A Chance Meeting [Rhuryc]

[Larina]

Phew! Just dodged that arrow! Larina gave herself a mental pat on the back for not only switching the topic away from her days spent in Sunberth, but also for not making a complete fool of herself while speaking in abstraction. Maybe a minor fool, but not a complete one! This was good enough for her. Even better was that Rhuryc seemed to like her idea about exploring the city. In retrospect, Larina probably should have come up with a plan that did not mean abandoning the blanket of warmth inside the Crystal Hall. But she was under pressure at the time, and Larina had to either come up with a rational idea to skirt around the subject at hand or just punch Rhuryc in the mouth and see what happened…What would happen if she, out of the blue, socked her companion in the kisser? Those were thoughts for another time. Right now, there were snowbound adventures to be had! “My Vani is passable at best. But, I can usually understand the difference between someone asking for the time and someone asking for a swift kick in the pants! …Usually.” Vantha were so dang wordy. It was easy to get lost. “At least you can read some of it. Vani script is a complete mystery to me!” As was Common. Every now and again Larina tried to learn how to read or write, but she always ended up the same way: a heap of reddish fur surrounded by flurries of torn paper. With a grin, Larina watched as the actor slipped into the role of a gentleman, paving the road before them with a sweep of his arm. He seemed more at ease given a bit of direction, but that made sense, didn’t it? Taking Rhuryc’s invitation, Larina slipped off of the windowsill and scooped her bag up off the floor in one fluid motion. Feeling the need to return his elegant mannerisms, she plucked up the hem of her cloak and gave him the best impression of a curtsy she could muster. In reality, it looked like more of a half bow with a little flap of her cloak. Ah, well! An A for effort, then. Marching towards the large doors of the hall, Larina turned back to her gallant companion and asked, “So, where would you like to explore first? We could wander over to the sculptures! I…know generally where they are, and they would be big enough along the horizon not to lose sight of in case we take a few wrong turns.” She gave him a timid grin and grasped the golden handles of the doors. Larina pushed open the mammoth gates, bracing herself for the bitter wind. However, a gentle winter breeze greeted her with far less intensity than those on her trek to the Crystal Hall. Delicate snowflakes flit through the sky, taking their time on their decent to the earth. Why, it was almost pleasant outside! Smiling, Larina glanced back at Rhuryc and giggled, “Looks like Lady Morwen knew that a couple of warmbloods would be out today.”

[Rhuryc]

Rhuryc cracked a grin. Even with her uncouth mannerisms there was a subtle charm to the girl, something unique. Albeit he could not quite place a finger on it. Maybe it was those eyes. They were almost inhuman. Strange. From what he could tell she was not a Nuit, not a Konti, sure as hell no Akalak blood. The gears in his head started to grind. Curiosity gripped him stronger than anything. He had a goal now, at least, and there was little that could stop him from finding out just what it was he dealt with. Now. How to be subtle. Not his strongest trait. The bow-courtesy thing was endearing. He managed a low chuckle and turned to follow the spirited woman, his long strides diminished to keep a suitable pace. When they reached the exit he added his suitable strength - and reach - to the act, his arm brushing over Larina's head to get at the gate. He felt strange letting someone else open the way for him. "The city is hard to lose. If you get lost you just turn around and start walking." The way he spoke implied his experience in the matter. Ah, cool. Days like these he enjoyed. His body meshed with the cold air - not the freeze, but the gentle, sweet caress of an eternal winter. His boots crunched onto the snow as he left the confines of the hall. He was sure to keep himself far enough away from his new companion to remain respectable, his body never coming close enough to be uncomfortable. That might be strange. Besides, Rhuryc had this strange thing about being touched. Now with an almost ever-present grin the man glanced over his shoulder at Larina. His eyes were light, honest. There was a subtle joy in the way he moved, his back straighter and his posture somehow more alive. Maybe it was the company. "I like sculptures." He shrugged. "Sure. With this blasted weather I don't get out often enough. Nice change from the forge. Shall we then, m'lady?" With a slight hop to his step Rhuryc made his way out toward the boardwalk. At least that's what he thought it was. He was still getting lost about these parts. With a shrug he shoved his thumbs into his sword belt and turned his gaze back ahead. "What do they do with so much snow? Other than make sculptures, I mean."

