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Jiron catches James’ eye and rolls his eyes as he gives a sidelong nod at their guest.

“Thank you for taking the time to listen to my dilemma,” the man says to him.

“I am very busy,” replies James, as he sits down in one of the chairs. “Say what you came here to say.”

Sitting back down, the man begins, “I shall be brief then.” Glancing to Jiron, he continues, “I was telling your friend here somewhat of my problem and am hoping you might be of a mind to help me.”

James glances to Jiron and then asks, “What sort of problem?” Jiron gives him a brief, amused smile.

“Well, it’s like this,” he explains. “I own a small business in Osgrin.” When James doesn’t respond to the name, he adds, “It’s a town just a little south of here.”

“Oh,” says James.

“Anyway, I’m a dye merchant,” he continues when no further comment is forthcoming. “And recently a competitor has set up another shop close to mine.”

“And?” prompts James.

“And, he’s hurting my business,” says the man. “He’s selling his dyes far cheaper than I’m able to. How, I don’t know. If something isn’t done, he’ll ruin me!”

“And you want me to do what?” he asks.

“Why, cast a spell on him or something that will make his dyes be of lesser quality,” he explains. “Exactly what, I’d leave to your judgment.”

Where Jiron is amused, James is anything but. “Let me get this straight,” he says, coming to his feet. “You want me to ruin a man’s business because he’s cutting into your profits?”

“Yes,” replies the man in all sincerity. “I’d pay you for your troubles.”

Eyes smoldering, he says to Jiron, “Get this fool from my sight!”

“You better go,” Jiron says as he brings the man to his feet.

“But,” the man says as Jiron begins to lead him to the door, “I’ll give you a hundred gold!”

“Get out!” yells James. The frustration he had felt before when this idiot disturbed his experiments blossoms into full fledged anger. “I’ll not take a million for such a deed. How dare you even ask me!”

Struggling against Jiron as he’s being pulled from the house, he cries out, “But you’re a mage! You’re supposed to do things like this!”

Ezra pokes her head in from the kitchen to see what’s going on.

Roland appears at the door, axe in hand. James glances at him and says, “Assist Jiron in getting this man off my property.” To the man he adds, “Don’t you ever come back here again!”

Setting his axe on the floor, Roland takes one arm while Jiron takes the other and they drag the dye merchant out of the house. James watches from the window as they take him to the end of the lane.

“He doesn’t understand,” he hears Ezra say from behind him.

Turning around, he sees her framed in the doorway to the kitchen, “Understand what?”

“You,” she says. “You are not like other mages we hear about. You are kind and considerate, no one expects that from one such as you.”

His anger slowly subsides until he’s simply frustrated. “I suppose,” he says.

“All our lives, the stories we hear of those with the power are ones of terror and pain,” she explains. “People just can’t believe that a mage, wizard, or whatever can be anything but bad.”

Sighing, he nods his head, “I know. Whenever anyone has found out I’m a mage, their first reaction is usually one of fear or trepidation. Only by getting to know me do their opinions change.”

“That is true,” she agrees. “Sorry to have intruded, but I thought you should know.”

“Thank you, Ezra,” he says. “I do appreciate it.”

She then returns to the kitchen to resume whatever it was she had been doing.

Turning back to the window, he sees Jiron and Roland returning, the dye merchant stands at the end of the lane for a moment. It almost seems like the man still hasn’t grasped the idea James isn’t going to be helping him. Jiron turns around and yells something at him. When the man still doesn’t leave, he draws one of his knives and advances on him.

Seeing the drawn knife, he finally gets the idea and starts running down the road toward town.

Jiron replaces his knife and catches up with Roland as they walk