First it was 'take your time, Anther' and 'whenever you're ready, Anther' and now it was 'we should go now' and 'come along, Anther.' Oh, he was reformin' his opinion on the girl again, letting it slide lower. He knew about girls like her, ones who cooed up against your ear and then tore the buggered thing off soon as you didn't step right where you was supposed to. What she'd meant when she tole him to take his time was that she was willing to wait until she was ready to go, but quick as spit she changed her tune once she was done waiting. He wasn't finished with his bowl. He offered up a grin, knowin' it was gonna look ugly and not caring a whit. "Feet," he said, cause if he didn't she was like as not to correct him on his opinions. "Yeah, sure."
Whatever. He was using her, and she was using him to make herself out to be some noble out on a mercy hike. Fine. Long as he was the one with the loot, he could play her little game and tag along behind her and the pipsqueak of a boy. He shoved his bowl to the center of the table and got up, sticking his hands into his armpits as he followed them out into the cold.
The Clinging Frost
Re: The Clinging Frost
Erryl couldn't really tell if Anther was angry or grateful. It could be both, he considered, reminded of the way every other person seemed so complicated to decipher. As Soneya asked her question, Erryl put his hands in his pocket and followed the her outside.
"What are you planning on doing about your purse? Are you going to get into trouble?"
He sighed at the thought. What was he supposed to say when he returned home? There's still hope you'll get it back, he tried to tell himself. "I don't know," he replied quite honestly. "My brother's sick and his girlfriend is too busy looking after him to come here. She can be pretty scary when she's angry. I don't think we have a lot to spend right now because my brother can't work." Not that a homeless kid would care about that, he thought, as he watched Anther shivering in the snow.
Erryl shrugged the story off, as though it wasn't a big deal. As much as he tried not to think about it, it was bothering him. For the healing mages at Marn Hospital, Koran's illness probably wouldn't be much of a concern, but with natural medicine -- or the lack of medicine altogether, with this recent mishap -- the danger was a lot higher. Erryl could understand his brother's reluctance to let magic scar his soul for the sake of healing a little faster, but some part of him still wished Koran would change his mind.
"Maybe she'll go easy on me if I tell her I was robbed," he added, and almost rolled his eyes at his own idiocy. Or when trolls fly.
"What are you planning on doing about your purse? Are you going to get into trouble?"
He sighed at the thought. What was he supposed to say when he returned home? There's still hope you'll get it back, he tried to tell himself. "I don't know," he replied quite honestly. "My brother's sick and his girlfriend is too busy looking after him to come here. She can be pretty scary when she's angry. I don't think we have a lot to spend right now because my brother can't work." Not that a homeless kid would care about that, he thought, as he watched Anther shivering in the snow.
Erryl shrugged the story off, as though it wasn't a big deal. As much as he tried not to think about it, it was bothering him. For the healing mages at Marn Hospital, Koran's illness probably wouldn't be much of a concern, but with natural medicine -- or the lack of medicine altogether, with this recent mishap -- the danger was a lot higher. Erryl could understand his brother's reluctance to let magic scar his soul for the sake of healing a little faster, but some part of him still wished Koran would change his mind.
"Maybe she'll go easy on me if I tell her I was robbed," he added, and almost rolled his eyes at his own idiocy. Or when trolls fly.
Re: The Clinging Frost
Soneya wasn’t quite sure what to make of Anther or his reaction but since he seemed to be willing enough to go along with the plan, she wasn’t going to think about it too much. It would take a great deal of time to figure this boy out if it was at all possible.
As for Erryl however, she was beginning to wonder if he wasn’t going to get into serious trouble even though he seemed to have hopes that it might not be so bad. Hearing about his family’s troubles made her heart heavy though. Maybe there was something she could do?
“Yes, maybe she will,” Soneya replied, nodding encouragingly. “I’m sure she can understand that.” Though she also understood that money was tight and that the loss of a whole purse wasn’t going to go down well with the family even if it wasn’t Erryl’s fault. She could only hope that some sort of solution will present itself. If not, well, then the girlfriend would just have to understand.
The clothes shop Soneya had had in mind was literally just around the corner from the inn and it didn’t take them very long to get there. The woman behind the counter looked at them incredulously when they traipsed into the shop but upon seeing Soneya, who was a customer from time to time, she reigned in her judging expression and tried to look friendly. “How can I help you, kids?”
“We are in need of some decent warm clothing for the boy. He will require thick winter socks and a better coat. Warm pants and a shirt would be good too. Maybe new shoes if you have any?” Soneya didn’t pay attention to the steadily raising eyebrow of the saleswoman, letting her eyes roam about the interior instead to see what was on offer.
