A bit of shopping|Autus

[Darastrix]

Hat-ib wandered the streets of Autus a bit aimlessly. She'd not been called on much yet this winter, thank the Forces, but the lack of patients to had given her some extra free time, so she'd decided to do a bit of shopping for herself.

Of course, I haven't the slightest idea what to buy, she thought, pulling her light shawl around her shoulders a bit more tightly. Hat-ib wasn't much in the habit of buying things for herself, but with the flowers of Autus in hiding until spring, she was feeling the need for something, well, pretty.

As she passed the various shops, peering in to look at their wares, a sparkle in the next shopfront caught her eye.

"Oh..." she breathed softly at the beautiful crystalwork she could see through the window. She felt things this pretty would undoubtably be expensive, but it didn't cost anything to look, right?

She tapped lightly on the door, not wanting to just walk in just in case the shop was closed or the shopkeep was busy with something. She always hated to feel like she was intruding. "Excuse me," she called. "Are you open?"

[Deleted]

It was winter again, and Shion had found himself settling into an easy rhythm of living once again, lulled by the sleepiness of the world. Now that he had a pet, however, he had to avoid his usual near-hibernation in order to make sure Don Reacher got the care he needed.

Of course, the raccoon could forage for himself, and he was smart enough to take care of himself, but Shion felt guilty if he couldn't look after his new friend.

Reacher was currently fiddling with a concentration ball, looking at the shapes and shadows made as the "toy" sparkled in the pale winter sunlight. Shion smiled sleepily at his friend and petted the 'coon's head just as someone rapped on the door.

"Excuse me, are you open?"

"Certainly, please come in," Shion answered, looking up, and his eyes widened. Goodness, isn't she cute, he noted when he saw the lovely lady outside, and quickly straightened up.

[Darastrix]

Hat-ib opened the door and stepped inside, smiling a bit at the shop's owner before ducking her head so that her long hair could hide her blush. She was always so shy around strangers, especially men.

"Hello," she said softly. "I saw your wares through the window and wanted to take a closer look. They looked so lovely...." As she spoke, she shifted her gaze to the crystalwork, and raised her head to stare in wide-eyed delight at all the sparkling pieces.

[Deleted]

"Please, feel free to browse and handle the merchandise," Shion said with a little bow. "A great deal of my work isn't fragile. Are you looking for something in particular?"

[Darastrix]

"I'm not sure," she replied, moving to get a closer look. "I don't really have many ornaments, just vases mostly."

She tended to keep her home decorated with whatever greenery was in season at the time in a few well-loved vases and pitchers. As for decorating herself, she didn't, for the most part. She only had one bit of jewelry; a pair of pearl earrings that had belonged to her grandmother, and she wore them constantly.

I suppose it is time for me to have something new and all my own, she mused.

"I think I'd like something like a flower. I always miss them this time of year," she said. "It doesn't need to be big and fancy, just something that reminds you of spring. And not very expensive," she added with another flush.

Hat-ib wasn't poor, though the young healer would likely have more means if she was the type to insist on immediate payment and nothing but coin for her services. And the thought of spending a great deal on something fivolous just for herself was practically scandalous.

[Deleted]

Shion curled a hand under his chin, studying the woman carefully. Her coloring suggested she would look good with either dark blue or red, or something in some shade of white. And if she wanted a flower, he felt he should go with something other than a rose; roses were nice and all, but a bit cliché.

Maybe....

Nodding, Shion went for the far right side of his shop, looking at the jewelry hung over the bins of charms. Ah, yes! There it was. He plucked a fine silver chain from its hook and checked the charm: It was shaped like a flower called a water lily, made to look as though it was in full bloom, soft white petals spreading in layers around butter-yellow stamens. A "pad" of the palest aqua green was set behind it, looped over the chain.

Shion looked at Hat-ib again, decided butter-yellow might not be the best color, and put the crystal on his right palm, touching the Sign with a finger. The yellow was transmuted into a soft, translucent shade of pink, like sugar-candy, but not so obnoxiously bright. Much better.

