To the market

The building for the market looked very old. Nobody would have ever guessed looking at the old factory building that there would be anything interesting in side. however when you walked through the front doors you would be in for quite a shock. The inside was renovated to look like an outlet mall of sorts. Small shops, a few food stands, and a stage area I would guess would be for small bands to play, laid in-front of me. Liz and I were both pleasantly shocked.

"Were to first?" I asked.

"Well one thing I wanted to do." Liz replied looking at the names of the shops. "I never got you a birthday present. I felt so bad that I couldn't get you anything a few months ago but work was tight so I couldn't afford it. But I just got a big bonus and am ready to make it up to you."

"You don't have to." I said trying not to blush. That's when a shop called Forgotten Treasures caught my eye. "Let's start there. maybe we will find hidden gold or something."

"You dork." Liz said playfully punching my arm. We walked into the shop and the first thing that hit me was the powerful smell of incense. I was doing all I could not to cough as I ventured farther in. It seemed to not have effected Liz as much though. She had not stopped as I did and was already looking at things. I began to look around too.

The shop itself wasn't big. One side had apparel that was right up Liz's alley while the other side had a big display case of different small statues and other display pieces that would look awesome on any D&d player's wall. This was defiantly my side of the shop. there were goblets made of this cool black stone with metal inserts so you could actually drink from them, small boxes and chests for storing things, A few glass bottles that looked hand made in interesting shapes, and statues of creatures of all different shapes and sizes. One thing that caught my eye immediately was a small box that had the leather strap for a pendant wrapped around it. The pendant was a green almost gemstone carved into the shape of a serpent-like dragon wrapped in a tight coil with it's head sticking out and facing forward. I always had a soft spot for dragons so I knew I had to have it.

When I picked up the box I heard something rattling inside. I unwrapped the pendant and opened it up. Inside was a silver ring in the shape of a similar dragon that looked like it would be the right size for my finger. That just made the choice even easier. L brought it up to the man a the cash register who cashed me out and put the box and pendant in the bag. Before giving me the bag however he began rummaging through something behind the counter and then dropped an envelope with the store's logo on it into the bag.

"Hey that's not fair." I heard Liz's voice behind me. "How can I buy you a birthday present if you are buying yourself stuff."

"Alright I give up." I say with a laugh. "How about instead of buying me something you just buy me lunch. there was this place on the other side of the market that looked really good."

"Sure." Liz said. "but I am still getting you something. Just don't know what... yet."

Liz cashed out what she was getting for herself and and we made our way to the little sit down restaurant on the other side of the mall. while we waited for our food curiosity got the better of me. Liz didn't get an envelope when she cashed out. what was in mine? I pulled it out of my bag and opened it. Inside was a piece of old paper with a note on it.