Turning towards Anther, she asked: “Is there anything else you require? What about you, Erryl? While we’re here, anything you or your family need?” She turned to look at the young man in question, wanting to help, but suddenly realising that she might just have deeply offended him by asking such a question. Her cheeks flushed and she had the sudden urge to drown her head in a bit of snow to cool off the embarrassment heating her face.
As for Erryl however, she was beginning to wonder if he wasn’t going to get into serious trouble even though he seemed to have hopes that it might not be so bad. Hearing about his family’s troubles made her heart heavy though. Maybe there was something she could do?
“Yes, maybe she will,” Soneya replied, nodding encouragingly. “I’m sure she can understand that.” Though she also understood that money was tight and that the loss of a whole purse wasn’t going to go down well with the family even if it wasn’t Erryl’s fault. She could only hope that some sort of solution will present itself. If not, well, then the girlfriend would just have to understand.
The clothes shop Soneya had had in mind was literally just around the corner from the inn and it didn’t take them very long to get there. The woman behind the counter looked at them incredulously when they traipsed into the shop but upon seeing Soneya, who was a customer from time to time, she reigned in her judging expression and tried to look friendly. “How can I help you, kids?”
“We are in need of some decent warm clothing for the boy. He will require thick winter socks and a better coat. Warm pants and a shirt would be good too. Maybe new shoes if you have any?” Soneya didn’t pay attention to the steadily raising eyebrow of the saleswoman, letting her eyes roam about the interior instead to see what was on offer.
Turning towards Anther, she asked: “Is there anything else you require? What about you, Erryl? While we’re here, anything you or your family need?” She turned to look at the young man in question, wanting to help, but suddenly realising that she might just have deeply offended him by asking such a question. Her cheeks flushed and she had the sudden urge to drown her head in a bit of snow to cool off the embarrassment heating her face.
Re: The Clinging Frost
Anther wanted to laugh in her face. He should ask to see her kitted out in all manner of new and sturdy frippery, and then take her to the worst parts of town, the ones he lived and worked in, and see how she fared. She had no more sense about her then a babe, all coddled up and not carryin a thought from one place to the next. But no matter. He could sell what she bought and then, with the boy's purse, buy him and his den decent clothes that wouldn't be worth fighting over. And maybe they could get enough food to just stay in their place and not come out until the cold was over.
Yeah. He liked that.
"Nah, whatever you're wantin' to buy, I ain't gonna argue." He kept his hands tucked up in his armpits, glaring back at the shopkeep when he caught her givin him the stinkeye. Like he'd steal when he'd a stupid girl willing to buy up the whole sodding shop for him!
Still, he smirked to see someone else treated like a pauper. It was probably just her personality that she liked to act the part of a little princess.
Yeah. He liked that.
"Nah, whatever you're wantin' to buy, I ain't gonna argue." He kept his hands tucked up in his armpits, glaring back at the shopkeep when he caught her givin him the stinkeye. Like he'd steal when he'd a stupid girl willing to buy up the whole sodding shop for him!
Still, he smirked to see someone else treated like a pauper. It was probably just her personality that she liked to act the part of a little princess.
Re: The Clinging Frost
It was a good thing, at least, that they weren't going to wandering about in the snow for too long. This year's winter was freezing, and Erryl had no desire to be outside longer than he absolutely had to be. The shop wasn't exactly warm, but it wasn't too chilly either. Typically, Erryl himself took no role in the purchase of his own clothes, but he imagined this shop was a little more expensive than his brother could afford; not quite the kind of place you'd expect to see a Descendant but certainly fine quality clothing. Unsurprisingly, the saleswoman seemed quite put off by Anther.
"What about you, Erryl? While we’re here, anything you or your family need?"
Erryl glanced at Soneya with only a hint of surprise. She seemed the generous type, but he had no need for winter clothing, especially when compared to the homeless kid. He shrugged, and replied more quietly, "Not clothes." Scratching the slightly pointed tip of his ear, he hesitated before adding, "I just need to make sure I get food and some kinda medicine. My brother's pretty sick." He looked around the shop as he spoke, pretending to be more interested in the shop's wares than the conversation. It always made him uncomfortable when he had to worry about his brother; it was usually the other way around, after all, and there was a deep fear inside him, that Erryl didn't want to recognize as the knowledge his brother might not be in his life forever.
"What about you, Erryl? While we’re here, anything you or your family need?"
