In all honesty, this town wasn't so big. Being a bit lively came naturally from being a port, obviously. Of course, Melantriche wouldn't have known that. With the simmering red dusk came the shadows that lurked thereafter. There were hardly any children running amok anymore. No women, either, save for a few dodgy ones sashaying around on the arm of a sailor. There was one with auburn curls who winked at Melantriche as she passed, and the burly man with her guffawed throatily. Melantriche gawked. She tripped as she attempted to hurry her step, desperately averted her burning face from the whore's melon-sized bosom which looked fit to burst from her tight-pinned wools.
By the time that the pair returned to the main alley, it was even worse. The less savory stalls had opened up and there were crowds tussling against each other in enormous black waves. Melantriche was shoved numerous times, nearly jostled off her feet as she fought to break through the crowd, but Aegeus constantly bit at her heels, keeping her upright. She squealed as she was almost sure that among the rabble, someone had brushed their hand up her backside. Wave after wave they broke free, and the first thing she saw was Aegeus' block face staring disapprovingly down at her as if to say, this is what you wanted to see?
Aside from that, Melantriche and Aegeus' adventures in the market were relatively swell. To see all the things she'd ever eaten and used in one place, all at once was... a bit surreal, really. Not set on a clean wool cloth or perfumed but being made right there in front of her. It kind of smelled bad, the dust and the bloody slabs of meat and the thick stench of sweat building heavily in her nose. Some people sold items of wood like dinnerware and combs and grizzly statuettes. And then there were some stalls that were selling things like cloth and some sold big chunks of candlewax and others sold jewelry. The merchants waved them, exasperatedly as they shouted from the top of their lungs and when Melantriche passed by, she would find the products being thwarted into her face. Letting out a small cry of alarm, she'd nearly fall back on her butt if Aegeus weren't there to catch her. How curious.
"Young lady, who'd look like a goddess in the flesh with this necklace if not you?" The wooden-painted beads clicked in the man's grasp. "I simply insist that you try it on."
"S-sir, I'm only looking." The man shouted after her, but she was too busy hurrying away. They were such forward individuals, weren't they? More forward even than Belenus, those merchants. But it was normal to be accosted in the market, but that was scary too. Melantriche's face burned. Those beads almost slapped her. It was embarrassing, and—Gods on Olympus—this roiling flesh pit was so hot. She was aching to remove her shawl, but decided against it. Granted that she didn't exactly feel like she was being watched, but still...
The least she could do was get out of the street completely. It was a lot cooler in the alley, and how else was that old witch going to find them? But between the hustle and Aglaia, it was hard to select which was more favorable. Melantriche weaved herself between people, turned about. No sign of an alleyway anywhere. And here she thought it would be a lot easier.
"Aegeus... I think we've spent enough time around here—," but well, she wasn't paying that much attention to where he was. Well, it was his job to keep up with her, wasn't it? So why was it that no one around her looked familiar?
"Guh..." she turned this way and that, glancing in every direction. Not an Aegeus in sight. That's... peachy. Should she be panicking right now? It didn't come right away, but something thick and heavy began to slosh around in her chest as she stumbled through. She hadn't realized that the man's presence was somewhat of a reassurance to her safety. She just accepted it, probably because that's what was expected but... this is a bit new. Being completely alone, she means. Suddenly she wasn't feeling so confident anymore in her stride, which was slowly turning into barely a slither.
"Aegeus! Aegeus! Aegeus..." strange humiliation scorched her cheeks, as if she was drawing everyone's attention(even though who else isn't screaming in the market?) except for that giant bird brain. He was supposed to be with her. That was his job. Where was he right now, leaving her in lurch like this? Slowly, her voice became weaker and weaker till gradually she just didn't bother at all. Maybe this was her chance to make a break for it... for where? To where? She felt like a lost child crying for her mother. Maybe he'd actually just thought she wasn't worth the trouble and bolted, the miserable blighter. And... Aglaia could be doing the same. They did entrust her with the money, after all, didn't they? That probably wasn't the smartest choice. Oh dear.
"What made me think I wanted life to be interesting?" She gasped to herself as she walked. It seemed now that life was not at all exciting, just overwhelming. And scary. She could never be independent, and that wasn't something that could be helped! It just came out of being an Athenian.
Melantriche trembled nervously. She was alone...
Suddenly someone was shouting. Not the usual marketplace shouting, but shouting. Melantriche saw him, a filthy man with ashy fingers holding a goblet, stumbling not too far away, singing some old Athenian ditty.
"He walked his plank honorably—ack! Those dirty Spartans!
He sang glory and lands untold— ack! Those dirty Spartans!
A damsel awaits in his home— ack! Those dirty Spartans!
His beloved land of Athens— ack! Those dirty Spartans!
Weeping him goodbye-e-e!"
It was dreadful singing, and his cheeks were all hued with red. The poor fellow, he was perfectly drunk. He slammed into the one nearest to him, a member of a trading group with dark skin and there became a large splatter of beer over the front of his vest, and suddenly there was lots of yelling and swarming like a gathering of angry owls. It was almost like the toppling of dominoes, for before Melantriche could get away the person in front of her tumbled, and Melantriche's sandal caught onto the hem of her skirt—it all happened so fast, she started hopping, desperately trying not to slip. But an involuntary cry slipped through her lips and her arms thrust forward, trying to catch herself. She shut her eyes tight, her mind screaming, no!
