"Hello.I need to request a commission for a piece of jewelry to be made."
"Customs take time.And credits.You gotta have both."
"I do," she replied.
She took a few more steps toward him."I will pay you whatever you want.My mother spoke highly of your abilities to bend the metal."She removed the front of her scarf so that her entire face was revealed.
The man stared at her.Then his face lit up.
"Empress Fallon's daughter?"he whispered.
She nodded."I am."
His whole demeanor changed.The aggressive posture he'd had when he came out shifted to the most immense joy she'd ever seen someone have for her.Of course, people liked having the royal princess around, but very few ever seemed happy to see her.His eyes were wide, and his stern expression was exchanged with a big smile.
He took a few steps toward her and stopped himself.
"I would hug you, but I shouldn't touch a princess, especially like this," he said, gesturing to his dirty clothing.He placed the metalworking tool down into some kind of kiln before come back over to her.
Caoimhe smiled."I appreciate the enthusiasm.Mother was very impressed with your work."
"I'm sure she was.She was never very good with her hands."
"You knew her in childhood?"she asked.
He nodded."While the woman was not able to do much with her hands, she certainly could talk anyone into anything.All she had to do was smile and pour on that charm she had.She was a good Empress, and we all loved her."
Caoimhe nodded."She could do that.Her smile lit up a room."
"It did," he replied."Now, princess, what can I do for you?You said you needed a piece of jewelry made?"
She nodded."It needs to have specific capabilities."
"Such as?"
"Trackers."
"Easy enough."
"It needs to break apart and be put back together."She pulled out of her dress a bag.Inside, she had a hologram illustration of what she was thinking of."The design is horrible, but you can see what I need here.The specifications are there."She explained to him what she needed in detail.
He looked it over."Tricky.Where are the materials coming from?"
She pulled open the bag."Here."She laid out her mother's royal crown and some of her other jewels."Make it out of this."
He nodded."I can do that."He picked up the crown."I haven't seen this in years."
"No one has worn it since she did."
He smiled."I know.I mean, I haven't seen it since I made it."
"You crafted this?"
"I did.The Empress loved it."
"Yes, she did."
They sat there in silence for a beat, her remembering her mother, and she guessed he was as well.
