Liars, Ripoffs, and Bronze? ((Open))

[Anila]

Spring
Day: 7
Year: 511 AV

"That price is a rip-off!" a burly man roared, arms flailing in the air, eyes trained on the merchant in front of him. The merchant clad in peasant clothes and holding a small, bronze statue in the shape of a lion. "I wouldn't pay that for a golden sword enchanted with unlimited death poison! Now lower that price, you thief!"

Enraged, the merchant almost tossed the statue back onto his wooden cart before whipping around to confront the resentful buyer. "You listen here, you gigantic oaf, I ain't no thief! This be a fair price, and if you don't have enough mizas, I suggest you take your business elsewhere, mister." Pointing towards another cart a little ways aways, the merchant practically sneered. "But this statue ain't gonna be nowhere else, you hear me. Ain't nowhere gonna have a pure bronze statue. It be one of a kind, and don't you forget it, you underst- What you lookin' at, girl?" His beady eyes turned on her.

Nila had stopped to watch the spectacle, hazel eyes peering cautiously, but curiously. Her gilding rested against her, back hoof resting on the tip, and one ear situated sideways. His eyes were half shut, tail swishing lazily at flies. Gremian, the fox, sat statuesque, tail encompassing his legs. Wise eyes surveyed the two men.

"May I see the statue?" One hand slipped out towards the merchant, where, reluctantly, the merchant placed the statue in her hand. For a 'pure' bronze statue, it weighed practically nothing. Tossing it to her other hand, Anila raised an eyebrow at the merchant who launched forwards as if to catch it. "Sir," she addressed the buyer, "did you hold the figure before you heard the price?"

"And just who do you think you are, litte girl?" the man snarled, though he did admit, no, he had not held the statue. A muscle ticked in his neck, a vein pulsed on his forehead, and a bead of sweat dripped off his cheek.

The merchant, with his slicked back hair and greasy attitude, had turned his attention on Anila's fox, eyes gleaming with the prospects. If given a moment more, probably would have started rubbing his hands together and cackling evilly. "Ya know... That's a beaut of a fox. I'd give a mighty big sum of mizas for him... Say, fifty cm. That's a hefty sum of coins there, girl." Obviously he believed Anila to be both stupid AND foolish.

"I would stay away from my fox if I were you, sir. I would hate to have to report you for counterfeit goods." Her tone had turned deadly, one hand clutching her cloak tighter around her and hazel eyes trained coldly on the merchant. It was with reluctance Anila turned slightly to the now even more enraged buyer. "Yes, fake. See for yourself." With that, she slammed the statue into the customer's hand, gathered her gilding and fox, and strode away down the street.

She had more to see of this city than just liars.

[Khiara]

Khiara flowed through the market crowd, searching the stalls for bolts of cloth. She'd had an idea for the gift she wanted to give Kashik, something special and practical. But she needed a good strong fabric, with beautiful golds and reds, amd with luck turquoise to match the First Wife's eyes. She herself wore the white and gold dress she'd been given in Riverfall. White fabric swirled around her sandled feet as she walked, and her violet eyes swirled gently.

It was with a frown she noticed the yelling ahead. Men, fighting over a sale. The Second Wife of the Saphirre Clan heir shook her head. There was no reason for such a fight. The merchant was obviously not a regular in Endrykas, and appeared shady. Surely the bigger man would grow some sense. It was then she noticed a shock of red hair between the men, a girl. She was young by the look of her, but boldly she examined the questionable product. A statue. Khiara moved closer, raising an eyebrow. The young girl outsmarted both men by simply holding the statue. Clever little thing. Then suddenly, she dissapeared from view. Moving between the crowd, Khiara followed where she had seen her last.

Turning she though she saw the girl, leading a horse and something else. Something white. Pushing past shoppers, she finally saw what it was. An artic fox. Painful memories of home flooded her mind, intensifying the already sombre memories of Spring.

