"Poor guy." Mira pouts and tilts her head to the side all the while regarding the scene playing before her.

"He saw it coming Mira. He clearly couldn't keep his cock between his legs." Adelaide scowls, looking all too satisfied at the poor man getting whacked by his wife or partner or whatever, with a washing cloth.

The man raised his arms up in surrender trying to be consoling but she has nothing of it as she keeps whacking him her eyes wide with fury. The man's pants lay at his ankles as he kneeled before his now will be ex partner, his genitals exposed. The woman he slept with stood a few feet away from them, way younger than the wife herself as the young  girl  holds her dress tightly against her chest, tears streaming down her face.

Most of the other residents has resolved to watching the scene through windows at the highest piers laughing their asses off. A huge amount of villagers has also formed a tight circle around them, some watching with humor and others with shock. The women were mostly the ones who were shocked.

"You think a young girl is better than me?!" The wife screeches with another whack on his face.

The man's mouth was shaking trying to hold back tears, "No Portia of course not. I love you. It's always been you, just please don't kick me out."

"That decision was made as soon as I saw you taking her on our-my bed!"

A few young boys that looked about ten years old were pointing to the part between the man's legs giggling and made hand gestures showing a pinkie finger —which clearly signified it was small, and wailed tremendously. What did little ones know about genitals? Mira only clicked her teeth.

The more older men stood gawking at the younger girl's bottom. The dress she held only covered her breasts and her front but not her behind. Mira even saw some men trailing behind her discreetly wanting to poke her there, but just assuming from the girl's looks she'd probably enjoy it, but when they did poke her the girl scolded at them and scowered away; just for them to come closer and to do it again.

Mira takes a closer look at the girl and with a shocking realization she sees that it was that waitress that served them a few days ago in the tavern they were in with Kaleb.

She immediately turns to Zalaena beside her, but Z was watching the girl. From where they sat on a bench — their feet plastered on the seat of the bench; was enough to see the entire scene but also to not gain any attention in the bungalow area. The tree kept them hidden in the shadows of the scorching hot day.

She sat in between the two girls their usual position; but today they were going to spend time at the markets to have a shopping day but after they came to fetch Adelaide the scene unfolded before them and since then they've been too tiresome to continue it and just spent the morning lounging about on the bench.

"Wait Zalaena isn't that the girl you followed home that night?" Mira wishes she could wash Adelaide's mouth with soap. But Adelaide didn't care or see how Zalaena's face looked watching the girl.

Zalaena without steering her gaze away from the girl answers."Yes it was. She wasn't interested, she thought of me as a mere girl."

"Ugh, that bitch. Well then I don't feel bad anymore." Adelaide pouts and flicks her hair over her shoulder.

"You didn't care in the first place Adelaide. I wonder what happened here though. Is she a prostitute or something?" Mira frowns.

The girl came towards the wife to try stopping her from whacking the man but the wife just whacked her too, and immediately she scounders away letting the dress fall to the floor; as she runs away and dissapears deeper into the rounding aisles of the bungalows.

"I have no idea. Perhaps she is very desperate for coin. Poor girl." Adelaide replies.

"Well this is why being with women is better than being with men. Because this happens," Zalaena stands up and brushes off her pants before pointing towards the embarrassing commotion before them.

"Ugh Z. Not everyone likes girls. I just don't find them pretty, I am pretty no other will be called prettier than me." Adelaide counters back.

Mira sees Zalaena watching the empty passageway in which the girl dissappeared into. Without any other response, Zalaena starts walking into the same direction as the girl but halts when Adelaide pipes up.

"Aye Z! Where are you going?" Adelaide spreads her arms in a what the fuck gesture.

Zalaena turns to face them and places both hands in the pockets of her pants. "I'm going to make sure she's alright."

"Didn't you just say she wasn't interested?" Mira questions her softly.

Zalaena tugs on her lower lip and rolls her eyes, "Doesn't mean I can't help her. She has to be embarrassed and besides some guys were harrassing her, she needs some care."

