grander than the rest. It seemed to have been stitched together by many people with materials of all colors, wefts, and designs having been sewn into it in a giant culmination of cultures that covered the whole makeshift town square set up here. It had several long holes stitched into it that let the billowing smoke of the bonfire beneath it escape. Around the fire there were logs and benches that people were using as seats, tables, and everything in between.

As they approached one of the larger stumps, Laena began to call out.

"Hey you fucks! Still lounging around and being leeches on society?"

The group turned and looked at her. It was three teenagers who must have been around Sera and Laena's age. A figure with their hood pulled tight over their face jumped off the stump with a smile.

"Still chasing the impossible dream of taking down the most powerful man in the city?" A feminine voice responded from the shadow of the hood.

"Always!" Laena replied with a giggle while going up to give the hooded figure a hug. "This is my new friend Sera, I decided to show her the market so be nice!"

The hooded figure walked over and as she approached Sera noticed a ringed piercing along the dark-skinned bottom lip of the devious smile. She saw that the robe was not black but a deep blue color that caught the light as the stranger approached. Sepia skin shone in the firelight as Sera looked up into blue-green eyes of what she could now see was a quite beautiful woman. Plaited braids came down off her forehead but were tucked tightly back into her robes and her face was adorned with much more metal on her eyebrows, nose, and lip than Sera had ever thought possible.

"Nice to meet you Sera. I'm Astrid. I promise to be nice," The girl said with an almost hungry growl.

Laena rolled her eyes.

"She is a Church girl, Astrid. Can you not for just two seconds? As the oldest, are you not supposed to try to set a good example?"

"But I like Church girls!" Astrid quipped before being dragged away by her elbow back to the stump by Laena.

"These two GENTLEMEN are our other friends," Laena began after Astrid sat down with a huff. "This is Zuso. He does security work at Dr.Gunthrie's office and this is Al."

"I do just about anything that I can manage," Al added in shakily.

Al was obviously the youngest but was gaunt and lanky. Pale and with a bit of unkempt hair Sera could only think that his most notable feature was that he looked a bit sickly. His clothes were stitched together the same as the great tent above them in a somber patchwork reminder of his station in life. His pale green eyes shone out between his unkempt and greasy chestnut hair.

Zuso was a big guy standing tall enough that Sera thought Hound would feel short around him. He also had the advantage of being just as wide as he was tall with muscles hanging off of him like boulders. He also had a clot hanging onto his forehead like a parasitic boulder which kept his right eye partially shut. His smile was warm though and Sera liked that. The big man gave a greeting nod.

Sera received waves from the pair which she happily reciprocated.

"Now that everyone knows everyone, what should we go and do?" Laena asked the group.

"The last time that we saw the market we were out nearly all night. Last I checked, you cannot turn 17 again Laena so I should really get going. Sarena is watching my sister and I just got her meds," Al said before getting up and stretching in the way that conveys an intent to depart.

Laena walked up beside him and put an arm around his shoulder.

"Come on Al, we never meet new people. Just an hour?"

Al seemed to shrink into himself a bit as Laena put her arm around him. His face began to take on a deeper shade as he sheepishly nodded.

"I would like to find something to eat," Astrid whined while giving a pointed look at Sera.

"I can pay for us to get some food!" Sera offered as a peace offering and diversion from Astrid's flirting.

At the sound of that, the group perked up though Astrid seemed a tad disappointed.

"That would be Zuso's department," Laena teased.

Zuso, however, took this as an order. He screwed up his face into a determined smile and began to march towards the food stalls following his nose. Once he got going, the rest of the group began to follow him as if he were a bloodhound leading them to a prized game.

The places he led them never disappointed. Sera tried more foods in just a couple of hours than she had in years. After Zuso's surprised look at her overflowing wallet, he continued pressing his luck with more and further stands. Sera was more than happy to oblige him.

