Ella stood in front of her stall, trying to calm the fluttering in her stomach. The new bottles of shampoo and conditioner were lined up neatly, each one carefully labeled with scents like lavender, rose, and citrus. They looked good—better than she expected—but that didn't stop the nerves from creeping in.
"Alright, Ella, this is it," she muttered under her breath. "One more silver coin and you can build that shop."
The thought of finally reaching her goal made her smile, but the nervous energy didn't fade. She'd put a lot of effort into these new products. Unlike soap, which was already a hit, shampoo and conditioner were new concepts in this world. She wasn't sure if people would even know what to do with them. Still, she had to try.
She glanced at the polished wood display she'd set up to make everything look a bit more upscale. The new additions gave her stall a more professional, almost elegant, vibe. "Fake it 'til you make it," she thought with a smirk.
Taking a deep breath, Ella ran through the prices in her head. Shampoo, 5 coppers. Conditioner, 7 coppers. The bigger bottles would be higher, of course, 15 and 18 coppers. It was a delicate balance—affordable for the common folk, but fancy enough for the upper class.
As customers began milling about, she tried to read their reactions. Some glanced at the bottles, a mix of curiosity and confusion on their faces. "It's just shampoo," she wanted to say, but she knew better. In this world, it was more than just shampoo. It was revolutionary.
Ella's fingers drummed on the stall counter as she waited. "Come on, somebody bite," she thought, her eyes scanning the crowd. She was so close to that last silver coin she could practically hear the clink of it in her hand.
Ella watched as a few villagers cautiously approached her stall, their eyes shifting from the new bottles of shampoo and conditioner to the familiar bars of soap. She could practically see the skepticism in the air. Soap and toothpaste, they understood. Toothbrushes? That was a stretch, but they'd accepted it. But liquid soap for hair? That was pushing it. Way, way out of their comfort zone.
One man, his arms crossed and a smirk tugging at his lips, eyed the bottles with obvious suspicion.
"What's this, soap for hair now?" he scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't think hair needed its own bath."
Ella straightened up, trying to keep her tone upbeat. "Oh, it's not just soap. It's shampoo. Your hair will feel softer, smoother. No more dry, straw-like hair. Think of it as a treat."
He chuckled, shaking his head as he nudged his friend. "Next you'll be selling soap for toes and elbows, too."
Ella bit back a sigh. This was harder than she thought, but she wasn't backing down now. "Hey, laugh all you want," she said, raising her voice slightly to catch their attention. "But you'll be singing a different tune when your hair feels like silk after one wash."
Another woman, who'd been eyeing the bottles cautiously from the sidelines, finally stepped up, her face wrinkled in confusion. "Silk, you say? And how's this going to make my hair shiny, eh? I'm not convinced it's anything more than fancy water."
Ella shot her a bright smile, undeterred. "Oh, I promise, it's more than fancy water. It's made from plant oils and herbs. You'll be amazed at how soft and shiny your hair gets after just one use."
A passerby, who seemed to be more of an outsider than a local, overheard Ella's pitch and snorted. "Sounds like one of those fads they sell in the big cities. People pay good money for anything, don't they?"
Ella smiled sweetly, leaning in a little. "Well, sir, I think you'll find it's not a fad. My products are made with the best ingredients. You can laugh now, but trust me, your hair's going to thank you."
The local woman with the skeptical expression seemed to soften slightly but still wasn't sold. "You sure this'll work? My hair's been dry as a bone ever since I moved here. No amount of oil will fix it."
"Exactly why you need this." Ella grabbed one of the shampoo bottles and waved it in front of her like a banner of hope. "This has the power to bring your hair back to life! You just have to try it to believe it. And hey, if it doesn't work, I'll personally give you your copper back. No hard feelings."
The woman frowned but finally nodded. "Alright, fine. I'll give it a go. Can't be worse than what I'm using now." She picked up a bottle of lavender shampoo, gave it a sniff, and raised an eyebrow. "Not bad. Smells nice, at least."
Ella beamed. "Great choice! You won't regret it."
As the woman walked off, Ella let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't much, but it was a start. She turned her attention to the next group of villagers who were now gathering around, still skeptical but beginning to show more interest.
Ella could feel the hesitation in the air, the doubtful glances at her bottles of shampoo and conditioner. She needed something more than just words to convince them. And that's when her eyes landed on Liam, standing off to the side, awkwardly running his fingers through his newly washed hair.
