A Little Something Extra

The wind is particularly vicious today. It pelts those that walk the noble district with insistent slush. Zeke is not wearing his usual cloak against the inclement weather, but he's already explained that he let someone borrow it and hasn't had a chance to replace it yet. The carriage from the temple to the noble district had been fairly uneventful and pleasant, but the return to the outdoors has Zeke shivering a bit. He glances skyward. "What isss with the weather?" He grumbles the words, and turns toward his companion. "Are you sssure that you are well enough for thisss outing Dolan?"

"Well" had not been the problem, when the pair had stepped outside the temple. Dolan had frozen on the steps of the temple, stiffening almost at once when the wind first hit him and biting his lip, _hard_. He was determined, though, and after that moment, had pulled his own borrowed cloak more tightly around him. "Yeah. I'm all right." His voice is tight, though. Sharp, in the way he sometimes has been when in pain. "Let's get this done."

When he dismounts from the carriage, he strides purposefully towards the recommended shop, a small but ornate place on the outskirts of the district with the letters "FINE JEWELLERY" inscribed above the arching door.

Since Dolan is determined, Zeke follows along dutifully. The blue-scaled sith like some kind of massive shadow at Dolan's back. The carriage waits for them patiently as they disembark, and make their way into the shop. The store itself offers a few wares for display, but those few are kept behind glass. A light bell rings as they enter and a tall gnomish man comes out from the back room and surveys the pair. From his expression, he is distinctly unimpressed.

Entering the shop offers only minimal relief to Dolan, and the gnome's disparaging stare does _nothing_ to improve his mood. Fortunately, the inquisitor is fairly accustomed to being stared at, and he merely stares back down at the gnome. "Brightest of days," he greets. No sense in being rude, at least not to start. "Looking for a necklace for my intended." The mobile half of his features quirks into a half a smile.

Zeke clearly has no appreciation himself for the way that the shopkeeper looks at Dolan, but he says nothing himself. Merely shifts his weight so that his artificial limbs are less noticeable.

The shopkeeper gives Dolan a once-over then Zeke. His eyes light with interest for a moment on Dolan's prosthetic eye, and he asks rather dourly, "Do you intend to make some kind of trade Ser, or..." He's clearly asking how Dolan intends to pay.

"Coin." Dolan's reply is short, to the point, and delivered with a small smile. From under his cloak, he pulls a small, padded pouch. "That is, if I find what I'm looking for. Which, I'm starting to think I might not." He transfers the pouch back to the other hand and uses the right hand to rub carefully at his shoulder.

Zeke flashes his teeth at the shopkeeper, not trying to be intimidating, but it certainly is that. He doesn't say anything though, just stands there with his tail immobile and being largely unobtrusive.

"Are you looking for a statement piece, or something for the every-day?" The gnome has drawn himself up to his full height. "If you can't find what you're looking for here ser, I will happily make it." For an extra charge.

That question catches Dolan by surprise, and his lone brown eye blinks as he hesitates. "Everyday," he answers finally, not looking back at Zeke. Nope. "She's not into ostentatious stuff. She'll like gold, though." Suddenly, he seems less certain, and rubs absently at that shoulder. "It's going with a green dress."

"Excellent ser, if you would follow me." The gnome leads Dolan around the corner to where one lone thick gold necklace sits on display. "Torques are all the rage this season, and usually made of gold. Such as this one." He motions to the one on display. "Will the dress have a high neck or low?"

Zeke follows the gnome around the counter, peering down at the necklace on display and humming low in his throat. It is something that a sith might wear, so he distantly approves of the style.

Slowly, Dolan follows the gnome over towards the case in question. "I - ah, actually don't know," he admits, scratching at his hairline uncomfortably as he surveys the single display. "My tailor and her dressmaker are working out of the same shop, but it's supposed to be a surprise. I guess that isn't very helpful, is it?" His smile is more than a little sheepish. "She might like that," he nods to the torc. "If most women would like it, she won't. She's bolder than that."

"Bold? Then she might be going for a lower neckline, in which case I would suggest something more daring." The gnome leads Dolan around to another necklace, this one is more like a heavy gold lace-work with large stones set into the the center of each piece. This one had red stones. "I would suggest emeralds or perhaps jade depending on your... budget. This is not as practical as a torque, as you can see; more delicately made, and not every woman can pull off something so heavy. But appropriate for a common function."

Zeke gives a light sniff and peers down at the necklace in question. He seems less interested in this one than the one previous.

Dolan surveys the offering, tilting his head, his gaze going faraway for a moment. "Nah. I don't see her going after something like that," he says finally. "I don't see her doing a high collar, either, so you're probably right about something lower." Suddenly, the entire mobile half of his face blooms in a grin that makes it clear that he just pictured that. "Jade's probably more my budget," he admits after a moment. "The torque," he nods to the piece, "does that work with something low?"

"The torque is a very flexible piece of jewelry. And it can be set with gemstones if you prefer. At the ends is preferred. It can look quite lovely, and be simple or more complicated as you desire. If you tell me who your tailor is, I can work with them to make something specifically for the dress. While maintaining total discretion of course." Here the gnome bows his head to Dolan.

"Thisss one thinksss that the heavier metal would be lesss likely to break if sshe were to wear it in sssome circomssstance where ssshe had to unexpectedly fight." Zeke opines to Dolan softly.

Dolan turns his head more fully towards the sith-makar, and nods at once. "Yeah. She won't like anything she can't fight in if she has to." Still, his expression has turned from a small smile into a warm and cheery one. "Jovani d'Andarion," he answers. "The dress is for Sunguard Andelena. At the ends makes sense, and I think she'd like stylized dragon heads with emerald or jade eyes at the ends, if that can be done?" He turns his face fully towards the gnome in a question. "Name your price."

