Nystri woke slowly. The sky was bright, but the sun would take hours still before its rays reached the floor of the tower. She went over yesterday's events a few times. First, she was simply glad she had no further indiscretions with Amorastra. As for Yu and her guard, she had mixed feelings. Worry, certainly. If he caught up with her and confronted her face to face—best to not even consider what would happen next. Yet, she also felt joy and—was that pride? Yes, she believed it was. Pride at having fooled one such as Yu. 

Eventually Nystri managed to put yesterday from her mind and sat up. Amorastra was still sleeping. Nystri thought she looked serene. Peaceful, well-rested and—there was that word again—innocent. She kept expecting it to feel wrong and to set her stomach churning. She felt fine. The sky was still blue and the birds still sang. 

In fact, the birdsong was quite loud. Nystri stood and saw a group of assorted birds along the windows of the tower. Some chirped others sang, but most just quietly watched her. Then two seagulls landed, sending some of the others flying about.

She hopped to the floor and said quietly, “Hey! If you wake my friend, I won't easily forgive you.” The birds tittered in response, but Nystri remained firm. "You dare test me? I am—” she stopped herself. These birds had no idea who she was! Excitement rose in her chest and she swallowed a wide grin. “Begone!” she said as her eyes flared green and a burst of wind pushed its way out of the tower, scattering the birds.

A groan came from Amorastra’s bed as she stirred, then sat up. 

“Oh, I'm so sorry, Amorastra. I didn't mean to wake you.” 

Amorastra's brow was furrowed and she was squinting heavily, “No need to apologize, my Queen,” she managed. “Those birds had woken me long before you drove them off. Dog!” Pebble appeared and held out her tonic box. She pulled out the same thin glass tube she had given Nystri the day before for her hangover. Amorastra unstoppered it and downed what remained of the clear liquid. The pained look quickly passed from her face and she sighed in relief, then scowled at the empty vial. “Care to go shopping, Majesty? It seems we are in need.” 

Nystri didn't reply immediately, instead she simply watched Amorastra get a knit bag from Pebble and sling it over her shoulder. Finally she said, “I must admit, I've never been shopping before.” 

Amorastra smiled as she adjusted the bag to fit against her hip, “I would have been more surprised if you had, my Queen. I was the same until I began wandering among mortals. The Empress’ progeny are well cared for. You'll be pleased to know that it is quite an enjoyable pass time! I do need to visit the apothecary, but otherwise we can go anywhere that strikes your fancy, Majesty. Oh! Brise is well known for their tailors that serve peoples large and small alike.”

Nystri scoffed, “Are you forgetting already that I'm on the run? We're still much too close to the Faelands for me to even think of showing myself. And to go about invisible all day would surely leave traces of my magic to be found.”

Amorastra’s laugh crashed upon the beach of Nystri's worries and the sandcastles of fear Nystri had been constructing since they had taken flight yesterday were all washed to sea. "My Queen! Are you forgetting your most simple of spells? While you might not be able to, yet, match my glamours, you surely could disguise yourself, no? Perhaps as a boggart? No. No, too ghastly. And too tall." Amorastra put her hand to her chin in thought.

Nystri had felt some embarrassment at Amorastra's reminder. Of course she could, and with the number of people in the city, any trace of such simple magic would be muddled beyond recognition within minutes. "A korrigan!" Nystri said. "A korrigan would be perfect. It's about my height and size. And they do sometimes leave the Faelands." She wasted no time and spun on her heel a few times. With each revolution she wove a layer of the glamour. First her hair turned from a short blue with pink stripes to a long brown with moss interspersed throughout it. Then her body morphed. Her face widened and her jaw was more square. Her long ears flared out, almost straight out from the sides of her head. Her wings were gone. Her breasts grew and her waist widened slightly. She looked more muscular and substantial. Finally, her clothes. Gone was the simple dress of silken leaves she had adorned herself in for her journey, replaced with a long linen tunic with a belt of bark around her middle. A wide brimmed hat appeared on her head. Her ears stuck out from the sides of it, just a bit. 

Amorastra clapped lightly and giggled, "That's wonderful, Majesty! You look adorable."

Nystri folded her arms as she tried, and failed, to hide the pride she felt from Amorastra's compliment. "It will do. Now, what about you?"

"Me? Easy." Amorastra imitated Nystri, spinning on her heel three times. She wove the glamor of the young human girl she had worn yesterday at their camp. "I'm well known around town in this form. We should give you a name that I can introduce you to others with. Ethel, maybe." Amorastra's eyes twinkled with mischief. 

"No, not Ethel." Nystri scowled. She thought a moment then said, "I would like that others in town refer to me as Amber."

Amorastra bowed deeply, "As you wish, my Queen. Oh! Pardon me. Amber."

Nystri's stomach felt uneasy hearing Amorastra say the word, but she pushed the feeling down. She jumped to the windowsill and looked over the town. "How are you going to get down without drawing attention?" She turned to Amorastra. "I could cloak you again. If it's just to get down it should be alright."

"No, I think not," Amorastra said, shaking her head. "After seeing how much it exhausted you yesterday, I think we should avoid it unless we're in dire need. I've a more mundane way." She smiled at Nystri and went to the only corner of the tower Pebble had left bare while setting up her accommodations. She lifted a trap door open and stepped onto a ladder leading into the temple. "Coming?" Amorastra gestured to her shoulder. 

