A Bazaar Day

[Yeva]

62 Ashan 720

"You should have told me where you were."

"I did," Yeva smiled at a group of children as they passed but they seemed to be staring at the Avriel beside her, who was wearing such a brightly colored hat, it was nearly impossible not to, "I left the note on your bed, didn't you see it?"

He scoffed, "Yes, but some of us spend more time outside than in. What if I hadn't returned to my room that night?"

"You have to sleep," Yeva made a face, her innocence showing, "Where else would you have been?"

Azrael stopped walking, the ever shifting scene of the bazaar playing in the distance behind him. He was looking at her beneath the rim of his hat, brow raised expectantly. She didn't understand.

"What?"

"Yeva..."

"What?" she laughed a bit nervously, shaking her head, "I don't get it."

He sighed and then pinched the bridge of his nose, "I might be an Avriel, little robin, but I am also a man."

A man...? What did that-

"Oh."

"Oh?" Azrael searched her blinking face, curious as to what she was thinking. Her tone hadn't been expected. Dare he say she sounded surprised? "Do you think I cannot get lonely?"

"Lonely?"

"Among other things," he admitted, grinning when she began walking again. His long strides nearly nipped at her heels in teasing, "Are you upset?"

"Of course not, you... you're allowed to do whatever you want," The thought of Azrael with anyone else... It was strange. She had been relieved when they first came to Scalvoris and had agreed to rent separate rooms after having spent so much time together on the trip over, but she hadn't quite imagined that was what he would be doing in his spare time, "I just... I didn't think-"

There was a beat of awkward silence and she took a deep breath, "Is there.... a..a female Avriel back in Scalvoris Town?" Azrael wouldn't just sleep with anyone, would he?

"No," her companion shrugged, although there was a hint of disgust on his face that faded quickly, "Desperate times call for desperate measures. Surely you've known my kind to make an exception every now and again... When the mood strikes." Pleasure slaves. She heard the words without being spoken and her shoulders rose defensively. The topic made her uncomfortable and the image of the pregnant slave who's child might be killed if it resembled anything of Avriel heritage played in her mind. Babies murdered, thrown off of cliffs. And if it was sired by a human? Snatched from the mother's womb and handed to the Nest Keeper's who would oversee the growth of the next indoctrinated generation. Azrael noticed her change in demeanor and reached out to her to apologize.

She recoiled, "Can we just talk about something else?"

Brown eyes looked up, brimming with distress and Azrael nodded in regret. His hand fell and they walked in stiff silence to the first cluster of stalls where merchants called for attention and the smell of spices and street food began to envelop them. One stall was surrounded by crates and cages, a wild buzzing and braying of a number of animals for sale and Yeva found herself drawn to it.

"Hello," the merchant greeted, "Have you gotten a chance to experience the wonderful life of the island? Please, take a look! We have a number of fantastical creatures for both sport, work and amusement. Please," the woman waved her closer, switching to Scalveen, "Look, look!"

[Yeva]

62 Ashan 720

Yeva was soon delighted as she stepped forward, "Azrael!" she tugged on his sleeve in excitement, skipping over to peer into a cage of small and pink creatures with pointed snouts that seemed to sniff the air, "I've never seen anything like these!" Beside them, in a larger cage filled with puppies - strange puppies!

Their ears were long like rabbits and their long fluffy tails swished excitedly as the scrambled to the front of the cage, trying to lick the redhaired woman. Yeva laughed, "Ooooh, they're so cute!"

"The Dinili and Nightpups! We got a full-grown bitch over here, fully trained if you're looking for a good companion," she eyed Azrael but quickly moved on, "Those Dinili are small, but don't let 'em fool ya. They'll grow just as big as any horse. Those plates of theirs are good for anyone needing an armored mount and they're sweet too. Wouldn't hurt a single fly. Hand-reared them myself. Ya got a farm?"

"Oh no, my family had an orchard in Rharne, but I'm attending university now. I think we're just looking," Yeva smiled over at Azrael, but it felt more like an assurance of permission than any denial of purchase. The merchant waved her over to the next cage. Each one was cleaned well and all the animals looked well cared for. Yeva appreciated that.

"Well, if you're just looking, you should get a glance at one of my favorites. Feathered too, if that's your preference. Could follow your friend to the sky?" she smiled but Yeva sensed Azrael stiffening. He never appreciated when he was the second to be given attention, "You ever seen a Pantheon?"

