"Will you buy it from me? I will sell it for half the price just for you!" The woman urged.
Ashelia fought the urge to slap her forehead and groan in exasperation. 'So this is what she called me for? To sell me a headband?!'
She let out a sigh. "I'm afraid I can't buy this from you, Miss–"
"I promise it will look good on you, My lady! Why don't you just try it?" The strange woman tried to convince her.
Ashelia pursed her lips. "Fine… I'll buy it." She finally agreed. 'It's just a hairband, how much will it cost? She is probably desperate to make a living…'
She took the hairband and fished a single gold coin from a small pouch hanging at her waist and dropped it in the woman's palm.
The strange woman looked taken aback. "The hair band doesn't cost this much, my Lady!"
Ashelia shook her head slowly. "It's fine. You can keep it."
"My Lady!" She heard someone loudly call and turned to see Edward quickly making his way toward her. His face was tight as his right hand rested on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at any moment.
"Edward…" She started but he quickly got in front of her.
"Get back!" He commanded and came to stand between her and the broken stall as he eyed the purple woman doubtfully. "Who are you and what do you want from the lady?"
"Me?" The woman asked nonchalantly, making Edward furrow his brows. "I am just a middle aged woman trying to make a living."
"Edward, it's fine." Ashelia assured him. "I just wanted to buy something from her."
The Knight turned his attention to her. "After I told you to stay put?" He countered and Ashelia fell silent. He sighed. "We should leave, my lady."
Then he turned and eyed the stall owner warily.
The woman smiled. "Oh, she is free to go." She said, "I am not a dark mage even if I look like one, so I have no reason to keep her here."
Edward nodded and started to usher Ashelia away.
"And oh, my lady?" The woman called again, halting his attempt. "That headband will truly suit you."
"We should really leave, my lady." Edward cut in.
"Alright…" Ashelia answered. Her eyes found the woman's mysterious smile one more time before she turned away and left, with Edward at her heels.
Her brows furrowed. 'Why did she say that?'
When they had gotten a certain distance away from the stall, they stopped. Not knowing where to go next.
That was when Edward faced her with a stern look on his face that reminded her of her father. "I had asked you to stay put." He started calmly.
Ashelia shook her head. "Nothing happened, Edward," she said as she waved the golden hairband so he could see. "She was just a woman trying to make a living. I just bought what she sold."
"Well, I suppose you were lucky…" The Knight sighed. "Where else do you wish to go?"
Ashelia thought for a long while. "I don't really know Lavim, Edward. But you spent a lot of time here didn't you? Where do you suggest we should go?"
Edward tilted his head to the side in thought. There was a time when Dalniar was at war with Galiminea. She was just ten years old at that time, so she didn't know much of it.
But because Lavim was their stronghold, Knights like Edward spent a lot of time in the city during that time. So she supposed that he would know a lot of places.
That was probably why her father insisted she take him.
"I do know a place…" The Knight finally said after a while. "Have you ever heard of Carinyne, my lady?"
"Carinyne?" Ashelia echoed.
"Yes, Carinyne. It's a special kind of tree that only grows in a particular territory in the Dominion of Galiminea." He told her. "The leaves have tremendous healing and calming properties."
"Healing?" Ashelia asked, her ears perking up.
Edward looked down at her and his eyes softened. "Yes, my lady. During the war, a merchant would usually cross the borders with jars and jars of it. No one knew how he did it, but taking just a cup of Carinyne tea could lessen the effects of a serious injury."
Ashelia turned away from him, a little disappointed. "I see… so it doesn't cure it completely."
"It does not and it only works on physical wounds." The Knight answered. "You have been rather gloomy today, my lady. Would you like to try it out?"
Ashelia faced him again. "Do you know where it's sold?"
Edward grinned. "I do." He assured her. "Only one merchant in the whole of Lavim sells it, after all."
….
A few moments passed as they walked down what seemed to be an empty street. Edward's hand was placed on the hilt of his sword, ready to face any threat that came their way.
Ashelia looked wary as she scanned their surroundings. "Edward," she called. "Don't you think this place seems a bit… isolated?"
The Knight almost laughed. "It is," he answered. "We are not at war, so hardly anyone comes here anymore. Carinyne was only liked for its healing properties."
Ashelia nodded and they carried on, a few minutes later, they stood in front of what seemed to be a run down tea shop.
"This is where it's sold?" She asked uncertainly.
"Where it was sold, my lady." Edward corrected. "Hopefully, it still is."
Then he placed his hand on the old door knob and twisted it, the door opened with a series of loud creaks before the inside was fully revealed.
On seeing it, Ashelia's jaw almost dropped. "What…" she faltered.
It was a cozy, small space, very different from the outside. The tables and benches were made of fine wood and were still in good condition, the walls were adorned with small oil lamps.
There was an aroma of freshly brewed tea lingering in the air and Ashelia inhaled and sighed in satisfaction.
Was this really a tea shop meant for commoners?
"Hmm… it has been a while, hasn't it?" Edward mused with a smile. "It's better than I thought it would be."
"It's lovely." Ashelia added as she stepped in, her eyes darting around the tea shop excitedly.
Everything was perfect, except for the fact that it didn't have any customers.
Her eyes soon fell on an old man who stood behind a counter calmly brewing tea, he didn't notice when they entered.
Ashelia took a seat closest to the door and quickly gestured for Edward to join her. They sat there, watching the old man make his tea in silence.
A few minutes later, he raised his head and noticed them, then broke into a smile and started to hurry in his preparation.
"Is he the merchant, Edward?" Ashelia asked without taking her eyes off the old man.
"Yes, he is. He is a lot older now." Edward answered.
"He looks like an expert when he's brewing tea like that…" she added then rested her chin on her palm. "Why doesn't he say anything to us? He has seen us, hasn't he?"
Edward pursed his lips, as his eyes trailed the old merchant. "He… can't speak, my lady." He told her sadly. "He can't hear either."