[Castle Commons] Head Over Heels (Sh'Ky)

by **Nellie Hawkins** on October 17th, 2014, 4:50 am

.10th bell.
.33rd of summer, 507av.

It was a rare treat, to be unaccompanied with coins in the midst of seemingly endless carts of food. Nellie couldn't take it all in fast enough; her eyes darted from one stall to the next and on again before she'd even registered what was for sale. It was easy enough for the child to pick out what wasn't available - honey candies. Her fist closed tightly over the few coppers she'd been given and she ran determinedly from vendor to vendor, meeting each with a hopeful gaze that soon turned to crestfallen disappointment when they turned out to only have things like cabbages, potatoes, and jerked meats.

Finally, on the outskirts of the market, she spotted the gold mine. Amber honey gleamed in glass jars stacked carefully in a small stall nearly hidden by neighboring leafy greens and carrots. A grin split Nellie's face and she dashed over to the stall eagerly, eyes searching for the sweet candy she'd set her hopes on. The merchant, an old man with a sour look to him, noticed her eying his goods and gave her a stern look.

"Now, back up girl! This ain't no place fer lookers. Get back an' let the payin' customers have some room." He shooed her away, as though she were nothing more than a gnat, and Nellie frowned in response. Bushy gray brows drew down over the man's eyes and he took a step toward her, shooing her away again. "Go on, now! I don't give samples."

"So who asked fer one?" The sassy remark left her lips before she could think to stop it. "I got enough coin fer some of yer dumb candy. How much fer one piece?"

"Eh? Oh, a big spender, are ya? Well," the man rubbed his chin, all trace of annoyance gone from his face now as he considered her carefully. "That'll be 7 coppers, missy." He held up the jar of candies temptingly; they caught the sun's light and glowed with mouthwatering beauty.

But, as eager as she was for the sweets, Nellie knew the man's price was too high. She'd watched her mum often enough to know that the first offer was always too high. Her offer should be too low, then. It was called bartering, and Nellie was determined not to lose her end of it.

"7's too much! That candy's no bigger'n my thumb. I'll give ya," Nellie paused before naming her amount, face scrunched in thought. As she stood there grasping for a number, it struck her that she didn't have any idea what price would be too low. She only had 5 coppers. He wanted 2 more than that, 7. So - "no more'n 3 coppers fer one."

Unexpectedly, the old man chuckled. "Such a serious face, lass. 3 is too little, but I'll tell ya - 5 coppers and we'll both be happy, eh?" He took her agreement for granted, opening the jar of candies and withdrawing one of the treats. Holding it just out of reach, he extended his other hand for her coins and gave her a wink.

Nellie didn't know if the wink meant she was getting a good deal, or he was, but with the candy so close, she didn't waste any more time considering. 5 coppers was a price she could afford, and so she eagerly handed over the coins and snatched up her purchase, popping it directly into her mouth with a grin before dashing back into the crowd of people.

by **Sh'Ky Naes** on October 18th, 2014, 3:26 pm

Smiling broadly, Sh'Ky spoke to a merchant, who seemed to be around his same age, the twenties, or thereabouts. His tousled black hair falling about his eyes, he looked the part of a young, attractive sailor. A red vest draped over his shoulders, he wore no shirt underneath, his arms and chest bare, muscles toned, yet not excessively. He wore black pantaloons over trim sailing boots, thus confirming to others that he was a sailor. The merchant dealt in various salts and spices, and Sh'Ky had almost sealed a deal with the man, claiming that his captain wanted to buy the salts for the journey, and sell the spices in Zeltiva for a profit. Sh'Ky had rented an empty warehouse for this, and secured a time and a place from the man, allowing him to move in. He had gotten several hired thugs off of the street to work with Rastia and him, promising them large sums of money. However, they wouldn't get any. He had planned on disguising himself, and after he sold the goods, misleading the goons. It was an intricate plan, one that hinged on many decisive parts. Of course, it took weeks upon weeks to plan, but all of his work would come to fruition. Little did he know how quickly plans could fall apart, with such little effort.

