The Ballad of Romance

The Eighth Song

Tyler led Tess through to multiple stands, buying snacks and little trinkets. Tess bought a new shawl for her mother in a brilliant blue and her brother some hand carved figurines and a satchel to place them in. As she walked through the market, the gleam of gemstones caught Tess's eye. She stepped back, looking behind a cart. A small stand had an array of perfectly carved stones, handmade into whatever gioielleria the holder could think of.

Tess walked over, jingling the small handful of coins Tyler had given her. The gentleman behind the stall watched her approach. He smiled at her and beckoned towards his stall.

"Anything catch your eye, Signorina?" he asked, showing her his range of gioielleria, both made and waiting to be made.

Tess smiled and pointed. "Surprisingly, it was the empty necklace just here. I saw the silver from behind another stall."

"Ah good eye. Good eye. I can make magic happen. Would you like to buy a stone or do you have your own? I can work with anything, even a piece of broken pottery." He chuckled, lifting the empty necklace from its display of dark green velvet.

Tess looked over the gemstones and crystals he had on display. She shrugged. None of them 'spoke' to her. She put her hands in her pockets, defeated but felt something cold. She pulled it out to reveal the Mostro core. It shone deep red in the sunlight, flicking light all over the other stones.

"My, my. How did you get yourself such a raw beauty? This should work perfectly. I'll bring her out for you, Signorina. Come back in an hour. It will be ready." He took the Mostro core and the money from her and began right away, tapping at the rough sphere. Little chips flicked away that he brushed aside into a small bowl.

Tess looked back to where Tyler was standing waiting. She didn't see the Gioielliere look up from his work at her and Tyler and smile, before he turned and began working away at the core again.

They returned to the tavern, laden with random nick nacks and food. Crispino was herding Guinevere to her room, holding onto her Bangio and his Violoncello. Tess and Tyler ran over taking the Strumenti off him.

"Grazie. Gwennie was about to fight a guy over how quickly she can play her Bangio. I had to get her out of there before we got kicked out." Crispino chuckled, walking up to the second floor.

He opened a door and sat Guinevere on the bed. "You will neber beat meh. I am dah bess Musista eber." Guinevere slurred.

Crispino nodded along. "Si, si. We all know you are. Now why don't you hang out here. That beaker is filled to the brim with the finest beer around." He gave a quick smirk to Tess and Tyler. From where they were standing, the beaker could easily be seen full of water, not beer.

Guinevere shrugged, drinking straight from the beaker. Crispino smiled and ushered Tess and Tyler out before locking the door. "Well, she'll be out in a few and she should be right in the morning if her drunk self convinces her that the water is alcohol."

Tyler shrugged. "Is she always like this around a tavern?"

Crispino nodded. "Since I've known her. I think she is one of those who drinks to forget. Doesn't want to think about things that were. Never wanted to stop her though. It's easier to afford and she couldn't continue as a Musicista if she found the other alternatives for dealing with that pain." He shivered.

Both of them had heard about a crazy old man whose wife had died a year before. He couldn't cope with the loss and started taking stuff that made his mind go loopy. Made him think every second woman was his wife. He had eventual died from an overdose but nobody dared to speak of him again

"Well that's enough of that talk. What did you two get up to?" Crispino led them to a table in the corner of the tavern away from all the raucous.