[sequeena_rae]: 357.Chapter two - Kaya

Chapter two - Kaya

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"Kaya?" I questioned. The name sounded familiar, like a place from a dream. Or a dream of a dream.
"Kaya." The man echoed while shrugging off his cloak, it was warm here and very busy. People were rushing around as though they were in a hurry.
I followed suit, and took off the ragged shawl I wore. I turned my head from side to side, taking in every detail of the placed called Kaya.
"I'd say the first port of call is getting you some new clothes." The man said, leading me through the crowd, being sure to avoid two dwarves who were squaring up to eachother.
"But I don't have any money." I said. I didn't want to take any charity from a man that I had just met.
"I know." The man replied, dismissing my concerns with a wave of his hand. He talked no more to me as we walked and I took the oppurtunity to look around me.
To my left I saw a young girl...wait! An elven girl. She was surrounded by about three other elves, and they were chatting quietly. To my right I saw two men laughing loudly, a look of drunkness on their faces. Ahead of me were store galores. There were way too many to count. I had never seen so many in all my life. "Wow." I gasped out.
The man smiled and tipped his head to a few passers by, it seemed he was well known around here. "I notice that you have not asked me for my name, but I shall give it to you anyway. My name is Karn, remember it."
"Alright...Karn." I said with a nod of my head. I had been too impressed and taken in by the stores to ask his name.
Karn soon led me into a shop just off the main square. It was quieter here and by the amount of fabric there was lying around, I knew this had to be some kind of clothing store. "Miranda!"
A short red-haired woman came from a back room, a large smile on her face. She had glowing green eyes, and a spring in her step. "Karn!" She said happily, giving the man a hug as if they were old friends. "Who's the lovely lady?" She asked.
"Ah Miranda, this would be Amesis." Karn smiled down at me and I looked between the two, feeling intimidated.
"Nice ta meet 'cha hon." Miranda said with a wink. I instantly felt better, seeing the kind look on her face. "Well, what will it be today Karn?" Mrianda asked him.
"Some new clothes if you wouldn't mind Miranda. Some working clothes and some good clothes." Karn smiled and I began to wonder working clothes?
"Ah, I see." Miranda said. "Well then, come with me." She said as she began to briskly walk to a back room.
I followed her without question, leaving Karn to whistle some lively tune behind me.
Miranda picked up a few bolts of cloth, then placed the back down again, making room infront of a small mirror. "Come here." She said with a wave of her hand. I walked infront of the mirror as she began to measure me. She said a few things to herself, then wrote the measurements down on a piece of parchment.
I glanced down at myself and almost cried. I was so thin, pale and my clothes were hanging off me. How did it come to this?
Miranda placed a hand on my shoulder. "We'll getcha fixed up dearie." She said with a comforting smile. I couldn't help but smile back. "What do you think of this color?" She said, holding up a bolt of dark blue fabric. Smiling I nodded and reach out to feel the cool fabric between my fingers. "It's beautiful..."
Miranda smiled broadly. "Great! Then I'll make you a nice dress out of it." She said, placing it on a small table. SHe picked out a tough brown fabric, a light spring green, and black. I loved all of them, espicially the black. It was velvet, and very soft. Miranda smiled when she saw the look on my face. "You'll look lovely in it." She said. I smiled back as she picked up all the bolts in her arms, and began to head out to the front again. "Follow me!" She called over the bolts.
I followed her again, dazed and in shock, I couldn't believe that she was being so nice to me. Why?
Miranda made her way to the front, and placed everything on the counter. "Well Karn, I would say that it'll take me....about an hour. Two at tops." Miranda said with a nod.
It was then that I blurted out, "Why are you so nice to me?"
Miranda laughed. "A friend of Karn's is a friend of mine." She replied.
"Oh...Alright.." I smiled weakly, not wanting to make a further fool of myself. Karn placed a hand on my shoulder and began talking, something I was glad for.
"That's fine Miranda. I'm starved, how about you Amesis?"
I nodded my head vigorously. It had been days since I had eaten last. I smiled at the thought of food in my stomach.
Smiling slightly, Karn led me out of the shop and back into the crowded street. Some people stopped and stared.
I lowered my head when I noticed them staring at me. I hating it when people stared it me. It made me realize how differnet I was from other people.
However, it was soon clear that they weren't staring at me because of my appearance. Soon they began whispering and I could hear snatched words, it seemed Karn was an esteemed wizard. Wait, wizard? I glanced up at him in shock but he only smiled down at me.
I then felt small, being around someone so well known. But then I became almost happy. I knew a great wizard that everyone else held in high regard. That made me feel....special.
Smiling, I held my head proudly and walked much more confidently. This caused Karn to smile down at me and tap my shoulder lightly. "Well done."
"Thanks." I said, a small blush forming on my face. I was hardly ever praised, or complimented.
Karn nodded and said no more as we walked, which made me feel more comfortable, I was glad he hadn't said anything else about my state, I didn't know if I could take it. After a few moments we came to what looked like a small restaraunt.
