Chapter 4. At the
market.
"Briar! Briar get up! We've arrived!" a hand shook him roughly
awake. Briar groaned and rolled over, pulling his blanket over his
head. But the hand persisted and Briar sat up angrily, ready to
start yelling at whoever it was who was disturbing his sleep. Daja's
face peered over the blanket, grinning at him. "C'mon plant mage,
we're here!" she said again before jumping down off the wagon and
running over to help Tris and Sandry start setting up stalls. Briar
sighed before pulling off the blanket and slowly getting up to help
Rosethorn and Evvy sort out the medicines. The time had flown since
Niko announced that they were to make things for the market and
suddenly the day had come and all four teenagers were excited, as
was Evvy who had decided to sell some precious stones on Briar's
stall. It was about eight o'clock in the morning and nobody else
except stallholders were in the market square. Briar grumbled
thinking about the hours of sleep he had missed when they had to
load up the wagon that Lark would drive to the marketplace. He
yawned widely; he'd never get up this early ever again!
Sandry sighed happily, what a beautiful morning this was! Her little table had been set up in between Daja and Briar's tables. She hadn't got a clue what the other three had made but was looking forward to finding out when they set up their wares. She looked over at Briar and had to stifle a giggle, his face was so grumpy and his mouth was permanently scrunched up with yawning! She was so intent on watching Briar that she didn't even notice Rosethorn creeping up behind her until the older woman's voice growled, "If you're not too busy you might think about helping your teacher over there!" Sandry jumped and looked at Lark who was struggling with a heavy chest of cloths. She ran over to help her teacher while Rosethorn walked back to her stall of medicines. Sandry was surprised how heavy the chest was but when she looked at Lark, her teacher explained, "The cloth themselves don't weigh anything, it's the chest, it's made of heavy iron." Sandry nodded wisely, "I was wondering!" she said.
As Tris reached behind her stall to take out her box with all her objects in, she stopped, took a hasty glance around her and opened the lid just a crack so she could see the letter that was unfolded on top of everything else and re-read it for the fifth time. Dear Tris, (it said) I hope you will forgive me for the way I acted the other day in the garden, I know I seemed very distant and I might have been acting strangely and there is no explanation except to say that I was very worried about some things and I was in a bad mood but I'm fine now and I apologise deeply to you. You will not see me for a week because I'm going to visit my family (my little sister is sick) but I hope to see you as soon as I come back and I hope that you will accept my apology. All my love Capta. That note had been pushed under Discipline Cottage door in a sealed envelope with 'Tris' written on it the previous morning. She had been very puzzled about who it had been sent by but when she read it she immediately relaxed, she had been worried about the way he had been acting but now her mind was at ease again. She looked around to make sure nobody was watching her and sighed, then started taking out her wares.
Daja gently coaxed the silver rose to open its petals but it was obstinate and refused to welcome the sun. She put the plant back into her work box and went to fetch Briar. He hadn't put his wares out yet so she didn't know what he was selling. "Uh Briar? Could you help me with something?" she asked him. He looked up, frowning but shrugged, "Yeah why not. What do you need help with?" he asked her. She led him over to her stall and took the rose out of the box and showed it to him. "What d'you think?" she asked him proudly. Briar whistled softly, "It's brilliant!" he said, "It really is brilliant!" Daja tried to stop herself blushing with pride but failed miserably. In the end she just asked him if he could maybe put some power into it to make it open its petals. Briar agreed and put his hand on it and automatically the petals opened one-by-one. Daja thanked him and showed him her other metal trees. He was really impressed and congratulated her but then went back to his own stall to set up.
Evvy wandered from stall to stall after she had set up and polished her precious and semi-precious stones that she would sell on Briar's stall. She looked at Briar's wares, he was selling mini plants and special oils and things that were made from plants that would make your skin soft or clean and even this thing called shampoo that you put on your hair and he guaranteed it would be gorgeous. At Rosethorn's stall she was selling medicines, Lark was selling clothes, Sandry was selling these things she called dream- catchers that looked amazing and she was also selling cloth spelled with good luck or happiness or even invisibility! Daja was selling metal plants and beautiful mirrors and Tris was selling.Evvy stopped walking and looked at Tris's stall closely.
