The beginning of the end: the angels wings

Chapter 2: Elizabeth

The imperial market was a large dirt square surrounded by brick houses covered with the first snowflakes, crowded as rabbit hutches, animal men's and taverns with whitewashed walls. The ground was moved by prominences similar to the backs of huge underground animals that opened the black jaws of warm cavernous underground warehouses on the surface. The centre of the square was a maze of zigzag corridors between the alleys.

Upon the arrival of Elizabeth and her Kapala, no less than a thousand merchants and travellers, began to unload the wagons and exhibit their goods.

The imperial market. Compared to those of the other Keystone cities, it was full, in every corner there were people ready to sell goods, buy them or simply take a walk. Ser Adros had explained to her that New City, despite not being one of the main headquarters of the O.F.A.K, was the capital of trade, this factor was facilitated by its position. In the centre of the Keystone, crossed by the most navigated rivers in the nation, such as the Ghicon, the Stik, the Aigis and the Astradì.

However, Elizabeth also liked the strangeness of the Southern Markets, with all those exotic flavours. The times he had travelled, following the "star of the two tigers", had been many, and he often spent entire mornings in their markets. He tasted the fruits of caramelised date palms and dried in the sun for more and more hours, insect cakes and crispy pasta. A suffocating heat that was aggravated by grains of sand, introduced and remaining attached to its lung walls. He listened to the loud and modulated voices of the soothsays. Full of wonder, she stayed to stare at the little basilisks in the silver cages, their must was covered by a completely dark mask, so that they could not be dangerous for the pedestrians. The immense gray elephants and black and white striped dogs from the Ama Malech steppe. She also liked to observe the people: the dark, solemn inhabitants of Molden, those tall Quarkings and then the men of the South of the Keystone, with bright eyes and night-coloured skin, their wives remained as well until the fortune tellers of the city ordered her to break the vow. The females as soon as they became the home of the new seed, they wore iron rings on their arms, around their necks and small gold nuggets set in their cheeks. Then there were the men of Quern. They covered their chest and face with tattoos, they hid their arms behind the bands, to hide the untattooed skin.

For Elizabeth, the South Markets were the home of magic and wonders.

But it was the Imperial Market that smelled like home.

Reakyne and Vymbes helped her abstain from the carrier, and immediately noticed the scent of freshly baked bread. He saw the slaves carrying rolls of intricate Mos-Hollow lace, of refined woollen fabrics of a dozen vivid colours. The caravan stocks roamed the corridors of the market with copper helmets and yellow cotton tunics padded to the knee, the sheaths of the swords hanging from the belts.

A gunsmith was exhibiting behind a bench armour breastplates worked in gold and silver according to elaborate drawings, shields in the form of bizarre animals. Next to him, an old but attractive woman sold the precious gold of Gold City: exquisitely history bracelets, clasps, rings and belt medallions. Guarding his desk was a eunuch, short and bald, covered with many layers of wool and smeared with sweat, who looked threateningly at anyone who approached. On the opposite side of the corridor, a fat Fairgard fabric merchant was pulling the price of a certain blue belt with a traveller from Rills, and the wig wearing his head, swinging every time he played any movement.

-It's been a long time since we went out alone, little sister-  she told to Catherine, as they wandered through the shady corridors. - You didn't miss all this... The laughter, the carefreeness, the countless stalls to admire. Do you still remember the one where we always went when we were little? -

-Are you referring to the "Magic Bazaar"? -Catherine asked. - There was always the same man serving us the sticks of honey, sausages and various meat-

-Here! The "Magic Bazaar", I couldn't see the name. I still don't understand why it was called that way. The only magical thing was the food. - They both laughed lightly