Heart of Golde
Disclaimer: This is Mercedes Lackey's sandbox- Valdemar, Heralds, Companions, and all that jazz belong to her. I'm exceedingly happy to have permission to play with them.
Chapter One
The thunder of hooves filled Adara's head even after she woke. This had happened from time to time for as long as she could remember- about ten years or so.
She sat up and shook herself a little to clear the sleep from her head as she tried to decide what to do now that she was awake. She had several hours before she would be expected anywhere in particular and she wanted to make use of them. Perhaps today would be a good day to slip into the city to buy Sanya's "graduation" present.
Very quietly she got up and crept out of her room. Strictly speaking, there were no rules about leaving the house alone during the day, and in fact girls were often sent on this errand or that when they were not in class, but this early in the morning there would be severe consequences if she woke any of the others. Very seldom did anyone in the House of the Green Pheasant rise before noon.
She used to fact that, to her eyes, everything seemed glow a very faint gold to find her way first to the end of the almost pitch-black corridor and then down the stairs to ground floor which was a little better lit, though still quite dim. Turning a corner, she very gently pushed open the first door she came into, letting herself into a long, narrow room lined with racks and shelves of clothing and other accoutrement. Most of the ladies of house acquired few personal garments that were not gifts from patrons or clients and so a stock was kept of nearly anything imaginable, much of it here in this room. She threw open the heavy drapes at the end to let in the early sunlight through a tall, narrow window that looked into a small garden courtyard and then set to work.
Since she did not have a maid or one of her sisters to help her, she carefully chose relatively simple garments that she could manage to don without aid. First came a white form-fitting under dress with gauzy sleeves embroidered around the edge in greens and greys. She followed this with a sleeveless but high-collared and also relatively form-fitting over dress in a dark rich green with a motif of silver leaves along the bottom of the ample hem.
A cursory inspection in the mirror showed the effect to be understated but elegant, perfect for errands. She chose a pair of soft green leather boots with sturdy soles that would be comfortable even if she had to run and then tried to decide what to do with her hair.
After several false starts and much pondering in the mirror, she chose a bun anchored with two charcoal-grey and green beaded hair sticks to anchor it.
Almost there.
She was young enough yet that if she wasn't in attendance at a formal event she did not need to worry about makeup so there was only one detail left to see to. A number of cloaks in various combinations of green and grey but all with the same stylized pheasant embroidered on the back hung on hooks on the wall near the window. She chose a very gauzy summer-weight cloak in pale grey and deftly fastened it around her throat, pulling the hood down so that it pretended to veil her face.
She was ready to face the world.
Outside, the city had already come alive. Most businesses in this district did not open until late afternoon or early evening but there was a market a few streets away that did a brisk business in fresh goods, mostly flowers, and it was already bustling. Adara, however, had her mind set on a goal a little further afield.
She walked block or two in her intended direction before coming upon a pull-cart for hire and deciding it might be nice to ride rather than walk- even if it was a beautiful morning. She gave the driver a copper and said, "I want to go to the import market near the South Gate." He bowed to her and off they went, his lanky legs eating up the ground.
When they arrived, she gave him another two coppers and a wooden chit with a green bird-shape engraved on it. The last was a common tip, entitling the bearer entrance to a twice-weekly afternoon performance given by some of the older girls as part of their training. The medium varied- this week Sanya would do a Ruvani dance she had learned in her time away- but it never failed to be entertaining and the chits were highly prized. She instructed the fellow to wait for her, this early in the day that was likely to be more profitable than not, and moved into the thick of the bazaar.
The colors and smells of this particular market were vivid, exotic, and always changing. One never knew what they would find here- it depended on the season and which traders were in the city at any given time. Today it seemed to be mostly textiles, including some beautifully woven trim the merchant claimed to be of Shin'a'in manufacture. She wasn't sure what she was looking for and wandered the rows aimlessly for a while, hoping inspiration would strike.
It took some time, but finally an incense merchant lured her in with a new blend, it had a strong musky note she had never smelled before and when she asked him about it, he said it had come out of the far north a few years ago but he'd only recently been able to acquire a limited supply. She inquired as to the price and the figure he quoted her was quite steep, half a month's stipend for her in fact. They haggled back and forth a little and she finally managed to work him down to something a little more reasonable- only a third of her monthly allowance. With little else to spend it on, it wasn't really as much of a loss as it sounded and pleasing Sanya was certainly worth the expense but she had enjoyed the experience of haggling and continued to banter with the trader as he weighed and wrapped her precious purchase.
By this time, the sun was getting to be quite high and she decided it was time she began to make her way back to the House to ensure she did not miss her classes. Today was dance and graces followed by literature. Not her favorites but she would much rather be there than face the wrath of Mother Denata.
She made her way to the edge of the bazaar and looked around for the pull-cart that had brought her here. He was nowhere to be seen but another was parked nearby and the driver waved her over, "Jetan had to go, mistress, but he said I should wait here for you and tell you he's sorry but that I should take you back. Green pheasant, right?"
She paused for a moment, a little wary but finally nodded, this new driver seemed honest enough by his body language, "Aye-ah. And an entertainment token for you if you're swift and do not jostle too much."
"Smoothest ride this side of the city." He seemed quite sure of that designation as he bowed a little and motioned for her to embark. And indeed, it was one of the smoothest pullcart rides she'd had the pleasure of experiencing.
As they neared the House, Adara caught sight of her favorite dumpling cart parked on a corner and signaled for a stop, "I can walk from here, but thank you kindly. You were right."
He helped her down and she handed him three coppers and an entertainment chit before he flew off down the street in search of another customer.
The dumpling vendor smiled and greeted her warmly, "You're up a little early, aren't you?"
She chuckled. The old woman knew her quite well by now, "I couldn't sleep. I went off to do some marketing instead."
"Your usual today?" She'd known the answer even before she asked and her deft hands were already wrapping the steaming beef and mushroom dumplings in the leaf of some large plant.
"What else would I order?" She answered, a twinkle in her eye.
"Well, there was the time you tried the new ones, the ones with the chicken and the green chilies."
She winced, remembering the trouble her stomach had been in for nearly a day after, "Aye. There was the time. But your southron chilies did not agree with my stomach."
"Indeed, that's an experiment I'll not be trying again." The old woman had finished packing Adara's dumpling and proffered them to her, along with a small waxed paper box of the sweet and salty sauce she knew Adara favored to go with them. Adara traded several of the coppers that remained in her purse for the dumplings and then added a hug to seal the transaction. "You be taking care now, you hear?" the dumpling vendor admonished, spoon in hand, and Adara nodded.
"You, too."
She turned and made her way down the street, prizes in hand and purse significantly lighter. The day was beautiful and she enjoyed the walk as well as the anticipation of eating her dumplings in what she hoped would be the relative quiet of the little garden courtyard. However, as she rounded the final corner and the House came into view, she began to get a different feeling about how the rest of her day was likely to go.
Why on earth was a Herald paying a visit to the House at this time of day? And what business could possibly be so urgent that his Companion waited in the street for him rather than enjoying the hospitality of the House's stable?