The Gilded Gates ~ entrance thread

[Sevti]

There were two guards waiting at the gate when Reise rode up. One was an older gentleman, his hair going to gray, with a ready smile for the crowds that were queueing up before him. The other was younger, a little more nervous looking, but also seemed as friendly and helpful as his older companion.

It was the younger one who answered her, brushing his dark hair out of his eyes with long fingers as he shielded his eyes from the sun to look upward at her. He paused for a moment as her cool gaze washed over him, uncertain how he should greet her. Not going to be an Eliot. She might just be tired, Yuli decided as he offered her a small smile. "There's been some trouble, m'Lady, but the worst of it has been taken care of. For one who knows how to keep her eyes open," his dark eyes took in her wearied condition with a touch of concern, "there should be little trouble. As for lodging, what manner of place were you thinking? We've got several wonderful taverns and inns that I'd be glad to suggest."

Continuing to look up at her, another thought crossed his mind. His tongue darted out to dampen his lips while his gaze flitted nervously over her lithe form. "Umm.... M'Lady, I'm afraid that, because of the recent trouble, we'll need to ask you to dismount. Purely a formality, m'Lady," he hastened to add.

[Reise Silverskye]

Reise did not smile back at the younger guard, which was probably a good thing, because her smiles were rarely pleasant expressions, even when she was in a good mood. And right now, she was hardly in a good mood. She studied him for a moment, and noticed him studying her. It wasn't the gaze of someone undressing her with his eyes, which was what she got so much of the time, and that was a good thing for him. It only would have soured her mood that much more.

Her lips twisted - just a bit - in exasperation as he asked her to dismount. She dismounted gracefully, and faced him again, keeping her horse's reins in her left hand. "I'm afraid," she answered slowly, "that I am a bit... overextended... as far as money goes," she said, and she flushed a bit as she admitted that. "I think I'll have to forgo my expensive tastes tonight and find something that won't cost much." She glanced at him and arched an eyebrow. "Suggestions?"

[Sevti]

The guard shifted from one foot to the other at exasperation written clearly over her face. I was afraid of that, Yuli thought when he saw the look, glancing toward Phelan to see if the older guard would be able to help him, should she decline his request. But no, Phelan was speaking with a young mother and her two young boys, not seeming to notice the woman that had his young companion's attention.

When he turned back to her, he saw her smooth dismount and breathed an audible sigh of relief. No trouble from her, from the looks of it. Thank the One.

He listened to her admission of lessened financial status, forcefully keeping the smile from his face at her blushing. No reason for her to be embarrassed by that, he thought. But she don't seem the type that would take to hearing that well. Drawing professionalism around him like a cloak, he replied aloud to her question and left the rest to simmer in his thoughts. "My best suggestion would be the Dog's Home Inn. It's not far from the Monestary - you should be able to see that when you step through the gates. Good food, good company, and doesn't cost much for either. I... ah... spend a fair bit of time there myself, after my shift here is done." His own cheeks flushed slightly, mentally kicking himself for adding the last. Like she'd care, ya thick skull. She's too pretty for the likes of you. Not to mention a bit cold. Just stick with your job, Yuli. But it was difficult. Pretty girls affected him this way, turning him from a friendly but competent guard to a friendly but incompetent puppy.

"Uh.... Anyway... I think the Dog's Home should be well to your liking," he finished. "You'll need to see the clerk inside the gate before moving through, but the line seems to be going quickly. You should be in and on your way in no time." His tongue darted out to dampen his drying lips, wondering if she'd have any more questions for him. He had to admit to himself that he wasn't sure if he hoped that she did or prayed that she didn't.

[Reise Silverskye]

Reise listened carefully to the guard's suggestion, taking a mental note of all he said. He seemed to know at least this part of town well, so it would be good to pay attention. Out of habit, she also listened to how he said it. He seemed a bit nervous, which wasn't unusual for one as young as he. She smiled - just a bit, and coolly at that - at his mention of going to the Inn after his shift, but she gave no other indication that she'd noticed the extra words.