Sera tasted fried meats with spices and greens she had never seen before, sugar cane being handed out to snack on, sugars turned into caramel candy, cakes with rich butter cream and a nutty green filling, more kinds of bread than she could count, and all cheaper than she could've imagined. It was only after the surprised looks of her new friends and the sheer amount of food they were buying that Sera realized how well she was being paid as a Fledge. Well enough that she fueled all of their culinary adventures and it still felt like she barely made a dent.

Somewhere along the way, a flask of amber liquor was acquired and so the teenagers stumbled through the market, half drunk on spirits and half on fine foods.

While moving from one food stall to another Sera was confronted with the alluring smell of jasmine and found her gaze drawn to a red tent. The tent was taller than most here and had several sheer layers of cloth that streamed off its sides like the wings of an insect.

With a few mumbled words, Sera divested herself from the group with assurances that they would not go far and then entered into the strangely shaped tent.

The interior of the tent was possibly stranger than the exterior. The inside was itself partitioned into several concentric rings of curtains hanging on circular rods above leading to the very center where a wooden stage was placed. Each of the sections held different kinds of clothing and the different rows created by them were dotted with candles, incense holders in the shapes of animals, and full length mirrors. Even looking around, the amount of mirrors made Sera feel like there were always at least two of herself staring back.

Taking a few trepidatious steps forwards, Sera looked at the fine fabrics of the shirts on the line in front of her. They were woven so that you could barely even tell that they were made of thread and they looked soft despite their vivid color and sheen.

As Sera reached out to confirm their softness, a voice called out through the tent.

"If it is garments that you need then it is garments that you shall get but you must not touch that which is not for you!" A shrill voice called.

Emerging from the back of the tent onto the stage was a person that Sera could only describe as beautiful. Their features were ethereal in the way that people were in paintings. Chiseled and thin with many different shades of makeup on their face, Sera could not tell what their gender was. They wore a long, sweeping green dress that covered them from their neck down to the floor with barely any space between them. A wide brimmed hat rested just over their brows covered in lace and white threads of floral ornamentation with a hanging veil obscured the top half of their face. Jet black hair, though obviously having some kind of product in it, was slicked over into artistically created curls. They themselves were cloaked in a wreath of smoke as it emitted from both their mouth and the cigarette clenched tightly in its holder.

Sera was taken aback but steadied herself quickly.

"Well I liked the smell and I would not mind having some new clothes. I have the mon..."

"I did not ask you if you had money. I asked if you desired garments. Those things which you take out with you to do battle with the world. What shows others who you really are more than any armor could. There is always a price but one must know themselves thoroughly to be ready to choose a style."

The person walked towards her, stepping down the rings of circles until they emerged from the smoky fog into full view. They looked Sera up and down and smiled.

"What is your name?" The Figure questioned.

"Sera."

"Your real name. Are you so afraid of who you are that you will not say it aloud?"

"Seraphina Fostaine," she retorted forcefully.

At that, the Figure took a step back and took a long pull on their cigarette.

"And with dark hair too. Such a shame. Your skin tone would look lovely with a red or a gold but alas...God does not bless all with her most perfect beauty. What can I do for you Sera?"

"You sell clothes here right?"

"Oh yes. It's the purpose of the clothes that are important, dear. Clothes for work, travel, battle, and the ball are all very separate subjects. One must dress for the occasion and life is one's constant occasion."

At that, Sera paused.

What kind of clothes would I even get if I wanted to? Certainly not clothes for work but would I want clothes for fighting? I mostly wish that I could get clothes for relaxation in good conscience.

"I sense some trepidation," the Figure noted.

"These seem like fine clothes so I am trying to decide what kind of clothes I should get if I can only get one."

"Do you only need to get one?"

"No I suppose not."

"Perhaps you only need these for now and are not thinking of the future? It would be understandable for someone your age."

Someone my age? Who even is this person?

Sera stuffed down her displeasure.

"I am just not used to having choices. I could get some for now and some for later."

"You could or you want to?" The Figure retorted playfully.

