Choosing Fate

Choosing Fate .:12:.

“Why is she there anyways?” Emerie asked aloud.

“Raquel’s a skinny thing but she eats like a pig,” Libby said with a grin. “I’ve noticed. Haven’t you?”

Emerie pondered in her thoughts and shrugged. “I guess so. Well I’ve done my shopping; I may as well get some things for Cian and Darryl?”

“And your pa – Damaris and Ryker?” Libby suggested lightly.

Emerie no longer scowled at the mention of their names but it didn’t mean she despised them any less. “I still don’t like them,” Emerie said stubbornly. “So no. What would Darryl and Cian like?”

“Preferably weapons,” Libby said shyly. “Can I buy something for Darryl too?”

Emerie smirked. “Sure.” She handed Libby her leftover change and shoved the bag of gold pieces back into her pocket, clinking when they moved. “How do you get all these human clothes anyways?”

“Oh? We have reliable Water Elemental sources,” Libby said, remembering what her father had told her. “They import things from the human world and create illusions good enough into tricking humans in minding their own business on why we order so much clothes. We’ve got three full races to clothe anyway!”

“Well what about music?” Emerie suggested.

“I’ve never heard human music before,” Libby said, wrinkling her nose. “I’m told they sing horribly like they’re tone deaf to their own voice and that they have this strange style called . . . umm par? Lap? Cap? Tap? Crap?”

“Rap,” Emerie corrected with a chuckle. “What about it?”

“Well I’ve heard Rowan and his gang try it out,” she scoffed. “They sound like they’re talking and trying to look cool! It’s like talking senselessly to rhythm!”

Emerie grinned. “I don’t like it that much either. But they do have some pretty dang good music you know. If I had my iPod or Laptop here . . .” She trailed off, silently cursing Darryl and Dexter for taking her away without any further notice or her belongings. “Then I could let you listen to some.”

“Oh they sell it here don’t worry,” Libby said quickly. “It’s just hard to get your hands on.”

“What do you mean?” she questioned.

“Well apparently they’re illegal in Akorin because they have trackers on every single piece of music however they transport it here,” Libby explained. “So they’re illegal. But it must be pretty good if they fancy it so much to illegally smuggle it in. We have a more traditional music from years ago with just wooden instruments.”

They strolled through the busy marketplace, cutting through a short alley and appeared on the other side where exotic music floated on the air.

“This . . . this is amazing.”

Emerie was in total and complete shock at the sight before her.

It was a massive courtyard with stalls and canopies hiding under the rays of the sun. The courtyard was filled to the brim with eager Elementals, Destinies and Time Guardians who desperately wanted to hear the music, see the music . . . feel the music.

A stage had been set up in the middle of the yard, bringing a smile to Emerie's face when they saw a band playing strange instruments that Emerie had never seen in her life. Wooden instruments coiled around the musician’s hands as the Air Elementals blew into their pieces, fingers jumping from hole to hole, causing exotic music to spout out through the other end. A beat had been set up on an instrument similar to bongos except that the sound it made was much rawer, stronger and tribal than Emerie had ever heard. They all played in unison, sync and harmony and soon Emerie couldn’t help but wave her arms in the air with Libby and the crowd, swaying side to side. It was irresistibly beautiful.