Closed Aren't You..? (Alija)

[Pulren Marsh]

20th of Winter, AV 515

Still nursing a soft set of ribs after his run in with the flying shark, Pulren found that lying around in his crappy bed in a cold room was just too much to bear. Bad weather or not, he had to get out and do something. Also, the idea of traipsing about in the Winter in linen just gave him a bad feeling about his health. It was time to do some shopping.He headed to the Celestial Square, having learned that every fourth day a bazaar of sorts was set up there and goods could be purchased. Bringing along a reasonable amount of money, he set out to find some wares for the season.

The market was larger than most gatherings he had seen in the martial city. The monks, of course, were everywhere and looking for a reason to bash some heads. He overplayed his aching side in order to not look like someone to bother with. It wasn't always best to look like a badass, especially in Nyka. Knocking down the cold was the first and most important option and a stall with several people milling about it made the best sense as where to go first.

Hanging from the thatched roof and on any knots or nails inside the stall were various furs and a few fur lined items. Knowing how incredibly warm and cozy his feet already were in fur lined boots, Pulren couldn't help but push his way into the small crowd, a brown cape lined with dark fur catching his eye. The merchant seemed to note Pulren's attire as being fitted and moved the common folk aside for his obvious miza laden bags. "I see you have an eye for quality, Sir. That cape is a good wool and is lined with very nice black rabbit fur." Pulren took the item down, appreciating the softness of the fur inside and the quality of the item. "How much?" The merchant gleamed with Pulren's directness. No haggling meant that he could go straight for the throat. "Such a fine quality item? I would say thirty golden mizas. You can't deny the quality."

Pulrne agreed and thought on it as he draped it over his shoulders. The winds of the day were almost immediately quenched. As he thought it over, a face passed behind the merchant. It hadn't been so long that Pulren did not remember her. It clearly appeared to be the blacksmith Alija or her twin. One way to find out. Calling past the merchant, he cried, "Alija! Is that you?"

[Alija]

Alija liked walking her dogs on the day of the Fourth Day Market. The streets felt emptier, as large chunks of the citizens had gone to the market, letting Alija walk in peace. At this moment, she walked with Kial, trailing behind him and Trump as they walked along the docks.

It was still full of life, but as they turned away, the noises of the sea slowly drifted away, the dogs' barks and boy's laughter filling the street.

"Hey, Alija, hid and seek!" Kial giggled, before darting away with the smaller dog. The woman shouted after him, breaking into a run. This wasn't Zeltiva - she knew the city well, and so did he, knowing which places were safe and which weren't. This was Nyka, with so much more left to explore.

Thankfully Rosco broke into a run, taking his place as responsible for the younger dog. He led her down the streets towards the busy market, a glimpse of Kial soothing her anxious nature. He was fine, he would just get lost among the crowds.

She traversed through the stalls nervously, trying to catch a glimpse of the small boy and dog. Monks were everywhere, and she didn't know what they did if they found a small boy all alone. Alija was scared to stop and ask someone, everyone looking so serious.

If only this was Zeltiva.

She heard her voice being called, and span round, trying to see the little boy. Instead, she spotted a familiar looking man at a stall covered in fur and cloaks. "Pulren?" Forgetting about Kial, she pushed past the crowds, making her way towards the Zeltivan, "What are you doing here?"

[Pulren Marsh]

It was good to see a fmiliar face, especially a fair one like Alija's. Stepping to her and greeting her with a friendly pat on the shoulder, he smiled. "Well, currently I'm buying something to warm me up on these Winter days and nights." Of course, she didn't mean it so literally. Laughing, he added," No, actually I am in Nyka to expand my world knowledge. How about you?"

As Alija spoke and provided her own details, he stepped up to the man dealing in furs and put his boot up on a crate near where the man sat. "See these boots? Buckled. Fur lined, custom fitted. Yes, they're just boots and yes they have seen some wear but I paid only twelve golden mizas for these. I can see with the craftsmanship and supply paying perhaps double that, but thirty is very nearly robbery, Sir." He suspected that he could easily be hard lined into paying too much, but he had to make an effort to trim the fat on the bill. The merchant scoffed while looking at the boots. Pulren put his foot back down and eyed the man.

