Nyssa:

The next day, Nyssa spent the entire morning cooped up in Finn’s tiny apartment while her brother was at work. She was going mad with boredom. Just after midday, she decided she had enough. She scrawled a quick note to Finn and went out looking for something to do.

London was a hub of Real World activity. The People liked to gather together just as much as humans did and large crowds and a huge population helped hide some of the more nefarious activities People like to indulge in. With her skills, it wouldn’t be difficult for Nyssa to find employment. All that she needed to do was find somewhere she wanted to work and then bully the owner into paying her.

A quick bus trip downtown and a shortcut through Paris and she found herself outside the Goblin Markets. Glamered and protected by fairy magic, the markets were undetectable to humans. Nyssa had only been here a few times before when she was younger, mostly with her Grandmother, looking for ingredients for potions. It was easy enough to find, though. The warehouse that housed the markets was covered with graffiti.

Morning and evening

Maids heard the goblins cry:

“Come buy our orchard fruits,

Come buy, come buy”

She pushed at the wall, her hands slipping past the insubstantial stone as if it were only mist. Once she passed the barrier, the roar of hundreds of People confined in a small space washed over her. She ducked instinctively as a pixie swooped low, laughing gayly. Nyssa laughed at its antics, enjoying the atmosphere.

There was a buzzing undercurrent of energy vibrating around the bustling crowd. Surging and ebbing like wave. Unconsciously, Nyssa swayed, aligning herself with the pulse of the horde. She slipped into the throng, easing her way around a group of fairies and between an ogre and its pet imp. Kobolds, gnomes, ghouls and even a kelpie were all attending the markets.

She wondered around the markets for almost an hour, soaking in the atmosphere and sampling the wares. She also spent the time dipping into the thoughts of those moving around her. Most were unimportant trivialities but eventually Nyssa found what she was searching for. A tiny female goblin sat unobtrusively on an upended barrel. The position gave her a good view of most of the market without drawing too much attention to her. Nyssa approached the goblin.

“You are the one I need to talk to about getting hired,” Nyssa said. It wasn’t a question. The goblin glanced at her, giving her a quick perusal and then grunting something in the language of the goblins. Nyssa was not put off.

“I know you can understand me.” Nyssa could read her thoughts. The goblin understood her and she wasn’t interested in hiring a teenage girl. Nyssa could change that.

“You need someone with my skills, Blodwyn ab Gwyn.” The goblin started and the sound of her name. “See that Imp behind me?” Nyssa did even need to turn around. Blodwyn’s eyes flickered towards the stall that stood behind Nyssa, just to the right. “He is about to swipe that crystal ball.” Almost as soon as Nyssa said the words, the imp glanced around suspiciously and then pocketed the large crystal. Blodwyn’s eyebrows quirked. She pulled out a walky-talky and grunted into it. The goblin language was low and primarily snorts and grunts. Nyssa could understand it by sensing thoughts and intentions, but she couldn’t replicate the many guttural noises.

“That fairy over by the pickled limbs was banned from the markets almost a century ago for glamoring money.” Nyssa gave the ugly little goblin a soft smile. “It seems like he is up to his old tricks again.” Blodwyn narrowed her eyes at the fairy and then glanced at Nyssa.

“Come with me.” The goblin shuffled off the barrel and marched swiftly through the crowd. Blodwyn was less than half Nyssa’s height with squat, thick limbs and grey skin. Her face was broad and squashed looking and the few tufts of hair she had was pulled back in a severe bun.

Blodwyn led Nyssa to a small building by the main entrance. The outer door only had a basic lock on it but the inner door Blodwyn led her through glowed faintly with wards. The goblin inserted one dirty, talon tipped finger into a hole by the door. The knots and luminous twists that made up the wards coiled around her finger before flashing brightly. The door clicked open.

Inside was a modern marvel. Computers were stacked along the desk taking up most of the space, lights blinking steadily. Every inch of wall was covered with monitors showing a steady stream of live images from every part of markets from almost every angle.

Blodwyn approached one of the computers and placed her fingertip on a scanner. The computer blinked to life and flashed a series of Celtic runes. Blodwyn bashed on the keyboard for a few minutes before bringing up an image of the fae Nyssa had pointed out on the market floor. She picked up her walky-talky and barked a few commands in goblinese. Nyssa grinned at the tiny Person who was scrutinising her. One on the monitors showed the fairy being dragged away by a grey-skinned ghoul with a black armband on.

“You can start right away,” Blodwyn grunted.