Her fingers closed around the silver coin again, still trying to convince herself it was real.
The guard she received the payment from tucked the loaves into his satchel, clearly pleased with his purchase. Behind him, two other guards had slowed their walk, watching the exchange with faint amusement as if this small moment in the busy market had briefly entertained them.
"You seemed to have done well," one of the guards said, nodding toward her now empty basket.
Elira glanced down into her basket that once was filled with bread but moments ago there was only half the amount left and in a blink of an eye it was gone.
She looked up again, a shy smile tugging at her lips. "It's my first time selling alone," she admitted tightening her hands around the now empty basket.
"Well," he said, a faint smile touching the corner of his mouth, "I'd say the market agrees with your bread. Though perhaps I should say Sir Torren has taken quite a liking to—" The guard beside him abruptly nudged his shoulder, cutting the sentence short.
Torren didn't seem to notice while his attention had remained on Elira. His gaze had settled on the simple ribbon tied loosely in her dark hair, one gentle gust away from slipping free.
For a moment, he said nothing at all.
Then, as if remembering himself, he cleared his throat and adjusted the strap of his satchel. Elira noticed something in his expression shifted.
He looked down at her and said, "With you being alone here," he said slowly, "I would suggest you remain in the square today."
Elira felt confused and frowned slightly, "May I ask why?"
Torren's gaze moved past the lively stalls and colorful tents toward the distant roads that wound out of the village and disappeared into the valleys.
"We've had strange reports from the northern and eastern pass." The words were stern with no trace of amusement. The guards around Torren shifted and straightened themselves as their eyes roamed over the crowd.
Her stomach tightened, "What kind of reports?"
He hesitated then took a deep breath that shifted his armor making a light noise as the metal shifted. His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer.
"Vampires." he said.
Vampires? Of all the times she had been to the market she never had thought to worry about vampires. Of course the halflings walked amongst them but the only time you knew it was through chatter from villagers. She remembers the blacksmith telling her father the way to uncover a halfling is when they deprive themselves of blood and their eyes are black.
Torren seeing Elira swirling within her thoughts he interjected, ""The market is safest when it's crowded," he said confidently. "And there are plenty of us guards watching over things today."
Elira coming out of thought she her Torren add, "Though if you're worried… I can make point of keeping a few of my men with you for the day."
Elira felt her face warm with embarrassment. The notion of guards surrounding her as though she were a lady of importance made her stomach twist with nervousness. She was no noblewoman just a farmer's daughter trying to sell bread!
Elira shook her head quickly, still flushed by the suggestion.
"That's very kind of you, Sir Torren, but I couldn't trouble the Crown's guards over a bread maker. I will be quite alright here among the crowd."
He reached for hand and bowed at her response. Elira placed her hand naturally into his and Torren kissed the back of her hand. He rose up and turned and rejoined the other guards, disappearing back into the restless tide of the market.
Elira stood still. Her eyes followed as he walked with the other guards and seeing the crowds part as if commanded to make way. Not noticing the girls across from her with their mouth hanging to their chest in disbelief.
Elira looked down at the silver coins resting in her palm. A slow smile spread across her face. She tied the coins safely into her pouch, lifted her basket, and began looking for Carolina and Eugine.