((Holy crap...  I did NOT mean to write this much...  *Shrugs*))<br/><br/>Reana giggled at Boyo's antics as they went along the road into town.  No sheep to herd for the day - her parents graciously taking her sheep off of her care so she could see the fan fair of the monthly new moon festival in the morning, in return she would watch her brother at the festival that night for the fireworks that were always done in the spring and summer the sheep would go into a nearby barn of another shepherd for the night - he was finding entertainment in everything he saw.  The dog was jumping on everything from moving grass to crickets.  The dog was even trying to herd her!  She giggled as he good naturedly nipped at her heels, wanting her to move along.  He knew festival day.  He knew he'd get the yummy bones of the meat she couldn't eat if he was lucky - or perhaps get a piece of rope to chew at home to make the other dogs jealous with.  His tale wagged as he went after another blade of grass, making her have to whistle for him as they finally came to town.<br/><br/>Knowing the usual antics of the fair, she wasn't surprised when a boy in a wolf mask jumped out to surprise her - she acted it though, just for his benefit - before running off to other wolf masked friends.  She gave a soft laugh at their antics before continuing on.  Before she could enjoy the monthly occasion, there was one thing she wished to see.  Boyo ran circles around her as she walked through the streets, unlike the few men with their dogs who's animals were straining on ropes to get away, her Boyo was content and happy to stay with her.  He didn't even seem to notice when another animal barked at him.<br/><br/>She smiled as she saw the market full...  Maybe she'd find a new bell?  The haphazard thing still tingled on the shepherds staff she always carried - even now.  But tied on by scraps of wool thread, and what's more cracked nearly in half from years upon years of use...  A simple shepherdess, she didn't want for much, perhaps a new set of clothes would have been nice, but her clothes were fine, and the bell...  Well...  She didn't need much of one, for hers still worked.  But a new bell would be very nice.  As she passed by more expensive wares, jewels and sashes of finer than woolen cloth and other such things, she didn't dare look, knowing she didn't need such things - and if she didn't see them, she wouldn't want them.  No, she didn't want a colorful sash to brighten her brown and ivory woolen dress, or any jewels to decorate her long and agile neck.  No.  Just a bell for her staff was all she wished.<br/><br/>When she heard the tinkling of bells however, her eyes brightened looking up to see a stall of small metal works with fine and precious metals and some simple steel and iron.  Hanging on a rod above her eyes, hung the bells she so wanted to see, making her run - Boyo close in tow - to the stall with a small shout of glee.  Such fine little bells, she couldn't help but look at one's with pretty jewels and of silver and gold.  The sight brought a smile to her pretty face, her fine and pale hands pulling her hood from her head so that the sun would shine off of her dark curls.  "Oh, they are so pretty and perfect," she said softly, fighting the urge to touch one at the sight of the merchant's look.<br/><br/>Glaring he was, as she was used to.  While the country bore their presence as a 'necessary evil', the Shepherds were not liked by the people too well.  She blushed lightly at the glare, "I'm sorry, sir...  But how much for...  This one?"  Not daring to hope for having enough for one of the pretty bells, she pointed to one of the 'bell collections', one of copper.  She knew from a passing shepherd looking for work that it was something new that other shepherds liked in the other countries.  'The animals might not hear one bell, but they'll definately hear many,' had been his words.  The tiny bells, a group of maybe ten, tinkled more than their larger counter parts that had a clunking sound.  The shepherd had not wished to part with his own bells, unfortunately, so she had been left pining.<br/><br/>"Twenty coppers," the large man said, making her blink.  Twenty?  The amount of copper used couldn't have been more than three of the coins worth...  And bells weren't that fancy...<br/><br/>"I...  Well, I would be willing to part with ten...  Twenty is a bit much..."  She didn't wish to part with that much however, such a hefty price would only leave her with a single copper.  She'd barely be able to buy Boyo his bone.<br/><br/>"I'm not haggling, twenty," he grouched with a growl that told her what the price was about.  And what that was about, she couldn't fight.  She really did wish at times her parents parents had not come to live in such a country.  While the government as a whole would treat shepherds well, seeing to their employment so they would not starve- she and her parents were employed by the craft's guild in town - the people all knew and and were suspicious.  Was she one of the shepherds that had brought on the Wolf attack of last winter?  Or the summer two years past?  Did she kill a Wolf thinking it ordinary and end up killing a man to protect her herd?  Did she, did she, did she...  Was she a murderer in such innocent clothing?<br/><br/>She gave a sigh, "I...  I understand, thank you for allowing me to look..."  She looked away from him, moving away from the stall.  She did not hear any other bells in the market.  Shepherds being so rare in the country, bells were usually sold as wind chimes or decoration.  Sometimes to aid the sick - another reason for bells so pretty.  Boyo gave a whine besides her, sensing her hidden depression about the bells.  Looking down at him, she smiled, "Hey, now...  It's alright... I can still get you a bone...  And maybe if Coeder is running his stall and not his father, I'll have some of his sweet meats!"  She did not let her disappoint her, if she did, her life in such a country would not be worth living.  Seeing her smile, the dog barked and followed her on her way as she used her nose to search for what she was looking for this time, instead of her ears.