Elsor had finally passed through the Harbour Gates more smoothly than she had first anticipated and began to practise the 'manly' techniques as soon as she awoke.
With her sack slung over her shoulder and a swagger in step, the achadhiel made her way through around the people that were beginning to gather on the streets as the morningtide started to warm the land.
"....I wonder how my competition's going?" Elsor mused to herself, listening as men started intriguing conversations and women compared their fruit baskets with one another. The girl in a boy's guise bubbled around and stopped to inspect family wares being sold by the locals as she passed.
"Interesting, very much so."
Elsor came up behind a man she thought familiar, but dismissed the thought as soon as he turned around. It couldn't possibly be him.
She went to a comfortable set of steps and sat down with an item of food she had bought.
Life, quite frankly, couldn't possibly get any better.
Ventures
Moderator: Mods
Ventures
Thanks to allavatars.com for my avatar!
Given what was taking place less than half a mile ahead of Elsor whether her life could get better was quite open for debate. There were not many stalls this far from the marketplace, but a few merchants hawked their wares, selling mostly food and trinkets of the kind silly travelers might wish to purchase. For her to meet the competition she would either have to follow the main road and get to the marketplace, or more likely make her way to the harbor itself, and see what kind of trinkets were sold by the merchants there.
It was than that sky exploded, or rather an odd object flew high up in the air, trailing a string of black smoke behind it. It whistled up towards the sky for a few flickers, finally exploding into a black cloud of smoke, obscuring the sun, bathing Elsor in a shade. With a gasp people about her turned towards the peculiar sight, murmuring and debating what it could be. "University mages showing off again. Nah, that's not even close to Uni. Perhaps it is leftover fireworks from yesterday. Stupid how would you see a dark smoke in the night. Just shut up."
It was than that sky exploded, or rather an odd object flew high up in the air, trailing a string of black smoke behind it. It whistled up towards the sky for a few flickers, finally exploding into a black cloud of smoke, obscuring the sun, bathing Elsor in a shade. With a gasp people about her turned towards the peculiar sight, murmuring and debating what it could be. "University mages showing off again. Nah, that's not even close to Uni. Perhaps it is leftover fireworks from yesterday. Stupid how would you see a dark smoke in the night. Just shut up."
The diplomacy is the art of saying "Good dog", while you are searching for a big rock.
Elsor saw the black smoke and nearly jumped out of her skin. Where she grew up, magic wasn't exploited in the range of fireworks very often, and certainly not in a crowded place like the Citadel.
(Elsor's view of 'crowded' was very different from that of, say, a city guard.)
A bit edgy, Elsor followed the main road and towards the sound of loud voices and a lot more chatter than in the alleyways. She came across semi-permanent stalls set up and carts laden with fruit behind tired-looking oxen from the Harbour and the ships that carried them.
Winding around the people to get a better look at the trinkets, Elsor grinned and had a look at the prices. Ridiculous, some of them were, yet some grounding as to how much people were willing to pay for certain items.
Elsor was about to investigate another stall when the hem of her leggings caught on a loose nail and tripped her up, sending her sprawling onto the ground and making a small hole where the pants were caught.
(Elsor's view of 'crowded' was very different from that of, say, a city guard.)
A bit edgy, Elsor followed the main road and towards the sound of loud voices and a lot more chatter than in the alleyways. She came across semi-permanent stalls set up and carts laden with fruit behind tired-looking oxen from the Harbour and the ships that carried them.
Winding around the people to get a better look at the trinkets, Elsor grinned and had a look at the prices. Ridiculous, some of them were, yet some grounding as to how much people were willing to pay for certain items.
Elsor was about to investigate another stall when the hem of her leggings caught on a loose nail and tripped her up, sending her sprawling onto the ground and making a small hole where the pants were caught.
Thanks to allavatars.com for my avatar!
OOC: Hi there. I'm going to be moderating your thread with Grey Wolf's permission, but I will continue to inform him of events here. Feel free to ask either of us any questions you have. As it is you should be able to enjoy consistent and frequent posting from me in this thread. If you're still a little confused, then I have made a somewhat longer introduction here at the Imperial Mail banter.
IC:
[hr][/hr]
Elsor's palms scraped painfully against the rough cobbles but the folk around her continued their bustle, unwilling to bother themselves with helping some penniless boy when they had wares to sell or purchase. Time was money, after all. The shuffling feet of the crowded pedestrians almost made it dangerous for Elsor to remain on the ground lest her fingers find themselves beneath sombody's unwary boots.
Should Elsor inspect the damage, she'd be relieved that the small hole went down the side of the thigh and looked easily fixed, even for an unskilled tailor. The largest problem it presented would be in displaying a part of her leg, someone may identify them as somewhat effeminate.
But before Elsor could get up an unkempt youth flew out from the crowd. He looked like the riff-raff, in a grubby peak cap, slightly-too-large coat and with unruly dark hair. Obviously not expecting such an obstacle and unable to have seen it through the milling shoppers, his boot caught painfully (but not nearly as painful as a full-blown kick) underneath Elsor's midriff. The young man joined the Achadhiel on the ground with an even clumsier dive. Something escaped from his hand as he landed.
A small leather purse landed in front of Elsor with a handsome chink.
The young man shot Elsor a wild look giving her a good chance to see his face. He was young, perhaps eighten jahren, with dark green eyes and hair that was was more greyish-brown. His nose had been broken some time in the past.
The shocked expression soon turned to panic as a scream rang out not too far from up the road.
"GUARDS! Thief!"
A second later the lad was scrambling to his feet. If he missed the purse then it was no longer a priority to getting the heck out of there.
IC:
[hr][/hr]
Elsor's palms scraped painfully against the rough cobbles but the folk around her continued their bustle, unwilling to bother themselves with helping some penniless boy when they had wares to sell or purchase. Time was money, after all. The shuffling feet of the crowded pedestrians almost made it dangerous for Elsor to remain on the ground lest her fingers find themselves beneath sombody's unwary boots.
Should Elsor inspect the damage, she'd be relieved that the small hole went down the side of the thigh and looked easily fixed, even for an unskilled tailor. The largest problem it presented would be in displaying a part of her leg, someone may identify them as somewhat effeminate.
But before Elsor could get up an unkempt youth flew out from the crowd. He looked like the riff-raff, in a grubby peak cap, slightly-too-large coat and with unruly dark hair. Obviously not expecting such an obstacle and unable to have seen it through the milling shoppers, his boot caught painfully (but not nearly as painful as a full-blown kick) underneath Elsor's midriff. The young man joined the Achadhiel on the ground with an even clumsier dive. Something escaped from his hand as he landed.
A small leather purse landed in front of Elsor with a handsome chink.
