The rain wasn't comforting at all. Roslyn sat up in her bed, staring out the window at the gray sky. She ached everywhere, but she knew that there was still work to be done. She had to deliver what the townspeople ordered from her husband, otherwise there would be hell to pay when the two of them returned home. Emma was still asleep, so she made sure not to wake her.
"Earl, could you watch over her ? I need to go see what made it through" Roslyn said to the burly man who helped her. He rose form his seat when he saw that she was awake.
"Roslyn, you really shouldn't be moving. Your-"
"I'm alright. Besides, there is too much work that needs to be done."
She got up slowly and made her way to the door.
"Well if you insist on working today, at least take this"
She turned around to see Earl holding a peach colored umbrella to her.
"Emma would kill me if I let you catch a cold no top of being injured. "
"Thank you Earl. " Roslyn said with a smile.
She didn't have to go far, when she arrived at one of the taverns in Shizontania she saw that some of the other merchants had started unloading the stock without her. In a way she was somewhat reliefed.
"Oh Roslyn! what are you doing here?" A woman burly shrieked. She handed off her crate to a younger man and ran over to her.
"I came to give you all a hand. I know we don't have a much but-"
"I don't care if Ramsus gets angry, you can't put yourself through this! Your injured aren't you?" The woman scolded.
" But I -"
"No buts! If you want to help do it inside and by the fire. You can run numbers with the clerk or something! Go!"
The woman gently pushed Roslyn inside and pulled up a chair for her by the hearth. The waitress with short black hair greeted them with a corteous bow of her head.
" Yo Elidi, She'll go over the report with you. Make sure everything thats there matches what you ordered. Of course it wont though."
The girl named Elidi smiled and bowed once more.
"I know. My boss understands as well and sends his regards. "
"We won't charge you for the difference."
"Thank so much. Wait here miss, I'll go make some coffee."
The burly guildswoman gave Roslyn damp papers that had the bar's order on it. There were a lot of cases of things like wine and produce, basically everything they needed to keep their business running. She had no idea how much of their order they were actually getting.
"Okay. Shall we get started?" Elidi said, putting a mug down in front of Roslyn. She pulled up a chair and sat acorss form her.
Jurgis and Erwin entered the taveren and pulled up chairs. They were the unlucky pair to get morning watch and they were still sore from the battle of the previous night. Jurgis was pretty sure that neither of them had completely washed the smell of blood from their skin. And Erwin had a good deal of visible bruises too.
"Coffee gentlemen?" The bar man asked. He had already readied two white mugs.
"Yes please. Thank you." Erwin said.
Jurgis leaned onto his head and tried massaging an oncoming headache. "I hope this weather isn't getting me sick" He thought. He looked to the hearth. His eyes fell on the familiar face of the woman he save the day before. "There is no way her injuries are healed yet"
He watched her move , and could immidietly tell by her leaning posture that she was uncomfortable. "I wonder if her daughter is alright"
The two ate a small breakfast in silence. Jurgis looked at the women every once in awhile, even as the two prepared to leave.
"Erwin, take care of the bill. I'll pay you later." Jurgis said rising form his chair.
"Sure thing." Erwin said./ He was to tired to really care.
Jurgis made his way to the door where Roslyn stood with her umbrella. When their eyes met, they paused.
"Your that kngiht from yesterday..."Roslyn whispered. She stood as strait as she could and bowed as deep as her injured body would allow.
"Thank you so much for what you did. You saved my life." She said. Jurgis didn't really know what to say to that, so he stuck to his guns about his concerns.
"Are you sure you should be up and about? Your injuried can't be feeling to good right now." He asked. Roslyn looked away, a bit ashamed, as well as embarressed.
"True I'm not feeling perfect right now, but there is far to much work to be done. I can't just sit around and let everyone else do my work for me. "
"What about your daughter?"
"Emma is fine. I left her at the inn with a friend of mine. "
They were silent for a short amount of time.
"Are you heading back to the inn then?" He asked. Roslyn looked a bit surprised.
