Another day, another gold coin (Open)

[Charlise Aura]

Humming to herself as she worked, Charlise took in the sights and sounds of the day as she waved to a fellow neighbour before going back to digging out some of her vegetable stock. Since the incident with the Trolls and the Tax folk, Charlise kept herself very much prepared, having a sack of gold hidden for other Travellers which had in there 6 gold pieces for now whilst having her 'main' sack of Gold which shrank and grew each day with people who came by and bought things.

Standing up and dusting off her dress, Charlise picked up her basket of goods and brought it to the table which held her ware as her dog kept watch over everything for her. Smiling, Charlise rubbed his ears, "Who's my good boy? Eh Irving? Who's my good dog?!" She cooed as she put her new produce on the table for now as she took a sip. She didn't really trust the town folk too much, they always stared at her so she preferred to sell her produce from her doorstep.

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

Wandering through the town, disguised of course, was a good way for Nalaac to gauge the pulse of the people in the kingdom. She often heard things that she wouldn't otherwise, and could bring changes that needed to be made to the attention of the ministers. It wasn't always helpful, nor did it always work, but Nalaac tried very hard to be a good Queen, and to her that meant attempting to help her people however it was possible.

Today, the normally elegant queen was dressed in a plain, dark dress, her fair hair hidden beneath a dark wig, the fair skin transformed with makeup. It wouldn't be good enough to pass a detailed examination, but it was enough to wander through the town with her maid and browse at the various stalls. They tried to buy something from as many folks as possible, without seeming to wealthy, and it was a delicate balancing act to be sure. This day, the Queen spotted a new vendor, and she strolled down towards the small home with the table outside.

"This looks to be fine stock, Mistress. What will you be charging for these potatoes?" Nalaac asked in the gentle, rolling cadence of the village people. It had taken her a long time to master the exact wording they used, and sometimes she still spoke more formally than she should, but since she was supposed to be a cousin from another place, it was generally dismissed.

[Charlise Aura]

Looking up from her arranging, Charlise smiled warmly at the person who came by her stall. "Why thank you... Can't say it was all that easy with the somewhat limited things we can get with what coin with we have, plus the weather this season.... But one does what they can, do they not?" She chuckled a little, it was clear that she was from out of town but she always told the tale of how she came from far away where the speech of the Merchants were different to those from Albanon so it passed the test. Mind it also helped that Charlise looked slightly aristocratic so most of the folk will believe any tales she spin.

Humming a little, Charlise paused in thought. In her world, a sack of potatoes which contained around 10 potatoes was often worth 50 bronze bits so.... "Well, I generally charge each potato.... 2 bronze pieces Mistress........ I don't charge much for I believe that we Farmers should help each other so I do not charge my neighbours much, with the King's Tax and all..... Mind, could always be worse." She mused as she stroked Irving's head with one hand whilst her other hand lightly clasped her Staff which was minimised and then attached slightly to a fine but cheap chain which hung around her fair neck.

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

"I will take five potatoes please. Is the King's tax so bad? I am visiting from my own home, and our taxes do not seem so bad there. It is all I hear about here though." Nalaac tried to interject curiosity into her tone, not wanting to tip the other woman off. Honestly, she wasn't sure how successful her disguise was, and given that she did this once every few months, the most frequent merchants might have figured it out. Still, she attempted to be stealthy.

She pulled out coins to give to Charlise, then her maid held out the basket to add the potatoes to it. It was a simple transaction, and the potatoes would be used to feed the hungry that gathered after dinner at the castle kitchen. It was one of the first things Nalaac had set up when she'd become queen, as charity to those less fortunate was important to her.

"Does your husband work the fields while you are here?" It wasn't an usual site, to see one spouse peddling the vegetables while the other toiled. But this was a new merchant since her last trip, and Nalaac was curious.

[Charlise Aura]

Charlise nodded as she plucked out 5 potatoes, some of the better ones, not that there was much difference between them all as she gently placed the potatoes into the basket as she chuckled a little. "Five gold per month, Mistress..... But then again we get one month off apparently so... It could be worse, though many of my neighbours did not have such a good harvest this year so it's tough sometimes, but we pull through together..." She replied with a shrug.

