Open Chronicles Unknown Waters

[Roland Grayson]

Plop!

Roland watched his cork bobber live up to its name after casting out his line. Others lined the docks of Dornoch, but few were taking the time to fish as he did. Princess sat in his lap sleeping away with soft rhythmic purrs. Salty air blew. Too bad it couldn't blow away the typical stink deep set into all docks around the world. But that didn't slow nor hinder trade. Nothing short of plague or war could do that.... If even that for some.

The man had come to a new city beyond the Strait in search of work. So far that wasn't working out so well for him. Locals didn't trust outsiders who couldn't speak the native tongue enough to be worth hiring. Outsider trusted other outsiders even less. So there went his option of physical labor. Selling his sword wouldn't work out because the locals had an interesting society where women did most of the fighting. They didn't think he would be worth much given his extra bits. Couldn't blame them given how the opposite happened so often in other places, but still hurt his pride a bit.

Roland wasn't looking to cause problems so he figured it would be better to fish and try his luck selling his catch to the local mongers. If he was lucky he might make enough to stay at an inn. If he wasn't well hopefully he at least had supper for him and his Princess. If he was real lucky maybe something lucrative would come up and his extra bits wouldn't be a factor.... Or somehow become an attractive factor.

 

[Zulgrid]

Before a voice would manifest speaking in the common tongue, a small frog leapt into the waters after hoping through the foot traffic on the docks.

"I'm telling you, this Tychosian Kelp is absolutely incredible!” Came the suave, low voice of a one-eyed dwarf, as he walked down the docks speaking to a tall and comely orcish woman adorned in local finery. She appeared to be someone of importance within Dornoch. "Your alchemists have never seen anything like it. A salve made from this stuff can heal wounds that would knock a dragon dead. I mean it. If you're looking for the best way to give your soldiers an edge, you have found it right here....”

The speaker went on with the enthusiastic sales pitch, as he and the listener walked down the docks past another foreigner who was fishing with a cat in his lap. The pair were coming from the way where a few dockside taverns and merchants had been installed, and heading towards the docks access to city itself.

The dwarf appeared to be selling his product with all the flair a good merchant could muster. His companion however, a high bureaucrat or head merchant from the look of her, seemed much more interested in oogling his exposed arms and chest then listening to him.

 

[Roland Grayson]

A voice with an accent like a rushing river over a bed of massive stones began to find its way over the others around the dock. The man looked away from his line to idly check out the source. One hand holding the rod and the other petting the purr monster in his lap, he was a bit surprised by the scene. A dwarf was trying to sell something to an orcish woman in local dress as the pair walked in his general direction.

The woman seemed uninterested in words and more in his state of dress. The dwarf was going on about some kelp and sounding like the same sorts from Alliria talking about their sea snake oils. From the sounds of his accent the dwarf was likely from Cerak. What was that saying they had? It was easier to get a firm hold of water than the honest truth in Cerak.

The tip of his rod dipped. A bite. His eyes jerked back to his activity. A sharp jerk from him to secure the hook then both hands went to work reeling his line in.

"Looks like one of us landed a bite!"

A smirk was on his face. No need to glance and wink towards the odd pair. They would know who he was speaking to. Rather obvious.

Zulgrid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

Another quarter, another trip out of Alliria for Aderyn to stock up on some of the more rare ingredients she couldn't get easily in Alliria. For all the good the portal stones had done for moving people across the world faster than anyone might have ever dreamed possible without them, shortages were still common especially in those things Aderyn most prized.

She waited in line at the Allir Stone, nearly a week after she had left Alliria for the trek there. Mostly walking, and sometimes hitching a ride on various oxcarts and horse-drawn carriages, it was always a long trip; no wonder, then, that merchants of common goods rarely used the stones. What merchant would move a cartload of knotweed between stones and be on the road for two weeks? It wouldn't pay for the ox.

Money was, of course, always tight. Sharing some of the costs with her brooding housemate back in the Shallows helped, but she always was in need of more supplies. And so she waited in line to buy a portal key, intent on haggling them down and taking pity on her.

When she reached the well-kempt and obviously-greedy sorcerer selling the keys, she looked deep into his eyes with a look of combination distress and innocence.

"I really need a key but I don't think I can afford it," she said.

