Tradecraft

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[132] Nymaya: Tradecraft
Sun Feb 21 14:52:07 2016
To: Verminasia RP
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The coffee was strong.  No cream, no sugar, just cardamom spice and with each careful sip she was reminded of the desert.  It was a pleasant simplicity, which was rare enough to warrant savoring, even if it was available to her every day. 

She let her concerns lapse while she stood by the market entrance, watching the people and the guard, listening to the cacophony of blacksmiths and soldiers at practice.  Among the sounds of marching troops, the smell of the tanners and the voices of merchants hawking their wares, was an undercurrent of palpable excitement - one she knew well. 

"Lady Kayen."

The summons brought her gaze to a young man garbed in a black-stained apron. From the smell alone she knew he worked the forge, from the age she suspected he was a mere apprentice. 

"For you, ma'am." The parchment was also stained and a little crumpled but she recognized the writing.  It almost brought a smile to her face but work was work, no matter how long you'd been absent from it. 

"He can not deal with this himself?" She asked with idle speculation, already aware of the answer but interested in the lad's response. 

"Sorry ma'am.  He says the orders are overflowing, what with all this talk of war."

She nodded slowly and folded the letter that had simply gone on to outline the many orders her armor smith had received.  He'd never been one for too many words.  Self-sufficient and competent, but if he was calling for help then he certainly needed it. 

"Tell him he will get what he needs." She responded and, taking another sip of her coffee, she pulled a blue diamond out for the soot-streaked messenger. 

"Thank you ma'am - ah, Lady Kayen." He bowed while backing away, his eyes alight as he tucked the diamond into a pouch. 

She nodded once and then set her gaze on the horizon. The haze of industry was thick, thicker than usual but she had had decades to grow familiar with the smell.  Breathing in the scent of the coffee and cardamom gratefully nonetheless, she eyed the passage of a noble who hurried past her without acknowledgement and the concerns she'd set aside briefly, returned.