As the pair continue their walk towards the marketplace, Kai opens the pouch of coins, and quietly begins to count them out, noticing the slight difference in weight between the copper and silver coins.
Okay, this should be plenty for Elise to get some proper stuff to wear and keep her clean..
Kai thought with a soft smile before his gaze shifting towards Elise, walking happily beside him, lost in her own little world.
"Hey, Elise, I really appreciate the help and more importantly the company, and I did say I would pay you, but think of it less for work and just sharing the profits." Kai started shyly as he offered her 20 Silver coins, "Please use these to get yourself some new outfits, shoes, soap for the road or inns, anything you may need, okay?"
Elise's lower lip quivered slightly and her eyes began to turn misty as she looked at the offered amount of coins, "I... I have never had nor have been given this much in my life.." She whispered almost inaudibly, fighting back the urge to cry, "Thank you, thank you so much Malakai.." Her shoulders shook as she bowed her head slightly, accepting the coins.
"You do not need to worry about buying food or how much clothing and other stuff you need, just make sure you get something to carry it all in okay?" Kai said warmly before adding, "I'll buy the rations and supplies needed for our travels, but before leaving this town I would like to save up to at least get us a simple cart and a horse to pull it."
Elise's eyes widened slightly before asking quietly, "You still want me to come along with you?"
"If you wouldn't mind, I know so little of this world, and I would love the company too.. and I would still pay you," Kai responded sheepishly as he gazed at her, walking together.
"Well, if I am going to be your travel partner I need to contribute too, so I will do the best I can to support you." She responded with a soft smile, "I may not be able to fight, but I could still look for medicinal herbs and other plants for us to sell.." She added quietly with hopeful eyes.
Even after having nothing when we met, she can't accept just giving me information and company as sufficient contribution. Also, damn it all to hell, how can I say no to those eyes?
Kai sighed deeply before responding, shaking his head softly as he spoke, "Alright fine, you can help make money by finding herbs and such, you're impossible, but thank you."
Elise's eyes sparkled with quiet triumph before her gaze turning forward excitedly as they approached the open market. The pair walked a short distance, their eyes looking at the individual stalls. Clothes, shoes, pottery, handbags, soaps, candles.. all sorts of ordinary items that were handmade could be seen.
Elise stopped suddenly at a vendor who sold handsoaps, her eyes scanning the selection before gleaming with excitement, reaching for a particular one, a vanilla-white with a deep purple swirl.
"Kai, smell this! Tell me if you like it!" The young woman shoved the bar of soap under his nose aggressively as she kept looking at the selection of soaps.
What in the world has gotten into her...
Kai thought as he obediently took a soft whiff of the soap. It smelt like a delicate vanilla, with lavender mixed in, and some other pleasant floral scent he couldn't place.
"Uh.. I like it? It smells nice." He chuckled softly as he lowered the bar of soap from right under his nose.
"Perfect! Ma'am, can I take three of these soaps then please?" Elise's gaze remained away from Kai but there was a definite hint of excitement in her voice, and a smile could be seen formed on the edge of her mouth.
"Why of course dear! That will be 15 Coppers, and would you like a small baggy? That will be free of charge!" The old woman responded warmly, giving a knowing smile to Elise and a wink to Kai as she carefully bagged the soap, "Thank you for your business young lady."
"Thank you so much!" Elise bowed politely accepting the bag of soap and her change, 85 Copper coins.
So it looks like 1 Silver is equal to 100 Coppers, looks like this little shopping trip is even helping ne learn...
Kai smirked quietly to himself as they continued, before stopping at a clothing stall that seemed to have caught Elise's eye, they had a decent arrangement from simple loungewear, to slightly elaborate dresses, skirts, tops and other casual wear.
Her mouthed open slightly to form a small 'o' as she looked at all the different clothing pieces, before beginning to select like a kid at a candy store. A couple sundresses, several long skirts, a couple sets of loungewear, some frilly tops for the skirts and a light night gown.
"Can I really get all these?.."She turned to face Kai, her eyes sparkling with child-like wonder.
"Of course you can silly, that is your money I gave you, but what you like!" He chuckles softly, amused at the change in her normally shy demeanor to one akin to a child.
I wonder if she has ever had the chance to shop like this?...
