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Kalhn’s riverside market occurred every second Sunday without fail.
Qifrey, who saw it as a perfect opportunity to get the girls away from the atelier and into civilisation for a few hours whilst he perused the selection of produce, took them whenever they had the time free. For Coco, she revelled in the opportunity to explore all the magical items that lined the stalls, keeping vegetables fresh and baking delicious smelling confectionaries.
Her mouth watered at the endless line of tasty food. Every few paces she’d grab at Agott’s robes to show her something new she’d spotted, the other girl feigning disinterest but the way her eyes glittered and her hands gripped her stomach made it clear that she was just as enchanted. The mountain apples were huge, plump with juice, gleaming in the morning sunlight with its rich green color. They dripped enticingly with small droplets of water from the farmer’s hose, the mist of which clung in the air and cooled their cheeks.
Qifrey poured his eyes over every crate of produce on display with his brow creased deep in thought as he pondered the price.
“Dear me,” Qifrey exclaimed, disappointment clinging in his throat. “We missed the sale on the willow grapes. They were selling punnets for half price, oh what a terrible shame.”
Coco looked at her master and stifled a giggle at the genuine twist of his brow. With a sigh, he looked overhead to gather his bearings as to the current time and frowned. As they approached a wider clearing, he motioned for the girls to move aside and examined his list, squinting to understand his own handwriting.
“Oh dear,” Qifrey mumbled. He rummaged through the basket of fresh produce he’d given to Tetia, made lighter by a seal on the handle, and sighed. “I forgot to pick up a pound of curly haired tomatoes. I fear they were at one of the first stalls we passed too. If we turn back now we won’t have enough time to look around the rest of the market and make it to the witch hat bread stall that they just opened. Nevermind, I’ll have to change the menu.”
Coco flinched. She paused her enthusiastic scan of every inch of market she could possibly lay her eyes on and turned to look at Qifrey.
They needed those tomatoes for Agott’s favorite meal. While she was certain the other girl would brush it off and not mention it, Coco had seen the way her face had lit up in enjoyment the last time they’d had it. She’d looked so happy, a small but permanent smile had settled on her lips with every bite and Coco was determined to see it again.
“Master!” Coco gripped her skirt and yelled a little too loud. “Agott and I will go back and get them, you can finish the shopping at this end of the market. If we head straight there and come straight back, we’ll be able to meet you at the witch hat bread stall!”
Qifrey blinked at her, dazed at the outburst. Then, he softened into a smile and laughed.
“You needn’t worry yourself about the tomatoes, Coco. You should just enjoy your stroll around the market,” he said, gently.
“No, it’s okay,” Coco insisted. “I-I really liked the husk potato pasta you made with them last time.. and so did Agott! You don’t mind going, right?”
She turned to Agott with wide, pleading eyes that urged her to say yes. The stunned look on her face made her giggle. Coco clutched her hands together to strengthen the intensity of her plea.
“W-well,” Agott spluttered, a blush rising on her cheeks. “I suppose it wouldn’t be a bother to pick them up, Master. It’s pretty hot outside today and everyone enjoyed the pasta last time because we could eat it cold.”
Qifrey tilted his head at them pleasantly and chuckled into his index finger which he pressed to his lips.
“I can hardly refuse such a passionate request for a healthy cooling meal,” he said, pleasantly. “Don’t wander away from the main market street and head straight to the witch hat bread stall after, okay? Ask the shopkeeper to split them between two bags so that you’re not too troubled carrying them back without a featherlight basket, if both of you carry some it shouldn’t be too heavy.”
Agott opened her mouth to protest the concept that a pound of tomatoes would be too heavy for either of them to carry, but Coco’s hand on her arm stopped her. Coco shook her head a little, begging her to leave it be before they held themselves up more than necessary. Qifrey’s tendency to worry was rarely unfounded, so she could only assume there was an old story to go along with his request that made it appear perfectly reasonable in his head.
Qifrey reached into his skirt and handed them a handful of coins and a guidance orb that had been shrunk with magic.
“If you get lost, this will lead you back to me,” he reassured them. “Try not to use magic unless absolutely necessary, there are many who know not of our art enjoying the markets too.”
“Yes, Master!”
The girls cheered in unison and with a final wave to the group, made their way back through the crowds towards the vegetable store they’d passed earlier in the morning. Coco remembered exactly where it was, having stopped there for a few minutes with Richeh and Tetia whilst they argued about whether or not curly haired tomatoes belonged in a vegetable display. It had become slightly harder to spot due to the increasing bustle of patrons, but with both of their wits to rely on there was little need to fret.
Being significantly shorter than the majority of the people fumbling past them, however, posed a slight problem. Coco’s shoulders were bumped, Agott’s feet tripped, both their shins kicked and toes stepped on. In a panic, Coco gripped Agott’s sleeve lest she lost her with a wince. She felt the other girl flinch before linking their arms together and dragging them out of the flow of traffic.
“You’re wearing sylphshoes, yes?” Agott asked.
Coco nodded, her eyes darting around trying to make sense of the noise and movement that burst from every direction.
“Come with me,” Agott began to hover. “Those unfamiliar with magic in Kalhn are used to seeing the witches using sylphshoes, so we’ll be fine using them for a moment. I know another way back that won’t be as busy.”
