Feyra walked away from the house that belonged to Hannes. She didn't know if there was any armour store near the outskirts of the city or if she had to come back to look near the plaza.
One thing was sure: If there was one near the outskirts it would be cheaper than the one near the plaza.
The ground she was walking on was made of stone and dirty but she still had no shoes as she had forgotten to ask for some cheap ones or used ones.
Well... I hope I can clean my feet before I reach a store and perhaps in that store I can find some boots.
This was her train of thought and plan as long as there were some stores around.
One definitely has to be in the city. Every city usually has at least one store for armour, a book store and various other stores specialized in certain areas. In smaller cities or even villages there is at least one store for everything where one can also find armour occasionally. What a shame I need to look around... If things were still the same as in the past I would know where the stores would be.
Feyra was lost in thought as she walked down the street to the outskirts.
"Fresh bread!", a woman called out holding a basket and showing some bread up in the air.
Feyra didn't pay it much mind as for now her priority was on getting armour that could help her when she would travel.
Normal clothes won't do given I may end up in fights... Who knows how dangerous it is in other places. As for a weapon... I'll have to look for that elsewhere.
For now she had no money for anything besides a set of leather armour and perhaps a tiny bit of bread.
The street was lively with many people and even merchants. It was the main road of the kingdom leading from the harbour to the plaza.
If wares came with ships into the harbour they could be transported easily to all the stores lining the street.
Feyra was stunned seeing how many carriages just carried wares to various stores.
Many of these wares had come from far away like other kingdoms, continents and cultures.
Some would be preferred by the upper class and nobility while others were also affordable for the middle class.
The poor rarely had a chance to purchase goods that had come from far and Feyra could consider herself one of them.
If she didn't have a job or didn't earn money in some way she could only dream of tasting some of food.
Perhaps if I go on a journey and travel across various places can I try some of these delicacies, she thought to herself in satisfaction.
However, she remembered it may be good not to think too much of food or else she may get hungry again and for now affording food would be hard.
A while later she reached the outskirts.
The streets away from the main street were dirty and littered with unpleasant things.
Feyra didn't dare look down too much or else she feared seeing her meal from earlier again.
The smell alone was enough to make her want to run as fast as she could.
Just hope I don't have anything stuck on my feet later. Perhaps I should wash them somewhere and then use the main street or a cleaner street if I can't find an armour store here.
Feyra took her time looking around but in the end she came to the realisation that there weren't any armour stores around.
The kingdom had truly changed over time and so she had to walk back to the plaza.
But before she would walk back she found a place near water to wash her feet and look for a cleaner path.
I really need some shoes or boots...
She took the main street up again past Hannes' house towards the plaza. The further one got to the plaza the more elaborate everyone's clothes became. It was rare to see someone who didn't have clothes of higher quality.
Feyra must've stood out given all she wore were linen clothes. Some travelers sometimes also wore tattered clothes although they were well off. If she could say that she was merely a traveler people may leave her be.
As she reached the plaza she was greeted with a market that took place. Even more people gathered here.
"Look! The Apring Market! Perhaps we can find some berries!", a young girl ran past Feyra dragging another girl behind her. They seemed to be here for the first time or had long awaited for the return of the Spring Market.
Feyra stopped for a while remembering that she wasn't much different from these two girls all those years ago. She barely had seen the world outside until she had been a bit older and even then she was still under strict watch by the church.
Only once or twice did she visit the Spring Market with her friend before she was forbidden from going ever again.
After what felt like an eternity drifting off into these memories did Feyra start moving again and walked around the plaza looking for the armour store.
One needs to be around here. Oh over there!
A house with a yellow facade caught her eye that had a big plaque saying 'Armour'.
This was the place she had been looking for.
Feyra opened the door and entered the store. The smell of leather immediately hit her and she saw rows of various leather pieces hanging around.
In another corner she could even see full plate armour and various pieces in different styles. Next to them were sets of chainmail armour.
"Welcome", a male voice said looking at his only customer in the store.
"Ah a young lady. What are you here for? A hunting outfit or something else?", a man with a bit of a belly and round shape came towards Feyra.
"I'm looking for some leather armour.", she answered looking at the man who now stood before her.
He was a bit smaller than her and stroked his beard as he looked at her.
"I think I can help with that. I got everything ranging from cheap to expensive, from thin and light to heavy and also durable."
Feyra followed him over to a table where various pieces of leather armour lay.
Feyra looked at some arm pieces first. The man came over and looked at it.
"Oh this one came in recently from far away. It's an arm guard for archery. Though given it's intricate design it is quite expensive. Miss what is your price range?"
