The gates were flanked by worn sculptures of giant vases, one cracked along the side. Past it crowds thronged, they crashed like the tide upon the worn stone streets, their voices were waves that battered at Idony who found herself scooting closer to Liu Xie without any intention of yanking on his long hair this time while he paid the cart driver and thanked him for the ride during the night. Idony had never been in a town that looked so large and dense... or so varied in its structures. The buildings were packed together and were, as far as she could tell, very fancy. Some of them were painted blue or red, or had charms hanging from doorways or windows. A few of the buildings looked more like the stone-hewn squat houses from her homeland, others had entirely different architecture she did not recognize.
Idony also noticed many foreigners like her around, except quite a few wore armor of some sort and carried weapons or books, staves, some even had no visible weaponry on them at all.
Every shop's door was open, vendor stalls (some clearly hastily erected) were blocked off by masses of people, song floated from large two floor buildings that bustled with people. She hummed softly to herself, as curious as she was wary.
Liu Xie stopped suddenly at one man who was sitting on the ground with a small group of others, most in dented plate armor or in worn robes with magical regents on their belts. "Excuse me, do you know the reason for all the activity?" He asked. The man looked up at him in surprise at being addressed in his language. One of his robed compatriots also turned his head, yawned, and then curled up on the ground to sleep. "...Long trip?"
"No, he's just got some sort of weird sleeping illness I think," the man replied. "But as to your first question, apparently the tombs of the Four Cursed or Demon or Hag or whatever Sisters were uncovered by a flood, and now everyone and their squires are coming over here to get a boat to go down to the tombs. Problem is, Clay Town wasn't expecting to become a hot spot for treasure seekers so all the boats are gone right now."
Idony watched Liu Xie's shoulders sag, "all of them?"
"All of them," the man nodded. "I bet almost every town on the Black River's banks are losing their boats from people buying a ride down there. Not any of my business though, I'm heading to-"
She lost all interest in the conversation between the two adults, her mind and nose immediately turning towards the warm familiar scent of firewood and cooking meat. Forgetting her apprehension of the crowds she walked away from Liu Xie to a stall where a man loudly shouted while holding up skewers of fresh roasted meat. Behind the stall she could see several young men working around an ember filled pit, turning spit roasts and skewering the chunks. The browned chunks glistened in the sun's light, grease rolling down the wood and plopping onto the ground.
Idony placed her hands on the stall's counters, lifting herself onto her toes to look at the meat with hungry eyes and a roaring stomach.
The yelling man stopped to look down at her, giving her a confused smile and speaking softly. Idony shrugged in response and the confused smile turned to concern until his eyes looked upwards. Idony felt a long hand grip her shoulder, sharp short nails lighting digging into the fabric of her dress. She looked up to see Liu Xie giving a pleasant smile to the vendor whom he said something to that she couldn't understand before he turned his still smiling face to her, "are you trying to die?" his voice was pleasant and serene.
"No," she frowned, trying to yank her shoulder from his grip unsuccessfully.
"Are you trying to get kidnapped?"
"You already kidnapped me," she replied. "You can't get kidnapped twice."
"Don't be ridiculous, you can get kidnapped twice," he was struggling to maintain his smile as the confused vendor looked on. "Don't wander off from me." His pleasant smile slipped briefly into a stern frown. "Why are you here anyway?"
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Idony pointed at the meat skewers, "I'm hungry and I was going to ask for some."
"You don't have any money."
"You do," she spoke.
Liu Xie placed his hands on his hips for a moment, staring down at her with a wildly changing set of expressions on his face before he turned to look at the vendor and asked him something. The vendor nodded and waved over one of the young men who finished placing meat chunks on one skewer and dashed over to hand it to Liu Xie. Liu Xie placed some coins on the stall's wooden counter and stared directly at Idony as he ate one of the meat cubes.
"Can I have one?" She asked, reaching up to the skewer. Liu Xie turned around and began walking away while still eating. "Hey! Hey! Wait for me!" She scuttled after him, still reaching for the skewers that he kept frustratingly out of her reach. "Why can't I have one?"
"Because," he replied, pulling another one off and eating it quickly. Idony crossed her arms and sulked while her stomach growled in distress. Liu Xie wasn't much different from the people back home, she briefly thought to herself, always ready to let her suffer for what she thought could only be their own entertainment. "We'll be staying here for the night, I can't find any way up the Black River besides waiting for any boats to return tomorrow and I don't feel like swimming." he said, finishing the meat on the skewer and taking her hand to pull her along with him. She had to take large leaping steps to keep up with his brisk pace or face being dragged along the ground, long legs pulling them inexorably towards a well-made pale blue-tile roofed building where people milled in and out of. He finally released her hand as he went through the entrance.
As she took another leaping step, her foot landed on a heavy hem of a blue skirt. She quickly backed away and looked up at a slender woman with pale blonde hair and vivid purple eyes who was carrying a small basket that Idony immediately caught the scent of something fresh and meaty from.
“Oh!” The woman blinked, “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
Idony still focused on the basket where the divine scent of food entranced her.
“Another hungry person?” The woman asked, “haha, I ran into a young man just a few minutes ago who needed food too. Here, you can have one! It’s called a ‘dumpling’!” She reached into the basket and handed Idony a warm doughy blob that the girl quickly inhaled. “What’s your name?” She asked.
“I-bu-mhh,” Idony spoke around the food in her mouth, then swallowed and repeated herself, “Idony.”
“That’s a very nice name, I tell my friends to call me Anemone, are your parents traders? Where are they?”
“Idony!”
Liu Xie had appeared, stepping around the lady. He had moved so suddenly one of his long earrings nearly smacked him in his aggravated face. “She has food,” Idony pointed at the woman.
The man looked unimpressed, crossing his arms before looking at Anemone. “I’m very sorry, I hope she wasn’t bothering you?”
“Not at all!” Anemone smiled and it was like the sun, lighting up the dreary rushing atmosphere around them. “I was actually getting some snacks for my friends, all the boats are gone so we’re staying the night at this inn here. I’m actually a bit surprised this one still has room,” she tapped her chin with her free hand and tipped her head in thought. Idony noticed her ears, delicately pointed and studded with small gems the same color as her eyes. “A lot of other places have filled up, the flooding that uncovered the tombs apparently washed away several towns so a lot of survivors came here.”
“It did?” Liu Xie’s eyes widened slightly, “that’s terrible.”
Anemone nodded, “I lost my town to a landslide some years ago. I know how they feel. One of my friends is actually from a village on the Black River too, we’re going to split the treasure and help rebuild it.”
“So you’re a fortune seeker too?”
“I prefer ‘wandering scholar’,” she laughed, “it makes me sound less greedy. I’m from Aenhim, near Norwen. A lot of us tend to travel before settling down back home.”
“I’m from Norwen!” Idony raised her hand excitedly.
The woman was about to speak again when someone called out her name, “oh, that’s Elkund! It was very nice talking to you sir but I should probably get these things to my friends before they get cold.”
Liu Xie smiled at Anemone, “thank you for giving some of your food to Idony. I wish you and your friends luck.”
Anemone nodded, “may Aeurili’s light shine on you both.” Then she stepped away and quickly faded into the crowd of people.
Idony felt a hand settle on her head and tried to swat it away, only hitting fabric as Liu Xie moved his hand away. “Don’t wander off from me again,” Liu Xie said tersely. “Something could have happened. How many times do I need to tell you this?”
“She was really nice though,” Idony protested.
“The next person might not be as nice,” Liu Xie took Idony’s hand in an iron grip and pulled her along after him.