Aegis

Chapter Six--In a Strange Town

Erianthe could feel Kyros' absence, the void he left, as she walked through the town. The open space reminded Erianthe that she was alone despite the people walking about. Even though the blood on her shirt caught worried looks from the passerby, no one stopped to question her. No one asked if she was okay. When she saw an elderly woman staring at her, Erianthe blushed and walked away.

After asking directions from another elderly woman, who questioned her about her health, Erianthe found the market. Clutching the handle of her sword for comfort, she scanned the shops and stalls for their supplies.

Sellers shouted at the people who walked by to advertise their goods.

"Apples! Pears!"

"New shoes. Special sale!"

"Eggs for sale!"

Dodging around busy customers and sellers, Erianthe made her way around the market. To her dismay, she couldn't find anyone who was selling clothes suited for questing. Instead, at a clothing stall, she used two silver coins to buy two thin cloaks. Right away, Erianthe wrapped one of the black cloaks around her to cover her bloodstained and dusty clothes.

"Thank you," Erianthe said.

"Thank you for your patronage," the seller replied. "Fight hard, young hero."

The seller's goodbye was a bit odd. As soon as she walked away from the stall, Erianthe took a deep breath. She could do this on her own.

During the next hour, she bought a few loaves of bread and cheese for their food, a pouch to store the goods, and a skin to hold their water. Each time, the seller made some comment about her being a hero after her purchases.

With the pouch slung over her shoulder, Erianthe weaved her way towards the edge of the market. For a small town, the marketplace was busier than she expected.

In Delos, the plaza had never been this crowded. When Erianthe's father had taken her to the archives, they could stroll down the walkways straight to the small room inside the town's central building.

Erianthe bit her lip.

What she wouldn't give to walk down the path with her father again or buy apples with her mother. Feeling the tears welling up, Erianthe sucked behind one of the stalls. Even though her father had become stricter after her mother's disappearance, the long, difficult hours pouring over books and strategizing with her papa became objects of longing. Her distaste for the rigorous training and mental labor were foolish now. Erianthe would give anything to bring back her home, her family.

Behind a very noticeable vegetable stall, Erianthe whimpered and broke down sobbing. No walks with her father, no trips with her mother, no anything from Delos anymore.

Before any of the concerned passerby could approach and console her, Erianthe stood, brushed off her dirty clothes, and went on her way.

Soon, Erianthe came across a weapons shop at the edge of the marketplace. Unlike the other shops, the store didn't have many people entering and exiting the shop.

Intrigued by the intricate metal sign at the front, Erianthe peeked inside the shop. Even though it was much darker inside the store, the lamps on the wall lit up the array of weapons on display. When Erianthe stepped inside, a man at the desk glanced up at her.

"Pardon me," she said.

Too excited to wait for his response, Erianthe wandered around the shop. None of the blades were as well-designed or strong as the weapons in her father's small armory, but the metalwork was beautiful nonetheless. The spears displayed on the walls had intricate designed engraved in the shaft. The swords' edges were sharp and clean.