"Wait, please, wait a moment." She called out in a rush, not really sure why she even did. The vantha hoped she would stop.  
 

[Anila]

Drykas brushed past Anila, shoulders hitting hers, often jolting her backwards a step or more. No mumbled sorries reached her ears and Anila couldn't supress the agitation which sprung to the surface. Was this what the city was like; bustle and hustle with no form of manners? Such as tavern late in the evening? Did the families grown here teach their offspring to at least apologize for a behavior seen as a simple mistake?

"A girl like you needs a weapon to protect herself..." a nearby merchant called out, handling a large sword, fingers running up and down the blade. It shone in the sunlight, gems sparkled on the silver hilt. "A staff won't protect you for long, gal!" he shouted after her before repeating the process to another passerby.

Anila's hand shot up to block the incoming shape someone jabbed into her face as if practicing for a tournament. Cold, hard metal landed solidly on her wrist and she bit back a swear, leveling a glare on the merchant. A bruise would decorate her skin later, a mar for one of the Opal Clan. "Horseshoes for that stallion there, missy?" the merchant shouted, seeming unapologetic for slamming a horseshoe into her. "Would hate to lame him with a stone, eh?" He pressed in closer, peering; scrutinating.

"No, no... Thank you, anyways," Anila tightened her hold on her reins, checked to make sure the fox was still there, and skirted around the persistent merchant, who proceeded to grasp her arm. She jerked away, elbow catching him in the chin. "I said no!"

Several Drykas and merchants turned to stare at the spectacle, but no one stepped forwards to intervene. Swirling away, Nila disappeared into the crowd, gilding and fox trotting after her.

So many different booths were open, so many different options. After pausing at an animal booth, Nila heard someone calling in her general direction. Twisting towards the voice, Nila watched the woman approach.

[Khiara]

There was a moment where the vantha thought the girl would not hear her, would keep going. Merchants harassed the girl and one went so far as to smack her on the wrist with a horseshoe. Khiara frowned at the merchant as she passed.

"You clown, watch where you put your wares." The man looked contrite for but a moment before offering the shoe to herself.

"Do not bother. The steel my horse uses is Avanthal steel, tempered by the cold. It's vastly better than anything you can offer." Rushing on, she called out again, feeling a rush of relief as the girl slowed to turn and see who was calling. Khiara suddenly felt embarassed, not sure how to explain herself. Honesty seemed best.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...I noticed your fox. An arctic fox. I  haven't seen one in endrykas before and thought maybe you had come from...somewhere colder." Shaking her head, Khiara sighed. The girl was clearly drykas, now she could see her properly. Possible news from home left her just as quickly as it had come. The girl would probably think her daft.
 

[Anila]

Anila's eyes took in the woman before her, stuttering and breathless. A sudden sense of shame wiped over her as she realized the woman must have been trying to capture her attention for quite some time.

Hazel eyes sliding down to view her fox, a small smile crossed her lips. No other foxes being in Endrykas didn't really surprise her. She had guesstimated an Artic Fox would raise eyebrows here in Endrykas, though she had chosen to ignore that small detail.

"Not really... I'm more from just the general area. My fox, Gremian, was a heirloom from my grandfather. He used to explore and picked up a fox one time, farther in the south, from a shipmaster. Complained that a wild fox 'never had no sealegs', and my grandfather bought him for very little. Turns out, the fox was just a pup. My grandfather let me name him. Gremian bonded with my grandpa, and the rest is, as they say, history for that decade." Sadness flooded inside of her, but she pushed it away to continue with the story.

"He passed away when I was ten. I was the closest to him and because of that, the closest to Gremian also. He wouldn't leave my side after the burial. That was how I grew to inherit him." Her eyes refocused on the woman in front of her and the wind gently blew a strand of hair across her face.

Brushing it back, she asked, "Anyways, what can I help you with?"


-OOC: I am so sorry for the late reply. D: