Speaking with an Accent

Tyr stopped at the high-end mask shop called Diannie. It was an old shop that specialized in masquerade masks but also created clothing that could change a person's appearance. This technology was very expensive and only the rich could afford it. Most people used these items to meet with lovers. The building stood two stories high and had masks covering the walls and ceilings. The lighting was dim and the faint sound of opera music drifted throughout the shop.

Although many interesting and colorful masks lined the walls, Tyr walked with purpose to the back of the shop. He did not bother looking at the masks on the wall because he needed to get a custom-made one. If he stopped to admire the beautiful masks, it would be a waste of time and he had a lot of things that needed taking care of.

A lean man stood at the desk in the back. He wore a mask that covered half of his face. It was fashioned like a sun and painted with metallic oranges and yellows. The man bowed and greeted Tyr, "Good afternoon. How may I be of assistance?" It pleased him that a well-dressed man came to the back immediately and assumed the customer needed something custom-made.

Not being a person who enjoyed shopping, Tyr tended to frequent the same establishments once he found one he liked. Since he came once a year to Diannie's shop, he remembered the owner's tastes. He did not understand why Diannie, the shop owner, enjoyed wearing masks that made her appear like a man. He did not care if she did that, but he disliked how she appeared to be a man but sounded like a woman. Tyr found it off-putting. "Diannie, I need a mask that changes my appearance. It needs to look like something people would wear casually. Nothing flashy."

Diannie smiled. This man looked familiar, and she knew he would be a high-end customer. "As you wish. What style of face covering would you prefer? I can do glasses, monocles, bandanas, or a hat of some type. The hat is still a new product we are perfecting. It cannot change your features too much, it can just alter a few things."

Tyr preferred using a bandana to cover his face but realized it would be problematic if he was trying to gain the trust of strangers. "The hat," he said without hesitation.

Diannie nodded. "Would you like to keep your appearance similar or change it as drastically as you can? Also, do you have any preferences?" The more he wanted to change his face, the higher the cost, so this part excited her. She found it a pity that he even wanted something to alter his face. He was a handsome man, but not her type. She preferred the small-boned men with delicate features.

There were some things Tyr refused to do. He understood he needed to be clear with Diannie what things he would not accept. "I want to remain a male. Make the disguise as different as you can. How much and how long?" This shop was out of the way and he had other things he wanted to do. He wanted to wrap up the transaction quickly.

Diannie rolled various marbles around on a board that stood behind the counter. She used it to decide the fees she would associate with creating the mask. "I would say two weeks. It will be four hundred gold pieces." After much thought, she felt positive this was Lord Tyr, cousin to the King. He possessed clear green eyes with a beauty mark under the left eye which gave away his identity. No other noble in the city looked like that.

Tyr reached into his breast pocket and wrote the amount on the back. He touched his thumb to the card and a small amount of smoke rose from the card. He removed his thumb and checked that his seal applied clearly before handing the card over. Tyr did not bother saying goodbye and turned around to leave.

****

When they came back from Jimbaran, Tyr let Macha choose any location she wanted in the guild's newly developing food district. Although he allowed her to choose anywhere, she picked a shop in a medium-priced location that was on the main street. She did not want to be in the high-end area because she did not want people to complain about favoritism.

Macha honestly believed Unai's pies would hold their own against any other pie in the city. She signed the lease for the shop and Tyr threw in a small discount on the rent. He claimed it had been because she was a guild member, but she felt he was being too generous. They had a small disagreement about it, but she let him win. Once he decided on something, it would be almost impossible to sway him.

After she finished deciding on a property, she contacted the construction companies to get quotes. Macha already had a good working relationship with the construction companies and they offered to put her work to the front. They appreciated that she had been easy to work with and often brought them treats to thank them for their hard work. One thing she noticed was that the companies Tyr hired, were always busy whenever she visited them.

Her uncle used to be a construction worker, and she remembered how he would complain about aches and pains at the end of the day. The weather could become hot in Hawai'i, especially during the summer, so she easily sympathized with the hard work the workers did.