The young man shot Elsor a wild look giving her a good chance to see his face. He was young, perhaps eighten jahren, with dark green eyes and hair that was was more greyish-brown. His nose had been broken some time in the past.
The shocked expression soon turned to panic as a scream rang out not too far from up the road.
"GUARDS! Thief!"
A second later the lad was scrambling to his feet. If he missed the purse then it was no longer a priority to getting the heck out of there.
Last edited by Craghley on Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ooc; Ok. Thanks.
Elsor was tripped over by a boy and the boy ran, leaving the leather purse on the ground in front of her.
"GUARDS! Thief!"
Elsor got to her feet and picked up the purse, looking around so she could return it to the boy. It never crossed the Achadhiel's mind how a boy that age came across so much, but Elsor looked around nevertheless. She slipped the purse into her sack with the rest of her possessions and went on to find the boy.
Elsor walked up to a tall man.
"S'cuse me, you wouldn't have happened to have seen a young boy go in that direction, would you?"
Elsor waved her hand in the vague direction of where she thought the boy went.
Elsor was tripped over by a boy and the boy ran, leaving the leather purse on the ground in front of her.
"GUARDS! Thief!"
Elsor got to her feet and picked up the purse, looking around so she could return it to the boy. It never crossed the Achadhiel's mind how a boy that age came across so much, but Elsor looked around nevertheless. She slipped the purse into her sack with the rest of her possessions and went on to find the boy.
Elsor walked up to a tall man.
"S'cuse me, you wouldn't have happened to have seen a young boy go in that direction, would you?"
Elsor waved her hand in the vague direction of where she thought the boy went.
Thanks to allavatars.com for my avatar!
The man had been one of the group hustling by when the incident had occurred. Someone on the lower rungs of the Citadel ladder, for sure; he wore a simple short-sleeved shirt, grey peak cap, patchworked jerkin and canvas trousers tied up with rope. Solid boots fit his large feet, his hands heavily calloused and coated in some fine powder. He smelt a little of sawdust, mostly of sweat. When Elsor addressed him he tilted his cap in greeting, replying to her query with but a simple hand gesture towards one of the side alleys. If the boy had run down there, it was unlikely to say the least that she would have much luck finding him in the throng.
Unfortunately that was all Elsor could get out of the tall man as he continued his purposeful stride, rejoining the flow of traders. As Elsor's eyes locked onto the tall man's cap bobbing over the crowd she would notice a distinct change in the movement of the people, parting like water as something unknown made its' way along the street. Only the cap paused, turned back to face Elsor's direction for a moment, then continued moving.
Whoever or whatever was causing the crowd to part resumed it's course down the street towards Elsor, and she caught enough of a glimpse to see a richly embroidered green dress, a blue tabbard and the almost-gleam of a bronze breastplate.
Unfortunately that was all Elsor could get out of the tall man as he continued his purposeful stride, rejoining the flow of traders. As Elsor's eyes locked onto the tall man's cap bobbing over the crowd she would notice a distinct change in the movement of the people, parting like water as something unknown made its' way along the street. Only the cap paused, turned back to face Elsor's direction for a moment, then continued moving.
Whoever or whatever was causing the crowd to part resumed it's course down the street towards Elsor, and she caught enough of a glimpse to see a richly embroidered green dress, a blue tabbard and the almost-gleam of a bronze breastplate.
Last edited by Craghley on Thu Feb 14, 2008 3:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Obviously the people of the citadel aren't a very talkative bunch, Elsor thought somewhat disgruntled.
Elsor went to follow the directions of the silent man and came across what looked like members of the upper citadel on some random market spree. Rolling her eyes at the lengths some nobles were willing to go to get their five hours of glory, she moved closer to get a better look at how the the upper side went about their marketing duties, if that's what they were there for.
Elsor ducked and weaved around the people as she tried to remember what the boy looked like, her dark brown hair falling in her face as she wound around a particularly tight spot.
The Achadhiel wondered why the tall man had stopped and looked back at her when the movement was progressing and peeked through a gap in the crowd to see what all the commotion was about.
Elsor went to follow the directions of the silent man and came across what looked like members of the upper citadel on some random market spree. Rolling her eyes at the lengths some nobles were willing to go to get their five hours of glory, she moved closer to get a better look at how the the upper side went about their marketing duties, if that's what they were there for.
Elsor ducked and weaved around the people as she tried to remember what the boy looked like, her dark brown hair falling in her face as she wound around a particularly tight spot.
The Achadhiel wondered why the tall man had stopped and looked back at her when the movement was progressing and peeked through a gap in the crowd to see what all the commotion was about.
Thanks to allavatars.com for my avatar!
Indeed, the Inner Circle was a place where vagabonds rubbed shoulders with the aristocracy (albeit usually from an imposed distance), for this place drew in people from all rungs of the social ladder by its' one, simple virtue: money.
It was hard to tell whether the nobles were simply partaking in a dalliance, browsing the local wares for anything that might catch their eye by a fancy, or whether they were after a very specific item for trade and would accept only the finest that was on offer. A man and a woman lead the group, the man in a fine crimson vest, velvet trousers and frilled shirt. His arm was entwined with the womans'. She wore an intricately embroidered lime green dress and held a white parasol up agains the sun. Two more similarly outfitted but younger women trailed behind, twittering to one another like bluejays. Quite aside from them were four tall, imposing guards which filtered out potential thieves, the riff-raff or the merely unhygenic from passing by.
They strolled by a stall and the woman stopped, pointing to the array of goods cluttered on the table - from Elsor's point of view, it merely seemed like a range of small polished wooden boxes and a few lockets bunched over in one corner. The couple walked up leisurely, one of the guards joining their side and standing a little closer to the stall. An old man with unruly sideburns and fine, if worn clothes stood to greet the nobles. He bowed, first, while the other man simply acknowledged him with a nod. They proceeded to barter. The merchant would speak directly to the couple, but only when spoken to first and with many a 'm'lord' and 'm'lady'. The nobles lead the conversation, questioning about whichever item caught their eye which the merchant was more than happy to offer up for hands-on inspection, but always passing first to the nearby bodyguard though he otherwise did not register the existence of the four burly men at all. Perhaps this memory would be useful should Elsor have dealings with the upper crust here in the Citadel.
Elsor had just made it to the mouth of the alleyway the man had gestured towards - it should be this one, anyway - when she was afforded a full view of who was causing the commotion on the main street. Three people emerged from the crowd striding at an alarming pace. Elsor recognised two as men of the city watch - she'd seen the blue tabards at the harbour gates. Both looked middle aged. One man was the jolly fat type that looked as though his laughter could knock down an outhouse wall. He wore the simple dark blue tunic with the Guards' emblem and other standard gear other than the pot helm. His taller partner was the polar opposite; grey-haired, weathered, carrying a palpable air of seediness about him like the smoke coming from his shabby cigarette. He wore a less-than-pristine bronze breastplate underneath his blue tabard in addition to the same equipment as the fat man. This ones' eyes were constantly upon the crowd. He made Elsor think of a vigilant hawk, watching for... prey?
