[Syliras] New Beginnings [Complete][Awarded]

[Maya]

"Well, the local Glass merchant, I'd suppose." Why didn't I think of that... The voice was her own, not some internal defense mechanism. obviously the merchant would buy his wares from somewhere...

"Well, I feel foolish not thinking that. Of course he would buy his merchandise from somewhere..." She stated, then motioned for him to walk with her, subtly letting him lead.

"By the way... I couldn't help but notice you... appreciating my sword." She said, smiling widely. "Is there anything you would like to ask?"

[Kane Roth]

Striding down the street, Kane's mind was elsewhere as they traveled, making their way to the nearest glass merchant, which was... where? Kane didn't know, might prove prudent to ask, the first opportunity that presented itself should work. Most of his thoughts had wandered to when Ajagur had told him of his child, and the whirlwind that'd started thereafter. Still, such things were back in Sunberth, away from his new life. "By the way... I couldn't help but notice you... appreciating my sword." Turning to glance at her as they continued, he could spy her toothy grin and felt a bit emboldened to offer a smile of his own as he thought on how to respond to the statement, and she offered a question which made it a bit easier to pursue the subject, "Is there anything you would like to ask?"

"Quite a bit, actually, chief question being where did you come across such a blade?" As he finished, he thought for a moment that it might prove to be better to explain his already odd interest in bladed weaponry, "I used to-uh, collect swords before I came to Syliras, back when I lived in Sunberth."

[Maya]

The two opposites walked next to each-other in silence, until Maya had broken the ice with her question about her sword. "Quite a bit, actually, chief question being where did you come across such a blade?" Was his question.

"Well-" She began, interrupted by his explanation.

"I used to-uh, collect swords before I came to Syliras, back when I lived in Sunberth."

She smiled, and began again. “It was my mother’s sword back in Wind Reach, passed down to me when I turned 11. The streets of Wind Reach are dangerous. I've heard it said that most deaths occur from random duels to protect one's honor or dignity, and not from falling, as you might expect.” Talking about the city brought back memories, ones which she'd rather not talk about, so she changed the subject.

"I was supposed to spar once a week so that I would learn to protect myself. Unfortunately," at this, she smiles slightly, illuminating her gloomy eyes once more, "I skipped many practices, so I can't say I'm that good." Stupid, stupid, stupid! Said the voice, once more awoken. Let him know you're defenseless, why don't you, that's brilliant! She ignored it, and continued.

"Talon Swords are long and slim," she said, unsheathing her sword, and making passers-by stare, as well as catching the eye of a few knights. However, from the way she was holding it, it was obvious she was just showcasing it, so the knights moved on. “And quite flexible, compared to traditional swords. This makes them ideal for close combat.” She displays a few parries and thrusts, striking at invisible foes and blocking invisible attacks, but fearing she was showing her amateurishness, she re-sheathes her sword and looks up at Kane.

“Anything else?”

[Kane Roth]

“It was my mother’s sword back in Wind Reach, passed down to me when I turned 11. The streets of Wind Reach are dangerous. I've heard it said that most deaths occur from random duels to protect one's honor or dignity, and not from falling, as you might expect.”

As she explained her blade, she even shed a bit of light on her home of Wind Reach, a place Kane'd never heard of prior to the conversation, though as she continued her train of thought seemed to slow, and all around stopped regarding Wind Reach in the conversation, and Kane decided not to pursue the subject. Something had happened to her in her past, that seemed to be obvious... making a mental note of such, he looked to her as she started speaking once again, "I was supposed to spar once a week so that I would learn to protect myself. Unfortunately," smiling as she paused, Kane replied in similar fashion, allowing her to continue, "I skipped many practices, so I can't say I'm that good."

She began to remove the elegant blade from its scabbard, already describing it to him, giving him an introduction to the blade; how it functioned, optimal uses, chief of all demonstrating on how to wield the blade... Watching as she parried and struck, Kane took note of her overall stance and the placement of her feet as she acted out the brief bit of combat. She was new to it, yes, but she had a bit of talent for it; she could learn to wield the blade with proficiency, should she ever wish. Soon she finished, returning the blade to its home, and looking to him asks, "Anything else?" Looking at the blade, he thought, wondering mostly what would be the best way to word what he was going to say,

"A beautiful weapon, truly... I know a few things about how to wield a blade, I could teach you..." Pausing for a moment, looking away from her further down the street, finally finding a small window to focus on, he tacked on an ending, speaking quickly, "That is, if you wanted to learn."

[Maya]

"A beautiful weapon, truly... I know a few things about how to wield a blade, I could teach you..." Kane started. He averted his gaze, glancing ahead of them. "That is, if you wanted to learn."

Maya thought over the proposition. She thought she may need to learn the intricacies of swordplay, to be able to defend herself if she were attacked. Ha ha! Snickered the voice in her head. He finally said it: He wants to get you alone. She chose to ignore this, taking his offer as one of generosity, and not choosing to see some hidden agenda which may or may not have been there.

"I would enjoy that." She said, smiling but not showing her teeth. She seemed distracted in her thoughts. "But first, I think I should find a job."

The two find themselves in a marketplace, surrounded by various merchants displaying their wares in collapsible stands. There were plenty of salesmen: But none were selling any glasswares.

