With the direction they had gotten being anything but precise they figured that they should just make it across to the other side before asking for more specific directions.
Luckily they found that the dense crowd they had been stuck in was only an occasional occurrence, most of the time there were still quite a bit of people but one could easily flow with the tide one way or the other.
And at times when things stood still they could pass the time by paying more attention to the stalls around them. The market in many ways resembled that of your normal town square market, during some festival or other, with the difference of the variety of the wares. The obligatory toy weapons were there, but the range went all the way to real ones as well. Same thing with the obligatory vegetables and fruits ranging all the way to finished products and living animals, and many of varieties neither girl had seen before. Wicker baskets were there and so were top notch backpacks and what for the life of them they assumed were at least supposed to be magical bags and boxes, judging from their intricate décor.
As they walked along plain plastic bracelets of florescent colours made way for ones made of noble metals engraved with works of art and then back again. Likewise every type of garment seemed to be available at one stall or another from funny hats to fancy hats, from underwear to overcoats and from t-shirts to formal wear.
While they trudged along at times they could hear crowds cheering or gasping in awe, or even booing at times, though the former two seemed to be more common, so clearly there were market performers, games and shows as well, though luckily none in their path. Only browsers and hagglers and content customers seemed to occupy the makeshift streets they choose as they zigzagged across the mostly cobbled ground towards the other side of the market, a track that took them over an hour.
After all that time it felt pretty weird to see the market-stalls give way to conventional buildings, these ones in stone as well like the ones they had left an hour ago, though these ones looked a bit more elaborate. And down the streets between then the throng of people thinned out significantly, so they continued down to a crossroad before stopping to ask anyone, quite eager to get away form the stifling heat of the market, not to mention the deafening choir of voices from the people there and some of their wares.
As they stood there enjoying the slight breeze blowing down one of the streets of the crossing an older man who'd also left the market came down the same way they had moments ago and approached their position, pulling a one-wheeled contraption behind him that seemed to house his purchased wares.
“Excuse me sir...” Amy started.
“I'm no sir.” The man objected.
“Well, pardon me then, me and my friend were wondering where we could find a good healer.”
“Oh, well. The druids of the Grove are down that way.” He said pointing down one of the roads. “They are at the edge of the city. Good healers amongst them, but they are not the most sociable lot. Don't count on them helping you.”
“Oh, but we heard of some Hallowed Hill, would our chances be better there?”
“Sure enough, plenty of healers there as well and more forthcoming, no doubt, just be wary of the quacks who seem to crowd the place.”
“We'll keep that in mind, so where can we find it, if you don't mind telling us?” Beth joined in.
“It's over there.” The man said pointing with his whole arm. “Just walk down this street and eventually you should be able to spot the temple of Hela's copper roof bristling in the sunlight between the houses as it lies atop the hill.”
“Aren't copper roofs green?” Amy wondered.
“Usually yes, but this is a temple of healing we're talking about, so it's not the place for decay.” The man smiled.
“Thank you very much.” Both girls said and turned to one another as the man went on his merry way.
Where were they to go?
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