This time, Efret smiled despite herself and she briefly considered what to say.
She knew that the Order of Shiraya was trying to keep what happened on Naboo a secret from its citizens, so it would only be natural that they would also be interested in keeping the news from reaching the galaxy at large for as long as possible. That was certainly for the best, and Efret would take appropriate action to keep the secret as well, but it wasn't her place to attempt a Mind Trick on a stranger to insure that she wouldn't visit anytime soon. Instead, Efret would act as if nothing was wrong, like Naboo was a perfectly safe travel destination, as surely the royal planet would be closing its borders for a time until the second Cataclysm could be resolved.
No need in jumping to drastic action.
"
It's a beautiful place indeed," replied Efret. "
Afford yourself more leisure, my dear."
In the meantime, they reached their destination: the lampmaker's stall. Efret's vision was a halo of refractions of light glinting off the various glass sculptures, some colored, some not. She squinted against them and fixed her eyes on the closest goods. The halo faded and she gingerly ran her hand over the curve of
a brown oil lamp's topmost section under her fingers brushed again its brass burner. A reflection in the glossy surface caught her eye, not of one of the lights but of
a gold trinket hanging just above. She looked up, straightened, and reached out to caress it also.
As she did the latter action, the shopkeeper turned from interacting with some other customers to Efret and Korra. He said, "
That one's a more traditional design." When Efret didn't respond, he shuffled closer to her behind the stall counter.
The master saw him then, and recognized the look of expectation on his face. He had said something and was waiting for some kind of a response. "
I'm Deaf," she told him. "
Say that again, please."
"
That one's a more traditional design," he repeated, pointing at the hanging, two-tiered lamp that Efret was no longer touching.
"
It's beautiful. They all are. How much for this one?" Even though Efret's savings were meager, she was ready to spend it all on a gift to remember Elias through—hopefully just until he came home, at which point she could give it to him—call it the generous spirit of the season, or call it intense grief fringing on guilt. He had put so much thought and effort into the gifts he had given her with quite literally with his last few moments connected to this plane. She just knew that he'd appreciate the simplicity, and could see it hanging in his greenhouse like a wind chime.
But the artisan asked only for a reasonable price.
Efret handed the dataries over and received a small bag with the lamp packed carefully inside. With a "
Thank you," and a wave, she turned back to Korra. "
Thank you too. I would have been looking for this for a long time."
Kuhbee
Roman Vossari
Kahlil Noble
Corazona von Ascania
