Is it wrong to fleece adventurers at the item shop?

After enjoying the last rays of the sun, as it sets, and doing a little stargazing on top, I return inside. I don't get ready for bed though. No, I start to prepare to do some more work instead.

To be precise, I prepare my enchanting table. I make a little more light too. I should enchant a second lantern, but I can't really focus on that, as my mind keeps drifting to the less than stellar enchantment I have been working on for the better part of the day.

There is no way around it. If I want to get this off my mind I'll have to actually create the enchantment. For better or worse, I need to know if it would work, even if I'll go for something better in the long run. I already wrote the letter and spent the money, but yet, I still have to know.

I get my notebook and check everything once more. Then I do the calculations for the circles and prepare the enchanting table with the supporting coal circles and lines.

Before long I'm good to go. There is just one little problem left. The enchantment is not terribly specific in regards to the object it has to be anchored to, but it has to be something you wear. Clothing or possibly jewelry. Armor would work too, but I'm not going to put an enchantment supposed to help a wet nurse on any piece of armor.

A breast wrap would be good. According to theory its sympathetic properties would match the best after all. The problem is, I don't have any. I don't use them, as I don't want to tie my breast down, and apparently grandma didn't believe in them either.

A blouse would be a pretty good match too. I don't feel like risking one of mine though, in case the enchantment turns out bad.

I could, in theory, make a cheap necklace. A piece of leather string and a pretty pebble would be enough. We practiced on makeshift jewelry like that more than once at the academy after all. I don't feel like looking for a pretty pebble at the creek right now though.

Maybe I should go and get a few just in case some other time? Yes, some other time. Not right now though. I nod to myself as I make that decision. Then a thought strikes me.

I could use another hair ribbon! Like that time I accidentally made the one attracting bees. Damn! I still need to find a way to get rid of that. Maybe I should sell it through the guild? Krystina could probably get it properly appraised and auctioned off in the city. I nod to myself again, as I make another decision. Yes, that is what I'll do. Tomorrow. First thing in the morning!

I'm not exactly any closer to solving my current problem though. I could use a hair ribbon. Or should I use a bandanna? Not the yellow one with the red embroidery. No. I wouldn't want to have to ask Agnieszka for a new one if the enchantment goes badly.

The general idea isn't bad though and I have another, more plain one anyway. I'll use that one. If it works out I can either sell it to Urszula. Or I can make a better one for her and sell this one off through the guild too. Plain bandannas are easy enough to replace after all.

It doesn't take me long to find the item in question in the big trunk at the foot end of my bed. It is a plain bandanna made of undyed and unbleached cloth. The cloth itself feels good though. I unfold it and tie my hair up with it once to make sure it will fit. Satisfied with the result I fold it up again to place it in the very center of the enchanting table.

Now I'm really ready to get started. I take a deep breath and slap my cheeks once more for good measure. Then I grab the chalk and get going.

This particular enchantment strains my ability more than any other single enchantment I have ever created. I have to fill no less than four circles with the proper runes to make this work, which is, to be honest, a rather silly amount for such a basic enchantment. It really isn't my best work, but it certainly is my most challenging piece so far.

Sweat is dripping from my brow as I keep going. I have to force myself to keep breathing in a slow and steady rhythm, as I draw line after line, rune after rune. Even with my notebook as a reference right there I'm struggling a little.

I can feel the power of the enchantment wobble and fluctuate too. Usually this is not a good sign. More often than not it is an indicator for immanent failure. I push onward anyway. I'm not this easily discouraged!

Finally I finish the last rune in the outermost circle. It takes agonizingly long for the enchantment to be drawn into the bandanna, but it does take hold, despite me already fearing the worst.

At long last I relax, take a deep breath and wipe away the sweat collecting at my brow. As I do, I resolve to not do something like this again anytime soon. This was entirely too close for comfort after all.

I wait for a moment, but there is no divine whisper this time around. Never mind. I certainly learned a little lesson from this anyway. It is a little too early to relax though. I still need to check the results of my hard work after all. After taking another deep breath to calm my fluttering nerves, I focus my attention on the enchanted bandanna to activate my appraisal skill.

[Wet nurse's bandanna, Quality: Uncommon, A plain but comfortable bandanna for wet nurses and other women who find themselves in a position with a need to suddenly breastfeed an infant. Wearing this bandanna will stimulate the flow of milk even in women that have not given birth or even been pregnant. The effect will last for 7 days after wearing the bandanna for at least four hours.]

I blink once, as I take this all in. It seems to have worked. Of course I don't receive a divine reward for something that is not too rare. Doubly so as I probably could have created it much easier with a little more patience.

My brows furrow a little as curiosity rears it's head again. My fingers tremble a little as I touch the piece of cloth. How would it feel?

Four hours and seven days? That's not too long. Other women deal with this all the time, for much longer periods than just seven days too. I haven't heard Urszula complain once. It can't be that bad. Right? Besides, I can't give this to another woman without properly testing it first!

My fingers tremble once again, as I tie the bandanna in place. Four hours? I might as well go to bed in that case. And tomorrow morning I'll be a little wiser. Either that or I'll know better.

I shake my head and chuckle as I get ready for bed. As I slip into bed at long last a mighty yawn escapes me and I'm fast asleep not much later.