Chapter 12 Preview, Part 7: X Friendship/A Romance, City Shenanigans

I finished writing the insane amounts of variants on the opening scene!!! 😵‍💫

I won't post all of them (obviously lol), but the contrasts between A's low and high romance routes, especially if you choose the friendship scene with X, really tickled me. And I haven't posted the variation showing A's high romance route yet, so that seemed a good one to pick for the preview this time:

At the mention of the Imperial Guards, you cannot stop your thoughts from drifting towards their captain. A is within the palace, discussing matters of security with city officials in the aftermath of the fire. You haven’t seen them since breakfast, and find yourself listlessly wondering when A will come seek you out again.

As if able to read it from your face—or perhaps whatever emotions X can sense from your magic, feeling restless beneath your skin—your companion immediately remarks upon it.

“So, where’s your shadow?”

You frown at X, and then look away, feigning ignorance even as your heart begins to beat a little quicker—at the mere mention of A, no less. “Which one? There’s several dozen of them, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“Really?” X snorts. “Playing coy at this stage? Your heartbeat tells a different story.”

You stiffen, then sigh, knowing you’ve been caught. “What do you want me to say?”

“Nothing,” X lies, which lasts for all of three seconds, before they say, “Are the two of you courting? No, no, that’s far too early for A… getting to know each other, then?”

(If Crown is reserved) You feel warmth begin to crawl up your neck at the topic being brought up, having never been one to discuss such matters so openly. / (If Crown is flirtatious) You snort, torn between exasperation and amusement at X’s nosiness. “If you’re looking for gossip—”

“I’m not one to spread rumors about other people,” X replies with a grin. “I’d much rather spread rumors about myself. But fine, if it makes you that uneasy, I won’t pry.”

“Thank you,” you say, and you mean it. “The last thing I want is for A to get teased about something like this. A’s a bit…”

“Delicate?”

You exhale a laugh. “Maybe not the first word I would’ve chosen, but yes. A’s the reserved sort, so I assumed they value their privacy.”

“You assumed right.” X looks at you with approval, which suddenly makes you reconsider your entire exchange about the topic and see it in a different light.

“X…” You squint at them with suspicion. “Were you testing me? To see if I would gossip about A?”

X merely grins and shrugs their shoulders, reclining back into the couch. “The important thing is that you passed, no?”

“What if I failed?”

The look in their eyes sharpens. “Let’s be glad that you didn’t, and think no more of it.”

And now for some humor to lighten the mood since all the stuff that went down in the past couple of chapters, this one exclusive to the route where the Crown goes to see the peri trader themselves:

Soon enough, the three of you emerge from the tunnel into the alleyways of one of the more mercantile parts of the city. The Peacock District is right beside one of the gates of Marabad’s walls that see a regular stream of traders coming and going with the seasons.

“I assume one of you knows where we can find the peri trader?” you ask as you step out onto the streets, blending in with the afternoon crowd that roams the marketplace stretched out before you.

The stalls are filled with various wares, their owners calling out to the perusing customers and bartering with their sales. Pottery, handmade beaded jewelry, embroidered cloth and homespun fabrics, sandals and foot covers—you’ve arrived at a very particular section of the market.

You even see someone try to haggle the price of a finely decorated incense burner down by offering a continuously increasing number of eggs.

“What do you not understand?” the stall owner says impatiently. “I only accept trades made in coin!”

“This is better than coin!” the customer replies, waving an egg in the stall owner’s face. “Unlike your fickle, bastard-made currency, these eggs are a gift from nature. They are not soiled by human hands, and they do not lose their value. An egg’s worth is forever an egg’s worth!”

You don’t think that’s accurate, to put it politely, based on the very basic lessons in economy you’ve enjoyed from your tutor. A flood of eggs on the market would most certainly depreciate their value. Though, you cannot begrudge the customer for trying to haggle their way into a deal, even if it’s by spouting complete nonsense.

“Who has put you in charge to decide what a thrice-damned egg is worth?” The stall owner gestures wildly at the marketplace. “Do you think I’m in the business of giving things away for a pittance? Does this look like Zam’s temple to you? I am telling you, your stupid eggs are not enough!”

“Fine, fine,” the customer says placatingly. “Forty eggs.”

“The amount of eggs is not the problem, you fool!” The stall owner turns red in the face as they yell at their customer, spittle flying from their mouth. “What am I supposed to do with forty eggs?”

The customer looks supremely unbothered. “Shove one up your ass and hatch a chicken for all I care.”

X snorts behind you. “Should’ve brought more eggs.”

Forty eggs for an incense burner? In this economy?