#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Oh, yeah! Did you see a book seller?" He asks, even as they head to that booth!

"If they have toys they might have books? Aw, man, look at that dragon..."

They may even recognize the toyseller - It's local handyman Adler, from A to Z Home Services.

He is just finishing up an order. "Painted red, you say? I don't normally do painting, everything here is polished and stained..."

"But little Maxwell loves red trucks."

"How about a cherrywood stain, then?" He reasons with the shopper, and soon they come to a deal.

All sorts of wooden toys! Pull toys with wheels, clever toys with moving parts, all cunningly assembled out of wood.

Art is IMPRESSED by the dragon!

Thistle fades back a step when she sees the boggan.

Puzzles and play pieces, all set where people can pick them up, feel the quality, play with them.

But in the back, on display but out of reach, there is more!

"I bet a lot of these would work for 'Wain... I wonder if Frankie would like something that ain't a BeyBlade..."

Gwen has gone on a kind of patrol, watching for Thallian

Marionettes and simple block and ring puzzles... is that a CROSSBOW?

Her eyes dance along the elaborate pieces, mentally ticking together how they work and assessing the effort that went into each.

"Oh, those are perfect."

Adler makes his way over to the two, "Like what you see? I saw you eyeing the ballista? Zelda wanted it reinforced with steel, but it's already going to put someone's eye out, last thing we need is for it to jab someone's heart out..." He says, in an annoyed/fond tone.

"I don't think five is too old for blocks. And you could show him the stars they match up with?"

"Right. Zelda made that?" She looks back at the ballista, her tone odd.

A snort. "I made it, she wanted to Improve it. Well, it was her design, but I carved the parts. She assembled it, I tested... We're partners, you see."

"I told her, this way, if someone goes awry, it's going to be a gear slipping or a string catching. None of MY carved struts will snap." He says, proudly.

He leans in and murmurs, "Barony discount as well, doncha know." A wink.

"Yeah, that's cool... Art's looking for his little brother."

The nocker picks up some wooden spatulas, the handles burned with floral designs. A little scowl as she turns them over in her hands, conflicted over something.

"Problem, Miss?" He looks up at her curiously. "I can do custom designs, flowers are popular in this area."

"No problem. I think Marigold might like these..."

"Oh, that she would!" A smile from him. "Miss Marigold wears through even good quality hardwood spoons. Maybe because of all the hard-heads she needs to keep in line over at the Manor." he chortles.

"If you like the ballista, and the dragon, how about..."

Adler digs under the counter, and shows someone else to Trina.

"Ohhhh..."

"Yeah, Frankie would love this. Like Bey Blades, but cooler."

"What in the name of Santa's north pole is a bay-blade?"

"Fighting tops, basically."

"Oh, tops I have. Kids don't appreciate them much these days..."

"Well, paint them in team colors and give'm an arena."

"Huh. Is this like pogs? I remember pogs." He snorts, amused. "You like the Fire Eagle, eh? She's a beaut, if I say so myself."

"Yeah, she's great." Holding it up to squint at the gears.

"Gonna hafta keep an eye on that catch there. How much?"

"Fifty, so that's... let's say $30, barony discount." He says, appraising her reaction.

"Good eye. Mineral oil, to keep that sliding well." Adler adds.

Brow, but a nod. "Kind of you. Trying to get me to spend more?"

"Like on some flower spatulas?"

The nocker doesn't seem to have issues with paying an artist a fair price for good work - but then, crafters know craft.

He snorts, "No, it's just good to see someone who knows how to take care of things. These days, kids want something new that'll break in 5 minutes, then the next thing. No one wants to take care of something to last.

"Frankie is a good kid. And I am good at fixing stuff."

"Are you? Well, I guess you would be. Your blood loves to take things apart." He says, not rudely. "And put it back together, more or less, am I right?"

A shrug and a mumble. "Yeah, I guess."

"Eh? Speak up, I can't hear you over the crowd. Listen, I've worked with Zee for going on twenty years. And I say if I know how your folk works, I might know a thing or two! Otherwise I'd never share my shop with one! Lemme guess, things don't always come out the way you plan?"

Shrug.

"I'll take the spatulas, too."

"Listen, there ain't no shame in it. You think I feel bad every time I get taken for a ride by a sob story and a cardboard sign?" He shrugs, and starts packing up the goods.

"Yeah, well. I can keep this working, I'm sure."