I needed muse so @iudormu requested some of their adorable Apprentice, Oracle, with Asra. Drabble below the cut.
The mid-morning sunlight streams jubilantly down upon the sheets of fabric blanketing the market. The boards and stalls are illuminated in a mosaic of citrine, amber, and coral. A multitude of scents waft through the warm air – spices, incense, herbs, and smoke – sensual and almost suffocating. When you visit the Vesuvian marketplace, you are not really venturing out to a set location so much as an enveloping experience.
Oracle trails behind their master, drawing the fabric of their cloak just a little tighter around their face. The softer scent of incense lingering in its folds is soothing, and they take a little comfort from it. Curious eyes scan the various stalls. Butchers, bakers, aromatics, herbalists…
But, by no means, is the market barren besides the vendors and their wares. On such a bright and clear morning, the streets are near packed to the brim. Oracle struggles to close the distance between them and Asra, constantly having to pause to allow past the oblivious shopper. They feel rather as if they are caught in a stream, a prisoner to the current, never relenting. Asra is their rock, and every time a figure crosses between them, Oracle feels pangs of discontent. They quicken their pace, falling into place just beside him as the path widens enough to do so.
Their master appears unruffled by his surroundings. Calm, content lavender eyes drift over to meet Oracle’s, the corner of his lip turning up into a smile.
“Spot anything interesting?”
Oracle thinks back on what they have seen, and their memory lingers on the herbalist’s station, and the flora out on display. Wreaths of foreign flowers and potted plants the likes of which they had never seen before. But the throng of people behind them pushes them further away, and their destination lies ahead of them. Somewhat half-heartedly, Oracle shakes their head.
“No?” Asra quirks a brow, as if unconvinced.
He pulls away from the crowd, Oracle in tow, as they reach their first stop – a grocer’s, sheltered from the sun and wooden crates stuffed to the brim with fruits. Asra pats down his tunic, a shimmer of concern lingering on his face.
“Oh… The list, it’s back at the shop. Darn…”
At once, Oracle removes the sheet of parchment from their satchel, and hands it over. Asra blinks in surprise before he takes it with a grateful smile.
“Thank you, Oracle. Trust me to be so careless. I swear, I’d be lost without you.”
You have no idea, Oracle thinks, cheeks tinting despite the shade from the sun.
The trip proceeds largely unhindered. Their bags grow heavier as the day progresses, and their purses lighter. The morning sun drives on upwards, westwards, and begins its slow descent. The market crowds start to peter out, and Asra and Oracle begin their trip home. Arms piled high with fabric folds and edibles, Oracle’s thoughts turn to the shop. It will be good to be back. They hope Faust hasn’t teased Vinnie in their absence – as sweet a serpent Faust can be, the last thing Oracle wishes to return home to is a particularly ravenous flytrap.
All of a sudden, Asra draws to a halt. It takes Oracle a few steps forwards without him to notice, before they shuffle backwards.
“You wanted to look, didn’t you?”
Asra offers them an encouraging grin, head nodding towards one of the sheltered stall tents. Oracle’s gaze follows. The herbalist’s. It’s far quieter now, and the colours of the flora complement one another far more nicely now that the harsh sunshine has diminished a little. The herbalist, with no customers in sight to address, snips away at a small tree nestled in the back, absorbed in her preening it.
“You were eyeing it on the way here,” Asra says. “You want to take a look? We’ve still got time.”
A small smile graces Oracle’s features, thankful for his thoughtfulness. Still, they don’t head on inside. Instead, they linger close to him.
Asra quirks a brow, but obliges. He steps forward, sweeping the silk flap of the tent back for the two of them before the pair file in to the sweet smelling confines of the tent.