Perhaps it was the fine array of daggers in the window display, or the way the sun glittered across the blue and silver sign, the unfamiliar letters seeming quite alive. Neve really couldn't say what it was about the shop that made her choose it over the countless wonders that jousted for attention along the noisey street. Thinking back, she would remember it with curious strangeness, not that it had been at all strange at the time. It also didn't seem strange that the young woman at the counter greeted her in Dragonese as she walked through the door.

"Greetings, madamoiselle," she said in the polite dialect ine use when talking to someone of respect with whom they are not related. "You are looking for a dagger. Something special, perhaps?"

"Well, yes," Neve replied rather cautiously.

"Of course, madamoiselle. Describe what you want and I shall have it sent to you."

"Very well," Neve said, grasping the opportunity, already seeing the vision of a beautiful dagger in her head. And she went on to explain all this creation was:

"A blade of diamond; clear, hard, deadly sharp. Delicate, yet invulnerable, never needing to be sharpened or polished. The blade is held by a silver hilt with chasing in silver swirls and twists, and amid those swirls and twists two dragons, one on each side. This capped off by a star sapphire, cut like this one," she added, holding the ring her mother had given her.

"It should have perfect balance, too. And it must have an alternate form as a ring, looking almost exactly like this one." Again she showed the woman her gift. The woman looked it over intently, and Neve pointed out the slight, almost imperceptible changes. Satisfied, the woman handed the ring back and waited for Neve to continue, sure that she would.

And continue she did. "It must have a telepathic link with me, but it must also be psychically neutral, so as to mask its sensitivity. The sapphire must emit, or consume, light on command. And, most importantly, it must teleport to my hand whenever I want it to, instantaneously. And, well, I suppose that is all I want of it."

"Of course, madamioselle. It shall be as you requested. In one week's time, a shadow raven will seek you and give you the dagger Azrae." The woman smiled warmly at her as she was led to the door of the shop. "Now have a good day, madamioselle," the woman bid her as she stepped back into the shop.

"Thank you, good day," Neve replied in her wake. The woman smiled again and closed the door of the shop, leaving the young dragon to the sweeping force of the market crowd. Catching sight of her companions, most especially, the young woman named Dina, who spoke fairy, the sea of people pushed her from the store front, and the memory from her mind.