CHAPTER 6: Opening day.
But no, now was not the time for that. She had no clear idea of how long this trip would take her. It would be wiser to save the vial for later on, perhaps at the halfway point. Tsavani puts the skooma back in her pocket and sits down leaning back onto the rock, shuffling her shoulders around to get into just the right spot so that the back of her body practically melded into the grooves.
Her paws swirled around on the grass and dirt, feeling the cool, thin blades brush between her fingers, with the dirt getting underneath her nails. She massaged her shoulder blades against the grooves of the rock, gently scratching the itches while chipping off tiny grains from the rock which rolled down the back of her clothes. The sun seemed to be shining today at a point specifically made for her, casting a shadow that wouldn't put sunlight in her eyes, yet the shadow cast by the rock barely stretched much further than her toes, letting the bright green grass gleam across the field.
Across said field, there were birds flying into and off it, with crows pecking at the bees pollinating the flowers and the worms & grubs poking up from the dirt. The clouds had started rolling in with the cool, brisk air flowing across the land. Tsavani felt calm. As calm as she had when she'd flop down on her bed after a long night of work back home. She's read a good few books that she'd left behind in her haste to pack up and leave the Skeever. Pondering on the tales those books led her mind through let her spirits drop a mite. Is the city of Markarth going to be able to bring back that familiar feeling of comfort after a hard day's work?
The thought bounced around in her mind, banging around, leaping, tumbling and crashing. It dampened her mood and lay doubts in her mind that even if she were to reach the city without a scratch, that she wouldn't be able to heal. These thoughts were broken when she spotted something over the hill. Shining in the sunlight, bobbing up and down, were three golden helmets, walking along the path up to the tent.
Tsavani crept up the hill just enough to get a better look, to see three armoured Thalmor soldiers stopping up at the tent. One of them stood beside Tun-lei to keep an eye on him, while the other two walked up to the siblings, talking to them about something Tsavani couldn't discern. She saw one of the two take out a small pouch and wave it in front of them. Za'sien waved his arms in disagreement with the soldier, making them put the pouch away. The one standing by Tun-lei held their right hand out to them. Tun-lei did nothing for a few seconds, before the soldier tapped him on his chest while raising their voice. Tun-lei reluctantly unsheathed his weapon and placed it in the soldier's hand. They stepped back, twirling around and fiddling with the blade. Tun-lei looked on in noticeable discontent at his weapon being flung around like a wooden toy. The other two soldiers called back to the third while walking off down the road, to which they followed, chucking Tun-lei's weapon off to the side, sending it rolling down to the riverside. The soldier jogs up to their fellows' sides while the argonian begrudgingly walked down to retrieve the rapier.
After the soldiers' heads disappear over the horizon Tsavani heads down to rejoin the rest of the group. "What were they all on about?" She asks Anjaya.
"They were searching for any suspicious travelers we've encountered. Apparently, something happened up at the Thalmor Embassy that stirred a ruckus amongst the higher-ups." She responds, pulling out a collection of necklaces and laying them on the empty corner of the ground tarps. "I'm surprised they didn't pester us about the wares like they usually do."
"You wouldn't happen to know what's caused such a stir? No word of mouth from neighbours before you left?" Murzush asks Tsavani after creeping out from behind the tent.
Tsavani pauses for a bit before speaking as both their eyes lock. Murzush wasn't giving any kind of judgment upon Tsavani, but nonetheless still raising suspicion. Tsavani couldn't help but let out a hint of worry in her expression, though she soon took a deep breath and responded in a calm and confident manner.
"I heard whispers of rumors and suspicions coming from a few townsfolk, yet I didn't bother to inquire further. I was in a bit of a poor mood that day."
"Aye? Well, what did you hear, if anything?"
"Just that there may or may not have been unusual activity amongst some of the guests at the embassy."
"Hmmm...yeah, okay then." Murzush says with a smile that didn't quite sit right with Tsavani.
"Doesn't matter now, let's just forget about it and make some sales!" Anjaya chirps up.
"It always matters." Tun-lei starts up. "Those pricks wouldn't be bothering us had the empire even a smidgen of a backbone to them."
"And what? Are you gonna personally march up to Tullius and give them a good kick in the pants?" Anjaya snaps back, making even Tun-lei seem surprised. "Tun-lei, if anything is to change in this war, it's not going to come from the likes of us, so just tuck your tail in and try and manage to your best."