"Well, this is Nyka and our economy is different. it is cold and you need the furs. You are also a foreigner and I am sure you know what that means. Nevertheless, I appreciate someone who bargains, so I will settle for twenty six golden mizas. No less." Pulren looked at the man who looked at him. That was going to be about it, so he nodded and fished out the coins for the man. "A pleasure doing business with you, Sir. I thank you for your leniency to foreigners like myself." In his mind, he imagined punching the shyke out of the man in an alleyway for his insults, but he was right. It was Winter in Nyka and Pulren was a foreigner.

Sliding the warm and luxuriously soft cape over his armor and tying it at the top, Pulren returned to Alija's side. "I'm sorry. Great deals don't last long in Zeltiva, much less here. Not very friendly to foreigners. Did they treat you any differently?"

[Alija]

He greeted her with a friendly smile, explaining how he was in Nyka to expand his knowledge of the world. Alija felt a tinge of jealousy - he certainly had not come here for a reason as painful as her own. She hesitated before speaking, blurting out all her worries.

"My father sent a man to pretend he was dead to get me here and to where he was hiding without having the trouble of explaining anything through letter, revealing himself. He can't leave because my aunt has made sure he doesn't, so I'm now stuck having to support him, Kial, and a friend of mine with a poorly set up blacksmith."

Pulren started to converse with the merchant, Alija looking down. Of course. He had been in the middle of something and hadn't expected this rush of words, this rant about what had happened. What made her think that? Stepping back, she looked towards the crowd, considering whether it would be wise to leave now without making any more of a fool of herself.

Before she could, Pulren returned, apologising and asking how they treated her. Alija thought back to the young monks that had come to her shop, making a mess and an inconvenience of themselves. The looks she used to get. The lack of trust. "Not friendly at all. In Zeltiva, we were friendlier, right? You just have to show them you're worthy of being Nykan, that's all." She smiled, giving an example, "It may seem odd, but mothers in the Eastern Quarter trust me, and treat me well. I just helped them out a bit, earned their respect."

A tugging on her sleeve brought her attention to the little boy and puppy, who grinned a gap-toothed smile. "We were playing hide and seek. You're meant to look for me!" Then the boy turned to the man, vaguely familiar, "Who are you? Are you Alija's boyfriend?" The woman grew red, frowning. "Kial..." she warned, once again glancing round for a quick escape.

She hated it when things got awkward. If Pulren made this awkward...

[Pulren Marsh]

When Alija explained to Pulren why she had come to the city, he couldn't really say much. It was more that he didn't know what to say, the sordid tale one that he felt sympathy for her over. Maybe it wasn't so terrible that his parents had moved on early and left him with Uncle Pal. Some parents seemed like real winners.Once his transaction with the merchant was complete, he quickly returned to the blacksmith's side. She seemed lost and Pulren was glad to have found a friend and a fellow Zeltivan. Any familiar face made the city that much more hospitable.

So now it seemed she had an entire family to support and another business to run, though he suspected that she might have better luck being her own boss. "Being worthy of being Nykan. Hmm. Well, I don't think I want to live here, though it is definitely a place to remember. I'm glad to have seen a friendly and familiar face, though it sucks what you have to put up with." She seemed like a strong woman. Her insides seemed to be as hearty as her outsides which the man could only respect and appreciate. "I'm sure if anyone is tough enough to thrive here, it would be you, Alija."

The sounds of a ch8ild's voice turned his attention down to the little face of Kial, the little boy that had been present at Miss Piper's birthday party. Headstrong and unafraid, he began to see a streak of confidence in the Piper line, as far as Pulren could see anyway. Seeing Alija turn red at the innocent question posed by the lad, Pulren crouched down before him so that they were close to eye level. Tousling his hair, he laughed. "Naw, buddy. We're just friends. You remember when I came to the birthday party in Zeltiva?You're getting bigger all the time. Kial, right? Tell you what. You promise to stay in sight of Alija and me until we get you back home and I'll give you a silver miza. Sound good, buddy?"

