Valerie was escorted to the market by Momo and two security guardsmen. The marketplace was lively at midday—vendors calling out prices, women hurrying past with baskets on their hips, the scent of warm bread and spiced meats drifting through the air. Wooden stalls lined each corner, covered with colorful cloth canopies that fluttered lightly in the breeze. Children darted between the crowd, and the clatter of carriage wheels on cobblestone added to the rhythmic noise.
Momo directed her to a seamstress's shop. It was the shop Raelyth usually bought his clothes from. Valerie followed Momo's lead to the shop; the exterior was rich and elegantly decorated, with polished dark wood, golden trimmings, and large windows displaying mannequins dressed in fine garments. Two lanterns hung by the door, giving the shop a warm, welcoming glow even in the afternoon light.