[Larina]

What do Vantha do with so much snow? A seeming simple question that set off a maelstrom in Larina’s mind. Sculpture, as noted by her astute acquaintance, was obviously at the top of the list of way to use snow. Coming in at a swift second were all the playful distractions the freeze could offer: snow ball fighting, fort building, tobogganing, and good old fashioned romping among others. Food would also be well preserved in the ice, so forms of refrigeration would be a third way. But after that? Vantha chose to spend their entire lives in the powdery white stuff; they surely must have thousands of different uses for it, but Larina could only come up with three. Unacceptable! Besides, Rhuryc would definitely be clever enough to think up a larger list than that, being a creative type like entertainers are. She needed to figure out something better to offer up for her answer. Could they use it as a transient weapon? A religious sacrament? An embalming ingredient? Or… “I believe that they use snow as an aphrodisiac,” replied Larina with a curt nod of her head, as though this fact was commonplace. Truly, she was the epitome of smooth. Applauding herself on such a quick-witted reply, Larina turned back to the snow-laden road with a hushed grin on her face. She matched her stride with that of the actor and let him lead their ramble through the city, quite comfortable to follow next to him. She was pleased at how quickly Rhuryc took to their walk and reflected his cheerful demeanor, correcting her posture and giving her step a hint of a bounce. Maybe the mulling crowd of the hall had bothered him as well, which is why their expedition away from the mob raised his spirits. The cold wasn’t so bad when it stopped trying to weaken your will to live, and it was far more tolerable in the presence of agreeable company. And while Larina still made sure to stand on the opposite side of Rhuryc’s blade, she was rather at her leisure. Lifting her gaze to meet the actor’s, she mused over his words and the concept of him working as a blacksmith. “A forge? I did not take you to be a smithy.” Although she must admit that he did have the build for such a pursuit. But being a lone actor in a new city must be tough, hence the need for alternative income. Hoping to turn gear the conversation away from his current employ to his previous one in performance, Larina went on, “Is that why you’ve come to Avanthal? To share your skill with a different people?” Or to escape the snare of your back stabbing understudy and provide respite for your broken soul?

[Rhuryc]

Rhuryc stumbled. He almost fell. At the least moment he caught himself and balanced his weight, recovering with a flailing lack of grace. Then he laughed. Or rather he coughed into his arm. Wow. In an attempt to seem elegant he turned away from Larina for a moment, his countenance regaining some semblance of control. Still. That was funny. Or at least unexpected. The snow gained a whole new perspective in his eyes. White, thin powder, apply directly. He almost snickered. Instead, he dropped his hand and glanced at Larina with a hint of a smirk and a shrug. That was priceless. "Maybe we should get an audience with Morwen. Ask her about it." He said with an effort to remain civil. Really, the opportunities presented there were too grand. In those few moments Rhuryc decided he liked Larina. If not for the quips, then in just the way she moved. That easy going, light bounce, the way she seemingly hopped from one foot to the next so unlike the more common species. Himself included. His own cant was boring in comparison. Long, stringent strides without any character or personality. If his back was any straighter his spine might have snapped. And yet their trek continued. Rhuryc did his best to fall in beside the woman, but no matter his effort she always managed some way to let him take the lead. Huh. He felt like he was playing a game with a fox. After a few chimes he gave way to playing leader and made their route down the 'road', or at least that's what they called it. His experience with navigating the city was limited, but he did know where the Iceglaze hold was. So there they would go! Or something. He took a turn toward their new destination and kept his eyes for the approach. Sometimes he still missed the entrance. "I did not really have much of a reason for coming to Avanthal." He started, hands hooking themselves to his belt once more. "It's just where I ended up. Thankfully. Any longer on the road and I think I might have died of boredom." Really though, what was she on about? Sharing his skill? That made a sort of sense. Maybe. "And you? I'm not really sure what to take you for. Other than not a Vantha. And a woman." Beating his head against a wall seemed like a more eloquent exchange.

