The Later Hours [complete]

[Seyfi]

Days had passed since Seyfi had gotten himself lost in the palace that pretty much dominated the view of the city. Though he had a lot to think about, it was business as usual within the shop that he ran on a rather busy street. His Anatolian friend had said his goodbyes nearly right when Seyfi had set foot inside, which was odd; he was expecting the old fellow to try and get another free meal off of him or something. But, considering the man did travel across the entire island to exchange...That kind of bothered Seyfi, too. He did own another shop right on the western coast for such things. Oh well.

It was a day before Sabbath, which just put him into an even busier state; he had to count everything up that he had just gotten in, along with all of the things he'd managed to sell in the week. Fortunately he had some very reliable local men who came in and helped him with that. There was very little to complain about, all things considered. Only a few more hours until it would get dark, and the shop could close up for the day.

"..But why did he ship an English mailcoat here?" he asked himself aloud. While his other workers took care of things out front and in the main room, he had taken to unloading all of the new wares in the second and back room (Was good idea to be taking out the doors in here and putting in the curtain--I should do that over at the other shop, he thought), and had found the chainmail shirt sitting in the bottom of a crate of Egyptian cloth.

How incredibly bothersome; he sighed, rubbing his forehead, and then looked up at the ceiling. "Why is it that everyone dumps their extras on me? My store is not warehouse for unsold goods!"

Though, he glanced around the room he was in; Indian sculpture, atlases, tapestries...it is starting to look like one....

"Oi."

He got up from his knees, stretching his arms. No choice but to find a place to put it somewhere..."Then I will stuff it back in crate when that old bat comes to get the sellable things...Oi, Lord," he sighed, rubbing his neck as he walked over to the next unchecked box, "sometimes I am thinking you are hinting to these fellows to pick on me...I'm on to you." He smirked and glanced up again as he said so, then back to the ground to rifle through the contents.

[yuki]

Having enough of being stuck in the palace she had decided to go to the market place and do some shopping. She really had no idea what she was going to be shopping for only that she needed to get out and that was one of the places she could get to fairly easily and with only a small grouping of guards. They had recently decided that she needed a guard with her at all times, every since she had been alone with the foreigner Seyfi, which she thought was absolutely preposterous. He had been nothing but polite and a complete gentleman.

Now though she was perusing the stalls, ignoring the guards as best she could. There was no smile on her pale face and her eyes were withdrawn, she was back to her usual self. All inner thoughts and dark meanderings. A young woman, who had to be about Yuki’s age, congratulated her on the upcoming wedding with the Prince and told her how lucky she was. Yuki smiled and nodded and inwardly seethed. Lucky? How lucky was it to have to marry someone you didn’t even know who was or seemed to be nothing more then a damn figurehead? What about her wants? Her needs? It didn’t matter to anyone; her fate had been decided from birth.

Her trip in the marketplace hadn’t been in vain, she had gotten some lovely fabrics that she intended to have made into a fancy kimono and several different fruits she had never heard of before, and this young lady loved the unique and exotic. Though as she was getting ready to leave she wondered where she could find Seyfi and inquired about him, asking for him by name and looks till someone steered her…and her entourage in the proper direction.

Stepping inside the shop she let her eyes adjust before making a soft sound. Wow…so many things she had never seen before. Large eyes went wider and she started to touch things before pulling her hands back, what if she broke them? Tapping one of the workers on the shoulder she asked him if he knew where Seyfi was and if so could they go and get him for her.

[Seyfi]

The worker Yuki approached walked into the back room and tapped Seyfi's shoulder, who nearly dropped the glass item in his hands.

"Dh--What, what? What is it? What did you do?" he asked in a single breath, carefully setting the item down before getting up.

His employee blinked. "Um, someone was asking for you."

"Oh..Sorry," he said absent-mindedly. "Urh, don't touch anything yet, okay?"

Pushing the curtain aside, Seyfi stepped out into the other room, rubbing his forehead. "I am sorry for keeping you waiting, I was--oh. Oh, Miss Yuki!" He was surprised to see her, but it was a good kind of surprise. Glancing off a ways, though.. "..Annd, honored guests?" He nodded sheepishly at the guards that waited not too far off.

Glancing back down at Yuki he smiled, but tilted his head. "I am hoping you are..alright?"

[yuki]

The smile she gave Seyfi could easily be described as radiant. She didn’t know why but she really seemed to like him, he was so easy for her to talk to and that was saying a lot. “My guards…yeah honored I suppose.” Her face immediately fell into a frown after that and she seemed to be pointedly ignoring the guards behind her.

“Oh, I am wonderful. I was just out in the market perusing things and remembered you mentioning that you had a place out here so I thought I would come around and see you, I hope you do not mind.” Tilting her head she seemed curious, her eyes going from him to the walls around them.

“Am I interrupting something? I surely hope not, but if I am I can leave.” She had actually wanted to purchase one of the large vases he had spoken of, as she had a fondness for certain types of flowers and plants that fit well in large containers.

((sorry about the wait))

[Seyfi]

"Interrupting?" he echoed, then shook his head with a little laugh. "No, no, you are most definitely not! I am happy to see you again."

He stepped back a bit, gesturing a little at the room. "Is kind of small, but it works. Things have been slow since that blockade, but is not too bad."

