Ashley sighed as she arranged some of the new miscellaneous items that were brought into her 'Swap Shop'. The 'shop' was just a large stall in the market area of Camelot. Every Sunday she would wheel it from her little village to the city of Camelot. The cart was heavy but the walk had a lot of scenery and provided exercise. The March air was warm and the sun was bright, something the merchant girl appreciated greatly. It really sucked to be out in the cold.
The city of Camelot was bustling with life, and sounds of happiness echoed in the streets. Mothers shushed their crying babies as they bought fruit. Men laughed joyously from the patio of the pub, enjoying a cold mug of ale. Little boys rushed through the streets playing knights, and little girls wondered to the jewelry shops and the doll carts. It was almost like a fantasy. It was, in the mind of Ashley, perfect.
"Ashes!" Ashley's head shot up as a younger voice rang out above the loud bustle. It was a voice she heard very often. A voice that always either made her groan, or put a smile on her face. It was in fact, her friend Luna. "Ashes, sorry I'm late!" The younger girl stopped, trying to catch her breath. "Woah there horsey!" Ashley laughed, causing Luna to smile. "Gaius had me mixing herbs and when I realized what time it was I booked it!" Luna laughed.
To Ashley, Luna was very fair. Her brown locks cascaded around her shoulders, and her hazel eyes gleamed with kindness. Her smile was equally as gentle, her pale rose lips made her skin look almost like expensive pottery only a noble would own. Her name did her well. Although Luna was taller by three inches, she was a few years younger. Ashley viewed her as more of a younger sister than a friend.
"Oh it's fine Luna, no worries." The nurse smiled kindly. "So uh...Do you have any rubies for me?" Ashley pressed her lips together in a hard line. It was something her and Luna shared in common, they were both captivated by the said gems. The shopkeeper would grinned her teeth every time she gave the red stones away. "Why do you need another one? You got one last week." Luna dug her heel into the dirt sheepishly. "I lost it." "You lost it?" "...Yes..." Ashley sighed in annoyance, rubbing her temples. "You'll have to trade for one this time." She warned the younger, who grinned in return.
Taking out the velvet lined trey, Ashley set the jewels on top of the wood counter. In the trey lie two found emeralds, three pearls, two diamond cut rubies, and a rectangular amethyst. Every single product in the 'Swap Shop' was traded by the citizens of Camelot. Luna's eyes inspected the blood stones before picking one up. "What should I trade for this one?" Ashley rolled her eyes every time she heard that question. How was she suppose to know what the customer had? "What do you have?"
The nurse pursed her lips before digging through her brown shoulder bag. She pulled out a few books and a silver tray. "What on earth is that?" Ashley laughed, picking the tray up and looking at her reflection. "I stole it from the kitchens." Luna grinned, her statement only made Ashley laugh harder. "Why?" "I thought they had one too many." Ashley stopped her laughter long enough to flip the tray between her nimble fingers, inspecting it once more. "I'll take it, but if I get arrested it's your fault!" Luna grinned and nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."
After awhile Luna said goodbye, waving and taking her newly traded ruby with her. Ashley sighed. It must have been nice to live in the city, being so close. Though She preferred the country side where she grew up. The village of Gramen. It was a small place, holding six houses, a stable, a pub, and a little farm that belonged to her father. It was rather peaceful, and she liked it that way. Her favorite thing about Gramen was how the village would smell of fresh grass and soggy hay after the rain.
"Excuse me." The sudden voice startled the girl, making her snap her attention to the boy in front of her. Merlin, another friend of Ashley's. A friend she met when she traveled to Ealdor to get a new baby goat for her father. Merlin was accompanied by Prince Arthur of Camelot. Ashley considered the Prince a friend, but she had no idea of his stand on that issue. She did annoy him just as much as Merlin did, hence the reason she and Merlin hung out so much.
"Hey guys! What brings you two here to my quaint little stand?" Arthur rolled his eyes whilst crossing his arms. Apparently it was a down day for him since he wasn't clad in his usual armor. He wore a formal red shirt with a black belt wrapped around his mid section, dark brown pants, and even darker boots. Merlin on the other hand was wearing the same thing he's worn since he climbed out of his mothers womb. "Merlin thought it would be a good idea to visit you." Ashley grinned, raising her eyes to meet the servants. "Is that so?" Now it was Merlin's turn to roll his eyes. "I said we should get out of the castle! Staying in all the time isn't good for you sire." "I'm not in all the time, merlin. I'm always out training knights and doing-" "Princely duties?" Merlin suggested sarcastically. "Yes! I am very busy!" Arthur did that thing where he put his hands on his hips and stared off at nothing, as if a spotlight were about to rain from the heavens and a chorus of angels were going to sing. Ashley stiffled a laugh as Merlin sighed. "I can't ever win with you, can I?" "No Merlin, that's why I am prince, and you're a servant."
After their short exchange they both directed their attention to the stall. "What do you have?" The prince questioned, making Ashley smirk. "Stuff." "What kind of stuff?" "Prince Arthur, do you not know how to use your eyes?" Arthur made a face. "Of course I know how to use my eyes! What sort of question is that?" Big matching grins broke out on the servant and the shopkeeper's faces. "Then why don't you look?" Arthur huffed at her. "I am looking." "Then you know what kind of stuff I have."
