[Soothing Water] Those bathing with luck (Lucas)

[Bob Barton]

8th day of Winter 511 AV

First thing that Bob does as soon as he reaches Syliras? Head straight to the bath house. Travelling was tiring and more importantly, filthy. Sunberth might have been the filthiest place out there that people should not go but it was not as bad as the wildlands. "I could use a massage" he told the receptionist before agreeing after taking a sniff at himself "I suppose you are right about the bath too..." Yes, Sunberth was that bad because it has even corrupted Bob's sense of decency. His last bath of course was in Zeltiva and he would not even have taken it if he was not harassed by his uncle. Bob was about to hand all the coins until he paused saying that "I'll get into the pool first" and giving the silvers just in case he did not have enough time for the massage. His time in Syliras was short and he was on a tight schedule.

"Yes that is all...?" Bob replied at the comment that he was going in just like that until he was reminded about the no clothes policy. That was actually one of the reasons that he liked it but he has not been in Syliras for so long that he completely forgotten. Sighing to take out more coins he said "give me a tower and...some soap" after catching the stench on him again. He was in really bad shape, the same as his "clothes need the laundry too" before heading in to get ready for a much needed bath...

In the glorious paradise filled with gorgeous looking women, and other less enticing people. Bob was only reminded of the proper reason in coming to the baths when he approached some of the women who when catching the stench on him moved away before he could even open his mouth. "Fine, fine..." he mumbled to himself unhappily as he entered into the water and started to wash himself. The things that man would do for women. It can even drive him into madness like when he remarked that "all I would need is a few coins in Sunberth" and that would be before they mugged him if he was lucky. He never had anything like that happen to him but that was what he heard from some of his colleagues there.

[Lucas Arias]

Lucas visited the bath house nearly every day. It was a great way to relax after doing nothing but hitting training dummies and sparring with idiotic squires. But this actually wasn‘t the main reason for his frequent visits. More than the pool and the massages he enjoyed the presence of the many naked and half naked women. Being a squire could be frustrating. While there were female squires, they were usually covered up to their neck in metal and threatened to stick their swords into him if he did as much as look at them the wrong way. The women in the bath house were a little more relaxed.

The squire had left his clothes and his shoes in the locker room. Since he had absolutely no shame and no sense of decency, he had flung the towel over his shoulder rather than wrapping it around his hips to spare the other people the sight of certain body parts. And since he was not a particularly well behaved squire, he just jumped into the pool rather than slowly lowering himself into it. A few moments later he resurfaced very close to where Bob was, coughing as he did so. A bit of water had gotten into his nose and mouth.

Lucas was not a particularly tall boy which was why hardly anybody believed that he was seventeen, and he looked rather weird with his bright red hair and his freckles and the mark on his arm, but this man – this man was even shorter and possibly weirder!

The squire stared at him for a few moments, and then he loudly wondered, „What are you? A dwarf or an Isur? I’ve never met anybody that is shorter than me! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before. I would definitely remember you!“

He grinned, but the grin disappeared all too soon as Bob’s smell reached his nose. He made a face, his eyes widened and looked as if he was going to choke. „By Kelwyn!“ he exclaimed. „When was the last time you visited the bath house? You stink even though you are in the water! Do you normally wash yourself with horse piss?“

[Bob Barton]

There were a lot more important things to do than to watch some self absorbed squire hanging loose like washing up properly so that Bob could have a shot at one of the many women in the bath. That is of course unless the said squire made a big scene nearby. So what if he had red hair? Bob had nicer pitch black hair and he was sure that as he was washing it some of the ladies were looking at its deep entrance like Leth himself. The mark was nothing special too, Bob had something just like it himself. However at that time, he was a little bit too worked up to even notice it especially after hearing the words that came from the boy's mouth.

The question was how Bob is going to handle this and he decided that he should answer all the questions at once. Like a badly needed shower, Bob suggested that "I can give you a punch to the face so that you can check for stones" and even wash away the impudence. Nope, that would not be good enough. Threats are not as fun as shock or disgust. How about saying that "the last time I was here was seasons ago" before Bob left Syliras. On his face, a smug grin of victory if the image he just made for himself could be called that. "Its not my fault I had to waste time on Bobo" if no one could guess was his horse he had to put up with on his way here. "You should meet him sometime so that you can smell like a man, man." The horse should really thank Bob for endorsing it like that.

