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Back in the town Mercy perused a medicine shop owned by one of the Elders. Most of the drawers were empty due to the disease. In some ways it looked like the women's attempts to harm them had still proven beneficial, for many of the prices were well above the norm.

Mercy looked over the various wares for longer than any person seeing what they wanted would, but lingered near where the stronger pain killing herbs would be. She frowned.

You, ah, got anything here tha'll take the edge off a long day?
The old man watched as the foreign girl browsed his wares. He smiled at her question, before covering his mouth with a coughing fit.
"Yer best bet is some wine in the inn and a husband to warm your bed if taking the edge off is what you'd like miss." he laughed. Then he began pointing at various herbs, roots and salvs that might work, trying to get a feel for what edge she needed taken off.
"These help with aches, those with pains. Chewing on that supposedly helps with monthly cramps, not that I'd know anything about those. Few of these can clean up headaches. Pour some of those in your tea and it'll help you sleep. Any of that help?"
She chewed her lip looking at the proffered wares, and mumbled to herself.

I've dulled the pain with herbs and men before.

Then she looked the old man in the eyes

My coin is good if you have something that can just make it go away, even for a little while
The man frowned.
"Well, I don't have anything like that, but there's a few men in town that do." he sighed. "If you want I could find you some after I close up for the night. It'll cost you a bit more though. But I promise you won't be hurting again till it's run out." he offered.
"But you can bet when it runs out you'll be hurting. Up to you miss."
She gave him a grateful but pained smile.

Thank you kind sir.... I.... I know what you mean. I hurt now.

She have her best manic stare

I'm not sure I can wait 'till tonight. Can you just send me to them. I don't care how much it costs...
Cion shoved the white beast away from him again. ”Quit leaning on me like you are some sort of giant dog. You could take quieter breaths too, you huff like a yeddim and it is difficult to hear what is going on inside.” Their pair had taken up a post out near the back of the building here it looked like he was allowing his horse to feed on some fresh grass for a change. Cion couldn’t hear the exact conversation going on inside the apothecary but at the very least he could pick up on the tone of the voices while using his essence to fuel his senses. He hoped his presence would be fruitless and that the girl would be able to conduct her business without any hassle from the merchant.

Speedy didn’t say anything except give him a dirty look and proceed to lean back against his rider when he tried to use him as an armrest again.
The man looked at Mercy with empathy clear on his face. After a moment he nodded and then gave her a name and described the woman's home.
He wished her luck and gave her a few pain killers on the house.
Mercy thanked the man and clutched the pain killers like they were the only thing in the world that mattered and pocketed them as she left. "Score" she thought, she could use these after the next hard day of training.

Stepping outside she relaxed her pained act. She gave a wink over to Cion before resuming her act and made her way over to the woman's house.

She knocked at the door, she was willing to drop most, if not all, the pretense now that she had a solid lead.

Excuse me Ma'am, Mr. Chu said I should talk to you about getting something stronger than what he carries
The woman opened her door and eyed the foreigner warily at first. As Mercy explained her reason for coming the woman raised a finger to her lips.
"Aye, I do. Come in, come in." she said opening the door and rushing the squire inside. She shutghe door hurriedly behind them.
Her home was dark, several men and women sit or lay in various spots, all clearly stoned. A few more people lay about, wrapped in blankets and clearly I'll.
"Wait here." she said before leaving the room. As Mercy waited, other women entered the room from time to time, checking on the guests.
Mercy looked around at the prone forms all around her. Stepping gingerly around them on the pretense of finding her own pillow Mercy snuck a peak into the adjoining room in between the visits of the other attendants hoping to catch a glimpse if one of the Elders was operating in the back or the size of the stash still on hand.

sneak a peak
2 dex + 3 stealth, rolls: 6,2,7,1,10, 10,8
Mercy is able to see the woman packing a small pouch with opium for her. There is a small chest before her, though it is clearly much larger than it's contents require.
The woman makes her way back to the Squire and shows the pouch.
"This much is a quarter dinar. It should last you a few days, if you use it sparingly. Hopefully that will get you on the next town, my dear." she says in a soft voice.
Mercy pressed the coin into the ladies hand.

Thank you she clutched the parcel to her chest as if she would press it in to replace her own heart. Thank you... what name should I praise to the gods?
She smiled warmly.
"My name is Cerce, but I need none of your prayers deary. What Gods would even listen?" she said, a bit of defeat in her tone. "Move on from here as soon as you can. All that's left for us is the small escape from despair the Temujin's drug gives." she pat the girl on the shoulder.
Mercy nodded and headed out the door.

There were all sorts of people in the house. It looked like the town wasn't just sick with disease. It had lost hope, turned to the drugs and just spiraled downward from there. She didn't know how long this had been going on, but they were running low already from a rather large supply -and the price wasn't gouging like the actual medicine at the shop. It wasn't like she'd seen a bunch of people in town with withdrawls; then again it would be hard to tell the sick bedridden from those that were drying out. The place wouldn't be a secret from anyone in town though- it was a small enough hamlet. There wasn't anyone begging at the door for free handouts either.

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