Ierne Weyrhold – Marketplace
A wide square full of shops and stores and sidewalk vendors of all types. Mostly Traders who specialise in certain items or Crafters who wanted a place in which to market their wares. Due to the WeyrHold being a major trade center, its an ideal place for something like this, open all turn round rather then just people selling during gathers.
It's late afternoon in Ierne and however Thea has managed it, she and D'had are here. Shopping. Maybe the Weyrsecond came willingly, maybe not, but he is here. And they've been searching store to store for some time now for gifts for N'shen, Muir and Marella's turndays. Thea has, thus far been fairly focused on finding just the -right- gift for the young bronzerider, and her soon-to-be three turn olds and less focused on D'had's mood. That isn't to say she doesn't care, however. She's removed her jacket and thrown it over one arm, the spring warmth enough that it isn't needed in the warm square as she peers through one of the windows, bubbling with enthusiasm to the man …with? …lagging behind? …in front of trying to hurry her along? "Oooh, Donn, there's something!" It's a miniature set of drums, a toy, but harper-made nonetheless and quite capable of making lots of noise.
Willing he came to Ierne, yes, happy to be shopping, not exactly. "We've seen plenty that they'd like," D'had comments. In other words, why are they still here?? He's left his jacket with Siebith so as not to have to carry it along with them. He's there with her, more or less. Lagging or ahead here and there, but for the moment he's beside her. Those drums though, "Not on your life."
It's a very GOOD thing he came along shopping though, or Thea might have come home with those. She reaches to tuck her hair behind one ear, cupping her hands against the glass as if to get one more longing look at them (but really she's caught sight of something else) before turning to look at D'had with merriment dancing in her ice green gaze, clearly teasing, "Are you -sure-? He could be MasterHarper someday." As for the other thing she saw, she'll torment him with that in a minute. "We've seen so many things that I can't make up my mind."
If she had, he would have cringed and let her deal with the noise. "Yeah, well he can keep the noise at the nursery or at his lessons. When it's music he can bring it home." Or at least that's D'had's view on it all. "Lets just get something already." Gez woman!
Thea laughs; she can't help it. "Okay, okay. We'll pass on the drums." She steps back to link her arm with his, lean her head on his shoulder and peer up at him with a sweet smile, "How about that miniature tool set we saw back a ways for Muir?" Complete with hammer and saw (that really cuts things-!). He's got three turn olds, rather active ones at that. Good luck in the quiet department. "Unless…" She gestures to the store they're in front of, "There's a little toy tent in there. You can take them camping in the yard." Yay?
D'had chuckles, turning to press a kiss to her head when she leans on him. Oh, he knows well enough he's not going to avoid noise. Doesn't mean he can't try to keep those noisy toys out of their weyr. "Now a tent.. that we could do."
Just wait until it's raining and they both want to stay out in it anyway! But Thea says nothing of this. She beams up at him, already moving to draw him into the store, "Let's go look then! Unless… you think something else we saw back there might be better?" And she's peering back down the quadrangle at the numerous shops they've been in as she pauses in that half-open door. Yep, no wonder this has taken all afternoon.
"Nope, think this might be the best," D'had replies following her inside. "Lets just get it and go," because the longer they're here the more marks they're going to spend. That and just the longer they're here the longer they're here and shopping is far from his favorite thing. He was ready to be done a long time ago.
Thea sends D'had a sidelong look, appearing impressed that he's being so decisive. "Okay, if you're sure," she's happy to agree, nearly skipping down the isle to have a look at that display tent and bubbling over the cute little sleeping rolls and enthusing over the little canvas camp chairs and the miniature cooking pots. Of course the shopkeeper is taking this all in and encouraging it by making suggestions like insect netting and a set of camp dishes. He keeps pulling stuff out from the shelves and Thea has to agree how cute the little things are.
D'had sighs to himself as the shopkeeper starts pulling out those accessories. Camping does not require accessories, especially not pretend camping. "They're three." How much do they need!? "We'll take the tent, and if you," he continues with a look to Thea, "want to pick out somethin' else for Marella to go with it we'll do that." He's not buying the WHOLE set if he can help it.
Thea glances up at D'had from her inspection of the forks and spoons at that comment, then considers the array once again. Hrm. It's clear who would have to wash all those little dishes and pots, so she declines with a reluctant headshake for the shopkeeper. "I think… a picture storybook to read to them while camping would be best," she finally says. Lightly continuing, "And they can use old blankets for bedrolls." She gives the shopkeeper a sympathetic little moue when he nearly moans. He's not the one shelling out marks, however, so there's not a lot of sympathy given to him as he turns reluctantly to pull a boxed tent down and total up the cost.
D'had nods. "Sounds good to me." If there's a bit of a smirk there against the shopkeeper's hope for more out of them then it's just coincidence. "You have any more shoppin' ta do?" is the question he turns to Thea. If so he's hoping not to have to carry that tent all over Ierne while she does it.
"Well, there's the cake. Oh! And Nash's gift. Do you know what he would want for his sixteenth turnday?" Innocently asked, but right afterwards it sinks in and Thea's hastily amending that, "Nevermind what he wants, just let's get him something…else. " Thea smirks adding, "Though I think a certain trader-lass might be his first wish, I think we'd better consider something uhm…" she goes with, "Less expensive." Because the shopkeeper is standing right there, all ears and eyes while listening in with a leer.
"I'll find 'im something," D'had replies, "So how about I take this back to Sie and you go pick up that cake and meet me there?" A suggestion if nothing else. That way he can hopefully avoid being pulled into another dozen shops.
D'had may not have a sense of humor left but the shopkeeper gargles a laugh. Thea relents, but trying to sound stern, tells him, "None of those drawings we saw in that store back there. You know the ones." Though she's disappointed in his 'meet me there'. "You… didn't want to help pick the cake out?" She's a fairly new mother, forgive her enthusiasm and wanting him to share it. "We could leave the stuff with Siebith and have lunch in one of the cafes." Aw, puppy eyes and everything.
"Its a…" But even D'had knows better than to argue with that and instead he just shakes his head, relenting with a sigh. "Fine, fine," he agrees. "Lunch and then we'll get the cake." Its not that he's not excited about it. He just doesn't show it in the same ways, that and the whole shopping issue he's currently in doesn't help.
Alas, Thea is clueless. She's completely taken with this rare treat called 'shopping'. And thus she doesn't know what the poor man is going through. She waits while the tent is purchased and the box slid into a huge paper bag with handles. Good thing it's not a real-sized tent, yes? As they make their way to drop the stuff off, she's bubbling on about the various flavors and fillings and colors for icing and did he know they can make pictures right on the top of the cake with tints? But oh, right, he's been through this with his other three (she forgets this sometimes). Speaking of which, shouldn't they have spotted Siebith and come found him by now? All this chatter. Poor D'had. He may wish to drink his lunch.