A Mischievous Tale of Magical Mayhem

19 | Bargain Books and Shining Seas

The following day dawned bright and fair, and after breakfasting, Tallon arranged for portage and the party made their way down to the docks.

Maisie was by far the most cheerful of the three, as Ben hardly dared look at Tallon, and the elf remained studiously absorbed in his own business. As they wended their way through the pop-up market stalls lining the wharf, a bookseller drew Ben's eye, and the maid took note.

"You like to read?" she asked, as he paused to peruse the display.

"I wish I could better," he said. "I wish..." He looked to where Tallon stood arguing with a pair of dockhands, who had mixed up the luggage somehow, and shook his head. "Never mind."

He started on, but Maisie gently tugged his sleeve and nodded at the stall. "Let's have a look, shall we?"

The vendor, a thin old man with one eye whitened by a cataract and less than his fair share of teeth, beckoned them over. "Come look, come look, fair lady and fine sir. The best books in the land, for your pleasure."

Ben glanced over the stacks of volumes and chewed his bottom lip. Tallon had probably read all the best books, in several languages. Ben had only read one—a tattered copy of The Traveler's Guide to Ardenia, which a guest had left at the inn by accident. Or perhaps not by accident, judging by how dry and arcane it was.

"Can you read?" he asked in a whisper, leaning closer to Maisie as he inspected a slim volume with a cloth cover.

"A little. My father taught me as a lass. He wasn't home much, bein' at sea more often 'an not, but when he was home, he tried to give me what educatin' he could. Readin' maps and compasses, and a little 'rithmetic. It wasn't much, but enough to keep me own books, when I got me business goin'. Not that it lasted long."

"I'm sorry," Ben said, picking up another book and squinting at the title. "It's not fair that people like Grelorn can trample other people's dreams."

Maisie leaned her head against his arm. "You're a sweet one. I'm sorry for embarassin' ye last night. You know why I did, though, don't ye?"

Ben grimaced. "Aye, well enough. I made a fool of myself. I wouldn't have been surprised if his lordship left me behind, after that."

"You weren't the only one at fault," she said. "His 'lordship' needs to learn to think with his big head, for one thing. What about this one?" She picked up a small but thick volume and handed it to Ben.

"The... Duchess... and... the... Dwarf," he read aloud carefully. "It sounds like a fairy tale."

"Yes, a fairytale indeed!" The vendor grinned toothlessly.

Maisie winced, but before she could pry it from his hands, Ben nodded and said, "I'll take it. How much?"

"A half bit," the vendor said.

Maisie scowled at him. "Five coppers."

"A quarter bit," the man replied.

A smirk curled Maisie's lip. That he'd dropped the price by half at the first haggle told her the item's true worth.

"Eight coppers," she said.

"Twenty," the man returned.

Maisie took Ben's arm. "Come on, then."

"Very well, very well, fine lady!" the bookseller called. "Ten coppers! Final offer!"

"That sounds about right." She nodded at Ben, and he counted out the sum from his purse and exchanged it for the book.

As he did, Maisie glanced over a few other titles, and her cheeks went pink.

Finest books in the land, indeed!