Near noon on the second day, they reached Brighting. Serali gazed around her in amazement. It was so much bigger than Land's End! There were houses with three and even four stories! The center of town was crowded with a bustling marketplace.

"Good, we've arrived on market day. You can go look at the stalls while I go speak to the guard." He handed her a handful of coins, with a glint of silver among the copper. "Go buy something, but be careful, there are people here who'll try to cheat you out of that, or even steal it."

Serali nodded her agreement and after thanking him, lost herself in the crowd. You could have put Land's End into Brighting five times over, and still have room left over. People thronged the central square where several dozen merchants had set up shop. They shouted their wares to the passing crowd. Looking over all the things she could buy, it was amazing! There was everything from vegetables, to fine cloth, to jewelry. There was even a blacksmith making a sword, off in one corner. She lingered there for long moment to watch, remembering many hours spent watching Breck make plowshares an horseshoes. He had never made a sword, she wondered if he could. She wandered over to where a collection of metal goods hung on one wall of the smithy. Apparently they were for sale. As she inspected them, a young man came from helping the smith. He was only very slightly shorter than she was, and his hair was sandy yellow.

"Would you like to buy one of these, lady?"

"Oh, I'm no lady!"

"Nonsense, any lovely girl is a lady indeed, no matter her birth." Serali blushed at that. She was unused to compliments. "Now, are you interested in a fine dagger, my lady?" He indicated where a jeweled dagger in an even more jeweled sheath hung on the wall. The jewels were probably not actually precious stones, but they flashed brightly all the same.

The only thing even remotely like a weapon she owned was the copper-handled folding knife. The thought of her swinging a sword was more than a little ridiculous, but a dagger would be useful in other ways, and she rather liked the thought of owning one. "I would be quite interested, but it's most likely more than I can afford. And jewels on a knife are kind of silly, I think."

The young man chuckled. "Ah, you're the practical sort then? Perhaps this is more to your taste?" He gestured at a plainer dagger that hung near the jeweled knife. She looked at it with interest, and the young man took it down and handed it to her. She drew the blade and inspected it. It looked like good steel, and the leather-wrapped hilt was comfortable in her hand.

"Yes, I think it is more to my taste. Only my funds are quite limited. Even this may be beyond my means." She hesitated, then said, "How much is it?"

"For you lady, three silver"

Serali made a show of looking through the pouch she had put her coins in. Then she sighed. "I only have two silver and a few pennies. And I wanted to get something for the midday meal too."

"Well..." he paused thoughtfully "Perhaps I could see lowering it to two and a half."

"I said I had a few pennies. A few is not enough to make a half silver, and I'd have nothing left over."

"Two then?"

"Two? And what will I eat? Bread and water? I couldn't go higher than one." Serali was beginning to get into the spirit of the bargaining, she loved to haggle.

"One! Why with what that will leave you, you could have a feast fit for a king! I'll give you one and eight" The young man seemed to be enjoying himself too, putting on an exaggeratedly outraged air.

"Nonsense, the feasts of kings are measured in gold, not silver. I could give you one and one, at the very most."

"And deprive me of all profit? This is fine steel! Perhaps if it were pot iron I'd let it go so cheaply, but as it is your offer is absurd! One and seven, at least!"

"If it were pot iron, I could have it for five coppers. I'll give you one and three."

"And leave me with a mere three coppers profit? How can I make a living on that, I ask?"

"Your profit is closer to a silver my friend, but I'll be generous. One and five, my final offer."

"It will break me if I give everyone a deal like this, but I suppose for a pretty lady I could accept something so low. One and five it is."

Serali counted out the coins and accepted the dagger in return, smiling at the young man who grinned back, both of them acknowledging the bargaining skill of the other.