Angela, Riesz, and Hawkeye are characters the property of Squaresoft. Andy and his family are mine, since they aren't into the game. They're just minor characters, so I don't expect anyone to use them, but I figured they deserved a mentioning. Anyway, enjoy!
~Truewind
On the Path
When the three travelers straggled into the temple town, it was three hours past the sun's peak. Market was in full swing, and they soon found themselves swept up into the whirlwind of activity. As tired as they were, the familiar surroundings of civilization were comforting after three days of wilderness trekking. They were finally able to let down their guards, and began to feel a little more human, instead of like hunted animals. Somehow, amid the maelstrom of bodies and carts and livestock, they managed to find an inn.
"A room." Angela managed to gasp out. The innkeeper, who happened to be an old adventruer himself, took one look at their exhausted faces and chuckled.
"Ah, you'll be wanting some food, and then you'll be for your pallets?"
They nodded, and he led them, not the common room, as they had expected, but to a scrupulously clean room with three beds in it, equally clean. It was probably the best room in the house. Riesz turned, and stared at the man.
"Sir, there's no way we can afford this."
He just grinned, revealing a set of strong teeth a horse would envy.
"Spearlady, those marks on that leather you've got on tell me you've already paid in full. Sarah will be in with your food later. It's plain fare, but good. Me wife's a good cook, and I'd imagine you couldn't handle any finery at any rate."
He grinned again as they all turned slightly green, and turned to leave.
"Goddess bless, innkeeper." Murmured Riesz, as she fell into the just-right cushion of the simple bed.
"Goddess bless, spearlady."
The innkeeper's word was as good as his rooms, and a young, sweet-faced girl soon arrived, laden with three steaming platters. The three warriors attacked their meals so voraciously that the girl's eyes widened. When Hawk realized that she had not left, he motioned for her attention.
"Next time you think about taking up the sword like your da, remember this. Remember how we looked when we crawled in after just three days in the wild. Those were three days without warm bread, without even a rock to lay our heads down on and feel safe at night. You remember, and think again. Got anything you like to do?"
Startled by the rapid change of subject, the girl answered.
"I can cook, some. Mama says it's a blessing to have me."
"Good. So run a good inn like your da does now. There's a reason his sword's hung up over the fireplace out there, and not in a sheathe."
Still wide-eyed, she nodded. Hawk pressed a copper coin into her hand, which showed signs of old burn marks from lifting pots too hot to handle, and gave her a slight push toward the doorway. When she had gone, Angela pointed at the thief with her spoon and frowned.
"Was that really necessary? We need every scrap of lucre we can scrounge right now. It's a good thing he gave this room for free, or we'd probably be sleeping on the floor out there."
"Since when did you become so trail-wise? But yes, it was necessary." He stopped eating for a few moments, remembering how the girl had looked when she had stood there, just watching them eat. "You didn't see how she looked, with your back to her. She just about had stars in her eyes. I was just showing her that it's not all glamour and brightwork."
Needless to say, the couple that kept the inn slept better when their daughter no longer made any mention of going off to see the world.
The next day, the trio peeled themselves out of bed and made their way groggily into the common room. This time, it was the innkeeper's wife that greeted them, looking far too awake and bright-eyed for the early hour.
"Andy told me about you lot. Said you're to eat a good breakfast and report to the bathhouse soon as you've finished." She bustled off into the back room that served as the kitchen without another word. By the time they had seated themselves at one of the tables, a youth with a lively grin like his father's was dashing out of the door, carrying three plates of plain food. Unlike his sister he did not stare, and did not tarry. He bounced out of the entrance without even waiting for a tip. Amazed by the brisk efficiency of the place, they tucked into the food gustily.
"You know, this tastes better than anything I ever had at Court." Angela remarked. Riesz nodded, too absorbed in her food to answer.
"It's the road. Eating nothing but cold trail rations for days does that to you." Hawk somehow managed to say, around a mouth full of good bread. When they had first arrived, they just inhaled their food without tasting it. Now that they could appreciate it, they realized that it was very good. Too good for a trio of adventurers just in from the road.
