Completed Without a Paddle

[Anona]

Without a Paddle
3rd Day of Spring, 514 AV

Another alleyway, another dead end.

Anona stared down into the water below him morosely. After over a full bell of attempting to navigate his city on foot, Anona felt as though he was no closer to his destination than he was when he started. Ducking into alleyway after alleyway, desperately clutching his cloak tightly around his body to avoid brushing against the number of bodies likewise left without their transportation, he was beginning to lose hope. He'd thought that he'd finally had a break when he ducked in between the Malt House and the adjacent building, finally finding peace in the narrow back way, but he now realized how fruitless this path, too, was.

Before him was a canal, just barely too long to even consider leaping across, and the morning light bursting through the sky glittered mockingly on the calm surface of the water. Anona took a moment to breathe in, slow and shuddering, and as his chest expanded his shoulders brushed the planks of the buildings flanking him. The noise of the crowds was dulled significantly here, even if across the small canal he could see people bustling about still, and it was a tempting thought that he could sink to the ground and allow himself a moment's rest to relish the unexpected solitude.

The muffled voice of a man barking out orders jolted him out of such fanciful thoughts, and he thought only of how much more quickly he'd have to complete his daily chores in order to be finished before James returned in the evening. He turned on his heel and sidled out of the narrow alleyway, pushing himself back onto one of the slightly larger paths in the city. Deciding against his earlier method of "go into the alleys as you see them", Anona curled in on himself to take up as little space as possible and scanned the area for anything promising. At first, nothing, but then-- There!. Nestled in between two shacks down the street was another canal, and Anona's eyes fixed themselves upon the thick rope that he could just barely see tethering one platform to the next. A small burst of people wandered in front of him and he idled impatiently, never letting his gaze wander from the rope that would lead him that much closer to the Merchants' Ring. As soon as the group had passed he stepped lightly and quickly as he dared towards the canal.

As he approached, he realized that the canal, while not ridiculously so, was a significant bit wider than he'd guessed from afar. When he finally reached it-- and it was indeed too wide for him to attempt crossing with any hope of making it all the way across-- he watched as other citizens and slaves crossed the street on the other side of the rope. Inwardly he cursed his luck at not having taken greater care in his appearance on this day, but he thought it wouldn't be too difficult to pass and attract some strapping gentleman to help a poor woman across the canal.

[Daegron]

"Where is it" he thought to himself and couldn't help but wonder how all these people were able to move around this city without boats. Yet it was comforting to see everyone around him almost as clueless and confused as he was. Still wet and exhaused he had already wandered aimlessly for six or maybe seven bells, and still no place looked familiar. He could be moving around in circles for all he knew; these canals and buildings all looked the same to him.

He had to find the Inn they were staying at. Knowing her, she'd pick the fanciest; she was like that all the time, needy and spoiled. He probably had left his belongings there, but then again he wasn't sure. But it was a hefty sum of mizas that he wasn't ready to part with. As he rushed forward to what seemed like an impressive building, he momentarily lost his footing and his shoulder bumped into another person. He turned angrily and watched her; a foul stream of curses was sprouted from his lips:

"watth ver voo go, voo thtiken ho !"

Curses ! it's already been so many bells since his last morphing and still, his oral cavity was a mess. He was careless, and too busy trying to find his way, that he forgot to rearrange everything neatly. Good thing he'd washed the blood off, for that would surely attract unwanted attention. He stood silent staring at her for a moment. He then took a deep breath, turned his face downwards and grabbed his jaw with both hands, gripping and turning it. With a horrible crack and sloshing sound, he could feel his tongue coming finally into place and the rest of his mouth was reshaped, swollen as it was.

What a fool ! He shouldn't have done that right now. Ravok wasn't the place for such bold actions especially when anyone could be watching. Now he had to linger on and make sure that she'd forget what exactly had happened. Or at least to get that image off her mind for a while..

"Be careful where you decide to stop !" he growled, which was ridiculous since it was him who bumped straight into her. "Where are the boats? How do you people find your way in that mess?"

Such an exclamation clearly marked him as a stranger. Strangers were not really welcome he'd heard. But it wasn't important at the moment...

[Anona]

As distracted as he was with looking across the canal and waiting to make eye contact with someone, Anona hadn't heard anyone approaching; when a solid mass collided with his back his heart kick-started into motion and he lurched forward, throwing his hand out to catch on the wooden siding of the building to his right. Eyes wide, heart still pounding, he stared at the water underneath him, and his other hand came up to clutch at his cloak protectively. That had been way too close-- he could already imagine James's face if he came home and found Anona soaking in lakewater, and just the thought of it was enough to have Anona's already frenzied heart kicking that much harder with panic.