Adelaide bursts into laughter and nearly fell off the bench if she hadn't gripped the end of it. "Come now Z. She brought this to herself. Leave her be."

Adelaide offers Zalaena a sweet face, but Zalaena ignores it. "I will see you guys later. Sorry about leaving the shopping. Doesn't look like we were going to do anything anyway."

"Yes of course. See you!" Mira waves as Zalaena turns her back before strutting away coolly.

"Yes see you! And oh my God don't do this again! You're literally always here for five seconds and then you go." Adelaide wails after her retreating figure.

Mira chuckles as Zalaena showed them a vulgar gesture over her shoulder. Mira thought that at some point Zalaena would of tried to be with either herself or Adelaide. But there no hints that clearly showed that she was interested in them. Mira thinks it is better this way however, before complications arise leading to fights and quarrels which is something Mira didn't want between them.

"Aye Mira, do you still want to do something?" Adelaide meets her eyes.

Mira knew what that question meant— she wants to do something. And it didn't include her. Mira should of known something was up with her, why else would she dress up in her too beguiling emerald robe with her hair up in an even more glamorous chignon? But in general Adelaide always dressed up in an extravagant dress, but something about today's outfit made her think otherwise.

"Why? I knew you dressed up too pretty today. You only do this on special occasions." Mira smiles at her warmly.

Adelaide blushes and holds her hand over her mouth giggling softly. "Well. Henry asked to meet me again, so I'm just going to find out what he wants."

"You mean after he left you alone at the bar because his back was hurting?" Mira replies sarcastically.

Adelaide groans and shakes her dress quickly skimming the retreating villagers before them. The wife is now throwing out his things one by one with him weakly attempting to grab it. He held his plate and cutlery in one hand, and his small cabinet in the other, so he struggled to balance his clothes in his arms too.

"She's throwing his whole life away. Oh my word! Look his clothes are all dirty from the floor. Disgusting."

Mira grins before asking Adelaide again. "Hey Adelaide you can leave. I have to take a turn to the Market anyway for Grasel."

"Alright. I just want to get to Henry and find out what he wants already."

Mira knows it's so much more than that. Adelaide dressed up just to talk to him? She highly doubts that it will be just to find out what he wants. But Mira keeps her mouth, she wouldn't want to offend Adelaide for any matter.

Adelaide has already sprung up from her seat and is now squeezing her breasts together in the suffocating corset of her dress— making them more visible and her cleavage more revealing. She mutters something under her breath about having to go through unwanted efforts just to be attractive to see a young man.

Mira jumps off too and just before she would bid Adelaide farewell and good luck she jumps in.

"I shall see you Mira- wait is that Jezio?"

They both look into the distance and true to her word she spots Jez going in the direction of the bungalows close to the very edge of the wooden shelter. He dissappears around the corner and is gone.

"Where is he going?" Adelaide asks her.

Mira shrugs before facing her, "I really don't care anymore. Maybe he is visiting one of his mates."

Adelaide crosses her arms and cocks out a hip, "His mates? Staying here? I've been staying here for ages Mira and trust me they are not good enough to stay here."

Mira shrugs again. She didn't care what he did anymore. If he was going to be with Cary again, she didn't care. But she doesn't tell Adelaide about it. Perhaps the mysterious Cary so heavily shrouded resided in the bungalows, but is it really worth to spy on him? She respects his privacy. If there were to be secrets between them let it be.

"Well? Are you going to check it out?"

Mira lifts a brow. "Oh definitely not. He could be stealing again from some person staying here, it is not my problem. It's his. I have no interest anymore Adelaide. I don't care."

Adelaide gasps, "Well what happened between you two?"

"Really something I don't want to talk about. But I have to go. Good luck with Henry."

Adelaide was still frowning at her as she waved and made her to the trellis ready to pass into the marketplace.

