As the Party travels, Akbar complains about not yet being able to brew his antidote and not having time to visit the wizard in the tower somewhere near that last town. Suddenly a messenger passes them and Fiamma, quick to spot an opportunity, manages to make her horse unseat her before he has gone far. He reacts and she casts Charm on him so that he comes and helps her back onto her horse. She gets no information from him but notes that he wears a badge: Or, 3 annulos of serpents sable in triangle.
Later, the Party notes a pool off to the side of the road and, remembering the "fishy" episode, Fiamma elects to stop and water the horses politely. As the Party rests, the bard hauls out her instrument and strides near the lake. She sings ... and, suddenly, disappears. The Party searches but finds no sign of the half-elf. Caught in the bind of a Party leader, Shadya determines to discover what became of the bard. A singer herself, she strides to where Fiamma was last seen and starts singing. To the watching Party's great astonishment, she too disappears.
Shadya finds herself looking up through the water at the immense figures of her surprised friends. She herself is surrounded by a school of mermaids, Fiamma amongst them. The desert warrior looks herself over. Unlike her brightly coloured companions, she has a black fish's tail and is still swaddled in turban and veil. They are all tiny mermaids! The school chatters excitedly about the singing and the fun they will all have. Shadya pleads that she and Fiamma have a quest and asks to be returned to her own form. One of the little mers pipes up in disgust, "Told you so. She's no fun." Gradually, though the little people listen to the warrior's words and agree to take the travelers to their ruler. Shadya, relieved, suddenly realizes what a wondrous thing has happened to her - a desert warrior - and cannot resist cart-wheeling out of the water.
Nasir, Orlando, and Akbar - still gazing anxiously at the lake - see a small black fish leap and splash. "That's Shadya!" Akbar pronounces confidently to the prince's dismayed unbelief.
The merpeople swim into the deeps of the pool and bring Shadya and Fiamma to an old turtle. The turtle listens attentively and agrees to restore their shapes. He assures the two that though his people are silly, they are well meaning. The travelers ask what they can do in return. He tells of the pigs that come daily to foul the pool and asks that they try to stop such depredation. They agree and, with farewells, find themselves on shore greeting a startled and joyful Orlando.
Mindful of their promise, a search is made and the pig trail found. The Party follows it. On route they stop by an overgrown well. There they meet a talking bird who gives them an iridescent green feather and tells Fiamma to burn it if she ever needs to contact him.
The Party eventually finds the pig farmer and convinces him to develop a pig trough out ot the old well, because the distance will protect his pigs from passing travelers.
That night the Party camps in an open field. On a night prowl, a watcher is spotted. Shadya captures him and convinces him that his best course is to become the Party's "guest." His name is Gazim of Al Barud and he admits to being hired in Al Barud by one Assam to follow and observe the Party's actions. Al Barud is a scruffy town on the desert side of the mountains. Gazim claims not to be a fighter and to have no purpose other than observation. Shadya accepts his word.
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