Whoever had collided with him said something unintelligible, and almost immediately after a sickening crack sounded out behind him. Anona pivoted, taking care not to lose his footing, and when he turned fully he came face-to-face with the man who'd run into him. He was shorter than Anona just barely, but there wasn't any doubt in his mind that the man could overpower him; just at a glance it was obvious that he outweighed Anona significantly. The man's hand was adjusting his broad jaw-- perhaps that had been what made the horrible cracking sound? Anona had sometimes heard James's bones creak and pop like old wood whenever he stretched. He'd never witnessed anything so loud as that, but then, perhaps he was exaggerating how loud the noise was in his memory.

"Be careful where you decide to stop!" The man growled. "Where are the boats? How do you people find your way in the mess?" Although Anona's mind briefly flared in annoyance at the accusation (the stranger had run into him, after all!), it was quickly overtaken by something peculiar about the man's words.

Boats.

You people.

An outsider, he realized. The man was fortunate, then, that Anona was neither inclined nor skilled enough to slit his coin-purse's strings, if not his neck.

He cursed his own thoughtlessness in not putting more effort into his appearance before leaving his home. His face would carry the illusion of femininity far enough, but he'd have to be careful nonetheless. He smiled softly at the man, taking care not to let his grip on his cloak slip even minutely.

"Apologies, sir. I wasn't really fancying a swim today," he said, gesturing at the canal behind him. "You're not from Ravok, of course. Dangerous for outsiders here, you know." He let his smile grow, showing a very slight gap between his front teeth. He'd been told that it made him seem more childish, and innocent, and he had a feeling he was going to need all the help he could get here. "Rhysol is smiling on you already, then, for out of all the chaotic crowds of people, you stumbled into the one person who's not likely to knife you in an alleyway."

He glanced behind him again, at the thick rope swaying gently between the platforms. "I don't suppose you're any good at balancing, are you, outsider?"

oocThe bit about Daegron having a wide jaw was an inference on my part from his description in his CS-- if you'd like me to alter/remove the sentence, just let me know! Don't mean to step on any toes.

[Daegron]

oocHah! no worries ! a mouth as big as his, surely requires a wide jaw for support

"Knife me" ? He thought and glared at her angrily his fingertips caressing the hilt of his blade. "You don't just knife me..." he mumbled under his breath and proudly raised an eyebrow.

"Do I look to you like some petching acrobat ? Or do I look like I am running a charity service for damsels in distress ?"
He stopped his angry speech abruptly. He'd already said too much. He had no reason to treat her that way, but last night's incident had left him with a bitter taste and the self righteous rage of one who was betrayed. There was a short akward pause that felt like a century before he controlled himself and finally spoke in a calm, rasonable manner..

"Tell you what, I'll try to help you across and once we're there you'll give me directions." he chuckled and a broad grin appeared on his face. "And this outsider will stay lucky and avoid any potential knives aiming for his gut"

He eyed the narrow passage and the thick rope connecting the platforms. It didn't look that hard, though he had never actually tried tightrope walking before. If he kept his fingertips against the right wall he would make it. The worst that could happen was him getting wet once more. The warm sun was just barely making him feel dry again. He walked closer and carefully tested the tension of that rope with his left foot.

Perhaps his senses were still heightened, and the adrenaline hadn't worn off, but as he leaned closer, he noticed how tightly she held her cloak around her. It wasn't cold at all; almost as she was hiding something under it. She didn't look dangerous though so he briefly dismissed the thought..

The rope was tight enough to hold their weight, but it was a long way across and he surely wouldn't be able to carry her over just like that. He leaned and ducked at the platform's edge, trying to find where that rope was tied. What luck ! There appeared to be a wet moldy plank hidden under there, wide enough for a foot to rest safely. He started pulling it and looked at her laughing when it's length was revealed. It was long enough to reach across the canal.

"Lucky morning!" he finally said. "It isn't strong enough to hold us on it's own but if we use it along with the rope, we have a good chance to get across dry"

He looked at her and nodded.. "you ready ?"

oocFeel free to describe our daring manoeuvres

[Anona]

"Do I look to you like some petching acrobat? Or do I look like I am running a charity service for damsels in distress?" Anona felt his cheeks bloom red in anger and embarrassment at having been rejected so quickly. He leveled a glare at the man and for a moment, the alleyway was filled with terse, uncomfortable silence.

