A day at the markets of Jade
-- Jade City --
It's been an interesting morning, in the markets. A boy with broken Thari who has insisted his name is Washi (which Quina knows to mean "trouble" and seems unlikely to e his actual name) has insisted on acting as Quina's 'guide' around some of the more established shops. He's clearly confident she has no real Jadean, but speaks the local dialect with rapidity and loads of slang, just in case. This has proven no real barrier to the Chantris gifts, though, and over the course of the morning it's becoming obvious that a) Washi is not the orphan he claims to be but is the child (or grandchild) of someone the other shopkeepers call 'Grandmother Oni', b) There is some sort of deal with Grandmother Oni's family that Washi will lead 'his' foreigners to these particular shops and c) Something Bad has been happening with recent shipments. Prices have been jacked up a bit, even (so they laugh) for the lucky. (That is to say, those who are not brown, or otherwise foreign). Finally, the boy leads Quina to a tea-shop. Like all the places he's taken her, he insists it is the 'best'.
Like the good tourist she's supposed to be, Quina has played along with 'Washi's' insistance on being her guide. And it's certainly proven interesting as she listens to the locals speak as though she has no clue. That is, after all, the point. She dutifully peruses each shop, and even buys a few things here and there. Mostly, they're gifts for people back home. And all through being led, she's thanking the poor orphan so much for taking such good care of her. When the topic of the inflated prices comes up, she listens politely to the excuses, then asks "Why are things getting more expensive? There isn't any trouble getting merchandise, is there?" Of course, she's far more interested in what they say among themselves than in what the say to her in reply.
The tea shop has characters down the side of the door proclaiming it to be, in fact, 'Tea Shop of Wise Grandmother Oni', and inside it meets with expectations -- tea upon tea is packaged (mostly in bricks) in ornately labeled papers behind a counter and the smells of the combined, dry teas is prodigious and inviting. A few pots of brewed teas are available for sampling at the low 'counter' (which is against a far wall) with a young, elegently dressed woman to assist the patrons. There is assorted low seating, the most comfortable of which is occupied by a woman of late-middle years whose iron-streaked hair is up on a bun. She wears a simple garment of very expensive silk and has her feet up where they are being massaged by a pair of girls slightly older than Washi and younger than the elegently dressed woman tending the tea samples. (There are also other wares: a few very fine tea sets are represented by sample cups and trays). It is then that Washi is answering Quina's question in his servicably Thari. "Brown Lady ask Grandmother Oni." At the sound of her name, the woman having her feet massaged and groaning happily opens her eyes and glances around sharply.
Quina looks at the packaged teas, showing some real interest in them as they go into the tea shop. Of course, there's also nothing quite like the smell of a tea shop, and she smiles as she takes a long, slow breath to enjoy it. When Washi answers her, she looks curious towards him, and then around the shop. It's hard to miss the older woman reacting to her name, of course, and Quina smiles towards her and does the sort of respectful bow that a tourist would give who is trying to be respectful without really knowing what she's doing.
The old woman makes a dismissive grunt. Meanwhile, the young woman approaches with a very respectful bow. Her Thari is as genteel as her dress, breathless and soft, "May I help Honored Patron?" In the same sweet and genteel voice she asides to Washi, in Pengali that is better than that which Washi has been using all day, "Your feet are filthy and you smell of the fish stalls."
It is hard sometimes, to keep a straight face when some things are said that she's not supposed to understand. Quina does it well enough though, and bows back to the girl before saying "I'll certainly be buying some tea to bring back to Amber with me. Washi here also said that I should ask Grandmother Oni why prices seem so high. I've been hearing that they've gone up lately."
The young woman blink-blinks once or twice. "Of course, Honored Patron. I may help you pick a selection of the finest teas of Jade?" A murmured aside to Washi consists of, "You leave Grandmother Oni alone," she's whispering, perhaps hearing the old woman will not quite overhear, "She has been angry all day since she heard about Sea-Monk again last night." Aaaaand back to Thari to Quina, "grandmother Oni," she makes a gesture of utmost respect at the older woman, "Does not speak the Brown-speak."
Quina smiles. "That would be lovely. Thank you." she replies to the offer of help selecting teas. "I know almost nothing about selecting tea, but I have cousins who are very fond of it." Then, to the latter comment, "Ohhh." She purses her lips, then asks "Well, would one of you be willing to ask her for me, and translate? I'm very curious."
Meanwhile, Elegantly-clad one pours a small sample cup and holds it forth, "Please to try, Most Excellent and Delicate Jasmine Tea!"
"We have also Gentle Crysanthemum, and First Green!" Elegent offers oh-so-sweetly.
Old Grandmother Oni makes an impatient sound at one of the foot-rubbers and tells her, "You have the fingernails of an alleycat." In Penglai of course.
There are murmurs of apology from both girls.
Quina ohhs quietly to Washi's translation, though then her eyes widen a bit at the description of what she assumes is the thing called 'sea-monk'. "Really? No... There are giant octopusses. Er. Octopi? Whatever it is. Or just the one?" She plays up the clueless role she's assigned herself. There's another sip of the tea then, and she nods to Elegant. "This a very good. What is first green?" she asks then.
"One GIANT octopus called sea-monk," the boy starts to explain, "And souls of --" he stars to say something when Elegantly-Clad snaps in the SWEETEST and most breathless tones, in Pengali, "Shut up you gutter-devil before you scare my customer." To which Washi rejoins, blink-blinking cutely at her, "I am your brother, you withered old maid." His word for 'brother' has the exact meaning of 'second or lesser brother'.
Elegently clad mentions in so-sweet Thari, "The first-green tea is the rarest and most precious." She offers that cup next.
Quina looks from one to the other as they seems to be something going on. But, since it's all very polite, she seems to pass it off and looks back to Elegent. "I see... I'd love to try it." she says, then accepts that cup and has a taste. She hmms, then. "Not bad. Could use a little sugar." She figures that's sure to set them off. Back to Washi then, "A giant octopus. I hope it isn't causing too much trouble. Are there people out hunting it?"
Elegently-Clad's smile is frozen at the 'sugar'. "Perhaps Honored Patron," she attemps, "Would enjoy the sweetness of this most delicious flower-tea." In fact, it has flowers floating in the little sample-cup.
Grandmother Oni mutters, in Pengali, "Better than her real suitors."
She probably shouldn't have enjoyed that nearly as much as she did, But Quina has a harder time not chuckling when Elegant's face freezes. Of course, then the two have their little sibling 'thing', and Washi runs off. "Oh, dear. Is he coming back? I haven't tipped him yet." But then, she turns back and says "Flower tea? It sounds great." she says, then tries that one next. "Oh, very good."
Elegantly explains, "I am so sorry; what a stupid boy! He tells me he has gone to pray to the shrine of our ancestors to free him of the wicked spirits." She then Pushes Tea.
Quina hmms. "What a shame." she says, then turns back to look at all the teas. She does end up following Elegant's suggests, as any good tourist should. Then, packages in hand, she goes out to find Washi.
NPCs by yours truly