The heels of Kay's boots clattered on the cobblestones as she walked into the old city. Last time, she'd been nervous, tongue-tied and busy pretending that she wasn't half-scared silly about getting lost. *But it WAS exciting*, she reminded herself, *and that's how I found this cloak, and discovered the Sweetshop*.
This time was going to be different. It was her third time going "walkabout" and the second time she'd dared to leave the Terran zone. There were too many items that she'd been doing without for too long (even though it was her own fault).
A helpful co-worker had suggested that MacBride's was a good general-purpose shop. They didn't have a huge selection of Terrran and Darkovan clothing (their stock was mostly miscellaneous small Terran items). But they spoke Terran Standard, and it would be enough choice to let her her find an everyday dress that wouldn't raise eyebrows in a quality tailorshop. The manager, Cassandra MacBride was said to offer trustable sources for anything else that a newly-arrived Terran (especially a woman) might want or need.
The directions hadn't been too bad. After only having to retrace her steps twice, the correct sign finally came into sight just a few more steps down the street. *Goddess be praised*, she thought to herself,*next time I'll draw myself a map*. She eagerly pushed open the door and went in.
A man, who looked approximately in his late twenties, with sandy blonde hair and blues eyes, dressed in Darkovan clothing, was minding the MacBride Shop while his family were all out doing other things this afternoon.
Marcus MacBride Jr. looked up when a woman came in through the door. She seemed to be wearing standard Terran issue clothes so he assumed she had come there from the Terran zone. Terrans seemed to make up over seventy percent of their customers.
Marcus said pleasantly to her in Terran Standard, "Good afternoon, mestra. Is there anything I can help you find today?"
"Goddess have mercy !", Kay exclaimed loudly, spinning around in shock at suddenly hearing a voice. When she hadn't seen or heard anyone, the silence and apparent emptiness had spooked her more than she'd like to admit. It brought back a memory of that time back in her student years when she'd been seeking a clerk in a quiet shop -- just before hearing an angry voice in the back room, and a blaster being fired.
Marcus Jr. automatically backed up a little from her. He didn't mean to scare her.
Color slowly began to return to Kay's face. *Oh no ... I just made a bigger fool of myself than Durraman's donkey*. There was no threat here -- just a young man with friendly blue eyes. *I hope he didn't hear me talking to myself like that*.
Trying to ignore the all-too-vivid blush spreading across her cheeks, she began again in a more normal tone of voice. "I beg your pardon, vai dom. I didn't see anyone in here, and you startled me. Perhaps my nerves are wound a bit too tightly today".
Marcus Jr. answered, "Oh, I'm sorry, mestra. I didn't mean to startle you." He noticed she called him "vai dom", which he was a bit uncomfortable with, but it was a common mistake made by Terrans. The use of "vai dom" probably isn't explained correctly in the language tapes. "And calling me, 'mestru', will do, mestra. 'Vai dom' is a term mostly used to address the Comyn", he added.
Kay reached into her pocket and pulled out a shopping-list. "I need a travel clock, a hairbrush and a small mirror. Do you carry sturdy hiking boots and some warm stockings (my feet have been cold ever since I got here a little more than a tenday ago) ? In terms of clothing, I also need a pair of wool trousers and a tunic that would be suitable for visiting a respectable dressmaker. The only one I've heard of, is a woman named Hannah MacDoevid. Would you know where I could find her shop?". The words tumble out in a babbled rush.
He nodded, "Over here we have the travel clocks and items like your hairbrush and mirror. We also have hiking boots and stockings.", he said showing her an area where there were pairs of boots in women's and men's sizes that were marked so all she had to do was take her size off the shelf. Close to the boots were both Terran stockings in packages, and soft woolly ones in pairs that were made by Darkovans.
"On this wrack there are some tunics and wool skirts", he showed her a small selection of tunics with beautiful, yet simple, embroidery on them that were done by his youngest sister, Betha. He went, on, "And if you don't mind my saying so... I'd recommend you get the skirt. The MacDoevid's is in the old town.... so uh...... skirts on a woman is more.... appropriate there.", his face turned a little pink because it was hard to explain why a skirt is better without explaining about their entire culture. It was almost a taboo for a woman to wear trousers in the old town unless she was a Renunciate. Even a Renunciate would get a little unnerved if they saw a local woman wearing trousers.
Kay stopped to think for a moment, then added hesitatingly "and one other thing ... if it wouldn't be improper of me to ask this ... I really should be asking a woman ... but I don't know any local women yet ... ". Her voice trails off for a moment, and a thin hand reaches up to run through the long red-brown waves of hair that trailed down the back of a Darkovan wool cloak. Perhaps this question should wait. But then again, lack of information could lead to her making a big mistake.
Marcus Jr.'s face turned somewhat pink yet again from seeing the unbound hair of the Terran woman and he dropped his gaze to the floor. This again was another taboo to have the hair unbound in public, or to have the neck exposed. If his wife knew this woman was in here running her fingers through unbound hair she'd say this woman was flirting with him and looking for much more than merchandise from him.
But of course the Terran woman didn't know any of these things so it wasn't her fault. *Damn it! I wish those people at Headquarters would tell the women more about our culture before they go site seeing.*
Finally the color went down in his face and he answered her, "What is it you need to find, mestra?"
This was just too embarassing. She simply could NOT bring herself to say the words "thermal longjohns or "panties" despite the fact that she badly needed them. Instead, Kay just pointed, guessing at her size. After the underwear was added to her pile, she counted out the coins as quickly as possible, then handed them over without looking up and said softly "Good day to you, mestru ... and thank you".
Kay hurried out out the MacBrides shop, face still aflame with an embarrassed blush. At least she now had SOME decent clothes that she could wear without worrying that people were constantly staring at her and whispering. Her Darkovan wool cloak looked out of place with a plaid wool shirt and long knit skirt (and uniform coveralls underneath for warmth). But it was the ONLY "outside" clothing she'd had.