The Black of a Rainbow (DragonSong)

zozee9 · February 18, 2016, 11:40:39 AM

Nitya wasn't convinced that Kai actually understood what she said, but she let it go. If he had questions, he would (hopefully) ask them.

"Watch the kids the closest. They steal the most often. Usually it's from food stalls, but sometimes they'll steal things to sell." Nitya wished she could give the kids money, but she had a stall to run. And once she gave one child money, they all would expect it.

DragonSong · February 18, 2016, 11:46:43 AM

"Yes, Sir Aytin." Hesitantly, he took up a position behind the makeshift stall, eyes flicking over the few people who were out and about so early. Other traders it seemed, mostly.

zozee9 · February 18, 2016, 07:57:19 PM

The morning started slow. Most of the 'customers' were just fellow merchants scoping out competition. But as townspeople started slowly coming in, Nitya got to work. Normally she waited for people to come to her stall and talk to her to start working her magic, but she wanted Kai to get some practice. And she wanted him to succeed in selling something.

Nitya gazed around, searching for people who were moving through stalls fairly quickly. They would glance around at the next stall, constantly searching for what they wanted. So long as they would glance at her, even for half a second, while she was looking at them, she could give Kai advice. Nitya found a target very quickly.

"Kai," Nitya said quietly. "You see that girl, a few stalls away? The one with the short black hair and peacock feather necklace? She'll likely come over here soon. Try selling her one of our hair accessories. Tell her that it will look beautiful on her, and that any man would swoon seeing her. If you're up for it, you can even make up a fake story about some other lady who bought it and was proposed to shortly after." Girls with one-sided loves were always the easiest to sell to. Their hearts were desperate and their brains were weak.

DragonSong · February 18, 2016, 08:10:46 PM

"What?" Kai looked at the girl she indicated, wide eyed. "Um, I don't-" He cut himself off and nodded sharply. "Y-yes, Sir Aytin," he mumbled, waiting with trepidation for the young woman to approach.

Gods, the Colosseum was almost starting to look good right about now.

zozee9 · February 18, 2016, 08:14:15 PM

Nitya shrugged. "If she leaves without buying, that's fine. But I'd rather you get your nerves out now."

Right on cue, the girl approached their stall.

DragonSong · February 18, 2016, 08:23:36 PM

Swallowing, hard, Kai dropped his eyes and gave a small nod to Nitya as the girl approached, standing with his hands clasped behind his back and his shoulders hunched submissively.

Maybe his mistress preferred her slave to be outspoken, but odds were this girl would expect him to not so much as look at her without permission. He did managed to glance up at her through his lashes, trying to judge what she seemed interested in, if anything at all.

zozee9 · February 18, 2016, 08:44:41 PM

Nitya nudged Kai with her elbow. Was he shy? Or nervous? She didn't know. Nitya looked at the girl. "I have to go through funds right now, so my slave will answer any questions. Please let me know if you need me, however." She was throwing him in the water.

The girl simply nodded, her eyes skimming the items.

DragonSong · February 18, 2016, 08:47:48 PM

Kai threw Nitya a desperate look when she essentially abandoned him, then quickly tried to pull himself together. Eyes fixed on the wares in front of him, he murmured with as much deference as he could manage, "D-does anything catch your eye, milady?"

zozee9 · February 18, 2016, 08:53:16 PM

Nitya quietly laughed to herself. Kai was so awkward, it reminded her of the first time she had tried to serve someone. She hadn't even gotten used to her power yet, so she talked straight to the ground. To this day, she still wasn't sure if the man didn't hear her or simply chose to ignore her.

The girl's eyes kept skipping around, quickly judging every item. "Mmm, not really..." she stated, starting to glance over at other stalls.

DragonSong · February 18, 2016, 09:09:44 PM

"W-well..." He cast around for something to say. Anything, at this point. "Perhaps this?" He gestured vaguely to one of the hair ornaments, remembering what Nitya had said. "I'm, um...it's sure to attract attention. N-not that you would need the help-"

His voice joked off and he looked to the ground with a sigh. Gods, just kill me now. "Forgive me, milday. I am unused to this work, and my mouth has run away with me attempting to serve such a lovely young lady as my first customer."

He wasn't trying to flatter or wheedle a sale out of her, at least not really. It was an instinctive reaction when he knew he'd messed up a task- compliment and show your humility, and you may get out of a beating.

