>>6336089“Ahh, it’s sweet!”
“Of course! It’s from a tree native to Morfis. You won’t find this back home. The wood is malleable, making it easy for carving, and it holds detail well. I promise whoever you give this gift to would enjoy having a chance to sink their knife into it. And speaking of which!”
The shopkeeper leads May towards an impressive display of sharp knives, each one looking as though they were better suited for carving men rather than wood. The shopmaiden picks one of the knives up and unsheathes it, its metal gleaming and dazzling.
“This is the Peshkatz Model X! A favorite amongst our local carvers! Forged with a coating made by our finest alchemical mages, they say there doesn’t exist a material in Morfis that this can’t cut through. Each slice is both precise and accurate, and is sure to paint whatever picture its wielder wishes into his canvas.”
“Can it slice through armor as well?” May asks.
“I…supoose.” The shopmaiden muses. “Though I can’t imagine why you’d want to do that.”
“I’ll take it!”
The shopmaiden carries both the knife and the carving wood over to the counter. She does some quick calculations behind the counter to determine the price of said items, before gleefully announcing them to May.
“That will be 9000 gold.”
“What?!!” That was pure robbery, and May should know.
“I told you, these are exquisite items only found here in Morfis. Their price reflects that. Surely a lady of your fine noble status can stand to spare with a few extra gold pieces?”
“Uhhh…of course. Though, I fear I did not bring enough gold with me at this time. But not to worry! My carriage is just outside. I’ll simply reach into the chest I always carry and retrieve an extra 2000 gold from its coffers. Just wait here.”
“Of course.” The shopmaiden smiles.
May makes a show of hurrying out the door, which closes behind her with the same jingle of a bell. She looks left and right, before making her way down the street, back towards the embassy. The Sandalwood and Peshkatz were safely clutched to her chest, hidden under her ample cloak. The thieves in Morfis must be rank amateurs, for May was able to quickly swipe the items from the shelves right behind the shopmaiden's back. She’d felt a little bad about it, but not too much. For one, those prices were far too exorbitant. But also, she knew it’s what Tristain would have wanted her to do. He valued her skills as a thief, and had no issues about commanding her to use those talents in the past. No one had ever valued May’s quick fingers quite like Tristain did. She liked that about the boss, and she knew she’d steal anything he simply asked her too.
May walks back with a skip in her step as she envisions all the wonderful things her boss might carve from the wood. Maybe he’d value her gift so much, that he’d make her something else?
>A): Adeline>B): Cassius 