The Shop
As he walked slowly along the shelves, Cren scanned the things in the sales counters. It was a strange collection of things thrown together. If it was limited to pencil and parchment in the main room, everything was apparently to be found in the back shop.
Mirrors, shells, animal skeletons, a single arrow, a simple green ceramic bowl, a fabric ball in which something was wrapped .....
He could have continued to list it. Some of the things were decorated with strange snake-like figures that had a hideous mouth and a scaly body. Cren paused for a moment in front of a mirror that was so adorned. At least he believed it was a mirror. The object was about the size of a hand, with engraved metal on one side and a smooth milky green stone slab on the other side. This mirrored, at least somewhat, and he had already seen similar mirrors in this form in other stores. With the difference that you could really see your reflection in it.
He weighed the round object in his hand thoughtfully. It was heavy and the side with the stone kept calling his attention. He couldn't help looking at the polished stone again and again. After a moment, he put the tips of his fingers on the surface and slowly ran them along.
When his hand touched the stone, he thought he heard a laugh at first. He wasn't sure, but it made him feel strangely familiar. He blinked. Had he seen something in the reflection? He turned his attention to the surface again, but Cren could see nothing except the shadow of his face.
'What am I actually doing here? It's a weird shop in the most infamous corner of town. I should take my legs in my hand and disappear. What do I expect, what will happen? What does it do for me if I find out whether the shop was really gone? Probably it just gets me into trouble.'
Cren emerged from his thoughts and was surprised to find that he was again running his fingers over the smooth stone surface. And this time he could see the white and green colors flowing back and forth.
He held his breath. The laughter rang again and this time he saw a person's contours. Long hair. Were their blonde? The person seemed to be wearing a long, flowing dress and the laugh came from it. It was a woman's voice. Bright, clear. She ran across a meadow laughing, then stopped and smelled a flower. Tears shot into his eyes. The truth got through to him before he was fully aware of it.
"Mom."
It was all he could breathe. His voice failed and he stared in shock and at the same time overjoyed at the picture that was presented to him. The longer he looked at it, the clearer the details became. And so clearly he saw his mother's loving features. He hadn't seen her face so clearly in front of his eyes for years.
"What do we have here?"
A deep, snarling voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Startled, he tore his fingers off the stone and looked around. Movements on a shelf caught his attention. He had to swallow when he found Ayane's companion sitting there. The raven stared down at him, head tilted slightly to one side. You could get the feeling that he was curious.
"You did not answer me."
Cren tried to take courage. The fact that the raven could speak had not given him confidence since he entered the store. But was it really the strangest thing here?
"No ... I don't know," he managed to say after clearing his throat, "Metal and stone?"
"Indeed. Metal and stone. Interesting isn't it. Seems you have found something for yourself here after all."
"Not really. And like I said, I don't have gold."
"Oh little one, there is a negotiable price for everything. You just have to find the right thing that is suitable for an exchange. Money, jewelry, animals, promises ... yourself."
At the last words, Cren felt an icy shiver run down his spine. He couldn't quite say it, but the way the raven focused him filled him with sheer fear.
"It could be yours."
His voice was suddenly soft, but also a little enticing. Cren's gaze immediately returned to the round object in his hand. The happy feeling of what he had just felt pushed into his head again. He hadn't realized how much it had missed her. As his gaze hung on the polished surface, he could hear the raven flapping its wings. Then a heavy weight on his shoulder.
"You could hear her anytime. All your life."
Before Cren could answer, there was a bang behind him. He winced, almost dropping the object. He could see Ayane out of the corner of his eye. She was standing at the door through which she had just left the room. She was holding a tray with two clay cups and a round, bulbous clay pot on it. Steam came out of the vessel.
"I put fish out Yoru. You should get it."
Only now did Cren notice that Ayane face was turned to the raven, who was still sitting on the shelf, not him. There was silence for a moment, then the raven flapped its wings and slid over to the door. After she let him out, his hostess pointed to a table and chairs.
"Let's sit down. And be so kind and put the mirror back."
