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Post by KD on Dec 14, 2010 1:18:41 GMT -5
Emeric laughed, recognizing the compliment for what it was. "I was going to make sure to ask if you'd be open to it. Your reputation is well earned, you most definitely are the best. And good to work with."
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Post by Jenny on Dec 14, 2010 1:23:05 GMT -5
"A shame I never got to sharpen my knives," he sighed a little and chuckled. "At this rate, I'm going to get soft."
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Post by KD on Dec 14, 2010 1:26:16 GMT -5
"Don't let your guard down yet, we're still a few days' journey away from our destination, you never know what might happen."
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Post by Jenny on Dec 14, 2010 1:32:03 GMT -5
"Optimist," he chuckled.
"Well, enough rest. Let's move on." He stood up and pointed southeast. "If you look over there you'll see the smoke. There's a small tavern in the village over there. It may be cheap beer, but I think the men have earned a drink or two."
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Post by KD on Dec 14, 2010 1:36:49 GMT -5
"Yeah, it's a good place."
"I wonder if the whorehouse they were trying to get started is still up," Markus's eyes were gleaming as they started moving again. Emeric made a note to keep an eye on him, he didn't have a problem with the men finding company for the night but Markus had a history of treating women roughly.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 14, 2010 1:38:25 GMT -5
Vladik make a small, disgusted noise and muttered something concerning Markus to himself.
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Post by KD on Dec 14, 2010 1:43:56 GMT -5
Emeric shot him a grin.
They reached the town not long after. Emeric went to the wagon as they unhooked the horses and allowed them to drink and eat some proper hay in the stables. He opened the door and peered in, speaking quietly. "You can come with me to the marketplace and I won't use the runes if you promise to behave yourself," he said quietly.
There was no answer from inside, at least not a verbal one, but eventually Rauni crept out and allowed Emeric to take a hold of her arm. She looked tired and pale, her skin drawn over the thin bones of her face.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 14, 2010 1:47:00 GMT -5
Vladik was shocked. Such a difference from the girl she was a few days ago. Viscious and bitter, but alive. This Rauni was defeated and sickly, barely a spark in her eye. He lowered his eyes and turned away from the image, clearly distressed, his good mood lapsing to a deep depression. He was not one to drink, but something to ease the edge of this feeling was welcome.
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Post by KD on Dec 14, 2010 1:50:24 GMT -5
Granted, she brightened up a bit as she moved around town but it was hardly an improvement. Emeric let everyone do whatever they wanted in town and went to the open market area to barter for supplies and she trailed after him. Once or twice she glanced over toward the road leading out of town longingly but then she'd rub a spot on her head where the rune was and look away.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 14, 2010 2:00:34 GMT -5
The small militia was more than happy to take advantage of the situation and have a little fun. A little friendly gambling, plenty of beers, and flirting with easy women. Markus disappeared rather quickly up the stairs, chasing a giggling woman who was very pleased with both the attention and Markus' burly body.
Vladik didn't sit near the men, he was holed up in the corner alone in the dark with a drink.
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Post by KD on Dec 14, 2010 2:09:44 GMT -5
Eventually Emeric came in and Rauni was still with him. Despite herself, she looked around with curiosity, taking in the rush of humans around her.
Slavery was legal in this country so people took note of the slave collar around her throat, many people avoiding her, also put off by the strange air around her. No matter how human she looked there was always something off about Rauni, something wild.
One of the waitresses smiled at her, however, as Emeric went to the bar. "You look dead on your feet, my dear."
"She can't speak, ma'am." Emeric said politely. "She's mute."
The waitress promptly switched her tray over to her other arm and made a series of hand signals with her free hand, some kind of sign language. Rauni looked startled and after a moment she lifted her hand and signed back.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 14, 2010 2:14:31 GMT -5
He glanced up as the waitress commented on Rauni's state. I couldn't agree more.
Vladik squinted a little as Rauni and the waitress began to make strange hand signs, as if that would help him understand what they were communicating. But he had no clue.
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Post by KD on Dec 14, 2010 2:23:41 GMT -5
Emeric was also watching them with mild surprise. He'd had no idea Rauni knew some kind of sign language. He supposed the Master had showed her.
The waitress smiled and moved on. Rauni watched her go, and she seemed...not happy but a bit more happy than she had been before. Emeric leaned against the bar and took a drink, pushing a mug of something frothy toward her as a reward for behaving herself. Rauni eyed it, perched on a stool. She sniffed it, breathing in some of the foam from the top and sneezed.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 14, 2010 2:28:13 GMT -5
Vladik chuckled, cracking a grin that had been displaced for hours. He threw some coins down on the table and joined Emeric at the bar, moving so that Emeric was between them. He folded his arms and leaned them against the bar.
"Did you like the market, Rauni?"
Now that was surprising. Vladik had barely said a word to her in all this time.
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Post by KD on Dec 14, 2010 2:33:34 GMT -5
She eyed him with surprise, foam dripping off her chin. She hesitated, started to sign something before she realized he wouldn't be able to understand her, and finally nodded a little bit.
"I'll admit one of the reasons I took her is because it's impossible to hide spoiled meat or anything, no matter how cleverly they try it. It's not a big problem here but at the big marketplaces they sometimes try to pass bad food off on you. She can sense it from a mile away." Emeric smiled a bit. "Some of the marketplace people remembered her from last time, I bet we'd get plenty of supplies free if they could get her to sing again."
Rauni ducked her head. That wasn't going to happen, clearly.
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