Alisoina's trip home had been one spent wrapped in a blanket shivering. She'd caught a cold from falling into the pond, and the entire way from Brunnhold to Vienda had been a mess of handkerchiefs, restless sleeping and fevered dreams. She dreamed of green eyed gardeners with Banders that chased her into trees; of mirrors, where her reflection had dead eyes and white skin and followed her, until Alisoina found herself trapped behind her own looking glass with nowhere to run.

She dreamed of a figure, on the precipice of something vast. She dreamed of looking into a cave so black she lost herself in it. Alisoina woke in dreams, and slept in reality.

Getting home had been an incident within it's self. Alisoina's mother took one look at her daughter's condition and had the redhead sent to bed at once on a diet of soup and bread. Ali managed to keep all of it down, but she was still quite miserable.

Only now, three days into break, did she get the permission to go out on her own. Mother was busy with the household and father had paperwork to do, so Ali was sent with a human servant for her fittings and dress shopping. Full purse and wide grin, the fourteen year old of course decided her first would be a sweets shop.

Zackariah's Sweet Treats was then the first stop! Smiling from ear to ear, she shook herself and smoothed her crisp dove grey dress, hair pulled into a childish tail high on her head. Brent, her servant, followed along in the red and bronze uniform of the Denore household staff. The man had long since given up looking put upon and instead had taken a special apathy to his position.

"Come along, I want to get to the dress makers with plenty of time to spare!" Ali hurried her chaperon (she would be assigned a real one when she came of age, for now she was too young to actually need a female one) into the lovely shop. Although possessed by the urge to squeal delightedly, Ali merely slipped on a mask inspired by her father; cool but distant interest, and waited for Zackariah to make himself know.

Zachariah looked up from his spot at the back of the room, knelt on creaky knees, filling the peppermint taffies. Standing slowly, he stretched his back and adjusted his glasses, looking first at Alisoina, then Brent.

"Hello there young lady, can I help you?" His old voice was like warm caramel, full of genuine helpfulness and kindness.

Horace had been in Vienda for about twelve hours before he wanted any sweets, take it the store wasn't open when he arrived. Whenever Horace was in to Vienda he always visited Zackariahs Sweet Treats. His father had sent him his allowance on the first so he had some concords to spend. Horace loved the caramel that was sold by Zackariah.

When Horace arrived at the quaint shop, he reminisced about all the times he ruined his teeth in the shop. He opened the door to the smell of beautiful sweets. As soon as he entered he saw one of his fellow students right in front of him.

He had me Alisoina before. In the library a few weeks ago. The meeting hadnt gone that well but he was hoping she had forgotten the previous encounter, maybe they could create a better one.

"Hi Alisoina."

Smiling at the older man with a serene politeness, keeping her posture good and her hands folded demurely. Mother would want her to make a good impression, of course, but Ali was also making up for her rather rude outburt with the professor with above the mark good behavior.

"Hello, sir!" Voice bright like a new coin, she batted her eyelashes. "I think so-- I haven't been in a proper sweets shop in so long, and you have the most beautiful selection! I'm afraid I don't know where to start!" Ali took a moment to bring up a look of wonderment, which was actually more real than false, and couldn't help the hungry gleam in her eyes as she once again devoured the many brilliant shelves.

She was in fact very focused and did not notice Horace's approach. Luckily for the student, Brent did. With a quiet sigh, the human attendant delicately pressed two finger's to Alisoina's shoulder.

"Miss Denore, I believe the young lord wishes to speak with you." As quickly as the light touch had appeared it was gone, and the attendant took a step back. Alisoina herself turned from Zakariah and was shocked to see a... vaguely familiar face. Who-- oh yes, the boy from the library. It seemed like ages ago, and so much had happened since then.

"Hello! It's-- Horace, am I correct?" Her expression was equally polite, however the shine was dimmed. For all that she was a spitfire with Athrym and an entire school around, being alone made her flames die down and she was in fact nervous about talking to her peers. She ran a hand over her hair, fiddling with the black ribbon and the pin Nauleth had given her. "It's nice to see you." She looked between Zakariah and Horace, unsure how to include him in her business but certain that sweets won when compared school chums.

Horace took a step pass the human attendant, giving him a wretched glare. He almost wanted to spit at he human just for touching a galdori. Horace was impressed with his manners though, if only he could control the mona. Horace looked at Ali's face it wasn't as scary as it was when she was with Athrym.

"Yes, Horace is my name. Horace Aquila. Aren't you friends with Miss Athrym Bruthgrave. She seems to be a very nice person." Horace was lying through his teeth. He had only met Athrym a few times but none of them were that pleasent.

