16 The Two Strangers

Just before nightfall a carriage rattled into a small village. A man and woman both stepped down from the drivers seat. The were headed to a shop that the keeper was about to close. He saw the figures approach right as he was about to flip his sign from open to closed.

The man opened the door first and hand to duck his head in order to fit through the door. The woman behind him was smaller than himself and had bright red hair. This made her stand out against the man who was covered in all black and had jet black hair. 'What a odd pair' he thought to himself while watching her star at the the clocks ticking on the wall on the in front of her.

"I am sorry to bother you, but we have items we need to buy and sell," said the tall man who towered over the small shopkeeper.

"No problem at all I can always do with some business." He said adjusting the spectacles on the bride of his noise. The tall man nodded with contentment. He ducked his head when he exited the doorframe and headed out to the carriage. When he came back he held a chest that he set down on the counter.

"I want to sell everting in this chest for gold and food." He said as the small man opened it and peered inside.

It was an enchanted chest filled with many valuable items.

"Well, I, well, Um, I don't know if I have brought gold to buy all of this from you." The man stuttered in shock.

"Perhaps I could also purchase two wedding bands then?" He asked and the woman next to him gave him a shocked look which he ignored.

The man nodded and pulled out a box of a large variety of rings.

"Pick any two you would like, these are the nicest of the rings I have. This chest is still probably worth more than two of these." He said watching the tall man pick through the rings.

Finally he pulled two silver bands that were decorated with small and intricate designs. He looked them both over and put one on his finger making sure it fit him.

"Give me your hand," the tall man said to the girl who reluctantly lifted her hand.

The store owner watched the pair curiously, but didn't say anything.

"Perfect they both fit, we will take them," he said to the store owner.

"Of course, a great pick those are rings by forest elves. Their magic if fused into it so even though they seem delicate nothing with break them." He said with approval in his voice. At his words the girl looked closer at the beautiful ring. The design was of woods and mountains. It was like she was staring at a tiny woods wrapping around her finger. It was hard for her to comprehend how it could be made of metal.

"I still owe you at least 20 gold pieces," the man said pulling out a small bag he kept on his hip and pulling out some coins. Carefully he counted them and handed them over to the man.

"Thank you, your honesty is appreciated." The tall man said, "for your own protection I am going to preform a small spell on you and your shop." Before the store owner could react the man lifted his hand.

"Reoite," the tall man spoke and everything in the shop froze in place. The clocks on the wall even stopped in place.

Caith then pulled dust out of his pocket and sprinkled some over him. "An rich man and woman came in, they were very much in love and traded this chest for the rings. There was nothing special about them, nothing about them stood out to you." Finishing his statement he left the shop.

"We don't have much time," he said turning to Sionna.

"Go get the small backpack." She nodded and retrieved it from the carriage he pulled out a small stone with an inscription on it and he placed it near the entrance of the shop. Flipping it over so that no one could see the inscription.

"Ar Ais" he said holding up his hand again and Sionna could hear the sound of cloak ticking in the store.

They both got back into the drivers seat of the carriage and continued their journey.

After while of riding the stopped at a butcher shop and traded objects for bread and pastries. He did the same thing at the butcher shop and then they road out do the village and headed to the next.

"Why do you put a spell on them when you leave?" Sionna asked finally.

"Because the people coming after us will kill anyone who helps us or holds information from them. They will get to the village and soon figure out that no one here saw us or remembers us. They will then move on and not hurt them." He said in a matter of fact tone. "Hopefully we will get to the next town by tomorrow morning. It's larger than this one so I am hopefully we can sell everything and ditch the horse and carriage. Then we will be able to move a lot quicker."

Sionna nodded and started at the setting sun behind them. She thought again of her little den and longed to go home.