Venafyn sighs as she slumps into her chair, before shaking herself awake as adrenaline replaces her exhaustion. She has just woken up and had barely gotten dressed before she sat down to examine her creation. It had to have been the 20th time she had looked over the product, which she had finished the day prior, but she needed to make sure everything was perfect. She had never felt so nervous when revealing a creation to its recipient, they always worked as intended, and she usually only needed to run or two checks to be sure of their quality. This was no different, factually, but it mattered to her much more emotionally, and for the first time in ages, she felt genuinely afraid. “Goda above, I’m pathetic” she leans back and puts a hand on her head, a strained smile on her face. I’ve faced death at the hands of beasts, undead, and men, but yet my friend not liking his gift is what scares me?” She declares to no one in particular, and Hla Sunna responds by huffing loudly as he goes back to sleep.

“What the hell is happening to you?” She questioned herself. “Don’t tell me that you’re…falling in love with this man.” The thought still somewhat revolted her. She had always been calculated, a woman of science and rational, with no interest in superficial things like love or family, but yet, ever since coming here, she had met friends who she treasured dearly, almost a family. After a fair bit of mental struggling, she managed to gaslight herself into pushing those feelings aside.

“It’s just a gift for my fri- my aquaintance, so he can better operate in the future.” She tells herself as she puts her gift in the intricately crafted wooden box she had ordered from the local carpenter. While she could have carved one herself, it would be nowhere near as beautiful as this one, and she wanted it to be special. With a final sigh of resolution she grabs the box and walks out into the hall to meet him.