Late Spring, 122PW
Continued from here
It was midafternoon when Amm and Arusa fell into the Red Chalice. Amm was naked. Arusa was not. Amm didn't care about nudity. Arusa did.
Being that it was midafternoon, the tavern portion of the Inn was mostly empty; men and women were out doing their work, and the ones who were left were either rich, traveling, or no good ragamuffins. There were only six people present, and they included the barman and a bored wench hanging over the back of one of two men playing a card game. All of them except the man who was widely regarded as one of the few town drunks looked up at the startling entrance, though none of them looked too terribly shocked or appalled.
The barmaid started to giggle, one of her hands held up to her mouth as she did so. She straightened, rocked back onto her heels, one hand still placed on the shoulder of the man in front of her. A few of the others were smiling, but most were only curious. The bartender offered a hesitant, "Are you all right, ladies?"
Things tended to happen at the Red Chalice. It was the nature of people to stare. Amm didn't know either.
___
Danger. Amm vibrated with it, gathering herself and kicking away from stupid muddy fish. There was much cloth, and it wrapped her, suffocated skin and senses. Danger stares, challenge. They all wavered with challenge, half-words mumbled crashing together in a cacophany of movement.
Danger.
Her weapon was left behind, and that was everything. "Come and take what you seek, then!" Amm whipped and jerked, fingers fluttering insults they were too dumb-stupid to return. She would teach them how one of the true worthy made challenges, and even with weapon left behind -- left behind -- she would still show them what Aniz Tera did to rude mouth-noisy Strangers who thought to offer her pathetic attempt at ambush! She was no mosquito to be swatted away.
Dragonfly!
And this time, there would be no broken-talk clumsy crane to stop her.
___
To the people inside the Red Chalice, it rather looked like the sunburned little girl had to go to the potty, and was embarrassed and angry about it. That, or about her nudity. In any case, she was acting rude, and the poor woman who was surely mother or elder sister was getting trampled on as the little girl stomped forward towards the one who'd asked if they were all right.
Stomped forward, around the bar, until she was in front of him still making her funny little movements.
"If you need the privy -- "
He never got the chance to finish.
Amm punched him in the nads.
Thwarted Ambition
Re: Thwarted Ambition
In that moment -- in that entire series of shameful, nightmarish moments -- Arusa could not recall her reason for following Amm. She couldn't remember, or even imagine, how she had made so many wrong choices in recent days to lead her to... this. It was surely her own personal hell, which she herself had created.
She started, aghast, from the floor of the inn called the Red Chalice. The fall had left her bruised, as had Amm in her struggle to escape the tangle of cloth. The girl -- still naked and filthy -- was striding across the room in view of a dozen gawking strangers, and Arusa was sure that this was the worst moment of her life.
That is, until she witnessed what happened next. The force of the young Tera's bunched fist was enough to send the bartender to the floor, which prompted another man to rise from his seat and take hold of the girl's arms. No one rushed to help Arusa to her feet, though she barely had time to acknowledge that atrocity while she hurried to straighten herself out.
As she stood, her face bright crimson and her eyes pricked with tears that she struggled to hold back, Arusa was met with only strange looks from decidedly uncouth villagers. She glanced down and caught sight of her own clothes, stained with mud and torn. She was shaking a little, but somehow managed to keep much of her outward composure.
The only other woman present, presumably the bar wench, was having some trouble hiding her amusement, but she caught Arusa's eye and called to her, "Anything I can help you with, miss?"
The man beside the wench frowned and barked at her, "Put a leash on that child, woman." As if to illustrate the point, the man holding onto Amm let out a yelp of pain and lost his grip on her.
She started, aghast, from the floor of the inn called the Red Chalice. The fall had left her bruised, as had Amm in her struggle to escape the tangle of cloth. The girl -- still naked and filthy -- was striding across the room in view of a dozen gawking strangers, and Arusa was sure that this was the worst moment of her life.