"I would like to get some clothes that are nice and breathable but sturdy to replace my church garb. Perhaps some comfortable work clothes for when I can actually use them later."

"Most people would not look forward to working."

"I look forward to the idea of having a farm again. If I am ever able to."

"But first you have to fight?"

Sera thought for a moment, then gave a grim nod.

The Figure took another deep inhale from their cigarette.

"So it shall be then. Come onto the stage. I will fetch you your vestments."

The Figure disappeared into the darkness of the tent's furthest recesses leaving Sera to awkwardly stand on the stage. The sound of scissors, the snapping of thread, and the flowing sound of fabrics catching the air filled the tent.

When at last the Figure reemerged, they came with arms full of clothing. Grabbing a stool, they placed the items onto it, crossed their arms, and looked at Sera expectantly. Sera looked down at the clothes and then back up into the piercing eyes of the Figure which were deeply contemplating her.

"Will you not try them on?" The Figure questioned.

Sera, spurred into action, reached towards what she could tell was a shirt dyed a deep ruby red and began to pull it over her head before a hiss emerged from beside her.

"You must wear the outfit in its entirety. The combination provides protection for the skin against the corset. The corset provides the structure upon which the rest of the shirt sits!" The Figure lamented.

"You...want me to fully undress?" Sera questioned sheepishly.

With an eye roll and an exasperated sigh, the Figure pulled a rope and a new set of curtains fell from the ceiling. They then pulled the curtain around to entirely block sight of the stage.

Now in privacy, Sera disrobed and then redressed herself in the outfit provided to her. She found that it was easy to put on and everything clung to her body as if it were made specifically for her. There were many odds and ends with ties and gloves and new boots but once it was all on, Sera turned and looked at herself in the mirror.

It was like night and day from the baggy hand me downs that Anjelica had managed to steal for her. The combination and corset gave structure without limiting her movement. Over top of those was a linen shirt which had been dyed a brilliantly bright red which spat in the face of the bloody red used by the church. Wool riding pants the color of a new moon flared out towards her feet where they were stuffed into her boots. The boots themselves seemed cobbled specially and had several layers of buckles and laces that secured them tightly to her. Fingerless brown gloves with holes from the knuckles provided grip without hampering flexibility. Over her shoulder off to one side she had been given a striking black riding cloak that felt heavier than she thought it would. Wearing clothes that were properly tailored, standing tall in front of the mirror, Sera realized how simultaneously mature and tired she looked.

"You must let me see if you are done fiddling with the buckles?" The Figure called out.

"Uhm...certainly you can come in!' Sera yelled back.

The curtain parted with a quick sweeping motion as the Figure entered back onto the stage. Taking a big inhale from their cigarette, they looked Sera up and down examining every inch. They slowly walked around her, taking in every angle in their thorough analysis. Eventually they stopped, sighed, and took another drag.

"What can I say? My work, as always, is impeccable!' The Figure exclaimed with a smile. "Do you like it though dear?"

"These clothes are wonderful. How were you able to make them fit so well?"

"A seamstress never tells...That settles it then. They are yours. I also have some extra linen clothes that would be fit for a field. Not that I trade in such things but one must be prepared with materials."

At this, the Figure pushed a small wicker basket into Sera's hands which contained several sets of new linen shirts and wool pants as well as her old clothes neatly folded.

"Are you sure that I cannot pay you for all of this? Your work is amazing!" Sera pleaded.

"No. Money is a thing of the mind and my work is that of the heart. These vestments called out to you and they will see you along your journey. You must rejoin your friends lest their spirits both liquid and internal draw them to strange places."

The Figure grabbed Sera lightly by the arm and began to escort her to the entryway of the tent. Sera simply allowed herself to be pulled while scrutinizing the Figure's features.

When at least she was thrust back out into the humid chill, she glanced back one last time at the veiled Figure which never took a step outside of the tent.

"Remember Seraphina Fostaine, the world will judge you for the things that you display to them. Much like the cloak you now wear, it is what is within that defines you. Knowing oneself can see you through even in the blinding darkness."

