Chapter 4 - The market

Kendra felt good today. After she took bath and had some food and good night sleep even her legs felt stronger as she walked toward the city.

As she got closer to the dwellings outside the city she could already hear the buzzing of the people that woke up. She passed the houses and saw that they were made just of some dirt and straw.

Hmm If she doesn't find a place to stay soon she could make her own house like that as well. She looked at the bridge not far from dwellings and saw that the main gate was still not opened.

Oh well, she can wait for a bit. She can as well in that time look around and see the people that just woke up. Some had few chickens caged in front of their houses and some had the whole kitchen outside.

Kendra guessed they seem to be really poor. She hit herself .''What am I talking rich, poor. I am the poorest. I do not have any idea what the name of this child is. I guess I will use my own for now. But I am indeed as poor as they are.''She sighed while remembering what her current situation is.

But not everything is as bleak as it seemed in the first moment. She still had clean clothes and she can find a way to earn money. The heck, she can make baskets and sell them. Is money as well.

Then she remembered that she had boys clothes on. It is maybe for the best if she is looked like a boy for now. In the world that she does not know maybe is better to be a man than a woman. After all, in past times boys least bullied. So she hoped.

As the sun got higher she counted time and it was approximately around 5 am. She then heard voices coming from far. It seems many of the villagers came to sell their products in the town. Kendra let them pass herself and followed them as she didn't know where should she go to sell the fish.

The town looked from outside already big it seems one of those large cities that had over 20000-30000 people. In olden times that was a big city. But she will see it after entry

As she was thinking about that all, the city gates slowly opened and the guards came out to make everything more peaceful as they checked the stuff people brought to sell. Everything went smoothly and then it was her turn.

''What you have to sell?'' asked the soldier with a serious face but friendly tone. He saw after all small but standing in front of him and looking at him with big rabbit like eyes.

''Sir I have some fresh fish from this morning. You see.''She said while showing him the fish on a string.''Sir if I may ask for a favor. I am the first time here selling fishes and I don't know where to go.could you just point the way for me I would be most grateful.''

The soldier looked astonished at the polite boy and told him just to follow the rest of the people and he will arrive at the big market place.

Some older woman heard what the boy said and as they saw that he looked clean and cute they offer that she follow them and stay near them on the market. Kendra gratefully smiles at everyone and walked closer to them so she wouldn't lose their sight.

After they left, the soldier runs to his superior and told him about the boy. They left in search for him to see if he is fine. After all, not many children know how to articulate well as that boy. Who knows what is the story behind it.

In same time Kendra slowly followed the two kind woman that started chatting and talking about their families and neighbors...Sigh.No matter where people are they seem to be gossip everywhere. But that is fine with her. Like that she might get more information's about this place.

As she listened to their stories she found didn't find out any interesting details for herself, so she gave up listening and started looking around.

The big market is that what it means...The huge center of town filled with all kind of stuff stalls and produce. She looked around her as she saw people selling all kind of simple stuff. Some linen here and there, skins of various animals, some trinkets, sweets, people with pans with a different kind of style and size. And finally, the produce. All kind of fruits and vegetables.

As Kendra followed the talking woman she looked around for certain produce.Potatoes, corn, and tomatoes. Those came from South America and if she found them she might know what year it is.

But at that moment she remembered. In the begin, those three were not given to commoner till later.

People taught tomato was poisonous so they kept it as strange flower and potatoes and corn seem to come later on as well.

Sigh. She turned to the ladies and saw them going to a certain spot of the market and opening their baskets with produce. One had a full basket of eggs, its seemed hundred of them. When the other woman opened hers it came out a full basket of eggs as well.

Kendra looked at all those eggs and searched for the place to stand with her fish. One of the ladies waved her hand to stand next to her. She gave her top of the basket to put her fishes on so the people could see it. She felt sorry for the lady as she worried that basket would stink of fish later on but the lady didn't really care so she gave up and arranged fishes in a nice manner. She saw neighboring lady throwing away some leaves of the turnip as it seemed.

She walked there and politely asked for those and the lady gave it to her as it seemed that leaves seemed to be bit dry and didn't look good. Kendra took them back and arranged the fishes over the leaves so it looked so refreshing and clean.

She looked around for some water and saw well not far away. She runs to the well and carried in her hand's bit of water and sprinkled over the fishes. She repeated the action multiple times until she was not satisfied with the way fish looked.