"Sarah's handiwork, you think?" Angela asked, and Hawk nodded. When they had finished, they went out to the building attached to the inn's side. Steam greeted them at the open doorway, as well as another child, this one a boy with the hands of a musician.
"Thank you..." Angela began.
"Roger, lady. And it's no trouble. Mama always gives us special treats when we help without whining!" He moved aside to reveal heaven, as far as the sweaty travelers were concerned. Inside were three tubs, each filled with water that steamed invitingly. They would finally get the chance to really scrub off the grime of travel. After dropping a pile of towels on the tiled floor, the boy left and closed the door.
"Uh..." Angela and Hawk exchanged glances. As far as they could tell, there were no curtains to change behind, and no divided areas to denote male/female baths. Unabashed, Riesz shed her clothing, ignoring the other's gasps. She slipped into the warm water with a sigh.
"Come on! Get in! The water's just right...." She splashed a little moisture at them, and laughed as they stood there, sopping wet. The two outside of the bath glanced at each other. This time, identical, evil grins spread over their faces.
"I'll get the soap, you get on of those towels." Angela said. She pulled a bar off the shelf, and Hawk picked up a towel.
"Wait, what are you doing? No don't! I'm ticklish!"
Stripping off their own trail and battle-stained garments, they descended on the hapless Riesz and proceeded to scrub her down bodily. The gales of laughter that erupted then eventually reached the ears of the innkeeper and his wife.
"Should we stop them?" The woman asked, bouncing a baby on her leg. The laughter had a slightly hysterical edge to it.
"No, I think they need this." He looked out in the direction of the bathhouse, and sighed. The splashes and laughter persisted.
They're still just kids, really. Goddess bless them, and put them on the right path.
Aw... This is the kind of thing that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. To explain Angela and Hawk's sudden loss of self-consciousness, they really are just kids. Life on the road was hard back then, especially for the young. But this was also a great chance for the trio to have a nice bonding experience!
Ja ne!
~Truewind
~Truewind
On the Path
When the three travelers straggled into the temple town, it was three hours past the sun's peak. Market was in full swing, and they soon found themselves swept up into the whirlwind of activity. As tired as they were, the familiar surroundings of civilization were comforting after three days of wilderness trekking. They were finally able to let down their guards, and began to feel a little more human, instead of like hunted animals. Somehow, amid the maelstrom of bodies and carts and livestock, they managed to find an inn.
"A room." Angela managed to gasp out. The innkeeper, who happened to be an old adventruer himself, took one look at their exhausted faces and chuckled.
"Ah, you'll be wanting some food, and then you'll be for your pallets?"
They nodded, and he led them, not the common room, as they had expected, but to a scrupulously clean room with three beds in it, equally clean. It was probably the best room in the house. Riesz turned, and stared at the man.
"Sir, there's no way we can afford this."
He just grinned, revealing a set of strong teeth a horse would envy.
"Spearlady, those marks on that leather you've got on tell me you've already paid in full. Sarah will be in with your food later. It's plain fare, but good. Me wife's a good cook, and I'd imagine you couldn't handle any finery at any rate."
He grinned again as they all turned slightly green, and turned to leave.
"Goddess bless, innkeeper." Murmured Riesz, as she fell into the just-right cushion of the simple bed.
"Goddess bless, spearlady."
The innkeeper's word was as good as his rooms, and a young, sweet-faced girl soon arrived, laden with three steaming platters. The three warriors attacked their meals so voraciously that the girl's eyes widened. When Hawk realized that she had not left, he motioned for her attention.
"Next time you think about taking up the sword like your da, remember this. Remember how we looked when we crawled in after just three days in the wild. Those were three days without warm bread, without even a rock to lay our heads down on and feel safe at night. You remember, and think again. Got anything you like to do?"
Startled by the rapid change of subject, the girl answered.
