The Starless Sea

There is a merchant who sells stars in many forms: fallen, lost, and stardust, pieces in jewelry, items to display and gift, dust to use for magic. One night, he meets a traveler who asks what the merchant sells and is unimpressed at the answer, saying that he does not care for stars. The merchant laughs: “Everyone wishes to grasp that which exists out of reach. To hold the extraordinary in their hands and keep the remarkable in their pockets” (114).

The traveler answers by telling the merchant the story of Time falling in love with Fate. After the Owl King is crowned, the stars see Time’s broken heart and wonder whether they did the right thing. They watch as the Owl King’s mantle is passed through the generations, along with the Owl King’s unnatural sight, which no mortal creature should possess. The stars “twinkle in their uncertainty, still” (115).

The traveler thanks the merchant for the wine and company, stating that same truth Dorian spoke: Fate will pull itself together, and Time always waits. In the morning, the merchant inquires whether the traveler has left. He is told that the tavern had no other guests than himself.