31st of Frost, Early Morning - Kalzasi Trading Co.
The lingering bit of anger hung loosely in Leith's system. She had been so busy between work at the Roasted Hen and spending what little free time she had practicing magic and getting her bearings in the city she hadn't heard the news. More accurately it was that she hadn't understood. Hadn't known the importance of the whispers on the Shokaze's return, what even the Shokaze was. But it had been impossible to miss the fact the Roasted Hen was putting together a booth for the event. She had been asked if she could man it and had not so deftly skirted out of the duty. It hadn't been hard to, she put in more time then she was paid for at the Hen, but this opportunity was too rich for her own undertaking to pass up.
Why sell the inn fare she had been when she could be treating Kalzasi to her own food?
So that had brought an alert, awake, and slightly vengeful Leith to the front of the Kalzasi trading Co., lamenting the fact she hadn't approached the guild sooner realizing the magnitude of their business as soon as she neared the structure. She hadn't come empty handed, however.
Her morning had begun, as so many did these days, in the darkness of pre-dawn. The fish market was always active, perhaps not precisely open to selling, but the port was a busy place. Fisher people came in when their boat was full, and this could be at any time, and no one ever said no to coin for fish right off the boat. There were also always fires kept going on in the alleys between the slums. Leith was desperate for a place of her own to cook, but she had begun making...friends was a strong word, but eager taste testers out of the people of the low city slums. She hauled cooking supplies to their fires, cooked rice and smoked fish, and always made sure to make extra. This morning she had made a fortifying broth from seaweed, leftover vegetables and chicken bones strained out with oil and spices added in. She ended up giving out most of the pot to the sunken and forlorn faces of those that gathered around her fire. The extra fish she made sure to cook through and give the few children, mixing it up with egg and rice into rolled paper which they absconded into the shadows with.
The end of her labors resulted in Leith walking confidently toward the Trading Company now with supplies she had borrowed from the Roasted Hen. A covered wooden tray was clutched firmly in her hands, and she wove neatly through the people milling around the structure. There wasn't precisely a line, more groups of people moving things, taking notes. A constant thrum of business with individuals moving among them directing traffic and gesturing emphatically. Leith was able to get to the front of the building without getting stopped or even worse, jostled. She eyed several groups of people wrestling with disassembled wooden stands and her eyes narrowed. This was exactly what she had come for.
Pushing into the door it easily swung open, but before she had even taken a full step within she was face to face with an Avialae who stood two head above her. They both stopped just in time, and he looked her up and down. "Do you have an appointment with the guild?"
Leith didn't so much shake her head as cant it slightly to the side. "No, lord, but I do require-"
"Then I am going to have to ask you to come back after tomorrow's festivities, we simply do not have time to be catering to every single person who decides they have business with us the day before the return of the Shokaze." He shifted then. It was a movement of his tall frames and wings that Leith was sure would have caused any non Avialae of the city to move without a thought, but the large woman stood her ground in the doorway, and the gaze that hadn't been friendly to begin with, turned a degree more sour. "Will you kindly move, you are distinctly in the way." There was beginning to be the slightest bottle neck of individuals behind Leith, seeking to come into the guild's entrance and she gave an apologetic smile, lifting the corner of her tray and deftly removing a small covered ceramic bowl.
"I apologize, my lord. I am simply a food vendor caught surprise by the return of the Shokaze, hoping to proffer my food tomorrow. I am sure you have much business to attend to-" She shifted herself to the right of the doorway to allow him out, "-if you could just direct me to someone who might be able to rent me a booth?" She held the bowl before him and was able to push the cover off ever so slightly so the aroma of the steaming liquid could eek out of its confines, a thin line of steam rising in the air. The winged man paused then with a crease in his brow took the bowl. As soon as her hand was free of the broth it darted under the lid once more and proffered a spoon. Now a bit more of a build up had occurred and she could distinctly hear impatient muttering. The Avialae cautiously dipped the spoon and took a sip of the liquid. His expression remained neutral, then after a long pause. "Continue to the back of the building, and ask for Fareida, I am almost certain all booths are claimed." Without further comment he strode out of the building and away, but Leith couldn't keep a mischievous grin from her lips as she realized he had kept the bowl of broth.
She darted into the building and continued to the back, moving around more bodies, the noise growing more concentrated in the confines of the building. She found what she could only imagine was Fareida in a large back corner, large doors open to this seeming supply room area as wooden structures were being both removed and assembled. She was apparently a human with chestnut hair and stood just barely shorter than Leith, she just finished talking with a man who had several other people helping him move sections of wood, and turned to Leith with a weary expression. "Here for a booth?" Leith nodded emphatically "Well that's the last one and it's leaving the building." She thumbed toward the man and his helpers. Leith's shoulders sank. She had spent all this time preparing food as a way to get the people of the merchant's guild onto her side, but she should have just come to the guild instead, her elaborate ploy utterly backfiring. She felt the anger stirring again and inhaled slowly through her nose and out of her mouth, eyes closing in concentration. There would be other chances, other times to show the city her food, it just wouldn't be today. The anger continued to rise, however, and part of her wanted to throw the tray against a wall and watch her work run down its side.
It was as this thought occurred to her that she felt a disturbance right in front of her as Fareida lifted the lid off of the tray and set it to the side, whistling. Leith opened her eyes and glanced down at the food she had arrayed there.
There were three more covered bowls of broth, a large bowl of rice that had been seasoned with vinegar, salt, and sugar sitting in their midst. To the side were a small pile of seaweed wraps. They formed conical tubes that were stuffed with the same seasoned rice and uncooked salmon. They were drizzled with a tangy and very lightly spiced orange sauce, and finally topped with dried bread crumbs that would give a satisfying crunch with each initial bite. Fareida ushered Leith over to a bar style counter and called over a few other people working in the merchants guild, grabbing one of the broth bowls and a wrap and sitting on a box to eat. A few people came over and soon the tray was devoid of food, murmurs of appreciation floating her way thought Leith barely heard them.
"This is what you'll be selling at Shokaze's return?" Fareida asked, not bothering with a spoon for the broth as she put the bowl to her lips.
"It is what I would have sold, if I could get a booth, but as you say, that was your last one."
The woman nodded, emptying the bowl and licking her fingertips thoughtfully. Then she gestured to one of her companions and they began rummaging around behind crates. Leith stood there dumbly, trying to assess if perhaps she should just volunteer herself back to the Roasted Hen's booth for tomorrow, knowing they'd probably take her.
"Hey! You just going to stand there?" The voice curved out behind a stack of wooden signs, and Leith hesitantly walked around to where Fareida had disappeared to. There on the ground was something that looked marginally like what she had seen people hauling out of the building. The wooden boards were old, cracked in several places. "It's not much, which is why I don't even consider it in our inventory, but we can assemble it for you and I'll only charge you half the rental fee for it." Leith opened her mouth to immediately take it, but the woman held up a finger. "On the condition anyone coming by from the merchants guild gets a good deal from you tomorrow." A man came around behind Leith, the bowl of rice in his hands, already half gone with a spoon in his mouth. "Thish Rysh is Amazshing." He swallowed looking apologetic "You wouldn't mind if I just came by for this? I don't care for fish."
Leith nodded vigorously. "Have as much rice as you want, and deal, deal upon deal. Thank you. Thank you." She began fishing the money out of her clothes and Fareida smiled conspiratorially. Leith's smile remained for most of the day as she prepped for the festival to come. After all she already had guaranteed customers.