At first, it appeared like he was going to shout her away, but she reached forward and placed a yellow crystal in his hand. Leaving her hand atop his, she felt his desire for wealth seep out of him and into the crystal.

"Surely you could afford just one as a service to those in need? I'm a healer, after all."

The crystal drank and drank and drank, swallowing the man's avarice.

"O-of course," he said, "the cost of the materials is all I need to cover, really. How much do you have?"

"The crystal is worth that, and you could use it too if you need!"

He handed her a bone token. "Please, take this. Get where you need to be."

Citrine crystal - she would swear by it if she swore.

"Thank you so much! I hope we see each other on my return!" she said, taking the token and bounding up to the stone. "Hmm... where to, though? Let's try Dornoch, I think."

And with that strange feeling of floating and comforting darkness - she did close her eyes, anyway - she was soon just hours from Dornoch. Hitching a ride with a noblewoman who was incredibly willing to have her ride in front of her for most of the trip, she made good time.

She headed toward the docks for a fresh catch - after all, she would have to overnight here and inns were far more welcoming of a traveler who brought a fish for them to prepare.

There at the docks, she could hear various hawkers of goods but one stood out to her despite having nothing to do with seafood.

"I'm telling you, this Tychosian Kelp is absolutely incredible!”

Aderyn had been focused on a nearby fisherman, having aimed herself directly at him with the confidence of someone who knew she'd be walking away with a prize catch, but his close proximity to the salesdwarf made the dwarf impossible to ignore.

She was intrigued. Something she hadn't heard much about before, and what the dwarf claimed it could do seemed nearly too good to be true. But then people also said that of crystals and she knew better than that. She had to know.

"Hello!" she called to the dwarf as she neared him, waving with a smile on her face. "Hi, there! I'm a healer of both body and mind, myself. Can you tell me more about it?"

She ended up next to an orc woman he had already been speaking to, dwarfed so by her size that she seemed far closer to his in height.

---

Roland Grayson Zulgrid

 

[Roland Grayson]

Roland was half focused on the conversation between the dwarf and the orcess. Mainly he was trying to reel this catch in without his line getting snapped. The thread looked fine, but it was hard to trust it. Locals claimed it to be stronger than regular thread as it was a special local silk. He didn't know anything about it so had to trust what they said.

After a bit of a fight he pulled in a beautiful silver colored.... What even kind of fish was this? The man never had taken the time to learn what different fish were. If they didn't come from a stream he didn't know it. Never had reason to. Was this thing even worth anything? Was it common? Rare? He didn't know. He took it off the hook and got it into a bucket he had for his catch next to him. About half the tail was sticking out of it.

The sellsword put his focus more back to the group as he got his next round of bait on the hook. Oh, a newcomer had arrived. A short redhaired woman that was rather easy on the eyes. Listening to her speak he could spot immediately where she was from.

With a smile Roland looked to Aderyn. "Ah an Allirian beauty. Rather far from home. What brings you out this way? Hopefully not looking for work too. Having a bit of trouble with that myself right now."

She may or may not be familiar with his accent as well. The Warring States south of Oban along the strait were common trading partners for Alliria and provided plenty of opportunities given the constant demand for everything to fuel the roaming skirmishes and wars amongst the chaotic borders of his region.

Roland patted a spot next to him then pointed to another pole left abandoned nearby. "Care to join me? Willing to share my bait for the price of having a lovely companion to talk to."

Aderyn Verchtegid Zulgrid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

Aderyn had been attempting to summon the dwarf's specific attention when the very same fisherman she had originally been looking to buy from drew her attention back.

"Ah, an Allirian beauty," he said, causing her to blush slightly out of surprise. His manner of speaking was familiar, though she couldn't really place where exactly. She had never been very good with languages and ethnic affiliations, but it did jog her memory enough to know he wasn't from the north nor indeed the far west.

She smiled at him and turned away from the salesdwarf for the time being; he would likely still be there for some time, after all, and it would be apparent if he started to leave so she could always grab his focus later. She did still need to know about his medicaments.

The man gestured for her to sit, so she closed the gap between them, brushing some of her hair behind her ear. "That's so kind of you, sir."

