Private Tales Diamonds Are An Elf's Best Friend

[Anton]

What a rather miserable place, Anton thought to himself, looking around where he had arrived to. Sitting in the driving seat of his small yet sturdy caravan, drawn by a single well built horse. It snorted, hooves pouting at the dirt for a time when he pulled it to a stop. Hopping down, Anton brushed off his attire while looking around some more. The Shallows, what a dark, murky place. Reminded him of where rats would plague citizens, where dark creatures would lurk in shadows. Going around to the back of the carriage, Anton took up a sack. He was here to trade, to sell for goods.

Anton pushed himself through the muck that was the ground, boots collecting mud along the way to the markets. Once there, Anton began his search. "For such a small, dirty place, I am sure they have plenty of goods to offer. Some handsome value here, I am sure" Anton said quietly to himself, eyes watching.

But in a place such as this, trade wasn't all, he was sure of that. There were bandits no doubt in the shadows, waiting. Waiting, in the dark for a turned back. He was sure to keep his awareness all around, as best as he could manage in a place like this.

 

[Leyus]

Leyus was feeling rather odd. Not because of the place, he had been in the Shallows his fair share of times, the location being most probably the best for trade on both sides of the law. He was used to this murky spot indeed, to the point that he knew what accent to adopt for the best treatment from different sorts of locals. It was also not the reason of his visit that made him feel strange; he was here to strike up a new series of trade deals, having a lot of spare money on his hands after a very lucky adventuring affair. Well, at least in the monetary sense. And in the sense of bringing him the reason for these peculiar feelings: he was no longer traveling alone.
Leyus didn't really understand how it had happened, but upon returning to Alliria Althaeo had tagged along with him. Just like that. He probably had his own good reasons, that Leyus hadn't implored for too much. Mostly because of the surprise that... somebody could want to travel with him? People never did that. Leyus liked to hop from place to place far too often, at the same time he didn't indulge in any heroic deeds of any sort. He was just a moderately unfortunate tradesman, that's all.

Well, right now he was a tradesman with a generous amount of coin, that could make his past misfortunes seem a lot less scarring. "We have to find good transport first. A wagon or something," he said to Althaeo, upon their arrival, "My last one went up in flames," Leyus added far too cheerfully to fit his actual words.
So, yes, that was the first step. Transport. A horse for it. Then they could start looking for some nicer deals, which the Shallows, no doubt, could offer.

What the place could offer as well, as Leyus found out not too long after they had started wandering around, was a meeting with the past, that one would have preferred to forget. That is to say: he saw some familiar faces, and he did not like them.
"Oh skies damn me," he cursed, pulling himself and his companion behind the closest cover he could find, which turned out to be a caravan, pulled by a single horse, "I owe them."
"Them" were a bunch of men, shady looking ever for this place's standards, who were strolling around not too far from them. Hard to miss, as they carried themselves in a proprietary manner, that they could as well own the place. Which they didn't. Kind of. In legal terms.
They were still very influential, very dangerous, and very much had lent Leyus some money some time ago... Money that he, obviously, hadn't returned.

In his defense, it was hard to do that while trying to not get burned along with his wagon.

 

[Rhiannon]

Wagon and horse up in flames? Sounded like something he did a while back. Al sighs, “You do know I can easily take care of them snd that debt will be done with right?” He’d tell Leyus as he was dragged behind the caravan peeking out at the men, “Besides they do not know me.” He’d smile. “Are they like part of a large crime syndicate?” His eyes will brighten up some in their white glow as he thought as did his facial diamonds. Everything else was covered up by his normal attire, a jacket, cloak, gloves etc.

He’d catch a glimpse of the owner of the caravan, carrying a large sack. “Leyus.... I do not think that its a good idea for that elf to be carrying such a big sack around here.” Al motions to the man. Then at the people walking around. “Want me to give you my cloak so you can travel around more safely somewhat?”

 

[Anton]

Anton found this place peculiar every time he came here. Why was it so popular of a place for meetings? It was dark, murky, it stunk like dead fish mixed with sewage. Then he would remember, what guard would want to stay more than five minutes in such a place? A place that did well to cover your tracks in. Hauling the sack over one shoulder, Anton kept his stance high and mighty, so to speak.

Head held high, back up straight, taking steps in stride. Every now and then, Anton would give a quick glance around. Not too quick, as he did not wish to attract unnecessary attention with too long a stare. That would ruin his day, fast. Soon Anton managed to find a spot, just within sight of his caravan. Having his back to it for the moment, Anton set down his sack and opened it up to share a glimpse of his wares to those around.

A risk move, to say the least. However, it had meaning. It was to gain attention to what he had in store, to what others could purchase. Some jewelry, a couple of well-adorned daggers and some precious stones. "Come on over, come on over!" Anton announced around, trying to get some more attention now to what he had. "From the mountains of Belgrath with stones of the Dwarves, to circlets made in Fal'Addas for the rich and powerful, I offer these for simple amounts of coin!"

Rhiannon Leyus

 

[Leyus]

Leyus looked at Althaeo for a bit, as if lost for words. In fact, he was lost for words, for a split second, because, yes, he still had troubled wrapping his mind around the fact that his new companion was also apparently some very, very old, odd being with earth-shattering magical powers. Skies.
"Thanks, but I'll have to say no to both taking them out and the cloak," he offered his companion a crooked smile, "First of all, if a cloak would solve my problems, I wouldn't be worried in the first place," since Leyus did have his own abilities after all. Ad if to show it, his irises went from warm brown to grey, in a split second. Then he sighed, heavily. "I don't know how they do that, but they can recognize me in any form or clothing," and he had had to learn it he hard way. He had barely managed to escape then. "As for taking them out," Leyus took a careful peek around the caravan, before pulling himself back right away, "You could do it, I don't have as much as shadow of a doubt, but then the whole criminal scum of this damned place would be on our heels, and that wouldn't be pleasant," because, yes, they something similar to a part of a crime syndicate. Allirian crime syndicate, which made it so much more fun.

As for the elf... As for the elf, right when Leyus had wanted to reply to Althaeo's remark about him, the bastard just had to start shouting out loud. Great. Amazing. Just what he needed. "Definitely not a good idea," for them, that is. Elf, on the other hand, probably had some good trade deals coming in soon. Or not. "We should get out of here. But not with him shouting like that. Any ideas?"