A Quick and Simple Errand

[Emelius nó Alyssum]

I counted the crates, running off the mental checklist in my mind. It seemed to help whenever I tried to haggle. People with physical lists always seemed unsure of themselves, while someone who could ramble off a precise list of a dozen or so different items without so much as blinking was so much more intimidating, and was that not the beauty of haggling? A silent war between the buyer and the seller, both walking a fine line as to not fully displease the other. By the end of my arguing and not so much as an unneeded muscle in my face moved, I had saved my house quite a few coins though it wasn’t like the men I was getting the goods from expected anything less. Though I was from Alyssum house, I was wonderful with numbers that I was sure I could give a few Bryonys a run for their money. Analyzing such situations seemed to be all I was good for, and while that would have helped with gambling, wasting one’s coin on such a frivolous mean had never appealed to me or I might have been in that house today. Either way, the placement in the Houses of the Night Court were rarely ever wrong.

I was not here to bring the goods back to my house, no, there were other men for that, but merely to oversee the quality and make sure that we were not getting ripped off. They had low prices with terribly good quality, which often gave a good reputation though at times, cutting corners where others, who weren’t myself, wouldn’t notice at all. I did. I noticed everything to the last detail.

After the crates were piled up, ready to get loaded into the cart to my House, I looked everything over once more.

“One crate of apples, three barrels of flour, one of wheat and grains, two bags of millet, a case of almonds and chestnuts, likewise, two crates of tomatoes, onions and cabbages, two bags of potatoes, three casks of the first year’s wine, three crates of pea greens and four crates of peaches.”

Everything fell off my list with ease and I smiled gently. “Gentleman, it was a pleasure doing business with you.” One of the men grumbled, mentioning something of a ‘hound in sheep’s clothing’ and I laughed slightly, in a good mood after such a pleasant buy and one of the first of many in the early spring. “I look forward to doing business with you again. Ah, please load the cart. Thank you.”

This indeed, was my element though was not the reason I was employed under Alyssum House. I sighed, a look of pride on my features as I unwound the small bag of cherries I had bought for myself. It was a bit too early in the season for them yet and I would have to tell my Dowayne when I got back. Since I did not come here to escort the cart back, I supposed it was time for me to head back, though I lingered, relishing in an early victory.

[Landis de Verreuil]

With everything that had happened I couldn't help a feeling of some restlessness about the state of the world so far. Sabrina was dead, and now Coretta would be Queen, and I wondered what she would make of it. From what I'd known of her she was never inclined to rule her nation, had never imagined that she may have to with her sister and twin between her and that possibility and her love of them unable to wish them ill. Now the unthinkable had happened and there was a good chance she was out of her depth. Were we as good of friends as we'd once been I would have been glad to see her and ask- but we'd gone separate ways in our lives and she didn't need any more complications in it. I still thought of her fondly, but that didn't require that she think the same of me.

Unable to get to my mountains right now and use that method for clearing my mind I took to walking instead, letting my thoughts sort themselves out through the physical activity and the simple action of seeing what had changed since I'd left. Spring last year was when I'd first decided to go back to the City after spending most of my adult life away and now spring found me here again, but there was much less hope and more sorrow and desperation in this visit though. I was getting tired of being here already, of feeling the weight of things on my shoulders and returning to my estate alone, never able to find anyone who could stand to be there with me. I am d'Angeline and as much as I love to be free to learn and wander as I wish I wanted to find another kind of love as well. Unfortunately at this point they seemed mutually exclusive.

As I walked near the small market stalls that took up some of the streets and alleys here I saw a group working on a car, led by a very poised man with a somewhat triumphant expression opening a bag full of cherries. It wasn't an unusual sight, especially at this time of day when so many were doing business, and I gave the handsome figure a slight smile before I walked over to the stall he seemed to have just finished with and checked over some of the apples they had out. The one orchard that stood at my estate was apples and they reminded me of my home- and perhaps they would cheer Mercy up a bit as well, bringing back a happier memory.

[Emelius nó Alyssum]

I had lost myself a bit in my victory, leaning against the side of the stall to make sure they loaded everything in a proper manner that would not upset any of the produce for my house. I was caught up in that, about to put a cherry in my mouth when I saw someone smiling at me in the corner of my eye and I smiled slightly back. I always felt like cherries were such a messy fruit (with the pits and all) so I refrained from eating as the man began to approach and check out the apples.