She hadn't even needed citrine this time, she noted with a distinct pleasure. Gathering her skirts together, she carefully guided herself down beside him. "I confess I'm not much of a fisher but I was hoping to get something good to take to an inn. They usually cook it for free for me, it just has to be big enough for them to keep some extra."

Truthfully, she hadn't paid for a supper in what had to be at least three months by now. Maybe it was just the health of her aura or it was in the stars, but she was currently very blessed.

---

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

"Cast out your line and wait till you feel more than a nibble. Jiggle it a bit if it is taking awhile. Usually works in rivers and ponds." Roland responded with a smile. "Be happy to share my catch if you join me for an evening of dinner, talking, and drinking. On me of course."

He gave her a playful wink.

An evening spent in company was far better than one spent alone. Sure Princess was his heart but she was also more fickle than the weather of the steppes and moody. Not to mention they spent most of their time together already. A new face and one that could actually hold a conversation with him was greatly needed.

With his hook already containing bait he motioned an offer to put the bait on her hook if she wanted. If she was from Alliria it would be a bit odd if she hadn't fished much, but that was hardly the point. He was being friendly and it gave him something to do. Also it was a good way to see how she responded and gauge what kind of person his current companion was. That lovely social game of figuring each other out when first meeting.

Aderyn Verchtegid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

Aderyn knew how to fish - that was never an issue - and so she took the bait from him and hooked it herself. No, her problem was that she lacked any patience for it or any level of skill in it if there even was such a thing. Besides, how could you focus on a fishing line with the ripples of the water right there to help you center yourself and get in touch with your inner being?

She flicked the line out into the water and held the pole low.

"You are endlessly kind. Do you do this for a living?" She waited for his response before adding, "Silly me, I don't even know your name. Mine's Aderyn."

She didn't look at him at all, though, instead watching the end of the line intently. Her eyes were already threatening to unfocus as she consciously fought to look at the line rather than through it.

---

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

The offer was declined and just the bait taken. Well she seemed to be more the independent type. From how she cast her line and went about fishing he had a feeling she wasn't kidding when she said she likely wouldn't catch anything. He already had the one fish so even if she declined the offer of him paying for dinner and drinks she could have that at least.

"Wouldn't say I'm endlessly kind. Just a man looking for a good time." He gave her a playful wink. "Fishing isn't how I make my living. Sellsword and general hand for hire. Picked up some skills and can adapt so can help with anything not requiring years of study."

Names. He had forgotten to introduce himself before. A mistake needing to be fixed.

"Roland and this is my Princess." He petted the white fluffy cat with some spots of gray and tan curled up in his lap purring away without a care. "Pleasure to meet you Aderyn."

He gave her a bit of a bow then cast his own line out into the water finally. For himself he didn't watch his line much. He just kept a firm but not tight grip on the rod. Every so often as it bobbed his eyes would glance to it for a moment then drift back to her.

"Now that we know each other's names. How about yourself Aderyn? What does such a lovely lady like yourself do for a living?"

Aderyn Verchtegid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

"Oh, I didn't even notice her!" Aderyn said, her voice excited and her eyes now directed right at Princess. Her fishing pole dipped as her hands slackened with lack of attention. "She's beautiful."

She'd never had her own before, but regularly left out food and water for the street cats. They weren't good to have around her shop, though; they had influential presences which could change the nature of the various crystals, and the oils were just plain bad for them.

"Well, I do a lot of things like you. I mean, not like you, I don't even know how to hold a sword, but I have a lot of little skills. I'm a musician, though; that's my real passion. But I also heal people's spirits and minds, which can also heal their bodies of illness. I know some herbalism and potionmaking, too, from my grandmother." She let out a sigh as she turned her eyes back to the water. The pole was angled down now and but her turning her attention back to it at least made her tighten her hands on it. She bobbed it a little. "Nothing too interesting, but I get to meet all sorts of wonderful people."

---

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

Roland chuckled at the enthusiasm of the woman about Princess. He moved his arm and motioned an offer for her to pet the sleeping beauty while she told him about herself. From the sounds of things they were similar to each other. Taught workable skills by a grandparent, became a bit of mixed bags, and met new people often. Would be an enjoyable time chatting then if that held true.

"Don't know much about mystical arts, but herbs and potions always are needed and trusted cures. When you make a living fighting people like yourself are lifesavers. So thank you for continuing the craft."

