hawk & sable

CHAPTER THIRTY,

HAWK & SABLE | THIRTY

"I DON'T REMEMBER the city much. Cass does." Ciri glanced around the busy bazaar, sniffing the smell of buns and tea as people walked by in a hurry or slowly. This was one of the closest marketplaces to the Palace, which was why she brought Laurence here. She faintly remembered coming here once or twice as a child, though the memories were blurry.

"It's a pretty place. Very busy."

"Too busy, I think," Ciri admitted, stopping by a stall, inspecting a silk fan. "This is nice. How much for this?"

The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man who seemed gobsmacked by his unexpected customers, stammered out the price. Ciri grinned, reaching into her purse, and handed it over. Normally, a maid would do that, but she hadn't bothered asking her maids to come out with her. Neither had Laurence. The two walked alone. They were being wholly proper anyways, under the scrutinising eyes of the public.

"You like fans," he commented.

"I collect them. I have fans from all over the world. They're elegant and useful." She gave the one she had just brought a quick twirl before looping the little ribbon at the end of it around her wrist.

"You brought a bamboo fan in Kon Ria, didn't you?"

She should not be pleased he remembered. She nodded. "Lost it on the way back, I think. It was fortunate I even got that perfume back."

"And then it quite possibly saved our lives back in that cell."

She lifted a shoulder in a silent half-shrug. "Perhaps, perhaps. Though I think that's credited more to Cass's ingeniousness than the perfume. Any out-of-place scent would have worked, really. It was a perfectly pleasant perfume, though. Maybe next time I go to Kon Ria, I'll get her more."

"Maybe she can go herself for her honeymoon."

That made her smile. "Perhaps, perhaps. I'll mention that to her. Kon Ria is a nice place for a honeymoon. Marcus might agree."

"He would. I don't think he's actually been to Kon Ria before. Cass says you have family there?"

She nodded. "A few cousins." She stepped out of the way as two children ran past, giggling and screaming. "Those who didn't fancy living in Asayama with the rest of us. Not that I can blame them. We're a... loud bunch. It's where we decided to send Ned's daughter. We have a cousin there, Bianca, who'd take her in happily."

He tilted his head. "Family."

"Family," she agreed, fingers skimming a nice bolt of fabric. Pretty, but poorly made. Not for someone of her rank. She continued walking. "I thought you were the one leading me to places, not the other way around."

"I believe you still know more about this city than I do," he said with humour in his voice. "I will follow your lead, thank you very much."

"That was not what we agreed upon."

"I think you much prefer being the one choosing the location then me bringing you around blind. Stop complaining." He stood close next to her, as a gentleman courting a lady would. She rolled her eyes, hooking her arm into his. "I'm enjoying myself so far."

"Of course you are," she muttered, annoyance clear.

He grinned at that for some reason, then turned around and picked something up. Ciri arched her neck to see him pluck a flower from a florist, toss the girl some coin, and turn back to her. "You dropped your rose the other night."

"I left in a hurry."

"Yeah, no wonder. But consider this a replacement gift. You know what..." He reached forward, carefully inserting the rose into her bun. "There. You're not going to lose that again, are you?"