i summer dxv
midday
midday
Syna was high in the sky, permeating the tent-city below as Rufio meandered around the many stalls and market-tents. The Goddess' rays warmed her cropped hair—in which she had skillfully twisted tight braids—and dark skinned shoulders—her short frame covered in simple trousers and shirt. As she paused to wipe sweat from her brow just then, Zulrav sent a forgiving breeze sweeping gently through the city.
Rufio took advantage of its cooling effects by lifting her shirt to knot it above her belly-button and rolling her sleeves up. She had to get some new clothes. With that in mind, Rufio sought out a stall or tent with the aforementioned on display. Stopping by a particularly quiet tent, she peered at gorgeous fabrics hung at its open entrance. A gasp escaped her as she felt a roll of silk. "It is beautiful fabric, is it not."
A melodic voice chimed behind her. Startled, Rufio whizzed round and came face-to-face with a striking and tall mid-aged woman dressed in a long, light duck-egg blue dress. Rufio couldn't help admire her flawless complexion and long, shiny, flaxen hair, which was braided delicately here and there. Managing to shut her slackened jaw, Rufio stuttered. "Y-yes, it is. I'm-I'm looking for new clothes." The woman chuckled softly and linked arms with Rufio amicably to lead her inside the tent. "Come, then, we shall find something for you to wear!"
Rufio felt heat flush her cheeks, and was glad for the darkness of her own complexion for hiding the pink hue that no doubt emblazoned her features beneath the frenzy of freckles. Once inside, the merchant slipped her arm from Rufio's and fetched a chord of rope from a basket sitting on a collapsible table-stand.
She made herself busy with measuring Rufio's proportions with the rope. Rufio stood obediently, and watched, noticing red markings at intersections on the rope. The merchant broke the silence as she measured. "What are you looking for?" Rufio considered, then. "I'd like a dress, something short, and definitely cool." "Ahm.".
Whisking away to an open chest sat atop another, she procured from this three dresses. One plain and un-dyed, one blue, and one green with delicate yellow embroidery. They were pretty, and made of linen. Rufio inspected the fabrics with her hands, and studied the dresses with her eyes for a quiet chime, then announced. "Plain, please, I like it best." The merchant's eyes glimmered as she attempted persuasion. "Oh, but, this blue, it is a compliment to you, see?" The blue was held up against Rufio's bare, tanned and heavily freckled forearm.
Rufio frowned. It did look nice. Nevertheless, she had a lot to buy today and didn't plan to spend all her coin on dresses. Ever practical. "It does, but I would like that one, please." She tapped the plainer, un-dyed dress draping the Merchant's arm.
The woman frowned, but acquiesced with a simple "Ah, wait-" Presuming her client had less-superfluous coin. The woman laid the coloured dresses to the side, and drew out from a deep basket laying on the floor near the back of the tent three more plain dresses. "-See these." Rufio's dark eyes were drawn to the middle dress—a loose thing, with some embroidery and tasseled neck-ties—she smiled widely.
"This is lovely!" The merchant nodded. "Mmh, yes, very skilled embroidery, and the cut, it's flattering." Rufio quickly inquired—"How much?" The merchant considered for a few ticks, looked around at her other wares hanging on thin rope strung from one side of the tent to the others, seemingly indecisive, then. "It is so beautiful, the embroidery here, you see, it's quite fine. So I say..eight gold."
Rufio's was an expression of mild surprise, her mouth parted, ready to dismiss the dress after all, but the merchant beat her to it with an offer. "For you, half-cost if you purchase three items here today." Rufio pursed her lips, and her brow furrowed, and the merchant delved into her arts of persuasion once more—"It is a beautiful dress, and you adore it, yes?" Rufio felt an involuntary chuckle lilt off her lips, and she made a wrinkle-nosed face at the woman. "Yes, okay. So, two more items. Something practical, for hunting, riding, working?"
The merchant set the dresses aside, neatly folding the chosen piece and setting it into a woven basket nearby for safe-keeping. She went then to a pile dedicated to trousers and leathers, and began sorting through them for Rufio's size. Rufio found her gaze wandered. It came to fall on a pair of dark-blue dyed trousers, with a sort of top-half attached at the waist and fastened by straps going over the shoulders with buttons. It was hanging up to the right of the entrance, and she paced towards it.
Taking the fabric in her hands, she scrunched it and pulled at it, carefully, to test its durability. Wool, course, but more finely woven than Winter garments, relatively soft, but tough. The merchant turned to find her ward examining the dungarees-overalls, and suggested—"You would not prefer leather?" Rufio glanced over at the woman, and shook her head. "This is unusual, I like it." The merchant's bright, intelligent blue eyes studied the dungarees. It was more of a Fall-piece, sat in her wares for almost a year now with little interest thrown its way by buyers.