He gave her a smile and nod. How many had he seen saved because of some herbs and potions? Too many. War was profitable, but wasteful. Gold and resources to be made aplenty at the heavy cost of lives. A tragic topic he was going to avoid. Reminded him too much of home....

After a moment of reflection, Roland perked back up. "So is there a special someone waiting for you back home or anywhere else? For myself it is just me and Princess here. No home but with each other."

He smiled down at the cat with pure affection and love on his face. He petted her more and she stretched out to make him scratch her belly.

Aderyn Verchtegid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

Watching Princess enjoy Roland's attentions, Aderyn felt a deep warmth in her chest. He was like a man with a little furry child, devoted to her in a way she'd rarely ever seen even with human children. She took a moment to watch, and then returned to the line. Still no bites as far as she could tell.

"Someone special? Oh, not really," she said. "My shop in the Shallows is attached to a house that I stay in, though. The owner is kind of like you, actually. He's often gone and... well I guess I'm mostly a housekeeper when I'm not working otherwise."

She fiddled with one of the crystals tied to her belt which was left, at least when she was standing, to dangle and as she walked and catch the light. White quartz liked exposure to the sun, and she could sense a sadness in him. "You're welcome to my skills if you have any need, by the way. I can take away your pain, physical or emotional."

She didn't mean it hypothetically when she said she could take pain away, but she also didn't want to be presumptuous.

The line bobbed, startling her upright. She briefly panicked as she forgot what to do, but soon starting yanking on the rod ineffectually. "Oh gods, help," she laughed.

---

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

A woman from the infamous Shallows of Alliria. Roland was indeed correct about her accent even if he held no doubt about it in the first place. What was interesting was that she had a shop and both her and the landlord seemed to travel. Particularly her landlord it seemed.

The offer to take away his pain caught him a bit off guard. Firstly she could tell somehow. Secondly was he willing to let her? He didn't know. It was all to familiar by now. One of those things that just came and went as it pleased. As much a part of him as breathing. Would it stay that way or only be temporary? What would it even feel like for it to be gone?

She had landed a fish. His own hook he was certain had the bait nibbled away by this point. So he set his rod to the side and scooted over so he could help her out. Princess woken up by the movement and hopped out of his lap to sit on top of his rod.

Roland grabbed her rod and yanked on it to set the hook. "Alright it is in now just need to reel in your catch.... Mind if I press up against you to guide you?"

He might be a flirt and braggard often, but he wasn't one to force contact if it was unwanted. He was going to need to real close and make some contact to show her what to do next.

Aderyn Verchtegid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

When Roland grabbed the rod, she let it go, forcing him to hold it awkwardly as he set the hook. She had already started moving away when he asked to show her the rest. She laughed and waved at the line, "Oh, please bring it in. I don't want to lose it!"

Any indication that she realized he was coming on to her was lost in her attention on the actual fishing line. To her, this was normal. She would attempt to do something outside of her skill set, someone more skilled - often a man - would offer to aid and show her how, and often would complete the task for her. How more people didn't realize they could just get help to do anything they want, she didn't know. Maybe it was just that their auras were off-putting; she did sell more than a few crystals for just that reason.

She clasped her hands in front of her, held up to cover her mouth while tightly gripping a piece of rough lapis, intently focused on helping Roland land the fish through what she was skilled at.

"If it's big, I'll find an inn to cook both our catches up for us," she promised, hoping that would help pull it in. She reached forward and dropped the leather strap holding the lapis around Roland's neck, saying quietly next to his ear, "I believe in you."

As she did so, she sipped at whatever feelings of desire and tranquility he harbored. Not much of each, not enough to leave him bereft, but enough fill the metaphorical buckets of each. The former had been mostly filled by the noblewoman she had ridden into Dornoch with - she was lucky to have found someone that full of want. The latter she unconsciously tried to draw from him to stimulate him, to charge him with the energy to land the fish quickly.

---

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

When she just handed it over to Roland he was a bit surprised. His first impression of her was that she was independent and liked to do things herself. That was why he was offering to show her how to do it rather than just taking the rod from her. But it was in his hands now.

As he focused on reeling the catch in, Aderyn started to do something with one of the crystals she had on her. He didn't know exactly what was happening as his focus was required to remain on the fish. All he knew was she was doing something then suddenly she had it put around his neck. Strange.