His mind drew a blank for a minute or so, kind of looking around the place for a hint of what he was going to do. Then--"Oh! I remember now. I just got something shipped in that I think you might like to see. Is in here, please."

Walking towards the back and pulling the dividing curtain open, he gestured with his hand for her to enter. Though, glancing back in at the bit of mess that was within, he flinched slightly. "Erhh, you will have to be pardoning the boxes..is not all sorted yet."

Within would be the unsold and untagged items of all sorts; Greecian pottery, Indian figures of many-armed gods and creatures, colorful glass creations, books and scrolls in different languages..a rag-tag assortment of worldly goods, not as much practical as simply interesting to see. Each wall had a large tapestry hung, while others still were rolled up in the corners. There were three crates on the floor, two opened with their contents exposed--that useless chainmail shirt hanging over the side of one.

Stepping in as well and kneeling over one of the opened crates, he carefully rifled through the contents till he pulled out a covered book. "This atlas came in from Constantinople, I am thinking..though my supplier did not have the sense to date or categorize anything here, sadly..But, I am thinking this may be something you would like to look at, since I am so poor at the describing of places..This will work better." He smiled and held it out to her.

((No worries! :D ))

[yuki]

Well that was a change, someone was actually happy to see her. She flashed him an unreadable look and stiffened her shoulders; she could just feel the guard’s questions hitting the back of her head.

It was small but it seemed well cared for, it was very clean. Her eyes scanned about once more and she sniffed delicately. “It is very clean though, I like that.”

Nodding she flowed him, looking back at the guards. “Please just stay here I shall not be in harm, besides I doubt you all could fit anyway.” Her please was laced with malice and her eyes flashed dangerously, other then that though it seemed like a normal sounding request. Turning back around she gave Seyfi another smile that didn’t reach her eyes, she was very annoyed.

“A bit of a mess is fine, just as long as it is contained of course. And since it is behind this curtain then it is contained.” Stepping inside she ran a hand over her other and looked around, curious as ever. She was after all only 16 years old and usually stuck in places she didn’t want to be, once in awhile able to sneak out very late and do things no one thought she could. Yuki was very good with herbs and plants.

The chainmail shirt caught her eye, it was very shiny even in the dimness, and she wanted to have it. She has never seen anything like it before. Walking over while he rifled with things she picked it up and made a funny face at its weight. “This is different, how much is it for this Seyfi?”

Turning around she looked at the book with something like glee in her eyes and set the shirt down carefully to pick the book up. “Ohhh how much for this too then?”

[Seyfi]

Geniune interest was a rarity, sadly, and its occurrence was invigorating. Noticing the chainmail she'd picked up while he was looking, he laughed a bit.

"I am not sure yet," he admitted. "It was not supposed to be dropped off here--not much profit selling Western armor. Ahr, this?" as the book was taken from his hands, "Haven't found the stock list yet--if it was even packed--so, I am not sure."

He pushed the crate he had found the book in off closer to the side of the room while speaking. "It has pictures of a lot of different cities alongside the maps...I am afraid it is written in a language I did not study, though. Still, it is a well-done book. You may have it, if you like; no doubt it will spend many months untouched in here."

[yuki]

Pouting was not common either and Yuki looked off towards the mail with a wistful expression before it vanished and her eyes looked back to him, the crimson color almost glowed with the way she was facing and the light hitting it. “Ahh, do you often get things you are not expecting?”

Have it? She did not have to pay for it? How lovely! She clutched the book to her chest, and sighed happily. This would be such a fun book for her it really would. If she never got to go to any of these places at least she could know something about them. She had a feeling her room was going to become filled with exotic things. Seyfi had opened up a whole new door for her and for that she was thankful.

Stepping up to him she gave him a gentle hug and stepped back, still holding the book. “Thank you so much, I greatly appreciate it! You have really made my day today, I really like you Seyfi.” Could that be taken wrong? Nah he didn’t seem the type, so she just smiled and nodded towards the curtain. “I must get out of here, or the guards will think wrong things are happening and report me.”

[Seyfi]

"Ehh, only when a certain trader comes into port; not a very sensible fellow, but a good heart." He chuckled, thinking about the old guy. Still, seeing the young girl's face brighten was nice; he had previous assumptions about palace life, drawing from the things he'd seen and heard in other nations, and it only lead to him believing that it was just a little under stifling as far as security went.

"I am afraid it is as close to a boat that I can supply, haha."

He did notice her eyes dart back over to that chainmail shirt, and as he got to his feet, considered reaching for it, but was halted by the sudden hug. It was a surprise--the people around here weren't very into the physical contact scene. Still, her delight was nice to see, and he bowed with a broad smile.

"It is good to know I have done so; you are always welcome. I will be making sure to find other things you may like. Be well, Miss Yuki."

[yuki]

He was such a nice person, and he didnt think ill of her or apparently want to think ill of her. So as she walked back out to meet the guards she had a rather pleased little smile on her face. little did she know that all these actions would get back to the Shogun and be so messed up in translation by then that he would think she was doing completely different things then she actually was.

The guards snapped to and practically forced her out, one of them looking around with a measuring eye before going along with the others.

Yuki waved at Seyfi while being ushered out, the guards claiming it was too late for her to be out anymore. Her face turning dark and sour as she went out the front entrance with all her guards.