The restaraunt was teeming with merry people, most talking and laughing with eachother. I had to practically glue myself to Karn or else I would lose him. We sat at a table near the back. A young balck-haired man came to our table. "What'll it be taday Karn?" He asked in a friendly matter.
"The usual please." Karn answered smiling, and unfolded his napkin neatly, laying it in his lap. "And anything the young lady wants." I glanced up in surprise, not really sure of what to say.
"Ah..w-warm water and whatever he's having. Please." I said softly, really not sure of what to get.
"Be right back." The boy said with a wink before heading off to get our food ready.
Karn studied me in the time it took for us to get our food, it seemed as if he was mentally measuring me up.
"Here we go." The boy said, setting the warm water infront of me, warm tea infront of Karn, and some weird kind of food infront of the both of us. "Enjoy." He said as he bounded off to some other customer.
Karn seemed to lose interest in me as he began eating, he seemed to be eating what looked like noodles, but they were moving. I watched fascinated as he speared them with his fork and only then did they go still.
"Ah..what is this?" I asked, pointing tothe noodle-like things with my fork.
"Noodles." Karn replied, as though it was obvious and continued to eat, but he didn't seem to notice that they were moving.
"But..they're moving." I said, jabbing at one of the noodles.
Karn glanced at me oddly for a few moments before he began to laugh. Setting down his fork, he waved his hand and spoke a few words in an odd tongue I didn't understand. Looking down I now noticed the noodles had stopped moving. "Stane!" Karn called for the boy who had just served us, still chortling.
The boy, now dubbed Stane came over. "Yes Karn?" He said. I watched the boy. He looked to be around my age, perhaps a little older.
"I see you have come on well with your magic skills." Karn smiled kindly up at the boy and shook his head. "But please, try not to use them on Amesis, she doesn't know of our ways. Though I admit, it was very good, you have learnt well Stane."
Stane smiled broadly. "Thanks Karn." he said, then turned to me. "Sorry about that. I thought that you might have known that they weren't really moving..they're just noodles." He said, giving me a warm smile.
"Oh, ah, it's alright." I said quietly, taking a bite of noodle.
Karn watched us both quietly and I began to feel uncomfortable, what was it with the staring?
After about thirty seconds of the uncomfotable silence, Stane left. I kept my eyes on my food.
Karn didn't seem to sense my discomfort, he just carried on with his food and talked to me as if he'd known me all my life.
I listened, nodded my head at the appropiate time, and tried to understand what he was saying.
"...And that was the beginning of the Goblin wars." Karn finished, wiping his mouth with his napkin.
"That was...so interesting.." I said, taking another bite of noodle. Please say thats all he has to say. I silently pleaded.
Karn smiled happily at me and I couldn't help but feel a little guilty.
"Ah..well, what happened next?" I asked, as if trying to make up for lying.
"Then the girl I was telling feel asleep in her plate of noodles." Karn smiled kindly.
I felt my face grow hot, so I looked down and ate more noodles.
Karn chortled happily which made me blush even further. "Come now, I know that history isn't the most interesting of topics."
I nodded my head-that was true. "Karn.." I said. "Is Kaya as big as Re`lore?"
Here Karn grinned and I sat back in my chair, a little worried. "Much, much bigger."
"It..is?" I said, suprised. Re`lore was the largest kingdom above land.
"What was the first lesson I taught you before coming here?" Karn asked, seemingly studying his nails carefully.
"Things aren't always what they seem?" I said, trying to remember. So much had happened since we came down to Kaya.
"Well, it was appearances can be decieving but I suppose that works." Karn murmered thoughtfully. "Maybe I should use that.."
"Oh, sorry.." I mumbled. I have to learn to pay attention I scolded myself.
"Why pay attention? Breaking the rules is always better." Karn tipped a wink at me. "But I must say it's not advisable."
"How did you?..." I said giving him a quizzical look.
"I have my ways." Karn answered mysteriously. "And now we must leave, it is getting dark."
I quickly finished the few noodles I had left, and stood. I looked outside through a window.
Outside in the market square sellers were hurriedly packing away their goods and buyers were quickly disappearing down the side streets out of sight.
"Come." Karn stood and gripped his staff. "We must leave. Keep safe Stane!" he called to the waiter, while gently steering me out the door.
Stane waved good bye as we left. I stayed close to Karn, not wanting to get lost.
"Lesson two." Karn said quietly, quickly leading me through the empty streets. "Never go out alone after dark."
I nodded my head as a few shady looking characters passed us, snickering as they did so.
"And never talk to strangers." Karn added lightly as we continued to walk and I soon found that I was becoming tired.
I nodded my head, I had heard all of this before. I blinked my eyes lazily, and yawned.
"Not much longer..." Karn murmered, patting my shoulder lightly. "Just around...Ah!" Smiling, he led me up to a large door. "Here we are, here we are. Open sesame? No, no, that's not it." Karn tapped his foot lightly. "Oh yes! Cheese nibbles."
I watched as a door seemingly appeared out of no where. It swung open. "Whoa.." I muttered.
Karn smiled at my reaction and gently led me inside. "Well, welcome to my humble abode."