Fires of Prophecy_ Book Two of the Morcyth Saga - Brian Pratt [90]
“Sure,” James says as he gets up and goes over to the money box. He takes out four silvers for each of the guards and hands them over.
“Can I come with you two?” Delia asks when she learns they are going over to the festival.
“Sure, milady,” Stig says as he offers her his arm. His shield is slung across his back and his mace hangs at his hip.
Taking his arm, she says to James, “I’ll be back later.”
“Just send your escorts back in a couple of hours so the others can have their turn,” he tells her.
“Okay,” she replies. Then she turns to her escorts and says “You heard that, right?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Shorty affirms.
They quickly make their way over to the festival. She feels bad about leaving James back at the wagons, but understands how he feels.
Many minstrels roam the grounds providing music and atmosphere to the festival. There are tents and booths set up throughout the area where festival goers can purchase a multitude of various items. She pauses in front of one that is selling small, wooden carvings of horses and admires the intricate workmanship that went into them. When the merchant asks if she would want to purchase one, he’s disappointed when she shakes her head no and moves on.
They make their way further into the sea of tents and come across Roland and his family. Arkie is holding one of the wooden horses from the display she examined earlier, happily sucking on its head.
“Where are Tinok and Cassie?” she asks him.
“Don’t know,” he replies. “They went off with Jiron and Tersa shortly after we arrived.”
“If you should run into them, tell ‘em I’m here,” she says.
“Sure, no problem,” he replies. “James didn’t come?”
Shaking her head, she says, “He didn’t feel like it, still worried about his friend Miko.”
Roland nods his head in understanding. “Want to stay with us?” he asks.
“Thanks, but I want to find Tinok and Cassie,” she says as she glances around at the crowd of people, “somehow.”
“Good luck,” he says as they move further on, stopping at another booth selling colored bottles.
Delia and her escorts wind their way through the people, occasionally stopping at booths to browse the items on display.
They come to an open area where a man is trying to entice passersby to test their skill. He has a target set up over a hundred feet away and in front of him are several throwing knives. It looks like you throw one of the knives and try to hit the bull’s eye in the center of the target.
Intrigued, Shorty comes up and takes one of the knives testing it for balanced. The man starts speaking to him but no one understands him. “Do you understand the common tongue?” Shorty asks him as he continues examining the knives before him.
“Yes sir,” the man replies. “For just two coppers, you may try your skill and if you hit the bull’s eye, you get one of these.” He indicates a selection of jewelry and bracers.
“Alright,” he says as he hands over one of the silvers James had given him. The man takes it and gives him his change. By this time a few onlookers have stopped to see how he’ll do.
He selects the first knife he examined and then stands with his feet a foot apart so he’s well balanced. Taking careful aim at the target, he takes a couple deep breaths and then throws the knife. It sails through the air and to the amazement of the crowd, strikes the target dead center. The onlookers cheer and the man says, “We have a winner, see how easy it is.” To Shorty he says, “Please take your choice.”
Selecting a necklace, he turns and offers it to Delia, saying, “I would be honored if you would accept this from me.”
When she hesitates, he says, “You needn’t feel it’s a commitment, I would just like you to have it.”
Taking the necklace, she puts it around her neck saying, “Thank you Shorty.”
He smiles and blushes slightly.
As they move on, another person tries their luck but the knife flies wide, missing the target.
“Only one of the knives is balanced properly,” he tells them. “If you were to use the others, you’d be in danger of hitting yourself,” he continues, laughing.
They move along