"Boy, watch the store, I am going to make some purchases."
Venser looked up from the small, twelve inch sculpture that he had been assigned to polish, the young man holding the buffing tool, tanned leather speckled with sand, in his hands as Mikayas spoke. Venser arched his eyebrows, curiosity present in his crystalline eyes, so reminiscent of ice, the boy rising to his feet. He had nearly tipped over the sculpture in the process, saving it only with a quick motion of his hand, the unexpected surge of movement bringing a pained grimace to his features. Weeks after his ribs had healed, he could still feel the echo of the injuries, fresh bandages still encasing his torso beneath his shirt, if only for moral support.
"Are you sure, Master? If you have more important tasks, then by all means, let me go do the shopping, Mikayas."
The elderly woodcarver shook his head, slowly turning to meet his employee's eyes with his own of light brown, "Do I look like I am unsure, Venser?" His tone was almost indignant, stern in his reprimand, "I will go, boy. Stay, finish polishing that sculpture. Do it right. Then, watch the store. You have more patience than I." Venser arched his eyebrows, surprised by his Master's sharp tone and piercing gaze. He wondered to himself why his employer was being so... mysterious. It shouldn't come as a surprise anymore. Mikayas enjoys his secrets, Venser. Just let it go. It's best to not cause a scene.
"Of course, Mikayas. I apologize. Please be careful, Master." A broken smile materialized across the young man's features as the elderly man paced out of the store, his limp greatly slowing his descent, but Venser decided not to insist that he go. Mikayas was a strong sort, and his mystique was by no means new to the man. Riddles, intelligent debate, hidden enterprise across the city. And the sculpture of the Woman wearing the Lotus Blossom. Even now, Venser was not entirely sure who the woman was, but he could piece together bits and pieces of the story. The riddle he had heard weeks and weeks before was still strong in his mind, his gaze inevitably guided towards the sculpture, which was easily his favourite that was on display. Her riddle was not the last he had been told, but the one with the most personal significance.
Venser was learning more about his Master, whether or not the man wanted him to, though in truth, Venser doubted this. Everything that the old man did was a means of guiding him. The stern reprimands that taught him discipline and focus, the riddles that ingrained in him the lesson to broaden his mind. Venser had even learned an appreciation for poetry in his time working at the Emporium, yet the opportunity to buy a book had not yet come. The apprentice engraver was led to the inevitable conclusion that his Master was grooming him, and extending a hand to bond with the younger man.
Shaking the thoughts from his mind, the young man allowed a hand to rake through his hair, ruffling his ash blond locks for a moment before gripping the sanded leather once more, bringing it along the surface of the sculpture. Pressing into the material, he found that he was pushing too hard, the polishing becoming undone, to the young man's dismay. Petch! Fix it! Fix it before you're found out! He hastily re-did the work, setting about to polish the wood in smooth, circular motions along the rounded edges of the figure's shoulders, waist and legs. He didn't bother with the face, knowing that there was no way he would do it correctly. Mikayas understood the prudence that apprehension sometimes granted in their profession, so Venser was certain that the old man would not become angry.
When he was done with the sculpture, he set it aside, the young man's gaze finding itself directed towards the Woman again, curiosity ablaze again as he mouthed, "Who... are you?" It was so... enthralling. Especially because the Woman was represented no less than three times in the entire building. Twice downstairs and one upstairs, the latter being the single most beautiful thing he had ever seen, sculpture or living. Mikayas had poured his heart and soul into that work of art. Several chimes passed, the young man's gaze flickering about the Emporium, every time leading inevitably towards the sculpture again as he heard footsteps to his left, towards the exit. Someone was entering. The young man turned to look at a young woman, likely several years younger than himself, Venser's head tilting slightly as he watched her make her approach, the woman standing directly in front of his desk as she posed her question.
"Of course, that's why I'm here. What do you require?" Venser managed a smile, crystalline eyes fixated on the woman.
OOC NoteSooo, it doesn't really make sense for Venser to stare out a window that doesn't exist, so I had him looking around the shop instead. The Emporium has what I can only compare to a cargo bay as an entrance. There are neither doors nor windows, everything can be seen from outside because the entryway's very broad.
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by Eiri on February 4th, 2014, 4:12 am 