"You wouldn't even know Kelwyn if they tossed something at you" or someone else. When Bob saw it the last time it was magical, almost impossible. No one could actually miss that so "don't think they'd waste time on something as boring as horse piss." That would be the squire's job because that was all Bob thought about the knights and their duties. Nothing better than horse piss. But wait...now that Bob thought about it there was something really, really strange about this boy. There was this strange tingly feeling in his head the first time he saw him but he only thought it was because of the splash. What exactly could it be? "Could be the smell" he mumbled thinking to himself that the boy's reasons for coming to the baths were the same as his.

[Lucas Arias]

As Lucas heard Bob’s answer – that didn’t have anything to do with his question, was the man deaf? – he rolled his eyes. Did he think he was clever? Threatening? Did he want to make him angry? „If you want to punch me, you’ll have to wait in line“, he informed him somewhat indifferently and pointed at a place behind him. „Quite a few people have already voiced their interest in punching me before you. I should probably start keeping a list. As for stones, I’m afraid there are none in the pool. They clean it regularly.“

He suppressed the urge to cough again. Being in Bob’s vicinity was really quite a challenge. Maybe he wasn’t simply an Isur or a vertically challenged human with hygiene problems, maybe he carried the Blight and was the secret weapon against the knights. „Was that also the last time you took a bath?“ he wanted to know as Bob told him when he had last been there. „It would explain why you smell the way you do!“

He wasn’t sure who or what Bobo was, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know either. Judging by the man’s appearance and general demeanor it was probably something dirty, had to do with sex and was vaguely illegal, so he declined. „No, thanks. You can keep Bobo to yourself. I’m not interested. You two have fun!“

Had Kelwyn ever tossed something at him? Lucas furrowed his brow as he thought about that. „I don’t think they’ve ever tossed something at me“, he decided. „But I still know them much better than you. I’m pretty sure they prefer horse piss to dwarves that don’t wash themselves and have a Bobo, whatever that is!“

It was then that he had the strangest feeling. It was almost like some kind of tingling in the back of his mind. He narrowed his eyes and studied Bob. „Did you do anything?“ he wanted to know. He sounded rather suspicious.

[Bob Barton]

It looks like ignorance is bliss. Bob did not care if there was a line of people waiting to punch this boy because if he wanted to he could just do it right now himself or maybe he should just find out who these people were so that he could call them and watch an entertaining show. If some of them were isurs, they could even be happy to show the stones that Bob was talking about first hand. At least with his limited mental capacity the punk seemed to get the suggestion that Bob was trying to make and his grin widened not because it was true, but because he liked seeing the look on the boy's face.

And the further they went the more Bob got entertained. He could only wonder what was running through the boy's mind when he talked about Bobo. Bob knew that a youth's mind was always creative. He himself has not quite allowed himself to depart from that stage because it helped him a lot in his games of chance. Just how much more can he twist the truth around and coil it around until the listener puked? Continuing on Bob gave a sigh because "a lot of people would have liked to be on Bobo. I know I did for the past few days" but something still has to be done about those saddle sores. Maybe one of those beautiful therapists can help him with that next.

It would be a lot better than trading quips here as fun as it may seem. "Of course you know them better" Bob said in the most sarcastic tone he could think of dragging the words on just to make them stick the same way he would do with the dogs. Everyone knew Kelwyn, the twins who actually makes things happen but whatever the boy think he knew, Bob could strongly assert that "Its not the piss. Its my shining personality on my trusty steed" or not, just like a knight though their horse would not be Bobo that Bob was still talking about just because the misunderstanding is funny to him.

Especially now when he was asking what Bob did. It took his interest away from the tingle to what answer he should give? Maybe a general one that Bob did "plenty. I've traveled the world..." well only the Sylira region but that was too small to be impressive. What was impressive to him however was that he did it "relying on nothing but chance," hapchance. And look at Bob now? "I even survived that horrible place Sunberth." If that was not Bob doing anything, he would not know what is. His accomplishments even made an even bigger grin? Was that even possible? "I bet you can't say the same can you?"

[Lucas Arias]

As Bob revealed that a lot of people would have liked to be on Bobo, Lucas stared at him incredulously, and his eyes were suddenly as big as saucers. Being a teenager with an especially dirty mind he of course assumed that the man’s next statement meant that Bobo and he had been petching for days.