Eventually, the man spoke again, calmly, offering a deal between the two of them. Pride wounded as it was, Anona was tempted to return the favor and reject the outsider, but then he'd be back exactly where he was before and no closer to his destination. He opened his mouth, ready to accept the offer, when the other man suddenly ducked down, seemingly examining... the canal? Anona frowned. What could he be looking for?

He was absorbed in his confusion so much that the man's unexpected laughter startled him and he jolted, taking a half step backwards. This much panic in such a short amount of time could not be good for his health. The outsider turned around, grinning broadly and holding an old, decrepit wooden plank. From where he was standing, Anona had to guess that is was wide enough for stable footing, and then a bit.

"Lucky morning! It isn't strong enough to hold us on its own but if we use it along with the rope, we have a good chance to get across dry."

Even from his position, nowhere near enough to really examine the board, Anona would have to enthusiastically agree with part of the man's assessment, at least: the plank had mildew growing in many areas, and was warped sharply in some places where in others the wood seemed to be soft enough that even an apple would be too heavy a burden to bear. He had his doubts about the rope being any help, but even he had to admit that he was no scholar-- perhaps the rope would provide them the little support they needed.

The man looked at him and nodded. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Anona said. "Perhaps, if you put it down-- should I go first? I'm lighter, and I could help you across from the other side."

[Daegron]

"And why should I trust you ?" he thought for a moment and his distrust was clearly shown on his tired face. Yet he stopped before phrasing it. He let the plank down and it's edges rested on each platform. Surely someone must have used it before. She was lighter and if she wasn't so keen on holding her cloak around her she'd be far more nimble. There was no other way to test it. And they would have to make it quick before they attracted any unnecessary attention.

"Sure, go ahead and try.." he said and a sinister grin appeared on his face. "But if it's good enough and you try to cross me, I'll make sure you won't reach the other side."

His soft chuckle couldn't cover him. He was mean like that. He'd reached to the point where it didn't matter at all, he didn't care at all about anything other than himself.

oocoops, really short post

[Anona]

Anona blew out a quick burst of air nervously. The plank appeared much stabler now that it was sitting on both platforms, but it still didn't seem safe to him.

Then again, it was his best option at this point. The day was waning while he waited, and his punishment if he weren't at James's home before the man returned... he didn't want to know. He planted one foot lightly on the plank and, thankfully, it made only the slightest noise in protest.

"... I'll make sure you won't reach the other side." Anona's gaze was fixed on the wooden plank directly in front of his feet, so he couldn't make out the man's expression, but he sounded serious, and sounded as though he didn't mean he would simply pull Anona into the water with him. Anona rolled his eyes before looking at the plank again.

He lifted his other foot and planted it gingerly on the plank in front of the other. The Stryfe can have you, then, Outsider, he thought. He had bigger things to worry about than idle threats by idle men, the very immediate threat of being submerged in the Lake chief among them. He inhaled deeply, attempting to steady his breathing, and took another step forward.

The plank groaned loudly and shifted to tilt to the right, and all thoughts of keeping his identity hidden flew away as Anona's arms shot out instinctively to maintain his balance. After a moment, when he felt stable enough, he took another step forward, and then another, not without stopping halfway to adjust his balance. He supposed it didn't matter at this point to keep his cloak drawn. He wasn't facing the man, and anyways, who was to say that he would ever see him again? When he placed his next step, before he could react the rotted wood fell away under his foot, and the plank tilted sharply. Anona cried out and leapt for the edge of the platform. His feet slipped on the unstable wood and he fell short by some, grasping the platform with scrabbling hands while his legs were submerge halfway to his knees in the lake-water.

"Petch," he hissed. He dug his elbows into the floor of the platform, pushing all his weight onto his forearms and hauling himself up and out of the water. He tried to catch his breath as he looked back across the canal at the outsider, and his hands instinctively clasped his cloak around his body as they tended to do when he panicked.

The plank seemed to have flipped when Anona fell, the side furthest from him now in the water, and the side closest to him looked like it had snagged on the platform itself so that the plank didn't entirely disappear into the depths of Lake Ravok. After taking a moment to steady himself, Anona stood and grabbed the plank, lifting it out of the water. It was much heavier than it had looked when the outsider held it, but after a good effort, he managed to replace it between the platforms.

