Timestamp: 15th Day of Spring, year 512 AV.
Looking behind, at the mess of moving bodies, there was no sign of the pest that had tried to threaten her. It seemed the heavyset man leading a wide cart had been the perfect distraction to let her slip away. Or perhaps he had simply lost interest in the pursuit? She hoped that was the case. When she was satisfied that the man hadn't followed her, she turned her attention back to the stand that stood only a short distance away.
Standing on the outskirts of the moving crowds, she shimmied between a wall of warm bodies and a cold, unmoving, brick wall. The leeway between the two was hardly enough to be called a path, and left her feeling claustrophobic. No doubt brought on in the closeness of strangers bodies. Brushing against a few of them in passing, she earned herself a few heated glances. Though she wouldn't have known it; intentionally avoiding eye contact with any of them. Too indifferent to care or worry about the strangers reaction to the accidental brushing.
When she was able to move more freely, escaping the crowd, Nixie took a deep breath through the lit pipe she carried. Letting a dark cloud escape through partially parted lips as she closed the distance between herself and the stand. Upon her approach, she cast a fleeting glance at the merchant before her eyes fell to his merchandise.
"Greetings, Sir! Please take a look at my wares!" The man exclaimed happily, only to receive a reply of silence from Nixie. Either she didn't care, or his greeting had fallen on deaf ears. Judging from the subtle look of confusion to her features, the latter seemed more accurate. From back in the river of bodies she thought the man had advertised tobacco. Did she follow the wrong voice?
Even if it wasn't what she expected, the stand still held her interest. Sprawled over the counter and displayed haphazardly on shelves, there were tools of various forms of art. The majority consisted of paintbrushes and black ink, mostly ordinary in her opinion. Kept off to the side was something a bit more interesting though, enough to grab her attention. A tool she had only used once or twice before, but still enough to recognize it. Sets of two instruments were tied together, one of them being a small hammer of sorts, and the other, something similar to a stick. A sharp needle protruding from one end. Without a word she reached to inspect it, and just as she did, the weight of the merchants gaze was upon her. Perhaps trying to read her intentions? When nothing could be gained from staring silently, he spoke in an insistent voice.
"A fine choice indeed. The kit costs twenty-five gold Miza... It comes with ink too." Pointing to a few shelves that held vials of ink. His nervousness was obvious, even to Nixie, but she paid no mind. Whether she was ignoring him, or considering buying, he could only guess.
Looking behind, at the mess of moving bodies, there was no sign of the pest that had tried to threaten her. It seemed the heavyset man leading a wide cart had been the perfect distraction to let her slip away. Or perhaps he had simply lost interest in the pursuit? She hoped that was the case. When she was satisfied that the man hadn't followed her, she turned her attention back to the stand that stood only a short distance away.
Standing on the outskirts of the moving crowds, she shimmied between a wall of warm bodies and a cold, unmoving, brick wall. The leeway between the two was hardly enough to be called a path, and left her feeling claustrophobic. No doubt brought on in the closeness of strangers bodies. Brushing against a few of them in passing, she earned herself a few heated glances. Though she wouldn't have known it; intentionally avoiding eye contact with any of them. Too indifferent to care or worry about the strangers reaction to the accidental brushing.
When she was able to move more freely, escaping the crowd, Nixie took a deep breath through the lit pipe she carried. Letting a dark cloud escape through partially parted lips as she closed the distance between herself and the stand. Upon her approach, she cast a fleeting glance at the merchant before her eyes fell to his merchandise.
"Greetings, Sir! Please take a look at my wares!" The man exclaimed happily, only to receive a reply of silence from Nixie. Either she didn't care, or his greeting had fallen on deaf ears. Judging from the subtle look of confusion to her features, the latter seemed more accurate. From back in the river of bodies she thought the man had advertised tobacco. Did she follow the wrong voice?
Even if it wasn't what she expected, the stand still held her interest. Sprawled over the counter and displayed haphazardly on shelves, there were tools of various forms of art. The majority consisted of paintbrushes and black ink, mostly ordinary in her opinion. Kept off to the side was something a bit more interesting though, enough to grab her attention. A tool she had only used once or twice before, but still enough to recognize it. Sets of two instruments were tied together, one of them being a small hammer of sorts, and the other, something similar to a stick. A sharp needle protruding from one end. Without a word she reached to inspect it, and just as she did, the weight of the merchants gaze was upon her. Perhaps trying to read her intentions? When nothing could be gained from staring silently, he spoke in an insistent voice.
"A fine choice indeed. The kit costs twenty-five gold Miza... It comes with ink too." Pointing to a few shelves that held vials of ink. His nervousness was obvious, even to Nixie, but she paid no mind. Whether she was ignoring him, or considering buying, he could only guess.
