Noble had to admit, Mister Tailleur knew his trade well. After trying a few sets of clothing that didn’t quite meet the muster- shirts that didn’t quite conceal the machinery underneath, or held a bit too loose for his liking, a decision had been made; a dress blouse that hung just a touch, buttons up to the neck, plus a pair of black, hardy trousers that seemed equally at home on the road as in the city. Something he could live in, worst come to worst.
He felt a pang of guilt when the man insisted on a few more outfits free of charge, for being so patient with him. Noble rejected the offer, kindly, and the tailor looked so stricken that he’d ended up changing his mind.
Kenji had mentioned some sort of saying about mountains and how one could move them. Mister Tailleur was surely big enough to qualify, and Noble doubted even the greatest philosophers could resist his gentle kindness and strong-yet-soft demeanor.
… I really am spending too much time with the young lady, and her books.
A thought Noble considered then discarded.
Truth was, it felt good to act so human again.
“My thanks, my thanks,” he said, a friendly grin carved into his face, “and again, sorry about the trouble. You’ve got the feel about you, of someone who could model clothes.”
“It’s no trouble. I’ve got the build for it, is all,” was the only thing Noble could manage, trying not to find a kinship with the mannequins at the front. “Besides, I intend to pay you back in full- you may have taken my time, but I’ve taken yours too.”
“Oh please.” He brushed off the compliment with a swish of his hand. “This is how I always am- though I do appreciate it, my friend.”
“Dah- hey, Noble!”
Saila dashed out from the little storeroom, popping through the tightly packed clothes like a pink firebomb.
“Well look at you, little lady.”
“Oh, petite Suzette, you’ve done expertly!”
“Thanks, papa. I did m-”
“Can me and Suzy hang out?”
The tailor laughed heartily at her sudden outburst. “Ohoho, my Suzette is quite the charmer, is she not?”
“Wha-!?”
“PAPA!!”
More hearty laughter, the girls joining in in that awkward, teenage way.
Saila shook it off first and said, words spilling out, “Hey Noble can me and Suzy go like hang out and stuff if it’s okay I mean I figure we’re gonna be staying awhile and she could show me around and-”
“Of course, little lady- if it’s okay with her dad.”
The tailor wasted no time in agreeing with a heavy nod, adding “and make sure to bring her back before sunset, Petit Suzette. She and her lovely caretaker can spend a night or two.”
Noble did not attempt to protest that- a city this big meant expensive hotels, and the kindness of strangers was a valuable thing.
“Thank you thank youthankyouthankyou!” Saila shouted, as she shot out the front door, dress twirling in her wake, Suzette chasing after with a shout of “w- wait, I’m the one guiding YOU!”
Then the shop was silent, save for the gentle clicking of the clock.
A reminder of Noble’s meeting.
Mister Tailleur seemed about to say something, a heavy chuckle starting to grace his features.
“Well, I thank you kindly for the clothes, and the offer to stay,” Noble interrupted, the first time he’d managed such a thing this entire conversation, “but I’m afraid I’ve got a prior arrangement. If you could tell me the directions, I’ll be sure to meet with you afterward.”
“Of course, my new friend. And to cut you off in advance- there’s no trouble. My Suzy hasn’t been so chipper in ages, it is the least I could do.”
Ah, that’s it.
Noble thanked him kindly one last time, took note of where the tailor’s house was, and set off- he’d be a bit early, but it’d give him time to prepare.
He took a deep breath, made sure his mask was fashioned nice and tight, and rode off.
###
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Zarrhdad seemed to shine a different, brilliant hue when Suzette was the one showing Saila around. The streets were cleaner, the sights were brighter, the sidewalks softer on the feet.
Maybe it was just the benefit of Suzy being a local, and knowing the truly interesting sights. Maybe it was just dissatisfaction with the chintzy pamphlet she’d flipped through earlier. Maybe it was the obviously growing crush she had on Saila’s poor traveling heart.
“And here we have the Qurfa Markets, one of the smaller market districts. You can find food, spices, and even some really lovely textiles for dresses and the like! Cheap too, cheaper than the Makhmal Markets by far.”
Saila was certain it was all three.
The whirlwind tour of Zarrhdad had started by dashing past where her own store had been- in the Dhahab Markets, she’d explained- straight to here, down twisting sidewalks and foot-paths that only a local could find, slicing through their travel time. The world around Saila opened up into market stalls laden with baked goods and aromatic meats and beautiful silks and many other folk- some dressed in the finest robes and turbans she’s ever seen, some in heavy work clothes. It was a parade of sights that she’d somehow missed from her lofty perch on Matchsticks, and it all seemed more the vibrant for it.
“This is beautiful! Why doesn’t the crap pamphlet talk about places like this?!”
“Money, mostly. According to papa, an annoying man is working on establishing a ‘tourism’ board here, now that the war is ending.”
Suzette’s answer was whispered, especially the final part. Even in hushed tones her words held a sour note, so Saila let the answer hang before continuing.
