JINGLE JINGLE

“Welcome, customers!” an old man came out.

The room was hot and sort of darker than outside although a room seemed to be lighted up with fire. I held back, not to untie my hood. Otherwise they might notice my hair colour and my eyes.

The shop wasn't so impressive or big. But there were plenty of weapons. Many swords arranged together in a tight row, bows hanging from the ceiling the arrows piled on a table. There were many spears and harpoons as well. Ian would’ve loved this place. He might as well spend a day here. Fine I take that back. It was pretty impressive.

“Do you have any daggers?” I asked.

“Daggers?”

I nodded.

“Yes! We have plenty!” he wobbled to the counter and took out a handful of daggers. I was rather quite surprised he didn't cut himself.

I carefully checked the blades. They were more lightweight than I imagined. The handle had a nice gripping touch maybe made out of cow skin and the blade was…. Slicy. I set down the blade. I walked towards the swords corner. Each of them were elegant, ready to use. But the daggers seemed in better quality somehow. Hmmm.

“Missy, would you like some help?” the shopkeeper asked.

“Ah yes. Well you see….” I faltered. How did he know I was a Miss? I glanced at the Young Duke who didn't seem to have heard. He looked distracted with examining the bows. “I would like to have a sword that is wieldable for any wielder.”

He scratched his beard thoughtfully.

“C’mere.” He walked into a deeper darker and a cooler room full of boxes. He opened a box. Inside there were four gemstones. All of them, somewhat different colours. One was obsidian black, there was turquoise, one that was a mix of red and orange like fire, and the last one which had dark red mixed with blue.

“Um, these are just stones.”

The man chuckled. “Choose a stone, Miss”

That was a really hard choice. I loved all of these stones and their colour. The black one settled my nerves, the torquiose one was pretty, the flame coloured one was sort of motivation-ish stone and the mixed one felt comfortable. It was mixed, which felt relatable, since it wasn’t really one colour.

I took it and before I could study it closely, it faintly glowed and turned into a perfectly balanced sword. I was again surprised it didn’t slice me.

“Wow.” I exclaimed. I thought that only happened in novels but it just happened… How?

The owner nodded proudly. He seemed to want to launch into a 30 minute speech of how he made it or how he found this rock, but before he could, Lucian showed up.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Nothing.” Maybe he noticed the light which glowed in the room.

“Oh, and by the way, I’ll pay half for you, since you helped me back there.” He said and quickly left the small room.

I looked back at the sword I was holding. By the near edge of where the metal and the blade connected, gleamed the rock.

“Um, how do you-?” I fumbled my sword trying to turn it back into a stone.

“Ah, well, I see that you are a special guest so…..” he might’ve misheard me. “I’ll give you a discount and it’ll be 60 gold coins.” He he did misheard me.

“Ah… That’s a nice deal. So, how do you change it back?” I waved the sword.

“You just touch that part.” he pointed towards the gemstone part.

I touched it. It immediately turned back into a gemstone.

“Dang. That was, hands down, the coolest weapon I’ve ever seen!”

“Well, you need good weapons like these, Your Majesty.” He started packing up the box and lumbered to the counter. I followed him.

“Wait, how did you know?” I asked.

“Hm? I know many many things.” He chuckled.

“Have you chosen what you are going to buy?” asked Lucian as he approached us.

“Yeah. And will it really be fine to have you pay half of the money?”

“Yes, of course! It’s fine.” he set down his pouch and instead of grabbing a handful of money, he took out a hard disk engraved with the Emblem of the Lune household.

“You punk, are you underestimating me? Of course I remember that you are from there!” sneered the owner, jokingly.

“Just take the money from the bank under my name.” He took his new bow and arrow with a jar of liquid. Perhaps poison. “Grab your stuff. Let’s get going.”

I quickly stuffed the box into my inner pocket inside the robe. I sheathed my new dagger and followed him out into the square.