The third person was certainly no guard. A handsome, mature woman in a rich viridian dress was setting the pace, her curly black hair catching the wind and flowing like a small cape out behind her. Perhaps it was because Elsor was half hidden in the alleyway and the sheer number of pedestrains gave the trio more than enough to gaze at, but none of the trio set eyes upon her.
As they neared Elsor could pick out their conversation thanks both to their proximity to her and the loud, angry words of the woman.
"I'm telling you," she said to the gruff old guard, "you're not going to catch that thieving gutter trash if you move like this. He'd be miles away by now!"
The man simply dragged on his cigarette indifferently, letting the woman have her say before replying, but eyes still roaming all about him. Did they just skip over Elsor's spot?
He spoke.
"Which leaves me wondering how we'll catch him at all. What was it you said as well? You only caught a good look at the back of his head. Nah, there's a better way to do this. Dan?"
He looked towards the other guard, who just nodded and said as though by rote,
"Examine the scene, obtain witness statements and reconnoiter general information pertaining to the event and all suspects, established and potential, sir. And grab the reluctant witnesses by the balls if you have to."
A glowing dog-ear his the cobbles as the superior officer finished off the smoke. "Very good, Dan, especially the last bit."
He turned back to the woman. They'd made good progress towards Elsor by now.
"In any case, the lad's probably one of our usual suspects. And then there's the other boy, the Achadhiel that man saw trip up the pickpocket. He must have gotten a good look at his face, if only we can find him."
It was hard to tell whether the nobles were simply partaking in a dalliance, browsing the local wares for anything that might catch their eye by a fancy, or whether they were after a very specific item for trade and would accept only the finest that was on offer. A man and a woman lead the group, the man in a fine crimson vest, velvet trousers and frilled shirt. His arm was entwined with the womans'. She wore an intricately embroidered lime green dress and held a white parasol up agains the sun. Two more similarly outfitted but younger women trailed behind, twittering to one another like bluejays. Quite aside from them were four tall, imposing guards which filtered out potential thieves, the riff-raff or the merely unhygenic from passing by.
They strolled by a stall and the woman stopped, pointing to the array of goods cluttered on the table - from Elsor's point of view, it merely seemed like a range of small polished wooden boxes and a few lockets bunched over in one corner. The couple walked up leisurely, one of the guards joining their side and standing a little closer to the stall. An old man with unruly sideburns and fine, if worn clothes stood to greet the nobles. He bowed, first, while the other man simply acknowledged him with a nod. They proceeded to barter. The merchant would speak directly to the couple, but only when spoken to first and with many a 'm'lord' and 'm'lady'. The nobles lead the conversation, questioning about whichever item caught their eye which the merchant was more than happy to offer up for hands-on inspection, but always passing first to the nearby bodyguard though he otherwise did not register the existence of the four burly men at all. Perhaps this memory would be useful should Elsor have dealings with the upper crust here in the Citadel.
Elsor had just made it to the mouth of the alleyway the man had gestured towards - it should be this one, anyway - when she was afforded a full view of who was causing the commotion on the main street. Three people emerged from the crowd striding at an alarming pace. Elsor recognised two as men of the city watch - she'd seen the blue tabards at the harbour gates. Both looked middle aged. One man was the jolly fat type that looked as though his laughter could knock down an outhouse wall. He wore the simple dark blue tunic with the Guards' emblem and other standard gear other than the pot helm. His taller partner was the polar opposite; grey-haired, weathered, carrying a palpable air of seediness about him like the smoke coming from his shabby cigarette. He wore a less-than-pristine bronze breastplate underneath his blue tabard in addition to the same equipment as the fat man. This ones' eyes were constantly upon the crowd. He made Elsor think of a vigilant hawk, watching for... prey?
The third person was certainly no guard. A handsome, mature woman in a rich viridian dress was setting the pace, her curly black hair catching the wind and flowing like a small cape out behind her. Perhaps it was because Elsor was half hidden in the alleyway and the sheer number of pedestrains gave the trio more than enough to gaze at, but none of the trio set eyes upon her.
As they neared Elsor could pick out their conversation thanks both to their proximity to her and the loud, angry words of the woman.
"I'm telling you," she said to the gruff old guard, "you're not going to catch that thieving gutter trash if you move like this. He'd be miles away by now!"
The man simply dragged on his cigarette indifferently, letting the woman have her say before replying, but eyes still roaming all about him. Did they just skip over Elsor's spot?
He spoke.
"Which leaves me wondering how we'll catch him at all. What was it you said as well? You only caught a good look at the back of his head. Nah, there's a better way to do this. Dan?"
He looked towards the other guard, who just nodded and said as though by rote,
"Examine the scene, obtain witness statements and reconnoiter general information pertaining to the event and all suspects, established and potential, sir. And grab the reluctant witnesses by the balls if you have to."
A glowing dog-ear his the cobbles as the superior officer finished off the smoke. "Very good, Dan, especially the last bit."
He turned back to the woman. They'd made good progress towards Elsor by now.
"In any case, the lad's probably one of our usual suspects. And then there's the other boy, the Achadhiel that man saw trip up the pickpocket. He must have gotten a good look at his face, if only we can find him."
Last edited by Craghley on Sun Feb 17, 2008 5:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
Evesdropping in most societies is seen as a most uncouth thing to do, especially in a place when you're in a dangerous situation like being taken in and questioned. One half of Elsor that was listening wanted to do the right thing and go up to them, hand them the purse and get on with her life.
The other wickedly human side of her wanted to stroll past and lead the guards on a wild goose chase, thrilling as she ran down alleyways and around houses and be a sneaky Achadhiel, flaunting her speed and grace that would help her get far away. She could see it now.
Weighing out the two possibilities as quickly as she could, she decided to make an exaggerated move down the alley she was already entering. Perhaps he had a good reason for stealing and she could help him out?
Elsor swung her leg around, waved her arms, jumped and made her way down the alley, listening intently for the sound of running footsteps and shouting to 'halt!'.
Any minute now...
The other wickedly human side of her wanted to stroll past and lead the guards on a wild goose chase, thrilling as she ran down alleyways and around houses and be a sneaky Achadhiel, flaunting her speed and grace that would help her get far away. She could see it now.
Weighing out the two possibilities as quickly as she could, she decided to make an exaggerated move down the alley she was already entering. Perhaps he had a good reason for stealing and she could help him out?