Kai bowed his head. "I fear I am not worthy to serve you, milday." Please, please just let her move along and be done with it.

zozee9 · February 18, 2016, 09:39:59 PM

Nitya sighed. She was glad Kai had at least tried what she had said, but he was so far away from being successful. Luckily, the girl didn't look offended. Just... confused, uncomfortable, and wanting to get away. Nitya almost let her, but then she paused. She may as well show Kai how business was supposed to work.

Putting the money that she was pretending to count back into her purse, Nitya quickly stepped closer to the stall. "Excuse me, Miss. I'm afraid my slave here is not used to selling things yet." The girl looked at Nitya, but only because it would be rude to do otherwise. "You see, I have a gift of divination." That was a lie, but it sparked a little interest. "I have read my slave, and it seems he has a great future as a salesman." She laughed, and the girl hesitantly joined. "I know, it's hard to believe right now, but my powers have never been wrong."

"Never?" the girl repeated, hopefully. Nitya nodded. "Can you read me?"

"I already have," Nitya responded with a smile. "I can see that you are feeling unsatisfied with your love life. But do not worry! You have great success in love ahead of you—a young man, quite handsome." The girl smiled. She was lured in. "I saw other things as well, monetary stability, happiness, and the like... but there are multiple paths in the future, as I am sure you know. Unless some sort of intervention happens, everything I have stated will be true. But I also see that if you take extra care of your beauty for one month, your relationship progress will dramatically increase. Now, my wares are proven to be helpful, but, of course, you could buy anywhere..."

The young girl shook her head. She picked up the hair ornament that Kai had gestured to, and looked at Nitya. "How much would this cost me?"

"Three silvers."

The girl looked troubled for a moment. Then she shook her head, pulled out some coins, and handed them to Nitya. "I'll take it," she declared decisively and immediately put the accessory in her hair.

"I can see your luck improving already!" Nitya called out as the girl happily moved along to the next stall. She put the coins in her purse and then turned to Kai. "Learn anything?"

DragonSong · February 18, 2016, 09:44:12 PM

He watched with his head still half bowed, essentially trying to fade into the shade as much as he could.

At Nitya's question, Kair repressed a snort and muttered, "That you are quite adept at lying."

His eyes immediately widened, unable to believe he'd actually said that out loud, and he tried to backpedal. "I- I mean, that is- ahem..."

zozee9 · February 18, 2016, 10:42:04 PM

Nitya let out a loud laugh that caught the attention of at least half a dozen people nearby. "What makes you so sure I was lying?" she challenged with a glint in her eye. "Maybe I can see the future. Maybe that girl will have good luck with love soon, and maybe the item she just bought from me will help because it will give her confidence. And maybe I do know that you will become a great trader someday. In fact, maybe that was the very reason I bought you. To ensure that you would!"

DragonSong · February 18, 2016, 10:50:11 PM

Kai gave her an arch look, though the expression was somewhat dulled by his veil. "Uh-huh," he said dryly, "And then I'm going to be the next Shah."

He blinked. It seemed some of his sister's bite had rubbed off on him after all. Shaking his head, he looked away from her, out over the market. "I exist to serve, Sir Aytin," he said after a moment, "but please, for the sake of my sanity- don't make me do that again unless we've got no other choice."

That had been absolutely nerve wracking.

zozee9 · February 18, 2016, 11:01:16 PM

Nitya raised an eyebrow. "Slow down there, why so quick to dismiss what I'm saying?" She smirked. "Don't believe in magic?" She let his comment about existing to serve go. It wasn't true, but she wasn't going to argue it in such a public place while on business.

With a tone of seriousness she hadn't quite used yet, Nitya added, "And you will do it again, but not right away. I will give you time to put yourself together again. Once this market gets busy, however, you'll need to at least entertain customers until I'm busy. As long as you keep talking with them, they normally don't leave."

DragonSong · February 18, 2016, 11:17:33 PM

He bit back a groan and nodded. "Of course, Sir Aytin."

Just talking shouldn't be too bad, right? Sure, it wasn't exactly his strong suit, but he'd done a lot worse for much crueler masters than Nitya. He sort of felt he owed it to her to help her run the stall as best he could- not because he was her slave either, which was a little strange.