"The Dog's Home Inn," she echoed. "Sounds like the place to be then, for now. Thank you. If that is all, I will proceed to see the clerk." She took the reins of her horse more firmly in hand, and if the guard let her go, she would move on to the clerk.

She wanted to get done with that as soon as possible. She was tired, and not particularly in a good mood. The sooner she got a real bed to sleep in - and maybe even a hot bath - the better she'd feel.

[Sevti]

Her smile, cool though it was, brought a fresh flush to the young guard's face. It took him several flickers to realize she'd been speaking to him, asking his permission to move forward to the clerk and on to the City, and when he did, he stammered out his reply. "Umm.... yes.... I mean... no, there's nothing further. No reason to stop you. Feel free to move on. And... uh... have a nice stay in Roque D'Ancourt." He quickly stepped back and out of her way, though his eyes followed her for a few burns until another traveller caught his attention and brought him away from the beautiful young woman.

The line was, as Yuli had noted, moving quickly and within no time, Reise was standing before a middle-aged man seated behind a table. He didn't look up at her approach, just took his quill and held it above his parchment, ready to write her response to his monotonous questions. "Name. Occupation. Reason for coming to Roque D'Ancourt. Place of Occupation. Length of stay." At her replies, he scrawled the answers onto the parchment tablet before him. The girl, if she paid attention to such things, could tell that her words were taken down as she spoke them, nothing added in the form of any personal notes about herself.

Once the clerk finished with her information, he blindly reached to a pile of papers next to her and held out a pass for her to take without another word.

(OOC: And, unless you have anything else to add, that should get you through the gates and into the wider world of Roque D'Ancourt. Just a finishing up post to answer the clerks questions, and then feel free to move on to wherever you'd like to go next. As Yuli suggested, enjoy your stay!)

[Reise Silverskye]

Reise smirked a bit at the guard's reaction to her smile, though it was more out of habit rather than any real amusement. As he stepped out of her way, she walked past him, leading her horse behind her, and stopped in front of the clerk. He seemed an appropriately bored fellow, and since he didn't seem curious about her at all, she had no problems answering his questions.

"Reise Silverskye," she replied. "I have no occupation, I came to Roque because it's where I'm from. I have no place of occupation, and I don't know how long I will be here. A couple of weeks at least." Once that was said, she continued on past him into the city.

Now, all she had to do was find the Dog's Home Inn...

[Maeve]

I am stealing this thread for the Modding Seminar. Please welcome Anahid!

[Guest]

The day was sunny and bright as Lizzy Gerant made her way to the gates of the city of Roque. She had been walking since the crack of dawn after staying with an ever so pleasant couple of peasants who had graciously invited her into their home. Her spirit was high as strong beams of sunlight shone brightly on the lush fields and forests she passed, with the gates only a stone's throw away.

Less than an hour later she arrived at the gates of the city of Roque d'Ancourt. It was busy, lots of peasants coming in or going out of the city, some beggars trying to make an easy buck by the side of the road.

Just before she could make her approach to the guards, a particularly annoying fellow, who she had noticed had been following her for a while, clamped on to her and told her he wanted some money. He smelled and the pungant odour penetrated her nostrils.
Lizzy held her composure though as she turned to him and told him kindly but firmly to go and get a job, as all people should pay their own way in the sight of God.

The man persisted however in his requests, and no matter how often Lizzy told the man to get lost in her ever polite manner, he kept on coming. By now though she had moved close enough to the guards, who luckily were looking out for the wellbeing of the good folk and came to her aid as they carried off the beggar to the jail. She was now free to approach the gates and proclaim herself in the name of God to this fair city.

[Anahid]

OOC: Heya Lizzy! Bear with me a bit here. You're my first customer!

IC: As Lizzy approached the gates, the tiny pocket of sunlight that had accompanied the last few steps of her journey disappeared at last. Now the ceiling was complete. Clouds hung heavy and low, compressing the air between earth and sky into an uncomfortable soup of heat and damp. Not even the famous gates could collect light enough to shine.