A small foot stepped on the top of his boot, and the tiny figure that it belonged to slipped over it, tripping facefirst towards the dirt. Throwing out his arms, he caught a slightly dusty, bright-eyed young girl, and putting her back on her feet, asked, with an amused glimmer in his eye, "Are'ya alright, little miss? Ya might want t' watch where yer headed, next time."

by **Nellie Hawkins** on November 2nd, 2014, 12:45 am

Saved, unexpectedly, from her near-tumble by a pair of strong hands, Nellie nevertheless sucked in a deep breath, ready to lambast the individual. Even at the tender age of 11, she had learned that the best defense was to immediately go on the offense. So, with all the passion of childhood temper behind her, and dark eyes flashing, the effect rather more comical than ferocious, she hurled angry words at the owner of the hands - and the boot that had jumped out in front of her.

"Well, watch where yer puttin' that big boat of a -," Nellie had finally glanced up. The man who'd reached out so quickly to break her fall was smiling down at her and suddenly she forgot why it was that she was yelling at this helpful, friendly, handsome stranger. She inhaled sharply in surprise. In a much more subdued tone, she continued, her words morphing from angry diatribe into awkward apology. "- foot. Sorry! Didn't mean ta get yer boots all dusty! They're great boots - like them ones the sailors wear!"

Glancing up again, face aflame with embarrassment and some other unfamiliar, tingly feelings, Nellie stared curiously up at the man. Her eyes darted to his companion, a merchant of some sort, momentarily before entirely dismissing him and focusing her attention on her dark-haired hero in his flashy red vest.

"Are you a sailor? Do you 'ave yer own ship? Have ya sailed to hunnerds of places? Is it excitin'?" She peppered the young man with all the questions she could think of, blissfully ignorant of the conversation she'd interrupted. Her eyes had taken on the sparkle of admiration as she waited impatiently for the answers to come. More questions were forming even as she stood there, but Nellie bit her tongue to silence them.

After all, she'd already embarrassed herself once with her clumsiness; there was no point in being rude, too. Self-consciously, she pulled herself upright, straightening her shoulders and doing her best to adopt a casual, mature pose. Suddenly it was desperately important to her that she leave a good impression on the young man; mannerly and mature and whatever else it was that boys liked.

A thought occurred to her, and her eyes widened, stricken.

"Oh! I never thanked ya! Thanks fer savin' me," the words were colored with more than a bit of drama; Nellie thought she sounded quite grown up and proper. "I'm sure I would 'ave broken somethin' if not fer you."

Behind her, the merchant snickered. Nellie turned to flash the man her most menacing glare, put-out and clearly unhappy to be reminded of his existence.

by **Sh'Ky Naes** on November 2nd, 2014, 1:32 pm

"Well, watch where yer puttin' that big boat of a -," 'Ky's eyebrows shot up, amused grin on his face. It seemed that the little girl held a lot of sass. At her quick recovery, which morphed into an apology, he chuckled to himself, thinking, What the actual petch is going on? "- foot. Sorry! Didn't mean ta get yer boots all dusty! They're great boots - like them ones the sailors wear!" The girl didn't guess that his disguise was just that- a disguise. Good. He looked foreign enough, naturally, and this effect was enhanced by the clothing. Young'ns were usually the most perspicacious ones around.

As she looked up at him, with wide eyes, he saw her eyes dart to the merchant, possibly making sure he didn't try anything? The man did look quite disreputable, after all. And then, the barrage. "Are you a sailor? Do you 'ave yer own ship? Have ya sailed to hunnerds of places? Is it excitin'?" At the girl's questions, he smiled, and as if warding off physical blows, said, "Ay, miss! If y' keep barragn' me with questions, I'll be peppered wit' words as arrows!" His Zeltivan accent was decent, that of a sailor that had sailed the Sunberth-Zeltiva route for years, and adopted bits of each dialect of common. Putting his hands down by his sides, he laughed. "Yah, I'm a sailin' man, all roigh'. No, I dinnae 'av me own ship, and yes, it's got it's fair bits." Winking, he said, "O' course, there are th' dull bits, but we usually don't have lack 'o things t' do in Laviku's waters."

Turning back to the merchant, he said, "Now listen, ser. Y'bring the goods t' the ware'house, and I'll be payin' ya well, a'rroigh?" Getting a cocky smile, he thought, I've got this in the bag. This fool won't know what's coming. The merchant, however, gave a shrewd grin, and said, "How's about you show me yer boat, so I can deliver it all direct-like?" Freezing for a moment, Sh'Ky's mind was working quickly. Time to make shyke up, and hope it works. Drawn away by the lass, he was grateful for the distraction.