„No wonder you didn’t have time to bathe“, he remarked. „Bobo must have given you little opportunity for anything else. Are you sore now?“ He laughed, and then he blushed furiously. For all his dirty talk and dirty thoughts Lucas hadn’t actually slept with anybody yet, and thus the topic was a little awkward for him every now and then (which didn’t keep him from talking about it of course).

„Your shining personality and your … what?“ Lucas blurted out. „You … you call your boyfriend your trusty steed?“ Lucas often insulted other people, but he would never call his lover a steed. For some reason he found that slightly shocking. „Does Bobo know that? I would never call my boy … err … girlfriend a steed!“ Not that he had a girlfriend or a boyfriend for that matter or a boyfriend that looked like a girlfriend …

„Well, no, I’ve never been to Sunberth“, he admitted. „But I met a couple of gods, I killed a bunch of Zith, I seduced an Eypharian princess with four arms and I survived the knights. You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to live in Syliras. Duty here, honor there, and don’t you dare to have fun! I bet you wouldn’t survive a day among the knights!“

„And I rely on chance as well, thank you very much.“

[Bob Barton]

This was becoming too much for Bob to just keep in the laughter but to burst out would mean losing all the fun that this boy might provide. Even with that...that face. Of course Bob was telling the truth but he knew that it was no better than a lie since he left out those very important facts. Going on Bob agreed "yes, yes. Right on Bobo from dawn to dusk sometimes with Jinsen, or that kelvic and one of those clay people..." since there were not that many horses to go around. Giving a little rub on his rear, "of course I'm sore now. Why would I be here? I need a massage from one of those lovely ladies after the abuse that Bobo put me through."

And he would never go through any sort of abuse because of a partner and it was insulting that the boy's conclusion was a boyfriend. "I wouldn't call my girlfriend a steed either but that is what Bobo is" and there was nothing that Bob could do to change that fact. Right now he was only wondering how long it would take for this boy to catch on that. This conversation if anyone could call it that would be surprising to those that did not know what was going on. It even surprised Bob himself.

More than that Bob was surprised that the boy would admit that he met a few gods but "that is nothing special because I met some of them too" in the very city that they were in. Killing ziths? That was nothing special too since anyone could do that in Sunberth but "I actually spent some time with them and if anything I will say that they are...uhhh...emotional. Especially the women" right to the part that they were scarier than any other even if Bob ignored the claws.

And...and...Eypharian princess... Alright Bob would not be able to top that but...but...the closest after omitting a few details was that "I went through a ship with a whole group of them just for that one special lady." How about that? Just the implications were enough for Bob to tell it with a really big smile of victory because "surviving Syliras and the knights are nothing" especially when "I've already lived through two whole seasons of squire training without rest" and it was not even his own. It was an akalak's training menu.

"What do you have to say about that now sparkles?" he asked when he looked at the boy's blazing red hair before bursting out in laughter. After recovering, Bob resumed a serious face because "you can't say you rely on chance unless you are a real gambler. Do you go to the Spinning Coin often?" Bob did not think so because he did not give the boy a chance to answer before continuing to say "otherwise you're just telling stories if you cannot provide any truth."

[Lucas Arias]

As Bob told him who else had been on his boyfriend Lucas gasped. He didn’t know whether he should be shocked, disgusted, freak out or laugh because it was so hard to believe. So he just blushed because he was trying to actually picture it. A dwarf, a … whatever Jinsen was, a Kelvic and a Pycon all petching each other? Possibly at the same time? „Umm …“ he made. „How exactly did the Pycon and your boyfriend … nevermind, you don’t need to tell me. I’m not sure if I want to know …“ He made a face. It sounded kind of perverted. He wasn’t sure how it was even possible, considering the height difference and the fact that Pycon were made of clay.

As Bob mentioned the abuse that Bobo had put him through, Lucas just nodded because he didn’t trust himself to say something that made sense right now. He felt the need to comment on Bob’s insistence that Bobo was a steed though. „So he’s not really your boyfriend, but more like your …“ He paused before he blurted out, „… love slave? That occasionally pretends to be your master when you feel especially masochistic? You are telling me the truth, right? You didn’t just make the stuff your boyfriend and you did up, right?“ Lucas suddenly realized that he should be worried. If Bob was such an especially depraved man, what would keep him from eventually making a pass on him? They were in a bath house which was the perfect place for such things. He considered running to protect his innocence, but on the other hand such dirty stories fascinated him.