Rather proud, the shopkeeper approached the healer and offered his prize. "What do you think of this one, miss?"



en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nymphaea_alba.jpg

[Darastrix]

Hat-ib remained blissfully unaware of the shopkeeper's scrutiny, her own gaze fixed on the myraid of crystal adorning the store's shelves. Her grey eyes were practically sparkling themselves as she looked at each piece, reaching out every so often to touch the crystal gently with her fingertips. Despite the owner's assurance that it wasn't all fragile, she would feel just horrible if she did break something, so she suppressed the urge to actually pick up any of the pieces she saw.

She turned her head towards him when he addessed her, and her eyes lit up when she spied the delicate-looking piece he was holding.

"Oh, it's beautiful," she breathed, moving forward to take a better look. "It looks just like a water lily. And I love that shade of pink."

[Deleted]

Grinning at his customer's pleasure, Shion stepped behind Hat-ib and placed the jewelry about her neck, the chain lying neatly on her collarbones and the pendant dangling enticingly above the woman's cleavage. "It is a water lily. Good eye," Shion explained as he fasted the clasp, and stepped 'round Hat-ib to examine how the jewelry looked. He nodded in satisfaction a moment later. "That does look very nice on you. Anyway, I'd be willing to sell it for ten coin," he added, "and your name."

His breath caught and he blushed, realizing what he'd just said, but he didn't take it back.

Reacher made a noise that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

[Darastrix]

Hat-ib blushed as he placed the chain around her neck and fought the instinctive urge to duck her head. He was, after all, behind her, so her face was hidden at the moment anway. Having someone standing so closely just made her feel so self-conscious. She was in close proximity to people frequently in her work, but outside her profession was a different story.

She clasped the pendant gently, feeling the cool crystal warm up against her skin as the shopkeeper secured the clasp, and tried to will the blush away. She lowered her hand when he stepped back around in front of her and kept her eyes hovering somewhere in the vicinity of the man's throat. The Water sign felt sure she must be as pink as the center of the flower, and tried to pay more attention to what he was saying than how close he was standing.

"Anyway, I'd be willing to sell it for ten coin," she heard, "and your name."

And my name?

A bit startled, she actually looked up at the man, and was surpised to see him blushing as well. Why?

"My name is Hat-ib," she replied softly, lowering her eyes again, this time to count out ten coins from her purse. "I'm a healer," she added, holding out her hand to give him her money.

[Deleted]

"Hat-ib. It's a pleasure to meet you. Would you happen to treat animals as well as people?" Shion questioned as he took the money, cool fingers brushing Hat-ib's. "I have a new pet," he went on, nodding to the raccoon. "That's him on the counter there; I call him Don Reacher. I'd like to know there's someone I can take him to in case of emergency. He's young and very healthy, but that still stands," the crystomorph finished, pulling up the hem of his large gray shawl.

[Darastrix]

She shivered slightly as their fingers touched, and found her face turning warm yet again.

Maybe she was right, Hat-ib thought, thinking back to a recent conversation with a friend. Maybe I do need to get out more.

"I'm not as experienced with animals as I am with people, but I never turn anyone away," she said, smiling at the racoon. He was so cute! "And healing water can help certain things whether you're human or not."

[Deleted]

"Excellent!" Shion exclaimed, and went to the counter to fetch ink and parchment. "Would you mind giving me directions to your office, then?"

[Darastrix]

"Not at all," she said, and began to give him directions to her home-slash-clinic, feeling more at ease. Telling potential patients where she could be located was a rather familiar experience. She actually didn't live very far away at all, maybe a ten-minute walk.

[Deleted]

Shion nodded in approval as he wrote the instructions down. Hat-ib's office was very conveniently located, which was reassuring. "Thank you very much, miss Hat-ib," he said kindly. "And thank you for your patronage. Please feel free to stop by any time you feel you need a little extra sparkle in your life."

[Darastrix]

"Thank you; I will," she said, fingering the charm lightly as she walked to the door. Before she reached for the handle she paused and turned back to look at him.

"I'm sorry," Hat-ib said, "but I don't believe I got your name."