[Larina]

The Kelvic watched with curiosity as her company tripped through the slush. Obviously, her stroke of imaginative genius took him by surprise, and he needed a moment to recover from her clever use of snow. Larina took great satisfaction in knowing that she had come up with a reply which not even the creative talent of the actor could quite match. She returned his grinned and listened with rapt attention at his suggestion. Morwen? …Of course! Subtleties were usually not lost on Larina. She could pick up the minute twitch of an eye and accurately interpret it as fear, the hidden clench of a jaw as anger, or the light shift of a gaze as deceit. However, there were some emotions and attitudes whose subtle social cues were a mystery to her. Humor was one of them. Unless a joke was blatantly obvious to her, Larina would miss the punch line and believe the speaker was being literal. Such it was with Rhuryc. “Yes, I’m sure that input from Lady Morwen would be most illuminating. The Vantha consider themselves to be Morwen’s children, do they not? That would make her the mother of many! So, I am positive that she would know s-several ways in which snow would be conducive for, ah…baby making.” She slowly narrowed her eyes and turned them away from Rhuryc’s. And with a gulp, she gave a final stammer, “R-Right.” There goes your creative genius. I should have just kept silent. Don’t ever underestimate the power of a good smile and nod. Larina gave her head a small shake and began pulling on the buckles of her greaves fretfully. But all was not lost. Rhuryc took up the mantle of their conversation and straitened it back out. He even put on a bit of his clumsy show for her again, no doubt to set her mind at ease. How sweet! Not everyone was so accommodating towards her. Larina snickered at his phrasing, thankful that she was alone in her lack of grace, even if his was just an act. “Avanthal is a strange place just to end up. Were it me, I would have tried to go someplace sunny and warmer. Not too warm though,” she added, considering how unpleasant desert sands would be in her fur. Yuck. “And I am a woman! It is very shrewd of you to notice.” Larina gave him a large smile, which may have been patronizing if worn by anyone else. Yet she was actually trying to pay him a compliment in her own way, and the grin held only honesty. “But, I am also a Kelvic. Not the polar bear type you find here, mind you.” Her eyes glossed over for a moment, and losing herself in a thought, she murmured, “Those noble creatures of snow and ice…” Focus! “I have come looking for someone. Or maybe several people. I’m not entirely sure.” Larina pulled at the buckle again, remembering her reasons for coming to the city. “When I was in Syliras, I had heard that worshipers of the goddess Priskil gather here. I don’t know if this is true. They were just rumors, after all. But I had to find out.”

[Rhuryc]

Right, easy on the jokes. Something about their walk was comfortable. Maybe it was the honesty from Larina, or just how easy it was to recover from one bumble or another. Between the conversation and the pleasant, only partially freezing weather, it was possible to say that the man was enjoying himself. What a silly thought. Nevertheless he managed a smile or two and even glanced aside once in a while to ensure that neither was trailing too far from their assumed path. With the reveal of Larin's Kelvic nature Rhuryc doubled those efforts even. While his experiences with the magical-shape shifting animal-people - or whatever they were - was limited, he knew enough that keeping their attention was more difficult than most. "I haven't known many Kelvics, but ah, the Polar Bears about here are something. Special." Were they? He wanted little to do with them. Bears had a way of, well, being large monstrous creatures capable of breaking a man in half. Rhuryc enjoyed being whole. "But follows of Priskil? I don't suppose I know much about that either." What a help he was. He paused for a moment as they neared the Iceglaze Hold and Rhuryc switched routes. He made his way to the entrance and held one of the doors open for Larina before he stepped inside. The craftsmen were hard at work. A symphony of clanks and clinks accompanied their entrance. Sawing, chipping, a myriad of tools all echoing together in boisterous, active melody. He always felt at home among such music. Wait. Mayhaps he would be able to help the girl. For now, though, he pushed on through the workers and their shops, plotting out his usual route through the smithy in the back. Most of the carpenters did not favor the smoke from the forge. "Someone I know might be able to help you. I haven't actually seen him since I came into the city, but from what I've heard I'd be willing to bet it's him. Nice fellow." Rhuryc spoke as he stepped down onto of the few stone floorings of the Hold. A variety of smithing tools lay strewn about the area along with the shavings of raw ore, half finished items, and a mass of horseshoes, nails, and frames. "And this is the smithy. Not very active, but then again the Vantha don't much need a large forge."

