Small and lucky to be given the name 'village' let alone 'town', but then
for this part of the world it would have been considered a metropolis. A
den of filth and ignorance. But even dens of filth and ignorance looked
good after sleeping so many nights on the ground.
As to be expected in a town with a port the place was strife with taverns and brothels and not much else to recommend it. The least unsavory inn is where our travelers found themselves shortly (though one might have their doubts in this regard since the inn could boast little more than its proximity to the town's church).
It was disturbing really, letting the bartender fawn over them with his weak ale and day old sweetbreads, but Eiri had absolutely refused to stay with the church, and Mika had refused another days travel without a bath. Had she known this would be the place bathing was to be had, she would certainly have been more than willing to, as her charming husband had put it, 'rough it out' a few more days.
"Tohma, this is no inn at all! 'Tis a hovel! Wretched hovel!" She complained indignantly, resolving never to accompany her husband and brother on one of these little 'adventures' again. Damn Tohma for allowing Eiri to do this! He should be home with father, not gallivanting around the countryside, of all things determined to become a bard!
"Eiri, watch your purse strings less that tall-fellow set his sights on them." Indicated Ryu, gesturing toward the hooded figure lurking in the doorway. He was curse-addled and spent much of his time talking with a stuffed animal he claimed was his familiar, but he still had moments of coherency which Eiri knew better than to ignore.
Watching through the corner of his eye, less his watcher notice, Eiri noted the lad had set his eyes upon himself! It was . . . amusing and insulting at the same time.
"He's terribly good." Remarked Tohma, noticing the object of Eiri's attention. "He called you straight away, Eiri. "
"Leave him Tohma, you know he will not learn until he has been robbed by every ruffian between here and Candle Keep.
Eiri, was, of course, mortified. Even Mika, who had the least experience travelling, had yet to be robbed, and in the true tradition of ladies of class, she wasted no time in rubbing salt in his wounds with the matter.
Eiri brooded into his ale, watching the boy who was now walking animatedly with Ryu. An impressive feat in itself since the rabbit didn't usually talk to strangers. At least Eiri thought it was a boy. He'd presumed it was a halfling too at first, albeit a tall one with elven features, uncommon but not rare in these area's bordering forests . . . not to mention ports tended to be hubs for anyone or thing unusual. He was reconsidering however since the lad was far too slender and had that energy about him attributed to youth.
Ryu had been conned into singing (not that it took much to convince him). The boy looked on with wonder in his eyes at the man as he started to sing, attracting far more attention than Eiri had wished for. Not that it mattered, since it was still far less than Mika's petticoats and lace attracted from the women since they'd never seen such as fine. Naturally Mika allowed them to admire.
"He's quite captivated by Ryu's song, Eiri, don't you think now would be a good time to reclaim your coin?"
~*~**~*~**~***~***~****
"What he is, Tohma, is in need of a good bathing." Tsked Mika rubbing at the soot blacked hair of their captive. Though bathing was Mika's answer to everything since she had discovered the 'joys' of adventuring. "I quite blame you for this whole affair."
Tohma nodded morosely. He should have realized Eiri would have been less than impressed after the ribbing he'd received, and jump the poor boy - who mistook Eiri for an Aasimar by his unusual eyes and started screaming. Luckily Tohma had been on hand (not to mention that iron poker by the firs place) and knocked the brat unconscious before he could create much of a scene - raised voices and pointed fingers tended to get people like themselves in trouble (however knocking strangers over the head and hauling them off to your rooms was quite commonplace).
"Will he be all right?" Asked Kumagarou. Which is to say Ryu said it, Kumagarou was a cursed item Ryu had picked up somewhere which deluded the Harper into believing it was his travelling companion. Strangely the compulsion was a high level one, making separating Ryu and Kuma for even short periods of time difficult. Tohma had often mused this was some high- level enchanters idea of a joke. Apart from the minor intimidation factor of a grown man talking to a stuffed animal, there seemed to be no benefit to carrying the thing.
Eiri snorted.
"He's a thief!"
"Eiri!" Snapped Mika, rolling her eye's at the blonde. "He's just a boy!"
"Do you suppose he cleans fireplaces?" Queried Tohma, who was watching the cloth come away black from their sooty captive.
"He is quite pale beneath the dirt! Not at all what I expected!" Commented Mika. "And look! His hair colour is quite unusual!"
"It's a Dryad!" Squealed Ryu excited. Kumagarou always wanted to see a Dryad!