That is, until she witnessed what happened next. The force of the young Tera's bunched fist was enough to send the bartender to the floor, which prompted another man to rise from his seat and take hold of the girl's arms. No one rushed to help Arusa to her feet, though she barely had time to acknowledge that atrocity while she hurried to straighten herself out.
As she stood, her face bright crimson and her eyes pricked with tears that she struggled to hold back, Arusa was met with only strange looks from decidedly uncouth villagers. She glanced down and caught sight of her own clothes, stained with mud and torn. She was shaking a little, but somehow managed to keep much of her outward composure.
The only other woman present, presumably the bar wench, was having some trouble hiding her amusement, but she caught Arusa's eye and called to her, "Anything I can help you with, miss?"
The man beside the wench frowned and barked at her, "Put a leash on that child, woman." As if to illustrate the point, the man holding onto Amm let out a yelp of pain and lost his grip on her.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Insults. It was all the mouthy Stranger dullards had in them. Noisy breathing, noisy words. Rude! And to put their grasping gawping wordless claw-fingers upon her flesh, her Aniz Tera dancing flesh -- Amm stamped down, and found her probable prey to be wearing the pinching foot contraptions Chezak had called shoes upon his feet. Fine. She twisted in his grasp and used the side of her knee up and bony into the side of his. Once, twice, rapid succession. He cried out. Important, more so, the good well best of it: he let go.
Amm turned to mud-fish-guppy all gaping mouthed stupid. Stupid fish. She kicked the side of the Stranger's knee as his grasping empty fingers reached for it, and felt the slide of kneecap under her heel. Weakling Deserves No Honor was in the knife-jack of her foot back under her, the slow curve of it down to ground coupled with a slight judder of her chin.
Bend To Me! she wavered with elbows and the slipping half-bow of ribcage down, the intake of her breath and the curve of her neck.
Claim the stupid mouth-sound Strangers' smelly hut!
Aniz Tera!
____
In all the holy hells that had been unleashed upon the Red Chalice, a child like Amm had never been one of them. As another man got up and the red-faced bartender recovered from his shriveled posture, Amm had climbed up to the bar's top and had begun to fling whatever was close to hand.
"Now wait a -- " a clay mug cut off the bartender mid sentence, taking his jaw in a fantastic display of fired clay shrapnel.
The man she'd done terrible things to the knee of received a bottle at the back of his head, one heavy enough that the trip didn't entirely break it. The fall to the floor managed to crack it as the man tipped forward onto hands and knees, crying out again.
The wench was laughing as a man reached up to grab at the ankles of the strangely silent, moving brat. She wasn't normal in the head. Clearly. The spastic jerking motions she made was proof of that. Her nudity was proof of that. The harried and horrified look of her minder -- mother, sister? -- was most definitely evidence to be added to the pile.
"Get her down!" the 'keep was howling over and over like a lovesick dog.
Amm danced and fluttered and flung all manner of pottery, cutlery, bottles and even a serving tray.
It would be quite a mess.
Amm turned to mud-fish-guppy all gaping mouthed stupid. Stupid fish. She kicked the side of the Stranger's knee as his grasping empty fingers reached for it, and felt the slide of kneecap under her heel. Weakling Deserves No Honor was in the knife-jack of her foot back under her, the slow curve of it down to ground coupled with a slight judder of her chin.
Bend To Me! she wavered with elbows and the slipping half-bow of ribcage down, the intake of her breath and the curve of her neck.
Claim the stupid mouth-sound Strangers' smelly hut!
Aniz Tera!
____
In all the holy hells that had been unleashed upon the Red Chalice, a child like Amm had never been one of them. As another man got up and the red-faced bartender recovered from his shriveled posture, Amm had climbed up to the bar's top and had begun to fling whatever was close to hand.
"Now wait a -- " a clay mug cut off the bartender mid sentence, taking his jaw in a fantastic display of fired clay shrapnel.
