PM to join [Sultros Blades] New Employment {Tichi}

[Hadyn Skellig]

22nd of Fall
513 AV
Morning

Hadyn Skellig released a yawn as she sat up straight from where she'd been hunched over the counter. Busy work was her realm these days though she readily preferred it to doing nothing. Catching up on the shop's papers fell into her newly reconfigured professional description. Swinging a hammer and going about the activity she'd been doing most of her life was not presently an option. But she was one of the few smiths trained in reading and writing - giving her the opportunity, if not responsibility, to take care of the more tedious work.

Letting her eyes wander along the walls of the shop the brunette flexed her fingers as the baby within her did a somersault. She was dressed in a beige gown, unadorned and simple, the leather vest unlaced. Dark work boots enclosed her feet where she rested them on rung of the chair beside her. She'd been here for two and a half bells already and nearly done with her project. Looking up at the sound of someone joining her, a smile pulled the corners of her lips as her gaze settled on the familiar face of her courier.

"Mornin', Tichi. Glad y'made it."

[Tichi]

Tichi bounced into the shop, beaming. "Good morning, wonderful employer smith Hadyn!" She gave the worn hem of her shirt a little tug to settle it, and looked around. "Always so many shiny things in here! They beckon, you know? Make one want to pick them up and handle them. Except I'd probably cut myself or drop something on my foot." She giggled, dark eyes gleaming.

"So, here I am." Tichi moved over to the counter, chattering away as usual. "I almost came sooner, but I wasn't sure you'd be here earlier, and I didn't know if it would be weird for me to stand around outside if the shop was closed. That dress is really pretty. I should buy new clothes, but I keep forgetting. I'm not sure I could wear a dress, I've never been in one. Dad always bought me secondhand shirts and pants, then complained when I outgrew them in a week. I guess I can't blame him for that, and at least I'm full grown now, but I'm talking your ears off aren't I?"

She cleared her throat. "So whatcha need me to deliver or pick up? I'm all yours! Oh. And I didn't mean to imply I'm clumsy, I'd never drop a delivery! Just that I probably shouldn't try to pick up a weapon and play with it, because I don't know what the petch I'm doing with one."

There were times when Tichi was heartily tempted to sew her own mouth shut.

[Hadyn Skellig]

Hadyn couldn't help but smile as the young woman bounded toward her, face alight with excitement and her mouth running like a stream. What might at first appear to be an annoying over pouring of words and exuberance somehow endeared Tichi to the woman. Dark eyebrows rose as the courier advanced, chittering as she went. The weaponsmith could only nod slowly, the corner of her lips curving as the girl approached.

"I don't doubt your word. I'll need you to head on to the Maiden district and drop these three parcels off," the woman placed a hand on wrapped items beside her. "And when you return I should have a delivery prepared."

Hadyn hesitated, watching the girl carefully. She really knew nothing of her newly contracted employee. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, head tilted slightly the woman spoke again, her tone gentle.

"Can y'read, Tichi?"

[Tichi]

Tichi peered curiously at the wrapped parcels, then beamed at the question.

"I can! As long as it's not fancy long words and complicated sentences. I saw a book of poetry once and couldn't make heads or tails of it. But I can read labels on things and names and stuff like that. Writing, now," she shrugged. "That's harder. I can, but it takes someone a long time to read it."

Tichi really hoped writing was not going to be the next question. She'd seen the face of the lady at the employment office when she'd tried to read Tichi's wrting.

[Hadyn Skellig]

The brunette made an approving hmm noise as the girl replied in the positive. Her comment on writing garnered an interested gaze from Hadyn.

"Good. The addresses are printed here," she pointed to the parcels. After a paused Hadyn looked back to the courier with the ghost of a smile. "Y'only need readin' skills to do this job, I s'ppose. But... if you're ever needin' of a writin' lesson, it'd be my pleasure to assist you."

The woman fell silent. Some folk looked adversely on assistance, especially with skills such as reading or writing. It was rare for the weaponsmith to offer to teach anything beyond quick lessons in remedial activities. But there was something about Tichi that inspired a more generous spark in the woman. With a flash of teeth, Hadyn pushed the three parcels toward the girl.