"Dryads are girls!" Complained the groggy captive, batting away Mika's hands which were determined to see him clean. Not that he had anything against 'clean', just pink-haired thieves tended to be far too memorable. "I'm not a girl!" He clarified when no one looked convinced. Besides, he wasn't a Dryad, he'd come to that conclusion quick enough after trying to walk through tree's failed and the only response he got when talking to plants were weird looks from other people. "So . . . " Shuichi gestured vaguely. "I am alive because . . . ?" Should have known better, obviously a trap, from the guy practically begging to be robbed to the Harper who'd charmed him. All set up to catch him 'cos they sure wouldn't catch any other thief with a stuffed rabbit.
"He's cute! Let's keep him!" Decided Mika.
"You can't just keep people!" Declared Shuichi crossing his arms over his chest, completely ignoring the fact that the inn they were currently in did a roaring slave trade.
"Well we can hire him! To protect Eiri!" After all, who better to look out for her ignoramus of a brother than another thief?
Shuichi looked at Tohma suspiciously. Shuichi was no fighter, so he wondered what possible need for a bodyguard of his caliber this man could need.
"Not me." Responded Tohma to the inquisitively raised eyebrow. "Him." He pointed to Eiri who was still scowling on the far side of the room.
Well that made a lot more sense. Mr' rob-me-please-I'm-hideously-rich-and- the-weight-of-my-purse-encumbers-me' needed all the help he could get. "You need help!" He nodded sagely. Now that he was in close quarters and not full of adrenaline at being jumped, he was fairly sure the guy wasn't an Aasimar after all - not 100% sure, but he was still alive. The last and only Aasimar he had met had tried to kill him on sight, so Shuichi was willing to gamble the point.
**~~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~**~**~**~
A job! A real job! As a bodyguard (of sorts) of all things! Shuichi didn't even need to pack; he did after all have everything he owned on himself already. A real job and a real quest! Kekekekeke. Now if only he could get rid of this nagging feeling he'd forgotten something.
**~~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~**~**~**~
Shuichi no baka!
Shuichi, having missed meeting him the night before, had last been seen in the company of a group of travelers headed out of town. Hiro could only begin to wonder what sort of trouble the idiot had got himself into this time. With a resolve born of a sense of duty for his partner, friend (and occasional pet) he made his way towards the city gates.
As to be expected in a town with a port the place was strife with taverns and brothels and not much else to recommend it. The least unsavory inn is where our travelers found themselves shortly (though one might have their doubts in this regard since the inn could boast little more than its proximity to the town's church).
It was disturbing really, letting the bartender fawn over them with his weak ale and day old sweetbreads, but Eiri had absolutely refused to stay with the church, and Mika had refused another days travel without a bath. Had she known this would be the place bathing was to be had, she would certainly have been more than willing to, as her charming husband had put it, 'rough it out' a few more days.
"Tohma, this is no inn at all! 'Tis a hovel! Wretched hovel!" She complained indignantly, resolving never to accompany her husband and brother on one of these little 'adventures' again. Damn Tohma for allowing Eiri to do this! He should be home with father, not gallivanting around the countryside, of all things determined to become a bard!
"Eiri, watch your purse strings less that tall-fellow set his sights on them." Indicated Ryu, gesturing toward the hooded figure lurking in the doorway. He was curse-addled and spent much of his time talking with a stuffed animal he claimed was his familiar, but he still had moments of coherency which Eiri knew better than to ignore.
Watching through the corner of his eye, less his watcher notice, Eiri noted the lad had set his eyes upon himself! It was . . . amusing and insulting at the same time.
"He's terribly good." Remarked Tohma, noticing the object of Eiri's attention. "He called you straight away, Eiri. "
"Leave him Tohma, you know he will not learn until he has been robbed by every ruffian between here and Candle Keep.
Eiri, was, of course, mortified. Even Mika, who had the least experience travelling, had yet to be robbed, and in the true tradition of ladies of class, she wasted no time in rubbing salt in his wounds with the matter.
Eiri brooded into his ale, watching the boy who was now walking animatedly with Ryu. An impressive feat in itself since the rabbit didn't usually talk to strangers. At least Eiri thought it was a boy. He'd presumed it was a halfling too at first, albeit a tall one with elven features, uncommon but not rare in these area's bordering forests . . . not to mention ports tended to be hubs for anyone or thing unusual. He was reconsidering however since the lad was far too slender and had that energy about him attributed to youth.
