The Verdant Prince

Chapter 7: Useful Tools

People milled around casually as was expected on a warm sunny mid morning. No one bowed and treated me as different, a few people even threw a some ugly curse words and such as I pushed my way through the thickening crowd. And with all honesty I liked it. I liked the rough equal feeling it had and took very little offense to it.

I had wandered around gathering supplies slowly. New clothing, new bedding, nicer plates, and utensils. I was honestly excited that my family didn't have to live like hungry rats anymore, scavenging and living off of single thread blankets and clothing. I was for once in my life truly proud I could do something to help. I wasn't pathetic and helpless a I was before. I was useful and strong.

In my mini adventures across the cold tiles and stones of the market place I had overheard several conversations. It was amusing to me in all of my years at training I had learned to kill in hundreds of ways, swim well, create light from my fingertips, ride a beast with nothing, speak languages and so much more. Never had I thought I would learn to hear and comprehend so many conversations around me. Most were in hushed tones of gossip, others loud and cheery. They all had their fair share of odd subjects.

"Red or yellow beats?"

"Green!" A snotty shrill voice said.

"Did you hear about the barbarians breaching a few of the nine realms? There's rumors going around saying they're headed towards Asgard." A croaky old man coughed out.

"No, that's absurd. If they were anywhere close to us the horn would sound and the problem would be taken care of." A woman answered back, doubt lacing her carefully picked words.

"I did not bed him, Mama! He is a pig!"

"Pies should be sold in the food vendor section not the herbs. Someone is going to think you poisoned it."

"Maybe I did."

So many people in such a little place talking all at once fascinated me. The way everyone could interact with a different face every way they turn.

"Would you like a sweet roll?" A man grabbed my arm, pulling me out of everyone else's conversations. His palms were sweaty and his head was badly shaved. It was as if a goat was his barber.

"No thank you, sir," I said, prying his hand of my arm. He grunted unhappily and rolled his eyes. Or eye I should say. Rather than being a matching shade of vibrant green, one was a cloudy grey void of color.

I walked slowly through the vendors. They all shouted what they had to offer, some shaking the goods they sold in their air as if people would swarm them if they saw it. I shifted my arms, adjusting the heavy filled basket I held. I now had a few odd looks in my direction. I figured not many women carried giant baskets with a single arm in these poorer parts. I shifted my arms once again so I was carrying the basket in two arms. I didn't want any attention whatsoever.

But why?

"Silver, bronze, and iron jewelry! Sapphire, emerald, ruby, and more gemstones!" A man shouted gruffly from across the street. I turned and made my way to his booth, curious in his craft.

"Do you hold silver and amethyst materials?" I asked him softly. He stopped his loud ramblings and looked to me. I dropped my eyes to the shining gemstones below me. Silver and gold bands lined the crooked wooden table. I looked up to the man again when he hadn't answered me. He rubbed is chin thoughtfully, his calloused fingers making a crude scratchy sound as it rubbed on his rough dark beard. His dark cocoa colored eyes scanned me over and he shook his head.

"You wouldn't be affordin' it, m'lady." He said, a thick foreign accent showing. He looked genuinely sad as he looked at my attire. I shot my eyes up to him and squared my shoulders. A small pompous part of me laughed inside as his shoulders slouched ever so slightly.