#bergen_county

"We're building a library!"

"Oh!" realization "Why did't you say so? Is this being set up by your local lord?"

She nods. "The Baron is very supportive of both of us. We got a hold of a lot of damaged books we're repairing, but they're mostly regular books, not fairy ones... here, look..."

On her phone, she pulls up pics of before-and-after book repairs!

"Here..." She offers a card "Give this to your lord, maybe he'll want to buy some of our left overs, maybe not. So 95 dollars.. or Pennnons bucks and you pass our card over?"

She looks at Art. "Sounds fair to me..."

"I hope so... is it a deal?" the woman asks

"Art?"

He casts a last look over the other books, and nods, handing the bucks over. "Deal."

She hands it over "I hope it's everything you hoped" And makes the sale

He offers the last $5 over to Thistle. "Commission for bartering?"

A grin

The book seller chuckles and moves on to another customer

Gwen shows up again "How's it going, Artty? Did you get a lot of books for the library?"

Thistle looks to see if there is a bargain table!

"Um." He holds his one book to his chest.

"We're still looking..."

It's not even a lie.

"Oh.. " She says "Okay, but I think Bluebell is wanting to go soon"

"Right, right. We'll hurry!"

There IS A bargain table, some due to damage, some due to surplus, but you can find some worn novels for as low as a dollar

Five one-dollar-books!

"What's that one with the silver hand on it?"

Curious, as he eyes what looks like a worn fantasy novel.

"Looks like a fantasy adventure.... " She flips it over to read the jacket. "Sounds worth a read!"

There is also a mystery bag... in trade for dross, you get whatever is in the bag.

SIGH.

"Gwen, do you have any dross?"

"Yeah?" She says "mom gave me a bit. Just in case of emergency, it's.. kind of weak, but it is dross"

"It's a mystery bag, Gwen!"

"RIIIGHT... look, I'm an Indian, I don't gamble unless i own the Casino" She jokes

"Please? Once I figure out how to get dross, I'll pay you back. Or.. I can fix stuff?"

gwen frowns slightly "Maybe you could... " then she catches herself "Nevermind, you'd see that as pushing. Fine. We risk it. But it goes to the library for Silverwolf if it's anything good forr all of us"

"Totally!"

She puts the dross down.

"Five bargains and a mystery bag, please!" She grins, all sharp teeth.

the bag is handed to Thistle

Gwen winces "I'm afraid to look" She's used to a DEARTH of Dross, though the coffers have been filled since the auction she's used to the lack

"Thanks!" Time to check out the goods, even if they have to go meet Bluebell at the same time.

"So, having fun so far?" She asks

"Yeah, had a good day outside of the schmuck."

"Yeah" She frowns "I need to find a way to pay that son of a bitch back"

"What did he DO exactly? Is there a way to stop it?"

"It's called a dictum, and usually if you have a greater title, you should be fine. Otherwise, it's willpower.." A frown "rolls are supposed to have that"

"You're pretty stubborn."

"Not when it counted" She humphs "That's twice I've been hit by that"

"Sucks."

"But, like - it's magic?" She peeks inside the mystery bag.

The Naughty Troubadour's Trumpet flashes the first book, a depiction of a bodice being ripped with a trumpet wedged in the cleavage!

"Oh Great spirit give me strength" Gwen winces. Unlike talia's stuff, it doesn't even look like a GOOD 'dirty book'