[Character Development Practice, a work in progress]
Seamus glanced at his list one more time before slipping it back into his pocket neatly, and turned his attention back to his surroundings. Left, right, front, back--he checked all angles as a safety measure. It was business as usual in the market district, bustling with people of every race and background. While the vibrance and diversity of the Avaelian City catered to Lushia's endless curiosity, Seamus was always on alert in case of an encounter with unsavory types.
Lushia stopped in her tracks when something sparkled at a jewelry stall. She floated over to the stall mindlessly to the dismay of several passerby whose path she disrupted. The world around her seemed to fade away as she spotted a blue crystal butterfly pendant on the table. Lushia couldn't take her eyes of it, in spite of the other shiny charms and necklaces around it.
The stall owner, an old gypsy woman adorned in jewels similar to the ones on the table, took notice of Lushia and smiled up at her from behind the book she was reading.
"You like that one?" she said in a pleasant voice. "It will bring you tranquility. It's on sale today, too."
A few moments passed before Lushia responded, her mind transitioning from the deep blue of the butterfly to the sound of the lady's voice.
"It's pretty..." she replied. "But I'm just looking."
Lushia felt someone grip her wrist gently, but she wasn't startled. She turned around to see that it was Seamus, his lips downturned slightly in a frown. Anxiousness filled Lushia as she looked at him; his face gave away nothing, equal parts worry and irritation.
"Don't run off like that." Seamus said firmly. "Stay close to me."
Lushia wished he would explain what was bad about her stopping at a stall. After all, they stopped at stalls all the time, and he didn't seem angry then.
"Our first stop is the fruit stall." Seamus told her. "We've gotta get there early, or the reduced produce will be gone."
While Seamus sifted through the bins of ripe fruit, Lushia focuses on the exotic fruits in the imported bins. One of them was sized and shaped like a carrot, though it was white and swirled like a wet rag being wrung out. It was covered in seeds and had a green stem and thin leaves atop the wide end. It was marked "Faehorn." She didn't know where it came from or what it tasted like, but she was content to just look at it.
"Do you want a faehorn?" she heard Seamus ask her.
"Not really." said Lushia. She set it back into the bin.
"You sure?" Seamus asked. "I can get it for you if you really want it."
Lushia turned around and shook her head. Why did Seamus think she wanted the fruit after she told him she didn't want it? She looked at Seamus, who glanced down at the two crates of fruit in his arms, then at her. After an awkward silence, handed her one crates.
"Next is bread, then meat." Seamus said. "Walk in front of me so I can see you, okay?"
Lushia turned around, but wasn't sure where they were going. She clutched the crate awkwardly and froze up, feeling rushed, and wondered if Seamus was mad at her for not wanting the fruit.
"That way, towards the big bread sign." Seamus said, pointing to a hanging wooden sign with a loaf of bread painted on it. "Do you see it?"
Lushia made a beeline for the bread sign, but bumped into someone because she wasn't looking in front of her.
"Hey!" shouted a gruff voice. "Watch where you're going!"
Lushia barely processed the face of the orcish merchant before he continued his stroll back to his stall. She felt her face heat up as the crowd in front of her came into focus, and she marched through it towards the bread counter. She took a step back so the merchant wouldn't notice her and speak to her, and waited for Seamus to catch up.
