Dragon Fire - Book 2 [discontinued due to rewrite]

Chapter 9

Liem led her straight to Simeon.

Eva and Estelle were nowhere to be seen, but the boys were lounging around the wagons looking bored. Most of their wares were sold and they had little else to do. Marcie felt they relished the space of their farm and, like her, disliked the crowded village.

"Found yer girl wanderin round lost" Liem said to Gwinn, casting a look her way. Then he nodded to Simeon and both men sidled off to discuss her privately.

While she watched them, Gwinn pressed a large piece of fruit cake into her hand and fingered the scarf around her head as she ate.

"Tis a good idea, ah shoulda thought of it I suppose. Anyone give you trouble?" she asked,

Marcie brushed off the memory of the two men in the alley and merely shook her head, using the fruit cake in her mouth as an excuse not to talk.

"Good fabric, ah would keep it, wear it all times if yea can, not that uncommon round these parts"

She had Marcie sit then took the scarf off and carefully rewound it around Marcie's long braid, covering her forehead then wrapping over her ears and underneath where she tied it then tightly bound it around her braid, tying it off at the end. Marcie moved her head from side to side, it felt very secure.

"Thank you" she told Gwinn who looked over her work critically,

"Tis better ah suppose, makes yea look less...Forgotten"

Eva and Estelle came back from their trip, bearing various fabrics and ribbons to tie into their hair and Gwinn admonished them for the wasted money,

"The pursuit of beauty is never a waste" Eva replyed hauntily,

"Dun answer me back wit nothin from one o yea books lassy!" Gwinn shrieked, "Beauty is more an ribbons in yer air an rouge on yer lips! Frugality is a kinda beauty"

Eva scoffed, but before she could reply, her brothers chimed in,

"Best give it up now Eva"

"Yeah, yer bankrupt yerself if yea think yea can buy yerself pretty!"

"Just cover yer face an be done with it!"

Face bright red, Eva stalked off, Estelle, as always, her shadow.

Simeon and Liem returned from their discussion,

"Yea think yea can cure his wife en?" Simeon asked her,

"I can only try" she replyed, and he nodded,

"Alright en, best not delay. We'll stay here the night, get some last trade in, return tomorrow morning. When you finished Liem will show yea how to get back"

Marcie nodded.

"Whats happenin?" Gwinn inquired,

Simeon summarised and Gwinn gave Marcie an appraising look, "Yea has knowledge of herbology?" she asked

"Uh, I have never heard it called 'herbology'" Marcie replied, "But in the village we had a great healer, well renowned for her healing ability"

"I thought yea a seamstress?"

"I performed many roles in the village"

"How will yea help the poor girl?" she demanded to know,

"If it is merely an infection I will use spikle root and hope for the best, if it is more, then I...I have seem many things...I can only try my best" Marcie flushed, tickled by Gwinns obvious mistrust,