“Well, it is beautiful. Should we uh, check out a store or too? Look at some fancy pens, maybe um, buy a book?”
“Pens? That’s- oh, yes. Yes! There’s a lovely book store just down the way,” Suzette grabbed Saila’s hand in excitement and ran, stars seeming to shimmer in her eyes.
Her hand’s warm…
The thought- the touch- locked Saila’s legs in place, nearly sending her falling as Suzette dragged her down the street with reckless abandon.
For her part, Saila was fine with this. Reckless was her favorite type of abandon, and the warmth of Suzette’s hand was a pleasant presence that mingled with her own pyromantic heat and the beating of the slowly setting sun.
She was a salamander after all, best to bask in that warmth and-
Hehehehe…
Laughter, echoing out from the base of her neck and through her nerves.
A knife-edge chill pressed against that comforting warmth, just briefly, then faded in a flash.
“Saila?” Suzette asked, excitement dulled by the tensing in Saila’s hand- something she only noticed with her words. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, sorry. Just, going a little fast. Let’s take it easy!”
Saila gave her the brightest smile she could muster, loosening her grip… though not letting go, to help reassure her newfound crush.
Suzette returned the smile, sweet and innocent. “Oh, yes, my apologies- and here I was telling you to slow down yourself. You’re right, you’re right- oh, and we’re here!”
She gave Saila a reassuring squeeze of her own, and hand-in-hand she led her into the book store.
Saila sighed in relief, masked by a deep breath. Whatever it was, Suzette hadn’t noticed- she’d just taken it as a desire to slow down, and maybe that’s all it was.
Things… are fine. Hell, maybe it was just, a bad vibe. Just nerves, or excitement or… something. Nothing serious…
But she kept an eye out all the same.
###
The fluttering sound of shuffled cards was like music to Noble’s ears- a somber tune, reminding of harder times that still held warm, gentle smiles within them all the same.
It was the sound that greeted him as he was quickly escorted to the gambling den at the back of the Hidden Truth, a heady aroma of cigar smoke and incense smoldering away, fighting against the filter on his mask.
In a room so dimly lit it was like the rest of the world had melted away save a faint orange glow glimmering off bottles of half-full whisky, three men awaited him.
A rotund fellow in a black suit that made him look more beetle than man, in a fitted bowler cap attempting to conceal thinning straw-blonde locks.
A doddering old man, laughing to himself through a missing-tooth grin, in shabby rags and wide straw sun-hat. He made even Noble feel over-dressed.
And shuffling the cards, rider-boots perched on the table, was a man in military gear- Felisian- with a wild ferocity to his autumnal hair.
All three wore masks resembling playing cards, concealing the upper halves of their faces.
… guess they didn’t need to offer ME one…
“Sit down boy- unless you aint here to gamble?”
It came from the card shuffling man, in heavily accented Felisian that marked him as a local who’d joined the winning side- and given the King of Diamonds across his mask, he wasn’t much of a team player.
“Not much of a player, though I do like to play,” Noble answered as he slipped into the open seat. “I take it you’re the King of these parts?”
He laughed- the old man, masked marked with a Four of Clubs, laughing with him. The suited gentlemen- a sorrowful Joker- seemed to grow tense.
“Could say that, friend. King ah Diamonds, and all that glitters.”
“Could we please not talk the uh, unsavory business?” Joker coughed. “I was told this was simply a good way to uh, pass the time in this… lovely, city.”
“Right, right,” King sighed. He swung his boots off the table and started dealing. “The game’s Setran Poker- five-card draw, Jacks to open, Aces fly or swim. You keepin’ up, Wildcard?”
Noble smiled behind his mask.
“More or less. Say, can we bet secrets?”
King’s dealing slowed to a crawl. “You lack the coin, stranger?”
“No, but I’ve a goal in mind beyond just passing time.”
His response was to hiss.
“Despite what my good friend Mister Joker said, Poker aint for fun- you play our game, it’s for a fat wallet or for business.”
“I- good sir I do ask you-”
“Quiet! You old land-lord.”
“I can play your game- call this business, an exchange of words and coin.”
Another hiss, and King started to rise from his chair.
Old Club laughed heartily at the display, and shouted “Come on young one, let him play let him play! You let an old man throw away a few dollars, why not him?”
A loose argument, but enough to make him sit back down and resume dealing.
“Alright Wildcard- but you ante first. Best make it a big one.”
The final card came to rest before Noble. He checked his cards, cleared his throat, and said the words; “I’m looking for a man with a smile in his eyes.”
He could feel the tugging- forceful, strong, and with a greedy sharpness to it.
He was here, close. Watching.
“That’ll cost you a good hundred, Wildcard. You good for it, or will I need a pound of flesh when the game’s done?”
“We’ll see when the cards rest,” Noble said, simple as he could.
The fingers on his right hand twitched faintly- in anticipation as much as nerves.
The game began.
######