The Robin And The Kestrel

Clearly, since it described them so minutely, it would do an 'uncertified' merchant no good to steal the certification of another. He had to admit, grudgingly, that it was a good idea.

'The tithe here is fifteen percent, not ten,' Robin told him in a low voice, as she straightened the Stars in their tray. 'It's because of the location; he was nice enough to tell me that if we moved to the rear of the Cathedral, it was the usual ten _'

'If w-we m-move, w-we w-won't see what w-we c-came to see.' That seemed obvious enough. 'As l-long as w-we c-come out even _'

But already the first of their potential customers was hurrying over, attracted by the brilliant Stars in the sunlight, and within a short time it was clear they were not going to come out 'even,' they were probably going to run out of Stars before two days were over, if they continued to sell at this rate.

No matter. They could make more. It would be a good excuse to linger around the inn, walk about the town, and not go to the market for a day or more.

The jewelry proved unexpectedly popular; somewhat to Robin's obvious surprise, the metal Stars sold as well if not better than the cheaper Stars of thread. Jonny saw why, once he realized what it was that had been bothering him about the wealthier women and their clothing.

The very drabness of it fooled him into concentrating on the color, but as he watched customer after customer immediately don her Star, stringing it on her own chain or using the ribbon Robin provided, he saw faces transformed with delight. And he knew that these women had given up jewelry, and missed it. After all, Gradford was famous for gemcraft and metals, and it was known across the Twenty Kingdoms that Gradford women all had dowries of lovely jewelry, some of it very ancient, passed down from generation to generation.

The current austere state of things dictated they must give up such adornments. They missed their jewelry, and here was a perfectly pious way to get it back

There had been a number of women and men in finer materials than those coming to the wagon, who had spent some time studying the God-Stars from a distance. Silversmiths, he decided, after a while. Goldsmiths and jewelers. There will be work into the night, tonight, and fine silver and gold Stars by morning. Poor apprentices....

Then again, considering that the apprentices had probably been doing and learning nothing of late, one long night wasn't going to hurt them. And, inadvertently, he and Robin had breathed new life into a dying business!

With that in mind, he sidled over to her in his first free moment, whispered his suspicions into Robin's ear, and added a suggestion. She nodded, and he went back to hanging up yarn God-Stars to replace the ones sold, confident that his idea was in good hands.

A few moments later, she left the wagon to hurry to the side of a gray-haired man in gray velveteen, who had a young, clever-faced woman at his side. The girl bore a remarkable resemblance to him; most probably his daughter, and possibly his apprentice as well.

Robin spoke to them in a low voice for a few minutes, then waved, inviting them to come to the wagon. They took her up on her invitation, and as they watched, she took apart one of the copper Stars, then remade it so they could see how it was done. The transformation in them was remarkable; they went from interested to animated in a few short moments, finally ending up laughing as she placed the copper Star into the girl's hands.

Jonny saw all this in between sales of smaller and larger Stars; by the time he was finished with the last customer, the two were gone. By this time, all of the wagons and stalls were losing their custom as the crowds left en masse and flowed in the direction of the Cathedral. Prime was about to begin, evidently, and no one wanted a place in the rear.

'Well?' he asked, as she sidled up to him and gave him a quick squeeze around the waist.

'Master Tomas and his daughter will be very happy to supply us with base-metal and silver-alloy wire and thin bar-stock at a very reasonable price in return for my instruction just now,' she said with the intense satisfaction of any Gypsy who has made a good bargain. 'I made some suggestions about chains made of very tiny Stars, and suspending Stars from some of the more elaborate chains they already had made up and couldn't sell. In return, they suggested ornamenting the ends of the posts with beads, putting a semiprecious stone or glass bead at the center join, and stringing the Stars on necklaces of beads. Everyone is very happy, me included.' She grinned happily. 'I could wish we were here just for the profit; we're doing very well, even after the fifteen-percent tithe.'

She had been the one doing all the talking to the customers and the other traders who had come to see what they were offering that was doing so well; he had played mute, and evidently the customers had assumed that meant he was deaf as well. 'Wh-what d-did you find out s-so f-far?' he asked, as the crowds gathered tightly about the front of the Cathedral, and acolytes brought out a portable altar. Evidently, in spite of the cold, High Bishop Padrik was going to hold Prime outside, presumably because there was not enough room in the Cathedral itself for everyone waiting. Jonny wondered how on earth the man expected anyone to hear him. Most Churches were built to magnify the voice; he wouldn't have that advantage out here.

Or would he?

The magnificence of the Cathedral had made him ignore the structure, and the two