[CRP] Among the shadows

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Penelope
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Joined: Sun May 23, 2021 10:37 pm

[CRP] Among the shadows

Post by Penelope »

The Hag worked in silence in her shop, grinding herbs in a mortar with the sure hand of an expert. She sprinkled something else in the powdered mixture and resumed her labour. The customer stood awkwardly in front of the counter, casting glances to her surroundings. The shop was dreary to say the least. Dark and narrow, overgrown with shelves, books, jars and boxes of all shape and size. There was barely enough space for a man to walk in a straight line but the petite figure covered in a dress of ugly patchwork seemed to move unnaturally nimbly in the room. The young servant rose a handkerchief to her mouth and nose, feeling her nostrils tickled by dust but also to cover the intense smell of herbs and encense mixed in an odor that made no sense and had no redeeming quality. The Hag seemed to look up suddenly, or so would be suggested by the movement of her head. Her smooth clay mask allowed not to read her features which had been, according to the word on the street, ravaged either by fire or disease. Some pretended to have caught a glimpse of an horrible visage under the expressionless mask. The customer felt her gaze on her and she looked to the crosses that stood where the hag's eyes should be. The apothecary shook her head and kept working, picking a vial up and putting a few drops in it before she emptied the powder inside as well. She gave it a stir after pushing a piece of cork unto it to seal it. Mumbling, she almost floated to the counter and extended her hand. The serving girl looked at the dirty bandages wrapped around the hand with her lips pressed in a hard line, taking a step forward to put a small pouch of coins in the filthy palm. The Hag weighted it by moving it up and down and put down the vial between them, hurrying to count the frenzics inside. She made a disgruntled sigh that echoed behind her mask.

"We said 60 frenzics. That's 45."

"That's all I have."

The apothecary's hand slammed on the vial just before the young woman's could reach it.

"60"

"Please... I need it. When my master falls in love with me, I promise I'll repay you double. You know how rich he is."

"I said 60. Now. Unless you don't need this?"

The maid bit her tongue, shifting her weight from one leg to another. She untied a string from around her neck and put down a small silver band after hesitating. The Hag released her grip from the vial and pick up the ring at the level of the crosses of her mask to examine it and announced in a cavernous voice :

"Deal. Leave."

The serving girl didn't need to be told twice, she basically fled the store, holding dearly the love powder against her heart and disappearing amidst the crowd. But that wouldn't be the last time the two women would see each other... Though the situation would be very different then.
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