Without wearing any mask we are conscious of, we have a special face for each friend.

[sapphira_ststep]

[Late morning of Saturday, February 20 (day 265)]
[Market on Main Street]

I have not seen the woman from last week, the one who was happier when she wore and bought my blue one. At least I am fairly sure I have not seen her; I do think I could place her again, mask or not. But that doesn't mean much, a young woman hiding in drapes of cloth not

Comments

[elanna_bailey]

Excolo. If there's one place I really had no intention of winding up again, it's here, wagon-full of milk and eggs and all those other daily requirements I thought Pa would handle forever. But now he's gone, and it's my job, along with all the debts he ever-so-kindly left for me to pay back. God knows his creditors ain't going to find him where he's gone

[sapphira_ststep]

"Morning," and I look up to see a man stopping by the stall, looks familiar and seems content enough and I smile even before he says "These are nice." Most men aren't so simple about it, start by making jokes about things they could be in the masks.

"Thank you," I say, "and good morning." I've seen him here before, selling fish, and he looks too content to be leaving early over any of the trouble from a fortnight back. I set down the little knife I am using to carve and stand to hold out my hand. "Business went well, this week? I'm Sapphira--I don't think we've actually met, yet."

And the people in the market move on about as quickly as the clouds (although with more variation in direction, it's true), and there's a wagon clopping its way to a halt in front of the stall, and a young woman looking down at my wares as if I were selling soap bubbles, or perfumes. Manages a "Mornin'," when I see her looking.

"Good morning," I answer back--young thing, with something I would not call a sulk about her, but oh, not content. Enter

[elanna_bailey]

I nod. "Fine, thanks. Yeah, the wagon was my Pa's -- Old Bailey? Did the milk run pretty much forever."

The masks almost shimmer in the winter morning as the sun pops out for a moment from behind the clouds. They're pretty, I can't deny that. But when in the world did Excolo get big enough to support something as specialized as a mask-maker?

I shake my head and extend my hand, even if it means pulling it out of the toasty warmth of my jacket. "Sorry. Manners running away from me again. Name's Elanna. I'm Old Bailey's daughter, if you knew him."

[nunaunet]

Girl on a cart talks right ovah me. Townies.

"Business went well, this week? I'm Sapphira--I don't think we've actually met, yet."

"Pretty good, ayuh. Nu," I say, an' shake her hand. "Fishmongah while I'm at market. Othah things the rest of the time." Smile a bit. Then the girl's introducing herself as Elanna, an' the way she links herself to some guy like we should know who he is - townie, alright, longtime, no doubt. "Morning," I say to her as well, bit pointedly.

[sapphira_ststep]

Introduces himself as Nu, and he's got a pretty way of talking; a softer accent, reminds me of home, and of course that reminds me of all the weather I'm not getting here. "Fishmongah while I'm at market. Othah things the rest of the time," and he smiles a little.

"You're staying over the river, aren't you?" and that's a bit softer, because I'm sure he's staying with the Carnival and I'm not going to say that. "I imagine that just mongering fish would get boring after a while," I say lightly. "What else d'you do, don't mind me asking?"

"Sorry," the young woman on the cart says, offering her hand. "Manners running away from me again. Name's Elanna. I'm Old Bailey's daughter, if you knew him."

"Sapphira St-Stephens," I answer, taking her hand. "If he drove the wagon before you, I think I've seen him. But that's all; with the winter I haven't been really getting into town except on weekends, you see--" And bon dieu, I nearly missed the detail in that line, knew rather than know. "I hope taking over hasn't given you much

[elanna_bailey]

I nod to the other man surveying the masks. "Morning," I reply. I can't help but catch the tone in his voice, but, hell, you can't please everyone. Sounds like he's not from around here in any case. So many damned new people that I have no idea who anyone is anymore. Go away for four years, and they change all the furniture on you.

"Sapphira St-Stephens," says the masked woman. "If he drove the wagon before you, I think I've seen him. But that's all; with the winter I haven't been really getting into town except on weekends, you see-- I hope taking over hasn't given you much trouble."I bite back the first words I want to say and count to five. Shake my head. "Nah, no trouble. Nothing I can't handle, anyway." I still feel the dirt on my hands from digging the grave on Wednesday, feel the calluses from the shovel's grip and the ache in my arms from the still-frozen ground. Doesn't matter. People who didn't know Pa won't care that he's not here anymore

[nunaunet]

"You're staying over the river, aren't you? I imagine that just mongering fish would get boring after a while. What else d'you do, don't mind me asking?"

Appreciate her discretion, ayuh.

"Fish themselves ain't dull work," I say. "Fine sort of trade. Can't all be tradahs in fancy things, you ken?" I say, raising my eyebrows at her. "That sort of thing's a privilege. But ayuh, I keep busy with all sorts. Attend to mattahs of sex an' begetting," I say. "From cock rise to birth, you could say." Grin.

"Speakin' of business, I've got some of my own to take care of."

"Bye now," I say, an' look at Sapphira.

"Not very chatty, the new milkmaid," I say. "How long you been trading in town?"

[sapphira_ststep]

"Fine sort of trade," Nu says about the mongering, and then with a raised eyebrow, "Can't all be tradahs in fancy things, you ken? That sort of thing's a privilege," and I dip my head. Fair to say, I suppose. "But ayuh, I keep busy with all sorts. Attend to mattahs of sex an' begetting. From cock rise to birth, you could say."