The promise of finding an inn to cook their catches was made. If he was still in his social persona then he would have made some kind of witty (or not so witty) remark followed up with a smirk and a wink. But he wasn't in his persona right now. The true, serious Roland was focused on bringing in this fish. No smile or playful energy. Just his blank stare as his mental state remained on task.

Shortly after the necklace was around his neck, he began to feel off. It was like his emotions and internal balance had been messed with. A driving towards a goal existed now that was both invigorating and draining at once. Not unpleasant yet not comfortable either. Something that might distract him if not for him stubborn nature.

"Almost got it." Roland wasn't sure what was on the hook. Perhaps another one of those fish he had caught before? Didn't feel the same but he was no fisherman. Certainly would need to confirm with a local if their catches were safe to eat after all of this before they ended up poisoning themselves at dinner.

Aderyn Verchtegid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

Roland was certainly focused and serious, Aderyn noted. It was almost like he was a different person, though admittedly she didn't know him much at all. For all she did know his initial sociability was a trick, even if nothing seemed particularly off about his aura.

She dismissed any notion of analyzing him, however, and focused on the end of the rod, asking the fish in her head to please sacrifice itself, to stop struggling, to make this quick.

As she did so, she grabbed hold of a piece of red jasper and tapped into the stored Desire she had accumulated. In that moment, Roland became "down" for whatever was on the end of his line - and himself, though being the source of the natural pull he would likely not notice unless his bones were weary and in need of laying down. It too drew her closer to him and so she stumbled slightly to brush against his shoulder. She always forgot about that. The pull wasn't stronger than any person could handle, but it drew the line and her catch toward Roland like it was falling out of the sky, perhaps more like a leaf would drop than an actual fish or whatever it was.

She hadn't considered how this would make the cat feel until after it had started, and so quickly looked around for Princess to see if she was okay, breaking her concentration, dropping the jasper, and severing the connection to her pool of emotion. The stone fell to the boards beneath their feet and the effect stopped suddenly, but by then their catch would be free of the water. Aderyn did not, however, see it; instead, she knelt down and held her hand out to Princess, clicking her tongue and whispering, "I'm so sorry."

That distraction was good, because in the use of the emotional power, she felt a want, a need, churning her heart. It wasn't strong - she hadn't used much - but it was there, and it was uncomfortable.

---

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

Something was not right. Roland felt very off. It was like he was staggering from being drunk or onboard a ship. Never had a chance to get what sailors called sealegs. Only it wasn't a physical kind of stagger but more emotional. Internal. Like he had too much or too little of certain feelings. One such being this odd desire to have the fish hooked and landed. It was a need like a need need.

So distracted between reeling in the fish and this vague awareness of how off he was feeling, the man didn't realize that she had gotten closer to him to the point she even brushed up against his shoulder. An action he would normally have but might as well have been a strong gust for all he knew. But the fish was nearly to them. So close. He was soooo close to reeling it in!

Princess was disturbed from her slumber on her human's fish catching stick. A need of being back in his lap had shown up, so she got up and slowly stretched out. Before she could make her way to her human someone began to make clicking sounds and whispers at her. Rude. She promptly ignored the strange lady and circled around before pouncing into her human's lap full force.

Roland had the fish up and out of the water. Was a different fish than the one he caught. Red scales and bigger. As he worked to take the hook out something struck his lap. A very needy girl had pounced. The sudden impact and movement caused his hands to slip. The barely unhooked fish fell from his fingers onto the dock. It bounced about seeking freedom and would soon find it if no one grabbed it with their hands.

"Princess! We are losing dinner!" He said trying to move her so he could go for the fish that was just out of his reach now. The cat refused to budge and he even felt claws sink into cloth and flesh. A yelp escaped him and a scowl. "Damn cat!"

Despite the look on his face he wasn't all that angry and wasn't going to do more than gently yet firmly try to remove her paws from his pants.