He thought quietly to himself as he watched her excitedly hand over 5 Silver coins, the shopkeeper smiling softly as they bagged her clothing.
"Thank you for your business! I hope you come again soon!" The shop keeper waved as they handed Elise the tote-bag of clothing, before the pair resumed their wandering through the marketplace.
The pair continued making a couple more stops, Elise buying a hair brush, a couple pairs of new shoes, one for leisure and one for travel, as well as a hand bag and coin pouch set, and a leather suitcase, with Kai helping carry these items. With about only half of her Silver left Elise hummed to herself quietly, with a soft smile on her lips, before abruptly stopping at a stall that sold hair pins and ribbons.
"Hey, Malakai?.. W-would you maybe pick out a hair pin and ribbon you think would look nice on me? I haven't had either since I was just a kid..." She asked in a shy voice as she gazed at Kai before her eyes darted back to the accessories, a faint pink forming on her cheeks.
She wants me to pick?.. I don't know the first thing when it comes to these...
Kai furrowed his brow as he looked at the selection, studying the different pins and ribbons, and gazing back at her to visualize them being in her hair.
What if I pick wrong? Somehow this is the hardest thing since coming here..
He was feeling at a loss before his eyes caught a small silver hair pin, with a little shining Sapphire in the middle, his gaze quickly darted around until he found a hair ribbon closely resembling the color of the gem, a brilliant blue.
"I think these would look good.." Kai said as he grabbed the hair pin and ribbon, "What do you think?"
"They are perfect..." She murmured, reaching for them with slightly shaky hands, pulling them close to her chest with a soft smile.
"Those there will be 7 Silvers," The man manning the stall said, making Elise's jaw drop slightly at the price.
"Alright, I'll get it, no worries." Kai replied before Elise could respond, pulling out his coin pouch and counted out 7 Silver Coins, before handing them to the man.
"Thank you for you business you two." The man said with a satisfied smirk, as the pair turned around to walk away.
"Y-you really didn't have to pay for these! They were really expensive and I still have the coins you gave me!" Elise stammered, clearly fustered yet holding the hair pin and ribbon tight to her chest as they walked.
"Yes they were expensive, but you wanted me to pick them out for you silly, I'm not going to pick something and have you pay for it." He chuckled playfully as he watched her in her flustered state, "Let's go to an Inn and get a room and meal, alright?" He added quietly, which brought Elise slightly back to normal.
"Okay.. a meal and a bed sounds nice." She murmured softly as she walked, still clutching her new hair accessories with a soft smile.
Something about her appreciating even the little things like this makes me want to not let her go and keep traveling with me. Someone to take care of... Wait, what am I saying?
Kai's brain played war with itself as they reached a quiet inn outside of the busy marketplace. The place seemed nice and cozy from the outside, with little foot traffic, and the sign hanging over the door read, "The Red Hare Inn".
As Kai opened the door and the pair entered, they were greeting by a small, yet cozy atmosphere, a couple dining tables were set up, with a few people eating, with plenty of open seating still. At the back of the first floor looked to be the main desk/bar area, where a middle-aged woman was standing with a warm smile.
"Welcome to The Red Hare Inn!" The woman said with a warm, welcoming voice as Kai and Elise walked up to her.
"Hello ma'am, we were hoping that you may by chance have a room with two beds available, and potentially a wash basin to clean up?" Kai asked the middle-aged woman in a polite tone.
"Oh yes dear I do have a room like that! However the wash basin comes seperate, but if you add that and 3 hot meals provided a day, your stay here would run you about 1 Silver a day, how does that sound?" The woman asked with a warm voice, her gaze drifting to Elise who was looking around the place curiously with a knowing smile, "I'll also throw in hot water for the basin for free." The woman leaned in to whisper in Kai's ear with a wink.
"Thank you ma'am, I would like to pay for one week in advance, if that is alright with you. Also I do want to add I may be returning back here at late hours due to work." Kai said with a polite bow as he pulled out 7 Silver Coins and placed them on the counter.
"Of course! You guys will each get a key to your room, and don't worry about late hours dear, we are open to at least provide rooms day or night, my husband handles nights though." The woman said with a warm smile, "Now how about I cook you two up a nice hot meal?"