What were they? She could see a glass ball, a sort of globe on top of a strong metal stand, there were about thirty of them. Were they future predicting balls? But when she looked into one there was nothing, just a clear blue colour with white spaces. Tris popped her head up from behind her stall and looked at Evvy. She glared at her suspiciously but when Evvy asked her what the balls did her face brightened up. "It's a weather predicting globe! You look into it and you see what the weather will be like if there's a storm then you see flashes of lightning and hear thunder, if it's foggy there will be a swirling mist inside it e.t.c. If you look in now you can see blue with patches of white which stands for the sky. It will be blue with only a few clouds in it which tells you that good weather is coming." "What a wonderful idea!" Evvy exclaimed and Tris looked pleased.
Soon people started to appear in the market and expressed an interest in their stalls. Very soon the market was crowded with throngs of people shouting and laughing and bargaining. There were shouts of "50! C'mon I'll give you 50 for it you can't get much fairer than that.WHAT?! 100! That is way over the top! I'm not paying 100 for that!" There were people muttering and swearing about being cheated out of this or being underpaid for that but most people were good natured and happy. People were a bit wary of Tris, Daja, Briar and Sandry because they recognised them as the mages who caused trouble four years ago in the market on the day they discovered they were mages. But once they saw what they were selling there were hordes of people bargaining for them and wanting to by their wares. Suddenly there was a fanfare of trumpets and a huge carriage appeared with a herald shouting, "The Emperor and the royal family of the great country Kalam are approaching!" Heads craned to look at those emerging from the royal carriage.
Tris couldn't see very well over the heads of the people. She could make out the shapes of about five people get out of the carriage though. After a few minutes the market got back to the general chaos and hustle and bustle. It looked like the royal family split up but went around with about five bodyguards each. Suddenly the crowds around her stall parted and a boy walked in the middle towards her. This was the prince of Emelan's neighbouring country Kalam and the emperor's son with his five bodyguards around him. Tris automatically bent her head in respect and did not look up until the prince read the sign out loud, "Weather predicting globes! Interesting! How much pray do they cost?" as soon as Tris heard that voice she immediately recognised it and looked up. "Capta!" she exclaimed, just as her friend yelped, "Tris!" He was wearing expensive loose silk clothes with fancy edging and embroidery on, he had a purple turban on his head with a large jewel in the middle of it, smelt of rich spices and fresh mint and was wearing jewelled rings on his fingers but it was definitely him. "You.you" Tris stammered, she was unable to talk properly with shock and rage. "Tris listen, let me explain!" Capta said frantically but Tris quickly placed a protection spell on her wares so nobody could steal anything, then turned and walked quickly through the crowd with people staring after her and Capta and his bodyguards following her. Tris soon came to a dead end and had to turn around and face the prince.
Capta signalled for his guards to keep the crowds away then turned and approached Tris cautiously. "Tris let me explain.just please listen." He began but stopped when suddenly a ferocious wind blew up, nearly knocking people off their feet and lighting flashed in the sky. Tris had snapped. "Listen!" she cried, "I don't want to listen! How dare you? You lied to me!" She had sparks all over her body and had to force herself to stay calm. When she was calm enough the wind and lightning died down and there was a blue sky again. "Tris, I didn't-" Capta began but Tris cut him off. "Didn't what? Didn't tell me that you were royalty? Forgot to mention it I dare say. Just slipped your mind did it? You made me look like a fool, I bet you enjoyed seeing me act so stupidly. I bet you don't even have a sick sister! You know what Capta, Or should I say Your Highness (she gave a mock bow) just stay away from me alright?! You lied to me and I don't want to talk to you or see you again." she stalked past him but he grabbed hold of her and shook her hard and was about to speak again when she pulled herself free of his grasp and shoved him backwards into the wall before stalking off again.