"Your turn," he said.

[Daegron]

It was a close one; perhaps too close for comfort. She was lean, she was nimble and it turned out that she was fast enough. But jumping like that could easily have lead to a serious injury. Why would she risk getting hurt ? A brief swim would be harmless and far better than a broken leg. Unless she was really hiding something under that cloak, something important or sensitive.

And then, another thought occurred to him. Why would she be willing to trust a man like himself ? Was her destination so important ? Was her motivation so strong ?
Perhaps he'd have the answers later on. There was no reason to tarry any longer.

"Well done !" he said smiling and eagerly stepped on, ready to cross the gap. He was far heavier, so he decided to divide his weight between the plank and the rope. He leaned just a little and his fingertips barely touched the wall to his right. It took a lot of effort on his behalf to maintain his balance. He was tired and his legs were slightly trembling. His steps were very slow and careful and his breath was heavy. The slightest mistake would be enough to plunge him into the lake's depths. Swimming with his vest on was futile.

It took him ages to reach to the other side, with each new and ominous creaking sound he would stop for a few moments and wait before continuing. She was patient enough to wait for him, and though he was thankful that she'd keep her part of the deal, there was no way to show on his stern face. Finally when he reached the platform, with it's last creak the plank collapsed into the dark waters; solid footing never felt so good.

His face brightened slightly as he spoke:

"I appreciate you staying lass.. you had no good reason to... I'm Daegron and I'm looking for" ... the name of the place just came to him, as if he was repeating something he'd said a while ago.. "Tarsin's Boarding House"

[Anona]

He was still breathing a little unevenly when the outsider congratulated him with a smile, but he tried to answer it with a weak grin of his own. As he watched the man used he building on one side of the canal, he frowned a little at himself for not thinking of the same idea. Then again, he'd lost his balance and his footing simply walkin in a straight line; there was no telling if he would have made it across if he'd tried to lean on the wall for support. Eventually the outsider made it across, Anona watching carefully the whole time, ready to lend a hand should the man have needed it. As he stepped solidly onto the platform where Anona stood, the board gave a loud snap and collapsed in on itself, dropping into the lake.

The outsider's face seemed lighter at having made it across. "I appreciate you staying lass... you had no good reason to."

Anona laughed dryly. "You're in my debt, outsider. That's reason enough." He knew from experience that even the smallest of debts were useful eventually.

The man introduced himself finally as Daegron, looking for--

Anona couldn't help the near-hysterical laughter that bubbled out of him when Daegron told him his destination.

"The Boarding House? The Boarding House is on the docks, outsider. And the docks," he said, "are right behind you." He gestured with his hand to the platform that they had just come from. "We're in the merchant's ring now." He wasn't sure that would mean anything at all to Daegron, but maybe it would be of some use to him.

"I'll be glad to point you in the right direction to Tarsin's, but I'm afraid my business is further in the city."

[Daegron]

His face turned red and his fists clenched. Life had a way of tossing such annoying little pranks upon him. More often than it should. He took a few short breaths and tried his best to refrain from smashing his fist on the nearest wall.

"I guess I can't just blame you for that now can I ?" he said with a bitter smile of embarrassment. "I hope you've had your fun for today..." Her laughter was piercing, in a way.

He tried to think about last night's aimless wandering around the city. He tried to make sense of the countless alleys and canals and platforms he trod. There seemed to be a pattern in the city's outline but it wasn't very clear to him and waking up in a state of confusion only made things worse. But she said something that made sense.

"What do you mean by the Merchant's Ring ? Is this place built in some sort of concentric circles ? If it is, there's bound to be at least one bridge that connects adjacent districts, right ?" It finally made sense to him. If the city was built as such, walking around in circles was very possible. He could have spent all this time walking around and along the docks. He remembered piers and narrow alleyways and a lack of wealthy displays, as if it was the poorest section. He did not remember any shops or prominent businesses. He did not remember crossing any bridges that were big enough to allow the main traffic of people or goods to the other districts.
"If you are headed further in the city then this direction is inwards ?" he said and pointed at the direction they were facing while crossing the canal.

A clear idea finally formed in his tired mind. If he could walk in a direction that was more or less clockwise, always mindful of where the inner part of the city was, he was bound to find a bridge that would lead him to the docks. He'd just have to follow any workers or slaves carrying goods.

"So, where in the docks is that boarding house ?" He finally said, believing that he had a slightly better chance of finding his way in this place.