[Captain's Hall] A New Start

[Aeden]

1st Fall, 510 A.V

Aeden worked his way through Denval, taking in the sights. The town really wasn't to big, so it wasn't that hard for him to find the Captain's Hall. He stood opposite for a few minutes, wondering how he was supposed to approach this Captain person. He didn't know anything about how this town was setup; was the captain a military figure or something else entirely? From what he had seen the town didn't seem overly militaristic, and considering it's size he doubted they'd be invading anyone soon.

Aeden shook his head a bit, clearing his mind. He had to go find out what there was to do around here besides sailing, and he had been told this was a good place to start. There was nothing to do but get to it. He crossed the street quickly, moving through the open door to the hall. As he entered the hall, he wasn't sure where to go, and there wasn't anyone around to ask. So, he did the only thing he could think of, since he didn't want to wander around and possibly get in trouble, so he called out, "Hello? Anyone here?"

[Tabarnac]

OOCDon't forget a timestamp! There were indeed a few people there. Chairs and tables were being arranged for what looked like a meeting, and a red-headed, androgynous woman seemed to be in charge. Her secretary moved to speak to Aeden, but the Captain placed a gentle, restraining hand on her arm and strode purposefully over to Aeden. Her people continued to work, efficient and practiced at this sort of thing. The Captain's Hall hosted many an important event within the settlement, and its insides changed to suit the occasion. The woman's face might have been called cruel until it was transformed by an expression. Just now it was concern, and the light seemed to follow her as if she were a lighthouse beacon burning through the night. Indeed, a quick eye would catch the twinned marks of Priskil on either hand, the sunburst vortices that glowed slightly in uncertain light. When she spoke, the warm alto of her voice belied her sword-thin frame. An experienced eye would note that she moved like a warrior born and bred, trained, tried and true. She was indeed, though the Denvali were lucky in that their martial skills were rarely needed. The remoteness of their settlement kept them apart from some of the scarier remnants of the Valterrian. Everything had a silver lining. "Welcome to Denval, stranger," she said. "It seems you have fallen on hard times."

[Aeden]

Aeden paused soon after he spoke, hearing people bustling around, and decided that to be patient might be the best policy. It wasn't long before a woman emerged into the entryway. Aeden took her in; she was slight, but she carried herself with an air of confidence that, in and off it's self, warranted some respect. He didn't know who she was, but he wasn't about to treat her like she was some nobody who he could blow off, after all, he was in a new town, and first impressions could mean a lot.

The woman spoke up after a moment, welcoming him and stating something that Aeden found rather obvious, but had decided it'd be prudent not to point it out, that he was kind of in a down slope in his life. Aeden shrugged and tried to smile a bit. "I guess you could say "rough times", but rough waves might've been more accurate. A fishing vessel from here picked me up earlier in the day on a beach out in the bay. My ship was wrecked against a shoal in Storm Bay and, it seems, I'm the only one that survived," he explained to her.

He stepped forward a bit then, extending his hand, "The name is Aeden, I was a sailor aboard the trade ship Dancer. Joslin, one of the men who rescued me, suggested I come here first, mentioned something about the Captain. Might that be you ma'am?" He thought it best to adopt the tone of a supplicant, especially since he hadn't taken the measure of this woman yet. Whether she was the captain or not, it just seemed sensible not to come off as an arrogant, cock swinging douche.

[Tabarnac]

"Captain Astrid," she said, shaking his hand. Her grip was firm, her hand callused from swordplay. The Denvali took military matters seriously as a matter of culture, and this striking, slender woman was their military leader. "My condolences on your loss," she continued. "Our community will see to your lodging and feeding until such time as you are on your feet again. There is always work to be done, and if you are eager to leave us, you have merely to wait for the next ship out of Avanthal or persuade an Endal to fly you to Wind Reach." She smiled. "I do hope you will stay a while, though. We are always pleased to have guests."

[Aeden]

As the woman took his hand and introduced herself, Aeden nodded, "It's nice to meet you Captain." He had noticed the callouses on her hands, but had no idea what it meant. He had callouses on his own hands, from years of working with the ropes, climbing and the semi occasional rowing.

As she spoke again, extending her condolences, he nodded solemnly, "Thank you Captain. I'd known many of the men on the ship for over a decade. They were more like friends then family. I...I just wish... you know... that there was something I could have done for them." Aeden wasn't crying, but it was quite obvious that the loss had affected him deeply.

She had also informed him that the community would see to his lodging and feeding until he feet, which Aeden had to admit was very generous of them. He nodded as she also explained that transportation out of town, if he had money, which he did, but Aeden wasn't sure if he was ready to move on yet.