"Root to fruit," and I grin. There's work there'll always be a call for, any town worth the name. "A decent trade, and maybe a touch more useful than mine."

And Elanna's words are "Nah, no trouble. Nothing I can't handle, anyway," and in the biting tension of her jaw I can read a truer story. Oh, poor thing. And she makes the sort of rote polite noises everyone does at the end of a conversation, but she adds "Speakin' of business, I've got some of my own to take care of," and I nod.

"I understand," I say gently. Especially if she's new to the business that used to be her father's. "Come back when you're done, if you like," I say. And when she is gone Nu and I exchange looks.

"Not very chatty, the

[nunaunet]

"A decent trade, and maybe a touch more useful than mine."

"Wouldn't want everything to be 'bout utility, now would we?" I say, an' smile at her. "But I like what I do, ayuh."

"I think she's had a hard time of it lately," Sapphira adds, and I snort.

"Can tell that; she ain't used to the job, or least she ain't done it for a while. But you'll forgive me if I ain't got the most patience for rudeness right now. Been a hard wintah for most of us, this yeah."

"I came in back in October," I say, smiling. "And par chance there was a masquerade the next week. That rather helped. It's been quieter since, though." I shrug, not really minding. "It seemed like a place to winter, and a quiet place to work as long as I come in maybe once a week. And you?" "Oh ayuh, heard 'bout that party. Couple of girls from the Lot went along, had a real nice time. An' as for me, I been selling fish heah a couple of months now, since business got slowah elsewhere. Got a way with fish most don't in wintah, so I may as well use the skill

[sapphira_ststep]

Nu sees it too, Elanna not being new, but... "But you'll forgive me if I ain't got the most patience for rudeness right now. Been a hard wintah for most of us, this yeah."

"I'd heard some of that," I say, softening my tone. "I do hope it improves for you, if you're going to be staying around." And I would like to know why they are staying around, why they did long enough to get snow-locked into this town, but I suspect that at best that's a sore point, so leave it be.

"Oh ayuh, heard 'bout that party. Couple of girls from the Lot went along, had a real nice time."

"I ran into the man who arranged it, a while back," I say thoughtfully. "I don't think there's another in the offing anytime soon, but..." Grin a bit and wave one hand in a you-know gesture. "Guest at someone else's table and open doors, worse things that could happen."

"An' as for me, I been selling fish heah a couple of months now, since business got slowah elsewhere. Got a way with fish most don't in wintah, so I may as well use the skill." He catches the weight

[isidore_excolo]

The androgyne looks around at me. They must have a good sense of things, though I wasn't trying hard not to be seen. The maskmaker sees me too and raises a hand, before going back to her conversation.

I make my way over to them, slowly, taking time to stop and look over the goods on display as I pass. I might even consider buying a mask from the woman selling them. I've had cause to use them in the past, and to good effect.

"Good day," I greet them when I pass near. "Do you both do well?"

The person is large, and her posture is unfriendly. I had worried about the feeling of the town towards me, given the role I played in the riot, but the shame of it has given people cause to forget. I did not wear my chain today, just my robes, and despite my dagger I must look more a monk than a warrior.

[nunaunet]

"I do hope it improves for you, if you're going to be staying around."

"Say thank ya. Yoah mouth to heaven's eahs, as the saying goes."

"Settled in but more out of town than in. Talked to a few people, though. I met Will over the river, a month or so back. Generous man."

"Can take time to dig into a place like this, ayuh," I say. "An' glad you like Will. Then again, not many as don't like him. He's one of those types."

The warrior monk comes on ovah to us an' makes nice. Look at him thoughtfully.

"Morning an' thank ya well," I say back to him. "Brothah...?"

[sapphira_ststep]

"Yoah mouth to heaven's eahs, as the saying goes," and I rap the table with my knuckles, quick and light. And smile over Will and then the old man's coming over, and I smile to see him looking at my masks.

"Good day," he says, calmly polite. "Do you both do well?"

"Morning an' thank ya well," Nu answers, and yes, I do like listening to him talk.

"I do," I say cheerfully, "and hope the same for you." Catch Nu's asking after his name, and offer a hand. "Sapphira St-Stephens," and I'm smiling.

[isidore_excolo]

"Morning an' thank ya well," the androgyne greets me, their dark eyes peering keenly into mine. "Brothah...?"

I smile, not at all displeased for being mistaken. "Isidore," I say, and I take the maskmaker's hand. "I'm pleased to meet you," I say to her, and then look back at the androgyne. "And yourself as well," I add.

They have an air about them - not of a priest, exactly, but a presence that makes me wary. "It's good to see the town going about its business normally," I say casually.

[nunaunet]

"Isidore," I say. "Good sort of name. Ain't it Spanish in the way back?" I hold my hand out. May be as I can feel something from him, ayuh. "I'm Nu. Town seems settled some," I say, "aftah all that went on. Saw you in the thick of it," I add, raising my eyebrows a little. "Good horse you got."

[sapphira_ststep]

"I'm pleased to meet you," he says, and I dip my head in acknowledgment and smile. "And yourself as well," he adds to Nu, and then there is matter of the riot, and--

"Saw you in the thick of it. Good horse you got."

"I don't know that I heard about that," I say, looking to Isidore and tilting my head. "I hope no-one was hurt too badly. And yes, I'm quite glad to see Excolo settling back to a quieter state."