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Using his hands to show the dimensions, James gives him a rough idea what he wants. “Also, I need the inside to be padded to prevent the contents from coming to harm,” he explains. “On each of the four sides, as well as the top, I need to have a crystal embedded within it.”

“Hmmm,” he says as he considers the request. “The box and inner lining I can do with no problem. The crystals now, that’s another matter. I know someone who can do it and can get with him to do that part once I’m done with the box.”

“That would be fine,” James assures him.

“For what you’re asking, I’d have to charge seventy five golds for everything,” Kraegan says.

Sighing, he knew it would come to this. He begins the haggling process and eventually works him down to fifty three. “I have forty golds on me,” he tells the blacksmith. “I can give you the rest upon delivery of the box.”

“Agreed,” the smith says as he leads him over to a table where they count out the coins. Once the count is agreed upon, he asks, “Do you have the crystals with you?”

James removes the five crystals from his pouch. “Now, there can be no flaw in the crystals,” he insists. “And they must be centered in each of the sides as well as the top.”

“I understand,” the smith tells him. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it for you.”

“Thank you,” he replies. “If you can get it done by the end of the week, I’ll throw in another ten golds.”

“Doubt it,” says the smith, “but we’ll see what we can do.” The smith takes the golds and the crystals into the building adjacent to the forge area.

“Back home?” asks Jiron.

“Yeah, I’ve got a lot of work to do before the chest is done,” he tells him.

As they’re riding back and after they’ve left town, Jiron asks, “Is it for the Fire?”

Nodding, James replies, “Yes, and I’d appreciate you not saying anything about this to anyone.”

“No problem there,” he assures him.

They see four people standing at the end of the lane to The Ranch, three women and a man. Uther, Illan and Jorry are standing there barring their way.

“He’s not here,” they can hear Illan’s voice telling the people.

At the sound of his approach, they all turn toward him. He can see relief evident upon Illan’s face at seeing him returning.

“Is that him?” a lady with a red hat asks the man she’s with.

“I think so,” the man replies.

The other two ladies both back up a step, their eyes never leaving him.

“What’s going on?” James asks as he comes to the group.

Everyone starts talking at once, finally Illan’s voice roars over everyone else’s. “Enough!” he shouts and everyone stops talking. Turning to James, he says, “They’ve come to see you, but they wouldn’t say why.”

The lady with the red hat steps forward though she’s obviously nervous about approaching him. He sees her and asks, “Yes?”

“We were told you could help us,” she replies.

“Who told you that?” he asks incredulously.

“I don’t rightly remember his name,” she tells him. “You see, I need a charm for my daughter here,” she says as she brings forward a comely looking girl of about fourteen. “You see, she’s infatuated with the butcher’s son but he has his eye on another.”

“Despite what someone may have told you,” he says to her, “I don’t do charms or anything else like that.” When he sees the disappointment on her face, he softens his voice and says, “I’m sorry.”

The girl seems almost on the verge of tears, he dismounts and comes to her. “You shouldn’t need a charm to ensnare a man’s heart, your beauty should be able to get you anyone you desire,” he says. “Where I come from, the girls don’t rely on magic, but on their own charms and abilities. There’s a saying where I come from, ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’. Maybe you should try to impress him with your charm and cooking abilities. Find out what he likes to do and tell him how well he does it, how impressive he is, that sort of thing. You’d be surprised how much you can turn his head with the simplest things.”

“Do you think