"No!" Yeva was grinning now, holding her breath as a woman reached into a covered cage and produced a brilliant white creature. Its face was of a leopard but where its front paws should have been, it had a great wingspan that fluttered as it maintained balance on the animal handler's forearm, "It's beautiful! May I?"

"Of course! Please!" The woman held the creature out for Yeva to stroke, casually slipping in the mention of price, "We have flunnies too - flying bunnies."

"That's amazing! Oh, I wish-"

"No," Azrael butted in, arms crossed, "You already have a snake; another pet in the tavern room?" he scoffed.

He was right, "It's just for fun, Az...I know we don't have the space..."

As she spoke, Yeva felt something nuzzling her leg. She tensed and looked down, mouth dropping in absolute delight. Standing on unsure legs was a small calf, no taller than her knee, sniffing at her pant leg with a fuzzy snout, "Oh my-" She had never seen anything so cute! "Whaaa? Hello, sweet... boy," Yeva crouched down to pet the wonderful creature. It reminded her of a deer or elk. Clearly very young, it seemed so unsteady on its knobby knees.

"He likes you!" the merchant had listened to the slight disagreement but remained smiling, "He's a Hafrein. Just born about 7 trials ago; All Hafrein are born in Ashan. His mother had trouble calving, so I've been feeding him. He must be getting hungry.... Would you-"

The medic perked up, "Yes!"

The merchant laughed with a nod, setting the Pantheon back on its perch, "Alright, lemme get it together and I'll show you how."

[Yeva]

62 Ashan 720

"I know you mentioned not having space where you're renting, but this little guy can be kept in a stable, if ya got any horses. Halrein's are extremely hardy creatures, especially once they get a little older. It's 'what makes 'em so valued in Scalvoris, since we have such a diverse ecosystem here."

The woman was pulling a wine skin from a vat of sand, kept warm by the strange properties of the grain. She knocked away the excess grit and held it out to Yeva, "We wanna get the milk warm, like the mother. Using a mix of goat and lamb, but elk, deer, horse, they work well too. They're similar animals. Here, oh, he sees it."

The Halrein calf was trying to stretch up to press his mouth to the container and Yeva laughed. Azrael shook his head and began to wander to the next stall, stubbornly eyeing them from a distance, "How much can I give him?"

"At his age? Three to four ounces. You wanna make sure he doesn't drink too much or too fast. It can make him sick, get in his lungs. A calf his age probably eat five or six times."

"Oh wow," The merchant showed her the proper way to hold the container and how to control its flow. She had pinched it off a bit so it needed more suction to draw from and soon the baby was eating eagerly. Yeva was already falling in love and she resisted the urge to look at the Avriel, least he guess her words from their distance, "Is... is he for sale?"

The merchant woman raised her brow, a surprised smile tugging on her lips, "Oh, he would need a lot of work, miss. He's still young and needs to be fed a lot. I might have some others, if you want."

"No, it's okay... I just... well, just walking to university every day or trying to come out of Scalvoris Town, it might be nice to have... you know... Something else to care for. He would really help travel, when he's bigger."

"They make great mounts and they're smart creatures. Harsh terrain is easy for them, and they're a lot like horses in temperament," the merchant rubbed the Hafrein's back in thought, "If you want this one, well... I could part with him for a bit of a discount. Since he'll need a bit more work... Get you set up with some care instructions? I can even throw in a bit of that milk he uses, 'cause he does seem to like you."

Yeva chewed her lip and then nodded before she could let Azrael's words put doubt in her mind. She wanted this, she would take good care of him, "I think I would like that very much.

"Oh, excellent. My name's Cara, by the way. Lemme get some stuff together, I'll make sure you're taken care of."

***

[Yeva]

62 Ashan 720

Azrael was livid, "I can't believe you wasted your money."

Yeva, on the other hand, was over the moon, gently leading the little calf by a red rope, pausing regularly to pet its head or gently steer it away from chewing on the cloaks of other shoppers, "It's not a waste, it's an investment! You can fly, but what about me? Besides, you're not the only one who gets lonely."

Azrael opened his mouth but then closed it, sneering, "So you bought a piece of cattle?" his next words were grumbled too low for Yeva to hear, "You could have just come into my room."

"What do you think I should name him?" Yeva was practically ignoring the Avriel who crossed his arms, "Maybe something... literary, or... Hmm.. What about Helios? Do you like that?"

