Father and Flagg saw me watching the girls, but never offered an explanation nor asked if I wanted one. The girls were quick with their work and soon the table was cleared away. My father led me back to my room, "you will need to change your clothes and these," he made more hand motions and a set of folded clothes and a pair of leather boots appeared in his hand, "Will do nicely." I took the clothes, changed and met him back in the hallway.
We rode in a very luxurious open carriage to the market. Along the way I kept looking for any signs of technology that would tell me I wasn't in this world. I found nothing. The noise of the market place increased as we got closer and finally we stopped and got out. I had been to flea markets back home, but they didn't compare to this. The crowds, the noise, and the smells were incredible. Everything imaginable was for sale.
Father ignored all of it."Don't lag behind, Adora." I remembered the pain from breakfast and stayed by his side. There were creatures of all kinds there. Most were human, but I saw what I believed to be elves, but some other races I could not begin to guess. When I could catch bits of their conversations, I realized everyone spoke English. They all speak the same language? Then when we passed those races where were in groups of two or more, I heard the gibberish of their native tongue. So english is a common language.
Nicholas stopped occasionally to speak with various shop owners. I watched and they were respectful and kept bowing their heads. Finally we reached the dead end of a busily traveled path. A lot of people for a dead end road. I looked around for the reason and I saw it. It was a large tent erected on a large platform. Behind the tent was an enclosure with only one entrance, and two guards stood outside. Obviously something valuable.
"Lord Nicholas!" a voice call out. We both turned and there before my very eyes was a centaur. a real live centaur! I guess my mouth was open because after shaking my father's hand, the centaur turned to me and chuckled. "And you are?" I clicked my mouth shut and swallowed. "A-Adora," I stammered.
"This is my daughter, Sir Tristan. She is not from around here, so please forgive her rudeness." He laid his hand on my shoulder and discreetly squeezed until I started to pull away from the pain. He stopped. I got the message.
"Have you had a chance to look at the new girls, Nicholas? There are several I've got my eyes on."
"No. I just arrived, but if you care to look again you are welcome to come with me."
"There is one beauty that I could never tire of seeing."
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