This was a very fun chapter to write! Mostly in part because a lot of it i didn't plan and it turned out making its way into the plot on its own! and i still managed to finish it in less than a month!

Yugi goes on a shopping spree!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and Atlantis (least this version)

As always read, review, comment, critique, ask questions and go nuts!

Chapter LXIX: Market

The women had not exaggerated: there truly was everything to see in Locri.

The streets and city squares vibrated with people, sounds and sights: the slapping feet of barefoot children scurrying home for dinner, the giggling gossip of girls and groups, and the grunts and groans of shoppers carrying their heavy baskets and bags. Yugi was forced to weave his way among them, passing by food stands, leather shops, bookstores, gelato shops, and many more crowding the bustling streets.

Overcome by emacity, he raced across the nearest bridge and set off down a cobblestone ankey flanked on either side by buildings. It opened to a wide city square bustling with activity: women balancing baskets of produce on their heads, burlap sacks slunk over the backs of men, children carrying cages of chickens and rabbits, and butchers carrying skewers of dangling rabbit and bird corpses. The constant cry of hawkers and the gabble of store tenders and customers bounced off the stone walls. The scents of unnamed spices mingled with onions, garlic and the aroma of freshly baked breads tantalized his stomach and reminded Yugi he'd not eaten since Bakura's lemon berry tarts.

Weaving his way through the crowd, he followed the delicious smells until he recognized the proud, hungry-for-the-hunt face of the Sister of Salt and Bone. The market square was crammed with all manner of stalls, booths and stands, and he found himself overwhelmed by the sheer number of them. Open-air stands boasted all things delicious, and charming open-air dining spaces with cheery fronts boasted freshly prepared meals and quiet relaxation. The hot waves of cooking meat brushed past him and his mouth salivated: the sounds of sizzling, the crispy smell of salted meats, and the most delicate, drizzling desserts nearly made him faint with desire. Specially-prepared tarts and treats the likes of which he'd never seen beckoned him with wafts of savory-smelling steam, and the sounds of scrapping chairs, clanging silverware and raised shouts of vendors nearly deafened him. Shadowy faces lunged out of the gloom with sticky grins to catch attention and show off their wares.

Mercifully, he stumbled upon a small open-air eatery beside the river built into the lower levels of one of the four-storey buildings. It was not a big space: stools crowded about a long counter and there were only a few small tables out in front. The owner was a slim, dark-skinned man with a shock of red hair, who—to Yugi's immense relief—spoke the common tongue and took pity on his poor grasp of the Locrian dialect by explaining his choices and boasting the local fares.

Too hungry and captivated to decide, Yugi ordered a bit of everything. Within moments, the platters poured out, along with an on-the-house glass of the West's famous wine from Caulonia. Yugi downed its sweetness with an excited, satisfied 'mmm' to the owner's delight. He tried each dish in turn, paying close attention as the owner named each one. Never in all his life had Yugi tasted anything so rich and savory. The warm, buttery bread was soft on his tongue and warm in his mouth; he couldn't resist a moan. A vegetable dish—eggplant, he was told—baked with sauce and topped with sheep's milk cheese was so rich and savory, his mouth watered; the nutty, buttery taste of the cheese complimented the spices of the sauce perfectly, and only enhanced the earthy taste of the eggplant. The fried pork was his favorite: thick, meaty chunks of various textures and cuts had been simmered to perfection in a stew of vegetable broth, rich with hot spices and herbs. The drained mixture was the result, and it provided such an explosion of tastes and textures, Yugi tamed his own appetite so he could savor each bite. The dessert was a strange but delicious cake-like pastry coated half in richly-sweetened chocolate, and the other in a zesty lemon-flavored syrup; it was so sweet and good he asked for another and then a third for the road.

When he pulled out his coins to pay, the owner covered his hand with a smiling shake of the head and sent him off. Yugi protested at once but the owner only laughed and hollered, "Just promise to be a regular customer and we'll call it even!"

Yugi nodded eagerly, "Absolutely!" and went on his way.

The cook grinned. It wasn't every day he got to serve the new Magistrate.

