Lumina

16 ~ New Shopkeeper

Alexis

Spring apparently didn't exist in Leiston. No, it had to go straight from ass-numbing cold to melting hot. Sweat that had started as a small sheen quickly soaked through his tunic. Dust kicked up from passersby on the dirt road stuck to him enough that he looked truly more like the vagrant the rest of the country believed him to be.

Well, he certainly didn't show the track record otherwise.

Alexis shifted his weight against the pole, wishing the old woman taking her time inside the small herbal shop would make a damn choice. She had been going back and forth between three bottles for nearly half an hour.

If he'd had it, Alexis would've handed her the money enough for all three and sent her on her way long ago just to get this over with. Alas, the life of a crownless usurper was a drought one.

Just like this summer was already proving to be.

Alexis was only here on Blaze's discreet orders after their meeting had been dismissed. Which went about as well as he should have expected, with Lona rifting away on Lady Lovitt's arm, her other hand up in an offensive gesture towards Alexis.

She hadn't even given him a chance to apologize, to talk to her.

He realized he was relieved.

When the elder waved her hands and ended up hobbling past Alexis without buying anything, he actually felt a twang of pity for the shopkeeper, glad he wasn't stuck behind a counter all day. All that wasted time.

He brushed a hand through his sweat-soaked hair and stepped inside the shop, so much cooler out from under the blazing sun.

The woman sported a sigh but caught herself midway, still off put by her previous customer. "Sorry, closed," she said by way of greeting, her back to Alexis as she placed the jars back on shelves with rows of herbs.

"Maybe I can get the honor of your attention afterwards?"

Against his pride, the woman actually made a sound of disgust, finally turning to face him, "How about herbs. There are some to make you feel like you've accomplished something."

Alexis cleared his throat at the jab, noting the slight of an accent that marked her as someone not from this region, but he couldn't tell from where. She made clear efforts to hide it.

Chestnut hair fell in waves across the woman's shoulder, a gold and opal dragonfly pin above her ear leading to crystal blue eyes turned nearly white. When her eyes did not focus on him Alexis realized she couldn't see him. Even so, the woman more than made up for it with the bite of her tongue. He forced a laugh and asked casually, "You're running this shop now? I didn't imagine the old man had such a beautiful relative."

Her lips thinned. "Need to close, Mr. . ."

"James."

"Mr. James."

"Just James, it sounds better with a voice as sweet as yours," Alexis spoke salaciously.

The shopkeeper did not react.

He was not used to women not reacting to him. Anger, happiness, lust. But never. . . Nothing.

He caught himself clearing his throat again; this was not going well. Deciding to forgo the tragic turn his attempts at flirtations had taken, Alexis pushed off from the counter he'd come to be leaning against and gazed at the multitude of herbs and supplies. "Where did the old man get off to?"

The shopkeep was still, revealing nothing.

Alexis realized it was useless trying to read a reaction from her face. "I think his name was Roberston?" It wasn't, his real name was Rhodes, but the woman's next response would tell Alexis something at least.