Elsor swung her leg around, waved her arms, jumped and made her way down the alley, listening intently for the sound of running footsteps and shouting to 'halt!'.
Any minute now...
Last edited by Elsor on Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks to allavatars.com for my avatar!
OOC: have a look at the wiki entry on time. It provides the basic concepts and terms of time in Tazlure that are good to use in posts (ie: a flicker = second, burn = minute, etc). It's good to use these simply because they are uniquely Tazlurian and add to the flow.
And yes, I frequently forget to do this myself
[hr][/hr]
... a burn passed. No shout nor watchman's whistle erupted over the hubbub. Should Elsor be intrigued enough to look back and wonder why her bizarre little skit did not catch the desired attention of the watch, the Achadhiel would be able to glimpse the telltale dark blue and vibrant green between the largely muddy colours of the street-goers. They had paused there, glimpses of their faces showing the trio to be deep in conversation perhaps with yet another commoner. After a handful of flickers they continued down the main street.
They were gone.
Elsor could try and run back, get their attention. It was obvious such a manouevre could just waste more time, as they may have disappeared altogether - or they really would notice her. And if they caught her? Did they know she had been deliberately avoiding them?
The clatter of some wooden debris made Elsor spin round in time to witness the tails of an familiar ill-fitting coat and near colourless hair beneath an old peak cap disappear around the other end of the mostly empty alleyway.
And yes, I frequently forget to do this myself
[hr][/hr]
... a burn passed. No shout nor watchman's whistle erupted over the hubbub. Should Elsor be intrigued enough to look back and wonder why her bizarre little skit did not catch the desired attention of the watch, the Achadhiel would be able to glimpse the telltale dark blue and vibrant green between the largely muddy colours of the street-goers. They had paused there, glimpses of their faces showing the trio to be deep in conversation perhaps with yet another commoner. After a handful of flickers they continued down the main street.
They were gone.
Elsor could try and run back, get their attention. It was obvious such a manouevre could just waste more time, as they may have disappeared altogether - or they really would notice her. And if they caught her? Did they know she had been deliberately avoiding them?
The clatter of some wooden debris made Elsor spin round in time to witness the tails of an familiar ill-fitting coat and near colourless hair beneath an old peak cap disappear around the other end of the mostly empty alleyway.
[Ooc: ok *laughs* I'll try and keep that in mind. 
]
Elsor shrugged. It wasn't her energy she was wasting. She continued down the alleyway and spotted an (almost) new friend. Fixing up her manly guise and remembering the words that the harbour gates guard had told her about stance and posture, Elsor swaggered in pursuit, trying to look dangerous.
'Elsor, terror of all the lands and dangerous....person....is in pursuit of a strange little boy...' she Achadhiel murmured under her breath as she climbed around the debris.
]
Elsor shrugged. It wasn't her energy she was wasting. She continued down the alleyway and spotted an (almost) new friend. Fixing up her manly guise and remembering the words that the harbour gates guard had told her about stance and posture, Elsor swaggered in pursuit, trying to look dangerous.
'Elsor, terror of all the lands and dangerous....person....is in pursuit of a strange little boy...' she Achadhiel murmured under her breath as she climbed around the debris.
Thanks to allavatars.com for my avatar!
The alley intersected with another street. The stalls here were sparser and not so brightly coloured, the people less hurried and numerous. Elsor's height came to an advantage in that while the boy often cast hurried glances behind him, not once did he seem to pick the Achadhiel out of the crowd. It didn't do anything to help her appear threatening, though. More than a few nearby onlookers directed queer looks at this thin little boy... girl... person, storming through the thin crowd.
Even in this open street the feel of the orver-arching city prevailed. Houses rose up high with several levels on either side, and there was always the Patrician and Citadel rings in the centre of the metropolis, dwarfing all. It was stronger in the cramped alleyways where the sky was a distant strip of blue lined against the grubby, worn walls of the brooding houses on either side. And the people... hawkers cried for her attention, a couple trailing her and shoving trays of cheap mundane wares under her nose until a better prospect came walking by.
It was lucky indeed that one particular man was trying to interest Elsor in the delicacy of some rollmops of questionable age and quality. She could see over the offending tray of fish her quarry pause at the edge of another, somewhat shadier alleyway about fifty paces further down. He gave one last scan behind him before ducking in; his gaze swept over Elsor but did not register the girl behind the hawker.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the streets, Elsor judged that she might have to move quite stealthily to get close enough to the boy to speak with him. It was plain that he was attempting to avoid pursuit, however clumsily.
Even in this open street the feel of the orver-arching city prevailed. Houses rose up high with several levels on either side, and there was always the Patrician and Citadel rings in the centre of the metropolis, dwarfing all. It was stronger in the cramped alleyways where the sky was a distant strip of blue lined against the grubby, worn walls of the brooding houses on either side. And the people... hawkers cried for her attention, a couple trailing her and shoving trays of cheap mundane wares under her nose until a better prospect came walking by.
It was lucky indeed that one particular man was trying to interest Elsor in the delicacy of some rollmops of questionable age and quality. She could see over the offending tray of fish her quarry pause at the edge of another, somewhat shadier alleyway about fifty paces further down. He gave one last scan behind him before ducking in; his gaze swept over Elsor but did not register the girl behind the hawker.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the streets, Elsor judged that she might have to move quite stealthily to get close enough to the boy to speak with him. It was plain that he was attempting to avoid pursuit, however clumsily.
Elsor noticed people noticing queer looks and decided to stop looking dangerous. Instead, a typical meditative face swept across the Achadhiel's face and Elsor politely refused the hawkers as she followed the boy with enough space to let him feel comfortable.
'Dum de dum, ho hum.'
Elsor reached out to tap the boy on the shoulder.
'Dum de dum, ho hum.'
Elsor reached out to tap the boy on the shoulder.
Thanks to allavatars.com for my avatar!
Elsor followed the boy's path and hurried up to the alleyway. Once at it's mouth she was much more cautious, treading carefully over the grimy cobblestones through the gloom. Fortunately for her, the purpose of this metropolitan capillary was largely defunct and the city cleaners had forsaken it, allowing long, shallow, winding mounds of black... stuff... to build up. Whatever it was was soft enough to mask Elsor's footfalls completely. Otherwise a variety of refuse littered the narrow space - rotting crates, rags, sacks, bottles - giving ample cover to anybody within the area. Including her.
Elsor came to the other end without incident. It was only as she neared that two voices wormed their way by her ears. Peering round the corner as far as she could through a useful cover of tangled hemp and crates, the girl waited and listened. The heady smell of tobacco was upon the air, making a much nicer aroma over the assortment decaying material.
"... Signal was two dirty fingers. Why so late?"