Aderyn Verchtegid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

The cat ignored Aderyn and went for Roland; the fish was pulled out of the water and into Roland's hands. The fish then dropped and tried to make its way back to where it came from. Aderyn dove toward it and struck it firmly against the dock, tapping into some of her Fury. She didn't like the feeling of it, but in times of such need, the crystals had wills of their own and had known best. Memories of some of the worst times in the Shallows, at least since she became an adult, flooded to the front of her mind. Her first public violin performances, her singing, people in the audience heckling her. Thrown stools and bottles. The emotion pouring into her hand broke the fish behind its gill plate, rendering it senseless and then, quickly, squeezing it fully dead.

Her breath had quickened, her chest heaving. She had exposed more of the Fury than she should have, and now needed to do... something. She needed to calm down. She tried to breathe slowly and with purpose to steady her heart and center herself as she lifted the fish and showed it to Roland.

"Thank you for your sacrifice," she whispered to it as she held back expressing the rage she felt. Then she quickly followed up by addressing Roland directly. "See, I knew I'd get a good catch today. Do you want to stay here or go elsewhere?"

Her cheerful demeanor was now a facade, a simulacrum that couldn't bear the weight of how she really felt at this moment. If she had an obvious fault, it was capacity for anger. But Roland wouldn't understand, many didn't, and so she forced a smile.

 

[Roland Grayson]

The furry Princess and her human knight both eventually began to equal out after a bit. The struggle of out of lap verses no staying in lap finally came to a conclusion of him picking her up and holding her in his arms. Made it an issue then when his rod was yanked into the water and well out of his reach. Could add another lost fishing rod to his list of thing Princess' stubbornness had cost Roland.

Aderyn managed to slay the mighty sea beast with her bare hands while the other pair was preoccupied. An underlying anger seemed to show its face for the briefest moment. Not an usual things to see in his line of work. The quietest and happiest people always seemed to be the most explosive with their ire and the ones who had their outbursts be the most sudden and unexpected. But he wasn't worried as it was a fish and she might be starving. Couldn't blame her for it.

He smiled to her as he did his best to stand with a cat in his arms. "Seeing as my rod chose the sea over me, how about we go elsewhere? Can just leave the rod you used here for the next person.... Mind picking up my bucket? Don't think she will be wanting down anytime soon."

A motion of his head indicated the annoyed yet happy brat purring away in his arms. Princess always made things so difficult for no reason.

Aderyn Verchtegid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

Aderyn looked around for her jasper first, pocketing it again with her right hand once she did, still holding the fish in a too-tight grip with her left. She clenched her teeth, releasing only to bite her lip momentarily before returning them to their own firm state. With the bucket, she attempted to jam the fish into the remaining space and it more or less worked. The heads of them both were probably a mess by the time she had finished but they were at the bottom and were no longer her concern.

She picked up the bucket and gestured for him to go first. As she did so, she noted that she had somehow missed the salesdwarf leaving. Oh well, she thought, if she saw him again then she would simply be more diligent.

"Carrying the little cat while the woman does the heavy lifting," she said. "I guess you're settling to life in Dornoch pretty well.

After some more walking in the direction Roland had chosen, she said, "I think... turn left up at the fork? There's a line of taverns and brothels up there last I remember. It's been a year or two, though."

---

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

Roland laughed at Aderyn's comment. Princess didn't find it as humorous because it ended with a loud noise near her. She gave her human the pinned back ears and narrow eyed side glancing glare of shame. He ignored her input.

"Truly I am saving you from the heaviest of burdens." He replied back to the redhead as he already began to walk off in the direction he thought mention of taverns had been at.

When Aderyn said to turn left at the fork he did so. Between the two of them she had the most experience with the city and even if she was wrong it was not as if he knew any better than she did. If anything it would just turn into a sort of adventure of its own requiring they speak with the locals.

The journey left soon enough proved her right as taverns and brothels came into view. One set of establishments was busier than the other given the fact the sun had yet to set. As they walked he said as he looked at the signs, "Any recommendation or shall we try each one till one feels right?"

Somehow he believed that would be how she picked where she would go. His own method tended to involving asking several locals and going with the most recommended place or one he was directed to by someone he knew.... Her picking did fall under the directed to by someone he knew method, if someone he had only just met.

Aderyn Verchtegid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

The street was definitely what Aderyn remembered it being. Tavern, tavern, brothel, inn, brothel-inn, tavern. None of them were themselves memorable and thus she had no recommendations.

