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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 1, 2006 18:40:22 GMT -5
It was a slow day in the City as I wandered about, trying to find things to look at. The shops had all become very familiar to me; plus, I only liked to look at clothes if I needed them. My closet was full, so on to other things.
Another shop caught my eye, with art and knick-knacks in the windows. The shop had a name, but the letters kept moving; instead of studying it too hard I went inside to have a look around.
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 1, 2006 18:47:52 GMT -5
I looked up as the bell above the door chimed. Having been raised in the City I could tell an adept when I saw one, but this lovely woman had a different air about her. So regal, one not familiar with our ways would have assumed she was on a sojourn from the palace. I knew all my customers and I was certain she had never been in here before.
I rose from my place behind the counter and went to where she was.
"Good day," I said, smiling. "Welcome to Anezka Collections. I am Mirsada Anezka. Is there anything I can help you find?"
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 1, 2006 18:55:49 GMT -5
I let my eyes wander across the shop to where a woman walked toward me proprietarily- most likely the owner. Smiling slightly I curtsied slightly. "Thank you, I am Allisande no' Dahlia. I just noticed your shop and wanted to come in and look around."
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 1, 2006 19:04:25 GMT -5
Smiling, I motioned to the vast inventory.
"Please, feel free. We carry things from every part of the world."
I looked at her again, noticing subtle things about her appearance that hadn't registered at first.
"Perhaps you would be interested in our items from Illyria?"
My father had been dutiful in teaching me how to pick up certain marks of heritage and showing me how often that was a good place to start when trying to turn someone just looking into a customer.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 1, 2006 19:28:17 GMT -5
"You have a good eye," I said, nodding in respect and smiling slightly. "I would love to see them, though I can't promise you any purchases at the moment. Also, it seems that we are countrywomen, for I find the same Illyrian features in you as you most likely see in me."
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 1, 2006 21:20:31 GMT -5
I smiled and motioned for her to follow me to a section at one side of the store.
"I think I can manage to keep the store afloat even if you do no more than look," I said, chuckling softly. "And yes, my father is Illyrian. He and my mother have been living there ever since I took over the businesses."
I stopped in front of the shelves that held some of my favorite items. Pots, vases, carved animals and stacks of cloth items. They all made me feel as if my parents had never left, and my smile widened.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 2, 2006 8:24:44 GMT -5
Following her, I said, "I didn't mean to imply your business was doing poorly; only that you didn't have to use your full effort on me, as I had no intentions of buying today."
On one side were the Illyrian things I recognized; blankets and some pottery, though it was the wooden animals that drew me. My father had made such toys for me when I was younger, and now they had passed on to my nieces and nephews. I had very few memories from when I'd been at home, before I'd gone to Dahlia, but watching my father make such toys for me was a few of them. "My father is Illyrian as well, though I doubt he will ever return; my brothers have given him grandchildren and he seems happy to dangle them on his knee and continue his work."
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 2, 2006 11:20:52 GMT -5
"Grandchildren might lure my parents back for a visit, but even that is doubtful. More likely they would insist on me bringing the children to Illyria.," I said, smiling.
I smoothed out some blankets, making sure they were presented properly.
"Have you ever been to Illyria?"
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 2, 2006 11:34:18 GMT -5
Shaking my head I ran my hand along the edge of a shelf. "No, I have too much work to do. Besides, I don't even know what I would go to see; I was given to the Night Court and house Dahlia at age six. Only lately, since finishing my marque, have I actually been able to see my family again."
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 2, 2006 11:46:08 GMT -5
"My parents moved to Illyria when I was twenty-two. I have visited them a few times, whenever I could arrange a journey to collect more goods," I said.
I picked up a small carved horse, and held it out to her.
"I found these on my last visit. So many people don't see the beauty in such things, but I was enthralled by it. Such love goes into everything created there."
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 2, 2006 11:58:07 GMT -5
The horse held in her hand was lovely, deep colored and smooth. I took in gentle fingers, not wanting to mar the shiny surface with fingerprints or scratch the finish. The carving was well done and I turned it over in my hands, remembering Alain and Lenore and the promise of a riding lesson. In two days time I'd finally get to go riding for the first time in my life.
Shaking my head to clear it I said, "My father used to make toys like this for my brothers and I; now he makes them for my nieces and nephews."
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 2, 2006 12:24:08 GMT -5
"My father spent his time teaching me accounts, trade, and people," I said, smiling fondly at the memories.
"I do recommend a visit to Illyria should you ever have the chance. There is no way to explain the feeling of connecting with that other part of yourself."
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 2, 2006 12:34:49 GMT -5
"I have heard so; maybe someday I will get the opportunity," I said, handing the carved horse back to her. "But I am also d'Angeline and an adept, so that part of me must be kept as well."
Smiling, I asked, "What was your favorite thing about Illyria?"