The man she'd done terrible things to the knee of received a bottle at the back of his head, one heavy enough that the trip didn't entirely break it. The fall to the floor managed to crack it as the man tipped forward onto hands and knees, crying out again.
The wench was laughing as a man reached up to grab at the ankles of the strangely silent, moving brat. She wasn't normal in the head. Clearly. The spastic jerking motions she made was proof of that. Her nudity was proof of that. The harried and horrified look of her minder -- mother, sister? -- was most definitely evidence to be added to the pile.
"Get her down!" the 'keep was howling over and over like a lovesick dog.
Amm danced and fluttered and flung all manner of pottery, cutlery, bottles and even a serving tray.
It would be quite a mess.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Arusa cried out in horror as the girl climbed onto the bar, her bare self on full display as she began to destroy the room. The only thing the elven woman could think to do was run, in shame and fear of injury, but she only made it to the door before her way was blocked. Strong arms brushed her aside as a man considerably more able than the tavern regulars strode into the room with the irritated-but-not-entirely-surprised kind of expression that suggested trouble wasn't uncommon for the Red Chalice Inn.
"'Oy, what's goin'-- 'EY!" The man caught sight of the trouble-maker, and had to duck as a bottle flew straight over him and smashed against the wall next to Arusa's head. She screamed and ducked, cowering in fear, while the larger man growled and advanced on the child. The dancer noticed a shorter figure had joined them as well -- a gnelf, she thought, typically ugly and useless half-breeds.
The gnelf winked at Arusa and she almost retched. For a moment, she thought he might be there to help, but he seemed to be content with standing off to the side and watching the show unfold. This day was unbelievable.
"'Oy, what's goin'-- 'EY!" The man caught sight of the trouble-maker, and had to duck as a bottle flew straight over him and smashed against the wall next to Arusa's head. She screamed and ducked, cowering in fear, while the larger man growled and advanced on the child. The dancer noticed a shorter figure had joined them as well -- a gnelf, she thought, typically ugly and useless half-breeds.
The gnelf winked at Arusa and she almost retched. For a moment, she thought he might be there to help, but he seemed to be content with standing off to the side and watching the show unfold. This day was unbelievable.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Step, sweep, twist. Insults and taunts interwoven with the act of fighting, of violence. Amm was not better best at that, but she knew herself for good. For doing well. That moment then, that was a good reason to chest puff up with pride. All the while the stupid Strangers made their galling mouthy noises, so unkempt. Savage, stupid things.
Amm had reached the end of the bar and was making bridge with body to the stock cabinets and the bottles, so many pretty bottles, for her ammunition when instinct told her care, careful. Caution.
She turned, a bottle in each hand, and saw the bigger biggest stranger across the length of the bar. She saw the stupid twist of his face, the bald expression that held nothing of subtlety. Almost too bold, too mushed into other meanings that were dizzying. So stupid. He was coming for her, in the confident movement of his body. The others, still making mouth noises, were strange mixes.
Amm could not read them.
Fury. They spilled into sloppy meanings they did not mean. could not mean, it made no sense. She threw one of her bottles at the big stranger, but he batted it away. The second he dodged altogether. Sneaky fast stupid stranger. Worthy, Maybe, For the Dance, she stepped back, rolling her shoulders and swaying her left arm. The right was used to pull more ammunition.
She stood, weight rolled forward, light, so light, and as his hand shot out for her she lifted one foot, then the other. She spun away from his grasping hands, almost tripping at the speed with which he moved. Fun, Too Slow, she taunted with the flick of her hair, the lowering of her right eyelid. She showed her teeth as she slammed a bottle down against his hand.
Pride. It was pride.
His other hand darted out during her extension, and had her by the wrist. She was wrenched down, the pain immediate and fiery, earning a squeak from her throat that she had not meant. It was shaming! Shameful! Unthinkable what the stranger had wrested from her, and she immediately started kicking him, swung her other hand around but he caught that up too and then he had both her wrists in her hands and was lifting her kicking and squirming and teeth all bared up.
