Crow followed at Penelope’s side as she led them over to one of the nearby merchant stands, silently chiding himself for letting his emotions get the best of him. The last thing he wanted was to ruin the one day they could spend together by moping about a decision [i]he[/i] had made. Even though he didn’t enjoy nobility as much as being a criminal, it was worth it to be with her. Besides, it wasn’t really that bad. His freedoms had been lessened, but it wasn’t like he was miserable. The castle was a comfortable place to live, the food was good, and there were some people he got along with, like Naida. There was no point in focusing on the negatives when it wasn’t a bad life. Unfortunately, Penelope seemed to pick up on the change in his mood too. As she attempted to reassure him, he winced. He didn’t want her to know he wasn’t as happy as a viceroy, since she was the reason why he’d taken the position in the first place. His dissatisfaction wasn’t her burden to bear, but knowing her, she would probably try to take it on anyway. Everything she said was right too. It was a difficult season, but once he got to the end of it, he wouldn’t have to worry about pleasing anyone anymore. When he built up a better reputation in the castle, he could stop hanging around other noblemen; and when he married the knight, he wouldn’t have to keep rolling over to her father. The only person who would still have any say in his life was his father, and the king had been pretty agreeable so far. It wouldn’t be much longer before he could return to a similar way of life that he was used to. “I can’t wait for that,” Crow sighed, not bothering to hide his somberness now that Penelope had already caught him. However, his mood didn’t stay down for long. When they approached the edge of the merchant stand, he noticed right away that the man was selling goods from Medora. The southern kingdom was known for its elaborate metalwork jewelry and crafts. His eyes swept over the wares with childlike fascination. He’d seen some Medoran art in the markets in the outer villages, but never anything this fine of quality. The copper pieces were inlaid with rubies and other jewels that had been cut to reflect the light. The artisan who had made them was highly skilled. “Wow,” he whistled, fingering the edge of a metal pendant that had been shaped delicately into a leaf. “These are impressive.” Looking up at the merchant, he saw that the man was watching them with a pleased expression. He was probably the one who had crafted the goods on the table. “[i]Quant?[/i]” Crow asked, guessing the man had travelled from Medora. The merchant raised a brow, seeming surprised to hear his native tongue in Brerra. His smile broadened as he answered, “[i]Cinquanta peces d'or per al que esteu veient. Cent per les joies més grans.[/i]” “[i]Cinquanta?[/i]” Crow gaped at him in shock. “[i]Per això només?[/i]” “[i]No trobeu joies d'aquesta qualitat a qualsevol lloc del vostre territory,[/i]” the merchant boasted proudly. A sly glint appeared in his eye. “[i]A més, cap home no hauria de gastar cap despesa en la seva dona. Es veuria bonica amb el meu coure.[/i]” Crow glanced at Penelope before turning back to the man with a shrug. “[i]No puc discutir amb això,[/i]” he smirked. “[i]Potser tornaré més tard.[/i]” “[i]Estaré esperant,[/i]” the man grinned. Crow forced a polite laugh and then turned away from the merchant with a roll of his eyes. “He priced his goods at no less than [i]fifty[/i] gold coins,” he explained to the knight, wrinkling his nose. “That’s more money than most villagers will ever see in their lives. Is everything in the inner kingdom this expensive?” -- [hider=Translation]“How much?” Crow asked, guessing the man had travelled from Medora. The merchant raised a brow, seeming surprised to hear his native tongue in Brerra. His smile broadened as he answered, “Fifty gold pieces for the one you’re looking at. One hundred for the larger jewelry.” “[i]Fifty[/i]?” Crow gaped at him in shock. “For just this?” “You can’t find jewelry of this quality anywhere in your land,” the merchant boasted proudly. A sly glint appeared in his eye. “Besides, no man should spare any expense on his woman. She would look beautiful wearing my copper.” Crow glanced at Penelope before turning back to the man with a shrug. “I can’t argue with that,” he smirked. “Maybe I’ll come back later.” “I’ll be waiting,” the man grinned.[/hider]