Ernst had written down the recipes, teaching me the notation system as he did, which was mostly just abbreviations. It kind of reminded me of chemistry class with the periodic table symbols, but now I had to relearn all the names according to the apothecary’s ingredient names. He kept copies of the recipes for himself, probably more because it was something to have than he’d ever have to make it for anyone but me, and I was able to leave the apothecary’s shop with half a dozen fingerprint powder recipes and several packets of what we had made.
I was in a good mood as Ranger walked us out of town. I even bought an apple from the young boy with his basket of fruit. “Feed it to my horse,” I said to him. I fished out a copper from my coin purse and handed it down to him. In the process, I saw my stained fingers. I had washed them at Ernst’s shop, but hadn’t been able to get all of the various residues off.
Application is going to be a problem. I lose too much shaking it off the paper, and it doesn’t disperse as well as it should. I need a duster.
Ranger happily chomped away at the apple the boy held, while I continued thinking. The Realms, despite their many offerings, didn’t have a fingerprint dusting brush. Like with the powders, I would have to make my own. But out of what? Modern brushes were all of synthetic materials like nylon.
Ranger finished the apple, even slurping the juices off the boy’s hand, who chuckled then went back to the little stall where his mother was. Ranger stamped a hoof.
“That’s all you get, buddy. Got some oats for you back at the cabin. Come on.” I touched my heels to his sides and clicked my tongue.
This time he stamped his hoof and tossed his head, shaking his mane at me.
I blinked and ran my fingers through the long hairs of his mane, then smiled.
I signaled the boy for more apples, and this time gave him a silver, telling him “Keep the change.”