The Towers of Adrala - Book One, Part One: Saranoda

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  “Three centimeters of unflawed ruby, several grams of untainted silver,” observed Madame Canya, holding the brooch up to the light.  She was a short, frail old lady, her lax fingers and neck weighed down with an array of dazzling jewelry.  The anteroom to her large house was covered in all things plushy and purple, from the silk pillows on the couch to the gaudy wallpaper and carpeting.  Sye hung by the door, doing his best not to make a face at the overwhelming flowery perfume.

  “Mined in Bakaar and crafted by Luther in Mirith.  How did you know that this is the one trinket I'd love to lose?”

  Sye looked up from the window in surprise to catch an ‘I-told-you-so’ look from Pird.

  Great, Sye thought, Encourage him.

  “I wish you would keep it,” Canya sighed, adjusting her large bun of dark gray hair, “It is perfectly hideous, don't you think?”

  Pird nodded, “I didn't need the head start on the guards you gave me.”

  Canya gave a tinkling laugh, “I would not like to put you out of business!  It is not every day a young grinner like yourself drops by this little old lady's house.”

  Pird beamed, displaying the mentioned grin.  His right cheek had a habit of pulling up more than his left, giving his smile a slightly lopsided look.  Pird was a head short for his eighteen years, but well toned from his acrobatics.  An unruly shock of brown hair complemented his smiling hazel eyes.  Keen eyes that never rested too long on any one thing.

  Canya glanced over the brooch to Sye, “You should really cut your hair one of these days, Syrus.”

  Sye jumped at the sound of his name and reflexively touched his braid, “I would if I could.”  Sye was just a few centimeters above the average Eretian height, not enough to be noticeable.  By his family's tradition, his dark blond hair was worn long and held back as a simple braid that fell to the small of his back.  His cheekbones were high, but did not make him look contemptuous, and his gray eyes quietly took things in their intelligent way.  Sye's apparel wasn't much different from Pird's, even though he had a far larger selection to choose from.  Both wore the typical Eretian garb; a loose colored shirt haphazardly tucked into white slacks.  Today Sye wore shades of blue, while Pird went with a more eye-catching mauve.

  “He's royalty,” Pird explained, hiding a grin.

  “Of course he is,” replied Canya dismissively, “But that doesn't excuse having that long hair with the way his eyes take the light.  It is perfectly hideous, don't you think?”