She shrugged a shoulder, and encouraged—"One Gold and Silver. Just for you." Rufio smiled coyly, an inexperienced barterer who felt she really was getting special treatment, and took the dungarees down from the line. Placing it in the basket along with the dress she had picked, Rufio looked to the merchant, who was waiting on her next request expectantly. "Uh, next, undergarments."
The merchant fluttered away to open yet another chest, this one smaller than the others. Setting the chest down in front of Rufio, the woman picked out pieces made of fine silk and lace, showing them off to her. Rufio took a bra-let in hand and felt herself melt over how soft the lace. It wasn't very practical, and Rufio wasn't really a beauty, she couldn't possibly wear such a pretty top, it was meant for women like the merchant. She confided her thoughts to the woman. "Beautiful, but not for me..."
The merchant faux-gasped and threw Rufio a faux-scolding look. "Nonsense, all Drykas women need a little lace." She grinned then, and added playfully. "Want to make husband's loins stir for you? Do you have husband?" Rufio blushed for the second time that day, and was irked by it, answering more bluntly than intended. "No I don't." The merchant mistook the hue of irritation in her voice for embarrassment that she was not yet married, at her age, and took to reassuring her. "Oh, don't worry, it'll happen."
A kind gesture, punctuated relentlessly with a sales pitch. "Especially if you wear lace like this, you know, show off your femininity, it will attract a man. Just 6 silver." Rufio sighed exaggeratedly at the woman's obvious pitch. "If you say so..alright, then." She picked out one of the cropped lace-chemises, in black. As well she chose four black linen undergarments. She gave them to the merchant, who seemed very pleased with how this sale was going so far.
Rufio finished off by picking out a plain, woven hide belt from a row hanging up near the entrance of the tent and then stated finitely. "There. More than three pieces." The merchant laughed lightly. "I'm pleased you found more that you liked." Rufio smiled back, the woman was likeable. "Yes, you have been so helpful. It's been fun! But what do I owe?"—dreading to think.
The merchant examined the basket of garments, and stated in a tone more matter-of-factually than she had yet used in the last thirty chimes—"Six Gold, Six Silver." Rufio was mildly surprised by the total. Happily, she handed the woman the Mizas, gathered her new garments under her arm, made her thanks, and left. The merchant called after her. "Please, come again, it was nice to meet you!"
Rufio took advantage of its cooling effects by lifting her shirt to knot it above her belly-button and rolling her sleeves up. She had to get some new clothes. With that in mind, Rufio sought out a stall or tent with the aforementioned on display. Stopping by a particularly quiet tent, she peered at gorgeous fabrics hung at its open entrance. A gasp escaped her as she felt a roll of silk. "It is beautiful fabric, is it not."
A melodic voice chimed behind her. Startled, Rufio whizzed round and came face-to-face with a striking and tall mid-aged woman dressed in a long, light duck-egg blue dress. Rufio couldn't help admire her flawless complexion and long, shiny, flaxen hair, which was braided delicately here and there. Managing to shut her slackened jaw, Rufio stuttered. "Y-yes, it is. I'm-I'm looking for new clothes." The woman chuckled softly and linked arms with Rufio amicably to lead her inside the tent. "Come, then, we shall find something for you to wear!"
Rufio felt heat flush her cheeks, and was glad for the darkness of her own complexion for hiding the pink hue that no doubt emblazoned her features beneath the frenzy of freckles. Once inside, the merchant slipped her arm from Rufio's and fetched a chord of rope from a basket sitting on a collapsible table-stand.
She made herself busy with measuring Rufio's proportions with the rope. Rufio stood obediently, and watched, noticing red markings at intersections on the rope. The merchant broke the silence as she measured. "What are you looking for?" Rufio considered, then. "I'd like a dress, something short, and definitely cool." "Ahm.".
Whisking away to an open chest sat atop another, she procured from this three dresses. One plain and un-dyed, one blue, and one green with delicate yellow embroidery. They were pretty, and made of linen. Rufio inspected the fabrics with her hands, and studied the dresses with her eyes for a quiet chime, then announced. "Plain, please, I like it best." The merchant's eyes glimmered as she attempted persuasion. "Oh, but, this blue, it is a compliment to you, see?" The blue was held up against Rufio's bare, tanned and heavily freckled forearm.
Rufio frowned. It did look nice. Nevertheless, she had a lot to buy today and didn't plan to spend all her coin on dresses. Ever practical. "It does, but I would like that one, please." She tapped the plainer, un-dyed dress draping the Merchant's arm.
