Page 179 of Forcing Fate

I shrugged, fighting my frown. “Not much.”

“Perhaps that’s something to consider,” Elenor said.

“Yes,” Niehm agreed. “For when you’re far away, but alive and well on the front.” Niehm eyed Elenor as if she had betrayed her.

I cracked a small smile. The cruel reminder of what the war front had in store for me loomed. My belongings were minimal, bare necessities. I had no heirlooms, nothing she could hold and think of me. I didn’t even have my dresses anymore—I had passed them on, to be given to other girls.

I surveyed the vendors with fresh eyes. What could I purchase that my mother could look at and remember me?

“A knife?” I thought.

Niehm snorted and both Elenor and I looked at her in shock at such an unladylike sound. We burst into laughter together and headed around the vendors again.

I made my way toward a jeweler’s stall, knowing most of it would be beyond my coin. I saved every bit I could and had quite a tally. Jewels were also impractical, and therefore relatively inexpensive… in a regular village. On the King’s grounds, the vendors knew that people would be buying frivolous things, especially at this time of year. Therefore, they had no quarrel about raising their prices.

I glanced through the trinkets, slowing at the earrings. My mother, as well as I, never had our ears pierced. What was the point of carrying a jewel in your ear for all the bandits and robbers to see? As my gaze traveled over the rings, the same logic appealed to me. Why wear a jewel on your finger where it could easily slip off and be lost forever?

I was about to move on when I noticed the necklaces. I peered at the small medallions, some with jewels and others plain. Some were simple bronze designs and others were gold or precious silver. Hanging from a leather thong was a simple silver cabochon with a green stone inside. I waved at the vendor asking to see it. Elenor and Niehm pressed close to peer at it as the man showed it to us.

“It’s the same color as your eyes, lass! What a wonderful gift for that special man in your life! With it, he would never forget your beauty.”

“It’s for my mother,” I corrected dryly.

“And what a handy reminder of her lovely daughter—eyes as green as the forest in the height of spring!” he rattled on, unfazed.

“The gem matches quite well,” Elenor agreed quietly.

“It would be a nice reminder… till you come home and she can see your beautiful eyes in person,” Niehm added.

“How much?” I ventured.

“Five gold.”

That was far less than I expected. “What is the stone?” I asked, reaching over to tap my nail against it.

“It’s one of the rarest and most precious–”

“It’s simple green quartz.” A passerby spoke up from behind and shook his head. ”Highway robbery,” he murmured, walking on.

Looking back at the vendor, I raised my eyebrow in question.

He smiled, clearly accustomed to defending his wares. “Perhaps it is but simple quartz, but see how it’s polished? How it sparkles in the candlelight? You could fool anyone!”

“Like me.” I grimaced.

“Ah–”

“Two gold.” I cut him off.

“No less than four!”

“Three.”

He held his heart as if in pain. “You hurt me, lass.”

“Three gold or I walk away,” I said, straightening and shuffling my feet.

“Aye, aye!” He rushed his words. “Three gold it is!”

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