While she sorted out the details for the pie shop, Unai joined the other children at the orphanage. As he promised, he took lessons with them and was learning how to read. After his lessons, he would meet Macha at the construction site to talk about their business plans.

Today, Macha made it to the site before Unai. In her hand, she carried a basket of tea cakes for him to take back to the orphanage. She originally baked two baskets and already gave the other one to the workers. Tyr did not want them, claiming they lacked sweetness, and that she did not make something chocolate.

When Unai met her, Macha noticed that his fur coat seemed silkier than when she first met him. She saw this as a good sign he was getting enough nutrition. Although she did not know much about ramidrejus, she did notice the ones who worked at the resort had silky coats. Unai's coat when she first met him, appeared dull and sickly looking to her. It was one of the things she hoped would change when they got here.

"How do you like the orphanage?" she inquired. Macha paid Talon a small boarding fee so Unai could stay there. He was not a child of a fallen guild member, so she felt it would be unfair for him to stay for free. She sent them clothes and snacks often, so Talon told her she did not have to pay, but she insisted. The money would help the children at the orphanage and eventually, she would just take the boarding fee from the shop's profits.

Unai stared at the workers building the framework. He found himself mesmerized by the process that would become their future shop. "It's weird to be around other kids. I don't know what to talk about with them." He was not used to being around other people his age, so he had difficulty adjusting to the new environment.

Macha nodded her head. "I bet it's hard to talk with them in your second language too. I understand." The ramidreju spoke their own tongue but learned many languages since their country was a tourist destination. They had a guttural language which made them pronounce words in a harsher tone.

She sympathized with Unai. She understood the hardships of speaking in a foreign language and how nervous he could be to speak with others. Macha read and spoke a lot to help her master Yenafocee, the language they spoke in Marseille and Phocée. She understood that she was lucky to be constantly speaking with Tyr or Luna. Both of them spoke well and were patient enough to correct her whenever she ever needed help. The availability of books also helped her to learn the language faster and helped to cement the words in her memory.

Unai shrugged his shoulders and wiggled his feet. Without any menace in his voice he mentioned, "What language do you speak? You sound funny." He understood Macha spoke with an accent. Compared to the other people in the city her words sounded like she was singing. When she spoke the words came out soft and flowed together.

Macha gave a hearty laughed. No one ever mentioned anything about her accent to her before. "I don't speak a language from here. I'm not from this world. My language is called 'English'," she was not offended by the child's honest question. The honesty with which he spoke had been delightful and refreshing.

Unai picked out a tea cake from the basket and nibbled the edges. He liked the flower shape the little cake came in. "Can I hear you speak it?" He was excited to hear what a language from a different world sounded like.

Having someone want to listen to her natural tongue gave her a bit of joy. It was a part of her and she missed speaking it. Macha mused over what to say to Unai. She rarely spoke in her language and the only other person to ask her about her native tongue was Freyr. At one point he expressed a desire to learn it.

Macha spoke in English and said, "I hope you live life to the fullest." She did not know what else to say to the boy. She only wished him to break away from the limited life he had and sample all the beauty that the world had to offer.

Unai thought Macha's speech matched her accent. He nodded his head, "What does it mean?"

Macha explained the meaning and added, "I try to live by that. In my world, lives are short, so it's important to make the most of it. At most, we live to around a hundred years. I don't know if I will end up living like people do here, so I want to do my best every day."

After some consideration, Unai decided this was an interesting idea. His people did not live as long as Captain Tyr's people and her words inspired him to try harder and succeed in his business. Jumping up, he asked, "Macha, when can we sell things?" He wanted to begin this new life she offered him.

Macha liked the spark of passion that her words ignited. The boy's eyes sparkled, and he looked ready to take on the world. A wide smile spread across her face, "Who says just because you can't sell things, you can't start? Come up with new recipes! Remember, Marseille is a country that believes in constantly improving. I can go get some ingredients and you can test the new recipes on the other orphans tonight."