                                                               °°°

It is fair to say that Mira could literally right about now murder the entire line before her. She should of taken Grasel's wisdom and advice about always going to the markets early before you do anything else in the day, it takes stressors out of my mind and fills it with peace and accomplishment. Thus you have the rest of the day to yourself.

But today is too hot to do that. She also might have overslept this morning which is no excuse, because theoretically she hadn't done anything so far during the day, and already she could determine by the heat increase that midday was upon them. She has a slight satisfaction within her that both Zalaena and Adelaide left, they wouldn't of made it in this heat to possibly be shopping.

To make matters worse — the line for bread didn't seem to be moving. At all.

She didn't even know if she is standing in the correct line, or whether the villagers decided to make a home out of it. But seriously were they in or out?

All around her — the village is packed. She has never in her life seen it so busy; children were chasing one another wildly with dogs on their tails, villagers especially the women were all over the place  purchasing what looks like fresh new linen for tables and curtains and tons and tons of various foods and platters. Mira instantly knew it was for the Elemental ceremony the time where the entire Village is to meet at the Court to watch it happen. And there were sales of plenty new ornaments which looked lovely enough to keep as a home design, she should consider getting that cute dolphin statue for Grasel's birth day.

She wonders whether Grasel would celebrate the ritual or if she was like Mira and didn't care one bit about it happening. Yet again there were so many days left before it happening so perhaps Grasel is still pondering about it, or it is just too early to be doing preparations for it unlike the rest of the villagers, which have definitely gone mad.

She didn't know Grasels true interests in the Elementals and all, Mira wasn't even alive for the past Elementals this would be her first time to experience being with one; but Grasel wasn't. Not that she elaborated about it or anything, but she taught Mira the basics one needed to know about the Elementals— how it worked, the different kinds of Elementals, as well as the deaths of them every second decade, which Grasel stopped going any further about with her grim expression and continued her explanation of the various elements and their power.

But Mira didn't take into it, she was only a noob when she started working for Grasel, and still till this day, all these Elemental things didn't really spark her interest. She knows her brother was, he seemed more excited about the ceremony than she was, well she wasn't at all, but for Jezio she deemed it absolutely absurd.

After all the years she stayed with Jez in an old stall in the Beggar Area— their only source of income from Jez's theft; Jezio hasn't mentioned anything to her about the roles of Elementals or ruling or crowning to her, the only fact he told her about it when she was just a little girl was that the Elemental was fire.

It was also then when Jezio told her to start finding an unskilled job, like a maid to get a better living. He said he hated staying in the slumps, and she doesn't blame him. After their parents passed at sea, Jezio and herself— she was but only a few months old; has been living off sludge for supper once a day, and in a danger infested area filled with drunkards, rough men and women, and also more dangerous thieves than Jezio. She could remember one person stealing their sludge. If one couldn't even afford sludge from a bin then she didn't know what else desperate was.

Sometimes she wonders why her mother hadn't brought her with to sea to wherever the hell they were going or doing, so she wouldn't have been living like this. Mira nearly prostituted herself for coin which is the last thing she'd do to make money.

So to where she is now creating a better living in the same area she struggled in as a child, she was greatful; and she is also proud that Jezio had his own place even though it was in a tavern and his way of making money was stealing, she still is proud that he made it out of here.

Time flew by so fast she didn't even realize she made it to the front of the market and surprisingly the line was moving. The bread stalls are so empty there was barely enough food to keep both Grasel and Mira alive for the rest of the week. She looks behind her and flinches at the long line behind her, she heard some villager scold her to hurry her ass up before his wife throttles him for not bringing home their supper.

Damn what is wrong with the women in this Village?

The rest of the market stalls were insanely busy as well, from the Jewel and Fabric right till the end of the Urchin and Crustacean market. There were numerous workers packing out new stocks, with consumers buying bulk upon bulk, guards attacking those stealing but they kick up the sandy floor bringing sand into the guards' eyes and slimly they pass out of their arms. What a Jezio move. She's seen it way too many times and still the guards couldn't control it. The stalls were nearly half empty already, that's how brisk the purchases are. Mira actually couldn't believe it. What was the big deal with the whole crowning thing?

