Chloe walked into the clearing and sat down on a log near the flickering fire. She found herself staring into the flames.
“Worried about your girlfriend?”
Chloe jumped. She’d been lost in her thoughts and hadn’t realised anyone else was there.
“She’s not my…” Chloe began quickly, blushing, then looked up and saw Tiffany sitting cross-legged on the other side of the fire. She was smiling triumphantly.
“Knew it!”
Chloe sighed.
“Does everyone in the party know how I feel about her?” Chloe asked.
“Well it’s pretty obvious.” Tiffany replied. “I think Alan’s just too polite to mention it. If it makes you feel better, I don’t think Lex knows. He’s pretty… distracted.” She gestured at her outfit. Or rather, her general lack of one.
“How does that work, exactly?” Chloe asked, genuinely curious.
“What this? It’s basically a metal bikini. It’s not exactly high magic. I wish it was, then it might not be so uncomfortable. To be honest, this is very basic for me. But Gavin - he was the bandit leader you killed - was a bit of a traditionalist.”
“No, not that.” Chloe clarified. “You know. The whole Cambarian thing. I’ve always been slightly curious.”
“Well you’ve got the rack for it.” Tiffany said with faux-jealousy. “It’s better than mine.”
“This is what I’ve been telling people!” Chloe laughed, then pressed on. “Seriously though. What exactly do you do?”
Tiffany looked thoughtfully at Chloe for a moment.
“Okay.” She said, unfolding herself. “Close your eyes and face forward.”
Chloe looked at her, suspiciously.
“Oh don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything weird. Well, not that weird.” Tiffany protested. “It’s just easier to show than tell.”
Chloe closed her eyes and turned to sit squarely on the log, she felt the warmth off the fire as she turned to face it. She heard Tiffany click her fingers and waited for something to happen. A few seconds later, the air changed as Tiffany moved up close beside her. Really close. Before she could react, she felt two fingers gently left her chin and turn it to one side. Then someone kissed her lightly on the nose. Chloe squeaked in surprise. Opening her eyes with a start, she found herself looking up at Tiffany. The Cambarian’s eyes were wide and innocent, her lips slightly apart. She gave a cute little giggle and clicked her fingers again. Then her expression returned to normal and she let go of Chloe’s chin.
Chloe moved to say something but Tiffany raised a finger to silence her.
“Wait. Let’s see how that came out.” She said.
Tiffany got up from beside Chloe and walked towards the fire. It was only now that the paladin spotted the small white rectangle of card, floating about four feet away, surrounded by a faint magical glow.
“I’ve no idea what this will look like.” Tiffany said, plucking it from the air and giving it a shake. “I’ve never tried back-lighting with fire before. Let’s take a look and…”
She paused with her back to Chloe, watching something. Then she whistled.
“Oh that’s good. Nobody would believe we did this in one take.” She held out the piece of card to Chloe, eagerly.
Chloe took the card from her and stared down at it. On it was a near lifelike painting of her face and upper body. She looked serene and ethereal. And then, as she held it, the scene began to move. From the side of the image Tiffany moved into view, leaning forward seductively. She reached up slowly, and gently turned Chloe’s face towards her. Then there was the kiss, the squeak and the giggle.
“Good, innit?” Tiffany said, moving round to watch it over Chloe’s shoulder. I reckon I’m at least a level seven or eight Cambarian now. I’ve only just started capturing sound, but I can do it pretty consistently if I concentrate. I’ll know I’ve hit ten when I can do background music, too. That and longer clips. My brain starts getting fuzzy over about thirty seconds at the moment.”
Chloe looked up at her in amazement. She didn’t know what to say. Tiffany mistook this for judgement.
“I like dressing up. And I may not have as much up top as you, but I like how I look.” She said, defensively. “I don’t see why I should be ashamed of that. And if people want to pay me for little moments like these, what’s wrong with that? Men and women make money doing much worse. Nobody’s getting hurt.”
“No, Tiffany, it’s not that.” Chloe interrupted. “This is serious magic. I mean… sexy magic. But still serious magic.”
“Oh. Well... thank you.” Tiffany replied. Now it was her turn to blush. “It’s not what I want to do forever. But it’s what I’m happy doing now. People pay me to dress up, or undress, but I mostly only do lewd and implied. Other girls do more, but that’s not my thing.”
“Keep that one for yourself. Or give it to Lex if you want to watch him combust.” Tiffany sniggered, as she walked back over to where she’d been sitting. She picked up her bag and held it open for Chloe to see. Inside were lots more little painted cards.
“I’m a bit behind on sending these off, as I’ve not been in a town with a post station for a while. But once we are, I’ll get them out to my patrons. Then they pay a small amount into my guild account on receipt. If I notice someone has stopped paying, then I note that down in my record book. If they miss two payments in a row, they don’t get a card next time.”
“I didn’t realise you could…” Chloe started, then caught herself.
“What? Read and write? Add up?” Said Tiffany, absentmindedly pulling out some of her patron postage and examining them with an expert’s eye. “Why do rich people always assume poor people are stupid? Just because I didn’t grow up with the same opportunities as you, doesn’t mean you’re smarter than me.”
“Sorry.” Said Chloe. Tiffany nodded, accepting the apology.
“There was a priest who used to visit our farm when I was growing up.” She continued. “He taught me to read and write. Then he tried to grope me, so I cut his fingers off.” She grinned. “Now I can write and he can’t.”
“And is the patron thing… you know… lucrative.” Chloe asked, delicately.
“Not really.” Tiffany admitted. “Buying new gear is expensive. And patrons stop paying if you wear the same stuff too much. Plus I can’t carry it all around with me, so most of it I have to give away or sell on after a while. But I enjoy it and I’m saving a bit. Like I say, I’m not stupid. I know I can’t do this forever.”
“That’s why you were getting Lex to teach you healing spells?”
“Yeah.” Said Tiffany, sitting down cross-legged by the fire again. “I don’t know what else I want to do yet. But I figure if I try everything I can, eventually I’ll find something I’m good at. I’ve asked Alan to teach me to fight better, when we get a chance.”
Chloe looked at Tiffany. Properly, she realised, for the first time.
“Why didn’t you ask me? You know, for swordsmanship lessons.” She asked.
For a while, Tiffany was silent and the only sound that filled the clearing was that of the fire and the forest.
“Because you don’t like me.” Tiffany eventually said, quietly.
Chloe looked down at the ground, ashamed. After a few seconds, she stood up and walked over to the pile of wood Alan had gathered earlier. Chloe sorted through it until she found two straight-ish sticks, both about two feet long. She hefted them, feeling the weight and balance, then turned towards Tiffany.
“Catch.” She shouted, suddenly.
Tiffany instinctively caught the stick that arced through the air towards her. She looked up in surprise, to see Chloe twirling the other one in her hand.
“Get up.” The paladin said, sternly. “We need to start with your stance.”