Curious, Coco lifted off the ground to follow her. A small gasp escaped her lips when Agott grabbed her hand to lead her.
With her hand encased in the clammy, though not unpleasant, warmth of Agott’s, she let herself be pulled along and turned her attention to the crowd below. Their faces were beaming with smiles, bellies full and shaking with hearty laughter, arms thrown around shoulders or wrapped around waists. Children clung to their parent’s skirts with insistent pleas for treats.
She hummed with wonder at the sight. Heads both pointy and not existed in peaceful tandem.
“Look down, we’re landing here,” Agott guided her to the ground, taking her other hand to steady her descent. It was wholly unnecessary, but Coco was loath to deny the chance to warm the skin that she hadn’t realized had felt so cold prior to its encasement. “People don’t tend to come this way. It’s why I prefer walking along the harbor, it feels less confining.”
“The view’s pretty,” Coco hummed. The sea glittered on the horizon as the sun kissed its surface.
“Yeah,” Agott said, wistful. “It’s so blue.”
Coco laughed, her hands clutched her stomach. “Mhm, it’s definitely blue.”
“You!” Agott blushed. “You know what I mean!”
Still giggling, Coco swiped a faux tear from her eye and turned to face her fully.
“I do,” she placated. “It looks magical. I’m surprised it’s so quiet here.”
“Most of the townspeople see this port almost everyday, to them it’s just a normal part of their lives. It’s a shame that familiarity can make us forget how beautiful something is.” Agott linked her hands behind her back and looked across the river. The main island where only witches could settle stood tall in the distance. “I try not to let myself lose my sense of perspective like that. I want to treasure the magic I find beautiful forever. I want to always notice how the sun hits the river in the early afternoon. There are things so wonderful that I have to stop myself from reaching out and touching it. Even if we’re the only ones walking along the harbor, I’m glad that I can still see the view like this.”
For a moment, Coco simply listened. From the void left as Agott finished speaking, to the ripple of water and the cries of the seabirds. Her ears blocked the chatter of the crowd, instead focussing on the way the harbor breathed around her. She wasn’t used to hearing Agott open up so much. So often did she lock the passions she believed to be childish behind her bedroom door, only letting them slip to Coco when she hesitantly left it ajar.
Coco took the trust Agott placed in her and pressed it to her heart for safe-keeping.
“I like it,” Coco hummed. “It’s like this path is just for us, a place we can walk alone and talk about whatever we want.”
“Yeah,” Agott said, her mouth open in mild astonishment. “You’re right. It’s.. it’s nice.”
“Yep. It’s nice,” Coco giggled. She reached her hand forward and gently encased Agott’s hand in hers. “So, let’s keep walking together for a little longer. We’re almost back at the produce stall.”
The river lapped at the stone wall of the walkway. Above them, the crowds bustled. Agott blushed so brightly that Coco wondered whether Master Qifrey could spot them from the other end of the market.
It was cute.
Coco laughed and tugged Agott along to the stall.
When they eventually arrived they made quick work of their task, dutifully asking for the pound of tomatoes to be split between them even though it truly wouldn’t be a troublesome weight for either of them to carry. They knew better than to worry Qifrey over something so mundane, neither were too keen on seeing his pleasant smile that barely hid his disappointment that they hadn’t listened when they returned. He cared about them dearly, and never undermined their talents, so they could accept his slight worry that their arms would ache after being burdened with the produce.
They’d both regret it if it impacted their drawing of magic, after all.
Seeing the sun stretch higher into the sky prompted them to make the trip back quicker than their earlier stroll had been. Coco was unable to hold Agott’s hand anymore, both her arms were wrapped carefully around the burlap bag she’d been handed as were Agott’s, so she had less incentive to stretch out the journey regardless.
It wasn’t long before they could spot Qifrey, Tetia and Richeh at the witch hat bread stall, standing proud with a busy queue of people at the top of the steps that joined the harbor walkway to the main port.
“Ah, Agott look,” Coco nudged her arm. “Master Qifrey is over there, we should hurry over before he starts to wonder where we are.”
Coco began to skip ahead, her eyes set on their destination. However, she quickly noticed that the soft shuffle of Agott’s feet had stopped.
Confused, she turned to face her. “Agott? Why aren’t you walkin-”
Agott rushed toward her and pressed a kiss against her cheek.
It was uncoordinated and a tad rough but filled with an entirely different type of magic that Coco feared would send her floating away. Her tummy bubbled like a mountain stream cascading over rock, her heart fluttering with every inhale as her blood turned into honey. She felt as though she’d seen magic for the first time again, dazzled and ever so enthralled, longing to experience it again.
For a brief moment, she saw Agott’s face. Her cheeks were flushed crimson, her hands clenched at her side as her teeth bit back the grin that so desperately tried to break free. In the afternoon sun her eyes glittered as though dusted with crystal sugar, her hair tickling her cheeks to become a perfect picture frame for the sweetness of her expression. She was blue-sky ice cream on a hot day, beautiful and refreshing.
Yet, Coco could only bask in it for a fleeting moment. Embarrassed, Agott turned heel and fled toward Qifrey and the others before Coco could even process the action enough to form words. She placed a hand on her cheek, hoped that the burn was from Agott’s unexpected gift and not the sun, and smiled.
Her grin as wide as a river, she laughed and ran after her.
“Agott, wait for me!”