The King's Market
The king has opened a new market in the center of his most prosperous province. The best vendors from all around the continent have set up shops and are thrilled with the money they are making. The market makes everything so easy for them too, all they need to do is prepare the product and show up, and then they get paid at the end of the day. For this, the market takes a 30% cut.
Millie has convinced her whole family to visit the new market with her. She has heard great rumours and seen all the nice things people come back with, so they head out to the market and wander the stalls together. Foods, clothing, fabrics, dyes, tools, instruments, tchotchkes, goods as far as the eye can see. They left with their arms full and stuffed their homes. Millie meets some of the vendors, and over the next few months, returns to find new vendors, with new things to offer. Returning home with new goods to the ooo's and aaah's of their friends and neighbours became a social ritual.
On another visit, she stops at a favoured vendor, Epica, purveyor of toys and games. The booth is very large now, and the owner is clad in some exquisite golden robes. He greets Millie, "I have some new toys for your young ones, I remember they liked the teddy bears, so I bought the vendor who was making them". Millie passes on the toys before noticing the king has set up a large booth right beside Epica. She takes a step back from both booths and couldn't help but notice that they were so big that they cast shadows on almost the entire market. It was hard to see what the smaller vendors were selling because of the shadows, and while walking through their aisles, she had to look really hard to see what they were selling. Some of the vendors had resorted to dealing with the darkness by shouting their slogans at you or standing in front of their stall with product ready in hand. Millie felt overwhelmed and decided to head back to the larger booths, where she finished her shopping in peace and headed home for the day.
Millie visits the market by herself one day, hoping to find something nice to bring back for a dinner party she's hosting. The king's booth is right at the entrance and is offering a number of quality, but mundane, products. She grabs some food staples before moving past the booth and around the corner, where some smaller vendors are setup. She browsed an apiarist's booth, who explained he only fills the jars halfway, "most people don't need that much honey", he said. She passed another vendor selling beautiful tablecloths for a great price, but the vendor said you can never wash them, "they'll fall apart". Further into the market, she found more unscrupulous vendors; "2 coins a roll, snake eyes pays double", "Designer pottery, 10 coins only!", "Lift a curse, 50 coins!". Millie walked further before finding a small booth staffed by a young girl. "Hand carved spoons, 4 coins each". They looked nice and would work perfectly for the soup she was planning to serve, so she bought 2 and headed home. The dinner party was a hit, and Millie was happy.
A few months later, Millie hears a knock at her door. It's her mother and father, and her mother is furious at her father. "He spent 500 coins on a toy jack in the box at that market, but it's completely empty, it's just a crummy paper box!". Millie could see her father felt very ashamed, and he said meekly under his breath, "I wanted to get our grandson a gift, I'm sorry". Millie sighed, "It's ok, I'll go and get a refund and then tomorrow we can go together to buy something". She heads to the market with the scam box and after some brief back and forth with the market clerk, she gets her money back.
The next morning, she meets with her father. "Now we can go find a real gift, and I can show you how to avoid the bad vendors". They entered the market together, and Millie was shocked to see the king's booth was the only large one left. Epica had packed up and left. In the shadow of the king's booth remained a horde of smaller vendors. "I know these big booths don't offer too many exciting things, but it's safer to buy from them". Her father nodded, then proceeded to browse the wares at the king's booth. Millie figured she'd wander around the smaller vendors to see if she could find the one who sold her dad the scam toy box. Maybe she'd even reconnect with the girl who sold her the spoons. Up and down the aisles she went, but she could not find him. While walking past one booth, a man reached out and grabbed her arm and placed a bracelet on her wrist "10 coins only, whatchu think beautiful?", she took it off and handed it back, "No thanks". Another vendor, reeking of essential oils, stepped in front of her and cut her off, "No thanks" Millie preempted, before hurrying her pace. Another vendor jumped in front of her, it was the spoon girl, but she looked emaciated and her face held a blank stare before trying to force a necklace onto Millie. Millie dodged her and began sprinting back to the King's booth. Her father was finishing the purchase of a grey bouncy ball for 4 coins, and Millie broke down in tears. "Father, I'm sorry for bringing you here, it used to be great, I mean we brought the family here. It's all my fault". They headed towards the exit, and her father began consoling her. A bold banner fluttered above the exit with the king's seal, "The safest marketplace around"