"I can never just be accepting of how this empire is acting!"
"Would you rather take your complaints to Ulfric then?" Murzush pipes up. "You think he'd be the type to give any of us anything much better?"
"Wouldn't be any more damn elves at least." Tun-lei grumbles under his breath planting himself on the ground.
"Still, let us all just sit and wait for customers. I reckon the wight of some coin in your pockets will shut us all up for a bit." Za'sien says.
The sun flew across the sky ever so slowly for the next hour or so as Tsavani had felt like the snails crossing an entire house's floor were getting more out of the day than them. There was a little black bird who hand landed on the other side of the footpath that Tsavani was staring at. The bird hopped along the dirt, then it stopped, looked down at the soil and spotted a worm slinking between the blades of grass. The bird hopped towards it and pecked down at the worm, poking into the dirt, splashing specks of it around. The worm was quick to react though, and it dug itself deep into the ground and disappeared. The bird spread its wings and flew off with no food. Tsavani wishes in this moment she could be as entertained as that dinner-less bird.
"How long does it take until the customers show up?" She turns to ask Anjaya.
"Not on a schedule, I'll tell you that. I'd imagine you'll have to be more patient that you usually would at your previous job." Za'sien butted in before his sister.
"Yes...but still, how long does it usually take for you to get customers?"
"Well," Anjaya interjects, "-on days like this and on the open path in the middle of nowhere, it's only in the evenings that we see customers."
"Then why'd we open in the morning?"
"Well, it's a lot nicer to sit out in the open rather than cramped in the cart, and we still never know if the times of interest will change for us."
"Then what do you do in the meantime? Back in solitude there was almost always something I had to be preparing. I'm not used to just sitting around at work."
"Well then, how about we practice? Sell something to me." Anjaya says shuffling to her feet and standing in front of the tent. "Sell me something, my fair lady!" She says haughtily while curving her back and laying a hand on her chest, striking a silly pose like some pompous snob.
"Heh, well, uh...hello my good madam, can I interest in you in some of our fine wares?"
"It depends; what do you think I could want from you?"
"What? Well...Uh...We have some lovely necklaces on display here!" Tsavani says waving her hands over the selection of jewelery laid out in front. Anjaya's face scrumpled in an exaggerated fashion and she spurts out a response in comical disapproval.
"I am no simple starry-eyed buffoon you can sway with shoddy trinkets! I am a woman of class! I wish to browse your selection of literature!"
"Right! Right, now our books are...where are they?" Tsavani stammers turning to Za'sien in confusion upon her last word.
"Under the maps." Za'sien sighs before turning to his sister. "She's just here to cook anyway, why bother teaching her?"
"Just a bit of fun, worry-whiskers, and don't struggle or panic either Tsavani, it does the customer nor you any good, take your time to pull out the books." Anjaya says calmly to Tsavani.
"Here we have a good...hand-picked selection of books here. Have you ever heard of...The Wolf queen...volume 3?"
"Oh, you have the third? I have been DYING to read it, how much?"
"Oh, well, uh, how much?" Tsavani whispers to Za'sien.
"How much indeed?" He says smirking and turning his head away.
"Come now, make a guess and I'll tell you what it's worth after." Anjaya suggests.
"Well, we're...having a sale right now, and we're selling this volume here for...70 septims?" Tsavani worryingly says, which earned a snort and a chuckle from Murzush.
"Sell it for just under its average value: 35 septims." Anjaya says sitting back down and taking the book off Tsavani.
"My skills lie better with a ladle and pot. I'm not a saleswoman."
"Hey now, you did okay, and we rarely get customers who ask shit like: rEcCoMeNd Me A pRoDuCt." Za'sien jests.
"How much did your food sell for?" Murzush asks.
"You'll need to name a dish, madame. Tsavani responds, uttering that last word without much thought or re-thought, which took Murzush by surprise, but she caught on to her mistake with the look on Tsavani's face soon before responding.
"How much for a plate of troll intestines and pint of ale, chef?"
"I'd...w-what?"
"You don't sell the good stuff? Pity, well, how much for a bratwurst then?" She asks, before Tsavani collects her thoughts and responds assertively.
"Twenty-two septims, ale included."
"Hmm, could be a decent bargain, though I'd still have to taste it to be sure." Murzush responds. Their conversation had seemingly ended at just the right time, as Tun-lei had tapped the side of the tent with his weapon and motioned his head towards a band of people walking up the path.