"I can cook, some. Mama says it's a blessing to have me."
"Good. So run a good inn like your da does now. There's a reason his sword's hung up over the fireplace out there, and not in a sheathe."
Still wide-eyed, she nodded. Hawk pressed a copper coin into her hand, which showed signs of old burn marks from lifting pots too hot to handle, and gave her a slight push toward the doorway. When she had gone, Angela pointed at the thief with her spoon and frowned.
"Was that really necessary? We need every scrap of lucre we can scrounge right now. It's a good thing he gave this room for free, or we'd probably be sleeping on the floor out there."
"Since when did you become so trail-wise? But yes, it was necessary." He stopped eating for a few moments, remembering how the girl had looked when she had stood there, just watching them eat. "You didn't see how she looked, with your back to her. She just about had stars in her eyes. I was just showing her that it's not all glamour and brightwork."
Needless to say, the couple that kept the inn slept better when their daughter no longer made any mention of going off to see the world.
The next day, the trio peeled themselves out of bed and made their way groggily into the common room. This time, it was the innkeeper's wife that greeted them, looking far too awake and bright-eyed for the early hour.
"Andy told me about you lot. Said you're to eat a good breakfast and report to the bathhouse soon as you've finished." She bustled off into the back room that served as the kitchen without another word. By the time they had seated themselves at one of the tables, a youth with a lively grin like his father's was dashing out of the door, carrying three plates of plain food. Unlike his sister he did not stare, and did not tarry. He bounced out of the entrance without even waiting for a tip. Amazed by the brisk efficiency of the place, they tucked into the food gustily.
"You know, this tastes better than anything I ever had at Court." Angela remarked. Riesz nodded, too absorbed in her food to answer.
"It's the road. Eating nothing but cold trail rations for days does that to you." Hawk somehow managed to say, around a mouth full of good bread. When they had first arrived, they just inhaled their food without tasting it. Now that they could appreciate it, they realized that it was very good. Too good for a trio of adventurers just in from the road.
"Sarah's handiwork, you think?" Angela asked, and Hawk nodded. When they had finished, they went out to the building attached to the inn's side. Steam greeted them at the open doorway, as well as another child, this one a boy with the hands of a musician.
"Thank you..." Angela began.
"Roger, lady. And it's no trouble. Mama always gives us special treats when we help without whining!" He moved aside to reveal heaven, as far as the sweaty travelers were concerned. Inside were three tubs, each filled with water that steamed invitingly. They would finally get the chance to really scrub off the grime of travel. After dropping a pile of towels on the tiled floor, the boy left and closed the door.
"Uh..." Angela and Hawk exchanged glances. As far as they could tell, there were no curtains to change behind, and no divided areas to denote male/female baths. Unabashed, Riesz shed her clothing, ignoring the other's gasps. She slipped into the warm water with a sigh.
"Come on! Get in! The water's just right...." She splashed a little moisture at them, and laughed as they stood there, sopping wet. The two outside of the bath glanced at each other. This time, identical, evil grins spread over their faces.
"I'll get the soap, you get on of those towels." Angela said. She pulled a bar off the shelf, and Hawk picked up a towel.
"Wait, what are you doing? No don't! I'm ticklish!"
Stripping off their own trail and battle-stained garments, they descended on the hapless Riesz and proceeded to scrub her down bodily. The gales of laughter that erupted then eventually reached the ears of the innkeeper and his wife.
"Should we stop them?" The woman asked, bouncing a baby on her leg. The laughter had a slightly hysterical edge to it.
"No, I think they need this." He looked out in the direction of the bathhouse, and sighed. The splashes and laughter persisted.
They're still just kids, really. Goddess bless them, and put them on the right path.
Aw... This is the kind of thing that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. To explain Angela and Hawk's sudden loss of self-consciousness, they really are just kids. Life on the road was hard back then, especially for the young. But this was also a great chance for the trio to have a nice bonding experience!
Ja ne!
~Truewind