Standing and chuckling, he looked over to the still ripening Alija. Under his breath, he added, "Hope the bribe is okay."

[Alija]

He complimented her, telling her that she would be able to thrive in Nyka. While Alija wanted that, she also didn't. She didn't want to thrive here. She wanted to be back in Zeltiva, but couldn't betray her father like that. She couldn't betray her mother the opportunity to find her.

Pulren treated Kial well, tousling his hair and bribing him to behave. Alija let out a sigh of relief, thanking herself for the man's good nature and quick thinking. He just made things so much easier. By the time Pulren had risen, her cheeks were busy sinking back to her natural colour, although still a little pink. "Thanks. I think bribing him is the best thing to do - he won't listen to me otherwise, not often at least. When we get back, I'll pay you that silver miza so you can give it to him. Don't want you wasting money on my problems!"

Her laugh was forced at first, but she relaxed, feeling her heart slow. It was okay. They stopped at a stall covered in scarves, Alija not even realising that they had been moving. She walked up, admiring the neon colours that she saw so many other Nykans wear. "Another way to immerse into Nykan culture is follow their fashion!" she grinned, turning to the stall owner.

She selected three: a plain, practical scarf, a blue scarf that had large gaping holes and a neon pink one, all from warm coarse wool. "4 silver mizas," the woman behind the stall grinned, Alija passing over a half laat. She had little actual mizas, but the woman must have assumed she did from her foreign accent and ways. With another grin, she was given a silver miza as change, a little protest for handing the wrong type of currency. This she dropped in Pulren's hand, smiling. "In fact, you can have it now," she smiled, pulling the pink scarf over her neck and adjusting it under her deep blue cloak.

"Where next?"

[Pulren Marsh]

The trio started moving on once the young lad was sated by the promise of glimmering reward for behaving. It wasn't really that hard. Boys like money. He wasn't old enough to like girls yet. That might be the only dilemma. In the meantime, money would be the best bribe. Whatever the course of things, he kept his eye on the kid so that he didn't stray too far and he also kept an eye on the blacksmith, who was at a greater ease once everything had sorted itself out. He ran the back of his hands against the warm rabbit fur inside his cape, glad to be surrounded with the luxury of comfort.

"Sure," Pulren replied to her when she stated that she would give him the miza promised. He might let it go that way, though he knew that the kid would have to be distracted so as not to think that Pulren was lying. he would lose any ground he had gained with the kid should an obvious swindle take place. Kids always knew who the liar was. They weren't as clouded with possibilities as adults were. They were soon at another stall, one with colorful scarves. Not Pulren's kind of thing, bu he was happy to see Alija enjoying herself and mentioning fashion. He had seen his share of mercs that were all about the gear and weaponry but couldn't talk themselves out of a box nor wear anything besides armor. Try to get into an exclusive party wearing a breastplate. Really try it sometime.

She was trading mizas for the Laat, the Nykan currency. Pulren hadn't bothered getting his money changed since he would just be there for the Winter. Everyone took the miza just as well and he suspected that no one outside of the Celestial city would take their currency. Maybe he would take a few for a keepsake to remember the place by, but not for any kind of long term currency. He was surprised by his company. It made him think twice about how people lived. For someone who worked hard over a fire, crafting and forging items of metal, the lady could really dress well and light up a room.

"Well, you are the native, technically, so you tell me. How about we visit this shop that your tending? It's gotta be nice to be your own boss for a change, right?" It would also be nice to see where she lived, should he choose to come calling again.

[Alija]

"Native? Not everyone seems to think so!" she smiled back in reply, "But I'd be happy to show you round the shop, let potential customers know where to find me." It was hard finding customers at times, a lot preferring to go to a shop better known in the city, but slowly, she was building up the ranks. Maybe one day, everyone would be going to her shop.