She turns her attention to Darek in front of her, his cheeks are blood red and chubby but he always had a smile on his face. She could imagine how it would feel to be baking all day inside in a hot humid environment just to come out and sell them in an even worse environment beneath the tents of the Market. He should be exhausted each day, but still he puts up a smile Mira could only willingly adore.

The air stinks of piss and is very very stuffy. There are way too many villagers here today, that it smells like the Beggar Area on a night of cheaper rum served from the taverns.

The sun is scorching the back of her thighs so she quickly trots deeper in the shade of the tent above. "Darek!"

"Young lady!" He only smiles at her, and is evidently waiting for her to give her order from the left over broken rolls, bread and cakes, which he seemed fakely proud of as he stood a little away baring them to her. And obviously he didn't know her name either, there were just too many clients.

She grits her teeth as she observes the remaining products he had to offer and offers him a fake smile which he returned after gritting his teeth too. "I'll have the the leftovers of all please Darek."

"Right away!" He chimes and enthusiastically starts gathering it into brown bags. Darek is a very soft person, she doesn't know how he will handle letting go of his clients after saying he is all sold out, or whether his clients will accept it and not make a scene about standing in a line for a whole day just to receive nothing. She knows this situations all too well. Jez. It's all she has to say.

After handing Darek his coin and letting him keep the change, she grabs the bags and places it into her backpack. Before standing up and leaving the cluttered queue heading towards the Crystal Waters area where it is always quieter.

She takes out a sweet sucker and plops it into her mouth and gazes at the dry waterfall bed. It looks so harmless compared to the way the villagers speak about it. Even dried out algae lay strewn across the concentric circles making the fuschia look like a dark blue. What she would give to have a bath in it. Clean of course. Because the Crystal Waters is that beautiful.

She takes a deep breath in and exhales slowly before continuing suckling her lolly and twirling her tongue over it. This is strawberry flavour, one of her favourites.

She is supposed to meet Kaleb later this evening at this exact spot and to say that she is eminently  excited to see him is not enough.
The thought made her heart flutter and brought butterflies in her belly. She could barely even think straight whenever he took over her mind. It was strange. But oh! She so wanted to see him sooner. He made her that excited, it's fair to say she feels high on him whenever she just thinks about him or he crosses her mind for a second and how his strong arms looked-

Her thoughts get interrupted by someone clearing their throat right behind her.

She halts with the sucker in her mouth and slowly turns around.

It was a man. He has pale skin and seems no older than Grasel, his dark eyes holds a hint of mirth and his lips are tugged up into one. He is dressed in all black and leather — tight breeches and high-knee leather boots with a long coat reaching where his boots stopped directly above the knee. Each of his button clasps glints luminously in the sun — each one a different coloured gem, varying from green, red, blue, pink and orange. And from how it shown under the sun she knew it was real diamonds.

His short hair is slicked back onto his head which had to be some premium gel because it shown just as much as his buttons.

As she is eyeing him up and down she strides her gaze to the back of him and notices a set of six men heavily clad in black fabric covered from head to toe except for the eyes, guarding him with discipline as their arms folded behind them, all of which are studying her back. Three breaches each side of him looking like the birds when they fly  in their V form. Bird protocol. But is definitely not anything like that from the Court. They all wore pumps, she tries not to get jealous, they barely sell pumps here in the Market, and here they wore comfortable looking black ones.

She clears her throat too and removes her lolly from her mouth but leaves it in her hand as she folds her arms behind her backpack. "Can I help you?"

The man clicks his fingers and instantly his puppets sat down on the floor cross-legged which sent up some sand making them look even more exclusive. He does so without turning to them; he continues gazing at her.

"Uhm, you do know that there are benches around here right? It's quiet over here and there is shade beneath the trees. These floors are irrevocably dirty."

The man doesn't answer her for a long time but he does stroll slowly to her and she simultaneously takes a few steps back until her back hits the back of a bench and she grips it tightly behind her.