But when she smiled and said she hoped he stayed awhile Aeden couldn't help but get the feeling he was meant to stay there, at least for awhile. Aeden smiled back, "Thank you very much Captain. I actually have some money that might last me a little while, so you don't have to count me as a burden on your community. But I would like to find some type of work; I'm best as a sailor, but considering what I just went through... I can't go back to the sea so quickly. Does anyone in town have need of a man who's willing to work? I'm not really skilled in much else, but I learn quick..." Really he had no idea what he'd be good at...

[Tabarnac]

"There are no words to assuage your grief," she said simply, not devaluing his with hackneyed phrases of condolence. She patted his hand with her other, then released the handshake. "We have an abundance of housing, so you will have a home. As for work, if you don't wish to set foot on a boat or barge, there's always work for stevedores down on the Freight Docks, or if you want to get further from the sea, I could send you to Master Marius who is working the mines and the Road. I'm afraid most work will be of a physical nature unless you have other specialized skills, but if you start working, people talk, and if something more suited to you opens up, of course you are free to pursue it."

[Aeden]

Aeden nodded as she said there were no words to assuage is grief, feeling a little comforted by the pat on his hand. Really he did wish she would have said something, anything, just to try and make the pain go away, but she was right, there were no words that really would do anything, but perhaps the thought behind them would have. Regardless, it seemed that only time, drink or women would lessen his pain.

As she spoke again, saying that there was an abundance of housing, Aeden nodded. Her words seemed rather firm, leaving no room for argument, and if she insisted on giving him free housing he really wouldn't complain, he had just thought it better to want to contribute rather then leach off the people of the small town. As she continued to speak, telling him what jobs were available, he could feel his hopes shriveling a little. But then she mentioned the possibility of other specialized skills he could pursue.

Aeden shrugged, "I do not have many other skills, besides what I learned on the streets as a youngster and some skill with a blade. The captain of my ship was training me on and off for awhile, but we never practiced much. He said my balance was excellent and figured I'd be good with the footwork if I could get the time to train." He looked at her for a moment, wondering if he should tell her more about himself. Then he decided he best be open with her about some of his past, even if it made him more suspect in a crime. "There is however, something of my past I think you should know of. As a youngster, orphaned and living in the filth, I was forced to steal to live and made a living doing so. I tell you this because I have not filched or thieved in a long time, and so that you know I am not trying to hide something from you. You and yours have been kind to me, it wouldn't be right for me to deceive or take from you..."

[Tabarnac]

"I do appreciate your honesty, Master Aeden. Hopefully the eye you trained in your youth will help keep whatever you acquire safe." In fact, crime was marginal in Denval. The community was relatively tight-knit and everyone's basic needs were met. It was run with military efficiency, as it had been since before the Valterrian when it was an outpost of the Suvan military, and while Captain Astrid had a reputation for fair-mindedness, she was not soft. The children, however, did have a habit of pilfering through the pockets of strangers because Denval remained remote and the little luxuries that foreigners seemed to enjoy were often complete novelties to the Denvali children. If he was troubled by working on the water where his skill set was most advanced, they would, as she had said, provide him with what work was available, but, also as she had said, without skills, that work was mostly limited to menial labor. "Perhaps for the time being, you should rest and recuperate from your ordeal, go out and meet people and mention your willingness to work. News travels fast here as we remain a modestly sized settlement. With luck, someone will be willing to take you on."

[Aeden]

As she began to speak,Aeden had half expected to be run out of town, but instead she just said she appreciated his honesty. That had the inevitable result of making Aeden smile, nodding in agreement that his skills may indeed prevent his own things from being stolen. He had no idea about the history of Denval, so he really didn't know how it's people acted, beyond what he had seen so far. For the most part they seemed incredibly nice, which in some ways was a little off putting.

As she replied, saying that he might just want to rest and hang out, he nodded a bit. He had been half hoping she might offer to train him, especially if she wanted someone who knew how to spot a thief. That would make him a good guard right? Really he felt rather useless, considering he really could only swipe a purse or rig a sail. With a light sigh Aeden spoke, "I suppose you're right Captain."

Without anything else to talk to her about he extended his hand once more. "Thank you, again, for your kindness."

[Tabarnac]

The Captain motioned to a servant and murmured something about a house with a view of the ocean and the rubble-piles that passed for the foothills of the mountains that led to Sultros and the rest of Mizahar. None had passed that way and survived to their knowledge, but they had become more and more beautiful as nature worked on them over the centuries since Ivak's great tantrum. "You are quite welcome," he replied with a vaguely aloof smile. "Ala will see you to your new home." And she would show him, giving him a base of operations in Denval from which he could recuperate in order to leave or in order to find work within the settlement. New people with new skills and new genetic material were always welcome in Denval, and the servant girl would surely tell him to improve his skills at arms and to show off in front of members of the militia if he wished to join their ranks and protect the interests of the Captain and her people. Such was the way of things in Denval.