She lead him towards the docks, turning into a side street with a handful of foreign shops. Set into the line of building was her own, the swinging sign telling her that she was back home. Alija gestured to the tall but thin building, adorned with the strange art that covered most the city.

"It's nice to be my own boss but it means I have to make all the important decisions. Don't like having to take that much responsibility. Having Rals there always meant all I had to do was smith, but now half my time is spent working out what to make and what to sell it for."

They neared the shop, Alija opening the door to a fairly empty shop, simple workmen tools along the shelves. There was a note left on the counter, which she hurried over to read, before scrunching it into a back pocket. A custom order Thegans had written down for her. She'd get to that later.

"So what do you do now? I seem to remember you being a member of the Wave Guard, but I doubt you'll still be one in Nyka," she asked, curious, as she stood in the middle of the shop awkwardly. Did he want to be invited upstairs? "Should we go upstairs?" she asked, gesturing towards the stairs.

[Pulren Marsh]

He laughed in response to her native quip, a good feeling pervasive between them already. Good dry kindling. Not green at all. "Well, you have done nothing but quality work for me, but I hope all of my visits don't have to be business related." He let that one lie there. Pulren was born to throw bait and knew when or when not to pull the string attached. As they navigated the streets, he made mental notes of the turns and landmarks in order to find the shop again easily enough. Fortunately being in a city so divided by quarters also divided the work of navigating it.

Once they all entered the shop, Pulren perused it, finding it much smaller and quieter than the forge in Zeltiva, but that made sense. She was just starting out and this was the equivalent of his own small ship and Pulren didn't even have his damned rowboat anymore. The thought made him smirk a little to himself. He was proud of Alija's accomplishments in her field and suspected that sh would only get better as time passed. As she tended to her mail and her business, he looked out the window, nearly forgetting the boy as his mind traveled out tot the seas beyond the walls of the city. "Well, I actually left the Guard to become a mercenary. Better pay and it suits my lifestyle better. I like to think of myself as a scholar first. I've always loved the sea and the lands surrounding it. I took some courses at the University and it lit my fire a far as exploring the world."
Snapping out of his daydreams of far flung coastlines, he returned to her presence.

"Being a mercenary pays for the travels and knowledge I crave." Smiling, he looked over the shop before settling back on his lovely hostess. "We should definitely go upstairs." His mind and body were in one place until the boy passed his peripheral vision. Quickly changing his speed, he looked over and smiled at the lad. "Somebody is due their own mercenary bounty for being such a good follower and listener." He smiled and produced the silver miza given him by Alija. He would follow the pair upstairs into her home and do his very best to behave.

[Alija]

"Well, you'll always be welcome to come here, whatever reason," Alija smiled back, glad of that. Having visitors that weren't there for business was always refreshing. She was more than happy to invite him round for some friendly discussions and a warm meal now and again, if she knew how to find him.

"A scholar? I wish I had the chance to study there. Looks like I've missed it, but exploring a new city is perhaps even better. But the pairing can be seen as odd. A mercenary and a scholar." Alija smiled, but he explained that it paid for the knowledge and travelling. Was that to mean that Pulren was to leave soon, to travel more, to explore the world? Jealousy rose up a little, because he wasn't tied down. She had a family, albeit a pieced together one, and a business. Her exploring was confined to the limits of the city.

As Pulren paid Kial for his good behaviour, Alija unlocked the door to upstairs, gesturing for both to follow. She opened up into the living room, where a fire was softly burning and both Thegans and her father sat on the couch. At her arrival, and the noise of someone behind her, her father rose, the slightest hint of fear in his face.

"Visitor..." he started, but Alija reassured him that it was someone they could trust. Her father nodded, before excusing himself to his room, still a little suspicious. She couldn't blame him - there were the type that were out to kill him.

Thegans hung awkwardly at the side, greeting the man with a forced smile. His expression could even be called a little jealous, but Alija had forgotten about it, letting Pulren sit on the couch. "Would like you like a drink, perhaps something to eat?"