[Larina]

A hold? Larina did not even notice when Rhuryc veered their walk in a different direction. Goddess! He could have been leading me to my doom and I would have been practically skipping along the way! Like a sacrificial lamb to the slaughter. An innocent passerby to the Myrian dinner table. A slice of cheese to the cheese grater. Come now. That last one was just ridiculous. Any further similes were swept away as stuffy, warm breeze enveloped Larina’s body. She cautiously stepped into Iceglaze Hold on the heels of her acquaintance. A faint powder of sawdust wafted through the stagnant air and glinted in the shafts of sunlight pouring through the windows. The smell of iron, cedar wood, and sweat immediately clung to the inside of her lungs. A clatter of hammers, saws, and chisels greeted her ears all at once. Ah, another room full of strange people this time wielding makeshift weapons. Larina gave Rhuryc an almost pleading look. Was he trying to kill her? But he seemed at ease. And Larina would rather be with someone she knew, even if they had only just been introduced, than with a mess of strangers giving her funny looks. So, she followed suit and toddled off behind Rhuryc, trying to keep her head down. Few people were familiar with Kelvics. And although Larina had been trained to keep her panicky instincts in check, the loss of her mistress had caused her to regress. However, she steeled her nerves and tried again to maintain civility as Rhuryc led her into his small forge. It was odd, seeing him standing in front of a slowly smoldering furnace, having pictured him center stage many times before. Stranger still was that he actually looked at home here. She clasped her hands behind her back and gave him an innocent smile. “So, this is where you work. It’s very nice. Have you always been a smithy? Not a…different profession?” Had she been wrong about him? Or was it that he was such a good actor that he made it seem as though he belonged in a forge? That was probably it. Such talent! Larina perked up a little as Rhuryc mentioned Priskil and the possibility of being able to help her. This came as a complete surprise to her. A potential lead from a complete stranger! Larina reached out her hands as though to grab his, but quickly snapped them back and curled them against her chest, trying to bottle her excitement. Not that it did any good. “You know of someone I can talk to? And here he’s here? And you say he’s nice? I hadn’t thought I would find help. Not this quickly anyhow. I’ve only been here a few days. I mean, they were just rumors, you know. This was all just chance. I came here on a whim and a hope. But here I am. Here we are. Talking. About actually getting help. Yes. Alright. This is a positive step. Good. I should meet this man. And talk to him. And his family. And his friends. And his pets. No, not his pets. I’m rambling now.” Larina pulled her hands up to her mouth and physically stopped herself from speaking. There was a reason she kept these thoughts in her head. If Rhuryc were smart, he would probably make some kind of mad dash for the door. To suppress this urge, Larina mumbled lowly through her greaves, “I think I’m just a little excited…S’all.”

[Rhuryc]

The forge was somehow different than the rest of the hold. The walls were black and cold, the tools all somehow worse for wear, yet strong, sturdy. That was the theme of the place, efficient, innately tough, and somehow calm. At least now. With no fire on the hearth, the open draft that ran through the smithy forced a nostalgic air, like the calm before a raging storm. It all fit entirely too well. Rhuryc seemed at ease here. His posture relaxed and he removed his coat despite the open windows. Beneath that thick leather his arms were graced with what one expect of a blacksmith, powerful, developed, he could crush much of anything by the looks of it. That served all the more to ruin the wonderful image of his acting career. Somehow, the world seemed less colorful. "Been a smith. Yes. If I was a Smithy I imagine this conversation would be a great deal less, ah. Conversational." He offered the woman a slight grin, though he expected no such sort of comprehension on the matter. Not with his botched Morwen joke from before. Kelvics were such a strange breed. If he had a hundred years Rhuryc was sure he would never figure them out. Instead, he kept his mind to other tasks. A few steps brought him over to the furnace where he went about clearing out the refuse left from the previous day's work. Damndable ore runoff. He plucked one of the shovels off the floor and scrapped the rock and rubble away; maybe, one day he could have his own apprentice do this work. "Here? I'm not too sure." He spoke over a shoulder, pausing only for a moment to readjust his work. The activity gave him something to concentrate on. Maybe now his banter would not be so awkward. "His name is Stitch. Probably the kindest man I've ever encountered, another folk from Syliras." The scratching of metal on stone made for an awful racket. Maybe he should light a fire? No. He did not come here to work. Then again there were an awful lot of horseshoes to make. Or bearshoes. Whatever it was those damndable Icewatch fellows wanted them to make. Bearshoes? "I'm sure he'd be willing to help you do, welll. Whatever it is you're trying to do." Rhuryc tilted his head to the side and stood up, turning once more to face his Kelvic companion. His face was now covered in a variety of soot. "Just what is it you need help with?"

