Landwulf came to walk beside her.
“It’s an exciting sight, isn’t it!” he exclaimed.
“I suppose so,” she said uncertainly.
He looked at her. “Have you been to the markets before?”
“No, in our village only the men went.”
“You will enjoy it, I promise,” he said. “Why don’t I show you around after we get set up?”
“I’d like that,” she said. “It looks so big! I fear getting lost.”
“You will not get lost. I will take care of you.”
She smiled up at him. It was a good feeling to have someone like Landwulf to take care of her. She found herself looking forward to their visit to the markets; she could relax and enjoy the new experience now that she knew someone would be watching out for her.
They made their way to a field next to the town where the markets were being set up. The women busied themselves readying the tents, erecting the skin structures and placing skins on the floors to sleep on. The men took the oxen to a nearby stream for a drink then tethered them in the animal holding area and gave them grain. The weary beasts were soon lying down, contentedly chewing their cuds.
“At least the people that came by boat don’t have animals to care for,” said Gerfrid as he returned from the ox pen.
Kaarina shuddered as she overheard him whilst helping Emiline prepare food. “That is a good thing,” she said. “Travelling by land is far safer.”
“Have you ever been in a boat?” he asked.
She shuddered again. “No. And I do not wish to.”
“You know not what you are missing out on,” he teased. “Fear is robbing you of all the good things in life.”
She shot him a sideways glare and turned her back on him. He wasn’t going to get the satisfaction of knowing that he’d annoyed her. She thought about Landwulf, who had never teased her about her fear of the water even though he knew more about her secret than anyone else. In her opinion, he was the best one of the brothers. She was looking forward to exploring the markets and she hoped that he remembered his promise to show her around.
The following morning, trade was brisk. Emiline showed Kaarina what to do and how to count out change when a customer bought something. By the afternoon, she’d mastered the art of market selling. Their sales were steady and Kaarina was excited as she watched the money in her pouch grow. She would have to count it out with Emiline, of course. They would put some aside to buy more materials and then she could keep half of what remained. She wondered how it would feel to have money of her own to spend. Would she even know what to do with it?
Emiline spent the afternoon purchasing household goods and other items that they needed. She bought hides from the tanner for making leather goods. She purchased several pottery items, soap, thread for weaving linen cloth and an assortment of metal clips and buckles for attaching to the leather goods she planned to make.
“That was a good afternoon,” she beamed as she returned to their market table.
The twins spotted her. “Muoter!” they cried, running towards her on chubby legs.
“My babies! Did you miss me?” she exclaimed, scooping up one under each arm. It wasn’t often that she parted from them and she knew they were anxious without her.
Kaarina laughed. “They kept me busy, especially with all the customers as well. We sold lots of cloth today.”
Emiline nodded. “We have a reputation for making fine cloth,” she said. “People are eager to buy it and we usually cannot make enough to supply the demand.” She peered into the cart at the piles of cloth. “But since you helped me this time, maybe there will be enough.” She looked at Kaarina. “Go and enjoy yourself, dear. You’ve worked hard here today and I can manage until the market closes.”
“Thank you, Emiline,’ Kaarina said gratefully, but she was reluctant to venture into the markets alone.
Almost as if he’d overheard, Landwulf appeared. “Are you free for the rest of the day?” he asked.
Kaarina smiled at him. “Emiline told me that I can spend some time looking around the markets,” she said. “But I know not where to go.”
“Come with me,” Landwulf told her. “We shall explore the markets together. Do you have money?”
Kaarina blushed. “No, I am afraid not. Emiline will pay me later but we have not worked out what she owes me yet.”
Landwulf whistled in surprise. “Have you ever had money?” he asked.
“No. Women in our village were not important enough to have their own money.”
“Well, that is not the way it works here. The women get to keep what they earn by selling the things they make. Having money is important for a person to feel secure.”
Kaarina marveled at his wisdom. “How do you know so much?” she asked.
He looked at her in surprise. “Everyone knows these things,” he said.
She shook her head vigorously. “No. I had never thought about money that way. No one in my village ever did, either. It was just accepted that the women would make things and the men would take them to the markets to sell them. No one ever thought that the women should get to keep the money from the things they made.”
“I guess my people see things differently,” Landwulf said thoughtfully. “We believe that each person should be compensated for their labor, regardless of who they are. That is the right thing to do.”