"Could you show me some leather armour and I'll first look at them. I can only judge the price once I have a roundabout picture.", Feyra answered putting the arm guard back. She wouldn't be participating in archery. She didn't even know how to properly draw a bow and what techniques were used to not hurt oneself.
"Over here we have a leather armour which is light but durable. It has some intricate designs and feels just like a second skin.", he explained showing Feyra some leather pants and shirts.
She looked at them thoroughly before deciding.
Sadly they're a bit too expensive. I don't even have enough for them. Though the point of it being durable and light is good. I should ask for that.
"Do you have something that is still light and durable but a bit less expensive. It can even be in a cheaper category.", Feyra answered looking at the man who was stroking his beard again.
"Hmmm let me see. I should have something. Come here."
He took out a box from underneath another table and opened it.
"These pieces have also come from far away but the Kingdom hasn't been on good terms with the Empire it came from so I can't sell it. Though I believe you won't stay long in the kingdom anyway."
He showed her the pieces which described light and durable very well. It had quite a nice touch and some more intricate designs. If the kingdom was on better terms with the Empire this would likely sell for far more.
"I'll leave the kingdom as soon as I can. How much would that armour be?", Feyra asked looking at the man who stroked his beard in thought.
"The normal price would be 2000 coins. Given it is imported the price would be likely around 2250... But given I can't sell it like this I'll set the price to 1000 coins.", he said deep in thought and calculation.
Feyra looked at the coins she had in her bag. She had about enough to pay for this leather armour.
"I'll take it. Do you also have some chainmail skirts?"
The man was shortly unable to speak as he was ripped out of his thoughts and calculations by this question.
"Of course. Please come over.", he said after he had recovered from this tiny shock given he had been immersed in his thoughts.
"These are all we have. Let me see which size fits you. I suppose if you want to leave the kingdom there is hardly time to adjust it. Ah look this one fits.", the man said looking through the various chainmail skirts they had. The one he was showing was reaching till a bit above the knee and was protecting the important areas very well.
"I'll take this too.", Feyra said.
She sat down for a while and calculated the total outcome but she was interrupted by the man coming over.
"I've got a nice pair of boots here too.", he showed her a pair of black boots that were shining.
"Oh they're out of my price league.", Feyra had to say although she knew she needed some shoes desperately.
"Hmmm... Let me see... How about this? I'll half the price for the chainmail skirts and the boots.", he said and calculated the grand total.
Feyra was stunned for a moment. "Is that really okay?", she asked as she went over to the counter where the man had put everything and calculated the price.
"Oh it's fine. My wife makes the chainmail pieces and she also does a lot when it comes to adjusting stuff. Besides I'm already giving you a leather armour I wouldn't be able to sell."
Feyra felt a bit guilty she wasn't able to pay the full price. "Alright. Then... If you ever need help you can just write me and I'll do my best possible."
"How am I supposed to find you or send you the message?", the man asked.
"Hm... Take a letter pigeon and let it search for a peculiar traveler in leather armour and a chainmail skirt with a peculiar hair colour."
The man nodded and noted it down mentally.
After that he finally was done calculating. "In total it is 2175 coins."
Feyra opened her bag and let coins fall out. There were the coins worth 100 coins and also some worth 500 coins. Yet most of them consisted of those that were worth 50, 20 and 10. Feyra calculated and piled the coins specific their value until she took the last coin that was worth 5 coins and shoved the piles to the man.
He counted again that those were indeed 2175 coins and then gave Feyra everything she had bought.
"Before I go... Do you have a changing room?", she asked hinting at the clothes she had just bought.
The man was kind and pulled a piece of cloth to the side that was behind him.
"To the left is a changing room and to the right the toilets.", he said and Feyra thanked him before taking everything with her and changing into her new leather armour with a chainmail skirt and some boots.
She emerged from the room and thanked the man again before taking her leave. Now she didn't need to worry as much about wind and weather anymore and also didn't need to worry about her feet getting dirty.
She opened the bag to look inside it and saw she had only 25 coins left. 5 of them were worth 1 coin while 2 others were worth 5 and the last one was worth 10 coins.
This is just enough for perhaps half a bread or something similar. Well... I can already be happy I got a full set of armour with boots for such a low price.
As Feyra went more towards the market she noticed more and more guards being around.
"What happened?", a woman asked in a shrill voice.
"No... Does that mean?", a young man was in disbelief.
"Is that true what you're saying!?", another woman who had just spoken to a guard asked in even greater disbelief.
"A criminal has escaped!"