She shrugged and lifted the bucket with seemingly little effort, the last remnants of the Fury still strengthening her, to point toward the closest establishment. "I guess we check out which ones work best. Good kitchen, nice music... maybe I'll play?"

Without actually waiting for him to acknowledge, she walked toward it, still awkwardly holding a bucket of raw fish and receiving a number of stares from people coming and going. At worst, they're just jealous, she told herself, issuing an internal reminder that people did not mean ill regardless of how they looked at her.

She did, however, say over her shoulder, "I'm starting to think maybe the next one, though."

---

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

Princess had calmed down considerably as they walked. From in desperate need for attention to purring content, she had stopped making herself a problem. Roland was glad for that, but it left him able to pay more attention to what was going on around him. What he noticed was that his companion seemed a bit off herself. The way she held the bucket. How she went about picking a place for them to go. It was as if she wasn't putting much thought into any of this and was just going off of how she felt.

When they arrived at the first place there was the usual stares, but they had shifted into more unusual shortly after. A woman holding a bucket of fish and a man holding a cat had walked in. Normally that would be uncommon, but they were in Dornoch. It might not be so odd here with women being the ones in positions of power. He couldn't say either way being new.

Aderyn spoke. He nodded to her. "Agreed."

He held out a hand towards her motioning to the bucket. Princess was calm enough now he only needed one arm to carry her. It was his bucket and one of the fish his own so only seemed right he carry it. Also a woman carrying the burden while the man just watched seemed like a quick way to get a knife in the gut around here.

"What kind of music you like to play Aderyn? Catchy tavern tales are mine. Also think the fish would taste great with some butter and lemon if they have any. Add something for a side or two." Roland felt a conversation was needed right now. He felt off still but in a different way than before. Normally he would shift right back into his social persona, but it just didn't feel possible right now. A side effect of whatever weirdness had been going on at the dock?

Aderyn Verchtegid

 

[Aderyn Verchtegid]

When Roland held out his hand for the bucket, Aderyn handed it off immediately. She'd been carrying far longer than she usually had to carry much of anything before someone would offer to help. Walking with him must have warded off helpful passers-by, though.

She ducked her head into the first establishment just to see what it was like inside. It was loud, smokey, and a bit dirty. Filled to the brim and lacking in anything that looked to be a stage or clear performance area. She turned and walked away. "Onto number two," she said.

"I know a few of the tavern songs popular in the Shallows, but I mostly just play whatever comes to mind with whatever instrument I have. A lot of it's unplanned. If you give me a style I can probably play in it." She could not, however, remember lyrics very well despite being a reasonable singer. Instrumental was her preference as a result.

She tilted her back and sighed. "Oh, butter and lemon sound wonderful but we might have to pay for that. We could put out the ol' hat I guess if they're a bit stingy."

They came to the open door of an inn that appeared to have a kitchen. The interior of the main room looked reasonable: a good crowd, clearer air, and a bit quieter though not by enough to render it inherently unwelcoming to her talents. So, she gestured around to the side of the building. "Kitchen entrance would be easier to negotiate from."

---

Roland Grayson

 

[Roland Grayson]

The man followed along when his companion decided she didn't like the first place they went to after a quick look over. Could hardly blame her. Place was packed already and lacking in entertainment that didn't involve dice, drinking, or pestering the wait staff.

As they walked and she talked, he raised a brow at her comments. Did she think he lacked coin for their meals? Certainly he was looking for work, but his kind was always having to look for work. Never knew what the next job would be or pay so keeping the coins flowing was better than sitting idly. At least it had been that way for him. Some only took "good paying jobs" as if they had some special skill or the luxury of choice.

"I planned on paying for our meals. Not rich but you don't need to hold back either. Get what you want and enjoy yourself. Company in an unfamiliar place is worth more than any coins."

Roland gave her a smile, assuming she even looked at him. He continued to follow her as she was more familiar with this sort of thing than he was. Food was always just something he made or ordered. This indirect in between method of her's was new and interesting. Was it common practice to borrow kitchens like this or was it an uncommon skill she had picked up somewhere?

"Same applies for drinks. On me tonight. Gifts as thanks for keeping me company."

He was out of sorts. Usually he would give some kind of terribly flirty line so bad it would get a laugh. Why couldn't he slip into his usual persona right now?

Aderyn Verchtegid