The voice was rough, certainly belonging to an older man. Not the type you'd want to meet alone in a dark alley, as the saying went. Somewhat fitting then.
"Some knock-knock, Dragon. Played the purse collector for some mort, didn't I? Dimber Damber wanted expense money, but I dropped the stuffing. 'Twere a fat lady, too."
The second voice was much more youthful, not so thick in the accent of the street as the first. The boy? Elsor couldn't see round the corner... and didn't dare try to get a better look. A solid whump resounded through the alley and a note of constrained anger entered the older man's voice.
"You farming pigs or something, Ben? Do that and we need haven't a pair of eyes here - want to get invited, have tea with the pigs? Upright Man'll make you go legit if'n he hears. I'm going diving, you stay away from me."
Elsor could now hear the sound of retreating footsteps, but she couldn't tell whom they belonged to. But a murmur of pain came next, and she could pick that voice. The boy.
She gave it a few flickers before leaving her hiding spot and rounding the corner. This alley was just like the last - it'd be easy to get lost round here... but what help her attention was the figure of the boy, slumped down against a large pile of canvas sacks, a couple of paces out and facing the opposite wall so that Elsor was diagonally behind him - unseen. He rubbed his head ruefully and adjusted his peak cap just before she made her way up and tapped him on the shoulder, humming that light-hearted bit of nonsense.
The boy yelped and flew upwards to land on his two feet. A mere arms length away from Elsor, the boy just froze - ready to run, ready to fight, hastily thinking of the merits of either action. And maybe, just maybe, ready to talk. If one was careful...
Elsor came to the other end without incident. It was only as she neared that two voices wormed their way by her ears. Peering round the corner as far as she could through a useful cover of tangled hemp and crates, the girl waited and listened. The heady smell of tobacco was upon the air, making a much nicer aroma over the assortment decaying material.
"... Signal was two dirty fingers. Why so late?"
The voice was rough, certainly belonging to an older man. Not the type you'd want to meet alone in a dark alley, as the saying went. Somewhat fitting then.
"Some knock-knock, Dragon. Played the purse collector for some mort, didn't I? Dimber Damber wanted expense money, but I dropped the stuffing. 'Twere a fat lady, too."
The second voice was much more youthful, not so thick in the accent of the street as the first. The boy? Elsor couldn't see round the corner... and didn't dare try to get a better look. A solid whump resounded through the alley and a note of constrained anger entered the older man's voice.
"You farming pigs or something, Ben? Do that and we need haven't a pair of eyes here - want to get invited, have tea with the pigs? Upright Man'll make you go legit if'n he hears. I'm going diving, you stay away from me."
Elsor could now hear the sound of retreating footsteps, but she couldn't tell whom they belonged to. But a murmur of pain came next, and she could pick that voice. The boy.
She gave it a few flickers before leaving her hiding spot and rounding the corner. This alley was just like the last - it'd be easy to get lost round here... but what help her attention was the figure of the boy, slumped down against a large pile of canvas sacks, a couple of paces out and facing the opposite wall so that Elsor was diagonally behind him - unseen. He rubbed his head ruefully and adjusted his peak cap just before she made her way up and tapped him on the shoulder, humming that light-hearted bit of nonsense.
The boy yelped and flew upwards to land on his two feet. A mere arms length away from Elsor, the boy just froze - ready to run, ready to fight, hastily thinking of the merits of either action. And maybe, just maybe, ready to talk. If one was careful...
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Elsor hadn't expected the reaction from the boy - nevertheless she should have, seeing as he wasn't in the best of shapes.
Moving slowly, Elsor reached her hand into her sack and took out the leather wallet from the depths and reached her arm out, the treasured possesion balanced precariously in her palm. It seemed that time itself had frozen as Elsor focused her eyes on the boy, unmoving, barely breathing.
She noticed the boy was thinking of something and hoped more than she had ever hoped before that he wasn't considering reaching for a dagger - she needed both legs as they were.
It was a few burns before Elsor remembered she had a voice.
"I think this is yours," She said slowly and quietly, listening to the somewhat distant sounds of the world outside her concerntrated void of being.
Elsor hadn't expected the reaction from the boy - nevertheless she should have, seeing as he wasn't in the best of shapes.
Moving slowly, Elsor reached her hand into her sack and took out the leather wallet from the depths and reached her arm out, the treasured possesion balanced precariously in her palm. It seemed that time itself had frozen as Elsor focused her eyes on the boy, unmoving, barely breathing.
She noticed the boy was thinking of something and hoped more than she had ever hoped before that he wasn't considering reaching for a dagger - she needed both legs as they were.
It was a few burns before Elsor remembered she had a voice.
"I think this is yours," She said slowly and quietly, listening to the somewhat distant sounds of the world outside her concerntrated void of being.
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ooc: Nice post 
[hr][/hr]
The waves of panic coming off the lad grew stronger as Elsor reached further into her bag. The tension was critical, almost at breaking point - a mere flicker more and he would be off, losing the Achadhiel through the maze of forlorned alleys - before the sight of the purse emerging from Elsor's satchel confused him enough that she could get her few words out.
He started breathing once again.
With shaky arms the boy slowly reached out and took the purse. Elsor noticed that there was a cold sweat on his palms.
"Ch-cheers," he said. It was obvious the boy still held reservations. Luck like this just didn't exist for the poor kid, so it took some getting used to. "I'm Ollie. Wingles. Uh... Oliver Wingles. Cheers!" he said for a second, much more enthusiastic time. "After that cow called the watch I thought I was done for, especially after I - you! You're the one I tripped over!"
He became rather apologetic. But he didn't slow down any.
"Sorry! Are you okay? I didn't mean to kick you like that. Here! I owe you big time for this."
Ollie deftly loosened the strings of the purse. Apprently he had pretty nimble fingers, if not much else of worth. He pinched a few coins out and pressed them into Elsor's palm. She blinked at the sight of three gleaming circlets, shining up at her from her hand.
"Who are you? Never seen you before. What're you doing here? You a boy or a girl?"
Ollie was addressing her again. Somewhat bluntly, in light of the last question.
[hr][/hr]
The waves of panic coming off the lad grew stronger as Elsor reached further into her bag. The tension was critical, almost at breaking point - a mere flicker more and he would be off, losing the Achadhiel through the maze of forlorned alleys - before the sight of the purse emerging from Elsor's satchel confused him enough that she could get her few words out.
He started breathing once again.
With shaky arms the boy slowly reached out and took the purse. Elsor noticed that there was a cold sweat on his palms.
"Ch-cheers," he said. It was obvious the boy still held reservations. Luck like this just didn't exist for the poor kid, so it took some getting used to. "I'm Ollie. Wingles. Uh... Oliver Wingles. Cheers!" he said for a second, much more enthusiastic time. "After that cow called the watch I thought I was done for, especially after I - you! You're the one I tripped over!"