A grin spread across her face as an idea struck. With a dramatic wave of her hand, she gestured toward Liam, drawing the crowd's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Ella called out with flair, "May I present to you, Exhibit A: Liam!" She pointed to him like he was a prized show horse. "He tested my new shampoo and conditioner just yesterday. Now, look at that shine!"
Liam, caught off guard, froze for a second. He awkwardly touched his head, clearly embarrassed by the attention. "Uh… yeah," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's, uh, soft, I guess?"
The crowd, intrigued by Ella's presentation, stepped a little closer, their eyes fixed on Liam's hair. The once wild, tangled mess he'd been known for now gleamed in the sunlight. His hair looked smooth, clean, and—dare they say it—almost luxurious. A few women leaned in, squinting to get a better look, while some of the men scratched their heads in wonder.
"Not bad," someone muttered from the back. "Didn't think the kid had hair under all that mess."
Ella bit back a laugh, watching as curiosity slowly transformed into interest. The first real sign of a breakthrough.
One woman, standing near the front, folded her arms but couldn't hide her impressed look. "Alright," she said, still skeptical but less so than before. "What's this one for?" She pointed to one of the bottles.
Ella lit up. "That's the conditioner! Keeps your hair smooth, untangled, and smelling like a rose garden. Perfect for anyone tired of dry, unruly hair." She winked, adding a little extra charm.
The woman raised an eyebrow. "And it actually works?"
Ella gestured to Liam again, who was trying (and failing) to look nonchalant. "You tell me," she said. "Look at him—hair like silk."
The woman chuckled, seemingly sold. "Alright, I'll take a bottle of the… what did you call it? Conditioner?"
"Conditioner, yes! You've made a great choice," Ella said, practically bouncing as she handed over the rose-scented bottle.
As the woman walked away, more customers started to shuffle forward, their caution melting into genuine interest. A farmer approached next, looking at Liam's hair like it held all the secrets of the world.
"Does it work for us folks with… rougher hair?" he asked, tugging on his own dry, straw-like strands.
"Absolutely," Ella said confidently. "I've got a citrus-scented one that's perfect for you—refreshing, energizing, and it'll make your hair softer than you've ever felt."
The farmer nodded and handed over the copper, and before Ella knew it, she had a small line forming at her stall. Shampoo, conditioner—one by one, people were trying it out, handing over their coins, cautiously excited to see if their hair would shine like Liam's.
By the time the last customer walked away, Ella looked down at the pile of copper and silver coins in her hands, grinning like she'd won a prize. Liam, still hovering nearby, looked a little dazed by all the attention.
"Well," he said, scratching his head again, "guess you were right about the hair thing."
Ella laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "Told you! Now, just wait until they realize how soft it feels. We'll have the whole town lined up by tomorrow."
Liam gave a small smile, still clearly embarrassed, but a little proud. "I dunno about that, but it was kinda nice to, y'know… not have my hair feel like straw."
"Exactly," Ella said, already eyeing her next customers. "And if we keep this up, we'll both be swimming in silver in no time."
As she turned back to her stall, watching the last few curious glances from passing villagers, Ella knew she was on the verge of something big. The shampoo was only the beginning.
The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind of activity. Ella barely had time to breathe as customers kept coming back, not just for the shampoo and conditioner, but for soap and toothpaste as well. It was like they suddenly realized they could have a whole routine of cleanliness, and her stall was the place to get it all.
"Give me one of those rose-scented shampoos—and throw in a bar of lavender soap while you're at it," a woman said, balancing her toddler on her hip while handing over her coins.
Another man chimed in, "Might as well grab the toothpaste too. No point having clean hair if my breath smells like the barn."
Ella could barely hide her grin. "Right you are!" she said, handing him the jar of mint toothpaste. "You'll be feeling brand new from head to toe!"
By midday, her stock was already halfway gone. The thrill of it all made her lightheaded with excitement. She paused for just a moment, staring at the near-empty shelves. This was actually happening.
"It's working," she muttered to herself, her voice tinged with disbelief. "I'm so close!"
As the sun began to dip low in the sky and the crowd thinned, Ella took a moment to finally sit down behind her stall. She started counting her earnings, her fingers quickly separating the piles of copper and silver. Each coin felt like a tiny victory, and with every pile that grew, her heart pounded a little faster.
Liam strolled over, wiping his brow. "Looks like another good day, huh?"
"Better than good!" Ella said, her eyes wide as she looked down at the coins. "I'm one silver coin away from building my shop, Liam. Just one!"