At first, everyone shakes their head at her action but as they saw that she worked hard they just smiled and looked at what she was doing. When she saw that fishes were now refreshed as well the leaves she stood behind the fishes and waited for the costumes.

First costumes didn't let them wait for too long. Usually, those are servants from different household going for fresh produce for their masters. They knew what they needed to buy so they walked fast around and left. But soon marked got filled with noise again. The main buying force came. The cooks that had time to stroll as well as females that came to buy what they wanted to cook for that day.

Kendra waited for this moment. With so many people in town, it is impossible that no one buys the fish that is so fresh. As she taught about it the first customer came.

The cook of some family as it seems. He looked huge with that belly of his, red face and observant eyes. He looked at the fishes and then at her and then he took one of the fishes in his hand and smelled at it.

''Hmmm. It doesn't stink. It was from this morning I guess?'' he said while looking at rest of the fishes.

''Yes sir. I just came in so they are fresh as you can see.''Kendra said with a calm face and friendly smile.

He looked at that child's face and saw that it had determination and strength behind those eyes. He looked at the fish.''I will be fair and buy them for 6 coins the smaller ones and 20 coins bigger ones. Is that ok with you?'' he said while holding already his coin bag.

She looked at him calmly and worriedly taught to herself as of how she should wear so much money around. But then she saw him taking out the silver coin and a few smaller ones. She knew that this was she was still fine.

''Thank you, sir. I hope to see you again next time .''She said while putting the coins in her coin bag that she made out of old pieces of cloth and putting them on the neck.

He looked ta her action and nodded.''Smart kid. I will see what he will have next time.'' he said to himself while turning around and leaving with bought fish. The masters will have today sumptuous lunch as fish is not often seen around here.

She later found out people do not know how to fish without nets. I guess that is going to be her start position. She looked around the market and saw a few kids selling handmade straw shoes.

With this kind of weather, this kind of shoes makes the most sense. And after all, she is growing up. She will buy for winter proper shoes. But for summer she can use these. She bought three pairs for 3 coins. She guessed that her money earn seemed to be a big amount. She went to the pot maker and asked him for one pot with lid. And she even found flint and tinder. It took her all about 7 coins and now she really understood how expensive those fishes are.

If she wants to earn money she needs to fish more. But not too often so that she would have always enough costumes. But now she needs a house. As she taught about her problem she almost hit with her head, someone. She looked up and saw a friendly soldier and one more person with him.

''Did you sell all fishes?'' he asked with a smile looking at the startled boy.

Kendra smiled.''Yes, I did. But now I have a new problem. I hope you could help me if possible.''

''Sure. Tell me what you need.''

''I need a house. I have no house to live at the moment. Is there any law that forbids to make the house at certain places or is it fine if I choose my own place and make a house there?'' she said while looking at him. She hoped to make a small house not far from that stream. She doesn't want to live with too many people around her as for fear to get some sicknesses or even lice.

''If you tell us what part of the land you want we can rent it to you or even sell it,'' he said looking at the kid with interest. How great is this kid to want to own house in his age.

''I saw little hill near the stream upwards. Is that for rent or for sale? And how much would it cost?''

''As you want it outside the city it will be 10 coins per 100 yards to rent and 50 coins for 100 yards to buy.''He said while looking at the kid.

''I would like to buy 100 yards but would like to have first right to buy more land around. Is that possible?''She said while looking now at the other gentleman as she knew now that he might be someone more important.

He looked at the kid with a smile, then nodded at turned around to walk away while waving with hand go after him. He went to what it seemed to be office took out what it seemed to be paper, not sure yet and used goose feather and ink to write down the agreement.

He gave it to her to put fingerprint but didn't expect to see the kid looking at what he wrote and realized that this kid was literate. Kendra took the feather and signed down. She took out the silver coin and gave it to perplexed man. When she saw his stunned face she got a bit anxious.

''Sir I am not a bad person. This money is from the fish sale. I didn't steal it.''She hopes she won't get in trouble. I mean she just bought land with few fishes. Where is that even possible?

What is this place actually? She should ask around but not him. She might get in trouble if she does that. She needs to get more careful. People in medieval times got burned on the stick for being different. She must be careful. She needs to keep this kid alive until it chooses to come back.