So you can imagine that it was an even bigger shock to find the sudden presence of something grappling her elbows instead of the taste of dusty bricks in her face. Melantriche caught onto someone's hands—very beautiful ones, with smooth tanned skin and voluptuous tendons. She glanced up slowly.
The man was leaning wholeheartedly against the side of his stall to catch her. She hadn't noticed the stall before but it was there. He was swathed in a simple pale tunic but—Oh Gods—he was very blonde. Such golden hair, and his skin glowed healthily with the aura of a happy youth who spent his time outside constantly. He had such slim delicate features, his cheeks and his nose. He had crystal clear eyes that reminded Melantriche of a pair of aquamarine earrings her mother had showed her once. And at the moment, these ones were focused on her. He stared at her with such... pleasant surprise. He grinned, flashing the most perfect pearly teeth Melantriche had ever seen.
"Well, that is certainly a way to approach a honey stall, isn't it?"
Her face burned and she felt herself shrinking. The moment of her fall was replaying in her mind repeatedly, each more over-proportionate and humiliating than the last. How stupid she must have looked! Slowly, she stood up and wiped her face excessively, as if she could erase it—which is exactly what she wanted to do. But he still looked at her, though now in slight realization.
"Aha, it's okay, you timorous little thing. You didn't do any harm, and I'd rather a pretty creature like you than a drunk like that." He laughed with good humor—the most charming laugh she'd ever heard—but it made Melantriche all the more ashamed. He pitied her!
"O-oh no, sir. It's... it's all my fa-ult." She brushed herself off. Really, he was sure she didn't do anything to his wares? She checked the counter inconspicuously, and there wasn't any like he said. Just a board, wiped completely clean. Still, it felt only right that she do something. "Thank you v-very much! For... for catching me... uh," she stuttered over her words as she looked at him. Really, how was he so handsome? He must be some sort of angel... "wh-what sort of wares do you sell?"
He stared at her. "Honey, I think." He said quietly, in an almost amused voice. Melantriche flamed.
"Th-that's right, honey..." she eyed the strings of golden combs hanging above their heads. Daft brain, he told you that already! "I... forgot..."
"Yes, I could tell." He smiled. "Perhaps you're thinking of buying?"
"Yes." The words slipped unconsciously from her mouth and she flamed. "W-What kind do you sell?"
"Well, I haven't anything fancy. Nothing overseas. There's some combs that were collected here around Athens, but there are some from farther north, like in Thebes. Oh, but I'll tell you a secret." He beckoned her closer. "Around here, the more northward the honey is, the waxier." He shook his head, making a subtly repulsed face. "Not very good. It's westward that you want to look for. It's sweeter. And actually, I'm from Delphi. I can assure you personally that the honey there is the best." He winked secretively. Melantriche gulped.
"Erm, th-then is it safe to assume you're selling some of this Delphi honey?"
"Well, I'm a bit low, but I'm sure there's still some left. Would you like me to check?"
She nodded, and he did. While he was doing that, Melantriche allowed herself a breath. What a nice young man. A really nice, really handsome young man. Still, she felt so out of place talking to him. So unsettled. She felt as if she might combust if he stared any more at her. She felt her cheek with a finger. Too hot. Then it... probably showed, pale as she was. Uh oh. She flamed again.
"Ah, here we are." He stood up and turned back to her, a string of several bright drippy combs in his hand. They looked mouthwateringly good. The handsome blond man beckoned Melantriche forward again.
"Here, smell them." He raised them to her nose. She took a shy whiff of the stuff. It smelled light and flowery and fragrant, almost like when one broke a sugarcane in half. The man grinned. "Sweet, right?"
"Y-Yes, it's sweet... really sweet." Sweet like you.
The man's eyebrows raised. His mouth opened as if to say something, then closed. He made a pfft sound.
"How cute."
Melantriche's jaw dropped. "W-What?"
"Hm? Nothing, you're just cute."
She felt fuzzy. She never felt this hot, even when Belenis had confessed his love—well, thinking of him now made her feel bad. Really, what would he think if he saw her, getting so hot and bothered over some honey seller? Instinctively, a hand raised to her face to wipe away the sweat. Then it flew away. She jerked for her pack.
"H-how much d-do I owe you?" She sputtered nonsensically as she scrabbled for some coins. The man seemed to ponder this.
"Mm, well..."
Melantriche searched desperately through the contents, but she was stumped. There was only a blanket, some reserved water and some bread. But no money. She sweated. Why did she let Aglaia take the money? She glanced up nervously.
"I... uh..."
He snorted. "Let me guess: you're short on money?"
I don't have any at all. But she nodded, staring at the ground, feeling more ashamed than she could ever remember. Was honey even all that expensive? She must look so stupid. Melantriche cringed. It felt like she was standing there forever. Somehow she expected him to... what, explode into fury and chase her off?
She heard a sigh.
"Well, I guess there's nothing for it but to just give it to you for free.
Melantriche's head shot up. "Huh?"
The man shrugged. "Well, it'll crystallize eventually, right? Nothing I can do about that. And anyways," he lowered his eyelashes at her. "it's not often I get such cute customers."
"O-oh..."
"Really, don't get so flustered. Just think of it as a reward for entertaining me tonight."
Well, that's certainly a way to put it. A slightly shaking hand reached across the counter to take the honey before Melantriche felt a startlingly strong grip on her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin before whirling her head around.
There, hulking an entire 3 heads over her was Aegeus.
Yeah, still struggling with updates. But I got really inspired at the last part of this chapter so the next one should come easily.