"Oh! I never thanked ya! Thanks fer savin' me, I'm sure I would 'ave broken somethin' if not fer you." The lass' voice had changed, taking on a more husky, mature tone. Quite unusual, coming from a smallish girl like this one. However, Sh'Ky still didn't comprehend quite what was going on, but he was getting a glimmering of an idea. Looking toward the ships in the Bay, he chose the biggest, most impressive-looking one, a Flyut bedecked with few weapons, but many pennants and banners, signifying that the captain of this ship was either opulent, or loved to party. Quite possibly both. However, on such a large-looking ship, he could do one thing. Hide. Even though they worked together, lived together, drank together, in such a large amount of people, not everyone knew everyone else, so hopefully he could bullshyke his way past this situation. The plan wasn't supposed to be this elaborate! Elaborate plans fail easily, and make you twice as likely to get a knife in the gut!

Ruffling the girl's hair, Sh'Ky said, "Think nothin' of it, miss!" As if suddenly struck with a grand idea, he said, "Heyo, I've an idea!" Pointing back at the merchant, he said, "Since Mr. Merchan' over ere wants t' see my ship so badly, why don't you come along too?" Grinning, he said, "That there's a top-o'-th' line Fluyt, roigh there. Y' don't see too many of those around." Except in Zeltiva. But she doesn't need to know that just yet. Smiling broadly, he took a few steps down the pier, and said, "So, 'r ya in? I dinnae wan' t' have to take saltwater shanks as m' only company. Th' boys would be makin' jokes for weeks!"

by **Nellie Hawkins** on November 14th, 2014, 4:07 am

Nellie's eyes had taken on a faraway look as she found herself imagining all sorts of grand adventures on the sea. Not having any actual experience on boats, she couldn't know that the romantic images of crashing waves and lazy days spent fishing or swimming were far from the actual truth of a sailor's life. And the idea of herself and the handsome stranger sailing off to parts unknown was as ludicrous as it was sweetly innocent; still, her cheeks flamed involuntarily as the image flitted through her head.

At his invitation to not only see the boat, but maybe even get to board it, she fairly bounced with excitement, if only for a tick.

Impulse warred with instinct, and kept Nellie from voicing the enthusiastic acceptance that danced on the tip of her tongue. Her mother had given her very strict instructions not to leave the commons, and Nellie was not so sheltered as to be ignorant of the reasoning. Daily, in Sunberth, people went missing, sold into slavery or kidnapped or even killed, though the latter was one of those things that seemed only to happen to a vague and mysterious "someone else". Still, though the danger of bodily harm may not have seemed real to her, she knew very well that slavery was an ever-present threat. She'd seen slaves before, and the reality of their harsh existence had not escaped her notice. Nellie shivered involuntarily.

But, surely, this man wouldn't have such awful plans in mind? He'd saved her from falling, answered her questions with twinkling, friendly eyes. And he was so handsome. From lowered lashes, a suddenly shy Nellie studied the dark-haired young man. Though the idea of completely disobeying her mother was frightening for her - Nellie had never done anything so rash - she desperately, inexplicably wanted to show the sailor that she was old enough, mature enough to make her own decisions.

Her own voice shocked her as it rang out, saucy and sure, in the dusty summer air. "I'll come see yer boat. Yer ship," she corrected herself, giving the word a grand emphasis to match the pictures she'd painted in her head. "I bet its beautiful." An adoring toothy smile beamed itself toward the sailor. Surely she would be safe, Nellie reassured herself.

Besides, it was possible that she could just look at the ship from a distance, and not even have to put a foot on it. Maybe she wouldn't even be invited. Maybe she would even be able to see it before they'd made it all the way to the docks, since it was sure to be the biggest, grandest ship in the waters.

There was no reason that she had to go all the way down to the docks with the men if she didn't want to, she reasoned, casting a slightly resentful look at the merchant. She'd enjoy herself so much more if he weren't standing there, looking all stern and suspicious and not at all friendly. Allowing that she might not even have had the chance to see the boat without the merchant's presence, Nellie decided to stop hating him, and settled instead on dislike. He didn't look as friendly, or as trustworthy as her sailor did, and Nellie skipped back a bit, half-hiding behind the other man. Even if they were going to the same place, she didn't have to keep herself within arms' reach of the sour-faced salesman.

A small voice within her kept insisting that it was an incredibly stupid idea for her to hare off to some random ship with two men she didn't know. The voice sounded suspiciously like her mother's, and Nellie did her best to ignore it. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she nervously waited for the sailor to lead the way. An undeniable fluttering in her stomach made her wonder if she was really brave enough to follow him.

oocSo sorry for the delay!