79th day of Winter, 513 AV Azure Market, 9th Bell The bright green silk shimmered beneath Syna's rays as Julius closely examined the cloth. He had heard about the Masquerade ball two days ago, when Aleah had been fervently discussing the dress she with a patron at the far end of the ball. Initially, he had thought little of the occasion, but after a rather boring shift at the Demise the day before, Julius felt he needed a change of scenery. Oh, how many countless nights he had spent behind the bar of that tavern; he wanted to drink the alcohol for once, not serve it! Thus, instead of spending his morning in his apartment, like he usually did after an overnight shift, Julius threw on his cloak once more and headed towards the Azure Market, in search of suitable clothing for this ball. Julius noticed the merchant eyeing him as he looked over his wares, so the man released the shirt he had been holding; the texture was intoxicating to his fingertips, but the color didn't fit him. So the man turned away, eyes scanning up and down the street as he searched for another tailor with clothing that better fit his preferences. He had envisioned his outfit in his mind as he had made his way over to the Market from the Solar Winds, simple yet impactful. He had considered a mask initially, but decided against it; he had no desire to cover his face this night, hoping to use it to his advantage with the beautiful women when his words fail him. Nothing looked appealing down the hill, so he turned to his left and headed further into the maze of the market. So, with mask out of the question, Julius had yet to decide what would be his statement piece. A broad hat was always an attention-grabber, but Julius felt that hats diminished his image as well. Jewelry was definitely a possibility, silver with a powerful jewel set in the center, an emerald or sapphire. He wanted color, an explosion that left an imprint on the mind of any who saw it. One piece was all he sought, one item that made the rest of his outfit stand out. Julius stepped around a duo of Ethaefal haggling over a pair of boot, and then stopped; he had found what he had sought after. Sashes and Scarves of a dozen colors hung on the wall, like a rainbow in the sky. He walked up to them, running his hands across them, letting the smooth silk run across his skin. Some were trimmed in silver and gold, some with nothing but the silk, all top quality. And among them all was the one he had spotted, the one he had fallen in love with at first sight. Purple silk, it was, a scarf that looked as if it were made specifically for him. He gently pulled it off the rack it hung on, holding it out to examine it further. It was long, nearly an arm length and a half, and it shimmered in the light. In his hands, the dark hue emphasized the paleness of his skin, made it stand out. It was definitely what he had been looking for. Yet Julius followed, his curiosity peaked. Esszad stepped through one of the doors of which the market had gained its name from, so Julius followed him. The scarf in his hand lost its shine as he stepped out of Syna's light, but it was beautiful none the less. The Benshiran had his back turned as he pored over a pile of clothing. Julius just stood there, taking in the man's wares while he waited; all of it was of the highest quality, silks and fine wool. Many were trimmed with fur, a normal practice in the cool city, and a few were embroidered with silver. This man definitely dealt in only the best. Finally he turned, holding out the item he had mentioned outside. It was a vest of the same purple silk that his scarf was made of and it was held together by three silver buttons. Esszad walked up to Julius and laid it across his chest, looking at it intently with his black eyes. "Yes, a good fit. With that scarf and vest, even the worst of outfits would appear appealing. You have an eye for beautiful things, I see." "Thank you. They definitely are a stunning combination. Alas if they were all I bought, others may think me a pleasure worker when I walked into the ball so scantily clad. What else do you have to go with this." The pair shared a glance, and Esszad grinned. And then the dance of fashion and negotiation began. It took nearly a half bell for Esszad to fully cloth Julius. They had started with the shirt; Esszad had wanted something vibrant, but Julius sought black. Then they spent several chimes discussing the benefits of llama wool over the fine, sheep wool that Julius had picked out; in the end, Esszad had conceded that the shirt would suffice. Esszad had disappeared behind a wall of clothing then, for a few ticks, before he returned with a pair of wool slacks to match the shirt he had picked out. By far the longest row the two shared was over the outerwear. Initially, it had been whether he should wear a jacket or cloak; Julius had wanted the latter, but after Esszad produced several examples of his jackets, he had changed his mind. In fact, Julius had fallen in love with an obsidian colored jacket with a white-fur trim along the collar. He even voiced his love for it, which Esszad quickly disputed. He then gave him advice that settled the dispute once and for all. "Fur atop cloth is acceptable, but not vice versa, else all of the Okomos and other pets of the city would wear clothing too." The image of an Okomo wearing his scarf settled the issue, so Julius picked out a fine woolen jacket, dyed black. It too was buttoned, a single silver button set in the middle so when the jacket was closed, the vest could still be seen. Esszad looked over everything, which he had placed in one large pile, and looked back at Julius. Now the real fun began. "Twenty-five kina for everything." "Now, now, Esszad, I find you to be a sensible person. I see no more than eighteen in that pile." "I assumed you touched all of my wares because you wanted to, not because you're blind or dumb. twenty three kina." "Besides the vest and scarf, the rest is only passable wool. I'll give you twenty for it all." Esszad paused for a second, and then walked away, disappearing once more behind the wall. When he returned, he held in his hand a small jar. "I'll make you a deal. Take the clothing here for twenty-one Kina, and I'll sell you this Pomade here, straight my own personal stores, for a modest price of twelve Kina." "Pomade?" Esszad held it out to him, letting his hold it. It smelled of peach as he held it close to his nose. "Put some of that in your hair, and it can take any shape imaginable. Its a little expensive yes, but it makes you stand out in a crowd. I'm sure you noticed my mustache, how firm it stood. A few dabs in the hair, and it'll hold for hours. I assure you that with this, you'll definitely be noticed at any party you attend." Julius pondered this for a moment, and the nodded; he did like the attention of others, at least when they were saying nice things. "I still feel like you're putting wool over my eyes, but I've grown fond of you Esszad. I'll pay.". He procured the money, counted out the proper amount, and handed it over to the man. And with that, Julius collected his new bought goods and exited with a bow to Esszad, who returned the gesture. As he headed back home, Julius assumed that the man had walked circles around him, but he would learn. Oh, soon he would learn the art of money talk. End |
Secret :