He became rather apologetic. But he didn't slow down any.
"Sorry! Are you okay? I didn't mean to kick you like that. Here! I owe you big time for this."
Ollie deftly loosened the strings of the purse. Apprently he had pretty nimble fingers, if not much else of worth. He pinched a few coins out and pressed them into Elsor's palm. She blinked at the sight of three gleaming circlets, shining up at her from her hand.
"Who are you? Never seen you before. What're you doing here? You a boy or a girl?"
Ollie was addressing her again. Somewhat bluntly, in light of the last question.
In the light of her disguise, Elsor had to reply that she was male.
"Well met Oliver! I'm Elsor."
Elsor stared in confusion at the coins in her hands and watched them glitter.
No! No! This isn't why I came, thought Elsor furiously, I set out to help this boy - perhaps get him out of this mess he seems to be in. Nobody needs to steal for a living...
"I'm kinda new, here.."
Elsor dropped the coins back into the purse as quick as her fingers would allow.
"I'm seeing what I can learn to become a merchant. Say, those men there, the cow, are you close to them in any way? Like, are they your bosses or something?"
Elsor tapped the subject delicately, trying not to scare the boy off at all.
"Well met Oliver! I'm Elsor."
Elsor stared in confusion at the coins in her hands and watched them glitter.
No! No! This isn't why I came, thought Elsor furiously, I set out to help this boy - perhaps get him out of this mess he seems to be in. Nobody needs to steal for a living...
"I'm kinda new, here.."
Elsor dropped the coins back into the purse as quick as her fingers would allow.
"I'm seeing what I can learn to become a merchant. Say, those men there, the cow, are you close to them in any way? Like, are they your bosses or something?"
Elsor tapped the subject delicately, trying not to scare the boy off at all.
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Elsor wrote:"I'm kinda new, here.."
Elsor dropped the coins back into the purse as quick as her fingers would allow.
"Yeah, I don't think I recognise you from anywhere. You one of them Halfers?" The allusion to her mixed heritage was quickly made apparent as Ollie nodded to her pointed ears. "There's a few 'round here, we gets all sorts..."
Ollie trailed off as Elsor returned the silvers. He actually blushed a little, eyes downcast.
"Cor, you are new, aint'cha? Not that you couldn't 'ave dun it if you didn't want to! It's just awful good of you... don't get that on the streets, no sir-ee."
Elsor wrote:"I'm seeing what I can learn to become a merchant. Say, those men there, the cow, are you close to them in any way? Like, are they your bosses or something?"
Now Ollie's eyes brightened up with every word. This day was showering him with one good turn after another and the new sensation was overriding his common sense. He'd made one fat grab off of one wealthy-looking merchant, avoided the watch, and the only person who managed to pursue him to where he was most vulnerable, was a boy(?) new to the Citadel, intent on returning the loot he dropped. And now, a merchant to boot? Dimber Damber would be pleased, he thought.
"The cow..? Ha! Naw, that's the lady wot I nabbed this beauty off." He jingled the purse. "Just some shop owner. But I seen 'er around, and you'd be better off feelin' sorrier for 'er lackeys. Right tight wiv 'em purse strings. But me bosses'll be pleased to see you, they will! Come on, I'll show 'em to ya. Worst thing they can do is show you left from right 'ereabouts. If yer new yer gonna need to start at the bottom, an' there's no better folks to show you 'round than us!"
Ollie did a little jig of suppressed energy, dancing a few feet away from Elsor towards the heart of this shady maze and stopping after a flicker to wait for her reply.
Elsor felt a surge of pride well up like a puff of smoke when she recieved the compliments from the boy. Without knowing it, she began to grin.
"Just some shop owner. But I seen 'er around, and you'd be better off feelin' sorrier for 'er lackeys. Right tight wiv 'em purse strings. But me bosses'll be pleased to see you, they will! Come on, I'll show 'em to ya. Worst thing they can do is show you left from right 'ereabouts. If yer new yer gonna need to start at the bottom, an' there's no better folks to show you 'round than us!"
The boy seemed pretty excited and the achadhiel wasn't one to want to disappoint - so she followed him after a few burns of thought. It didn't seem too risky and it all made perfect sense, to work one's way up and find how the other half lived for once. Who knew, she might earn a few paying customers for the future and know what to not do with one's money after a sale - such as leave the purse in plain sight for a desperate pickpocket to take.
She chuckled and followed after him, her gait considerably lighter of step than before.
I wonder if his bosses are like those men in the alley before..?
"Just some shop owner. But I seen 'er around, and you'd be better off feelin' sorrier for 'er lackeys. Right tight wiv 'em purse strings. But me bosses'll be pleased to see you, they will! Come on, I'll show 'em to ya. Worst thing they can do is show you left from right 'ereabouts. If yer new yer gonna need to start at the bottom, an' there's no better folks to show you 'round than us!"
The boy seemed pretty excited and the achadhiel wasn't one to want to disappoint - so she followed him after a few burns of thought. It didn't seem too risky and it all made perfect sense, to work one's way up and find how the other half lived for once. Who knew, she might earn a few paying customers for the future and know what to not do with one's money after a sale - such as leave the purse in plain sight for a desperate pickpocket to take.
She chuckled and followed after him, her gait considerably lighter of step than before.
I wonder if his bosses are like those men in the alley before..?
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Ollie Wingles laughed out loud, capering away into the heart of the warren. Occasionally a civilian passed by, often a suspicious-looking one at that. As the sun had not reached its' peak the only light that filtered through the slim skyline turned grey and murky, reflected by the whitewashed, crumbling walls of the tall builings. As they walked, Ollie asked Elsor questions about herself.
"Where d'ya come from, anyway?"
They came to an oddly new fence made of wooden planking that cut off one particularly dingy alley. The boy kept talking even as he lifted a post up and out of the ground, revealing it to work much like a bolt lock, and swung the fence inwards and continued through.
"When did ya get here? What was the trip like? Cor, ne'er bin on a boat, 'ave I."
He closed the gate behind him. Reaching up into a nearby gutted drainpipe, Ollie gave a succession of knocks - tap, tap tap, tap tap - and they went on their way. Soon a courtyard opened up before them, for once allowing a decent measure of sunlight through. The place was just as derelict as the surrounding area though. An ancient warehouse stood, doors chained shut, at the other end of the little plaza.
But most prominent of all was the gang lounging around in a circle, sitting on empty wagons, crates, or just lounging against a nearby lamp post. There was a grey-haired, stolid man with a bottle of clear liquid in one hand and a smoke... no, two smokes in his mouth. The muscle was another man in a white shirt and braces, a full six feet tall and almost as wide. And a man and woman sat, side by side on a cart, one as beautiful as the other was handsome. She had long mousey hair and slim features, while he was bald but young, thick set too. There were a couple other unremarkable faces, too.
