A fox in the snow

Chapter 22

The market square bustled with usual activities, and it was truly a wonderful sight. Fishmongers' sold their day's catch, bargaining with buyers till the last penny. Vegetable sellers weighed their ripe tomatoes and green leafy spinach on the rusty weighing scale. Women came with their coir baskets, smelling the farm-fresh produce and flinging the ripe fruits and vegetables into the basket. Some carried their children along with them, hung on their backs. The hubbub of the marketplace was occasionally disrupted by the shrill piercing cry of a child.

Through the village flowed a tiny brook. Small boats carried people from one village to another. Florists also filled these boats with fresh sunflowers, roses, jasmines, marigold, dahlias and daisies, selling them to people on the banks. Small huts bordered this tiny village. These huts were owned by families who had coconut trees on their farms. They set up oil, coir and other handicraft producing units in their huts, run by the entire family, including their children.

But not all came to the market square to buy or sell. Some villagers sat in the shade of a huge banyan tree, that had been there for ages and discussed everything from their families to their farming activities. Then they'd go together to the nearby alehouse to drink and be merry. A recurring sight at the market square was the performing monkey. It wore a tiny cap and danced to its master's drumbeats. It would attract children from nearby and they would come running, enjoying its performance.

Pigs, chickens and sheep wandered in and out of small yards. Houses were built close together, with the top floors often jutting out over the streets.

This tiny village of Tribeca was famous for its fairs, which attracted merchants from the Middle East, as well as entertainers, fake doctors and pickpockets.

An old lady who looked not more than sixty (yes, Lilith), hobbled about in the market square, taking a good look at her surroundings. Some noticed her, while others hardly paid a glance. Some children who were running to the streets to see men walking on stilts, momentarily paused when they saw the strange looking old lady.

"Haven't seen ya 'round 'ere," one of the older boys said, eyeing the lady suspiciously.

"Well, I've come from far away," she replied with a warm smile.

The boy was about to ask her something when he heard a voice from afar.

"Hurry, or you'll miss them!" the voice cried. The swarm of children ran off. All except two. Two girls, much younger than the boys. They remained with the old lady and peeked into her bag.

"Oh, this? These are my magical treasures," her quivery voice answered.

"What's yer name?" one of the girls asked. She wore a dainty blue dress and tied her blond hair in pigtails.

"I'm Agatha," she answered.

"Why d'ya carry those things 'round with ya?" the second girl asked.

"That's because I'm a fortune-teller!" Agatha replied.

"Wow! So can you tell me my future?"

"Sure, what do you want to know?"

"I want to know if I'll be beautiful one day, with long shiny hair and perfect teeth," the girl in the pigtails said hesitantly. She showed her teeth, which was either chipped or missing. "The other kids make fun of me, calling me a Gargoyle," she said sadly.

Agatha raised her eyebrows and said, "So you think you are not beautiful? Well, tell you what, beauty lies in the heart, not in the face. You create beauty yourself with your good heart. It is your attitude, behaviour and actions that make up your beauty... It's all up to you. You are perfect just the way you are, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

The young girl smiled brightly this time. Agatha asked her, "Do you still want to know how you'll look in the future?"

The girl shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore. Besides, I'll keep my future a surprise for the future."

Agatha ruffled her hair and waved at them. She walked towards a particularly distressed looking vegetable seller. His eyes lit up when he saw an approaching customer.

"Juicy carrots? Crispy shallots? Fresh parsley?'

Agatha however dismissed his offers with a wave of her hand and answered, "I'm not a buyer, I'm a seller like you!"

She sat under a giant oak tree right at the centre of the market square and emptied her belongings beside her.

This was quite a new entertainment for the crowd- fortune-telling. Not many fortune tellers came to the countryside. They were keener on pleasing the king. The last time a person came, he duped many people by collecting a lot of money and was never seen again. This made the people slightly sceptical of encouraging such people.

Nevertheless, they were intrigued.

"Countrymen and ladies, the fortune teller awaits you! Let me read your palm, foretell your future by crystal gazing, allow my parrot to choose your card, and so much more! Everything about love, job and money at your service. Absolutely free!" Agatha announced.

The word 'free' piqued many people's interest. Slowly a small crowd gathered near the oak tree, interested in the whole affair.

Agatha chanted hymns and mantras as smooth as flowing water. Nope, Lilith doesn't know to chant spells and read palms. Neither did she know placing her palms on the crystal would swirl the purple gas within it and provide exclusive and useful insights into their future, nor did she know how to train a parrot to fetch a card.

But all of this happened as if she'd become another person altogether. She was quite surprised at first, but the increasing line of intrigued villagers didn't allow her time to think more about it.

Guess the ability came with the disguise.

Hours passed and the sun cast its orange glow across the sky. bathing the clouds in its golden rays. Agatha (or Lilith) did a pretty decent job pleasing the townsfolk with her predictions. She'd gained considerable trust with the people.

Now for the final act.

Author's note

What do you think is brewing in Lilith's mind? Do you think being a fortune teller was a wise decision? What will happen next?

Thank you for reading this far. Hope you enjoyed the story so far! As for me, I enjoy reading your comments and feedback, it certainly makes my writing better!

Do drop a ⭐ if you enjoyed the story so far, and if you do, please tag your friends in the prologue of this book, so that they too can read it!

Until we meet next week...

Happy reading!