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J'nes

J'nes listened to Navi explain haggling to his friend, and thought it was a fair, if simplified, explanation. But when the boy offered a jillionth of a mark, he couldn't help laughing, though he tried not to laugh too long for the kid's sake.

"I don't think they make marks that small," he informed Navi once he'd caught his breath. "Why don't you start at a mark you know you've seen, like half a mark?"

On the other hand Anri made a very reasonable offer. A mark and a half was certainly a price he'd sold them for before, but he'd expected a bit more haggling to reach that. "Thank you, I do try to make them so they'd last. I accept your offer," he told her.

And now Joleen was making an offer, also for a mark and a half each. Business was brisk today! "And I'm happy to accept your offer as well," he told her. He was surprised at her suggestion they get some food and dance together, but after a moment to blink at her he added, "Both offers. It would be my pleasure to dine with you, weyrwoman," he told her with a slight bow.

Navi's somewhat unenthusiastic question stole his attention then. He sympathized with the boy. Kids his age likely wouldn't have many marks to spend. He really ought to have thought of that beforehand and made some that were affordable my his target audience. All his toys were fairly similar quality (he didn't make toys that wouldn't hold together for a while, after all), but he did have a few that were simpler in make that he could let go for cheaper. He looked around the tables and pulled a few out; two shipfish, a canine and a feline. These were ones that were made with babies in mind, so they were smaller, the eyes marked in dark stitching instead of buttons, and the overall proportions were rounded and stubby. "Here, these ones I could sell for less. Do you like any of these?"

Yet another question caused J'nes to turn his attention to Elsilia. "The maker of that fabric?" He looked down at the plush and tied to remember where he'd gotten the light blue fabric with the unusual shimmer. "I think I bought that off a Trader caravan that comes through here periodically. They only had a little bit, or I would have happily made something larger out of it, perhaps a Gather shirt." He tried to recall more about the transaction, then sighed. "Unfortunately I don't recall if he said where it was made. But like I said, that caravan comes through often, I'm sure you can flag them down next time." He then supplied her with the name of the Trader, since that, at least, he did remember.

Anri ruffled Navi's hair at what could only be a whine. She remembered being his age. One mark was enough to buy anything! She smiled at him. "I bet you could get one down to half a mark," she suggested. "And I could give you another, so you have enough for supper." She didn't imagine such a small boy had been given much money, proven, she thought, by his complaint directed at J'nes. She watched as the weaver turned rider provided smaller plushes, and smiled at Navi. "See, these are very nice too," she observed. "Pick two, I'll pay for the second one." She took the shipfish plush she'd purchased, smiling at J'nes. She pressed the mark and a half into his hand.

"I'll tell my friends," she said. "You're like a master! My papa is one." She felt the compliment was necessary as she turned to Navi. "Want to explore the gather with me after you buy yours?" she asked. She pulled out a half mark, to show him that she intended to keep her promise. Maybe he had a friend he would share the toys with!

Like Elsilia, Anri recognized her elder sister's voice immediately. She looked up, hopefully. So Elsilia had been Searched! That was great! It had been almost two turns since she had heard from her family, having no firelizard to speak of. "You must've just been Searched!" she blurted, then seemed to notice her sister's lack of candidate knots. She frowned. Was Elsilia working at Ista Hold now?

Joleen flashed J'nes a bright smile as she took the plushes and held them in one arm as she offered him the marks. "Call me Joleen," she insisted, when he named her by rank. "Are you as fine a dancer as you are a weaver?" she asked. She noticed Elsilia and Anri speaking. Hm. Someone she didn't recognize. A newer candidate, perhaps? But she was lacking knots. Maybe she was from the hold. "Hello," she greeted her. "I'm Joleen, of Hyweth."

Ashlyn

Ashlyn watched Kaila talking to T'nus about the price and once the Weyrsecond had replied, she saw Kaila pay for the nine pies. She had just reached into her dress pocket to pull out some marks, since she wanted to help pay for the bubblypies.

I am not sure if she will accept it, Mine. She may see it as a sign of friendship, like when you pay for things for me. You do it because you care about me, right?Gyafrith asked. Ashlyn nodded her head, she did get things to make him happy, since she loved him.

"Kaila, would you like me to give you some money for those? I wouldn't mind repaying you back,"Ashlyn told Kaila.

Dolmar (with Marinel)

The slightly (massively) more stern looking member of a pair of young men bit back the urge to snarl as someone nearly trod upon his toes. Faranth between, help him through these crowds. And what crowds! He'd not seen a throng like this in ages. Literally. Raised in a smaller cothold, even their largest gather days had hosted perhaps a sixth of the population currently all alternately milling or hustling about. It was maddening, being jostled about like some herdbeast in a pack. A thin, bony hand shot out behind him to twist about the wrist of his counterpart.

"This lot of dimglows will have us apart and half-trampled before we've gone ten steps, Marinel. For the love of dragonfire, do try not to fall behind." His voice was acidic, slightly scolding, as if the boy--man? he gripped tight was in some way to blame. The way he forced a wider path through the crowds spoke more of a need to protect the half trailing behind him. They were the both of them new to the weyr, and couldn't expect to know more than a few people, or how things would be typically set up. Their plan had been to find food first, but it seemed somehow they'd entered the gather instead near the material stalls, and not the ones catering to hungry and thirsty revelers.