X X X

Crossing the adjacent river, Yugi found himself before the Sister of Cloth and Jewel, the sweet face of the motely Maiden visible and welcoming from her fountain in the heart of the crowded square. Stopping to take it all in, Yugi spun around, absorbing the beautiful dress shops, sophisticated seamstresses, hard-working weavers, and more sparkling jewelry stands than he could count. The square, it seemed, had divided itself based on its name: street-level shops boasted stunning clothes, dazzling bolts of cloth, colorful shoes, and some of the most outrageous costumes Yugi had ever witnessed. But the second layer, raised above its other half by pillars and platforms, was reserved entirely for jewelry. Even from his position on the lower layers, Yugi could see the sparkling treasures of necklaces and earring stands, crowns and diadems, metal bracelets and bangles, and anklets encrusted with jewels or decorated with dangling charms identical to his own silver charm bracelet, which remained safely tucked inside his pocket with his lotus sahab gift—lest their presence betray his identity.

He couldn't wait to get started.

He was up the steps within moments, scrutinizing each sparkling stand in turn with his shopper's eye. In contrast to Kemet, silver seemed to be the most common merchandise: sparkling silver pendants, earrings, necklace chains and much more shimmered in the light like a galaxy of stars. Glistening gold and blazing bronze were less common, while a rainbow of jewels in more colors than Yugi though possible were even rarer. He entered a few of the jewelry shops, eyes bulging with wonderment and scrutinizing the displays behind broad glass windows. Gold and emerald and ruby and pearl nestled on soft velvet beds. The owners offered warm, broad smiles, answering questions and advertising their wares, but nothing stirred him.

A heavy emerald necklace caught his eye. The strings of pearl looping each heavy jewel together reminded him of the pearled wes collars, but with bigger, bolder jewels so grand they could dominate the owner. Rhebekka's image immediately came to mind and he could see her boasting the piece with absolute splendor. Remembering the girl's taste in jewels, he settled on a set of simpler silver earrings with dangling emeralds instead: simple enough to not interfere with her work, but brilliant enough to compliment the emeralds of her eyes. A perfect congratulatory gift for her first child.

Now what would Timaeus like? He fiddled with the two bracelets in his pocket, and after a quick debate, slipped them back on his wrists: gold on the right, silver on the left. Immediately a wave of comfort and culpability swept over him. How many gifts had Timaeus given him since their wedding, both customary and out of affection? And he had not even thought of it until now?

Resolved, he handed the seller the coins and doubled his efforts. He browsed the displays, scanned the endless rows of metals and jewels, but nothing of the unique designs or patters peeked an interest. Least nothing that would qualify as a sahib gift.

He groaned when he reached the end of the plaza. Just as he was about to descend the steps, a simple stand caught his eye. It was so small and wedged between the stairs and the pillar, he almost missed it, but the smoke from the back forge was strong in the air, and there was a heavy clang of metal striking metal.

Curiosity piqued, Yugi scanned the small display stand and his eyes bulged. Metalwork, more intricate than any he'd seen in Kemet or in the upstairs plaza, glittered silver in trapped starlight, highlighting every detail. First, a bronze sparrowhawk with jeweled topaz eyes, wings spread in flight and every feather visible in the curve of the metal. Then, a locust-like creature—a cicada, Yugi recognized—so real and life-like, Yugi jumped back with a squeak; only its domed, jeweled eyes—two shiny black jet beads—betrayed the illusion. There were others as well: a curled, rainbow-winged serpent of tarnished gold; silver flowers with jeweled hearts so real and delicate, Yugi feared they'd wilt with a single touch; and other shapes and objects Yugi did not recognize. He was nonetheless appreciative of the detail and the skill and time such talent must've taken.

"See anything ya like?" came a burly voice thick with a maritime accent.

Yugi met his eyes. Despite the intimidating cords of muscle rippling up his arms and chest and the unkept mop of frisky brown hair, his gray eyes were bright with boyish charm, and his smile was sweet. "Made everythin' myself, here right in the forge."

"They're…outstanding!" Yugi praised after struggling to find a word that could do these works justice. He ran his hands over the sparrowhawk, the coiled serpent and, after some hesitation, the cicada. His fingers grazed every detail, every crevice, every line, finding delicate details but strong surfaces. "I've never seen anything so breathtaking." He did nothing to hide the awe in his voice. "It's like they're alive."

"Thanks, laddy!" the man beamed. "I take pride in m'work and it shows in me pieces. In fact..." he disappeared back into the forge and returned a moment later with a tray in his gloved hand. "Made these little 'uns fresh this morning!" he boasted, displaying his art with an almost paternal pride.