Each person was engaged in conversation as a group whole. It slowed not a whit as Ollie appeared. When Elsor came into view trailing along beside him, then the hush descended. The pressure of the sudden silence and the scutiny of eight pairs of eyes hit Elsor like a half-brick in a sock. Ollie must have felt it too, for his voice took on a subdued tone.
"Knock knock," he said to the gang. "Might have ourselves a sneak in the making here. Thought I owe 'im, as 'e got me back this little beauty."
The purse flew, strings drawn tight, through the air to the bald man who caught it deftly. Opening it up he gazed impassively at its' contents as the woman did the same, peering over his shoulder. At length, he gave a grunt of satisfaction. He looked at Ollie.
"Sure?"
That was all he said, but it seemed to carry a heavy meaning. Ollie replied firmly.
"Yes."
The smoking man just snorted, but the bald man gestured towards the circle of makeshift seats.
"Well, then, welcome... lad. Take a seat. As for introductions, you can call me Dad. This," he continued with a gesture to the mountain of muscle, "is Strudels, the man hidden by a haze of smoke is Dragon, and the delightful woman besides me is the Miss Mac McMac. And the other four are I, U, C and B, all siblings. And your name is..?"
"Where d'ya come from, anyway?"
They came to an oddly new fence made of wooden planking that cut off one particularly dingy alley. The boy kept talking even as he lifted a post up and out of the ground, revealing it to work much like a bolt lock, and swung the fence inwards and continued through.
"When did ya get here? What was the trip like? Cor, ne'er bin on a boat, 'ave I."
He closed the gate behind him. Reaching up into a nearby gutted drainpipe, Ollie gave a succession of knocks - tap, tap tap, tap tap - and they went on their way. Soon a courtyard opened up before them, for once allowing a decent measure of sunlight through. The place was just as derelict as the surrounding area though. An ancient warehouse stood, doors chained shut, at the other end of the little plaza.
But most prominent of all was the gang lounging around in a circle, sitting on empty wagons, crates, or just lounging against a nearby lamp post. There was a grey-haired, stolid man with a bottle of clear liquid in one hand and a smoke... no, two smokes in his mouth. The muscle was another man in a white shirt and braces, a full six feet tall and almost as wide. And a man and woman sat, side by side on a cart, one as beautiful as the other was handsome. She had long mousey hair and slim features, while he was bald but young, thick set too. There were a couple other unremarkable faces, too.
Each person was engaged in conversation as a group whole. It slowed not a whit as Ollie appeared. When Elsor came into view trailing along beside him, then the hush descended. The pressure of the sudden silence and the scutiny of eight pairs of eyes hit Elsor like a half-brick in a sock. Ollie must have felt it too, for his voice took on a subdued tone.
"Knock knock," he said to the gang. "Might have ourselves a sneak in the making here. Thought I owe 'im, as 'e got me back this little beauty."
The purse flew, strings drawn tight, through the air to the bald man who caught it deftly. Opening it up he gazed impassively at its' contents as the woman did the same, peering over his shoulder. At length, he gave a grunt of satisfaction. He looked at Ollie.
"Sure?"
That was all he said, but it seemed to carry a heavy meaning. Ollie replied firmly.
"Yes."
The smoking man just snorted, but the bald man gestured towards the circle of makeshift seats.
"Well, then, welcome... lad. Take a seat. As for introductions, you can call me Dad. This," he continued with a gesture to the mountain of muscle, "is Strudels, the man hidden by a haze of smoke is Dragon, and the delightful woman besides me is the Miss Mac McMac. And the other four are I, U, C and B, all siblings. And your name is..?"
Elsor followed Ollie in a blur of movement and new sights. She doubted that she would be able to find her way back, should the meeting go sour, rather to blunder blindly along the alleyways.
The boy was happy, that was all she had aimed for. The rest of the journey was nought but a new adventure on uncharted waters.
"I come from Roque D'Ancourt, the homeland of the merchant. Ever heard of the place?"
"I got here a little while ago, actually. The trip wasn't bad, but not pleasant, either. I travelled in this tiny boat. It was small but it got me here. Don't worry, being in a boat isn't all it's cracked up to be."
When Elsor walked into the new space and the hush decended on the group, the achadhiel felt uneasy from all the attention and, absent-mindedly, took a half-step back and was raring to go should anything bad happen.
"Knock knock, might have ourselves a sneak in the making here. Thought I owe 'im, as 'e got me back this little beauty."
"Sure?"
"Yes."
At the mention of 'sneak in the making' Elsor's mind went into a state of alarm. She didn't want to get on the wrong side of the law, nor get on the wrong side of these people. The conversation seemed serious - the half breed didn't want to get contracted into anything and so made her next descisions very carefully and with much thought as one can give in a matter of a few flickers.
'Dad' began to introduce everyone in the odd bunch that was seated and Elsor gave a nod to each of them in turn. She sat down only out of politeness and assumed her masculaine pose that came with the guise.
And your name is..?
Elsor was aware that the attention was more or less focussed on her answer. She could lie, tell them another name, but it was too late - Ollie knew it anyway.
"My name is Elsor." The achadhiel replied quietly. There was no need to raise her voice unless one of the members was deaf for the area seemed quiet enough. Her dark eyes flitted around the room in a seemingly random pattern but held trained focus - the exit was more or less unblocked for a speedy exit if need be, some of her dark brown hair fell into her face and a shadow crossed it so that her more feminine features were blurred and she tried to look at ease as if she had done this a thousand times before. Regardless of the fact that she was scared stiff.
The boy was happy, that was all she had aimed for. The rest of the journey was nought but a new adventure on uncharted waters.
"I come from Roque D'Ancourt, the homeland of the merchant. Ever heard of the place?"
"I got here a little while ago, actually. The trip wasn't bad, but not pleasant, either. I travelled in this tiny boat. It was small but it got me here. Don't worry, being in a boat isn't all it's cracked up to be."
When Elsor walked into the new space and the hush decended on the group, the achadhiel felt uneasy from all the attention and, absent-mindedly, took a half-step back and was raring to go should anything bad happen.
"Knock knock, might have ourselves a sneak in the making here. Thought I owe 'im, as 'e got me back this little beauty."
"Sure?"
"Yes."
At the mention of 'sneak in the making' Elsor's mind went into a state of alarm. She didn't want to get on the wrong side of the law, nor get on the wrong side of these people. The conversation seemed serious - the half breed didn't want to get contracted into anything and so made her next descisions very carefully and with much thought as one can give in a matter of a few flickers.