___
She looked like a little hellion. Even the wench had the sense to stop laughing, so red was the face of the barkeep. Plus a nasty start to swelling along his jaw. But there was a quality in her, in the way she moved herself, angled to injure the man who held her, that it was almost as if she wasn't. . .right. In more ways than one.
One of the drunks who'd not bothered lifting his sordid body from his seat made a shaky, wholly Puradyne sign against evil magics as the big man held his prize out towards Arusa. The barkeep had pointed towards her, his mouth all pinched up tight. The man whose knee had been kicked was glaring balefully at Arusa, muttering uncomplimentary things about unfit mothers under his breath.
"This yours?" The big man asked, some faint and dangerous amusement in his eyes.
Amm had reached the end of the bar and was making bridge with body to the stock cabinets and the bottles, so many pretty bottles, for her ammunition when instinct told her care, careful. Caution.
She turned, a bottle in each hand, and saw the bigger biggest stranger across the length of the bar. She saw the stupid twist of his face, the bald expression that held nothing of subtlety. Almost too bold, too mushed into other meanings that were dizzying. So stupid. He was coming for her, in the confident movement of his body. The others, still making mouth noises, were strange mixes.
Amm could not read them.
Fury. They spilled into sloppy meanings they did not mean. could not mean, it made no sense. She threw one of her bottles at the big stranger, but he batted it away. The second he dodged altogether. Sneaky fast stupid stranger. Worthy, Maybe, For the Dance, she stepped back, rolling her shoulders and swaying her left arm. The right was used to pull more ammunition.
She stood, weight rolled forward, light, so light, and as his hand shot out for her she lifted one foot, then the other. She spun away from his grasping hands, almost tripping at the speed with which he moved. Fun, Too Slow, she taunted with the flick of her hair, the lowering of her right eyelid. She showed her teeth as she slammed a bottle down against his hand.
Pride. It was pride.
His other hand darted out during her extension, and had her by the wrist. She was wrenched down, the pain immediate and fiery, earning a squeak from her throat that she had not meant. It was shaming! Shameful! Unthinkable what the stranger had wrested from her, and she immediately started kicking him, swung her other hand around but he caught that up too and then he had both her wrists in her hands and was lifting her kicking and squirming and teeth all bared up.
___
She looked like a little hellion. Even the wench had the sense to stop laughing, so red was the face of the barkeep. Plus a nasty start to swelling along his jaw. But there was a quality in her, in the way she moved herself, angled to injure the man who held her, that it was almost as if she wasn't. . .right. In more ways than one.
One of the drunks who'd not bothered lifting his sordid body from his seat made a shaky, wholly Puradyne sign against evil magics as the big man held his prize out towards Arusa. The barkeep had pointed towards her, his mouth all pinched up tight. The man whose knee had been kicked was glaring balefully at Arusa, muttering uncomplimentary things about unfit mothers under his breath.
"This yours?" The big man asked, some faint and dangerous amusement in his eyes.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
From the place where she'd curled up out of the way of Amm's assaults, Arusa carefully rose to her feet as the man approached, a wriggling Tera in his grip. Her hands came together, fingers twisting anxiously about each other as she stared across the scene in shame and horror. This was the worst Amm had ever acted in her presence... but then it was also the only time, besides the first day they met, that the girl had been around a town.
Despite becoming used to Amm's rather odd behavior, Arusa thought she looked possessed at that moment, her anger almost palpable and certainly too violent and explosive for such a young girl. Even one who was stark naked and covered in mud. Arusa really couldn't understand such aversion to bathing, from a creature who supposedly spent much of their time in and around water.
A strange sense of familiarity fell over the dancer then, but why she couldn't put her finger on, nor had the time or thought to spare fleeting discomforts. The stranger was waiting for her answer.
