Is it wrong to fleece adventurers at the item shop?

I have a slightly longer night ahead of me, as I have to keep the fire burning, nice and low, a while longer after we are done with dinner and tea. I still have to dry my harvested herbs and berries after all. And of course I don't want to burn them either, thus the low burning fire with a low heat. Eventually I'm satisfied though and let the fire go out so that the heat emitted by the coals and the rocks of the chimney will finish the job, while I in turn can finally get some sleep snuggled up to Elzbieta.

Of course sleep is only a temporary respite. It always is. The next morning always comes around eventually. This time around I get woken up by Sour Cream kneading my belly like there is no tomorrow. Well, I guess in the eyes of a cat that might be an apt description for any morning without your favorite treat. It's bad enough that she even dares to come within grasping range of Ulryk.

The boy is awake too. Thankfully he only stares at the cat wide eyed. That probably won't stay that way in the long turn, but at least today Sour Cream is still safe from grabby little hands.

I lean over and place a little kiss on his forehead before I carefully lift my feline housemate off myself and the bed, so I can get up and ease her mind by providing some of her favorite treat.

I stand there in a bit of a daze for a while, as Sour Creams starts to dig in. My gaze wanders this way and that. For a moment I wonder if I should get started storing my dried bounty from yesterday, but not, that can wait until later. Possibly until after a visit to the bathhouse and a quick stop at the inn to grab something to eat.

I'm already getting our things, mine and Elzbieta's who is only now starting to wake up as little Ulryk helps himself to his own morning meal, for a quick bath ready when something else occurs to me. The birch sap. I haven't noted that purchase down in my ledger yet. I let out a little groan and change that. I guess I was just entirely too exhausted last night to remember. Well, it's not an issue anymore.

Somehow I still feel a little out of it though. In fact I drop back down on the stool by the fireside instead of actually doing anything else, while I wait for Elzbieta and Ulryk to finish so we can go to the bathhouse. Maybe I really should take care to get more sleep and especially to get it more regularly. I still remember that I felt somewhat like this during the finals at the academy. Hours upon hours of reading, rehearsing and experimenting in preparation for those final tests had taken their tolls on me. That really wasn't fun and I could really do without a repeat of that experience.

Eventually we leave. As we do Elzbieta keeps shooting me worried glances though. She looks a little torn about something. This in turn makes me wonder if I should inquire in that regard. Before I can make up my mind though we reach the bathhouse and she speaks her mind while she prepares to give Ulryk his bath.

"You don't look too good Valeria, you know?"

"I … don't?"

Well that is the best I can manage in response. At the same time I can't disagree with her sentiment either. I don't feel that good after all. Before I can actually say anything else, she puts the back of one hand against my forehead, while steadying her boy in his wooden bath bucket with the other.

"Uh … a fever for sure. I think. Or do elves and half elves have higher body temperature? They don't, right?"

I groan as I finish soaping up. Wonderful. Just wonderful. Then I dump a bucket of warm water over my head although my arms ache a little as I do. Come to think of it, my legs ache somewhat too and I certainly haven't worked out anywhere near enough to justify a feeling like that. There is little doubt left in my mind. I'm coming down with something. What though? Just a bad cold? Something worse? My mind isn't working it out anywhere near fast enough for my liking. And, as if that were the hint they have been waiting for, the first waves of a dull headache hit me. Finally I speak up again, as the headache subsides again, at least for now.

"A cold, or a flue maybe."

I hope that is enough to ease Elzbieta's mind for the time being at least, but apparently I'm wrong. She grabs me and stops me dead in my tracks, before I can slip into the warm water.

"No, that doesn't really look like a flue."

She sounds worried. She is worried! And to emphasize her words she points at my bare chest.

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"If I didn't know better I'd say this is the Scarlet Rash. But that's silly. Adults don't catch that."

I look down, following her pointing finger and groan at the sight that greets me. Fine red splotches weaving a tapestry like a crimson bloom across the skin of my torso from my shoulders all the way down to my thighs. I groan some more and cover my eyes for a moment, before I turn around and grab my towel to dry off instead of getting into the warm water. At least it hasn't spread down my arms and legs yet. It will though before long. I groan again, as I begin to towel off. The rash starts to feel hot whenever I touch it. I sound about as tired as I feel when I speak up.

"This is the Scarlet Rash."

"But … but that's a childhood disease. Right?"

Elzbieta sounds uncertain and worried, thus I decide to enlighten her to some details about the Scarlet Rash most people don't know.

"That's true for most people. Most people catch it once, most likely when they are still very young. Then never again. Elves and half elves are different in that regard. We get to experience the Scarlet Rash time and again whenever we are around someone who happens to have it."

My gaze fixes on the oblivious boy playing in the finger deep water of his wooden baby bath and as I do Elzbieta catches on too.

"Oh."

I chuckle weakly.

"Don't worry. He should be fine. He isn't showing the rash yet so the bath should still be fine for him. Keep an eye out for it though. Anyway, a few days of misery and we should both be over it."

I start to get dressed again, as some other women drop by. I have seen them around even if I don't know them personally. Of course my state does not go unnoticed and one of them speaks up.

"Scarlet Rash?"

I nod weakly, don't let the question slow my down any other way though, as I get dressed again.

My reaction doesn't seem to bother the women though. The one who asked in the first place just pats my back.

"Don't worry, I think your grandmother got to deal with it more than once too. It never kept her down for long though."

Well I probably shouldn't be surprised. Grandma was part of this place for many years. Elves don't suffer more from it because it's actually not that easy to catch it. You have to actually be in close proximity to someone who has it, even if the rash doesn't show yet like with Ulryk. Usually for more than a few moments too. Sleeping in the same bed certainly will do the trick though. Never mind though. The Scarlet Rash isn't a terribly dangerous disease after all. It's more bothersome than anything else. Sure, complications aren't unknown, but they are rare. And if worse comes to worst I should be able to deal with it with a potion. It wouldn't be too big a surprise if grandma handled it the same way.

I wave Elzbieta off before she can grab her little boy to get ready to rejoin me on the way back home.

"Let him enjoy the bath while he still can. He'll have to make do without for a few days before long anyway."

Hot bathes are one of the things that can lead to complications with the Scarlet Rash after all, once the rash has started to show.

Elzbiete nods and lowers herself into the water besides the little wooden tub with her boy.

"Should we move back to the inn for a few days, so you can sleep it off without us bothering you?"

I don't even need to think about that one. I quickly shake my head.

"No. No need. Ulryk will be probably pretty miserable as is. Better not to tear him out of the environment he knows on top of everything else. Besides, if it gets too bad, I could use some help minding the shop while I'm essentially stuck in bed. Anyway, I'll head back home and try to brew up some more cure disease potions before the fever or the aches get any worse. Just to be prepared."

Elzbieta nods in response, as she sees me off with a wave.

"Don't overdo it. And I might swing by Urszula's place too on the way back. If Ulryk has the Rash, her little girl might come down with it too."