Marketplace day.....and a meeting of a friend.... :)
Ferravale Marketplace
Liam the marten. Blisa the cat and Ferdinand the ferret.
There once was a marten by the name of Liam. Liam came to Ferreval a skinny, half starved penniless beggar in search of adventure and to see the world. His plans were waylaid by need of work however which he quickly found in the form of running an Inn. Over the months the once skinny beggar has become something of a business beast. His red tunic and brown leather vest are both the best he could afford and cover the martens fleshed body.
Yet another perk, with great money comes great opportunity to feed one's self well. With a steady diet the young brown furred marten has rounded out. Not quite obese, yet, but certainly portly and heavy set.
Liam today decides to use his new found wealth to traverse the busy market place. He takes in a deep breath of warm spring air and smiles. Today is going to be a good day.
Blisa is also traversing the marketplace, with her ever-present, sabre-toting bodyguard, Ferdinand the ferret. The kitten is dressed in a brand-spankin'-new black dress that seems to almost highlight the black patches on her face. They are at a jeweler's booth, looking over the fine pieces of silver, searching for something to match the kittens new dress.
Liam is the first to catch sight of the kitten and her new dress. He tilts his head to the side then smiles, "Blisa! Ferdinand!" The marten throws his arms wide as he approaches them both. "My you both look well, how have you been?"
Blisa looks up at the marten and smiles brightly. "Oh, hello, Liam! I am well, thank you. How are you?" Ferdinand turns to the Inn keeper and smiles, repeating the kitten's greeting.
Liam makes a hearty laugh, "I'm doing pretty well. You are looking at the brand new inn keeper of Ferreval." He rubs the back of his neck, "It was a lot of work let me tell you, but I finely have it where I want it to be. And how about you two. What brings you out here to the market on this fine spring day?"
Blisa coos and jumps up and down with delight. "Oh, that's wonderful, Liam! I'm so /glad/ that you got a job!" Ferdinand smiles and answers the martens' question. "We're here to get Mith Blitha'th firtht peithe of good jewelry."
Liam raises an eyebrow to the ferret, "Piethe? Oh! Piece. ok." He looks the kitten from head to toe then looks about the market place. There are plenty of jewelry sellers and clothes shops here. "You certainly have your work cut out for you. What do you plan to buy? Necklace, earrings, something different?"
Blisa smiles and shakes her head. "I don't have earring holes. I'm trying to get a necklace. All my other pieces of jewelry are bracelets, and aren't quite good enough to wear to a special occasion. Oo, this is pretty!" She picks up a gold ring with a small chip of amber set in it. Ferdinand smiles softly at her, deciding to ignore the marten's comment, since he was only trying to understand the ferret. "You'll have to wear that with the thummer dreth..." The kitten interrupts her bodyguard, asking ecstatically, "Oh, can I have it?" When he nods, she excitedly wraps her arms around his waist, happily thanking him multiple times over.
Liam chuckles at the sight because if he doesn't he will chuckle at the ferrets lisp. "I'll tell you what Blisa. Pick out a necklace you like and I will buy it for you." He holds up his paw before anyone can reply, "Consider it my way of paying you back for helping me out back then. Most beasts would have just left me there to starve...but you helped out a lot."
Blisa gasps and covers her mouth, then goes to hug the marten tightly. "Oh, thank you! I was just trying to do the right thing! Thank you!" The ferret pays for the gold ring and turns to the marten, bowing slightly. "Indeed, thank you. It ith much appreciated."
Liam is shocked when the kitten hugs him. He...doesn't know quite what to do. "Well...good deeds often go unrewarded even though they should deserve good things..." Rubbing the back of his neck he says, "Feel free to pick out anything you want." then quickly adds, "Er, any ONE thing. Generosity is only limited by the funds one has to be generous with."
Blisa bounces happily back to the counter, where she is informed that the ring is now hers. Can one kitten be this happy? She feels like she is floating. After a bit of searching, she finds a delicate-looking silver chain with a simple yet elegant pendant hanging from it. The symbol of Ferravale stamped upon it. Her breath catches at the sight of the white quartz at the top of the pendant. She nods. "I want this one." Ferdinand checks the price with the shopkeeper. It's not too expensive.
Reaching into his coat pocket Liam forces a smile, it may not be too expensive for /them/ but for the inn keeper? Ah well, he can earn that back in less than a week, maybe even a few days. Producing a burlap bag Liam pays the shop keeper. "It looks nice Blisa."
The shopkeeper glances at the ecstatic kitten, then back to the marten, and winks, handing back a coin or two. Blisa is dancing around lightly, she's so happy. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She twirls on her toes as she holds onto the pendant after she puts it on, her skirt billowing and swirling out, giving hints of lace-edged petticoats. Ferdinand smiles and whispers to the marten, "You've made her very happy. Thank you."
With nod of his head and a slight bow the marten laughs, "I'm glad. There hasn't been near enough joy and happiness around these parts with all the slavers, warlords, militia, and snakes trying to squash it."
Blisa bounces over to the marten and very quietly says, "I have a pet snake. He's very good, but we sometimes have to bribe him with cheese buns." Ferdinand makes a strangled sound, and the look on his face suggests that he either wants to starts crying, laughing, or lecturing the kitten.
Liam chuckles at first. "Heh, that's cute." he says, patting the kittens head, summing up her comment to standard youthfull imagination. He turns to Ferdinand and is puzzled by his expression. "So...is this a big snake, small snake? What do you call him?"
Ferdinand guides the other two away from the shopkeeper, muttering, "He'th huge, and he liketh my thtew." Blisa interrupts, adding, "His name is Basilisk, but I call him Basil. One of his favorite foods is cheesebuns."
Liam tilts his head to the side as he walks, "Heh that's...that..." he pauses in step a horrible worried expression crosses his eyes, "Wait. You are serious! You have a..." Pausing again he lowers his voice to a dull whisper, "You have a /pet/ SNAKE. Here...in Ferraval!"
Ferdinand nods, looking a little upset by the whole thing. "He broke in." Blisa nods, then waves to a female rat and a huge, hulking male stoat who are on the other side of the street. They wave back and cross over. They're friends of Ferdinand's, and they say they were looking for the pair to invite them to eat with them in the tavern. Upon finding out that the marten is a friend, too, they kindly invite him along, too.
Which is a good thing, because Liam could use a drink now. "I think it's best to start at the beginning..." he says as he follows the pair inside.
Thanks for reading!
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