~Idriel~
The flight was less than an hour, and so it didn't feel like we'd been in the air for very long at all when I had to start landing the Paperwing. There were a few empty fields just outside the village - not ones filled with crops, luckily - and so I aimed for one of them. I really hoped that Oliver wouldn't get too annoyed with how things would have to be between us now we were out in public.
5/24/2011 #2 ReportOliver-
The Paperwing came to a smooth enough landing, and soon Idriel and I were headed towards the village. I'd noticed several stalls covered with brightly-coloured cloth lining the river on our flight over. I supposed that people travelling up and down the Ratterlin could stop by the village for a bit of shopping.
5/24/2011 #3 Report~Idriel~
I gave Oliver a smile as we walked, but I didn't move closer or take his hand, even though I wanted to.
5/24/2011 #4 ReportOliver-
"Have you been to this place before?" I asked as we neared the village.
5/24/2011 #5 Report~Idriel~
'Briefly,' I replied. 'It's one of the few places where nothing bad happened.'
5/24/2011 #6 ReportOliver-
I made as if to take Idriel's hand, then abruptly remembered, and let my hand fall back to my side.
5/24/2011 #7 Report~Idriel~
I noticed what Oliver had done, and gave him another apologetic smile. It was going to be hard for both of us to remember.
5/24/2011 #8 ReportOliver-
We headed through the streets in the direction of the river, and eventually came upon the market. It was bustling. I looked to and fro, rather bewildered. "Where do we start?"
5/24/2011 #9 Report~Idriel~
'Good question,' I said, looking around. 'Last time I came here, I wasn't looking for anything in particular.'
5/24/2011 #10 ReportOliver-
"I guess we can just walk that way?" I said, gesturing vaguely up the shore.
5/24/2011 #11 Report~Idriel~
I nodded. 'If we just walk by all the stalls, and we keep an eye out for anywhere that sells drawing materials, that would probably be best.'
5/24/2011 #12 ReportOliver-
It was difficult to walk beside Idriel without getting to close. I had to keep reminding myself not to take her hand, not to slide my arm around her waist, not to help her over the uneven rocky shore.
5/24/2011 #13 Report~Idriel~
I looked at all the different market stalls as we passed. Cheeses, bread, fruit, knives, pots and pans... My gaze lingered on a jewellery stand for a moment, and I suddenly found myself remembering that time in Ganel, when we had been shopping for a ring... Would we be doing that again sometime soon? Then I sighed; that was up to Oliver, and I wasn't supposed to be pushing him.
5/24/2011 #14 ReportOliver-
I heard Idriel sigh, and touched her shoulder lightly, giving her a questioning look.
5/24/2011 #15 ReportOliver-
I nodded and dropped my hand. Besides, we were supposed to be looking for drawing materials.
"What about over there?" I said after a few minutes, pointing at a stall that was filled with books. Maybe there were some books of drawing paper over there.
5/24/2011 #17 Report~Idriel~
'It's worth a look,' I said, nodding. We started heading over to the stall, and I had to stop myself looking back at the jewellery one.
5/24/2011 #18 ReportOliver-
An old woman smoking a pipe was sitting behind the stall table, knitting something large and purple.
5/24/2011 #19 Report~Idriel~
I started looking at the books on the stall, smiling at the old woman when she noticed us.
5/24/2011 #20 ReportOliver-
"Anything you want?" said the old woman through the pipe.
I cleared my throat; that pipe was giving off the most foul-smelling smoke I'd ever encountered. "Do you have sketchbooks?" I asked. The woman just looked at me blankly. Maybe that was another Ancelstierranism.
5/24/2011 #21 Report~Idriel~
'Books of drawing paper,' I said, trying not to breathe too much.
5/24/2011 #22 Report(OOC: I have to go!)
Oliver-
The old woman grunted and started looking through the stacks of books. I caught Idriel's eye, and made a disgusted face.
5/24/2011 #23 Report(OOC: And that would mean bed-time for me then. It's 2am! :P Will you be back later?)
~Idriel~
I smiled and made a face too - and then had to abruptly put on a straight face as the old woman turned back to us.
5/24/2011 #24 Report(OOC: Yup! Bye!)
Oliver-
The woman held out two books, which Idriel and I took and flipped through, trying not to laugh. They weren't bad - except they smelled strongly of the old woman's pipesmoke.
5/24/2011 #25 Report(OOC: Okay. Bye!)
~Idriel~
I had to try hard not to gag as that horrible smell kept wafting towards us. I wouldn't have been surprised if everything on this stall smelled of that smoke. I wasn't too keen on giving Cariel something that smelled like that either, but I had no idea if we'd find anywhere else that sold drawing materials.
'How much are they?' I asked the woman. If they were ridiculously expensive, then it would give us another excuse to try and find somewhere else.
5/24/2011 #26 ReportOliver-
"Sixteen deniers," said the old woman."Thirty if you buy both."
I looked at Idriel and shook my head. She couldn't give Cariel a present if it smelled like something that had crawled under the sink and died.
5/24/2011 #27 Report~Idriel~
I nodded. 'Okay,' I said. 'I'll think about it, and I might come back for them soon.'
5/25/2011 #28 ReportOliver-
"If you don't want them, just say so," the old woman grumbled, blowing a cloud of acrid smoke in my direction.
I tried my best not to gag. "Well - bye," I choked out, and we headed rapidly away.
5/25/2011 #29 Report(OOC: You were awake early! :P)
~Idriel~
As soon as we got far enough away from the stall, I took an exaggeratedly deep breath. 'Fresh air!' I said. 'I never thought I'd be so grateful for it.'
5/25/2011 #30 Report Reply 
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