"So I see you like Zackariah's shop also. I have been coming here ever since I was a small child. It is such a great shop." A broad grin grew on Horace's face. "Hello Mister Zackariah, long time no see. How are you. I hope the caramels still taste as good as they did when I was a child."

Zack chuckled a little, shuffling slightly as he moved to the center of the shop. Horace entered before he could speak to the girl, and instead of interrupting the children, he waited, hands clasped behind his back.



The old galdori took of his glasses, cleaning them with a white crisp handkerchief.

"Quite, young Master Aquila. They are just as wonderful as you should remember. In fact, your pretty friend would probably rather like them as a starting place." He looked at Alisoina with a kind smile.

"Pray tell, what's your name dear girl?"

Other than Horace's rather stilted speech, Ali was certain she had never discussed the boy with Athrym. Nor was she at all certain how he had come into the idea that she cared whether Athrym was nice. Ath was amazing, insightful, a vacillating point of emotion in a bland world. She was her very, very best friend and Ali got the feeling that not all was as it seemed with the boys comment.

"Yes, I do like sweets, though it's been a long time since I've been to one so fine as this. I've really missed having a good delicacy!" She managed to stay polite, but she was drawn by the smell of chocolate away from Horace momentarily. She hadn't even noticed the glare directed at Brent; he was like a purse, or a stoll. An accessory that was needed but not recalled.


Ali grinned and curtsied with childish enthusiasm, coming up quickly, causing her curls to bounce in the very way that made her father's rage melt when she'd spilled milk on the rug. "I'm Alisoina Denore, and those caramels sound delightful. But I don't know what I want! Do you have any suggestions?" She giggled self deprecatingly, acting perhaps a year or two younger than she ought but having too much fun. It was different from the scary-exciting fun Nauleth and Athrym partook in. This was clean, simple and quite foolish.

And something she could see Catherine doing oh so easily.

Horace laughed sheepishly. He had found all area were all the taffy was. He used to buy whole loads of it. It always tasted so delicious. The smell brought back fond memories of being a child in the candy store.

"You should try some of this fine taffy, Alisoina. It is practically evil to eat something so delicious. It brings back fond memories of this store. I am surprised you have never been here before, Alisoina." Horace thought everybody had been to Zak's store at least once when they were children. "Every galdor needs to some to this store at least once before they die. Alioe has obviously blessed this shop." Horace threw Zak a wink. "Zackariah knows exactly what I am talking about."

Zachariah chuckled a little, making a thoughtful face. The young woman was positively delightful.

"Wel-"



The old galdor took off his glasses, cleaning them as the boy spoke. The taffy was a good choice. Maybe she'd like the strawberry.



Zack raised an eyebrow at the boy's wink and odd comradary. Putting his glasses on, then man smiled.

"It's true, my sweets are the best in Vienda and Brunnhold combined. Now, Miss Denore, what things do you like the taste of? I have strawberry candies, peppermint, caramel, butterscotch...almost anything you can think of."

She nodded, deliberating. Chocolate was good, but so were fruits and berries... and he did have everything. Biting her lip girlishly, she smoothes the dove grey dress.

"Umm... well then... I'll have something cherry and, maybe something light. I never thought sweets would be so difficult!" Laughing sweetly, she nodded once and decided to make up her mind.

"Yes. I'll have some of the Cherry taffy. And... maybe some chocolate strawberries." She flushed at the last one; her old nurse used to buy her the decadent berries when she was a good girl from a human shop; the reason she'd never been to Zakariah's was that her nurse always insisted they go to human and wick establishments for the better prices. Suddenly too happy to conceal it, she spun on her heel and poked at Brent.

"Get the purse out! I want to pay him myself! I'm not a first form anymore, I can do it!" She blinked her eyes seriously and waited for the man to hand her the purse. With a quirk of a smile, too small to really be noticed, the human fished out the matching grey purse and handed it to his charge with a great deal of delicacy.

"Here you are, Miss Denore." He bowed as he passed it to her, keeping his amused green eyes lowered. Alisoina for one looked pleased at the formality and took it from him with a grin.

Looking from Zakariah to Horace, she flounced a cheeky bow and spun, her skirts flaring to just below her knees. "Ooo I'm so excited! I can't wait to taste them, its been too long without strawberries..." She got a hold of herself then bowed to Horace. "Thank you for assisting me in my selection!"

Zack gave the girl a small bow, before heading off to fill her order, shuffling around the shop methodically, filling a paper bag with treats. He enjoyed his job, starting the business when his grand daughters had been youngsters. It was mainly for them that he started collecting the nice treats, but then word got out, one after another people had come enquiringly about his sweets. Soon, he'd found himself selling the delicacies with a thriving business. Strange occupation for a galdor, but it was fun.