"Try not to lose me, yes?" He glanced back - crisp green eyes latching onto a startlingly similar pair. "Try not to get distracted by every single stall. There'll be time to shop...responsibly, of course."



F'ola and Geaundeth

Come, F'ola-mine. You've been saving for sevendays. You really are telling me you've finally picked a day to but a new belt and THAT'S the one you're picking? The green dragon snorted from where she lay, coiled like some great serpent, in the field adjacent to the gather. Her whirling faceted eyes were lidded, but she saw all the same, through her rider's. It is plain, it is unimpressive, and it is hardly worth the excitement you've been feeling whilst you planned to buy it. Exitement I've had foisted on me from day one! Now that green and gold one there, that's your belt! She huffed, 'eying' one in particular. the band was wider, but partly because the strips of leather were braided together into something like a cord more than a belt. Deep placid greens and a thin sparkling strip of golden thread wove through the pattern, culminating in a stylized dragon belt buckle. It was a work of art, but really more than the dragon knew her rider had intended to reach for. But that was exactly why she wanted this belt for Hers. She needed more nice things. Things that would inevitably make her happy.

I really don't need that belt though. It's pretty, sure but I mean. It's just going to hold my pants up. Her honey-brown headed counterpart jabbed back, mental tone a-lilt with more humor than reproach. Still, she fingered the finely tooled article...She COULD afford it...but that didn't mean she should buy it. Make you a deal. I'll spend the day at the gather, and if I find a belt I like better, really like, - there would be no fooling her dragon - they were of a heart and mind, and Geaundeth knew it - Then, well, I'll get it. But if nothing catches my eye by sundown and this one's still here, I'll buy it. Alright? She felt the warm rumble of approval more than heard it in her mind.

With a kind but apologetic gesture to the vendor for not buying any wares she ducked away from the stall in time to see someone go trotting by with fresh bubbly pies. Hunger fueled by the wafting scents of spices and baked fruits, she followed eagerly behind, keen to seek out the vendor of such fine snacks.

Jasiline & Voracath

Firmly determined to put the idiot greenrider out of her mind, Jasiline threw herself into the festivities with her usual gusto. Cold drink in one hand (non-alcoholic. Weyrling knots and all that) and a meat pie in the other, she stood among the crowd around the harpers and dance floor. Once she'd finished enjoying her meal, she meant to grab herself a man and get a dance or two in.

At least this time if she was lucky, she could actually dance before Thread fell and the Weyrwoman had another baby.

Z'fer and Iacauth

The idiot greenrider himself was all grins. He loved ruffling her feathers. He didn't so much like her, but she was fun to harass. If he was lucky, sometimes he could even goad her into violence. For a woman, she could be pretty feisty.

For his entertainment though he went elsewhere. If he wanted to dance, the pickings would be better later on as the sun cooled down and the ladies warmed up. In the meantime, he could browse the stalls and see what was on offering.

The life of a weyrling was scarce in marks as he'd quickly come to learn. At least, his allowance was much less than he was used to getting. A letter to the parents though had seen him a small money pouch for 'necessities'. Z'fer figured in a life of chores and lessons, some fun was a necessity! He just had to find the right people. If there was a game of cards to be had, Z'fer would find it.

Or he might buy himself a shiny new belt knife. The young rider's steps were halted as he passed a smithie's booth.

"I know there isn't," Marinel agreed, cheerfully. "You never want me spending my marks on you. But I want to get you a firelizard egg, Dolly. Please?" He looked over at his twin, hopefully. "I want to see your face when you Impress." He was sure that would make his twin truly happy. "Let's shop!" he exclaimed, moving to be slightly ahead of Dolmar. "We can get the egg early and stop by the other stalls after we set the pot by a fire!" He beamed at his brother, delighted with the idea.

He stiffened then, and added, "We can talk over food," he said. "You haven't promised, Dolly. Please promise. Don't be mad at me when I tell you. I love you, Dolly."

~

Aurelien had headed towards the masterbaker's stall: only to find the last two pies had been purchased. Shard it all! Surely a masterbaker knew to prepare several hundred for a gather? He was about to open his mouth and unleash a storm of curses when he spotted F'ola. He narrowed his eyes. She had pies! His pies!

Maybe he'd go to T'nus' stall. He'd heard the Weyrsecond had set one up.

Bluerider M'bad

The gather was well under way. M'bad finished setting up his stall. He hadn't needed a really big one. His wares were very small after all. The rider glanced at the trays laid out of semi-precious stones. Some polished to a fine finish, and some still raw. He parks a brown flit on one side and a blue flit on the either side of the trays. It was a good time to see if all the effort he and Rievegeth had put into them as watch-flits would pay off at the gather. Finally ready, M'bad glances at the crowd passing by in front of the stall.

"Gems for sale! Get your gems here!" He calls out. "Polished and unpolished, semi-precious and rare gems!"

The blue settled onto the ridge above the gather. Coldly watching the people and flits below him.