~Elena~

The marketplace was alive with frivolous activity. This was a place where both noble and down trod came together to hash out prices and buy things they both needed and desired. It was easy to forget about the harsh reality of life as I gazed at the beautiful trinkets begin traded. I even saw a man selling roasted rat, swinging the poor creature in front of my face, and as tempting as it was to try, I had to decline most graciously. In Dorne, we also had sky markets, the sun shining with an unforgiving harshness as people sold beautiful jewels and fresh fruits, but there was something different about King's Landing's market. It had a certain darker aura, though it could have been that my guide was distracted, his eyes squinting in frustration as a frown overcame him, which was both unnerving and comical as he seemed to be following me instead of my following him.

"Oh Lord Tyrion. Have you come to play?" A woman's voice sent shivers of irrational irritation down my spine as I turned to see a voluptuous woman waving at the small lord. Her long flaming hair barely hiding the fact that her breast were bare for the world to see. She wore a deep red corset and nearly sheer skirt the color of overly ripe tomatoes. Tyrion's head shot up at the sound of his name, a blush hinting at his cheeks as she blew kisses in his direction, raising her skirt to reveal pale shapely legs and bare feet. He cleared his throat as he shook his head at her, though she would not be put off.

"You can bring your friend if you'd like. I won't charge extra. The girls and I have missed you." My eyebrows furrowed as I wondered at the woman's brazenness, before I realized there were women dressed as she all along the road. Oh Gods. I hadn't realized I'd traveled here. I thought as I recognized the red district. We'd had many brothels in Dorne, the woman selling their bodies to the highest paying customers.

"How did I lead us over here?" Tyrion mused as he tried very hard to ignore the women calling to him. It shouldn't have bothered me; he'd admitted that he loved wine and women, but for some reason it did.

"Maybe you should have been paying attention." I snapped as I pulled ahead, the women's voices grating against my skull as I went back the way we'd come. Determined to find a stand that sold soaps or necklaces.

"Elena, wait." Tyrion called as he rushed to catch up to me.

"Don't you want to stay? They are calling for their lord." I growled as tears burned in my eyes. Stop being so pitiful. I scolded myself as I removed my hood to better look around, spotting an opening that led away from the cooing women.

"Elena please. I came to-" I cut him off with a glare, rolling my eyes at him before I made quick work of getting back to the vendors, sighing with relief when the women's calls turned into vendors trying to sells their wares in great boasting voices.

"Elena-"

"I'd like to buy perfumed soaps please." I interrupted, both because I didn't want to hear his excuses and the further from the women we traveled, then more embarrassed I felt about my reaction to the situation. He's a man. Of course he'd seek the company of women. Even if it was with many different women. I sighed inwardly as Tyrion took the lead, dodging hurried people with a skill that spoke he'd come here often. We passed vendors selling everything from onions to birds before he stopped at a table covered in different colored bottles.

"Something to make the beautiful lady smell nice?" A pale man with a great black mustache asked as he waved his hands above his wares.

"Do you have a favorite?" I asked him as Tyrion walked away to look at different tables, stopping to talk to a woman in a flowing peach dress.

"This one. I call it Summer's Lust. It was brought all the way from Dorne." He cooed as he picked up a red bottle the size of my hand, carefully removing the stopper before handing it to me. Oh Gods. I moaned inwardly as I breathed in a mixture of citrus fruit and something that hinted at roses with a swirl of something spicy.

"It's wonderful." I spoke softly as I handed it back to him. His smile widened as he took it back, reinserting the stopper before looking at me with knowing eyes.

"Six silver pieces." He spoke. My eyes widened at the price, my mind going over my recently obtained money.

"Three silver pieces." I bartered, the familiarity of the process bringing a smile to my face aching face.

"Five."

"Four, and not a piece more." I finalized as I fixed him with a pointed look. He stared for a moment before blowing out a breath of air that smelled of wine.

"Done. Enjoy my lady." He laughed before he handed me my prize which I stashed in a satchel Sansa had lent me. I left the table in search of Tyrion, my heart pounding painfully as I lost sight of him. Maybe he went to those women. I thought discouragingly as I continued walking, stopping at a table of necklaces. I wish Lucia was here. I thought sadly as I looked over the beautiful jewels. Rosette decided it would be unsafe to bring her, and assured me that Lucia would get the chance to visit the markets soon enough.

"Looking for something in particular?" A woman with hair the color of ripe wheat spoke as she regarded me with cool green eyes. I forced myself not to gnaw on my lips as I looked the necklaces over.

"I'm looking for something for my sister." I replied as I tried to put myself in Lucia's shoes. She loved things that sparkled, I knew, but that didn't quite help me.

"The gold and sapphire seems to be quite popular." The woman spoke as she gestured towards the necklaces in the middle of the table. I don't think so. I thought as I looked past them towards the back of the table where a collar like necklace of shining bronze rested, diamond dust forming swirling patterns. Lucia would love that.

"How much for that one?" I asked as I pointed it out. She wrinkled her nose at my decision before looking back at me.

"Eight silvers." She announced. I didn't bother trying to barter with the stern woman as I removed the asked for collection from my coin purse, thanking her before carefully storing it away to give Lucia later tonight.

"Elena?" Tyrion called as I walked away in search for more wares. I turned to see him smiling, if a little out of breath. A frown worked at my lips as I walked over to meet him.

"Where were you?" I asked, almost fearing the answer as we past a stall selling something that produced a unpleasant stench.

"I would like to speak with you. Perhaps in the gardens at home?" He suggested as an uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. I nodded before following him again, vowing to come back to the marketplace. Perhaps with Sansa, who I was sure, would make better company than the man before me. Yes. I thought as another woman winked at him. Much better company.