[Tichi]

Tichi took a closer look at the parcels and nodded, then looked wide-eyed back at Hadyn at the offer of writing lessons. Her face lit up for a moment.

"Really? You'd do that for me? Oh, I'd love that! I love to learn things! And I'm sure you wouldn't smack me when I do things wrong like Dad...did...um. Right?"

Oh dear. Tichi hadn't thought of that until she'd been halfway through a sentence. She didn't think Hadyn was the sort to smack her for things, but. And of course she shouldn't have said that! Now she was mortally afraid she'd insulted the woman.

"Me and my big mouth," she muttered, dismayed. "Um. I'm sorry. Can we just forget I said that please?" She fidgeted, looking anywhere but at Hadyn.

[Hadyn Skellig]

Hadyn stared at her, eyebrows raised as the girl expressed hesitation. Smack her? Tichi quickly covered her tracks anxiously, her eyes darting here there and everywhere. After a chime the brunette smiled though it was a careful curve of her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"No," she answered calmly. "I'll not strike you. Writin' takes patience and practice. Gettin' it wrong is part of learning. In all things."

Hadyn's fell silent, her expression bearing traces of hesitancy despite her declarative statements. Who was she to offer wisdom? it wasn't like she was any example of moral or grounded behavior. With another smile the woman waved off the comment and the girl's apology.

"Get these packages delivered an' we'll talk more on writin' later, hm?"

[Tichi]

Tichi brightened. "Okay! I'll be right back." She picked up the parcels, took another look at the addresses and took off running, heading for the Maiden district.

She slowed when she actually got there, checking the addresses again. The first one she reached just as the resident was departing, a middle-aged man who was visibly pleased to receive his parcel, and even gave her a small tip.

The second door was opened by a sour-faced woman who just took the parcel and slammed the door in Tichi's face. Well, okay then.

Nobody answered at the third door, and Tichi checked the address yet again. It was definitely the right apartment. She frowned, thinking. It didn't seem right to just leave the parcel at the door. What if it was valuable and someone stole it? She should probably wait until the resident returned from wherever he or she was.

But what if he or she didn't return for hours? Tichi bit her lip and paced, thinking.

Fortunately she was spared making the choice. An older man strode along the corridor toward her, giving her a nod before inserting his key to unlock the door. "That package for me, miss?"

Tichi beamed and held it out to him. "It is!"

"Ah, thank you." He took it with a smile and looked it over. By the time he glanced up again, she was long gone. "Ah, to have such energy again," he mused, letting himself into his apartment and closing the door behind him.

"I'm baaaaack," Tichi sang out as she came to a halt, back at Sultros Blades. "All delivered!"

[Hadyn Skellig]

In the time it took Tichi to run her errands the weaponsmith had completed the paper work and moved on to sweeping the shop. It was a detestable chore, one she'd much prefer to have the male smiths do. But the floor had accumulated enough grit to have even the workaholic Eanos notice. Gathering the debris into a pile the woman bent halfway before realizing she couldn't actually use the dustpan. The baby got in the way of just about everything these days.

"Petch," she muttered darkly as the shop door swung open. Looking over her shoulder as the girl announced her entrance the brunette sighed. "Good. Since you're here, could you gather this into the pan. I'm all wide an' useless."

Extending the broom to Tichi the weaponsmith took a step away so she could assist. It was a damn nuisance to be reliant on someone else to do simple tasks like tidying up but Hadyn learned the hard way not to push herself anymore. With an appreciative smile the brunette leaned her hip against the side of the counter, crossing her arms over her chest.

"After you toss that out how 'bout a writin' lesson, hm? I've half a bell before I'm to head into the forge."

[Tichi]

"Oh sure! I'm happy to do anything around here you need help with." Tichi bent and began neatly sweeping the debris into the pan. "I can't even imagine what it must be like. And I'm really good at cleaning. I used to burn energy that way when Dad wouldn't let me out of the apartment. Cleanest place in Bittern!"

She smiled up at Hadyn and went to dump the debris. "Ooooh I'd love a lesson! I promise I'll concentrate really really hard and learn fast. I don't want to be a bother. Your time is valuable."