Page 40 of Chivalry in the Meadow
On the way there, they passed the crystal shop, an herbalist’s tent, and shop that sold toys like the wooden swords so many of the children were running about with.
Lilly had to look at and sniff nearly every candle in the place, for she loved candles. She was still shopping when Mia stepped outside.
She could only sniff a few candles before she would feel a headache coming on, even if the candles were made with essential oils. The scents crossed the brain barrier so fast, that even if they were considered good for you, she had to be careful. So, she purchased one lavender candle and one vanilla before stepping outside with her bag.
A strolling juggler passed her by as she stood watching all the people, and not long after that, a man on tall stilts came walking down the path.
Lilly stepped outside wither purchases to join her.
“I wonder how tall he is before he’s up on those things,” Mia said. “It must be terribly hard to walk in them.”
“He’s pretty amazing,” Lilly said. “Crystals next?”
“Sure,” Mia said. “You know I’m always up for looking at and holding crystals.”
“Yes, I know,” Lilly said.
Mia had a whole self of them in her living room. Mostly small ones, though she had one amethyst geode about the size of on the left side and one crystal quartz geode on the right side. Whether or not she bought a crystal had to do with whether any of the stones called to her when she shopped for them. Occasionally, a larger one did that.
Today, none of them were. She wandered and picked some up but then put them back down. “Not a crystal kind of day,” she finally said to Lilly. “None of them are calling to me, saying take me home.”
“You’re probably hungry,” Lilly said. “Lunch is probably what’s calling to you.” She laughed. “Those meat pies smell good.”
“Yes, I’m ready for lunch,” Mia said. “We may be back tomorrow,” she told the shopkeeper.
“I will be here,” the shopkeeper responded with a smile. “Enjoy your lunch.”
“Thank you, we will.”
Mia and Lilly both stepped outside and headed for one of the food vendors selling meat pies which had a long line.
“I guess everyone likes these,” Mia said.
“It might have been better if we’d headed here first,” Lilly said. “because of the line now. But I wanted to shop before the populace crowded the little shops.”
“It was a good idea,” Mia said.
They placed their order, got two meat pies and two fresh lemonades, then found seats at the end of one picnic table. Theother end was occupied by a couple who sat holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes.
Mia and Lilly started to eat, quietly. Both were so hungry they didn’t speak at first.
When the couple got up to leave, Lilly whispered, “Love is in the air. Maybe we’ll get lucky this weekend, too with two handsome knights. Are you still leaning toward Sir Cedric?”
“Yes,” Mia said. “Sir Alaric has that bad boy pull, though he’s all man, not so much, boy. Sir Cedric is a handsome knight, like the ones in my books.”
“They’re very different,” Lilly said. “And equally handsome. It would be hard to decide.”
“You decided right away,” Mia said.
“Sir Elias is beyond compare,” Lilly said. “I hope to get to know him.”
They finished their lunches and then headed back to the Jousting field for the second round of jousting. On the way they saw some ladies walking around with white lace parasols, and Lilly stopped one.
“Excuse me,” she said. “Did you buy your parasols here?”
“Yes,” one of the women said. “In the second clothing store on your right.”
“Thank you,” Lilly said.
