It would be safe to say Faflon was unimpressed by the amateur woodcarvings of the sailor. His choices as a merchant may have been questionable at times but he knew when to cut his losses. He did not appreciate the captain the misuse of his name by the captain. What would become of his reputation overseas if the woman could not even pronounce his name?

The merchant made no effort to hide the disinterest clearly showing on his face and heard in his tone voice. 
"Mira dear, I'll let you decide if they are worth something, you have an eye for such rattletraps and trinkets."
With that Faflon turned his back to them, his expensive robes flapping in the wind. He made his way back to the village feeling worse with every step he took, realizing he had yet again created more losses. The prospect of earning some coin at the inn eased some of his worry.

Faflon had managed to once again put her in a compromising situation. Mira went out of her way to avoid unnecessary social interactions with strangers or even acquaintances for that matter. The constantly present gloom that hovered over her like a dark cloud made everything seem like a mountain to be climbed, tiresome and inescapable. 

There was something about this sailor and his charming wood carvings however which stirred her heart. He was passionate about his creations and it made her feel the same. Ironically that was the best skill a merchant could possess, one Faflon did not have by any means. Mira held her shawl close to her to keep it from blowing away, as it was fluttering in the wind dangerously. She approached the sailor, grateful she did not have to introduce herself and admired his woodwork from up close. In her many years she'd seen plenty of them and they were beautiful in an unpracticed way. There were some novice mistakes along with some skillfully crafted details at the same time. It made each of them unique.

The young woman seemed to be lost in the details of the small statues, forgetting momentarily she was in the company of someone else. Then suddenly as if she was waking from a dream, she asked him one question.

"Did you make one of the sea maidens?"

Mira looked into his eyes, capturing them with her own. It was a strangely specific question she felt the urge to ask.