The gnome pulls out a notebook and takes a few notes. Sketches a light doodle and then glances at the torque. "For that weight of gold, plus jade, you are looking at a price of approximately two hundred gold pieces." He looks at Dolan and blinks, eyeing Zeke and then back to Dolan. "Unless you work for one of the temples ser? It is common practice to offer a light discount to clergy."

Zeke nods to Dolan, agreeing entirely with his statement and steps back when it's clear that the negotiation is beginning. This is definitely not his area of expertise.

"I'm one of the Sunlord's Coronae," Dolan answers, eyeing the doodle and the gnome. Although his warm and cheery smile fades at the named price, it doesn't disappear entirely. "Sorry about the clothes," he adds, pulling the stylized dragon from the inside of his short. "But surely not that much, even with a discount? I couldn't possibly. One hundred fifty?" It's still an easy question. This is bargaining, not any real concern.

He does cast a questioning look back at Zeke as the negotiating starts, then back to the doodle, his gaze sharp.

"Discount is ten percent off. Ten percent of two hundred is twenty. Which makes the asking price one hundred eighty gold." The gnome smiles. "Half in advance of delivery, half on delivery."

Zeke looks at Dolan, blinking his green eyes. "There are other ssshopsss if you do not like thisss onesss priscess Dolan." He offers. It's not intended as a tactic, but it works well as one.

GAME: Dolan rolls diplomacy: (7)+14: 21

"So we could, but I think we can come to an equitable arrangement," Dolan replies cheerfully enough, flexing his left shoulder beneath the cloak. "One-eighty? Now, I know you're not using _that_ much gold. If you were using that much, I'd pin the poor girl to the floor by her neck." This is said with a warm laugh, and a quick, back and forth discussion ensues. Neither party seems to be a stranger to a discussion of this kind, but the gnome proves a shrewd bargainer, and the exchange ends with a negotiated price of one hundred and seventy gold. Money exchanges hands, some of it in pretty and unusual gems not found in Alexandria, some in gold, and some in platinum pieces. "You're a hard, hard man, but I look forward to seeing the finished piece. You know Jovani, don't you?"

"Indeed ser. He is a fine tailor, and I have worked with him before." The gnome admits with the haggling done and his commission half paid. "I will speak to him forthwith about your commission and have it finished in time for your event. It will be done ser. Brightest of days to you." He nods his head low, accepting Dolan as a worthy client and adversary in the bargaining.

Zeke shakes his head. "Thisss one will never undersstand sssuch things. In Am'ssshere, if one desssiress a thing, it iss paid for in goodssss. Thisss one doess not do... haggling? Thisss one thinkss that sssome of the ssshop-folk dessspair because of it."

"And to you as well. Sunlord's blessing on you and your shop." Dolan turns away from the counter, and rejoins Zeke. "Mama's a really good haggler," he comments, reaching for the door-handle for Zeke. Unfortunately, it's an absent thing, and he lets out an unexpected curse and switches hands to open it right-handed.

He waits until they are outside to add on to that, shivering in the wind and flurries of snow that are driven with it. "Agh, this is awful," he complains. "Feels like a damned knife. Anyway, she's better than I was, and I was at a little bit of a disadvantage. I didn't want to say this, but I don't know that I'm up for hitting half the shops in the district. It's a game, really."

"We ssshould get you back to the temple then." Replies Zeke smoothly, heading in the direction of the nearest place to get a carriage for the ride back. "Thiss one doesss not entirely undersssand the processs, but if it isss a game, perhapsss that isss why. Thisss one wasss not allowed to play with other hatchlingsss, and sso hass no experience with sssuch."

Dolan trails behind Zeke, and catches up to him fairly quickly, cloak pulled tightly around him. "I don't know if the makari do it at all," he says openly. "It's something we humans do all the time in the market. The price he named is way more than that thing's actually worth." He seems to be keeping up well enough, although he is quite obviously in some discomfort. "We both know it. The first price I named is probably a lot less than it's worth. He comes down, I go out, and we meet in the middle. Get it?"

"Yesss. Thissss one believesss sso. But why not sssimply have the prisce at what it isss worth?" Zeke clearly doesn't get it. He does however keep his pace at his usual slow gate. This is only partially for Dolan's benefit since walking faster is not all that comfortable for Zeke. Luckily the place that rents out carriages isn't that far away.

"Some shopkeepers don't know what their goods are worth." Dolan seems to be in no rush or hurry, letting Zeke set the pace as he will. In truth, his pace isn't that much faster than Zeke's right now. "Some overestimate, some underestimate. Some people use the game to get more for their coin, or overcharge the unwary. I probably paid a touch more than I ought to have," he admits, "but that's because I wasn't willing to roam the District. I hurt too damned much for that. Not that I was going to tell him that. Part of it for a lot of people is the fun of the interaction, though. It's a game, like I said, but I learn by doing it who is generally honest folk, and who is out to fleece their custom. Worthy knowledge."

Zeke nods to this, trying to understand the process that's never really made much sense to him. "A game." He repeats back to Dolan, and blinks skyward. "Thisss one wisshess that we had dresssed more warmly now. Catching a cold would be unpleasant at the moment." For him or for Dolan.

"Yeah, no kidding. I'll have to remember that for the wedding. Maybe I should have a warmer cloak made, too." Dolan shivers convulsively as the wind rips right through the thin layers of cloth. "I'll be glad to get back to the temple," he admits. "Let's go."

-End