Two Snakes (ON BREAK FOR A WHILE)

Chapter 9: Another market afternoon

A few days had passed since the last meeting with Dolios on that Wednesday. Lilah had decided to skip out on this week's story, as it was just an old one and she wanted to actually visit the market today, instead of falling over and twisting something else. Her wrist had healed since a few days ago, and she was sure that she wanted to go. She closed her eyes and laid on her back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling again. It had became a regular habit, due to the thought processes she was having, about, say powers, her now re-exposed face...

Lilah took out the jar and followed Dolios' instructions, taking out particular brushes to cover everything. Now, she learnt she would have to do this every Wednesday and Sunday, as it benefited her and her new state of face. Afterwards, she took out a notebook and pencil and wrote things down. Not just about her, but other things, and was quick to assure herself, and everybody else that it wasn't a diary.

She felt a little bad for leaving her friends at the plaza that day, but shook her head and left the house with a bag and some money. Dolios had said he would be at the market every Sunday, as he apparently helped out with a few stalls, who gave him his income. Let's just go. Might as well see if he's there.

She still had two weeks of Autumn break before she was back to the life that was school. Being an eleventh year in the kingdom was quite a big deal, as it was her last year before they were out of the place and expected to venture out the village of Chetleigh and find a place for themselves, or stay in the village and get jobs and family. Being an eleventh year granted her an extra week off in May, and one in October, heaven forbid. It was the seventeenth of October today, and the chilly wind was nipping at her fingertips, making them slightly numb as she walked towards the market square, bustling with people buying things and enjoying the autumnal festivities.

Placing her new dark tinted glasses Dolios had given her on her face, to cover the now yellow hue that was blossoming in her left eye, she started wandering around, inspecting various stalls before coming to a conclusion on which, if any stall to buy something from. Soon, she stopped at a stall and bought a scarf that was striped and yellow and black in colour, then wrapped it around her neck. It was chillier than expected on the day, so buying something like that was probably the best choice. It even had a cute little badger on each end.

She paid for the scarf and wandered further into the market. The one moment she wasn't looking, she bumped into someone, but before she could say anything, like a 'sorry' or 'excuse me' the stranger turned around and gasped. Of course it was Dolios. He kept popping up everywhere coincidentally, so why wouldn't it be him? 'What are you doing here? I thought you'd be at the plaza on a day like this!' 'Look, I may have lied a little by telling my friends I wasn't feeling well... and kinda also telling my parents it wasn't on, but they had work so they probably wouldn't mind anyway...'

'And they believed you?' 'Yeah... why?'

'Looks like you're starting to get a grip on your powers, girl.' Lilah shoved his hand from her shoulder, before taking him to a more secluded place where hardly anyone could hear them. 'I'm sorry, what did you just say? Powers? How many do I apparently have?' Lilah looked nervous before he replied. 'I'm still figuring that out for myself, actually.' He looked up and started walking back to the market, in which Lilah ran and followed.

'Hey! Where are you going!' Dolios blew his fringe out of his right eye. 'You want to help me? I do own a stall here you know. I'm only taking a quick break here' Lilah beamed and held his arm. 'Really? You'd let me help you?' Dolios smiled back and walked towards what looked like a medium sized stall around the centre of the market, which she immediately recognised. 'This... this is the place you took me to... this is your stall?'

Immediately after she asked the question, another man she recognised from the stall waved at them as they stepped inside the area. 'I told you you didn't need to come! I got some extra help!' The other man beamed behind his glasses and put his board that he was using to record prices down, while also lending out a hand. 'I think I've seen you before— didn't Dee bring you here after you fell and hurt your knee? Is it better?'

Dolios smirked a little, then put a gloved hand on his arm. 'He's usually much calmer than this, but he hasn't been here for about a week and a half now...' The man interrupted him and spoke to them. 'Well, it feels like ages, I don't get off my duties at the pal— centre too easily, you know how they are, you know... anyway! He resumed his position with his left hand out. 'Emile. Pleased to meet you!' Lilah took Emile's hand and smirked, a little similarly to Dolios'. 'Wait, you live in the centre? That's amazing! I've always  wanted to go there, you know, but... there's the distance and all, and the nerves that I, well, wouldn't belong there...'

'Come on! If you're here to help, I'll guide you and we'll do it together! And... Lilah?' 'Emile?' 'If you want to go, maybe Dee and I could take you there someday, if that's ok with you.'

Maybe meeting new people isn't so bad after all.