Is this day ever going to end"
She was exhausted. All day long she had searched the Marketplace for the perfect gift. The sun beamed down on her; she had taken off the large man-coat and her dark green tunic. Her white undershirt stuck to her skin in a way that would make her blush deeply on any other day, but today, she didn't care. Her face flushed, she walked into the twentieth shop of the day, bare feet whispering against the stone floor. She meandered through the aisles of this peculiar store, fingers trailing against curious baubles and trinkets. Nothing called out to her, nothing even caught her eye.
The owner of the store greeted her with a warm smile as soon as she was close enough to him. "Good day, miss. It sure is hot out there! Are you searching for something in particular?" His eyes traveled down the half-elf's figure with an appreciative look. Luckily, she didn't notice.
"No thank you, I'm looking for a gift for a friend. I'm...not quite sure what to get her, though." She was nearly two aisles from the owner at that point, far away from his lecherous looks.
She gasped when she saw it. "Sir, can you come here, please?" He bustled over and stood behind her, eyes not on the intended object. "How much do you want for this?" She began digging through her satchel, searching for her money pouch. She didn't want to tell the owner that it didn't matter how much the thing cost; she knew a little of business tactics. If she showed that money was no object, the owner could swindle her for a few more gold coins than the item was worth. Ahni hated to think the worst in people. Her emerald eyes flickered lavender.
"Oh, this" It's 20 gold coins. Surely you don't want to waste your time with that old thing" I've got a lovely necklace over here —-" He tried to take her arm and lead her across the shop, but she moved out of his grip with a negative shake of her head.
"Would you take 10 gold?"
The man narrowed his eyes at her, apparently thinking this tiny woman was trying to pull a quick one on him. "10 gold" Are you joking" I bought that for 25 gold a few years ago! I'm taking a risk even trying to sell it at 20!" He punctuated his anger with hand gestures.
His tone of voice made Ahni take a step back. Her eyes shifted to gray. "If you've had it for a long time, maybe.....maybe you're...trying to sell it for too much...?" Her voice as quiet as a mouse. This man frightened her.
A thoughtful look crossed the man's face. It seemed that even if he became angry at her offer, he could at least consider taking less money. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I can't take less than 18 gold. I gotta make something, you know. I'm a businessman. You must understand."
A nod from the half-elf. Yes, she could understand. But this was business, and business was always open for negotiation. "Would you take 15? I mean, obviously no one wants it..." She trailed her fingers lightly across the top of it. "15 is all I can afford. If that's not enough, I can try the shop across the way, I think they're charging 12 gold......" Another business tactic. She took a step toward the door, hesitantly, as if she really didn't want to waste her time with the shop across the street. A glance to the owner over her shoulder.
"Wait, wait." The owner was quick to take the bait. He'd been trying to pawn this old thing off for too long. "15's fine, just let me get the stockboys to help carry it." He bustled off to the backroom, where she could hear him muttering and cursing, apparently to the stockboys. Eventually he returned to her, with two large (to her, at least) men in tow. Ahni handed over 15 gold coins while the men draped a blanket over the purchased item.
"Thank you, sir, and have a good day. I'll have your assistants back as soon as possible." She nodded politely to him and started to walk toward the door. The stockboys followed her obediently.
She was exhausted. All day long she had searched the Marketplace for the perfect gift. The sun beamed down on her; she had taken off the large man-coat and her dark green tunic. Her white undershirt stuck to her skin in a way that would make her blush deeply on any other day, but today, she didn't care. Her face flushed, she walked into the twentieth shop of the day, bare feet whispering against the stone floor. She meandered through the aisles of this peculiar store, fingers trailing against curious baubles and trinkets. Nothing called out to her, nothing even caught her eye.
The owner of the store greeted her with a warm smile as soon as she was close enough to him. "Good day, miss. It sure is hot out there! Are you searching for something in particular?" His eyes traveled down the half-elf's figure with an appreciative look. Luckily, she didn't notice.
"No thank you, I'm looking for a gift for a friend. I'm...not quite sure what to get her, though." She was nearly two aisles from the owner at that point, far away from his lecherous looks.
She gasped when she saw it. "Sir, can you come here, please?" He bustled over and stood behind her, eyes not on the intended object. "How much do you want for this?" She began digging through her satchel, searching for her money pouch. She didn't want to tell the owner that it didn't matter how much the thing cost; she knew a little of business tactics. If she showed that money was no object, the owner could swindle her for a few more gold coins than the item was worth. Ahni hated to think the worst in people. Her emerald eyes flickered lavender.
"Oh, this" It's 20 gold coins. Surely you don't want to waste your time with that old thing" I've got a lovely necklace over here —-" He tried to take her arm and lead her across the shop, but she moved out of his grip with a negative shake of her head.
"Would you take 10 gold?"
The man narrowed his eyes at her, apparently thinking this tiny woman was trying to pull a quick one on him. "10 gold" Are you joking" I bought that for 25 gold a few years ago! I'm taking a risk even trying to sell it at 20!" He punctuated his anger with hand gestures.
His tone of voice made Ahni take a step back. Her eyes shifted to gray. "If you've had it for a long time, maybe.....maybe you're...trying to sell it for too much...?" Her voice as quiet as a mouse. This man frightened her.
A thoughtful look crossed the man's face. It seemed that even if he became angry at her offer, he could at least consider taking less money. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I can't take less than 18 gold. I gotta make something, you know. I'm a businessman. You must understand."
A nod from the half-elf. Yes, she could understand. But this was business, and business was always open for negotiation. "Would you take 15? I mean, obviously no one wants it..." She trailed her fingers lightly across the top of it. "15 is all I can afford. If that's not enough, I can try the shop across the way, I think they're charging 12 gold......" Another business tactic. She took a step toward the door, hesitantly, as if she really didn't want to waste her time with the shop across the street. A glance to the owner over her shoulder.
"Wait, wait." The owner was quick to take the bait. He'd been trying to pawn this old thing off for too long. "15's fine, just let me get the stockboys to help carry it." He bustled off to the backroom, where she could hear him muttering and cursing, apparently to the stockboys. Eventually he returned to her, with two large (to her, at least) men in tow. Ahni handed over 15 gold coins while the men draped a blanket over the purchased item.
"Thank you, sir, and have a good day. I'll have your assistants back as soon as possible." She nodded politely to him and started to walk toward the door. The stockboys followed her obediently.