markets

Seizing the opportunity to make profit, the small entourage wove along the streets of the city. Amidst the flow of the crowd, they wound their way through crudely crafted stalls and the vast array of blankets tossed along the sides of the market. A buyer would be found, cheaply enough if their package gave them much trouble.
Wedged between the two obviously adroit guardsmen, the cloaked figure seemed unusually diminuative. Though the men buffeted their way with heavy booted footfalls, the smaller form would appear to glide from here to there within a wisp of breeze. The drape of hood concealing any detail of what lay beneath.
Roughened hands of the men caught at the petit upper arm gripping firmly to drag their prey off the curb and across to the far alleyway. Even without the benefit of the features under the cowl, the impassiveness was evident. Slowly extricating from the grasp, a small hand smoothed the lines of the cape again in brisk motions.
Only briefly in the turn to glance back at the throngs was the glmpse of finely carved features and delicate shading of the face beneath visable. The eyes, pools of blue green liquid that danced over the masses. Decadently gossamer veilings too scandalous for a free woman scarcely hid the intricate beauty.
For the spanse of a moment, the gaze sought to rest on just one. The childlike innocence of it disarming. Within it too was perhaps a desperation of need for validation ... a reaching out within it before the hardened grip caught hold again, guiding her into the shadows.