[Kane Roth]

He waited as she thought, beginning to think himself a fool for even offering in the first place, his inner conscience either cursing his stupidity for even offering, and his lack of consideration for his future duties. Walking, he simply concentrated on the sound of his boots and the sight of windows further on. Eventually the streets began to change, as did the district they were in, and soon they'd left the Traveler's Row, moving on into a marketplace of sorts, while certainly not the largest one in Syliras, it was reflective of the great deal of diversity in the city, with wares from almost every corner of the world being peddled and traded. Looking at various stalls, Kane eyed for anything particular that caught his fancy, though little did, and as he was eye-shopping, Maya spoke, "I would enjoy that." Hmm. Thinking to himself as he browsed, Perhaps it could benefit us both, her the blade and myself a bit of parrying practice... "But first, I think I should find a job." That was what they'd come here for, the Glassworks, though it was obvious it wasn't here, rather somewhere else. Stepping closer to a merchant's stall, Kane browsed without much interest the man's wares, most of them simple tokens, lucky charms and the like, until the peddler, a plump middle-aged man, inquired as to how he might assist,

"Anything I can get for you today, sir? I give you a good price, just ask." Kane's right hand rose to his face, index finger rubbing his upper lip for a moment as he feigned thought,

"Perhaps a merchant of such stature as yourself would know the best place for glass works in the city?" Looking to Kane, the man's eyes took on a slightly hurt look, offended somewhat that he cared little for the wares he had, though his face retained the same inquisitive charm, and soon answered Kane,

"Well, that'd be Inner Fire Glass, 'cross from the Ironworks." At the mention of the place Kane knew the locale of the place, the memory of purchasing the blade that hung on his belt still fresh in his memory. Motioning to Maya, he beckoned her closer, thanking the merchant as he did so. Turning to face Maya as he left the stall behind him, he spoke,

"Think I know where you can find a job."

[Maya]

Maya and Kane had split up briefly, browsing through the stalls of the merchants, looking for something to catch their eyes. Maya got fed up looking, and turned to see if Kane had better luck than her. Apparently, he did. He was talking with a chubby, middle-aged peddler. She walked towards them, and was in earshot as the man said "'cross from the Ironworks." Kane turned to face her, and said "Think I know where you can find a job."

"That's great!" She said excitedly, smiling widely. Her smile was genuine: now that she had a way to support herself, she didn't need to rely on others as much. "And you know how to get there?"

[Kane Roth]

"That's great!"

The enthusiasm seemed real enough, her eyes noticeably brighter than earlier, and another smile managed to break her face. Managing a half smile of his own, Kane thought to just what he'd done. He'd actually brought someone happiness, a small glimmer of it at least, whether it endured or not... it didn't matter. For a change he'd actually done something for someone, something that didn't leave them scarred, defiled, or even dead. It felt... good. Just as good as it had to murder, to destroy, but there was something else, a quality that one couldn't attain from simply destroying, a sense of living accomplishment, like what you've done would live on beyond your memory, beyond the moment in which it occurred.

"And you know how to get there?"

As she asked if he knew the way, Kane was deep in thought, thinking more of what he'd done than what he might need to do, and after rudely sitting for a moment, silent, realized she'd spoken to him and quickly replied, "Eh, yes. Yes I do." Placing a hand on the pommel of his sword, he lifted it slightly, barely enough to cause it to clink together, "Right across from where I got my new sword."

[Maya]

Kane seemed lost in thought, and didn't respond to Maya's question straight away. She was about to ask again, thinking he had not heard her, when he said, "Eh, yes. Yes I do." He clinked the longsword out of its scabbard and said, "Right across from where I got my new sword."

"Swell," She says, still smiling. Suddenly, she frowns, and asks, "Do you think they'll be hiring?"

They better be, she thought. There doesn't seem to be much of a demand for gaffers in this city. None of these stalls had anything with even a piece of glass in them. For her sake, and for her future's sake, she prayed silently to Priskil and Aquiras that the glass smithy would have a job opening for her.

[Kane Roth]

"Swell," she spoke, though the smile faded a bit, and quickly turned into a frown as she'd undoubtedly found something to worry about. Kane would've asked as to just what she'd thought of though she quickly beat him to it, her voice's slight differentiation giving away her more than slight displeasure, "Do you think they'll be hiring?" I don't see why not. pondered Kane, The market already seems deprived already of such wares, and unless the local glass shop has an exclusive monopoly on the production-well, whatever the case, many of the shops are in need of glass, and surely that reflected a lack of affordable or quality glass products.

Kane simply voiced his thoughts in a brief statement, "I'm sure they will." Already stepping in the direction of the Iron works, he looked to Maya before he started in earnest, "Let's get going." Already the long summer day had begun to drag on, the sun beginning to sink in the sky. Looking to the sun, Kane could see they still had some time, though he still had to return to his own apartment, not to mention find something to eat, his lack of food in the wilderness still haunting him, depriving his body of some of its 'full' look, not as bulky, not as built. Though he'd improved over the almost wraithlike vision that'd entered the gates on the second of the season, he still had much to recover. It wasn't a terribly long trip to the Iron works, and from there the Glass works were only a stone's throw away, and they soon approached the place, Kane making little conversation as they did so, he himself lost somewhere in the confines of his mind. Though as they came closer to the 'works, he asked a single question, mostly out of curiosity, "Just what made you want to come to Syliras?"