Ash-colored Despair (22)
One of the vassals looked at her respectfully. I think his name was Daren Dru Siekan? The man, who was a distant relative of Barkas, spoke cautiously:
- If you like something, I will buy and prepare everything.
- No need. It’s not for me...” Talia, as usual, wanted to brush it off, but suddenly stopped. She was pretty tired of sitting quietly, like a decorative doll.
Quickly glancing at Longboat, surrounded by vassals and council members, she pulled her hood over her head and stood up decisively.
- OK. Lead.
As soon as they exited through the back door of the meeting room, a wide area stretched out in front of them, teeming with hundreds of traders.
Thalia stopped at the railing and looked around. Mountains of bright woolen fabrics and felt were piled on densely packed counters, and behind were long rows of carts and chests filled to the brim with goods.
- This way, please.
The man led her to the stairs. Thalia grabbed the railing and slowly, carefully began to descend. On the last step, a noisy, colorful picture of the auction yard opened up in front of her.
She walked slowly along the busy alley, watching the merchants who were loudly inviting customers. Men, dressed no worse than the nobility, were almost spitting saliva in the heated bidding; middlemen clicked abacuses and weighed goods, calculating duties and fees; One by one, the drivers loaded neatly folded bolts of fabric onto carts.
It seemed that she found herself in the thick of some frantic feast.
Looking at the spices that overseas merchants were selling, she approached a relatively empty counter. Crude handicrafts were displayed on a rather shabby counter. She looked at them indifferently. Then the vassal, who had been quietly staying behind all this time, spoke again:
— The jewelry store is located in the alley. Would you like me to show you the way?
- It's not worth it. I only wear dwarven jewelry anyway.
- Ah... yes, of course.
The man scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. Ignoring him, Talia stepped into the alley where there were rows of small shops. At that moment, her gaze caught on the tapestry hanging on the wall.
She came closer and raised her head. On a skillfully woven fabric, a young woman with snow-white skin and a three-headed black beast were embroidered with gold, scarlet and dark purple threads.
She frowned, looking at the eerie image, when she suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice nearby:
— Do you like this tapestry?
Thalia turned around and saw an oriental-looking woman behind the counter. Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Talia silently stared at her. The merchant put aside her account book and spoke with a polite smile:
- It costs thirty soldems. But for my lady I am ready to give in for twenty-six.
-Who needs such a strange tapestry? - Thalia snapped.
The harsh tone only caused the woman to smile slightly, curiously. She tilted her head to the side and looked closely at Thalia's face.
“It looks like my ladies have come from afar.”
- And where did you get this from?
— This tapestry depicts the most famous oriental tale. Since you didn't recognize him, I thought you must not be local.
- Legend?
Thalia looked up at the fabric again. The merchant seemed pleased with her attention, and she immediately began to tell the story.
“A long time ago, a huge beast lived on this earth that planned to swallow even the stars in the sky. Insatiable, he devoured all living things,” the woman paused, assessing the reaction.
Thalia shook her chin, saying, continue. A clear voice, in which something enchanting sounded, slowly continued:
“But one day, in order to pacify the beast that threatened the world, the spirit of the earth awakened. She sang tirelessly for a hundred days and nights until she pacified the monster. From their union a great warrior was born. The ancient eastern peoples believed that they were the descendants of this warrior.
Thalia frowned, she heard something similar from the maids in Raedgo Castle [1]. The merchant, rummaging through a neatly folded stack of fabrics, took out a handkerchief and unfolded it on the counter.
“And now many Easterners believe: if you wear the sign of this beast, trouble will pass you by.” Maybe you should take one as a souvenir?
The same three-headed beast was embroidered on scarlet fabric. Thalia narrowed her eyes. The pattern seemed familiar to her. Soon she remembered: she had seen this coat of arms in the history books of the Ten Kingdoms era. Symbol of the House of Siekan, which disappeared when they became part of the Roem Empire.
As if on a whim, she took the handkerchief in her hands. Not at all her type, but she found it awkward to ignore the merchant's enthusiasm.
Thalia glanced over her shoulder.
- Well? Why are you frozen? Pay.
At that moment, a dry palm with sharply protruding knuckles appeared next to her.
- Is this enough? - A sharp, cold voice sounded as several sparkling gold coins lay on the counter.
Talia winced and turned around. The longboat in a dark blue cloak looked at her with an imperturbable gaze. He pressed himself against her back, touching her temple with his lips and making a quiet, soothing sound:
— Is there anything else you would like?
Thalia just looked up at him for a few seconds and then slowly shook her head. Longboat, still looking attentively into her face, turned his gaze to the merchant.
— Is this enough for the goods?
- Y-yes! Of course, yes! — the woman hurried to collect the coins, and the Longboat was already turning around.
He took Talia by the hand and led her away through the narrow passage. Soon a calmer section of the yard opened up before them. The longboat turned into the covered gallery and spoke calmly:
— Jewelry rows are there. Even the biggest merchants from the Southern Continent trade here. Surely you will find something to your taste, Your Highness.
Talia looked at his face in confusion. And then the same vassal who had tagged along with them thoughtlessly interrupted out of place:
“Your Grace, Her Highness only wears jewelry made by dwarves.” What's the point of looking at pagan trinkets, are they worthy of a princess?
Thalia glanced up from under the folds of her cloak. She couldn't let this idiot ruin her chance to get the jewels from Longboat.
She said hastily:
- You know, I was thinking... Why not buy something unusual?
Longboat glanced at her over his shoulder, cold and slightly appraising, and turned forward again.
They passed dozens of shops and went deeper into the side gallery of the building. Soon the entrance to a jewelry salon, guarded by gloomy guards with stern faces, appeared in front of them. Longboat silently led her inside.
“Welcome,” muttered the merchant at the window, without even raising his head. Despite the rudeness, Longboat did not pay the slightest attention to him and led Thalia straight to the counter.
- Tell me if you like something.
Talia's gaze slowly slid over the jewels on the velvet backing. There were quite high-quality stones there: large and small, all impeccably cut.
Among them there was one that made even her, who had seen the rarest treasures, skip a beat. She involuntarily reached out to him, but then the seller, who was examining the gem through a magnifying glass, hissed sharply:
- Madam! You can't touch it with your hands...! - but then he noticed Longboat, froze with wide eyes and jerked up straight.
Longboat said dryly, almost lazily:
“We’ll buy everything her hand touches.”
- N-no, Duke! What are you, no need to worry! Please, look at it as much as you like, it was I who did not recognize you and did something unacceptable...
Talia did not even glance at the muttering merchant; her eyes were already moving to other stones.
And suddenly she noticed a mineral shimmering with a gentle blue light. She stopped and raised it to the light. Silver reflections played softly on the smooth surface. The stone reminded her of Longboat's eyes - the same cold depth, the same attractive cold swell. It was a beautiful moonstone.
- Do you like him?
As if enchanted, she did not take her eyes off the gem until Longboat spoke again. Thalia shuddered and quickly put the stone back. From his penetrating gaze, her face flushed and her neck became hot.
“N-not really,” she said and, almost breaking out from under this gaze, she sharply grabbed the red ruby lying next to her. - This one. I want this one.
Note:
1. We are talking about the story of the maids about the spirit of Tilamer, the spirit of the earth, the most beautiful of spirits (chapter 87).