Yugi drank in their details, eyes widening as they fell on one item in particular: a stunning silver dragon head in profile with fin-like ears, a plated neck, and powerful, intricate scales woven and worked in metal. A single glittering green emerald served as its eye with a tiny black slit. Between its protruding fangs was a silver sword, its hilt and base encrusted with tiny emeralds. Though its size was no larger than his palm, its intricate workings were so splendid, so graphic, so real that Yugi half-expected the beast to speak to him. Drawn to it by some strange magic, he slid his fingers across it, around its horns and fins and spines and edges, and found a clasp at the back.

A brooch, it struck him, like the kinds Timaeus used to clip his mantle in place, but he could recall none of such splendid craftsmanship.

"How much for this one?" The maker listed a price. Yugi made no effort to haggle it as he did to the earrings. Such a piece was worth each penny.

He was just ready to leave when a second piece caught his interest. "What's that one?" he asked, referencing another palm-sized brooch of intricate detail, but unlike the others its base was a smooth circle.

"Ah, the Magister's crest," the smith smirked. "Good eye, laddy."

Yugi's eyes widened. "I thought the enthroned couple was the crest?" Yugi asked, recalling the silver medallion hidden beneath his hood.

"Aye, that's Locri's crest," the smith explained. "Symbol of the West long as anyone remembers, but the Magister's crest changes with each new Magister. Once in a while the ol' one just don't quite fit, ya see? If that's the case then emblem be changin'. It's not so uncommon," he said with a wink.

And what an emblem it was, Yugi thought, wild with wonderment. The silver brooch boasted a deep blue field upon which stood a magnificent, fearsome beast: reptilian and quadruapedal with a long, lethal tail and so massively winged, Yugi could only describe the creature as a dragon from myths across the Great Green. Its beautiful turquoise scales shifted between green and blue like the waves of the ocean, and between its fierce fangs was a sharp, silver sword. Most impressive about the beast was its eyes: one, a sharp, shiny emerald, the other a clear, colorless opal with a deep slash across the whole eye like the mark of an enemy. Surrounding the great, green beast was a ring of five mountains. Bordering the whole masterpiece were words embedded in the silver: I am the wind. I am the mountain. I am the Eye.

"I'll take it," Yugi said decisively.

Pinning it in place, the smith holding up a silver-looking clasp. Yugi never felt more like a true Magistrate then he did in the moment. Both presents secured in his pockets, he slid down the steps to the Sister of Cloth, eager to find a matching shawl or cloak or mantle to wear with the brooch—and when he saw Timaeus again, he would be wearing only that shawl and that brooch.

X X X

The dazzling displays in the dressmaker's shop caught his eye immediately. There was a sophisticated royal blue day dress smartly trimmed with a black color. A flowing silk gown of stunning scarlet, the skirt pooling between a thigh slit and long bell sleeves, reminded him of the one he'd worn on The Eye, but this one had a gold belt embroidered with violet thread in swirling flame patterns. Draped elegantly over a chair, a sumptuous fur cloak, silver like moonlight with glistening chains across a lavender collar, dominated the collection of caplets, mantles and elegant shawls and beckoned him to try it on.

On display, also, a long flowing gown of the deepest purple puddled at the feet of its display cage, smartly set off with mesh sleeves in a lighter purple color with dramatically long trains billowing beside it. Imagining how brilliantly it would bring out his eyes, Yugi realized with a shudder of delight that it was just the sort of thing a Magistrate would wear when entertaining guests: humble enough for royals, but making it perfectly clear who was Mistress. Memorizing the color and designs for Mai, his preverbal vision caught another gown of the deepest blue and purple offset with a belt of thin, dangling silver chains and a tear-shaped jewel embedded in the valley between the bosom. Its skirt hiked up to the thigh in sweetly sensual ruffles. He could just imagine Timaeus' fingers teasing those folds; he was still fantasizing when a crowd started gathering by the next store.

His curiosity overpowering his enthralment with the wonderful gowns, Yugi wiggled through the crowd of taller onlookers and gasped at the size of the massive spinning wheel the seamstress was sitting beside. She was not an old woman—still young enough to find a husband, in fact—but her gaunt fingers worked the wheel and wove with the expertise of someone twice her senior. At least three apprentices sat beside her, working the weavings into spools, and two more crafted stunning fabric from the bobbins already full.

And what magnificent bolts they were, Yugi discovered, admiring the rows and shelves and open bolts draped across the parlor couches for clients to inspect: stiff gold that glistened different colors like iridescent beetle wings; wobbly twists of stiff baroques; purples of all shades shot through with gold; and deepest and palest blues stitched with silver so bright it shimmered as if moonlight puddled the cushions. There were rich, warm furs, some white as clouds glittering with the lightest of blues, and others a bright rusty red decorated with flashes of black and brown or spotted all over with rosettes. There were even blue-green velvets that reminded him of the sea at dusk, fantastical fabrics embroidered with moths, butterflies, flowers and ferns, and beautiful foggy grays that rippled like smoke.

