40th, Spring, 515 AV
The city was abuzz with excitement as Katelyn and her patron wound their down the castle's halls to the ground floor, then outside into open air. Syliras' main gates were more congested than usual, and an impressive crowd had gathered in a cleared area where some fascinating visitors were trading their exotic wares. Kate's heart fluttered in her chest when she saw their massive mounts preening and observing the crowd with large, keen eyes. She'd never dreamed of ever really seeing a Wind Eagle in the flesh. The squire shielded her eyes as her patron led the way through the throng, clearing a path for the two of them so they might squeeze closer.
The mage never missed a chance to trade with the Inartan riders during their rare visits, and hadn't hesitated to bring his squire along.
"They're enormous," the redhead breathed in wonder, and Ser Moore smiled crookedly at her. "I never could have imagined." The riders never came to the Mithryn Outpost, and Katelyn had never been in the city during their visits. She'd heard a tale or two from her brothers, but never really believed them for some reason. Yet everything they'd said was true. Unable to contain herself, Kate started to squeeze through the crowd ahead of her patron, impatient and eager to get closer. The crowd grew dense near the front, and she was jostled quite a bit by the time she made it close enough to stop.
A few chimes later her patron's hand touched her shoulder, and she nodded to him when he motioned he was going to talk to one of the men flashing their wares. Katelyn's head was tipped back, and both hands cupped her brow to shade them from the glare of the sun. The closest eagle towered over the crowd, and its head tilted rapidly as it watched the milling people. His beak--she was just assuming it was a he--hung open slightly as if he were panting, and his breast expanded with quick, mighty breaths. A second eagle suddenly spread its wide wings, fluttering them with a loud snap of muscle and feather before settling again. When she gasped, one of the riders turned and smiled at her obvious awe.
He motioned for her to come forward, and Kate's eyes swelled with fright. She shook her head erratically, trying to move back a little deeper into the crowd, but bodies tightly blocked her retreat. The wild haired redhead stepped forward and motioned again, beckoning eagerly.
"Come, I will show," he said in accented Common.
She hesitated for a long moment, but finally mustered the courage to squeeze past the men and women in front of her. As soon as she popped out in the open, the nearby eagle leveled her with an intelligent, intimidating stare. Katelyn froze in place, teeth gritted and body taught as a drawn bowstring. The young Inartan man smiled a little wider and came to retrieve her, leading her to his table with a comforting hand on her back. She watched the massive raptor the whole way, and it watched her right back.
"You Inarta?" he asked, motioning to her hair. Katelyn grabbed a lock and examined it, finally smiling a little.
"My grandmother on my mother's side. She moved to Zeltiva and married an artist when she was younger than I."
He nodded thoughtfully and rubbed his chin, then picked up a small, delicate pot and held it out to her. She took it carefully and opened the lid. Inside was some kind of cream, and she sniffed it experimentally. It smelled like fresh honeysuckle. Katelyn looked at the trader curiously.
"Woman's lotion," he explained, and she frowned. "No?" The squire shook her head and handed the small pot back to him. He stuck the lid back on and placed it on the table. "What things you like?" For some reason, the question struck her totally silent. She looked at his artfully arranged table--all the jars of creams, glass jewelry displayed proudly, and several garments folded in neat piles. It was all beautiful, and she could tell the craftsmanship was expert, but nothing popped out at her.
