Thread: You can't unring a bell (Alexander and ChrisGabriel)

The merchant nodded and intently listened through each description, better understanding these items that he desired. The girl was good, to share so much with him. Some people lied to him, so that he might dis-value their favorite objects, or mistake a poor item for one of better worth, but this child was open and honest. He still asked more about the items, than she freely told him. Some questions were easy to understand the nature of. What metal was the horse made of? Was the thread of cotton, or was it of silk? Others were less intuitive for her to grasp the meaning of. What season had she found the stone during? How deep had the cut to her hand been, and did her blood leak onto the thread? Once he had interrogated her, he placed the items side by side on the desk, and apparently made an attempt to order them. Most of his thoughts were in his head, but a few slipped out of his mouth. You have only had this for thirteen days? Where does its value come from, then? He muttered to himself. He placed it off to the far right, and then started arranging the items, swapping the positions of two or pushing them in either direction to make room for a new piece, but when he had finished, he found the feather on the leftmost spot instead. He let out a noise of curiosity, and then took them each off the desk, and started again. Every time, however, he found that the feather took the spot in which he predicted she would hold the most value. He pointed to the stone, second from the right. Annamaia is losing her friend, is she? He mentioned the name of one of the children Clarabell was with when she collected it. Well, that might be part of the price that she pays, I suppose. Though, I haven't gotten to know the two others. That girl wanted to shift her life, that is for sure. She was interested in being more popular, not less, but nobody can be liked by everybody, I suppose. Far more interesting, however, was the green-scaled bracelet. You worry about tearing this, child? I think your grandmother hid one bit about it from you. The man lifted the item from the farthest position, up in both of his hands, and gave her a shock when his arms separated and he tried to pull it apart, though the thing barely stretched at all. Not snake skin, but scales of a greater serpent. Two serpents, to be precise. He arranged the bracelet with his hand, and stuck his nail between a seam in it. When the two sides were pressed together, it had a hazel color to it, but when he split them ever so slightly, she could see a shine of blue and a shine of yellow. These two are what you can pay with, child. He suggested, and put the bracelet back down. And these two are what I think you desire. He motioned to the horse, and the feather furthest at the opposite end. A fulfillment of prosperity, and a fulfillment within your heart. He closed a palm, leaving only a finger open, and poked the horse and it easily fell over. I pride myself on my work. I will not give you what is already due to you. Prosperity will be of little concern in your life, little one. He did, however, grab a doll from off a shelf, a figure of some boy, and set it on its back next to the feather, and then laid the feather within its hands. Once activated so, it seemed to almost sit up on its own, though it moved no further after it had risen as such. Shall we see how it might react to you? He offered with a wave of his arm for her to stand in front of it, as if she were about to be judged by a toy.