Chapter 17: Chapter 16 – An Easy Day at the Market

An Easy Day at the Market

  

The knights had settled into the inn, The Restful Crossroads. While they had moved on to drinking and resting, Sloane had left to explore the market. Ser Deryk had given her a small pouch with various amounts of coins inside for her to buy things that she thought she may need. 

The market was an orderly affair; the large plaza was organized by and separated by goods and wares. The traveling merchants even had a section of their own where they had set up their wagons and carts to sell to travelers and village residents. She walked among the various booths, seeing all sorts of elves, telv, and raithe. Many called out as she walked by, trying to make another sale.

“Milady! We have the finest linens!”

“Madame, your skin is so perfect, you absolutely must come to see our beautiful assortment of beauty products.”

Sloane nearly stopped there just out of curiosity, not because she cared to purchase any right now, but were they lead-based like some had been back on Earth? Should she extol the long-term damaging effects of the metal? Sloane shrugged, she had no credibility at the moment, she wouldn’t be believed.

As she was walking, she paused as she saw her first two dwarves standing at a booth set up outside of a small shop. A booth that held materials she thought she would need to start working on magical items. It was almost too good to be true, and a bit cliche of the first dwarves she met to be selling ore and gems…though, she looked a bit closer, the wood was different.

She tried to get a gauge of the male and female dwarves. They looked exactly like what she expected from various fantasy settings. However, she was a bit disappointed that the woman didn’t have the beard that some versions portrayed. They both had long, wavy brunette hair and were certainly stout people in general. The man’s beard was magnificent, it was a walnut brown color and was braided down the center with the whole thing pulled into a point at the bottom that was held together with an intricate metal cap made of silver and gold. Meanwhile, the woman had a long tightly braided tail that she had draped across her shoulder to the front that had a matching metal clamp that held her hair together at the end. They both had matching turquoise eyes, but the woman had a cute bunching of freckles under her eyes. 

They weren’t quite as short as she had imagined but they both stood right around one-hundred-fifty centimeters. They had very similar facial features, and she assumed they were siblings.

The man noticed her stare and called out at her, “Ay lass, come on over and take a look at what we have ta offer.”

Sloane smiled and walked to the duo and their array of goods. “Hi, there! I’m sorry for staring! What do you have here?” 

The woman laughed, “It’s quite alright, dear! Not see many of dwarves where yer from?”

Sloane shook her head, as she looked at the various metals and wood on one side and then delicately crafted decorative objects on the other. “No, you’re the first two I’ve met. I’m Sloane, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She said as she reached a hand out toward the woman. 

The stocky woman took her hand gently, with surprisingly soft hands, and smiled. “Nice ta meetcha, I go by Reanny.” Pulling her hand back, she jutted a thumb over toward the man, “This here lout is my brother Murinn.”

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Sloane chuckled, “It’s a pleasure, lout Murinn.” 

The man tried to hide a smile as he attempted to look offended, “Milady! You take this wretched lass’s side after naught but a sentence? That hurts it does.”

Laughing again, she looked over the raw materials, deciding she liked the two, she had some fun, “You have a wide assortment of materials: raw ore, wood, gems, and crystals. You even have various things you’ve made from them. I can’t help but feel this is fate. It’s too perfect, tell me, who told you I was coming?”

Reanny smiled broadly, “Why but a wee birdie of course. I had my brother go and mine the ore and strip the forest while I slaved away crafting my humble wares, all while awaiting your kind coin–I mean person!–to finally make your way to our simple shop.”

Murinn looked back and forth, confused, “Wha–No, I just bought the ore from Brende and the gems from Igglann this week. You were there!”

Both women laughed and Reanny looked up at Sloane and shook her head, “My brother, he has a head for numbers and goods to buy or sell. Absolute zero social sense. Thank Erbium that I’m here, aye?”

Sloane nodded, “It’s okay, Mr. Murinn, I apologize. Your sister is just too much fun.

“Now, I was serious about one thing. You two may actually have some of what I’m looking for. Provided we can reach a good deal, mind you.”

Reanny nodded, “Of course… Of course, only the best for my new friend.”

Sloane looked over the stuff, “alright, so. I need both materials and stuff to work with those materials. Hmm, actually, one second. Sorry.”

Sloane reached into her satchel and grabbed the notebook Maud had given her. Opening the page she had listed her notes on, she looked over it one more time.

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