„Right. You also met gods“, he said and laughed out loud. „And? What did they say? Did they give you some kind of ominous prophecy? A task that you had to fullfill in order to save the world and prevent the second Valterrian? Who did you meet anyway? Nikali? And you can’t have had squire training. You are too old. And too short. And I don’t sparkle. The Spinning Coin is practically my second home by the way together with the Rearing Stallion. I’m a really good gambler.“ He had indeed won a few games, mostly because he’d distracted those he had played with or employed a number of tricks.

[Bob Barton]

So far, Bob could not tell if the boy was stupid or acting that way because no one can be that dense. If they were then they would be a lot more easier to take advantage at the Spinning Coin and that was where Bob was going to take this boy if that was the case. Even if he might now have that many mizas, that would not stop Bob from taking with him when he leaves every single one of them if he could. However before he could even get started on that he better set his new victim on the right path. Tricking someone in this state, while it would help his finances would hurt his reputation. Badly.

On the way there however, he would have as much fun as he could. Knowing the boy's misunderstandings and confusion at Bob's preferences, the deceitful man ran his hand over the boy's shoulder the way a woman would their lover. Slow, gentle but firm saying in a soothing voice "about my love slave..." or boyfriend as the misguided boy put it "I have none but you're here aren't you?" giving a broad smile and waiting to see the reaction he would get before from his suggestions. If the boy tried to leave Bob would try to hold his hand down harder to keep the boy where he is because as he whispered into his ears "bad boys who leave before they are done will get punished" and eventhough he said it softly, everyone knows what punishments actually are.

That was more than enough fun than Bob could afford before things really get out of hand. Releasing his hand he got back to being serious. Businesslike since that was what gambling was to him and "you're not a really good gambler if you are really so stupid." Why was he stupid? Because "Bobo is my horse, Jinsen my dog, the kelvic and pycon part of the group I'm travelling with!" Boy's and their imagination. "You must be real dirty" to whatever he would think up of when Bob explained that "your how is me on top of Bobo with the pycon or kelvic in front and Jinsen at the back" one-at-a-time! All of them together would make the poor horse suffer and that is the truth so "I don't have to make anything up." Especially not to someone he just met.

"If you are still interested you can show me how good you are in the Spinning Coin after you've cleaned up" his body though his mind could use a lot of it too. While waiting they could still talk, probably if "I hope that what you've been saying wasn't made up." Bob was getting tired talking about himself and "why don't you clear up some things for me starting with your name and" then the more interesting though unbelievable things like "that prophecy? I don't think that anyone would entrust you with something that big" so it is likely that it was part of the boy's one upping. As for the gods he met, well Bob would just let the mark on his hand he is showing say everything.

[Lucas Arias]

As Bob ran a hand over his shoulder, Lucas shuddered, and he nearly jumped out of the pool as well before he realized that the dwarf would probably get a very good view of his body if he did so. And he really didn’t want that. If Bob had been a beautiful, vertically challenged maiden instead of the utterly male and very short pervert that he was, things might have been different, but as it was, the redhead very nearly freaked out.

„I have no interest in being your love slave!“ he informed Bob in no uncertain terms. „I like girls no matter what people say!“ Maybe it would be better if he ran after all. Maybe he could just distract the perverted dwarf or cover himself so that Bob couldn’t see anything he wasn’t supposed to see. He thought he could see a towel lying very close to the egde of the pool. If he made a run for it … but unfortunately Bob caught him before he could get away. Lucas frowned and tried to push the dwarf’s hand away.

„I’m not a bad boy!“ he insisted. „I’m not a pervert like you. You are the one who should get punished! And I’m the best gambler in all of Mizahar. I’ll show you. We can go to the Spinning Coin right now! I’m also way more intelligent than you! I never lie, and I never make anything up!“

He looked a little doubtful as Bob told him that Bobo was his horse, not his love slave. „Then show me Bobo!“ he demanded. „After I’ve relieved you of all your money at the Spinning Coin. Let’s go! And don’t you dare to look at me when I leave the pool!“ He glared at Bob. „I’m Lucas, and you’d better remember that name. I’ll tell you about the prophecy when we are out of here.“ That would give him a bit more time to come up with something halfway credible.

It was then that he noticed the mark on the dwarf’s arm. He furrowed his brow, and then he asked, „That is fake, right?“