Make a Magpie Jealous

"Oh hello," he said, surprisingly slow for the energy that read off his face. "Some blue roses?" he said looking at the daintily wrapped bulbs. "How about 2 gold and a story?" he offered. "Your accent is that of someone far older then myself and it would be nice to hear a story."

"Ack. My accent gives away my age? Well as long as it's not my crow's feet," she joked lightheartedly, reaching into a small leather pouch slung around her waist and extracting a couple of gold coins with the face of Thalia, Queen of Dalen. "Your price sounds equitable to me. And I happen to know a rather large number of folk tales my grandmother told me."

"Was that all you wanted, or do you want to look around some more?" he asked. "If you choose to look around, do be careful, some items are made of iron."

She cocked her small head, acknowledging his recognition of her true nature. She looked superficially human, and no older than her late twenties. He was more perceptive than most, and it was clear a good shop keeper, jovial and at ease with his customers. She met his friendly gaze with her own. "So long as they're not sharp I should be alright. Though I thank you for the warning."

She could sense the proximity of iron long before ever laying eyes upon it, and could abide its presence for a short time. Prolonged exposure would physically weaken her and drain her magicks, and direct contact would burn her flesh and spirit both.

She turned her head and took in all the tall aisles of shelves, the vases of all descriptions; the thorough cryptozoography of fantastic beasts in taxidermed splendour; the archaic swords, maces, axes and armour; the jumble of musical instruments; the rolls of tapestries, carpets, and coins; the casks of wine; the bolts of fabric; the stacks of books; and the unending heaps of other motley objects that defied any easy classification, filling nearly every spare space in the shop.

She shook her head in amazement, never having seen the like of before. "The sheer size and scope of your inventory would make a magpie jealous, and impress even a faery maid, I must say. It's almost too much to take in all at once, or in one single visit. My friend Gloria told me about your exotic gardening seeds, and your selection of rare teas."

She turned back and plunked the coins on the counter. "But first, full payment for the bulbs. A story? Let's see, now. Did you ever hear the one about Felda, heiress to the petal throne? No? Well, it was in the time of a different age, when a human man was wandering the forest in search of May blossoms for his wife..."