She's a merchant-so there's haggling to be done.

As we exited the tunnels, she seemed to think deeply on her answer to me. Frankly, I don't mind-gives me some time to get back to a more comfortable spot. While I could fit through the tunnels, feels a bit uncomfortable to do so. Eventually, her pondering arrives at a conclusion. "I could, but..." She left that sentence hang for a bit as she makes some motions towards me. Sign...seems like she's going to be dramatic to milk me for all I can. Ah well, might as well play along. At least, I can throw out a better bluff than her. She has a body who's language I could at least vaguely know, while she doesn't even seem to know where to focus on me. "Naturally-you would be providing us with goods, so you will be duly compensated. Heavens knows I'm not doing anything with my rations or salary anyway."

Akira looked a bit nervously away at that. Oh. I guess in the days of me and Arete being away, I guess the two remainder had been collecting on our behalf, and probably helping themselves to some of it. He isn't the one that next speaks to me, though. "I believe I'm going to require a bit more than a few coins and the low-quality fare they sustain you with for this. With your own rapid timeline, for something so far outside my normal fare-why, the effort of it! Going to have to move quick, contact all I know, maybe spring a few favors for your sake-" Alright, alright, laying it on thick, so I cut her off to get to the point. "Yes. I assumed as much. And what, exactly, would you propose in return?"

"Well, I'm sure you have something you could provide-perhaps what he's already attempted to use in negotiations isn't the top shelf of what-" "Dragon eggs." She seemed to freeze as if my response has stunned her, so I continued. "I'm sure that if you know the kind of people who could get me what I want, a dragon, even a young one-would be able to go for a decent price. Come by before you leave, and I can give a solid clutch, if not the whelps themselves. Do note-they will hatch very quickly if they haven't already, so do be prepared for them." Her shock subsided-and her silence was that of somebody needing a moment to think, to calculate. Eventually, an affirmative nod. "Fine. But this better be some sizable clutch!" And then walked away.

Glad that another part of my plan had been secured, I'm happy enough that the very soon disappointment doesn't bother me too much. Akira had a sample of healing poultice for me, to see if I could recreate it the same way I can copy some things. Sadly, no dice. Kinda odd, given my regeneration, I'd think healing potions would just be a tiny mod to whatever already flows through my various bodily tissues. Looks like I'll have to stick with my actual priestly healing spells for when I want to convert mana to health. Although pondering the distinction as I settle down for the evening gives me a bit of an epiphany-certainly something that seems plausible.