Confidence swelled through her. When she stood beside him, she had nothing to fear. After a woman handed Thabit a sack of oats for a large, blue bottle of potion and bustled off smiling, she whispered up to him, “Thank you.”
The woman who wanted the salve returned and placed a folded length of fabric by the oat sack. Thabit handed over the jar. “This will not fail to ease your pain.”
Excitement sent a tingle to her fingertips. She fought to stop herself reaching out to stroke the material. This looked a long length of well-dyed wool. If she was careful with the stitching, she could make a fiery red gown from it.
Two women stood for a time with them. She knew them by name, but neither spoke to her. Though both were married, and one had two babes, their gazes lingered on Thabit. They craned their necks in their efforts to see into his hood.
The temptation to shout, “Yes, he’s beautiful, and he’s mine,” bubbled hot when they simpered at him, but she bit her tongue. Thabit bargained with the pair, and for a slender needle and three swatches of thread, he swapped small pots of salve they could use on their hands.
“One last thing. We need honey, don’t we?” he murmured, as a man she knew well approached.
Crispin did not look at her. His baldhead shone in the sun when he bent down to the scarves. He exuded the smell of mead, strong enough to mask the normal village scents. He played with the ends of the bright yellow and green patterned scarf hung over the edge of the basket.
Nin hid a smile behind her hand as she took a tiny step back. Crispin must need to make up to his poor wife one more time. He must have done something very bad if one of the scarves would make amends.
“What’ll you take for it?” he asked Thabit, avoiding a glance at her.
Surprised at his politeness, she stared at him. Crispin usually bellowed like a bull at all he met.
“Honey, a large jar, and a can of milk will suffice.”
Thabit asked for a lot. To her astonishment, Crispin nodded and headed across the square toward his house. He returned a few minutes later with a big clay jar in the curve of his elbow, and a milk can slung on his arm.
Thabit handed over the decorated scarf. “It is yours and will bring the wearer good fortune. I will return the can next time we come here.”
Crispin flashed a toothless grin, and even gave her a brief nod of recognition before he strolled off.
“Now, Sparrow, should you wish to speak to your friend, you have a few moments to do so while I pack the trades away. Then we must leave.”
She hurried over to where Alicia stood, half-hidden in the shadows. “Alicia.”
“You’re not hurt?” The bright smile Alicia often wore didn’t appear.
“No!” She smiled as she shook her head. “I’m not hurt, not at all. No matter what filthy old Agnes might say. The Mage isn’t cruel and he hasn’t… he’s not done what Agnes said he would.”
Alicia breathed out with a sigh. “I’m glad. I hope you know I’ve prayed hard to all the gods I can think of to keep you safe.”
“Well, I think you can stop praying now. I’m not sure I want to be that safe anymore. I like it at the tower. I like being with the Mage. I think he likes me, too.”
Alicia’s jaw dropped.
She laughed at her friend’s surprised expression.
The potter’s voice boomed across the small square from his workshop. “Alicia! You’re needed in the house. Your mother needs you.” Alicia’s father always had an eye for what might be going on in the square.
“I’d better go. I hope we meet again soon because there is something I have to ask you.” Alicia patted her arm with a bandaged hand before she hurried off across the small square to her parent’s house.
“Sparrow, it is time we returned to the tower,” Thabit called. She dashed over.
The full basket looked heavy. She struggled in an attempt to lift it.
He gave a low laugh with a shake of his head. “No, I will carry it back.” He stooped to pull the straps over his shoulders, hefted the basket up, and walked toward the gate.
She followed, placing her feet exactly in the marks of his footsteps all the way down the dusty track out of the village.
“I am very pleased with how you behaved. Next time, it will not be as hard. Each visit will get easier the more often we trade here. They know you have the mark, but you are safe with me for training. They understand, one day you will have wisdom beyond their imaginings. Yes, you did very well.”
Her face flushed hot at his praise, but her stomach rumbled. “Thabit, do we have any bread?”
“There are two small loaves in the basket. When we get back you can have bread and butter with honey, but you will have to wait.”
She grinned at his back. Things got better and better. Away from the eyes of the village now, she danced down the overgrown path beside him.
“A Mage’s apprentice should not hop about so, such hopping is for sparrows,” he said with a laugh as they walked on.
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