At that, the tent's entrance fell and the Figure disappeared back into their wonderland of finery.

Sera stood for a moment under the canopy of the scarlet tent. Placing the basket of spare clothes down on the ground, she pulled the cloak hanging off her arm closer to examine it. Running down the side of it were a set of riveting buttons of an almost glass-like silver. Pulling a couple of the buttons apart gave way to the interconnected folds of fabric.

Within, shining out like a blazing torch, was a velvet in brilliant purple of a familiar shade. It caught the light in waves of shimmering purple fibers. Running her hand along it revealed how soft and freshly made it must have been.

Was that person waiting for me? They obviously knew who I was...

"Sera!" A loud voice called out, startling her.

Looking over, Sera saw Laena waving her arm trying to get her attention.

Buttoning the cloak back together hastily, Sera tried to steady herself before jogging through the rain to the canopy that her friends were under.

"You really were determined to get some clothes huh? Those look pretty expensive," Laena chided.

"The person was really into their work. They gave them to me for free, in fact."

"You look better than ever!" Astrid said with a bright smile and a step closer to Sera.

"Like you would know. You have known her all of three hours," Al snarked. He quickly recoiled away as Astrid made an aggressive stomp towards him.

"It is probably about time to get home," Laena started somberly. "I know that my dad will want us back and Al's little sister needs her meds. We want to make our way to the stump first?"

With some acquiescing head nods, the group turned and followed Zuso as he traveled back through the streets and under the Great Canopy.

They found their usual stump still available and they all crashed down exhausted from the night's festivities. The amber colored liquor was passed around and finished off before Al slapped his knees and got up.

"Thanks for the night everyone but I really, really need to go. It was super nice meeting you Sera!" Al said with a smile that was warmer than it felt his gaunt face should be capable of due to his rosey cheeks..

The group erupted with calls of farewells as Al turned and began to walk away.

"So how was it?" Laena questioned Sera excitedly upon Al's departure.

"It was really fun. I never really realized how much I wanted this," Sera responded.

"Wanted what? The food? You can find food everywhere?"

"No no...not the food. The people. This place. Friends. Having an adventure that had no monsters in it. I almost feel normal for once."

"You know something you can only be if you're abnormal?"

"What is that Laena?"

"You can be exceptional. That is what you are Sera. One of a kind. The true exception to the rule."

Sera was amazed and looked over at Laena to judge her sincerity. Laena gazed back at her with her smile showing at the corner of her eyes.

How did I never notice that her eyes were such a golden shade of brown? Sera wondered.

She felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she quickly turned away.

"I was certainly an exception. I never really made friends in Tumville. Just my horse Buck and my throwing knife. I wish that I was like you all with lives and parents. You all get to walk in the torchlight and I just sit in the dark..."

Shock ran through Sera as Laena's hand reached out and grasped her own curled into a fist on her lap.

"You are bright Sera. That means you bring a light to every dark place that you go."

Sera gulped. She looked up at Laena smiling. Her heart was thrumming to the point that the drumline had started playing in her ears. She kept glancing down at Laena's beautiful lips and back at Laena's eyes which were laser focused on her. She was unsure what she was supposed to be doing or if she was just feeling this way just because someone was being nice to her. Two compliments had sent her mind all aflutter.

As she tried to process what to say next, a pained yell came from a distance away.

Popping up, Sera glanced over and saw Al sliding down a wall as two black cloaked figures ran off into the alley. She ran towards the hurt form of Al before he shouted.

"They took Marie's medicine! It is all we will get for the month!"

Hearing his yells, Sera diverted herself and instead of helping Al she turned down the alleyway towards the thieves. They were just at the edge of her view turning down a corner. If she was going to catch them, she did not have time to worry about whether or not Laena would catch up to her. Their friends could help Al.

Sera clenched her teeth and began to sprint down the lane to catch up to the thieves.