Getting ready for the night actually takes some effort this time around, as I still need to clean up a little after myself. Only once the fireplace with the cauldron sill over the hot, but not actually glowing anymore, coals can Elzbieta prepare her borrowed bedding. We don't want any accidents to happen after all.

Of course that doesn't stop Ulryk from falling asleep early, which isn't really a bad thing though. Him sleeping through most of the work only stirring slightly every once in a while is actually a good thing. There is no drama that way.

This state only changes briefly when I get to carry him for a moment, so his mother can get changed for the night, but even then he is quite content to just babble a little while resting his head against my chest.

And once he is back in his mother's arms and both of them are nestled comfortably into the blankets besides the still warm fireside he is asleep for good again before any time can pass at all.

I get changed too and make myself comfortable in bed. It kind of feels a little empty without the two by my side. Well, hopefully that will change again soon.

Before I can fall asleep Elzbieta speaks up though, softly as to not disturb Ulryk.

"Got any plans for tomorrow?"

I think about it for a moment. Then I answer, matching her soft tone best I can.

"If the rash is gone for good I'll have a real bath. Maybe Ulryk will be well enough too? And afterwards, well, I might visit Wislawa at the temple. I might make another batch of chalks, enchanter's chalks for a change, too later."

For a moment I'm left wondering if the young ranger has already fallen asleep, but finally she speaks up once more.

"If Ulryk is well enough … I have been wondering if I could take him out on a slightly longer trip, to see a little more of the neighborhood."

I let out a mighty yawn.

"That sounds pretty nice. I guess we'll see tomorrow morning?"

"Mhm, yes. Yes we will."

And with that out of the way we both fall asleep in short order too and at least for me it's a wonderfully pleasant and restful night of uninterrupted sleep. No more fever dreams. It's a very welcome change.

I don't even mind waking up the next morning this time around, as I'm very well rested for a change.

Sour Cream greets me with a soft meow from the window sill, where she sits licking her paws. Judging by her expectant look in the direction of the empty bowl it's pretty clear what she expects of me.

I don't dawdle and swing my feet out of bed to comply with her demand.

A little later she is happily lapping at her namesake treat.

With that taken care off I turn to the other two occupants of my house. They are still peacefully sleeping by the fireplace. I feel a little bad just thinking about waking them. Thus I check the little boy, nestled close to his mother, over with my eyes first. He seems a little sweaty but not much. And the rash has pretty much faded too. Everything considered I think nothing speaks against a bath for both of us today. And there shouldn't be any problems with Elzbieta's other plans for the day either.

I give both of them a quick peck on the cheek, the young mother first and her little boy right after, to wake them. Except the only one really waking is Elzbieta. Her baby boy instead starts to move in search of his morning meal right away, without ever opening his eyes. Only as Elzbieta and I share a quick laugh in response does he actually wake.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

There are stories about people sleep walking in search of snacks and the likes, I'm aware, but I never thought I'd actually get to see it, or at least something close enough, even if just from a baby boy.

While his mother helps the boy along before he can get frustrated, I start talking.

"I think we, he and I, should both be good for a bath. But maybe we should wait another little while for the sun to come up a little, so you can check with better light, just in case?"

She nods and sits up carefully while the boy helps himself to his morning meal.

"Right. We aren't in a hurry, or are we?"

I shake my head in response.

"No, no hurry."

While the two take their time, I prepare a change of clothes and the towels for the bath, very much hoping that Elzbieta will agree with my earlier assessment. I at least am very much aching for that bath after all.

Thankfully she indeed does agree after inspecting her boy, who greatly enjoy both the morning sun and his mother's attention, thoroughly. He gets even more excited as he realizes what I'm bringing and thus where we are going. It seems like he misses a chance to bath and play around in the water about as much as any of us. Well, who wouldn't. Let's hope we can live up to his expectations.

Well, either way, I certainly plan to enjoy the moment.

As we get closer to the bath we quickly realize that the place is a little more lively than usual though. It's mostly voices I'm not familiar with either. At least two tickle my memory though. The gnome wizard and the human fighter who commissioned me to enchant his underwear with the self cleaning enchantment. It's that new large group of adventurers.

It's mixed bathing today it seems. No one else seems to mind, and to be honest I don't really either, as long as no one is creepy about it. My brows furrow for a moment, as I consider the date. They must have been out in the twilight forest for a while. Their first scouting trip to some ruin if I'm not mistaken. This is probably their first chance in days to have a nice bath. That certainly would explain why they are enjoying it that much. I'm surprised though that they would return at this hour. Oh well, maybe they skipped making camp last night since they already where close?

Then something else comes to mind. The group included one elf and a half elf too. I reach out and stop Elzbieta before we can actually get close. She raises and eyebrow, looking at me questioningly, thus I proceed to explain.

"That's the big new group. They have an elf and a half elf among their numbers. I think it would be best if we wait until they are done. Ulryk and I, we probably aren't contagious anymore, but I really don't want to risk it anyway."

Understanding blossoms on her face and together we stop a little short of the bathhouse. We use a few stepping stones to cross over to the other bank of the creek and sit down there to enjoy the morning sun, as it rises above the horizon, for a little while.

Ulryk looks a little puzzled at the sudden change of plans. He apparently already has had his mind firmly set on playing in the water. It's a small miracle that he isn't crying already.

In the end pure chance allows me to make sure he doesn't start at all either. As the sun rises and it's rays become a little stronger the land all around us wakes up too and many small creatures of all kinds come out of hiding. One of them is a pretty dragonfly which lands on my arm.

The creatures always scared me a little when I was young. For the longest time that seemed to be the only logical reaction too. Dragonflies are pretty strange creatures after all. It's not just their looks either. No, they have their own weird way of flying too. And of course, it sounded only prudent in my then childish mind, to feel a healthy respect for anything with dragon in its name.

As the years passed and I grew up that changed ever so slowly. And by the time I learned that these magnificent and mostly helpless creatures, at least when threats of human size where concerned, are used as potion ingredients I had a soft spot for them.

I raise my arm slowly, as not to startle the creature. At the same time I make sure the little boy can get a good look while making sure at the same time that the dragonfly remains just out of reach of his grabby hands.

"Look Ulryk, isn't it pretty?"

Sitting on my arm the dragonfly basks in the rays of the rising sun a little longer before it takes off again at long last, eliciting a sound of wonder from Elzbieta's son and a chuckle from his mother too.

"Never thought you'd like those. Don't alchemists usually hire adventures to collect them?"

I clear my throat and nod at long last.

"You aren't wrong. Dried and crushed they find use in some recipes for health or stamina potions."

At that mention the young ranger actually pales a little. The notion that the potions they drink quite regularly might contain crushed insects is not to everyone's liking.

I'm quick to alleviate her worries.

"Not in my potions though. I feel a little sorry for the poor things. Butterflies too. I guess the same was true for grandma since I never found any dried or crushed dragonflies or butterflies among her stores."

That seems enough reassurance for her. Then her attention shifts to the bath. By the sound of it, the adventurers are just about done.

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