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In answer, he clicked the horse up and we began rolling. "I learned when I was still a boy," he promised. "Now sit back and enjoy the ride."
* * *
We managed to find the little butler shop Branstan had mentioned. Inside, Talin purchased not only a dozen button loops, but also a few other things he felt would be useful. After that, we headed to a clothing store where he purchased five of the same white shirt, but in different sizes. When I looked at a tie for too long, he added it to the pile, along with a pocket square to match.
"For Bran, from you," he explained.
Then we ended up in a quaint little store just down the lane. Most of the items inside were vintage, but also repurposed. Even better, there was a small candy counter at the back. On impulse, I ordered chocolates and toffees to be boxed up, then began to wander while Talin hunted for something specific.
That was when I saw it. Displayed on a rack by the front was a burnished gold tie pin. It was a little larger than normal, but only because the head of it had once been a compass. Picking it up, I found it still was, but with a hinged cover that was etched like the compass rose. Immediately, I knew I had to have it.
"Can you box this?" I asked the girl behind the counter.
She bobbed her head. "Yes, Priestess. Of course."
"Do you have a slip of paper, so I can put a note inside?"
She passed me a small piece and a pen kept behind the counter. I quickly wrote out, "So you can find your way back to us," on it, and slid both things back.
"You want the note wrapped inside?" the girl asked.
"Please," I said. "And if you have black paper, I'll pay extra."
"Just dark blue," she told me. "We don't usually see many Priests of Temptation in here."
"Well," Talin said, coming up behind me, "we may have to change that. Look what I found for Saval..." He laid down a feathered quill that was mostly ornamental. "For Amerlee..." That was a small mirror in a metal case that would easily fit in a pocket. The exterior was painted with red and blue flowers. "And for Irila," he said, showing me a rather feminine-looking black ascot.
There was just one problem. "I thought you already got your mentor a present?"
Talin shrugged. "She always has to dress in a man's suit so she can move. I asked Nalph to design her a few new things, but this will at least make her suit a bit less manly." He looked over at my choice. "What did you find?"
"A tie pin for Anver." I glanced at him, wondering how he'd take it. "It's a compass, so he can find his way back."
"That," Talin said, "is perfect. He really is a good guy."
"I know." I reached into one of my dress pockets to find my coin purse. "I also know that he didn't mean to hurt me. We were stupid kids who all got caught up in the moment. I just don't know if we can ever have that same bond we used to."
"So make a new one," Talin said. "Don't try to be what you already outgrew. Just embrace the things you still like about him, and figure out what kind of man he is now. I think he'd really like to have a few friends again."
"And this," I said, gesturing to the blue-wrapped box, "is my first attempt. He won't ever be my guardian like we'd planned, but there's nothing that says I can't find a place for a really good friend in my life, right?"
"That's my girl," Talin said. "And I'm paying."
"Nope. Zeal is." I gestured at the lot. "All of this and the candy at the back, please."
"Four gold, three silver," she said.
Easing open the pouch, I found that and a little more, but not much. Talin's brows rose into his hairline, but I just smiled at him. "This is my early present from him. He said I'd need it this week."
"How?" he asked.
"Ever lost a coin?" I slid the money to the salesgirl. "Seems this is where it goes."
"Nice. Well, since you paid, I suppose that means I get to carry it all," he teased. "And since we're done early, how would you feel about a trot around the parks to look at the snow?"
"You know, the last time I really got to see snow was when I was a girl. You think there's any place around here where it's still pristine?"
He loaded himself up with the bags. "I happen to know a few such spots. And I'm not going to complain at all if you snuggle close to keep me warm."
