Aye was wandering around the harbor, she had been here for only a few minutes, but she had a purpose. She would be temporarily leaving Old Rose soon, and she wanted something to remind her of this visit, there was only one problem: she had no money. The girl had spent much of her time wandering around, seeing things that were too expensive for her to buy, and generally too well watched for her to try to steal them.

Aye walked into the traders market, looking around and trying to see something that would catch her eye. The she saw it. Across the road, a building with a sign that she somehow new to be about tattoos. She smiled "Perfect!" she thought, suddenly very excited. The girl had been wanting more tattoos, and this just seemed to be the perfect time to get one.

She ran across the road, grabbed the doorknob, knocked twice, and pushed it open. Sticking her head in and looking around, she called out, "Hesta?"

The light was still at just the wrong angle in Cezelia's opinion, keeping her well away from any windows or doors that were not properly covered. One day, perhaps, she would learn that when she was required to open for business before the late afternoon, she should cut off her alcohol consumption well before the wee hours of the morning.

It was a combination of these things that had Cezelia in the stock room, taking a careful inventory of her pigments and tools in the dim light of the lamp she carried. Ampelio curled around her neck and shoulders, camouflaged against the sea life and botanicals that decorated them. Something had disturbed him and Cezelia lost count for a moment as he shifted his weight, inadvertently digging his claws into the soft, decorated flesh of her chest. Mornings often got loud, the Trader's Market not far away and apt to get busy at this hour, but it never really disturbed him before. Perhaps something other than rowdy sailors and beckoning merchants had caught his spiky ear.

Closing the door behind her lest Ampelio wander in later and knock over all her precious pigments, the artist walked briskly back to the front room, a cloud of jewel-toned robes and brightly coloured plaits. Her pet's agitation had not been in vain: there was a girl at her door. A very small girl, but still a girl nonetheless.

"Hesta," she replied, perhaps a bit distantly. She felt she had seen this girl around, recognizing the shocking green knots of hair, but could not make any personal connections. "Can I help you with something?"

She looked up at the woman wondering who she was at first, and then smiled.

"Junta, m'names Aye. I was, ah, wondering if you give tattoos?" The girl asked, maybe a little nervously. It had been a while since she had gotten one done, and the last time it had been done by a friend of hers. Having one done by a stranger was something new to her, But, boy, did she want one.

"I don' have any money right now," she said, looking at all the pretty tattoos on the other woman, "but I've this-" She said, stepping into the shop and closing the door. She held up her arm, and pointed to a silver armband that clung to her upper arm. "I c'n give yeh this, an' maybe when I get back to th' harbor, if yeh still have it, I can trade you money to get it back?" She said, looking hopeful.

Cezelia had two expressions that she used during consultations with potential customers. The first, a coquettish glint of the eye and generous curling of lips, worked best on sailors, merchants of the male persuasion, and drunkards. The second was a well-seasoned poker face, which was the one she wore at this precise moment. She regarded the girl and then the silver armband, but ultimately looked back at Aye rather quickly.

"What were you looking for?" she asked routinely, extending an arm for Ampelio to scramble down and into the sunlit window. "I'm sure we could work something out."

She looked around the shop, she had an idea for something she wanted, but wasn't sure how it would look.

"I was thinkin' maybe a ship, with an anchor hangin' down," she said, "an' under the water yeh c'n see fish, an' sharks, an' stuff... An' the ship's big, maybe on m'shoulder, here." she pointed to her left shoulder. "An' yeh c'n add in anything to that, that yeh think would look good!" she smiled up at the woman.

Cezelia's face remained unreadable, eyes examining the space indicated. It sounded as if the girl wanted a lot, which would normally be out of the question for the price discussed. Perhaps she was tired, perhaps it was the texture of the air that morning, or maybe it was the way the girl's multicoloured hair was piled on her head, but the artist was feeling generous.

"Let's get you in the back and I'll see what I can do," her voice was uncharacteristically soft and the curve of her shoulder as she turned back to her supply cabinet in search of a pen seemed a bit awkward. Rummaging through the closet, she gathered a variety of coloured pigments, needles, and pens in much greater quantity than she would probably need. "If you'd like to go ahead and have a seat on the chair back here, make sure your shoulder is out so I can draw something up on it before we get started."

She almost jumped with excitement! Aye made a little happy squeal, and then blushed and grinned. "Mujo ma!", she said happily, before running up to the chair the woman had pointed out, and hopping up into it. She pulled her right left arm out of her sleeves, and set it on her knee. Then she sat there, and watched Cezelia gather up her things.