"Should I leave?" Merlin suddenly asked. "No Merlin, I'm quite fond of you. I think I'll keep you." Ashley jokes, making Arthur look his servant up and down. "He's not entirely useless, therefore he is still mine. Aren't you Merlin?" Arthur threw an arm around the skinny boy's slim shoulders. The tip of the Irish lad's ears turned pink. "I don't know Arthur. I think Ashley would take better care of me." He jested fondly, making the royal roll his eyes once more.
"Anyways, see anything that peaks your interest?" The brunet leaned on the counter as both of the young men started to search again, forgetting their friendly quarrel. "Is that-...?" "Hmm?" Arthur pointed to the silver tray Luna had brought earlier. "Is that from the kitchens?" Merlin peeked at the trey over Arthur's shoulder. It wasn't long before the dark haired boy started laughing. "Did you steal that?" Arthur questioned. His face was so serious that it was funnier than the topic itself. "Arthur, have you ever seen me in the kitchens? Let alone the castle?" "Erm...No...But then how did you get that?" "Someone traded for it." Ashley shrugged. "I can't believe you take things from common criminals!" "It's not my business where the people get it."
The knight thought for a second. "Hand it over!" He stuck out his hand, waiting for the object. "If you want it, Pendragon, You'll have to trade for it." "But it was stolen from the palace kitchens!" "Then the items I traded for it would also be stolen, forever gone. You don't want to wrong your people, do you?" His blue eyes studied her face. "Fine!" He groaned, slamming two gold coins on the counter. "Is this good enough?" Ashley's face knitted in confusion. "Gold?" "Yes gold." "But...I don't take money here Arthur." "That's why I'm giving it to you. Take it or leave it." Hesitantly she slid the tray over to him. "You don't have to pay for it." She muttered as he handed the silver platter over to Merlin. "I know, but take it anyways."
She wanted to decline the offer with her entire being, but she knew her and her father were in a rough spot, and that 'shop' wasn't even a shop at all. It was more of a hobby. She thought of the idea when a merchant passed through Gramen and spent the night. Ashley was about six at the time, and all the shiny and glimmering objects peaked her interest. She especially had her eyes on a peach colored pinwheel. Of course being the farmer's daughter and so young as she was, she didn't have a silver coin to spare. The pout on her red cheeks did her no justice as the merchant denied her and rode off the very next day.
When Ashley turned thirteen she started a garden from some seeds a beggar traded her for some bread. She remembered that her father was absolutely livid. "We don't have enough food to feed us, let alone some homeless folk!" He had chided her. She didn't care.
After she planted the seeds she grew enough veggies to feed her and her father, and those vegetables had more seeds that created even more vegetables! By that time next year she went from village to village with a large basket filled with all sorts of harvests. She sold them for money, and for the poor she would either trade objects or give it to them for free. She traded a bundle of carrots for a fancy spoon, or a bracelet for some potatoes. She tried her best to be fair. Instead of trading for things she needed she traded for things that caught her eye. Things she often had no particular use for.
By the time she was fifteen she had saved up enough money and stored enough trinkets to do what she wanted. That winter she walked over to the carpenters hut. Mitch, was the name he went by. Mitch was a very round jolly man with a short tuffle of blonde hair on his head and a beard that connected to his sideburns. He wasn't too sure about her offer so he gave Ashley a cookie his wife had baked and sent her off. Being as stubborn as she is, Ashley returned the next day. Finally, after enough pestering Mitch built her a cart. "Where's you get all dem coins lass?" "Chore money!" She quickly answered. "Is that so?" The man had chuckled, ruffling her messy brown locks. "I'll build yer cart then."
The next spring the cart was built and loaded with random items. She wheeled it by hand. It took her awhile to figure out what village to go to. People in a poor village wouldn't have much to trade, and might not want to trade at all. Her best bet was the capital city of that area. Camelot. Camelot was fifteen miles away, which was a two hour walk for her. Every Sunday she would get up at dawn, walk two hours there, set up shop, then at dusk she'd pack up and walk two hours back. Most of the time she got caught in the dark..
It was really slow at first, the shop. At first children came. She would swap out their old toys for new ones when their mothers wouldn't buy them one. Then she'd gone home and wash the old toys, using her father's polish to make it look like new. The following week another kid would come and take that toy, giving her another one.
During the summer days when nobles of other lands would visit they often found her stuff more enticing. Mostly servants and the elderly of those parties would trade anything. She was always the happiest to trade with those people since their stuff was much more exotic than what she really had. There was also that one time Geoffrey of Monmouth cleaned out the royal library and gave her some old books of short stories and fantasy fables. She went home and read them before putting them in the shop the next weekend. That attracted even more people and next thing she knew she had regular customers.
Though her father often pestered her to get a real job, or to marry someone with money, she was perfectly happy with her hobby. Growing crops and selling them was a lot harder nowadays and payed very little. She knew she was poor, but somehow she always felt insulted when someone tried to give her charity. Like she felt Arthur was doing in that very moment. "Ashley?" The girl snapped back to reality, looking at the prince. "Just take the coins." The blonde turned away. "It's getting dark, you should pack up and head home." Before she could even object, Arthur turned on his heel and started towards the castle. "Good night Ashley." Merlin smiled. "Night Merlin." She watched as the tall man trailed behind the prince. Stroking the gold coins before pocketing them, Ashley backed up the Swap Shop and made her two hours home. At least the weather was nice.