By the time I manage to weasel out of the crowd and clean off the muck from my boots, I realise its too late for any official offices to be open.
And so, I grudgingly decide to stay the night- knowing that my pockets will hurt.
I dislike spending unnecessarily- dislike, definately not being stingy.
Circling through some streets, again and again, I manage to spot a tavern.
Calling it a hovel would be more fitting.
Seems I was being spoilt silly by Irena, but you have to agree with my views.
Comparing this place with Irena's would be like comparing nobility to the common folks!
I might have exagerrated a tad much, but you get me.
The place was crowded- as I've come to expect of taverns.
It was crowded, the bad kind- not the neat and packed crowded.
No, far from that, the tables were haphazardly arranged- if at all.
Dark smears and dripping rum on their surfaces- they have a sticky feel as I ran my fingers aganist them- an action I come to regret.
Walking towards the dark and mangy counter, a female barkeep pops up.
"Ye' need something?"
I ask for a room, to shelter for the night.
"Taht will cost ye' "
She says, dragging the 'h' with an accent I couldn't quite pin.
I look at her, waiting for her to state the price.
The cue goes right past her, I fight the urge to face palm.
"How much?" I ask, barely suppressing my apparent iritation.
~looks up, as if deep in thought~
"Two Orens! " She 'sagely' replies, holding up two fingers.
Thats plain robbery!
Nevertheless, I silently hand her 2 coins, eager to get it over with.
She gets from behind the counter and leads me to my accomodations.
Even as we walk up the stairs, I can't help but scrunch my nose from the smell of stale bread.
And to think they feed that to people!
"Ere' ye' go."
She speaks, gesturing me to a room, handing me the keys.
The lock clicks, swinging the door open.
Before me lies my money's worth, a single bed- leaving room not even enough to stretch my arms.
A snicker escapes my throat.
Atleast there's a window- a small upside in all this.
Cold and refreshing air rushes in the moment it creaks open.
[At last!]
A sigh of relief drifts off my mouth
To hell with this place- it's just that I'm desperate for a roof above my head else... heh!
And it's winter, I would have slept outside, in the trees like a beast- that would be much better than this!
A few moments of awkward silence, I decide to head out, lest I turn crazy from disbelief.
Once mocked and embelished the smell of this city, but once I set foot outside- I take heavy breaths, gulping the air as if it was saving grace, my lifeline.
Oh! How we change and appreciate what we once held with no regards once its taken from us.
I walk, keen on where my boots landed- call it a welcoming trauma.
[Urgh!]
I retch just from the thought of it.
The managing authority of this city are really slacking off.
Eii! Everywhere my eyes land, I can't help but find fault- it's that bad.
At this rate, I'll collapse from the sheer weight of disbelief.
But as I continue my evening 'stroll' I notice things become progressively better as I head for the heart of the city.
Of course it would! - being the residence of the 'afflient' of the city- the merchants and well off families.
All through, I have been scanning for stalls that would buy off the garments- the more decent looking the better.
Ah, there!
I notice a shop, not really what I've been looking for but close,
It will have to do for now- lest I walk around for the whole night, searching.
The door bell chimes as I walk in, alerting the owner of my presence.
"Hey there lad!" He greets, lively.
"May I interest you in-"
I wave him off- politely of course
"Can I look around? "
"Of course." He remarks, giving me way.
My fingers touch the fabric of a hanging cloth, feeling its texture.
"That's white worm silk- finest of its kind."
I nod, moving to the leather section.
The short and stubby man closely follows.
"Ahh, a lover of fine leather- good taste"
"Uh uh ," I coo, feigning awe
"What would you charge for this?" I ask examining a basic leather coat.
"That's mountain bear leather, " He says, not mentioning the price, trying to impress me- oh and did it work wonders!
[Glib tongue]
"Huh?" He questions,
Oh! I might have said that out loud!
"Great coat, don't you agree?" I intone, throwing him off
"Yes, it has quite a story behind..."
He proceeds to narrate the epics behind the coat, and how it could be a family heirloom.
It's just a coat for crying out loud!
I don't show him my unimpressed self though...let him dig a deeper hole.
This will make it easier to sell him.
I saunter, touching a glass cage, within it lay an exquisite leather armour.
"Magnificent, isn't it?" He aks, a cue to his marketting tirade.
A few more showings, we head back to the counter.
"Nothing caught your eye?" He questions, "There some more in the back, you can give them a look."
I give out the most downtrodden and resigned sigh I could muster.
"Unfortunately not," I turn to leave but stop mid- step.
"You are sure you don't have anything like this?"
I ask, rummaging through my pack.
I fish out a coat, cloak , a pair of pants and a pair of boots.
His eyes widen.
"You have quite a collection there, lad."
I nod, letting out a resigned sigh,
"Too bad I can't find anything with same quality."
His stubby fingers run through the fur coat, the pants and boots, ignoring the cloak.
"Exquisite craftmanship." He intones.
"I could sell them to you," I grin.
He looks puzzled, then a wave of realisation hits him.
"You've been leading me by the nose huh?!" He remarks, half rhetoric half statement.
I preen.
"Nice try kid." He says walking off.
A ploy to look disinterested,
"I know you want them, " I trail off
"You know it , we both know it!"
I argue my point.
"Why don't we shed all pretences and talk business?"
He sighs,
"You make a valid point kid."
He walks back, chuckles and says
"You got quite the merchant in you,"
I preen,
"How much do you want, for all of them?" He asks, suddenly becoming serious.
"You said it yourself, exquisite craftmanship," I begin my arguement
"I'll sell it to you, the average price, seventy five Orens a piece."
"By the lords! Is it cloth or gold you are selling!" He exclaims
"I'd rather you take them with you, If that's the price!"
He raises his arms, dramatic
"Come on, I know you'll make a selling out of them, " I start
"And that is as they are, heck! They'll sell at minimum a hundred a piece!"
"Hell! Even one-fifty a piece is still feasible!"
"Thats a hundred percent profit!"
The haggle continues for minutes on end, neither of us giving in.
Ahh, I sigh, resigned.
"Okay, sixty a piece!" I yield
"Thirty!" He responds , unshaken
"You've got to be kidding me!" I shout in frustration
"Fifty five!" I offer
"Thirty five!" He shouts, "No more, no less"
"Ahh, atleast make it even, one fify Orens for everything!" I plead
He doesn't hesitate,
"Deal!"
We shake hands, to seal the deal.
I walk back into my accommodations One Hundred and Fifty Orens RICHER!
Not a bad night.