Arusa blinked a few times as she processed his words, and moved her hands to stroke at the loose braid which fell over her right shoulder. "Yes," she said, in a voice so quiet that she had to repeat herself. "Yes, she..." No, she has nothing to do with me. "I'm sorry. Really, very sorry. The child is so uncultured, and I--"
"Relax," said the man holding Amm, which was so unexpected that Arusa forgot the long spiel that she was surely about to leap into. From the doorway, a warm, buttery voice invited their attention.
"Oughta hitch'n'bolt, ey," the voice warned softly, and Arusa was surprised to see it was the half breed.
She noticed for the first time the strange scarring across one side of his jaw, which altogether seemed somehow misshapen, with one corner of his lip extended down as though a piece had been torn from it. Although not quite as short as a gnome, the lack of height was emphasized by the way the man leaned against the wall.
"'Fore the storm," he added, and gestured with a slight nod back towards the bar. Arusa wasn't sure what he meant, at first. Once she saw the look on the faces of those injured by Amm's rampage, and the dreadful mess of shattered glass and wasted alcohol spilled across the floor, she decided he was probably suggesting a swift escape.
"Go," the bigger man urged quietly, right as the barkeep began to bark at them.
Despite becoming used to Amm's rather odd behavior, Arusa thought she looked possessed at that moment, her anger almost palpable and certainly too violent and explosive for such a young girl. Even one who was stark naked and covered in mud. Arusa really couldn't understand such aversion to bathing, from a creature who supposedly spent much of their time in and around water.
A strange sense of familiarity fell over the dancer then, but why she couldn't put her finger on, nor had the time or thought to spare fleeting discomforts. The stranger was waiting for her answer.
Arusa blinked a few times as she processed his words, and moved her hands to stroke at the loose braid which fell over her right shoulder. "Yes," she said, in a voice so quiet that she had to repeat herself. "Yes, she..." No, she has nothing to do with me. "I'm sorry. Really, very sorry. The child is so uncultured, and I--"
"Relax," said the man holding Amm, which was so unexpected that Arusa forgot the long spiel that she was surely about to leap into. From the doorway, a warm, buttery voice invited their attention.
"Oughta hitch'n'bolt, ey," the voice warned softly, and Arusa was surprised to see it was the half breed.
She noticed for the first time the strange scarring across one side of his jaw, which altogether seemed somehow misshapen, with one corner of his lip extended down as though a piece had been torn from it. Although not quite as short as a gnome, the lack of height was emphasized by the way the man leaned against the wall.
"'Fore the storm," he added, and gestured with a slight nod back towards the bar. Arusa wasn't sure what he meant, at first. Once she saw the look on the faces of those injured by Amm's rampage, and the dreadful mess of shattered glass and wasted alcohol spilled across the floor, she decided he was probably suggesting a swift escape.
"Go," the bigger man urged quietly, right as the barkeep began to bark at them.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
The small one was the first to scuttle through the door. Amm was signing coward! over and over, displaying fury in ways she hadn't since she was fresh out of her coccoon. Everything blurred as she twisted and kicked, too much movement and shouting word bold chaos, and it was too much to hold in --
the mudfish was leaving.
The stupid mouth-loud rude ugly strangers behind the big one holding her -- Let Go Before I Break You Like Bug, she twisted and snarled -- was advancing. The man who had captured Amm like some sort of stupid slow fish swung her up and her wrists hurt hurt, and pinned her legs to his chest. Mudfish was gone. Then she and he and the swirl of sound and light was replaced with sun and sky.
Better.
Amm's shoulders hurt to go with wrists, and much of her language was stripped with the holding, the stillness. Dragonfly should not be still.
"Let. Go."
___
Fulbert headed straight out of the gimp inn and its red-faced barman. He had his hands in his pockets, looking for all the world like he was just another backwoods village idiot heading out for a stroll. Or whatever it was they did for fun. Amm's voice made him spin around, though he kept walking. Just backwards.