He stops a respectable distance from her and folds his arms behind him. "Mirabella?"

She swallows the stone in her parched throat and suddenly his presence became all too intimidating to her. Her heart thumped so hard it hurt her chest and sweat started accumulating all over her palms and face which she is sure is white as ash. She is panicking beyond words and she is sure he notices it too.

"Aye? Do I know you?"

He grins too sweetly. "No darling you don't. But I am so ecstatic to finally meet you. I've been searching for you for days to come."

She freezes and her lolly falls out of her fingers and onto the seat. Great. "Look you must be mistaken, uhh, who-who are you?"

He starts lifting his arms and she catches sight of the rings on each of his fingers. They were all the same ring — a silver skull with a femur lodged in the right eye socket, and this is also definitely real silver. Where does he get all these real things?

"Right right of course. Where are my manners?" He chuckles loudly but luckily it is quiet in the Crystal Waters area so there wasn't any attention drawn to them. "I am Lord Crawford the highest mage in all the lands." He smiles delightfully at the air around him with his arms still high in the air praising himself.

"A mage? Seriously is this a jest? Look Mr Mage I have to go." She didn't have to. But she is starting to think that this is definitely some sort of jest, there are also no mages in this world so why the hell is he suddenly one?

"Wait Mirabella I have something very important to discuss with you. Something about your future." His one eye seemed to pop out more than the other and it made her feel even more small.

"How do you know my name?"

He takes in a deep breathe but doesn't exhale it. "That is too much to explain now Mirabella. But I really do need to talk to you. When are you available?"

"Woah Woah, hold on. Talk about what?" She groans from the lack of her lolly. She needed something to bite into.

"This is something very important which I'd rather talk about when we can finally be alone. So when can we? I will also then explain everything that you want to know too." He raises his voice a little and rolls his eyes.

"You are scaring me Mister Crawford, if you don't leave now I will call the guards." She threatens him making sure to add ire into her tone.

He chuckles evilly again and something about him in general was just plain evil. He toes the sand with his rich leather boot rubbing his fingers together making his rings click with every rub.

"They wouldn't do anything Mirabella we are all acquaintances. I am somewhat involved with the Court and the Elemental. Even if we weren't acquaintances, your guards doesn't stand a chance at defeating mine." He says arrogantly his mirth grin back.

He looks down again and flinches away at a bug crawling about in the sand. He calls for one his puppets in a very frightenes voice who smashes it into pieces and bows before sitting back again in his place. Lord Crawford clears his throat and pats his clothes as if the bug disrupted it.

"Wait you're from the Court?" She doesn't remember ever seeing such a person in the Court, nor did anyone speak of one. A mage.

"Look at my belt."

She does that and gasps as she sees a black rope circling his waist, "You're an Elemental?" Her eyes are wide and her heart stills till he broke her attention.

"Oh God's no. I am so thankful I'm not one at that-"

"But you're wearing the black rope. Only the Elemental wears a black one." She points to his rope, her face filled with awe.

"This is to show off my superiority to others." He grins so arrogantly she would of  bleached it right off his face.

"But back to you Mirabella, I request a very important meeting with you, whenever you have time I want you to come to my tent."

She frowns at him her fear of him vanished. "But why? What is so important that someone from the Court has to speak to me?"

She bites her lip, she should not of said that. Perhaps he is investigating this situation and maybe just maybe he is working closely with Kaleb.

He keeps grinning wildly and skims his guards who remained stoic in their cross-legged position and didn't even utter a single word to another.

"This is why I need you to come to me. This is very very big. I've spent my days searching for someone and it's you. My tent will be the black one at the flower festival be there at midnight sharply."

Since when was there a flower festival?

Mira could do nothing but stare at him as he whistles causing his assassins to rise so fluently and immediately flanks him on each side.

He went on before she could and his next words chilled her to the bone but still he grins. "This also does involve the death of the Elemental by the way."