Stop at the Night Market

I walked home from the doctor’s office, opting to go on foot rather than take one of the fairy boats that run up and down the major canals of the city. Just to save a bit of money and make up for the book I splurged my savings on. So I had to jog a good portion of the way to make up the time. I passed by a night market on my way back home where a small stall sold all sorts of things; some locally made and some imported. All Lite using new fairy lights that ran on electricity. As I was passing through I relaxed, not wanting to run through the crowded market. I noticed, One man who looked like he was homeless was begging one of the merchants for food.

“Can you not spare a loaf of bread for an old man,” He said as he limped toward the merchant on a pegleg, his skin loose from age but his ribs still visible underneath his loose tattered clothes.

“For the last time…I told you to get lost! You're scaring away the customers!” He exclaimed before pushing the man down off his feet right onto the stone ground. The man wailed in pain as he held his pegleg and his nub that was now leaking blood as it looked that it had been rubbed raw on the wood. I helped him get off the ground to a bench nearby at the edge of the market, we limped together till I could help him sit.

“By gods thank you elf. Bless you. I ran out of cloth for me stump a week ago. And now my wretched skin has broken. But I’ll manage, I walked on one leg before so don’t worry yourself with me lad” He thanked.

“No, don't mention it. That guy was an asshole with no right to push you down like that,” I said angrily.

“Aye Aye,” He said dismissively as he looked off into the distance. I looked too and it was that smug merchant from before trying to upcharge a foreigner. It was in that moment that I heard the whispers,

“Take that from what is secure and give that to what is not.”

“I am going to get you some help,” I said confidently.

“No…No I’m ok…really lad don’t worry about me,” He said but his voice was pained and the wound looked like it could get infected if it went back inside that sweaty wooden carved stump. Whose polish has worn off leaving it rough on the inside, and holes for straps but none in sight the leather probably broke a long time ago. I walked back to the merchant eyeing him up as he was distracted. Suddenly I got that feeling again this time it seemed centered on the merchant.

“Bring me! Bring me! Lots to take! So much Greed! Greed! Greed! Summon me! And take what you need when they're all distracted! Please I am just a small imp! Just play no harm!” I heard it say, it kept berating me over and over. But I could not ignore this one. And I didn’t have a better idea. I tried to think about it but nothing happened.

“Think of Greed! Think of Trickery! That is me! I am your pal!” It said to me. And I tried again thinking of the greed of the merchant, and his selfish cruelty he showed the old man, and his extortion of the tourists. And I grasped beyond, and pulled the spirit into the world. The small winged creature was silver with gold clawed hands. It cackled as it was summoned and it slipped from my grasp immediately, spitting into the merchant's face before snatching his coin purse, slashing the rope that tethered it to the merchant in one swipe. It ran away cackling as it scurred under stalls, climbed around people and swiped valuables as it went. In the chaos I used the time to snatch a few loafs of bread under my shirt, before I noticed the lockbox he left behind the stall, a bundle of keys at the floor with some frayed rope.

“Take. quickly,” I heard Soma whisper. Grabbing the keys tried a couple before I noticed one matched the color of the lock, and looked small enough to actually fit. I popped it open and took a few coins, not enough to make a fuss over. In another stall someone was selling rolls of linen, I swiped a small roll before heading back to the old man. Looking back everyone was occupied by that little ball of chaos.

“Here take this. Patch yourself up. And eat these when no one's watching,” I said as I handed over the linen and the bread.

“It was you that did that…summon that thing,” He said with furrowed brows. As I looked over the imp seemed to make a pile of the stuff he found on top of the market roof. A guard managed to climb up and snatch him while he was distracted, rolling around in the pile. Then in a puff of smoke it was gone as soon as it came. And in my bones I knew it had left back to wherever he was from.

“Yeah…first time. It was calling out to me. Attracted to all the trinkets and greed,” I said pensively looking at the mess it had caused, he must have tried to take one of everything as no stall was not bent out of shape, with some of their product rolling on the ground. Though it didn’t seem like it hurt anyone physically which gave me relief.

“Aye…well thank you friend. I will remember you. Roy me name,” He said putting the loaves in his shirt, before wrapping up his wound with a bit of the linen. When the loaves left my hand I felt a small spark bolt inside me. Like a second wind my late day drowsiness was gone.

“Janus…next time I come with aqua vitae. The strong stuff to clean you up proper,” I said as I outstretched my hand. Roy shook it in turn.

“Aye. probably be near the Torrid Tanker if you need to find me. Probably should not show my face around here for a whee while,” He said before getting up with a grunt.

“I’ll swing by tomorrow. Stay safe,” I said as I turned toward the direction of home.

“Same to you lad,” He said before limping off holding his peg leg.