The marketplace was bustling with people, stands overrun with customers, vendors shouting over the humming murmurs. The temperature was hot with the sun beating down, sand fluttered through the air with the constant breeze. The striped blankets were hung over the aisles for shade, creating a wide array of colors on the ground. Pink, blue, green, red stripes lighted the paths, the people’s attire almost as brightly dyed. Women wore light, flowy fabric over their head and mouths, a covering called a mondjen, in order to avoid consuming sand, and the men wore plain, tan strips over their mouths that wrapped around their backs called a mondhur.
Three young women pushed through the crowd and entered the bazaar, a stone pavilion stood, a hand-crafted, patterned rug lay at the center and benches lined the edges. One of the three, who had a teal head covering, sat down and crossed her legs daintily, another, with ivory habutai fabric wrapped over her head, little beads hanging down upon the rim, took a seat beside her. The last, with a rose-colored mondjen, leaned against the pillar, her hands resting between her and the cool, shaded stone.
“This is where he said to meet?” The standing girl asked, hope glinting off her youthful eyes.
The one with teal looked around.
“Yes, this is the Jahab pavilion, is it not?” she answered.
“Ansu, don’t be so nervous.” The one with ivory reassured, teasing in her voice.
The one standing, addressed as Ansu, shuffled in place and sighed. She leaned back further and let her head rest upon the pillar. She rolled her neck and looked at her friends.
“Chel, what was his name again?”
The one in teal smiled with her eyes.
“Jaris Vellrich. He’s nice.”
“How did you meet him?” The one beside Chel asked, adjusting the ivory-colored fabric and pulling it back over her nose as a gust of wind blew past, rattling the golden beads.
“I’m not always tending to your mother’s needs, Lara, I have friends.”
“What, besides us?” Lara laughed. Ansu chuckled along but soon gazed off in the distance and walked to the middle of the terrace-like structure. She tilted her head back as she asked,
“Are you sure he’s interested in a low-class handmaiden?” She lowered her head in sudden shame.
“A handmaiden to royalty, I might add.” Lara spoke with a sly smile.
Chel rose and walked to her friend until she faced her. Placing her hands onto her arms, she looked straight into her dark brown eyes.
“Ansu, he’s a kind man, and you’re a beautiful girl. I’m sure he’ll come.”
A fine zephyr blew the air and with it came specks of sand. All three pulled their mondjens tighter and closed their eyes for protection.
“Miss Egelcrow!” a voice called through the gust. Lara blinked her eyes open and searched the crowds.
“Ah, Donfrid, what is it?” She replied, leaning forward to better hear his response.
“Your mother requested to see you.”
“A political meeting, my lady.”
Lara snapped her head to the side and gave an apologetic look to Ansu.
“It’s fine, miss Egelcrow, really.” Ansu feigned a smile and began to walk towards Donfrid. While passing Lara, she uttered, “A handmaiden must always follow her lady’s stead.”
Chel dropped her arms in mild frustration, but retracted and followed, nodding at the spoken rule. She was lucky her lady granted her these frequent evenings to accompany Lara and Ansu out into the market, and she certainly didn’t want to jeopardize her position. The old Seph from her younger years had made it quite clear the burden it had been to accommodate such a position.
“Come miss Egelcrow, your mother is waiting.” Donfrid repeated.
Lara’s eyes filled with guilt and sadness, but she soon stood, folded her hands in front of her waist, and ambled ahead. Once she was beside Donfrid, the two walked side by side into the bazaar, with Chel and Ansu following behind.
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An excerpt from my work in progress novel. Feel to message me if you ever have any questions about my characters or novel in general!
