Allen would never admit how much those softly spoken words hit him right in the chest. He would never admit that it made him feel glad, proud even, to be weak for a moment. So to save himself of embarrassment, Allen switch to his default response: "Yeah, yeah, yeah..." and looked into his cup of tea. Usually it was ale, but for an odd reason, he wasn't in the mood to drink tonight.
He looked up to the boy, eying him casually over his mug, his mind already trying to sort out different positions and scenes he could use him in.
It's your own fault, you know.
Re: It's your own fault, you know.
Chesslin ignored Allen's gaze completely, though he was not unaware of it. Chess was too focused on planning his future. What could he do? Who could he see? How could he learn what he needed to know? After a few moments and a few more pieces of cheese, Chess raised his eyes to Allen's.
"How dangerous is it for someone to walk this city alone?" he asked, watching the dwarf's face carefully for any nuance in feeling. Chesslin knew Marn was different from his hometown, that he could not walk as openly here. But how different?
"How dangerous is it for someone to walk this city alone?" he asked, watching the dwarf's face carefully for any nuance in feeling. Chesslin knew Marn was different from his hometown, that he could not walk as openly here. But how different?
Re: It's your own fault, you know.
Allen watched the boy eat, satisfied. It wouldn't do to have a scrawny model after all. He could make due with it for now - do some darker images for his more fucked up clients - but beyond that... He watched Sir Mousealot nibble on the cheese - now done with the bread it seems and relaxed, nibbling on bits himself occasionally.
He was just allowing himself to sink into his emotions - try to come up with that image he could feel on the edge of his mind - when Chesslin asked that question. Memories roared up and grabbed him like a stranglehold. Dead whores lying on the streets, their throats slit. Young boys beat to death in gutters, old men in drunken stupors, high maniacs, perverted bastards, rapists, gaurds- Allen's eyes darkened considerably.
"Dangerous to the point I'd rather you not be on your own until I know for a fact you can defend yourself boy." His voice carried the dark memories, the agony and the sheer terror he'd felt. "Fact is I'd likely give you hell for being alone this early into coming here." He could not convey to Chesslin strongly enough just how against it he was.
"I don't want to see you raped, dead or worse on the streets boy. For now, I go with you."
He was just allowing himself to sink into his emotions - try to come up with that image he could feel on the edge of his mind - when Chesslin asked that question. Memories roared up and grabbed him like a stranglehold. Dead whores lying on the streets, their throats slit. Young boys beat to death in gutters, old men in drunken stupors, high maniacs, perverted bastards, rapists, gaurds- Allen's eyes darkened considerably.
"Dangerous to the point I'd rather you not be on your own until I know for a fact you can defend yourself boy." His voice carried the dark memories, the agony and the sheer terror he'd felt. "Fact is I'd likely give you hell for being alone this early into coming here." He could not convey to Chesslin strongly enough just how against it he was.
"I don't want to see you raped, dead or worse on the streets boy. For now, I go with you."
Re: It's your own fault, you know.
Chesslin studied in silence the effect that his question had on the dwarf. He had not expected the element of gruff, blunt fear that came through in Allen's voice. Chess had heard rumors of this city's darker quarters, but he could hardly imagine a danger that would warrant this sort of reaction. Weren't the Guard supposed to be keeping things safer? Apparently, they weren't doing as good a job as some people back home had claimed.
It took some time for Chesslin to respond to Allen's orders. He picked up another slice of cheese. It really was very good. Knowing all the while that his silence was unnerving, given the circumstances, Chesslin waited until he had eaten that bit of cheese before he offered a response.
"I understand," he answered in the same steady, barely emotional tone with which he might have described his hair color. For now, Chesslin had no intentions of going out into the city alone. He did not know enough of the streets, the allies, the locations of things, to avoid getting completely turned around. In a little while, though, he would have memorized at least their neighborhood. It would be time for him to venture out on his own. He could not very well go dragging Allen around in the underground, now could he?
It took some time for Chesslin to respond to Allen's orders. He picked up another slice of cheese. It really was very good. Knowing all the while that his silence was unnerving, given the circumstances, Chesslin waited until he had eaten that bit of cheese before he offered a response.
"I understand," he answered in the same steady, barely emotional tone with which he might have described his hair color. For now, Chesslin had no intentions of going out into the city alone. He did not know enough of the streets, the allies, the locations of things, to avoid getting completely turned around. In a little while, though, he would have memorized at least their neighborhood. It would be time for him to venture out on his own. He could not very well go dragging Allen around in the underground, now could he?
Re: It's your own fault, you know.
"Thank you, lad." Allen sighed out before standing with a groan to check the meal. Coming along, but not done. Allen stood at the counter and popped his back, feeling as though he were hundred of years older than he actually was. Changers... he was only middle aged...
He climbed back into the chair, facing Chesslin, before eying the boy. "I've got a portrait in mind, I'd like to discuss with you before we give it a shot, if you've of the mind, lad."
He climbed back into the chair, facing Chesslin, before eying the boy. "I've got a portrait in mind, I'd like to discuss with you before we give it a shot, if you've of the mind, lad."