It wasn't long before all the students and their teachers had sold out of their stocks so the packed up and were ready to go. Everyone had seen the lightning and were asking Tris what had happened but she refused to answer, even to Rosethorn and Lark. Soon they were on their way back to Winding Circle. Everyone was talking excitedly about their day except Tris who was sitting in the corner of the wagon sullenly, seething with fury.
Sandry sighed happily, what a beautiful morning this was! Her little table had been set up in between Daja and Briar's tables. She hadn't got a clue what the other three had made but was looking forward to finding out when they set up their wares. She looked over at Briar and had to stifle a giggle, his face was so grumpy and his mouth was permanently scrunched up with yawning! She was so intent on watching Briar that she didn't even notice Rosethorn creeping up behind her until the older woman's voice growled, "If you're not too busy you might think about helping your teacher over there!" Sandry jumped and looked at Lark who was struggling with a heavy chest of cloths. She ran over to help her teacher while Rosethorn walked back to her stall of medicines. Sandry was surprised how heavy the chest was but when she looked at Lark, her teacher explained, "The cloth themselves don't weigh anything, it's the chest, it's made of heavy iron." Sandry nodded wisely, "I was wondering!" she said.
As Tris reached behind her stall to take out her box with all her objects in, she stopped, took a hasty glance around her and opened the lid just a crack so she could see the letter that was unfolded on top of everything else and re-read it for the fifth time. Dear Tris, (it said) I hope you will forgive me for the way I acted the other day in the garden, I know I seemed very distant and I might have been acting strangely and there is no explanation except to say that I was very worried about some things and I was in a bad mood but I'm fine now and I apologise deeply to you. You will not see me for a week because I'm going to visit my family (my little sister is sick) but I hope to see you as soon as I come back and I hope that you will accept my apology. All my love Capta. That note had been pushed under Discipline Cottage door in a sealed envelope with 'Tris' written on it the previous morning. She had been very puzzled about who it had been sent by but when she read it she immediately relaxed, she had been worried about the way he had been acting but now her mind was at ease again. She looked around to make sure nobody was watching her and sighed, then started taking out her wares.
Daja gently coaxed the silver rose to open its petals but it was obstinate and refused to welcome the sun. She put the plant back into her work box and went to fetch Briar. He hadn't put his wares out yet so she didn't know what he was selling. "Uh Briar? Could you help me with something?" she asked him. He looked up, frowning but shrugged, "Yeah why not. What do you need help with?" he asked her. She led him over to her stall and took the rose out of the box and showed it to him. "What d'you think?" she asked him proudly. Briar whistled softly, "It's brilliant!" he said, "It really is brilliant!" Daja tried to stop herself blushing with pride but failed miserably. In the end she just asked him if he could maybe put some power into it to make it open its petals. Briar agreed and put his hand on it and automatically the petals opened one-by-one. Daja thanked him and showed him her other metal trees. He was really impressed and congratulated her but then went back to his own stall to set up.
Evvy wandered from stall to stall after she had set up and polished her precious and semi-precious stones that she would sell on Briar's stall. She looked at Briar's wares, he was selling mini plants and special oils and things that were made from plants that would make your skin soft or clean and even this thing called shampoo that you put on your hair and he guaranteed it would be gorgeous. At Rosethorn's stall she was selling medicines, Lark was selling clothes, Sandry was selling these things she called dream- catchers that looked amazing and she was also selling cloth spelled with good luck or happiness or even invisibility! Daja was selling metal plants and beautiful mirrors and Tris was selling.Evvy stopped walking and looked at Tris's stall closely.
