"Aaah! I'm so late. So late!" This wasn't anything new for her. She typically was never on time. "Oh where is my bag?!" She hurried around her home, searching for the bag she always carried with her to the market. She tossed papers and books aside, causing them to scatter all over the floor. She paused for a second thinking, 'that's a tomorrow problem' and continued her search. Finally she spotted it near the door (right where she usually left it) and hurriedly grabbed it as she hustled outside.
The sun shone down on her, small clouds periodically drifting across to give her a slight shade, but it was very hot. The end of the summer was approaching and she couldn't wait for the autumn coolness and beautiful colors to arrive. The end of the summer also meant the arrival of the seasonal market. She had planned to get there early so she could peruse the stalls without bumping into too many taurs. Suffice to say, too many in one area could get pretty cramped. But she had overslept and so now she was rushing to get there before the crowd.
She ran at a light gallop, not wanting to exhaust herself before she got there. As she neared the clearing where the market was usually held, she could already hear it was bustling with activity and her heart fell. It was already crowded and teeming with life. Taurs of all shapes and sizes filled the area browsing the wares and different stalls. Delicious smells filled the air from the vendors who were offering their talents and skills of cooking for trade and coin. Her stomach grumbled at the thought since she hadn't taken time to actually eat before bolting out the door. She made her way over to one of the stalls and found a tasty looking corn cob on a stick covered in some sort of sauce. She ruffled through her bag and found something to offer for trade. The vendor smiled happily at her, took her offered trade and handed her one of the corn. She took it and made her way over to a shady spot to enjoy it. While she ate, she looked around at all the different stalls, making note of which ones she wanted to visit.
Astrophel was delighting in going through the stalls, admiring all the things on offer. He had only collected a little bit of food and staples from the vendors. He was looking for something special to bring home though. But every time he thought he might have found it, which wasn’t often, he wondered if another stall had something better for him. In his bags were just loaves of bread, various fruits, vegetables, and some spices. The lack of that special something wasn’t bothering him. The market was there all day and he had nothing else to do.