Spotting some crows in one of her neighbour's fields, Charlise looked at Irving and gave a jerk of her head, "Sort those crows out, would you Irving?" She stated as her dog barked in reply before leaping off the chair and darted towards the field after he went around the table first so that the produce, or the customers, could get knocked over. That was when the question translated in Charlise's mind and she flushed a bright red around her cheeks, neck and a bit of her chest. "Oh! Uh..... Ummmm.... Uh no Messere, I-I-I-I...." She cleared her throat as she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, trying to will away the blush. "I'm uhhhh I'm unmarried, Messere...." She replied with a shake in her voice.

Such a thing was rare for Mages in her world, and procreation was..... Well, not encouraged with the Mages and the women were always kept an eye on.

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

"And what do you make a month?" Five gold pieces didn't seem all that excessive to the Queen, but it also depended on if you made six gold or twenty gold. Nalaac was actually engaged in this conversation, rather than simply listening as she generally did. Most of the tradespeople complained but never gave any real details, knowing that everyone knew what they were talking about. The vague complaints didn't help her frame things when she brought them up to Blaine.

"I'm sorry, Mistress, please forgive the presumption." Nalaac blushed beneath her makeup. She hadn't meant to embarrass the woman, simply to find out if there was a husband in the picture. "Such a pretty woman will not remain unmarried long, yes Sara?" Nalaac asked the maid, who shook her head in apparent agreement.

[Charlise Aura]

Charlise sighed as she shrugged, stepping away from her table so she had, in essence, stopped being a Merchant for a while and was just a person. "Well, it depends on the needs of the people who have become my neighbours in all honesty Messere.... I mean, I vary my prices so that the people can feed themselves, in some cases I do not charge..." She replied as she smiled, "But my lot is plenty, plus I sometimes take walks into the Forest for some herbs, fruit or flowers to add to my store so there is often a variety of things that I sell which helps so.... On average, two gold pieces per three weeks when the harvest, weather and soil are good."

Charlise smiled shyly as the blush stayed on her cheeks, "Tis no trouble, Messere...... I have been asked that question a few times but......" She paused before continuing, "Where I came from, it is..... Not encouraged for someone... Well, someone like me to be married, let alone have children....." She hadn't even realised that she had slipped into the language from Thedas by calling Nalaac 'Messere' rather than 'Mistress'.

That was quite true for Charlise, as the likelihood of magic being passed down was more likely with Mages, and considering there were as many men as there were women in the Tower, Mages born from Circles were higher than the Templars would admit...... Not that they ever helped with...... Stress releases....

As that thought flowed in her mind, Charlise slightly adjusted her dress neck before she fingered her two necklaces, one which intermingled the symbol of the Circle of the Templars and the other which was her miniaturised Staff. Two silver dragons encircling each other and between their mouths was a red gem that seemed to slightly glow on it's own accord.

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

"Two gold pieces in a month? I can see why the King's taxes must be onerous. Perhaps he does not know how tough it is for the farmers. His castle looks mighty prosperous." Nalaac was appalled at the high taxes. She'd had no idea how bad it was for the farmers. Hopefully, she would be able to speak to Blaine and bring down the taxes to help out the common folk. It wouldn't due to have them rise up and rebel.

"That is a shame, Mistress, but you are here with us now, so perhaps some lucky man will you call you wife some day." Nalaac gave the woman a smile, and out of reasons to linger, began to wrap up the conversation.

"Thank you for your time and the potatoes, Mistress, it was nice to speak with you."

[Charlise Aura]

Charlise nodded a little before giving a sigh, "Well, either he doesn't know... Or he somehow feels it is just.... Hence why I help my neighbours as much as I possibly can...." She stated as Irving came back, having dealt with the crows as Charlise knelt down to his level and gave him a good pet as a reward before fussing over him.

"I wish I could say more, but as I stated... I am not from Albanon, but... A Kingdom very far from here..... The best thing I would recommend for how best to get a view on a place, is to talk to the people...." Charlise stated, slightly seeing through the make-up but not giving the Queen away to her neighbours, just in case.

Blushing a little at this, Charlise slightly berated herself at how she was acting like a 12 year old teen Apprentice before she curtsied to the Lady before her. "Have a pleasant day, Messere..... Please, feel free to come by again if you need more supplies... Or even just another chat. I'll most likely be here...." She smiled warmly, thankful that that particular conversation had ended.