The meal continued with comfortable camaraderie. I was dying to know why they had me hold the swords, but I didn't want to ask here. My family talked about many other things, but never brought that up.

After Lunch we went back into the main market. It was so busy and dusty. Men moved through the narrow streets brushing along each other. Nobody touched Damien's family, though. The shopkeepers cut us a wide berth.

I recognized the sign on the shop Damien turned into. According to the symbol this family sold foot wear. We stepped inside and the family there grinned.

The head of the family approached Damien and greeted him warmly. Apparently my family was rough on boots and was always dropping by. He didn't see any damaged goods today, so he assumed Damien was buying new.

“I am," Damien said smiling, “for my slave.”

I came so close. The words to ask him why almost slipped out of my mouth. I couldn't see why I needed boots.

"I have to measure the feet," the shopkeeper said thoughtfully. "It must have feet, if you want boots."

“Two," Damien told him, “and we will measure the slave. You will tell us how. We wish the boots to be made Like ours."

I was ushered into a back room and sat down. Kein folded my brown gown over my knees and pulled off the soft leather covers and sandals I was wearing. The shopkeepers stood around staring at my bare legs in their cuffs.

"That mark is from a fleint," one man commented picking up what he used to measure feet and handing it to Kein.

“We lived across the sea and saw a man that had that mark once.”

The cobblers couldn't have been less interested in me as Kein measured my feet. They talked about the harrowing battle the man they'd known had fought to get away from the fleint. That man and several of his Brothers now wore marks Like mine.

Damien told them about their fight with the fleint. Before this moment I had never realized the danger Damien and the Brothers had put themselves in. Men did not always survive the pull of the tentacles, according to the cobblers. Damien and his Brothers were either very good or very Lucky.

“Not a mark on any of us," Evan said casually and the cobblers were impressed.

Kein put the sandals and leg covers back on me. I was pulled to stand and we moved out the door.

My family walked with assurance through the crowd. They were treated almost Like royalty the way the other men cut them a path. I could tell they were used to it.

Suddenly a man called Damien's name. The man looked Like a shopkeeper, he was pointing toward Damien and talking to another man.

"It's the man that sells instruments," Kein said frowning. "Who is he talking to?"

Damien shrugged and I stifled a laugh. It was so funny to see him do that.

We approached the group of men and Damien greeted the shopkeeper politely.

“This is Able and his family," the shopkeeper told Damien, "he found something with your name on it.

Able had a box in his hand. The thing was the size of a Large shoebox and looked to be made of wood. It was tied closed with a piece of twine. He gave it to Damien.