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Ngozi wheeled his mobile stall into place. He smiled at the presence of the bard; hopefully she'd stay. She'd draw a crowd, and that was always good for business.

His stall, wagon and shop and home--or at least a place to sleep--all in one, folded out into various shelves for the wares. Glittering strings of beads were laid out on cloth, charms and amulets, fetish statuary for the superstitious. Rings, some set with glass and others with stone, precious or otherwise, glinted brightly.

However, no use having the merchanise look good if the shopkeeper does not. Ngozi peered into a bit of mirror set up for the customer's advantage, and made sure he was looking as good as he could possibly look.

Satisifed, he cast a thoughtful gaze over his merchandise. He fiddled with the set-up a little.

Good thing that the music was here.

Not too far away from the bard, there was an elven man, vaguely interested by the merchant's goods until he found a few books, reaching one of the hard leather covers with a pale hand, and starting to flip the pages, curious as to what secrets could be hidden onto the yellowed sheets of paper.

The place had not calmed at all since yesterday - of course it wouldn't, the festival was just starting, after all, and Tessa's voice was known to drag crowds - and it made his task a little harder, both trying to read, and make sure no one would enter in collision. He would have preferred watching over his father, sure... But if he was there, he might as well enjoy it, shouldn't he ? The servants would take good care of the old elf. Yet worry still tugged at him, and Alcion didn't know why. Hopefully, this wasn't a bad omen...

This book was interesting... Many things about past artists, and their techniques. Not that he had to copy anyone - he had a style of his own, and he was very proud of it - but it was fascinating to see how those elven artists made their art into something that would remain influential for generations to come.

"How much for this book ?" He asked, holding it up in the air for the shop owner to see, in despise the passing crowd.

"For this one... 10 gold coins should do, my good sir."

Alcion rose an eyebrow in thought, pondering over this. This seemed like a decent price of a book of this size, of this kind, and, especially, of this age. The pages where slightly yellowed by time, yet it was kept in near-perfect condition all this time. A smile drew on the elf's face.

"Ill take it."

After paying the required amount of gold, he put the book into the leather bag he was carrying at his side, securing it there - he would have plenty of time to read later, once they went back after this day, and things would be calmer.

Turning, he left the busy pathway, heading nearer toward the fountain - since selling was not allowed next to it, was less busy. The elf then just listened to Tessa, a small smile drawing on his face.

Tessa's voice was beautiful, no matter the setting.

((It should be noted that Tertian likes to exaggerate crowd density - he likes to spread his wings while walking for better balance, and since even sparse groups won't let you have a five-foot wingspan... well.))

Why, WHY, by all the little gods, did everything have to be... in the middle of everything else? Tertian fairly beat his way through the crowd, applying force with his walking stick when needed. In the fast-moving glut of people, it was hard to tell where a blow came from as long as you were quick about it, and though some angry bellows were in his wake nobody really suspected such an old man, did they?

Tceh.

The strains of music and splashing water greeted his ears as Tertian approached the fountain. He practically burst into the mostly clear area - well, clear compared to the groups clustered around the merchant stalls - fanning his wings outward at last and clacking his beak in irritation.

Now. Where was this merchant that Chinyan had reccomended over supper?

Ah. Handcart, dark-skinned elf, many trinkets, mirrors - that had to be it. Tertian battled his way over and eyed the elf warily. "Are you Ngozi?" he grunted, resting one hand on the merchant's cart.

Tertain raised one eyebrow, and mentally decided to kill Chinyan next time he saw the younger merchant. This... this upstart popinjay seemed exactly the type of person the Bestial didn't like, and Chinyan damn well knew it. Feh, he was probably chuckling in his solar right now, the b*****d.

"My taste is hardly esteemed," Tertain grated, punctuating the sentence with a clack of his beak. "Nor is my wingspan legendary, my wealth astonishing or my talents known across the world." He tightened his grip on his walking stick. "The merchant Chinyan told me to seek you out for a business of another kind, man to man... as it were. There is no need for pretty frippery words in such business, aye?"

Tertian turned his head slightly and let his gaze wander over the goods on display. "A vendor of elegant delights, are you? And... garish," he added, narrowing one eye at a large, very ugly fetish statue. "Chinyan said you might be persuaded to sell some of my goods, if an agreement could be reached."

"I trade primarily in natural goods of the lake," Tertian said conversationally, as he leaned his stick against the stall and began rummaging around in the many pouches strung on his belt. He kept his eyes firmly on Ngozi's, shuffling through the pouches by touch. "However, I run a small, side business... I design, and those I hire create from those designs. I don't think you care to sell bundles of lake-reeds, so, instead..."

He produced a long, slim package wrapped in brown cloth from one of the pouches, and unwrapped it carefully. The cloth slipped away to reveal an intricate fan, with the grip shaped like a stylized peacock. Painted cloth stretched between the light metal spars, and when the fan was opened it appeared to be the peacock's tail. "No mass-production, you understand," he grunted. "I run no lines of workers up and down, carving the same swish here and the same dot of paint there over and over." He held out the fan for Ngozi to inspect.

Tertian bowed his head elegantly to Ngozi, his long neck curving in a slightly disconcerting way - a human neck could never do that sort of movement. "I am called Tertian. If you wish to be sure of me, speaking to Chinyan should be all the reference you will need."

The stork Bestial looked around at all the crowds and ruffled his feathers. "It's too damn crowded here. When your day of selling wares is over, could we meet to discuss business in a more comfortable place? I am staying in the Inn of Three Feathers, at Chinyan's insistence - he owns the place, and I'm sure he can clear one of the lower-level sitting rooms for us."

"Sounds ideal," Ngozi smiled. He pressed his palms together. "I do recall that inn, and I'll come find you this evening."

It was all he could do not to dance a little in excitement. An opportunity like this--it was a rare thing--he had a duty, an obligation to follow up on it--the profit! Yes, the profit!