"Thought your girl was stupid," he told Arusa conversationally, taking note of her disheveled appearance without so much as a blink. "At least she can talk some, so it's not all bad spirits on your head."
He could see her muscles -- and she sure did have muscles like no other kid he'd ever seen -- bulge as she twisted and strained. "Hey, I wonder what'd happen if you let her down. Think she'll try t'kill you?"
the mudfish was leaving.
The stupid mouth-loud rude ugly strangers behind the big one holding her -- Let Go Before I Break You Like Bug, she twisted and snarled -- was advancing. The man who had captured Amm like some sort of stupid slow fish swung her up and her wrists hurt hurt, and pinned her legs to his chest. Mudfish was gone. Then she and he and the swirl of sound and light was replaced with sun and sky.
Better.
Amm's shoulders hurt to go with wrists, and much of her language was stripped with the holding, the stillness. Dragonfly should not be still.
"Let. Go."
___
Fulbert headed straight out of the gimp inn and its red-faced barman. He had his hands in his pockets, looking for all the world like he was just another backwoods village idiot heading out for a stroll. Or whatever it was they did for fun. Amm's voice made him spin around, though he kept walking. Just backwards.
"Thought your girl was stupid," he told Arusa conversationally, taking note of her disheveled appearance without so much as a blink. "At least she can talk some, so it's not all bad spirits on your head."
He could see her muscles -- and she sure did have muscles like no other kid he'd ever seen -- bulge as she twisted and strained. "Hey, I wonder what'd happen if you let her down. Think she'll try t'kill you?"
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Once they were outside -- out of the awful, run-down inn that, now that she thought about it, wasn't anywhere near fit for someone of her status and fame -- Arusa felt like she could relax a little. Her typical arrogance and bitterness began to rise once more above the shock which had briefly quietened her. She scowled at the short man when she realized he was speaking to her.
"And who, exactly, are you?" she questioned, though her tone was more icy than inquisitive, a reflection of her condescending attitude towards most everyone she encountered. "And what can you tell me about this... village?"
The gnelf seemed amused by her words, his only response a slimy grin that made Arusa bristle, her lips curling into a snarl. But before she could spit out a stream of insults, the human cut in, "Ch'er lookin' for anyway, miss? Place to stay?"
Arusa paused in her step then and spun to face the man, who was thankfully still keeping the Tera under control.
"I was looking for a bath," she replied indignantly, voice thick with irritation. She pointed one long, slender finger accusingly at Amm. "Because this demon child refuses to act civilized."
In afterthought, she reminded herself to be more careful with her word choice; to speak in jest of evil magic and the like was common in her community, but Arusa was well aware that this Thar was a home to harsh Puradynic beliefs and she was not keen on being arrested on accusations of demonic witchcraft.
"And who, exactly, are you?" she questioned, though her tone was more icy than inquisitive, a reflection of her condescending attitude towards most everyone she encountered. "And what can you tell me about this... village?"
The gnelf seemed amused by her words, his only response a slimy grin that made Arusa bristle, her lips curling into a snarl. But before she could spit out a stream of insults, the human cut in, "Ch'er lookin' for anyway, miss? Place to stay?"
Arusa paused in her step then and spun to face the man, who was thankfully still keeping the Tera under control.
"I was looking for a bath," she replied indignantly, voice thick with irritation. She pointed one long, slender finger accusingly at Amm. "Because this demon child refuses to act civilized."
In afterthought, she reminded herself to be more careful with her word choice; to speak in jest of evil magic and the like was common in her community, but Arusa was well aware that this Thar was a home to harsh Puradynic beliefs and she was not keen on being arrested on accusations of demonic witchcraft.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"Could take 'er to the pond," Fulbert offered, not knowing of any other place in Shim where you could get yourself cleaned. He imagined Arusa going back into the Red Chalice to beg for a couple of baths, and grinned at the thought of what the reply might be.
