I put on my noble garbs then quickly exited my carriage to go find out what fate could have befallen my poor servant Miya. If anything happened to her I swear I will get revenge on that Colton Sharpe, I thought as a clenched my fist. Colton was crossing the line. He was messing with a dragon's gold!
Like Rihanna said, "Bitch better have my money!"
The caravan was the typical medieval fair, I wasn't surprised one bit. There were many carriages circled all around the central area, where the mages leading the caravan took up residency. This was also the area the merchant, and other suppliers would take up shop.
There were multicolored tents erected in the middle of our campgrounds. Many nobles would find it unbefitting of their status to sleep in a carriage. They would set erect their own tents when we made camp. I didn't have the fortune to enjoy such luxury. I was lucky my father could even afford a carriage to send me on this journey.
I slowly meandered my way through the tents to find the merchant's shop. That would be the first place I would be able to find a lead on the disappearance of Miya. The merchant's tent was your standard medieval tent, it was a large rectangular purple tent with one entrance. I flipped back the entrances of the tent and headed inside.
Of course, everything wasn't as I expected this tent was magical. Although it was a rectangular tent outside, inside it was a two-story shop. It was strange to experience walking through the tent door and looking inside. After seeing the outside look so, well for a lack of a better word normal.
The merchant manning the tent had silver, frizzy hair and glittering hazel eyes. He looked quite feminine, to tell the truth, I'd think he was a woman if not for the mustache and goatee. When I came closer I noticed his large pointy ears. This guy must be one of those forest elves.
Luckily the humans and the elves were at peace, though they forbid us to venture deep into their forest homelands. Many elves like this one would travel in the human realm taking up the job of a merchant to enjoy a sense of adventure. They were long-lived, so for them merchanting in the human kingdoms was like providing charity to a lesser race.
Elves were by nature arrogant, and rude. At least that was Old Daquan's experiences with them. No wonder this merchant could afford a magical tent. Even though he looked young and feminine he was most likely an old dirty elf!
I walked up to the counter and coughed and waited. As if he was supposed to come to serve me. This is how I remembered nobles acting in my memory. They kept an air of superiority. If I talked to him first, in his capacity as a merchant, it would be beneath my status as a nobleman.
Personally, I thought such behavior foolish. Yet I had to fit in with this new world. Enjoining with their customs was a part of it. Thankfully by now, old Daquan's memories had merged with mine. I could recall the things he remembered at a moment's notice. It was no longer like fumbling through a fog. Now it was like the memories were my own.
"Yes, noble gentleman, how may I be of assistance to you today?" said the silver-haired elven merchant as he got up from his chair.
"Good sir, I seemed to have misplaced one of my catkin servants. I had sent her on a simple errand to sell a few heres and theres for me earlier today. Normally, I would have sent another servant to fetch her. But on my evening walk, I happened to pass by your shop. So I decided to see to it myself. By chance may you have seen a catkin servant walk into your elegant shop today?" I asked.
I felt like I was phoning in a performance trying to have my voice and diction match the customs of this world.
'Act like you belong,' I thought as I sat there waiting for him to answer.
The silver-haired elf scratched his beard for a moment pondering over my question.
"I seem to be a little forgetful today," he said as he put out the palm of his hand.
He was clearly asking me for a bribe. This silver-haired old geezer knew no shame!
I was broke as a joke, I couldn't even afford to pay my dragon system today. How could I afford to pay the bribe of a greedy elven merchant? If I was the high society noble I was pretending to be I could easily grease his palm.
I couldn't break my focus now. I had to make my act believable. So I came up with a plan on the spot.
"Ah, very well, if you have not seen that servant. I will worry about that another time," I said as I waved my hand as if ignoring the servant even existed. She was beneath my sky-high eyes.
"Show me, your finest wears. My good sir," I said.
I never bothered to even ask him his name. A merchant's name would be beneath the sky-high eyes of a noble.
"You look like a youth who enjoys practicing swordsmanship, I've got a fine blade for you!" said the silver-haired elven merchant as he reached forth into a small chest by his foot.
He pulled out a fairly long, narrow, smooth blade made of ivory that was held by a grip wrapped in lavish, ruby red bear leather and placed it on the counter. It was a beautiful weapon to be sure, but I had to keep my act together.
"What is this drivel? I said your finest wears! Not the ones fit for a pauper!" I said as I made a face of pure disgust.
"I'll let you know my father said I could purchase whatever I want as long as I went on this silly journey to the mage recruitment ground or whatever. I don't know anything about magic, but swords are my thing! Show me your finest swords!" I said waving my finger around like I was really entitled.
Yes, you greedy elf. Fall right into my trap!
I could see the greed overflowing in his eyes as he heard me speak about buying whatever I wanted and not caring about magic. He was like a wolf staring down a fat sheep. He had taken the bait and was ready to swallow it whole.
He dropped back into his foot chest and pulled out another blade. Now this one was truly a work of art. It was a very short, slim, slightly curved blade made of mithril that was held together by a grip wrapped in a strange, emerald green-scaled leather. I couldn't help myself as I put the beautiful weapon into my hands.
*Ding*
[Faint Dragon Bloodline detected, absorbing bloodline.]
My heart dropped as I watched the beautiful emerald green-scaled blade grip crumple in my hands. The elf looked furious as he saw the weapon degrade in front of his eyes.
'I'm in danger!'
I was on a quest to save Miya, but who was going to save little ole me?