"Nali!" Saril shouted in true alarm. If Isha thought she had lost her..."Analia Mir!"
Suddenly Nali popped out of the crowd. "What?" she replied, mildly annoyed. "Thank Haldi," muttered Saril. Aloud she said, "Nali, don't ever disappear like that again! I didn't know where you were."
"Oh, I'm sorry," replied a chastened Nali. "I'll try to let you keep up next time." She smiled innocently.
"Gee, thanks," Saril said, her voice dripping with sarcasm," but how about you just stay with me instead, hmm? I'd appreciate it ever so." "Whatever," said Nali, and shrugged nonchalantly.
Mabenti stared at them, and just shook her head. "I don't get you two."
Saril looked at her quizzically. "Why? What's there to get?"
"How you guys fight all the time." Saril laughed. "Oh, we don't fight all the time. Sometimes Nali--" She became sober. "You're serious? You think we fight?"
"Constantly," replied Mabenti. "You're sarcastic, and you bait her and she taunts back."
"Mab," Saril replied, "I do the same thing with you.!" "Oh, yeah." Mabenti slowly grinned. "And I haven't left yet!"
Saril nudged her companion, and they shared a laugh. Then she glanced up and realized Nali had vanished for the second time. The smile left her face. "I swear, this time I'm really gonna..."
Saril felt a tap on her shoulder. She whirled around to face a grinning Nali. She exploded. "What did I just tell you about leaving?" she yelled. Nali shrank back in fear. People turned to stare. She realized this, and gave them and attempt at an appealing smile, but they just looked at her.
"Sari, I'm sorry I left again...but I saw something I knew you'd just love, and I had to get it for you. I wanted it to be a surprise." She looked close to tears.
Saril felt a stab of guilt. "Nali, I'm sorry...I didn't know...but it doesn't have to be a surprise...and I'd really rather you'd stay with me instead of getting lost. Amah would be mad." "Oh," replied Nali, with downcast eyes.
"But," Saril continued hastily, "it's OK, you're here now, and as long as you don't disappear again, I don't mind...IF you don't do it again!"
"OK. I love you, Sari," exclaimed Nali, and hugged her impulsively.
A small crowd had gathered by then, and at this breakthrough they began to applaud. Saril felt slightly embarrassed. She looked at Mabenti and shrugged, then smiled. She hugged Nali back.
Mabenti, in the meanwhile, acted the watchdog. "OK people, show's over, nothing more to see here, go on home people." Her friend laughed.
Saril disentangled herself from her sister's grasp. "Now, weren't we supposed to do some shopping today?" she asked.
"First can I show you what I got you?" Nali entreated. I think you'll like it. It's really pretty." She removed a small parcel wrapped in cloth from her pocket, and carefully unwrapped it. She gave it to her sister.
"Oh!" exclaimed Saril. It certainly was pretty. A silver chain, finely linked, held a pale moonstone, glowing with hidden fire. She held it up to the sunlight. It danced. "Where did you get the money for this? It looks expensive!"
"It was," Nali replied calmly. "Fifty runes."
Saril looked uneasy. "Amah's not going to be happy at your spending your money like that." She smiled wanly. "Besides, I thought you were saving up for your beloved chilapi."
"I was," Nali replied wistfully. Saril looked thoughtful.
"Y'know Nali...I could try to persuade Amah to get you one of those creatures, since you're so set on it. But it'll be yours, you'll have to feed it, clean after it, and exercise it."
"REALLY?" Nali exclaimed. "Oh, thank you!" She started bouncing again.
Saril smiled. "Consider it payment for the necklace...thank you. I do love it, by the way."
Nali grinned. "I knew you would," was her only reply.
Saril examined the necklace a final time, then slipped it around her neck. The clasp undid easily, and it held well. Clearly fine quality. It must have cost Nali at least fifty runes, possibly more.She made a mental note to buy her the largest conceivable chilapi confinement possible, then took Nali's hand, and they made their way through the stalls. She paused.
"Hey Nali...I'll even fund you the money for the animal, OK?" Nali's eyes widened in delight. She said nothing, just grasped Saril's hand a little tighter, and grinned.
Saril chuckled softly. "You're welcome," she replied. Mabenti took hold of Saril's other hand, and the three walked into the market together.
They browsed, looking for nothing in particular, just a decent bargain; perhaps a finely woven scarf, in shimmering color, or a new sash. Mabenti was happy to find a deal on a pair of cream silky slippers..."just my size," she cooed.
"I didn't know your feet were that small," observed Saril, a bemused expression on her face. "Aren't those a little cramped?"
"Nonsense," replied Mabenti.
The peddler looked skeptical. "Dearie, they do look a bit...snug. Perhaps you should find something a bit more...encompassing." Mabenti shot him a dirty look, then appealed to Saril. "C'mon, what do you think? Aren't they me?"
Saril bit her lip to keep from laughing. Mabenti's foot was bulging from the dainty slipper. Her friend was by no means fat, but she had underestimated the girth of her tootsies. "Mab," she replied, fighting back a grin, "they really do look uncomfortable. Besides," she continued, switching to a more practical view, "you have to work in those shoes. Are they truly a wise choice?"
Mabenti still looked unconvinced. "These aren't meant to be worked in, they're fancy shoes," she argued. "I was thinking of something to wear to Kiril's wedding."
"You'll be walking around all day," Saril pointed out. "Do you really want to suffer?" "Besides," the peddler added hastily, "I have those in a different size, more suitable for you."
Mabenti sighed deeply, and relented. "All right," she admitted. "Perhaps they are a bit...tiny."
"Perhaps a little," agreed Saril. She turned to the peddler. "Ok, we'll take those in one size larger." "Um, maybe you should make it two sizes," the peddler replied hesitantly. Mabenti grimaced. "Fine, whatever," she said shortly.
"How much?" asked Saril. "Thirty runes," replied the peddler. Mabenti was outraged. "That's a ridiculous sum!" "Besides," Nali chimed in, "didn't Razha Glin have a pair just like those for 25 runes?"
The peddler looked unhappy. "Ok, for you, just today, I make it 22 runes, eh?"
"Sure," Mabenti snorted, "then you can sell it to someone who wants to waste good money. I'll give you no more than 15 runes."
"Twenty," argued the peddler. "Mmm..seventeen," she retorted. He grinned broadly. "You've got a deal!"
Once out of earshot, Mabenti groaned. "I can't believe he wanted that much for those little slippers. I mean, Zalya's wedding gown was 100 runes! So expensive! Mm, mm," she clucked in disapproval.
"Mab, you got a great bargain," Saril told her, to take her mind off her mother's spendings. Mabenti smiled contentedly. "Yeah...I sure did. Pretty little things, eh?"
Saril was about to reply, when she heard a small noise under a scrap of cloth beneath a stall. "Wait a minute," she ordered her companions, and crouched to investigate.
CONTINUED IN CHAPTER FREE