One of the seamstresses grabbed it and began laying it out, her cuts careful and precise so as to not waste a single scrap. Yugi's eyes wandered over to watch another woman sketch pillowing skirts, cunning capes, sashes shot through with threads of gold, and salacious stomachers—as he learned the belts were called—stitched with fantastical creatures and embedded with jewels.

How was it all possible? The question escaped his lips as a breathless whisper.

"Trade, love," the sketcher answered. So he had asked the question out loud. "In the hills, there are mines in the forests and in the mountains. There are beasts who shed every summer. Some of it even comes from our sister providences or from our oversea neighbors, but they all come from somewhere."

He listened, fascinated. Again, his eyes wandered to the magnificent plethora of colors and fabrics and styles so dramatically different from the white linens and furs of his former home.

Eyeing the way his eyes kept darting to one in particular, the sketcher flashed a look to one of her associates and gestured with a nod. She put down the bobbin wheels and fluttered over to the boy who'd yet to take his eyes off the fabrics and dresses.

"See anything you like, love?" she asked.

He nodded. "I…my friend is a Seamstress, and…" he paused, seeming unable to voice his desires without fear of offending them. "Maybe you know her? Mai?"

The women all stopped—even the Seamstress at the giant wheel. "You know Mai?" she asked, a youthful, girlish brightness coming to her face.

Yugi nodded, then jumped when the girls shrieked. "Of course!" the seamstress danced. "She's honored us with her business for many a year, and we provide her with only the best quality! You choose whatever you like and we'll see she gets the fabrics by dusk!"

Yugi's entire face heated up under her stare. "Oh, no, it's fine, really. I only wanted a caplet, or a mantle or—"

"We make those too!" the girls chimed in. One of them held up the stunning violet dress he'd been looking at earlier and another held the white fur with the silver chains and violet collar. "Are these the ones you were looking at?"

"Oh, they would look stunning together!"

They truly did, now that Yugi thought about it. He truly hadn't thought to buy them, but looking at them now, if he tried them on and liked them even half as much as the one Mai had made for him, he truly would never take them off. The thought of how stunning the brooch he bought would look offset with the lavender collar and what Timaeus would think of him in them…

He blushed, nodded, then quickly added, "I think the cloak's a bit much though…" He felt embarrassed.

The seamstress waved the lovely garment away and instead returned with a similar design: the caplet was shorter, better suited to his shorter frame, the fur less thick but plush beneath his fingers, and the velvet of the collar was the same deep violet at the dress. All it needed was a proper brooch. "Shall we try it on, then?" she asked with a smile.

His entire body burning with pleasure, Yugi nodded and allowed himself to be whisked away.

In the end, he did end up with both the caplet and the dress; he was prepared to pay a pretty penny for both, but once he'd explained his hopes of surprising his husband with them, the grinning seamstress offered him the stunning cloak for free. Alterations would have to be made, of course, but the girls giggled and assured him they'd have them complete within the hour and would be more than happy to send them to Mai for him. He'd been so grateful he offered them both a generous bonus in the form of a jeweled ring each—he had no need for them after all—and the sight of their eyes glittering with gratitude was all the praise he needed.

Reaching the edge of the square, he prepared to cross the bridge to the Sister of Paint and Song, when a final glance about the magnificent market stopped him in his tracks. Just adjacent to the bridge, a shop sporting large glass windows filled with feathered paper-mâché adornments and complimentary costumes caught his curiosity. It took him all of three seconds to recognize.

It was a mask shop.

Again I had a LOT of fun writing this chapter! I actually wrote it in stages and then ended up redoing several parts. Originally i debated adding another scene with Otogi, Ryou and Malik looking for him only to arrive too late but decided to hold off on it. Also the next chapter was meant to be included but as it would include a lot of culutral references and shocks i felt it would serve better as its own chapter...which means this story will have more chapters than I thought but i'm not complaining ;) I hope you all enjoyed Yugi's shopping trip...I wonder if Timaeus will like his "present" ;)

NEXT TIME: More culture shocks abound as Yugi ventures into a Mask shop and learns the rather explicit purposes behind Locri's costumes and gets a lesson on culture, custom and mythology.