What made Sophie sacrifice her warm bed tonight was: it was the first time she had met a customer who wanted to look for horse fragrance. Sophie wants to know, what kind of horse needs perfume? Besides, the man before her right now was nothing like an animal lover. Moreover, horses are not animals that are often dressed up or sat on laps like cats.
"Can you be more specific, sir? Why do you need perfume for horses?"
"You don't have it? Then I'll look for another shop," He sighed and intended to leave.
"Wait! I mean, I have to understand before I start blend the fragrance. What breed of horse?"
"You're just a girl, you don't understand horses,"
"Believe me, I know more about horses than I look," Sophie showed her determination.
Sophie saw a small grin from behind the dark hood. the man still looked down on her.
"I came from quite far away, and when my horse arrived in this city, he became restless and difficult to ride. I heard that perfume can calm him down,"
He seemed unsure of his words then scratched the back of his neck.
"As I thought, that was stupid. I'm sorry for interrupting your time, Miss. Forget it," the man was once again about to leave.
"I can do that, sir. Can I see your horse?"
There was a slight look of disdain from the man before he finally nodded asking Sophie to follow him.
On the shop terrace, there was a horse with a beautiful mane with bright golden brown fur. He moved his four sturdy legs restlessly with his nose continuing to snort.
"We've asked an expert to check his health and he said my horse isn't in any pain, if he continues like this, maybe I should leave him and use another horse,"
Sophie came closer and stroked the beautiful horse's neck. it was clear that it was not just any horse, especially one that was usually used to pull carts or plow wheat fields. Those were the horses that nobles usually rode, and they were subject to their owners only.
"I think he missed something at home," Sophie concluded.
"What? that's stupid," the man almost laughed.
"He's just a horse," he continued dismissively.
"Horses are also living creatures, and I once met a horse who wouldn't eat if his calf wasn't in the stable with him," Sophie insisted.
"I feel like a waste for responding to this, but my horse doesn't have calf,"
"Have you recently kept a new horse at your house, sir?"
"What is the relation?"
"I'm just trying to help you, sir," Sophie looked at him, showing seriousness as if it was a life and death bet. The man didn't have the heart to continue belittling her.
"Okay, last month I bought a horse and he sleeps next to the stable,"
"Male or female?"
"Female,"
"That's it! Your horse is in love, sir!"
"Okay, obviously I've wasted my time here," the man looked annoyed and was about to leave once again.
"I'm serious, and I think I can help you,"
"Are you trying to trick me?"
"You can decide whether I trick you or not after the perfume has been mixed," Sophie said defiantly.
"Okay! What are you waiting for? I don't have much time,"
"I need more information, sir. Where do you live? What kind of wood was used to build the cage? where does the water he usually drinks come from? Are there plantations around there?"
"Do you think I'm crazy to tell you that? You could just rob me!"
"Then give me an idea, what do you feel when you wake up in the morning?" Sophie didn't move.
"Tired and headache, I have work that always keeps me busy,"
"The fun thing I mean,"
"What? Well, when I wake up, I always smell freshly baked pastry, freshly brewed coffee, and a bunch of flowers from my own garden in my room, it all calmed me down. Then regarding your question, my horse's stable is made of oak and some aloes. I heard it can mask the smell of horse manure."
"What flowers are planted in your house?"
"Lavender, daisies and magnolia,"
"Okay, that's enough information for me,"
The man then sat down while supporting his jaw and looked at Sophie who was seriously working. The man realized that the girl had a petite body and an attractive face. Her facial tone and skin color indicated that she came from a good lineage. Because even the shabby gray-white and flour-stained dress couldn't hide her noble aura. Sophie lived like a noble girl until she was eight years old, so her graceful movements were already ingrained.
"Have you ever studied in the capital?"
"What? no sir," Sophie shook her head, her eyes focused on the glass bottles on the compounding table. Carefully Sophie dripped in essential oil, weighed it and mixed it with alcohol.
"All the perfumers I know have gone to perfumery school in the capital,"
"I only learned from Miss Rhea. She's the owner of this perfume shop,"
"Does that mean an amateur is serving me?" The man looked displeased.
"The owner of this shop says I make the best perfume in town. So I'm sure I won't disappoint you too much," Sophie replied, not at all offended. She had experienced insults and humiliation worse than now.
The man decided not to continue his protest. He leaned back in the chair, looking out the window while folding his arms and swinging his legs.
"I'm done sir!" Sophie exclaimed, after dripping perfume on her left wrist and inhaling the smell.
The two of them were now on the shop terrace, approaching the horse which was still restless. Sophie poured a few drops of perfume on her thumb and carefully rubbed it near the horse's nose.
The man, watching warily. When the perfume began to evaporate, his expression turned surprised. Sophie never visited his house at all. She had never even met him before today. But the perfume she created resembles the morning atmosphere of the customer's residence in the capital.
"How could that be?" The man muttered with a frown.
The horse with the golden mane looked more anxious at first. Until then he snorted once and shook his head feeling refreshed. He became calmer.
"The fee is two hundred krom, sir. I used magnolia oil which is quite expensive so the price is reasonable," said Sophie a little hesitantly. The money was very valuable, she was afraid of valuing it too much.
"I'll pay five hundred chrome," the man reached into his pocket.
"That's too much!"
"In the capital, perfume like that usually costs no less than four hundred chrome. So believe me, I saved a lot today. You can keep the rest,"
The man nodded at Sophie before the girl protested further and spurred her horse away.
***
"Are you looking for a husband?" a former knight, who was also Rhea's bottle supplier, asked back. The woman had just asked a question that made he have to double check.
"Not for me. Are there any good young men ready to get married? My acquaintance, Sophia Alderbranch is looking for a potential husband," Rhea emphasized.
"Ah, I'm familiar with that name. Doesn't she live in the Verona baron's house? But I wonder why she wants to get married? Isn't she not even seventeen yet?"
"As far as I know, she is old enough to get married,"
"But, at least she has to be willing to wait for her brother to come home, he is her guardian,"
"Umm, I don't think he's going back to Summerville. It's been three years, he's probably been buried somewhere or drowned during the war against the monsters,"
"What?" The middle-aged former knight felt that Rhea was joking.
"I know the royal knights, I served in the capital for twenty years. And I myself am familiar with the knights who served in Summerville. I can confirm that Roran Alderbranch is still alive,"
"What?!"
"But why does Roran never write to his sister?"
"Strange, I'm familiar with the royal postal courier and I know that Roran regularly sends letters and money to Baron Verona's house.
Rhea's eyes widened, she was grateful that she asked the old knight for fun, because it was possible that Sophie had already married without knowing her brother was still alive.