All five of the gate’s sentinels noted Lizzy’s approach. Perhaps due to the imminent storm, traffic was sparse, and the brilliantly garbed guards found their attention less divided than usual. All five allowed the human woman to pass through the gates unchallenged. The softest shuffling of feet , the creak of metal and leather as one of the watchers shifted position to follow Lizzy’s passing; the low rumble and squeal of a small cart being hastily pulled up the road somewhere behind her; the hostile grumbling of a peasant woman marching angrily away from Roque with her children in tow; the spare whisper of pen on parchment, curt questions and short answers: the day’s sounds were as muted as its colors - the gray and the damp taking its toll on more than just the scenery.

Ahead waited the clerks. One was already busy copying down the information of an elderly man dressed in the muddy browns and greens of a farmer. The clerk on the right was free, however. He massaged his writing hand and stared pensively at the storm clouds from beneath the relative safety of the overhang. Another guard stood near, eyeing the sky as well. Beyond them, the streets of Roque were strangely still.

At Lizzy's approach, the clerk stopped massaging his hand and picked up his quill. His eyes lingered on the sky for a few flickers longer. Finally, with a bored sigh and a grimace, pen hovering over parchment, he looked at Lizzy. "Name. Occupation. Reason for coming to Roque D'Ancourt. Place of Occupation. Length of stay."

[Guest]

OOC: I'm not sure why you ignored almost everything I said in my entire post, mine didn't suck that bad did it? --sigh-- Oh well. Guess I'll give it another shot.

Lizzy smiled happily at the sentinels (guards right?) as she walked by them, not really paying much attention to them as they didn't appear important. They didn't seem to be hindering her in any way either so she bestowed a blessing here and there and walked up to the clerk who was rubbing his hand.

She looked somewhat estranged as the clerk asked her all those questions. No one had ever asked her things like that when entering a city. "My name is Lizzy Gerant good sir, don't have any occupation save perhaps for my service to the One. I travel around and this city seemed like a nice one to visit. I have no idea how long I'll be staying for."

[Guest]

Ok, so I changed my post, when can I expect a response? When pigs fly?

[Anahid]

OOC: I wonder if flying pigs make for better bacon? You'll find as you get deeper into Tazlure that various mods and supporters have different posting rates. Not all can post daily. Anyway, you may respond to this post if you'd like then feel free to begin a thread at either an inn or the monastery. Your mod will pick you up from there. Have fun!

IC: The middle aged man scratched Lizzy's answers onto the parchment and then emphatically placed the quill back into the ink well. He waved a hand over the parchment to speed its drying in the damp air. A flicker later he gave up the effort, a peevish look crossing his face.

Finally, the clerk looked up at Lizzy again - although it might be more accurate to say 'looked through'. In a monotone, the bored little man recited, "If it's The One's Light you seek, Madam, you could not have chosen a more appropriate destination than Roque D'Ancourt. Our Monastery is truly a wonder and there is a very pleasant inn in the area as well, The Dog's Home. If m'lady would travel from here in a southwesterly direction," and here the clerk paused and locked eyes with Lizzy as though acknowledging her presence at last and straying from the memorized script, "sticking to the main thouroughfares, of course. We have had some unrest of late. This may not be a good day for exploring unescorted." His gaze became distant again as he concluded, "If the lady will travel in that direction, she will find the Monastery. You can not miss it."

With that said, the clerk snatched up the quill again, dabbed at a smudge with one ink-stained index finger, and then resumed gazing morosely at the sky. He sniffed but did not look at Lizzy again. "Welcome to Roque D'Ancourt. Enjoy your stay."

[Guest]

"Alright, thank you for the information. I'm sure I will enjoy myself."

Lizzy's amiable smile returned after the tedious waiting for the man to write down all the answers had concluded. She bowed graciously before the man and the guards standing by the proud gates and continued her stroll into the city.

She thought to herself that she had made a good choice coming here. That Dominicus had not led her astray and that this monastery the clerk had spoken of might be a good place to start, after she had found herself a nice place to stay...