The woman frowned, but acquiesced with a simple "Ah, wait-" Presuming her client had less-superfluous coin. The woman laid the coloured dresses to the side, and drew out from a deep basket laying on the floor near the back of the tent three more plain dresses. "-See these." Rufio's dark eyes were drawn to the middle dress—a loose thing, with some embroidery and tasseled neck-ties—she smiled widely.
"This is lovely!" The merchant nodded. "Mmh, yes, very skilled embroidery, and the cut, it's flattering." Rufio quickly inquired—"How much?" The merchant considered for a few ticks, looked around at her other wares hanging on thin rope strung from one side of the tent to the others, seemingly indecisive, then. "It is so beautiful, the embroidery here, you see, it's quite fine. So I say..eight gold."
Rufio's was an expression of mild surprise, her mouth parted, ready to dismiss the dress after all, but the merchant beat her to it with an offer. "For you, half-cost if you purchase three items here today." Rufio pursed her lips, and her brow furrowed, and the merchant delved into her arts of persuasion once more—"It is a beautiful dress, and you adore it, yes?" Rufio felt an involuntary chuckle lilt off her lips, and she made a wrinkle-nosed face at the woman. "Yes, okay. So, two more items. Something practical, for hunting, riding, working?"
The merchant set the dresses aside, neatly folding the chosen piece and setting it into a woven basket nearby for safe-keeping. She went then to a pile dedicated to trousers and leathers, and began sorting through them for Rufio's size. Rufio found her gaze wandered. It came to fall on a pair of dark-blue dyed trousers, with a sort of top-half attached at the waist and fastened by straps going over the shoulders with buttons. It was hanging up to the right of the entrance, and she paced towards it.
Taking the fabric in her hands, she scrunched it and pulled at it, carefully, to test its durability. Wool, course, but more finely woven than Winter garments, relatively soft, but tough. The merchant turned to find her ward examining the dungarees-overalls, and suggested—"You would not prefer leather?" Rufio glanced over at the woman, and shook her head. "This is unusual, I like it." The merchant's bright, intelligent blue eyes studied the dungarees. It was more of a Fall-piece, sat in her wares for almost a year now with little interest thrown its way by buyers.
She shrugged a shoulder, and encouraged—"One Gold and Silver. Just for you." Rufio smiled coyly, an inexperienced barterer who felt she really was getting special treatment, and took the dungarees down from the line. Placing it in the basket along with the dress she had picked, Rufio looked to the merchant, who was waiting on her next request expectantly. "Uh, next, undergarments."
The merchant fluttered away to open yet another chest, this one smaller than the others. Setting the chest down in front of Rufio, the woman picked out pieces made of fine silk and lace, showing them off to her. Rufio took a bra-let in hand and felt herself melt over how soft the lace. It wasn't very practical, and Rufio wasn't really a beauty, she couldn't possibly wear such a pretty top, it was meant for women like the merchant. She confided her thoughts to the woman. "Beautiful, but not for me..."
The merchant faux-gasped and threw Rufio a faux-scolding look. "Nonsense, all Drykas women need a little lace." She grinned then, and added playfully. "Want to make husband's loins stir for you? Do you have husband?" Rufio blushed for the second time that day, and was irked by it, answering more bluntly than intended. "No I don't." The merchant mistook the hue of irritation in her voice for embarrassment that she was not yet married, at her age, and took to reassuring her. "Oh, don't worry, it'll happen."
A kind gesture, punctuated relentlessly with a sales pitch. "Especially if you wear lace like this, you know, show off your femininity, it will attract a man. Just 6 silver." Rufio sighed exaggeratedly at the woman's obvious pitch. "If you say so..alright, then." She picked out one of the cropped lace-chemises, in black. As well she chose four black linen undergarments. She gave them to the merchant, who seemed very pleased with how this sale was going so far.
Rufio finished off by picking out a plain, woven hide belt from a row hanging up near the entrance of the tent and then stated finitely. "There. More than three pieces." The merchant laughed lightly. "I'm pleased you found more that you liked." Rufio smiled back, the woman was likeable. "Yes, you have been so helpful. It's been fun! But what do I owe?"—dreading to think.
The merchant examined the basket of garments, and stated in a tone more matter-of-factually than she had yet used in the last thirty chimes—"Six Gold, Six Silver." Rufio was mildly surprised by the total. Happily, she handed the woman the Mizas, gathered her new garments under her arm, made her thanks, and left. The merchant called after her. "Please, come again, it was nice to meet you!"
✼Embroidered Dress -4GM
Dungarees -1GM 2SM
Crop Lace Chemise -6SM
Undergarments (4) -6SM
Woven Belt -2SM
TOTAL: -6GM 6SM
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