The calf was looking around without notice. She pondered a list of monikers, all of which Azrael paid little attention to. Yeva didn't seem to mind and together the trio walked towards another booth, this one with all sorts of stationary supplies and books. A few odd trinkets were also on display.

The merchant behind the table beamed, waved an arm covered in thickened cloth as Yeva looked a vial of ink that had a shimmering sort of quality to its pot.

"Don't you have an eye," he leaned forward to glance at the small creature next to her and then to Azrael, "No doubt thanks to the company you keep?"

Azrael blinked. Finally, some proper recognition?

"That, my dear girl, is invisible ink. Write with it, and then he parchment must be held by open flame to be read. Useful in a skill known as cryptography, have you heard of it?"

That was interesting. She had always suspected messages could be concealed by ciphers, forgetting the medium that might be used. "I have," Yeva unscrewed the vial and gave it a smell. It had a distinctly metallic scent, "Can you show us?"

"For two beautiful people? I suppose I could make an exception," he winked, drawing a piece of paper and a quill, "It seems you have already made some purchases this fine morning?"

Yeva smiled, "Just one."

"Maybe we can make it two?" he grinned and then dipped his quill in the ink, drawing it along the page. At once the message began to dry and as it did so, the words began to fade, "Now, behold." He produced a candle from beneath his stall, the wax perfectly straight, "I have candles that never melt, a set of pencils that chime like bells when they hit against one another, and paper that cannot be ruined by water," he eyed them and then struck a match to continue while nodding towards the items displayed. The flame was normal but its dissipating smoke was purple. Yeva watched, impressed. He had a number of interesting items.

The merchant lowered the page above the fire, moving it back and forth. As it warmed up, the words returned to the page and Yeva clapped, "Wow!"

"If you're interested... for a beauty such as yourself-"

"No," Azrael grabbed her hand and was already tugging her away, "No, no, she's spent enough coin for today."

"Azrael-" Yeva huffed, more worried for her new pet trying to keep up, "Fine! Fine! I just wanted to see."

"Can we just go back to the Buckle?"

He released her, turning to face the small woman, "We need to rent someplace for your new.... cow."

"Hafrein," she corrected, crouching to make sure he was alright. She wanted to read over the care instructions for her new friend before the next feeding. The woman had also been kind enough to throw in the rope, a full feeding skin, and a bag of sand for warming, "Alright, let me go ask for some directions.... Excuse me, sir?"

Yeva waved over to a man dressed in uniform. By the mop of hair on his head, she had thought him younger than when he turned to face them. His face looked aged and he eyed her purse. A land Element, he his uniform indicated a man in charge despite the almost comically shaped beard he wore - it was so round! A Captain? "Name's Borik," he scratched his neck, "Can I help you with something?"

Another guard was approaching, although by their body language, it was to report something to the man, not to apprehend them. She made it quick, he was clearly busy, "Is there a stable around here?"

He grunted and relayed the direction, meanwhile Azrael whispered in her ear how much of a waste of time it was. Let him just take to the sky, "Will you stop?" she hushed back with a small apology, "Sorry, you were saying?"

The guard captain gave his instructions and Yeva took a coin out of her pocket and held it out, "Thank you very much!"

He seemed to like that and she almost got a half smile.

"Let's go!" Yeva readjusted her handle on the rope and taking Azrael's hand in hers, lead them down the street.

[Soren Kvistson]

REVIEW SUMMARY

Word Count: 2609
Total Post Count: 4
Word and Post Count for Player 1: 4/2609
Review Request Link: viewtopic.php?f=242&t=20657&p=143305#p143310

Yeva's enthusiasm and Azrael's indifference are an incredibly amusing pair to read together. I found your dialogue flowed well and easy, felt real and genuine. And you transitioned your scenes smoothly. It all felt very easy and natural. Well done.



Yeva
Skill Points - 10

Renown - +5

Skill Knowledges:
Animal Husbandry: How to Feed a Baby Hafrein
Animal Husbandry: Do Not Let Calves Drink Too Quickly
Animal Husbandry: Appropriate Milk Substitutes (Hafrein)
Animal Husbandry: Consider Your Lifestyle before Buying an Animal
Animal Training: How to Lead a Baby Calf
Cryptography: How to Unveil Invisible Ink

Non-Skill Knowledges:
Almund: Bazaar
Scalvoris: Scalveen (Language)
Common Scalvoris Pets

Items and Other Rewards:
A baby Hafrein, a red lead rope, & some milk substitute