“Those apples are ripe, but terrible. I have found they are more than infamous for that,” I said with a slight chuckle, realizing I was talking to a complete stranger but I merely could not help myself. Just by looking at him I could tell he was trying to determine if he was going to buy and how much, and I figured I would stop him right in his tracks. “They look ripe and sweet, but their flavor is a tad too bland... on the other hand,” I said moving on the opposite side of the stall as him to pick up another breed of apples still blushing a green from having been picked from the tree too early. “These are the best they have to offer. They do not look appetizing no, but merely give it a day or two and the green fades away entirely, while the apple is still crisp and juicy.”

I placed the apple down and gave him a slight nod.

“This stall is great, do not get me wrong, just be wary of what you buy by face value alone. Best prices and best quality, at least, if you overlook the produce there that is merely a distraction.”

And here I was, again, giving bartering advice to a mere stranger, but I could not stand to see him, even someone I did not know, come close to buying a wonderful purchase but missing it entirely. It made me think of Gareth, the man always let me do as I wished, knowing that in such matters I had good judgement. Strangers were not so easy to agree.

[Landis de Verreuil]

As I approached the stall the man who I'd just seen purchasing began to speak and I directed my attention toward him calmly. From what I could tell of the situation he'd just finished looking over the wares himself and bought a good bit, and from his collected mien and self-assured tone there was a sense that confidence that would be wise to heed. Besides, it was rude to scorn advice and I hated the idea of coming across as some arrogant peer who thought he knew better than anyone else.

"Thank you for the warning, I hate overripe apples," I replied once he'd finished, giving the handsome man a smile and looking over at the fruits he'd indicated rather than the ones that had drawn me over in the first place. The greener portions didn't bother me overly much since I enjoyed the sour, crisp flavor over that of the more mealy texture of apples used for pies or jams.

Reaching over to where the other apples sat I picked one up and polished the surface of it with my thumb. "These ones seem just about perfect, like the ones I remember. I was always a little too impatient to wait for them to wait for them to finish ripening anyway," I told him with a small chuckle, then offered my free hand to shake, still smiling and completely at ease. "I'm Landis de Verreuil."

[Emelius nó Alyssum]

I smiled, though merely in a polite manner when he mentioned that he liked them better before they were ripened. Some did, though I never could quite understand such odd tastes of not waiting until something was at it’s peak of perfection. To each his own, I supposed. I was about to turn away to head back towards my House when he offered me his hand and gave me a name. Not one that I recognized, but I reached out without much hesitation and gave him a firm handshake. I had no reason not to and it would have been rude to refuse.

“Emelius no Alyssum,” I said simply, not ashamed of the House that I came from, as some might be. I was forward and unabashed in such situations, but an Alyssum all the same though I never did like the idea of sitting through a “frequently asked questions” session about how I still belonged there. “I am merely running errands for my House now that the spring crop is beginning to trickle in. It keeps me occupied between downtimes.” Assignations, I meant, though I felt talking about such things directly was rude and uncalled for.

“And yourself? I imagine you are doing the same, or are you merely browsing?”

[Landis de Verreuil]

When the man gave his name I was more surprised to learn that he was an adept than which House he was actually aligned with. I knew as much of the Night Court as I supposed most d'Angelines did but I'd always assumed that they left things such as bartering for foodstuffs to their kitchen staff or the like. Then again every adept seemed to have a hobby or another duty outside that most people would associate with a Servant of Namaah, so perhaps this was his. He did seem well-suited for it with his quick mind and steady voice and it seemed as though Alyssum would be a House that needed at least some people to have that kind of quiet strength.

"Well met, Emelius. I'm fortunate that I managed to run into you while you were out and about," I replied with my characteristic warm smile, eyes flashing just slightly with good-natured humor as we shook hands before I pulled mine away before the handshake became uncomfortable. "I'm more just walking right now, but the apples managed to catch my eye and I thought they might make a good gift for a friend so I suppose that means I went into 'browsing' a bit. I'm glad I found you here though, otherwise I may have made the wrong choice. Is this usually what you do with your downtime?"