Nystri hopped from the window and sat primly on Amorastra's shoulder. 

"Your regal bearing is showing, Maje— er. Amber. Relax!" 

Nystri looked to Amorastra, then back forward. She closed her eyes and let her shoulders droop and her legs relax. She looked back at Amorastra. "Better?"

"Much better. Dog!" She summoned Pebble and instructed him to close the door behind them and keep an eye on things. They descended into the temple, rung by rung. The door closed above them and they were plunged into darkness. Even with her nearly-full moon eyes, Nystri could not see a thing. But it did not seem to bother Amorastra. They reached the bottom of the ladder and Nystri heard her open a door. They went down some stairs and then another door opened, and one more door which finally let in the light of mid-morning.

Amorastra glanced around. The alley was clear. She stepped out of the temple and closed the door quietly behind her. 

"Let's go to the apothecary first. You'll love Lydia." Amorastra went out onto the street. From the tower's vantage Nystri had seen the throng of people and horses and carts, but to be in it was quite another thing. The sheer pressure of them seemed to squeeze her bones. But Amorastra deftly navigated the current, like an otter going upstream in a treacherous bit of the river full of sticks and logs. 

Suddenly they stepped inside a building and the cacophony of the crowd was replaced with one of smells that filled Nystri's nose. From floral and fragrant to pungent and putrid, the little room seemed to contain every smell all at once. It was fairly dark inside, the windows shrouded by pots and vases full of plants. Bundles of herbs hung from the ceiling and jars and vials lined all of the walls. Nystri didn't see anyone behind the little counter, but she did spy a well disguised doorway behind some drapes and more hanging plants and herbs. 

"Lydia!" Amorastra called out, "Your favorite maiden has come a calling."

There was some rustling from beyond the little door and a middle-aged woman pushed the drapes aside with a flourish. "Amy! How good it is to see you! Oh! And you've brought a friend. How d'ya do?"

Nystri's blood ran cold as Lydia called Amorastra 'Amy'. She forced her face to remain mild and pleasant, but her heart rate quickened and her breath was shallow.

Amorastra leaned over the counter and exchanged cheek kisses with Lysida, "So good to see ya, love. Yes, this is Amber! Don't be shy now, dear." Amorastra shook her shoulder a little and Nystri looked up. 

"Oh, yes. It's a pleasure, Lydia. I've only heard good things about you."

"Are you new to Brise, Amber?" Lydia asked as she began to busy herself gathering herbs and vials.

"Yes, it's my first time in the city. Much different than the forest."

"Well," Lysida said, "I'm glad that Amy—" she began to cough lightly. "Oh, excuse me." Lydia pulled a leaf from her mouth. "How did that get there?" she wondered aloud.

Amorastra shot Nystri a half-amused half-worried look. 

Nystri barely avoided panicking and said, "I think I should wait outside. The smells are quite overwhelming." She jumped from Amorastra's shoulder. Amorastra opened the door and Nystri rushed back out into the bright morning sun. She paced a moment next to the door, then slumped against the wall. She held her head in her hands. 

Amy! Why did she have to choose the name Amy! Countless mortal names and she had to choose that one! Calm down, Nys. It's not like you really have—of course not. There's no reason to feel like this. Besides, it doesn't even sound all that similar. Completely different, actually! Ae-mi, not Ahm-ai. See? No reason to be upset.

She took a deep breath. Then another and another. She forced calm to flow through her body. The door to the apothecary opened and Amorastra stepped carefully outside. She knelt low next to Nystri.

"You alright?"

Nystri nodded, but didn't look up. "I'm fine."

"That leaf was yours, wasn't it?"

Nystri turned her head to the right. "Yes."

"Majesty, you have to tell me what's wrong," Amorastra said quietly.

Nystri finally looked up into Amorastra's eyes. "Don't you have some other form you can use? I just—" She hesitated, then looked away again. She turned slowly back to look at Amorastra after a few seconds. "I don't want people calling you Am'ai—er. I mean Amy! Amy! I don't want anyone calling you Amy!" 

A huge grin instantly blossomed on Amorastra's face and she scooped up Nystri in her arms and hugged her, "Majesty! I hoped you might feel that way about me." She released the hug and held Nystri out with both hands upturned. Nystri's whole body was flush, even through the glamour. Amorastra continued, "Though, I didn't expect you to be the jealous type. She just said something marginally close to Am'ai and you nearly choked her! I must say, I'm touched, my Queen. That you'd go so far to protect your feelings for me means a great deal. Though, if I may ask, please do spare Lydia. Finding a good apothecary can be dreadfully difficult." 

The embarrassment had begun to fade from Nystri's skin. "You're reading too much into it. I'm fond of you, yes. But do not think me jealous." Nystri looked to her left and turned her nose up. 

Amorastra smiled ruefully, "Of course, Majesty. I'd not dream of it. Well, I do have many forms. Let's find somewhere I can change and we'll continue our shopping, hm?"

I'd like that, Am'ai. Nystri thought as she looked back into Amorastra's eyes. Instead, she said, "As you wish."