NINEPATH TRAVELER

Chapter 25: The queen of bargaining

"Hey Tressa ! What if we go shopping what you need together ?", I reassured her by gently tugging her dress.

"That's an EXCELLENT idea, I think !", she exclaimed happily, while cutely pinching my rosy cheek, before she nicely grabbed my hand. "Let's go first buying the fish of the day, at the fisherman's stand at the port !"

We then walked together in direction of the port, holding hands like true friends, without any of us wanting to release of each other's hand. I watched up at Tressa who was keeping a cheerful smile, while humming in her walk. Seriously, she was really cheerful and adorable ! That wasn't surprising at all that everyone in the village liked her !

I wanted to hum alongside with her, but I didn't really know the air of the song, so I preferred to listen to her hum, which looked totally in harmony with the seaside town's marina ambiance.

Some passants smiled at our sight, as we were heading right back at the port, where was that merchant of precious stones coming from the mountains.

We just passed the bridge and the tavern when we immediately noticed the fisherman's stand, just before the port, and the seller was the young man I've seen yesterday talking with that nice sandwich merchant.

He was peacefully waiting a front of his stand, with a small white rope tightened around his forehead and a neckflace with a pair of teeth around his neck.

When we approached the stand, I was really impressed to see all those fishes around that stand: they were so many fishes with different forms and sizes, like a large row of small ones, or even one size-headed with a round shape. They were mostly disposed inside baskets, and were all smelling the fresh and special odor of the sea, just like they has just been caught at the morning... I would like to taste one, but I've heard fishes couldn't be eaten like that, and that people has to made several kinds of delicious recipes.

Tressa and me went to the merchant, who was welcoming us in a friendly way.

"Well, if it ain't the hardest-workin' merchant in town !"

"Mornin' !", she saluted him back.

"I see you have made a new friend.", he told us while watching at me, as I grinned in response.

"Hello, Sir ! We're here to buy your fresh fish !"

He nicely laughed.

"Thanks, little guy ! I can tell you they are the freshest fish of the day: me and my old man have fished them at the first sunlights to get the best catch and filling the stand !"

"Your... old man ?", I asked, confused.

"He means his father !", shushed me Tressa.

The fisherman continued.

"Anyway, glad to see one of our favorite customer coming to buy one of our products soon in the mornin'. Ye even beat some fishermen to the pier."

"Hehe. Don't sound so surprised ! We both know the early bird gets the worm. Or, in our case, the fish !", answered Tressa happily.

"Yer darn right it does."

I examined the fisherman stand, admiring he has caught for filling his store. There were effectly a lot of fresh fish, where some of them were placed on a bunch of white ice, which must be probably used to maintain them better.

There were so much fishes disposed in the store that I wondered which one Tressa is going to buy, when the fisherman looked for something behind the stand.