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 2, 2006 13:06:02 GMT -5
"The music," I said, no thought required in that choice. "The music is incredible."
The bell over the door chimed again and I looked up to see the servant of one of my better customers entering.
"Pardon me for a moment," I told Allisande. "Please, feel free to look around, I will be right back."
The servant was here to pick up a necklace I had just received to fill a special order his Lady had placed.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 2, 2006 13:13:46 GMT -5
Nodding and smiling I watched Mirsada walk over to another customer, then turned back to the animals. Cats, dogs, birds, horses, fish- all of them of that same fine wood and delicate carving. The blankets were embroidered with colorful images of ships, flowers and creatures of every sort. I let my senses fill with the smell of spices and wondered, absently, how much coin I had on me.
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 2, 2006 19:21:39 GMT -5
I finished the transaction with the necklace and walked back to Allisande.
"Forgive me, his mistress has been waiting for the item for months. It came all the way from Umaiyatt. I think if she'd had to wait any longer she might have dies from anticipation," I said with a smile.
"Was there anything in particular you were shopping for?" I asked her. "I am certain if you didn't find it here then it is lurking on one of my other shelves."
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 2, 2006 19:32:01 GMT -5
Grinning, I answered, "I'm rather a fan of everything, but being an adept I have limited space, so smaller things fit best. Also, I hate bare walls and plain, unadorned tables. It's one place where I can go without patrons showing up, so I like to have everything to my tastes."
Picking up the horse I'd been toying with earlier, I asked, "How much do you charge for such ornaments?"
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 2, 2006 20:56:47 GMT -5
"Two ducets," I said, smiling. In the back of my mind I could hear my father's approving voice at the possibility of a purchase by someone who had just been looking. My father did love to make a sale.
"Since you are an adept and not likely to leave the City on a whim, I can open an account for you if you like," I told her. Credit was not something to be offered to someone you thought would flee the City on the first chance, but it was my experience that adepts were loyal to their debts.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 2, 2006 21:04:52 GMT -5
"Then I'll take this one after all, and an account would be lovely," I said, grinning. Why I was buying something that my father could make me just as easily was a little beyond me, but so be it; now I'd have precedence here and be able to come back and look some more without seeming odd. For some reason this woman put me at ease; maybe it was the shared history. Well, such things could be sorted out later.
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 2, 2006 21:19:37 GMT -5
I smiled wider, pleased at both the purchase and the opportunity to speak more with Allisande that an account promised.
"Wonderful! If you just come with me to the counter we can get things all settled," I said, walking to behind the counter.
"If that is a gift I can put it in a box for you with some ribbon," I told her as I started filling out an account sheet in the book.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 2, 2006 21:21:53 GMT -5
"No, I'll just carry it like this; I think I know right where it's going," I said, thinking of a shelf on my wall. "Somewhere that it can't fall from or get damaged on, but still be seen. How often do you get new shipments in?"
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 2, 2006 23:31:49 GMT -5
"I get new shipments in everyday, but the one from Illyria comes at the last of each month. Should there ever be anything special you are looking for I will be more than happy to have it brought in, no extra charge for special orders," I told her, finishing the page.
I turned the book around to face her. "This is a record of what you purchased, the date and the cost. I just need you to initial here," I told her, indicating the spot while offering her the quill.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 3, 2006 7:09:53 GMT -5
"Thank you," I said, not even glancing at the page; firstly, I could barely read it, and secondly I trusted this woman. My signature went on the page without a glance as well; looking at what I was writing caused me to write my own letters in that messy way that my mind kept seeing them. Hopefully she wouldn't notice.
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 3, 2006 15:30:56 GMT -5
"Wonderful," I said again, smiling wide as I closed the book. "I am so happy that you decided to stop in today. It is not often that I get a chance to speak to someone with such a similar heritage to my own. I hope I will see you again soon, perhaps you would like to come for tea some time?"
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 3, 2006 15:57:47 GMT -5
Nodding graciously, I said, "It was wonderful to meet you as well; seeing someone with my heritage was as much a suprise for me as you. And I'd be honored to have tea with you whenever you wish."
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 3, 2006 16:04:54 GMT -5
"I am usually here," I said with a chuckle, indicating the store. "Whenever you find a free afternoon, please come back and we shall have tea and conversation."
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on Apr 3, 2006 16:16:22 GMT -5
"Thank you," I intoned, nodding again. "I will make sure to do so. Have a good day."
Turning, I walked from the store, the carved horse in my hands. It had been a most unexpected day, but a fulfilling one. Smiling to myself, I made my way back to the Night Court and thought about the next day.
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Post by Mirsada Anezka on Apr 3, 2006 16:33:24 GMT -5
I smiled as I watched Allisande leave, pleased more with having met her than with the sale. Sales I had plenty of, it really was unusual to meet someone I shared so much with.
I looked forward to spending time with her again.
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