[4]
Market day at Birrill Shire was
perhaps the busiest in the week. Though the population was much lower than it
was before the threat of the Order of Beliar, it was still an opportunity for
the remaining community to gather to get together, share their wares and swap stories
– even if it was for a blissful moment.
Yuli, dressed in a cream high
collared cotton blouse and brown skirt of spun wool. Her long ebony hair was
brushed and braided back with a length of ivory ribbon fell down to the middle
of her back. With her ocre-toned skin, large slanted eyes, and smooth black
hair it was hard for the shire dwellers to not stop and stare.
Yuli felt colour creeping up her
face as all eyes stared at her foreign features.
“Don’t mind them,” Merl whispered.
The two riluds, Douglas on her left, Merl on her right, walked with her like
faithful sentries.
“But,” Yuli began, her words lost
the moment a rilud woman shooed her children away as they began to point and
stare at her.
“It has been a long time since they
have seen a human in their midst.”
“Merl, old chap!” said a cheerful
voice as Merl nearly fell forward from a suddenly physical impact.
Yuli saw a rilud with chestnut hair
and the most beautiful face she had ever seen.
“Douglas, dear!” cried another
voice, this time belonging to a rilud maid with flouncing golden curls. Yuli
watched as the rilud maid attempted to grab her intended, only to miss as he
calmly stepped out of her reach.
Merl eyed his captor with some
irritation.
“Oh, it you,” her voice dripped with
disappointment.
“I’m sorry to hear you are
disappointed,” Merl returned the tone.
Seeing Yuli, Philip let out a low
whistle. “Well, well, and whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?” he asked,
changing the subject.
“This is Yuli,” Merl reluctantly
introduced.
“Ah, the one that Douglas fished out
of the river.” Philip nodded. “Now I see why Mrs. Bobbid was eager to tell the
whole shire about it.”
Yuli glanced at Douglas, who was
looking away to hide his blushing face. She looked back to see the golden
haired rilud maid glaring at Yuli.
“Uh, Yuli, let me introduced to you our
friends, Philip Goldbrook and his cousin, Lily Tunnelly,” Merl introduced.
Lily eyed Yuli up and down, making
the poor human girl shift uncomfortably in her spot. “Charmed,” the rilud maid
said coolly. Then she turned to Douglas.
“Douglas, dear could you please save
a pair’s duel at Master Caspar’s birthday party?” Leaning towards the rilud, Lily
batted her long lashes as she purred her request.
“We shall have to see,” Douglas
replied, with little interest.
Deciding that the answer was
satisfactory, Lily grabbed Philip’s arm and dragged him away. “Come, cousin.
You must get me those tarts Belinda White-Willow makes.”
“What? Now?” Philip gave Yuli an
apologetic look. He threw her a kiss as his eager cousin drew them to their new
destination.
Yuli blinked a few times. That was interesting. He must have found me
easy to tease. She turned to see Douglas and Merl watching her.
“Um,” she began, not sure of what to
say.
“Don’t mind him. He enjoys being
with the fairer sex.” Merl explained.
“He especially likes those who are
attractive,” Douglas added with distaste.
Yuli put a hand to her chin. If the one they call Philip likes attractive
women, then surely that would not include me. With the whistling he must like
to tease plain girls like me. Yes, that must be it. I am too odd and
strange-looking for someone as beautiful as him.
The rest of the day at the market
was pleasant. Each shop was different: fruit and vegetable preserves made from
locally grown produce; sausages and cured meats from the butcher; sweets made
of candied flowers and fruits, of syrup boiled to a sticky taffy wrapped on a
stick; farm and kitchen tool repairs; bolts of cloth brought from distant
peaceful lands (Merl explained this was one of the things that Lily’s merchant
family leave the shire for); fresh posies speckled with morning dew and bundled
together with pretty ribbon; and a booth of freshly baked goods from the baker.
Dinner time approached, so Douglas
sat with Yuli under a large oak tree surrounded by wooden chairs and benches
while Merl went to get some thing to drink with their meal. Spread on the
tabletop between Yuli and her friend were their finds from the market: three
mini pork pies, a section of summer sausage, six freshly baked dinner rolls,
three apples, a couple of fruit pastries, a jar of pickles, two ripe tomatoes,
and a couple of small cucumbers.
There were a couple of swings tied
to the tree as well as three seesaws for the rilud children to play.
“When we have festivals at the shire
this is where everyone gathers to celebrate.” Douglas explained seeing her
watch the children.
“What if it rains?” she heard
herself ask.
“We put up a special canopy over the
crowd and continue with our celebration. Rain won’t stop us. It is another
thing to celebrate – especially for the farmers.”
“Do you have a family?” she asked.
“Once, I did.”
After that Yuli did not ask any
further. The two of them sat together in peaceful harmony, enjoying the cool
breeze and welcoming noises of children playing.
“Sorry for the wait,” Merl
interrupted their thoughts bringing a bottle of cold cider and some wooden cups
to use. “Compliments of Goldbrook household,” he announced setting his booty
with their food.
Yuli smiled widely. It was indeed a
very good day.
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