Liam's eyes widened. "One silver? That's it?"
"That's it!" Ella said, her voice filled with both excitement and exhaustion. She ran her fingers through her hair, staring at the piles of money in front of her. "Can you believe it? I'm this close to finally having my own shop. A real one, with walls, shelves, the whole thing."
Liam whistled low. "That's amazing, Ella. You've done all this in just a couple of months."
Ella leaned back in her chair, looking up at the sky with a big, tired smile. "I can almost taste it, Liam. Just one more good day like this, and I'll have everything I need."
Liam laughed, shaking his head. "Well, if anyone can do it, it's you. Especially with all this... fancy soap and hair stuff."
Ella laughed too, feeling a warmth in her chest. "Fancy soap and hair stuff. That's right. And who knows? Maybe we'll even have enough left over to start thinking about our next big idea."
Liam grinned, leaning on the stall. "What, you've got more ideas already?"
"Oh, you have no idea," Ella said, her mind buzzing with plans for the future.
As Ella counted the last of the coins, she glanced over at Liam, who had been hustling alongside her all day. He looked tired, his hair still gleaming from the shampoo demonstration earlier, but there was a lightness in his step, a quiet pride. She knew he'd been a big part of why everything had gone so smoothly these past few months. Without him, she'd still be scrambling, probably working late into the night just to keep up.
She paused, holding a handful of copper coins, and turned to him with a warm smile.
"Liam," she said, her voice genuinely soft, "I couldn't have done this without you. You've been incredible. I mean it."
Liam immediately flushed, shuffling awkwardly in his spot. "It's nothing, Miss Ella. I'm just glad I could help." He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly not used to praise.
But Ella wasn't done. She set the coins down and straightened up, giving him a serious but kind look. "No, it's not nothing. You've been here day in and day out, working harder than most grown men. And I've been thinking…"
Liam raised an eyebrow, clearly curious but also cautious, like he wasn't sure where she was going with this.
"How about we raise your salary?" she said, watching his expression closely. "One silver piece a week, starting right now."
Liam's eyes went wide, his jaw practically dropping. "One silver a week? Are you serious?"
Ella nodded, her grin widening. "Dead serious. You've earned it. And besides, things are only going to get crazier from here. I need you to stick around."
For a moment, Liam just stared at her, speechless. One silver a week was more than most people in the village made in a month, and for a boy his age? It was practically a fortune. Finally, a huge grin broke across his face, and he could barely contain his excitement.
"I... I won't let you down, Miss Ella!" he said, his voice cracking slightly from the excitement. He looked like he might start bouncing on his heels any second.
Ella chuckled, feeling a sense of pride herself. "I know you won't, Liam. We're just getting started."
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a soft orange glow over the now-empty market, Ella leaned back in her chair with a deep sigh of satisfaction. The stall, once packed with her carefully arranged products, was nearly empty. Only a few bottles of conditioner and one bar of soap remained, a clear sign of her growing success. In front of her sat a small fortune in copper and silver coins, more than she could've imagined just a few months ago.
She felt a rush of pride and relief all at once. Everything was falling into place. She was just one big day away from reaching her goal—the goal that had driven her day and night for months.
"One silver to go... and then i...." she murmured to herself with a grin, letting the excitement simmer inside her.
Ella glanced over at Liam, who was still buzzing from the news of his pay raise. His face had been lit up ever since she'd told him, and it filled her with a sense of warmth. She wasn't just building a business here—she was building something more, something meaningful. A team. A future.
She stood up, stretching her arms out, and called over to him, her voice filled with confidence. "Next stop, Liam: the best shop in town. We're going to make it."
Liam, already packing up the last few items from the stall, paused and gave her a wide grin, his usual awkwardness replaced with pure excitement. "I know we will," he replied, and there was something so sure in his tone that it made Ella's heart swell.
As they finished packing up and headed their separate ways for the night, Ella walked through the quiet village, her footsteps soft on the cobbled streets. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery light over everything, and her mind buzzed with possibilities. Ideas for new products, plans for the shop layout, maybe even hiring more help.
She was closer than she had ever been to her dream, and there was a fire inside her that nothing could put out. Just one more silver coin, and her shop would no longer be a dream. It would be real.
And nothing—absolutely nothing—was going to stop her now.
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i did not feel like adding how she created the shampoo, too much research, made me felt like i'm rushing it and i apologize.
hope you enjoy.