What were they? She could see a glass ball, a sort of globe on top of a strong metal stand, there were about thirty of them. Were they future predicting balls? But when she looked into one there was nothing, just a clear blue colour with white spaces. Tris popped her head up from behind her stall and looked at Evvy. She glared at her suspiciously but when Evvy asked her what the balls did her face brightened up. "It's a weather predicting globe! You look into it and you see what the weather will be like if there's a storm then you see flashes of lightning and hear thunder, if it's foggy there will be a swirling mist inside it e.t.c. If you look in now you can see blue with patches of white which stands for the sky. It will be blue with only a few clouds in it which tells you that good weather is coming." "What a wonderful idea!" Evvy exclaimed and Tris looked pleased.
Soon people started to appear in the market and expressed an interest in their stalls. Very soon the market was crowded with throngs of people shouting and laughing and bargaining. There were shouts of "50! C'mon I'll give you 50 for it you can't get much fairer than that.WHAT?! 100! That is way over the top! I'm not paying 100 for that!" There were people muttering and swearing about being cheated out of this or being underpaid for that but most people were good natured and happy. People were a bit wary of Tris, Daja, Briar and Sandry because they recognised them as the mages who caused trouble four years ago in the market on the day they discovered they were mages. But once they saw what they were selling there were hordes of people bargaining for them and wanting to by their wares. Suddenly there was a fanfare of trumpets and a huge carriage appeared with a herald shouting, "The Emperor and the royal family of the great country Kalam are approaching!" Heads craned to look at those emerging from the royal carriage.
Tris couldn't see very well over the heads of the people. She could make out the shapes of about five people get out of the carriage though. After a few minutes the market got back to the general chaos and hustle and bustle. It looked like the royal family split up but went around with about five bodyguards each. Suddenly the crowds around her stall parted and a boy walked in the middle towards her. This was the prince of Emelan's neighbouring country Kalam and the emperor's son with his five bodyguards around him. Tris automatically bent her head in respect and did not look up until the prince read the sign out loud, "Weather predicting globes! Interesting! How much pray do they cost?" as soon as Tris heard that voice she immediately recognised it and looked up. "Capta!" she exclaimed, just as her friend yelped, "Tris!" He was wearing expensive loose silk clothes with fancy edging and embroidery on, he had a purple turban on his head with a large jewel in the middle of it, smelt of rich spices and fresh mint and was wearing jewelled rings on his fingers but it was definitely him. "You.you" Tris stammered, she was unable to talk properly with shock and rage. "Tris listen, let me explain!" Capta said frantically but Tris quickly placed a protection spell on her wares so nobody could steal anything, then turned and walked quickly through the crowd with people staring after her and Capta and his bodyguards following her. Tris soon came to a dead end and had to turn around and face the prince.
Capta signalled for his guards to keep the crowds away then turned and approached Tris cautiously. "Tris let me explain.just please listen." He began but stopped when suddenly a ferocious wind blew up, nearly knocking people off their feet and lighting flashed in the sky. Tris had snapped. "Listen!" she cried, "I don't want to listen! How dare you? You lied to me!" She had sparks all over her body and had to force herself to stay calm. When she was calm enough the wind and lightning died down and there was a blue sky again. "Tris, I didn't-" Capta began but Tris cut him off. "Didn't what? Didn't tell me that you were royalty? Forgot to mention it I dare say. Just slipped your mind did it? You made me look like a fool, I bet you enjoyed seeing me act so stupidly. I bet you don't even have a sick sister! You know what Capta, Or should I say Your Highness (she gave a mock bow) just stay away from me alright?! You lied to me and I don't want to talk to you or see you again." she stalked past him but he grabbed hold of her and shook her hard and was about to speak again when she pulled herself free of his grasp and shoved him backwards into the wall before stalking off again.
It wasn't long before all the students and their teachers had sold out of their stocks so the packed up and were ready to go. Everyone had seen the lightning and were asking Tris what had happened but she refused to answer, even to Rosethorn and Lark. Soon they were on their way back to Winding Circle. Everyone was talking excitedly about their day except Tris who was sitting in the corner of the wagon sullenly, seething with fury.