Or she could try knocking on every door in the village asking to use a tub, but then she'd have to carry the water herself from the well, and given her airs Fulbert didn't think that was so likely. He shrugged his narrow shoulders and offered up a, "My mam says if the child don't listen to no reason y'gotta take a switch to 'em. Maybe you been too easy on her?"
___
Stupid mudfishguppy wasn't helping. There, standing, mouthing, ignoring the plight of who was most important. Tera!
If fish was too stupid, fine, Amm would brace herself and use the mouthnoises they so wanted. Too stupid to know any better, but strong. Strong. Amm would remember. Amm would tell later, and when the Aniz Tera swept out of the wetlands they would gut the strong ones from afar! Blood would flow, and the strong ones would die first.
"Help Amm! Let go!"
Or she could try knocking on every door in the village asking to use a tub, but then she'd have to carry the water herself from the well, and given her airs Fulbert didn't think that was so likely. He shrugged his narrow shoulders and offered up a, "My mam says if the child don't listen to no reason y'gotta take a switch to 'em. Maybe you been too easy on her?"
___
Stupid mudfishguppy wasn't helping. There, standing, mouthing, ignoring the plight of who was most important. Tera!
If fish was too stupid, fine, Amm would brace herself and use the mouthnoises they so wanted. Too stupid to know any better, but strong. Strong. Amm would remember. Amm would tell later, and when the Aniz Tera swept out of the wetlands they would gut the strong ones from afar! Blood would flow, and the strong ones would die first.
"Help Amm! Let go!"
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Arusa lifted her chin a notch higher at the fool's assumption. Of course, she, of all people, would know how to discipline a child properly, assuming it were possible. This girl was lost cause, in that respect, but any child raised by Arusa would know perfectly well how to act in society -- it would be her first and most important lesson.
Not wanting to be associated with such poor behaviour, Arusa thought to admit to being a stranger to the child. "She's not--"
"Help Amm! Let go!"
"Calm down, kid, y'fine," the bigger guy spoke to Amm with surprising patience. Arusa wondered if perhaps he was a father himself, or simply had to deal with a lot of childish behaviour. Too much time with this idiot, she thought as she glared at the gnelf. "Just gonna take y'somewhere quiet. Fully?"
Arusa frowned, until she noticed the direction of the man's gaze. Fully?
"Well, 'at's'up to the lady, innit?" the gnelf replied, and they both looked to her, but were met with only an indecisive silence.
Not wanting to be associated with such poor behaviour, Arusa thought to admit to being a stranger to the child. "She's not--"
"Help Amm! Let go!"
"Calm down, kid, y'fine," the bigger guy spoke to Amm with surprising patience. Arusa wondered if perhaps he was a father himself, or simply had to deal with a lot of childish behaviour. Too much time with this idiot, she thought as she glared at the gnelf. "Just gonna take y'somewhere quiet. Fully?"
Arusa frowned, until she noticed the direction of the man's gaze. Fully?
"Well, 'at's'up to the lady, innit?" the gnelf replied, and they both looked to her, but were met with only an indecisive silence.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"Put 'er down," Fulbert said, though he was looking at Arusa while he said it.
Nicanor hesitated, expression going wry. "Easy fer you t'make demands."
Amm continued to struggle like a mightily offended cat.
"Dump 'er in th'pond then. Lady said she wanted a bath."
Nic shrugged, and strode purposefully in the direction of the pond, outpacing Arusa with some ease.
___
Pond. Spear. Belongings. Amm's eyes were slit small. She did not want to hear the mouthnoises, but she did. They would help. The pond was where she wanted to go back to. She would not hinder them that, would let them take her to weapons and fight, and if they thought to suppress her there, they'd be surprised.
Amm bared her teeth in a smile, arcing You Have Made Offense, You Will Pay with her back and the tensing of her legs. Her wriggling toes added a smattering of insults.
Nicanor hesitated, expression going wry. "Easy fer you t'make demands."