"Um-yes I was. "
"Please allow me to walk you back." He said. A small blush spread acorss her cheeks.
"N-no I couldn't possibly take anymore of your time. I'm sure your very busy-"She started
"I would never forgive myself if you collapsed on the street. Especially after saving you."
He bowed his head. Roslyn couldn't help but think about the men she associated with daily. Her husband, a drunk abusive brute with next to nothing for compassion. The other merchant members, while nice were rough and lacked manners. But the man in fornt of her , clad in knight armor was nothing but a gentleman. She could tell he wasn't going to budge on the request of his.
"Alright. I suposse I could let you." She sighed. The two stepped out of the doorway and Roslyn popped open the umbrella. Fortunetly, it was large enough to sheild both of them from what was becoming a heavy downpour. They were silent as they walked side by side. Roslyn was too focused on taking each and every step. She tried not to think of how embarssing it would be if she did collapse.
"So did you come from the capitol?" Jurgis asked. Roslyn snapped out of her slight trance and looked at him before letting ehr eyes fall to the ground.
"Yes. Emma and I came to deliver some of my husbands wears to the people here."
"Are you part of fortune's market then?"
"Well, my husband is. I am part of the guild by marriage but Emma and I aren't really official members. "
"Well that certainly makes things complicated."
Roslyn chuckled slightly.
"Sometimes. But the people of the guild are good to us even though the two of us are still imperial citizens. "
"Your husband didn't make the trip this time?"
"N-no. He doesn't like to take these long trips. I don't really mind it though. "
"Isn't it tough on Emma? The trip I mean. "
She was silent. For a minute , Jurgis wondered if maybe he was asking to much.
"Not really. It would be tougher if she stayed home. She and my husband don't- I mean we don't really get along with him that well. "
"Forgive me. I didn't mean to pry." He said. Roslyn looked at him ands smiled.
"You saved my life, I think you deserve to know if it was worth it."
"She certainly has a wierd way of putting it"
"Emma's father passed away when she was still a baby. I too her back to the capitol and we lived with my parents for a short while, then they decided to marry me into fortune's market in order to secure a half decent living for the two of us. I know they meant well but they had know idead what he was really like. "
Jurgis couldn't help but feel an uncomfortable amount of guilt well up inside him. He wasn't sure he deserved to hear her story, but at the same time he could tell she wanted to talk about it. Maybe she even needed to talk about it.
"He doesn't hurt you or your daughter does he?" He asked. Roslyn fell silent.
"I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to as"
"He has in the past." She interuppted. Their steps stopped, and Roslyn found herself staring at the ground, unable to look at him in the eye.
"Whenever he had a bad month of sales, or sometimes when he comes home drunk and in a bad mood. He'll-"
Jurgis put a hand on her shoulder.
"That's enough. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." He said. "I shouldn't involve myself in her life affiars like this"
Roslyn collected herself.
"I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to dump all of that on you. "She said. Jurgis smield faintly.
"It's okay. Come, I'm sure Emma is waiting for you."
Just as he said, Emma was standing in the doorway with Earl. She ran to her mom and wrapped her arms around her.
"Welcome back Momma!" She jeered.
"Thanks honey. "
Emma looked at Jurgis then tried to hide behind her mother. Roslyn laughed and put a hand on Emma's head.
"I'm sorry. She's just shy. " She said.
"It's alright."
He kneeled down to Emma's level.
"I'm Jurgis. It's a pleasure to meet you little lady." He said with a smile.
"I'm Emma" SHe said meagerly.
"What a lovely name." He said standing back up.
"How rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself to you."Roslyn said bowing. Jurgis forgot completely "I can't beleive I alsmost let her tell me her life story without even knowing her name first" He thought to himself. She held out her hand.
"I'm Roslyn Eversted. It's a please to me you sir."She said. Jurgis gently took her hand.
"Please, Jurgis will do"
fuwa-I haven't written anythin in forever. But this idea came to me while I was watching the first strike ( well duh XD) at those little moments when you notice how well two people look together. Anyway ~