Erryl glanced at Soneya with only a hint of surprise. She seemed the generous type, but he had no need for winter clothing, especially when compared to the homeless kid. He shrugged, and replied more quietly, "Not clothes." Scratching the slightly pointed tip of his ear, he hesitated before adding, "I just need to make sure I get food and some kinda medicine. My brother's pretty sick." He looked around the shop as he spoke, pretending to be more interested in the shop's wares than the conversation. It always made him uncomfortable when he had to worry about his brother; it was usually the other way around, after all, and there was a deep fear inside him, that Erryl didn't want to recognize as the knowledge his brother might not be in his life forever.
Re: The Clinging Frost
Soneya wanted to put a hand on Erryl’s shoulder to show her sympathy at his worry for his brother, but even before she had even raised her hand, she dropped the idea again. He was half an elf, no way should she be touching him. And then it suddenly hit her that she had actually been fraternising with a magic user for quite a while now. A lump was forming in her throat at the thought and she hoped that it wouldn’t have any repercussions, and hopefully nobody had seen her who could tell everything to her parents. What would they think? What would they say?
To shake off her discomfort, Soneya began conversing with the shopgirl the owner waved towards them to take care of their business. The girl kept insisiting that the newest things would not do for the boy, and Soneya thinking that she was being rude began to argue viciously until the girl just pointed out that maybe she should use her brain instead of her money. Blushing fiercely, Soneya looked at Anther, hoping that the boy had not heard the comment, but she was sure not to be in such luck. She didn’t understand why he hated her, especially since she was being nice to him, but she didn’t want to make him think she was overly dumb on top of it. Where had her confidence gone all of a sudden?
The shopgirl just sighed and wandered off to get some clothes she deemed fit for the boy and proceeded to present them to Anther to try them.
In the meantime, Soneya turned back to Erryl. “We’ll look for your pouch again once we’re out of here, alright? And if we don’t find it, I’ll help you out with that.”
To shake off her discomfort, Soneya began conversing with the shopgirl the owner waved towards them to take care of their business. The girl kept insisiting that the newest things would not do for the boy, and Soneya thinking that she was being rude began to argue viciously until the girl just pointed out that maybe she should use her brain instead of her money. Blushing fiercely, Soneya looked at Anther, hoping that the boy had not heard the comment, but she was sure not to be in such luck. She didn’t understand why he hated her, especially since she was being nice to him, but she didn’t want to make him think she was overly dumb on top of it. Where had her confidence gone all of a sudden?
The shopgirl just sighed and wandered off to get some clothes she deemed fit for the boy and proceeded to present them to Anther to try them.
In the meantime, Soneya turned back to Erryl. “We’ll look for your pouch again once we’re out of here, alright? And if we don’t find it, I’ll help you out with that.”
Re: The Clinging Frost
Anther snickered, dark amusement glittering in his eyes as he watched Soneya, up until the shopgirl held out a wad of clothes from him, her nose all wrinkled up like he was some sewer rat sniffing about her skirt. He treated her to a sneer of his own before saying in his loftiest tone, "that's fine. Good enough fer me."
As soon as the words were out he regretted them; it woulda been better to refuse them, to make the girl dance about the palm of his hand, nothing more than a blushing piece of fluff. "'M ready t'move on. This place reeks." He waved a hand in front of his face, looking sidelong at the shopgirl. He wasn't disappointed by her reaction.
As soon as the words were out he regretted them; it woulda been better to refuse them, to make the girl dance about the palm of his hand, nothing more than a blushing piece of fluff. "'M ready t'move on. This place reeks." He waved a hand in front of his face, looking sidelong at the shopgirl. He wasn't disappointed by her reaction.
Re: The Clinging Frost
Erryl sighed, but wasn't sure what to say. He was grateful if the girl did plan to help him with his situation -- after all, she was likely aiding the person who'd caused it in the first place -- but he wasn't used to people he didn't really know going out of their way for him. He'd probably feel bad if it wasn't such an important errand, for his family and not himself.
Regardless of the potential compensation for his troubles, Erryl felt incredibly uncomfortable being seen with these two odd teenagers, even more than he'd typically be in a store like this one. The way the shop attendants eyed the trio, exuding a sickening mix of condescension, disdain, and disgust, made his skin prickle. Anther seemed set to make a scene at first, so it was a relief when he suggested they leave, even if it meant facing the icy breeze again.
Regardless of the potential compensation for his troubles, Erryl felt incredibly uncomfortable being seen with these two odd teenagers, even more than he'd typically be in a store like this one. The way the shop attendants eyed the trio, exuding a sickening mix of condescension, disdain, and disgust, made his skin prickle. Anther seemed set to make a scene at first, so it was a relief when he suggested they leave, even if it meant facing the icy breeze again.