The minotaur loomed over Trixie and the knight, standing behind a counter, staring at them with curious eyes as they wandered the shop. On the shelves were a variety of different items, consisting mostly of potions, poisons, and trinkets. These were not what the knight was looking for, and Trixie was more focused on the store clerk than the inventory.
"Hi," she said, walking up to the counter and peering over its edge, "I'm Trixie. What's your name?"
"Uh, hi," the minotaur responded in a confused tone. His voice was deep, but soft, like a cow grunting as it grazed in a field, "My name is Falmini. But you may call me Mini."
"I like it," she chuckled, her tiny smile beaming at the minotaur, "Mini the giant!"
The minotaur blushed, taking a moment to think about something that, for reasons unknown to Trixie, made a single tear roll down his cheek. He wiped it away and smiled at Trixie, "My daughter used to call me a giant. She's somewhere in the capital now, safe and sound, all grown up."
"But I thought people couldn't leave town?" Trixie asked.
"Oh, no we're not from here. I got stuck here about six years ago, I've been a shopkeep since then." Mini responded. Their conversation, however, would be cut short, as the knight began to grow impatient.
"Where is Vel?" The knight asked sternly. There was a short instance of noticeable silence before the minotaur turned and walked through a doorway, located behind him, that was covered by no more than a cloth. Another moment passed before the cloth moved again. At first no one arrived, but soon Trixie was startled by the sudden appearance of a goblin from behind the counter. Rather than the green-skinned, muddy-haired visage, how which Trixie would've assumed a goblin to look, this individual had striking white hair, clouded eyes, and skin that resembled black sand.
"Sep Talie Myrkul," the goblin said as a wide smile grew along his face, "The Little Death. Long time, no buy, eh? Rumor spread your death, good see just rumor." Then he turned his attention to Trixie. "Who this friend?"
"Oh, I'm-" Trixie was immediately cut off by the goblin.
"Welcome, Oh, to shop. My name Vel, shop owner." He said with a cheerful grin, raising his hands in the air somewhat theatrically.
"No, I mean. My name is Trixie, not Oh." She corrected.
"Ah, so sorry. Trixie is nice name." Vel walked around a table in the center of the room as he spoke, upon which were a collection of items for sale, and began to fiddle with a strange device.
The knight, whose impatience seemed to grow more, stepped around the table to confront Vel, but was cut off by Mini. Such alarming speed for such an enormous creature, Trixie was certain he had been behind the counter just seconds before, but was now directly in between the knight and Vel. It was as if he were already there.
"Ah, yes, sorry. Mini is pacifist, but protective." Vel said, patting the minotaur on the knee as he passed, walking up to the knight.
"Where is it?" The knight asked with a certain annoyance. Vel's face fell slightly as he quickly traversed back through the curtain, returning moments later with a box.
"In box, great secret, not special but still secret. Tell, no one." The knight nodded, and Vel opened the box. A bright yellow glow shined out onto the knight's helmet, who almost immediately reached into the box, and pulled out a small circular mirror.
"Mini is expert, knows enchantment. Made special mirror, to see things, people, friends. You try, yes? You try, you buy, yes?" Vel nodded his head to his own words in an almost adorably encouraging way. Trixie would've said yes in a heartbeat, but the knight simply scoffed.
"I wouldn't pay 2 silver for this. It's a piece of glass with scrying on it. That's worthless." The knight said, handing Vel the mirror. Upon hearing his words, Mini the minotaur burst into tears and charged clumsily into the back through the curtain.
"And now Mini on break, great! Look what do! Now I fix!" Vel exclaimed, shoving the mirror into the knight's chest,"Bah!" and quickly making his way into the back. A few moments of silence passed before a bellowing wail echoed from the back room.
"HE'S RIGHT," The voice called, "ALL I KNOW IS SCRYING!! I'M A FAILURE!!" The voice was most assuredly Mini, and Trixie couldn't help but internally chuckle at the idea of a giant 8 foot bull man crying about something so trivial. Perhaps a hug might help, at least in Trixie's eyes. But then silence came once again.
Vel returned from the back, patted the knight on the shoulder and said, "You are ban, 5 months. No sale until end, except this." He pointed at the mirror.
The knight scoffed again and exited the shop, slamming the door behind him as he went.
"You though," Vel looked at Trixie, "welcome always. Mini like you, says give you this." Vel handed her a small bouquet of three flowers. A black rose, a dandelion, and a daffodil. She placed the daffodil in her hair and thanked Vel for the flowers before following the knight, whose helmet she discreetly tied the black rose to. Now his helmet looked as if a flower were sprouting from the back like a pony tail. Lastly, she blew on the dandelion, watching as the white seedlings floated through the air.
"I wonder if Orlan is ok." She thought to herself. Hoping deep down that, despite her own rocky start in this world, he had somehow had it better.
YOU ARE READING
Kid Quest
FantezieA group of small children are thrown into a wondrous and frightening adventure. Will they survive this new fantastical nightmare, or will play time be over?