'Dad' began to introduce everyone in the odd bunch that was seated and Elsor gave a nod to each of them in turn. She sat down only out of politeness and assumed her masculaine pose that came with the guise.
And your name is..?
Elsor was aware that the attention was more or less focussed on her answer. She could lie, tell them another name, but it was too late - Ollie knew it anyway.
"My name is Elsor." The achadhiel replied quietly. There was no need to raise her voice unless one of the members was deaf for the area seemed quiet enough. Her dark eyes flitted around the room in a seemingly random pattern but held trained focus - the exit was more or less unblocked for a speedy exit if need be, some of her dark brown hair fell into her face and a shadow crossed it so that her more feminine features were blurred and she tried to look at ease as if she had done this a thousand times before. Regardless of the fact that she was scared stiff.
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Elsor wrote:"My name is Elsor." The achadhiel replied quietly. There was no need to raise her voice unless one of the members was deaf for the area seemed quiet enough. Her dark eyes flitted around the room in a seemingly random pattern but held trained focus - the exit was more or less unblocked for a speedy exit if need be, some of her dark brown hair fell into her face and a shadow crossed it so that her more feminine features were blurred and she tried to look at ease as if she had done this a thousand times before. Regardless of the fact that she was scared stiff.
There was no fooling this lot, it seemed. A wryly amused look between Dad and Mac preceded his reply.
"Well, Elsor... relax. Any time you feel you need to leave, the way out's not blocked and I'm sure Ollie will be your willing guide. All we ask of you is... silence. Are you familiar with the teachings of the abbot Finn O'Shea? 'Ensure that your actions are honourable, for all that you do shall return to you three-fold, good or bane.' I like to think the streets here work in much the same way... but, of course, with a significant lack of honour."
The possible threat, definite promise, was left to sink in.
"Dad, I brought 'im here 'cos 'e says he wants to be a merchant. You know? Business?"
That was Ollie speaking. A frown creased Dads' brow and he gave another glance at Mac. She nodded.
"That so? Arriving here as what I can only call penniless, want to make your way up in the glorious world of commerce? What skills do ya got?" And, because Ollie's use of masculine signifiers was having little effect on Dad's brain, "You a boy or girlie?"
"That so? Arriving here as what I can only call penniless, want to make your way up in the glorious world of commerce? What skills do ya got?"
"Well, er.." Elsor struggled to think what she was good at.
"I can swim. I sell pearls and things I find in river beds like daggers and jewellry. I'm not bad at tracking people, either."
The Achadhiel tried not to sound arrogant at all, sneaking a glance at Ollie.
Elsor listened to the chatter as the group exchanged words. Already she was beginning to forget names and again time moved in a blur until a question was asked. It wasn't the same sensation as last time, it was more a drowsy whirl than a concerntration one. The reason the question was so significant was that she had trained herself to be on guard whenever the question was asked as to keep up her disguise. She was sincerely hoping that it was working. This was one of the only lies she could keep up with an unashamed straight face.
"I'm a boy."
She met the question with cool indifference and began to enjoy the experience.
"Well, er.." Elsor struggled to think what she was good at.
"I can swim. I sell pearls and things I find in river beds like daggers and jewellry. I'm not bad at tracking people, either."
The Achadhiel tried not to sound arrogant at all, sneaking a glance at Ollie.
Elsor listened to the chatter as the group exchanged words. Already she was beginning to forget names and again time moved in a blur until a question was asked. It wasn't the same sensation as last time, it was more a drowsy whirl than a concerntration one. The reason the question was so significant was that she had trained herself to be on guard whenever the question was asked as to keep up her disguise. She was sincerely hoping that it was working. This was one of the only lies she could keep up with an unashamed straight face.
"I'm a boy."
She met the question with cool indifference and began to enjoy the experience.
Last edited by Elsor on Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Elsor got it just right. Had she been indignant, outraged, or even so far as suddeny worried in her reply then Dad and the others would have picked up on something out of place. Her calm indicated a sort of resignation, of one who'd gotten over having that question asked long ago and no longer felt any twinges of injured pride. Dad simply nodded.
Dragon chuckled.
"Be more'n pearls in the 'arbour, luv. Might'n... like it down there."
Mac gave the mobile chimney a perfectly serene and unreadable look, and the Dragon promptly shut up. He spat out two dog-ends and ground them under his heel, hands in pocket. Dad continued speaking.
"C'mon now, have a seat. Excuse Dragon, he's the cynical balance to our gang. Now... I was wondering whether you, as a fledgling merchant, had any of the qualities in facilitating trade of a nature that is sustainably prosperous to yourself, per se. That is, what're you like actually dealing with customers?"
Dragon chuckled.
"Be more'n pearls in the 'arbour, luv. Might'n... like it down there."
Mac gave the mobile chimney a perfectly serene and unreadable look, and the Dragon promptly shut up. He spat out two dog-ends and ground them under his heel, hands in pocket. Dad continued speaking.
"C'mon now, have a seat. Excuse Dragon, he's the cynical balance to our gang. Now... I was wondering whether you, as a fledgling merchant, had any of the qualities in facilitating trade of a nature that is sustainably prosperous to yourself, per se. That is, what're you like actually dealing with customers?"
Last edited by Craghley on Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
Elsor listened to the conversation with more interest this time. Smiling as she did so. She chuckled to herself at the comment by the man named Dragon.
"C'mon now, have a seat. Excuse Dragon, he's the cynical balance to our gang. Now... I was wondering whether you, as a fledgling merchant, had any of the qaulities in facilitating trade of a nature that is sustainably prosperous to yourself, per se. That is, what're you like actually dealing with customers?"
Elsor by then had sat down somewhere near Ollie, who was the nearest thing to a familiar face as she could get.
"Well.." Elsor fiddled with the ties on her sack.
"It depends on the customer, and what the customer is asking for. I haven't had the opportunity to sell to anyone yet, as I've only just got here. Been doing some research first, see?"
Elsor tried her best to slip into the lingo of the people around her. She had the feeling she wasn't doing very well, however.
"C'mon now, have a seat. Excuse Dragon, he's the cynical balance to our gang. Now... I was wondering whether you, as a fledgling merchant, had any of the qaulities in facilitating trade of a nature that is sustainably prosperous to yourself, per se. That is, what're you like actually dealing with customers?"
Elsor by then had sat down somewhere near Ollie, who was the nearest thing to a familiar face as she could get.
"Well.." Elsor fiddled with the ties on her sack.
"It depends on the customer, and what the customer is asking for. I haven't had the opportunity to sell to anyone yet, as I've only just got here. Been doing some research first, see?"
Elsor tried her best to slip into the lingo of the people around her. She had the feeling she wasn't doing very well, however.
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