Chapter 163: A Promise?
>>Draegon
The soft chime above the door rang as I stepped into the shop.
The air inside was warm and scented with something faintly floral—lavender, perhaps, or some rare blossom only nobles bothered to name. The lighting was subtle, woven through enchanted glass globes suspended from the high arched ceiling. Walls of polished wood framed cabinets of velvet-lined shelves, each one cradling finely crafted pieces like relics in a temple. Everything here gleamed. Everything whispered of quiet wealth and long tradition.
I pulled my hood down slowly.
The shopkeeper at the far end glanced up from a ledger, his voice already halfway into a greeting. "Welcome to the House of Tal’rein, where elegance—"
He froze.
His quill slipped from his fingers and landed silently against the desk. His mouth opened slightly, eyes widening as he realized who had entered his quiet, curated sanctuary.
I gave him a calm nod, stepping fully into the light.
He swallowed hard, then hastily bowed. "Your Majesty—f-forgive me, I didn’t—please, welcome! I-I didn’t expect—" He bowed again, this time lower. "It is an honor, truly."
"No need for formality," I said, my voice low but not unkind. "I saw something in your window. A hair ornament. The one with the sapphires. I’d like a closer look."
The shopkeeper straightened, recovering with admirable speed. He turned toward a younger employee and snapped his fingers once. "Fetch the sapphire wingpin, quickly—carefully."
The young assistant nearly tripped over himself hurrying to the window display, fumbling briefly before lifting the piece from its stand and bringing it to me with reverent hands.