Amm continued to struggle like a mightily offended cat.
"Dump 'er in th'pond then. Lady said she wanted a bath."
Nic shrugged, and strode purposefully in the direction of the pond, outpacing Arusa with some ease.
___
Pond. Spear. Belongings. Amm's eyes were slit small. She did not want to hear the mouthnoises, but she did. They would help. The pond was where she wanted to go back to. She would not hinder them that, would let them take her to weapons and fight, and if they thought to suppress her there, they'd be surprised.
Amm bared her teeth in a smile, arcing You Have Made Offense, You Will Pay with her back and the tensing of her legs. Her wriggling toes added a smattering of insults.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Arusa felt defeated. All the trouble she'd gone to just to try and make the girl more presentable, for everyone's sake, and they were just going to end up back where they'd left off. The child would be happy to be returned to her mud and slime -- disgusting animals, shifters -- but Chez might well be waiting there, as well. Imagining the look on his face when he realized she'd failed her quest, with that expression that said, "I knew you'd make a fool of yourself, as always"... She couldn't face his condescension right now.
"Wait!" she pleaded, as she hurried along after them. "Can't we just... wait, and maybe talk? About the town, or... leave the girl - she can look after herself - and I might be able to find a way to repay you both for saving us."
"Wait!" she pleaded, as she hurried along after them. "Can't we just... wait, and maybe talk? About the town, or... leave the girl - she can look after herself - and I might be able to find a way to repay you both for saving us."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Nic and Fulbert exchanged a look.
"Y'want me to ditch the kid?" Nic asked, looking very carefully at Arusa.
Fulbert's eyebrows were raised, something between a sneer and a grin plastered on his face.
Amm continued to wriggle in a manner most disturbing for a brat.
"Y'want me to ditch the kid?" Nic asked, looking very carefully at Arusa.
Fulbert's eyebrows were raised, something between a sneer and a grin plastered on his face.
Amm continued to wriggle in a manner most disturbing for a brat.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
The dancer pursed her lips. Leaving Amm alone really wasn't the smartest idea, she had to admit, considering the amount of trouble the girl had led them into only minutes ago. Then again, she'd only want to return to the pond, and Chezak would be there to meet her. Then she could be his problem for a while.
"Her ... father will be waiting at the pond," Arusa declared, resisting the urge to grimace at the idea of the three of them being seen as some sort of family. But you could hardly admit to being two strangers taking a young girl across the country for no obvious reason, either. "She'll find him. He's better at getting any sense out of her."
"Meanwhile, perhaps we could become better acquainted?" she suggested, a friendly smile plastered on her face, exaggerating the awkward structure of her mouth and cheeks.
"Her ... father will be waiting at the pond," Arusa declared, resisting the urge to grimace at the idea of the three of them being seen as some sort of family. But you could hardly admit to being two strangers taking a young girl across the country for no obvious reason, either. "She'll find him. He's better at getting any sense out of her."
"Meanwhile, perhaps we could become better acquainted?" she suggested, a friendly smile plastered on her face, exaggerating the awkward structure of her mouth and cheeks.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"Let go!" Amm agreed, closing her mouth over the tail end of the words, not desiring any to get the idea that she was liking stupid dumb mouthspeak. The stranger who held her as if she was dead food ready to take back to clan was exchanging some quiet sign with the short one. It was sign Amm could not read, could not breach with eyes sensitive to movement and meaning. It was nonsense, their look, nothing more than useless clutter. So clumsy! So unlike Aniz Tera! Amm curled her toes in disgust.
"Not that it's none o' my business," The tall one said, "but why not take 'er there? Won't take too much time."
The short one was shaking, small disgusting noises coming out of him as if he had no way to control the sound.
"Not that it's none o' my business," The tall one said, "but why not take 'er there? Won't take too much time."
The short one was shaking, small disgusting noises coming out of him as if he had no way to control the sound.