Ryu had been conned into singing (not that it took much to convince him). The boy looked on with wonder in his eyes at the man as he started to sing, attracting far more attention than Eiri had wished for. Not that it mattered, since it was still far less than Mika's petticoats and lace attracted from the women since they'd never seen such as fine. Naturally Mika allowed them to admire.
"He's quite captivated by Ryu's song, Eiri, don't you think now would be a good time to reclaim your coin?"
~*~**~*~**~***~***~****
"What he is, Tohma, is in need of a good bathing." Tsked Mika rubbing at the soot blacked hair of their captive. Though bathing was Mika's answer to everything since she had discovered the 'joys' of adventuring. "I quite blame you for this whole affair."
Tohma nodded morosely. He should have realized Eiri would have been less than impressed after the ribbing he'd received, and jump the poor boy - who mistook Eiri for an Aasimar by his unusual eyes and started screaming. Luckily Tohma had been on hand (not to mention that iron poker by the firs place) and knocked the brat unconscious before he could create much of a scene - raised voices and pointed fingers tended to get people like themselves in trouble (however knocking strangers over the head and hauling them off to your rooms was quite commonplace).
"Will he be all right?" Asked Kumagarou. Which is to say Ryu said it, Kumagarou was a cursed item Ryu had picked up somewhere which deluded the Harper into believing it was his travelling companion. Strangely the compulsion was a high level one, making separating Ryu and Kuma for even short periods of time difficult. Tohma had often mused this was some high- level enchanters idea of a joke. Apart from the minor intimidation factor of a grown man talking to a stuffed animal, there seemed to be no benefit to carrying the thing.
Eiri snorted.
"He's a thief!"
"Eiri!" Snapped Mika, rolling her eye's at the blonde. "He's just a boy!"
"Do you suppose he cleans fireplaces?" Queried Tohma, who was watching the cloth come away black from their sooty captive.
"He is quite pale beneath the dirt! Not at all what I expected!" Commented Mika. "And look! His hair colour is quite unusual!"
"It's a Dryad!" Squealed Ryu excited. Kumagarou always wanted to see a Dryad!
"Dryads are girls!" Complained the groggy captive, batting away Mika's hands which were determined to see him clean. Not that he had anything against 'clean', just pink-haired thieves tended to be far too memorable. "I'm not a girl!" He clarified when no one looked convinced. Besides, he wasn't a Dryad, he'd come to that conclusion quick enough after trying to walk through tree's failed and the only response he got when talking to plants were weird looks from other people. "So . . . " Shuichi gestured vaguely. "I am alive because . . . ?" Should have known better, obviously a trap, from the guy practically begging to be robbed to the Harper who'd charmed him. All set up to catch him 'cos they sure wouldn't catch any other thief with a stuffed rabbit.
"He's cute! Let's keep him!" Decided Mika.
"You can't just keep people!" Declared Shuichi crossing his arms over his chest, completely ignoring the fact that the inn they were currently in did a roaring slave trade.
"Well we can hire him! To protect Eiri!" After all, who better to look out for her ignoramus of a brother than another thief?
Shuichi looked at Tohma suspiciously. Shuichi was no fighter, so he wondered what possible need for a bodyguard of his caliber this man could need.
"Not me." Responded Tohma to the inquisitively raised eyebrow. "Him." He pointed to Eiri who was still scowling on the far side of the room.
Well that made a lot more sense. Mr' rob-me-please-I'm-hideously-rich-and- the-weight-of-my-purse-encumbers-me' needed all the help he could get. "You need help!" He nodded sagely. Now that he was in close quarters and not full of adrenaline at being jumped, he was fairly sure the guy wasn't an Aasimar after all - not 100% sure, but he was still alive. The last and only Aasimar he had met had tried to kill him on sight, so Shuichi was willing to gamble the point.
**~~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~**~**~**~
A job! A real job! As a bodyguard (of sorts) of all things! Shuichi didn't even need to pack; he did after all have everything he owned on himself already. A real job and a real quest! Kekekekeke. Now if only he could get rid of this nagging feeling he'd forgotten something.
**~~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~**~**~**~
Shuichi no baka!
Shuichi, having missed meeting him the night before, had last been seen in the company of a group of travelers headed out of town. Hiro could only begin to wonder what sort of trouble the idiot had got himself into this time. With a resolve born of a sense of duty for his partner, friend (and occasional pet) he made his way towards the city gates.