[Larina]

She was missing something. She could just feel it. There was an understated nuance in the way that Rhuryc spoke that Larina was desperately trying to pick up. It was in the way he ordered his words. And in the brief grin after he spoke. Somewhere in the ever working machine of her mind a cog slipped into place: Rhuryc was making a joke. But what was the punch line? Larina floundered. She had no idea what the payoff of his witticism was. It was one thing to completely miss a joke, but it was another to understand that something was in jest and then not know why. Infuriating! She would be thinking about it for days now! And as always, when she is back in her bed and starts gliding off into slumber, a stroke of brilliance will break through her mind and reveal the punch line. But by then the moment to laugh along with the blacksmith will be long gone. How unsatisfactory. Giving a small sigh, Larina decided to fake it. “Ah, yes. Conversational. Ha. Ha. That is a good one.” She gave him a wide smile and hoped Rhuryc wasn’t paying attention to how stale her laughter sounded. She listened attentively as the smith described his Syliran friend. Her great eyes carefully watched Rhuruc as he labored around the forge, gleaning information about the verity of his statements. His work revealed only honesty. Was he really an actor at all? Wanting to learn more, Larina waited patiently for him to turn around, but she had to muffle an eruption of laughter when he did. “You’ve got, ah…Heehee!” the girl snickered and pointed at her face, indicating that the man had all sorts of soot and dust on his. She bit down on one of her fingers, knowing that it was impolite to laugh. “Help? Oh, of course.” Larina redirected her thoughts to why she came to Avanthal. A limp body. Empty eyes. Red blood blending into red hair. Ilahi. “I knew a Priestess who worshiped Priskil. She was my former mistress. I traveled here hoping to find someone knew her. And maybe knew why-” She paused. Should she really be telling him all this? Anything that Larina would say after this point could be used against her later. Were Rhuryc untrustworthy. Were he out to harm her. She swallowed. “-why someone would want to kill her.”

[Rhuryc]

Rhuryc quirked a brow to the side. Maybe he would stay off the jokes. None of them were very good anyway. He offered the Kelvic a humored countenance at her observation and glanced about the forge. A few, pointed steps brought over to a barrel full of water that he used to splash over his cheeks, the cold, stinging liquid somewhat of a relief despite the chill air. If anything the act made for a decent distraction. Now that they were here what was he going to do, regal the girl with tales of how to make horseshoes? He hated horseshoes. He hated them enough to challenge them to mortal combat, but the continued speech of his companion was enough to stay off such battles. For now. He grabbed a rag from nearby and dried his face, turning to Larina all the while with a keen interest in her words. The mood shifted. Again, Priskil was not well within his realm, but he understood murder just as well as any man. Perhaps better. And yet, who would want to kill someone of such a benign deity? Where gods were concerned Rhuryc prefered to stay within the realm of mortals. What was he supposed to say? "I can't promise you much, but something is better then wandering in the dark." That set it then, a sense of urgency replaced the lax attitude the man held only moments previous. He shoved a few of the tools back into their rightful place and made his way to back to the Hold Hall, stepping out of with the Smithy with a grim sort of determination. "I have an idea of where Stitch might be, I can't say he'll be expecting us, but I imagine something of this import can't wait." His words cut clear through the stray noise of the various craftsmen, all business; neat trick, that. He made short order of the walk and turned immediately once out the front door of the Iceglaze. The barracks was only so far away. OOCWe can probably end this thread here and make a new one so we can get Stitch on this ^^