Cursed Jewel

It was rough of edges sharp threatening to cut the skin of his fingertips. Nested in an ore, sharp light resting on the surface of the interior with a dirt-covered exterior. The merchant waited for weeks for its arrival in his comfortable home. The cool morning breeze carried the warm sweet honey vapour into the golden dust endlessly flowing. He sat on his soft pillow with his legs crossed comfortably with a scroll in his hand. His hand reached for the teacup and clasped the belly. He sipped the tea without allowing his focus to waver from the parchment. A low but approaching sound of approaching footsteps softens at the entrance. The big red doors swung open by a servant in white with arms outstretched. With a few steps forward, his voice though quiet was clear and filled the room.

"Jeweller, master, he has arrived with your request."

The merchant after a second with a single hand rolled up the scroll and laid it on the table. His eyes looked at his servant who immediately after a bow of recognition, retreated to his duties. He was short with a fragile frame but walked with a strong posture. His face was soft with sharp features but his eyebrows were faded. His age was quite deceiving due to his facial gift of youth. His feet were a few inches away from the table as the merchant's eyes observed the red velvet cloth blanketing an object. The outline was feint but with the aid of the sunlight it created a distinct circular shape. Hands were small but rough with dust on the outer palms, fingertips daintily with red cloth between lifted with flare. His eyes squinted for a moment as the speck of light hit his eyes. The soft light lay on the hard white pearls lined into each other. The merchant could not help but gasp at the jewel that lay at the end of the pearls. Tiny diamonds congregated into an oval around the centre with a concealed base of silver. Jewel was a mesmerising deep purple that shined white stars in its interior. The cuts were neat and gave a clear reflection of its surroundings in perfection.

"As you requested," smiled the jeweller with pride as he grew an inch taller. The merchant's hand reached out as the jeweller inched his hands closer. His hand felt the multiple curved edges squirm in his grasp as his other hand hovered above the sapphire. His fingertips ran along its flat smooth angular surface. His eyes saw something that contrasted a sharp crystal with grime to something worn by kings and queens.

"Truly magnificent."

The stone was found in a region of a large continent inhabited by dark skin people. It was a merchant like himself who learned a little of his own tongue who gifted him as a form of friendship. He kept the stone in his possession for a while until a faithful day when at the end of his journey encountered someone extraordinary. Along the regions of the coast of the dark continent, a peculiar tribe will travel for miles from somewhere. He will sit inside a tent reading to avoid the sun's glare. In the humid shade, his mind was thinking of home and other delights. He hears one of his crewmen's cries of an arrival. After a minute, He will dress appropriately and emerge from his shelter. Alongside his crew, They stood by the edge of the camp as they watched the horizon. Figures which seemed like dots were at the top hill and descending. His eyes watched the dots slowly transform into recognisable human figures. The group consisted of three males and two females who walked in between the males, all carrying objects.

It was coarse from the stem but along the individual strands were soft with some banded with colourful beads and cloth. Her hair was tied into a bountiful ponytail that showed by the smooth delicate edges of her neck that it reached the shoulder blades. Her face was still as to resemble a polished marble effigy but her lips full was of a smile that is always there. The merchant gazed at her and even inspected her figure noting any feature. A tall slender but built man approached the group and initiated the trading. The merchant between broken but in-depth exchanges through vocal dilation and big energetic body language. His eye will peer to the girl for a small moment and bring his attention to the man. Afterwards, they traded the desired objects with each other. Large shards of rock that glistened in the bearable heat held between hands. She edged closer to the centre as her head lowered with her eyes resting on the earth. Her arms extended slightly to the merchant who gratefully received the commodities. Rough by the edges of her knuckles but soft and smooth on the back of her palms along her fingers. Merchant caught her eye wandering, gaze on his appearance and peer at his face before returning to the earth. The slender dark man resumed to speak a few words before departure. The merchant can remember from that day his heart belonged to her.