[The Bazaar] Diligent Perusal (Open)

[Rhuryc]

17th of Summer, 510 AV

Apples. Had he the coin, Rhuryc would have purchased his own apple grove far from the city. Instead he tossed the circular, red specimen in the air for a quick test of its aerodynamic ability before he placed it back among its peers. A frown and a sigh later the young man turned away from the merchant's stall and scanned the harrowing crowd. The usual assortment of peasantry lay scattered about the whole of the basement cavern, merchants, clerks, smiths, and the occasional vagabond or two, all no different than the day before. The constant buzz of idle chatter assailed his ears while he did his best to ignore the collective, unwashed smell from the masses. At least he was use to it. Yet, he could not help but twitch his nose in silent protest, unsure if his quest for dinner had reach an all-too-early end. A shame that would be.

The sole of his boots struck a muffled clatter against the cobbled flooring as he moved. Each step brought a slight draw of attention and with it Rhuryc did what he could to shrink, his hands ducking into pockets at his waist as he haunched his shoulders and kept his chin tucked to his chest. To the casual observer one would assume that the brazen vagabond of a male was up to something; for who else would try to abscond notice with so much effort? In truth the motion was meant to avoid the socializing merchants, the beck and call of impromptu purchases of the bazaar goer assured financial destruction and, after all, Rhuryc had only come in search of dinner. And breakfast. Perhaps a snack or two. Or whatever caught his eye.

A soft curse escape his lips as he came to an abrupt halt. Rhuryc blinked and removed a hang from its slumber, scraping a stray bang from his eyes as a sparkle caught his attention. In some strange twist of fate he now stood in front of a weaselly featured merchant, his grubby paws attached in a series of predatory exercises. The flash of light drew the man's eye again until it rested on a series of fine jewelery; gems, rings, an assortment of accessories fit for a Lady, or a particularly effeminate man. With a tilted chin, the young apprentice survey the stall with a weary appraisal. All he wanted was a sufficient dinner. Right?

[Inca]

They say the home is where the heart is and for Inca that place was certainly not amidst the teeming streets of Syliras. Where, exactly, it did lie was a subject of little interest to her. However since she had been born and grown up here it was as good a place as any to grant the name. She was home. And that didn't bring her any joy or comfort. This was a strictly business visit, a fact that had led to a great deal of procrastination on her part. She was not in the mood for work right now. And so she roamed. The fact that she knew these streets better than the back of her hand was irrelevant. And that was a stupid phrase because how many people really spent that much time staring at the backs of her own hand? Still, she didn't have a problem with reaquainting herself with the place again. She strode through the streets with an ease that belied their crowds and all without any conscious thought for where she was going. Her body simply flowed into every available gap between pedestrians and carts so that she was not where anyone else happened to be walking. It could hardly be called a stealthy approach however. She stood out and she knew it. Perhaps it was the beacon brightness of her hair or the fact that she was a few inches taller than most of the people that were here or perhaps that her half open shirt revealed a deep sliver of ivory flesh to anyone who cared to look. Being noticed didn't bother her. She could slip into any one of these alleyways and dissapear if she wished. Besides, if people stared at you that meant you were unique and that could never be a bad thing.

Inca pushed her ruby glasses further up her nose, obscuring the vivid emerald of her eyes and turned into a slightly emptier market street. The din of the masses and the endless hawking of the merchants simply faded into background noise. One cry for wares was much the same as the next when she had no intent to buy. A few stalls were perused by her carefully discerning eye but nothing of value was detected. The wind caught a stray strand of hair and tossed it into her eye. As she went to brush it away movement registered in the corner of her eye. At least the movement of an apple being tossed up into the air. She ignored it. For some reason a decision registered in her brain at that moment. Specifically one to go and see her brother. She tried to make the trip at least for his birthday no matter where in the world she had ended up. The fact that she was in Syliras for a perfectly legitimate reason should make it all the more perfect. He would be turning 18 this summer. Exactly how he'd lived for so long in that same house was completely beyond her. But if he was happy then she wouldn't do anything to change it. She just knew that sometimes he needed a kick out the door when it came to things he really wanted to do. If now was one of those times then her boot was primed and ready. She began to make her way further down the street, now with the aim of buying some tasty morsel to surprise him with. Then after that she could take him to the tavern and break open a bottle of single malt. After all her mizas weren't going to spend themselves. After a few more rows of stalls her eyes caught the alluring glimmer of gems and jewels, laid out for the taking. A man stood before the display, vacantly staring at them with an utterly unfulfilled look across his neatly cut features. She registered it as the same body that had been attached to the arm that tossed the apple a moment ago. He was tall, having perhaps three inches on her and there were not many people in the world she had to look up to speak to. She was, however, quite bored and a little conversation with a stranger couldn't hurt. Inca drew herself up next to him, idly reaching out to finger a dainty silver ring. A slight flick of her wrist tossed into the air before she caught it in her gloved hand. Just a small sleight of hand and it could be hers. But that was a slippery slope to tread and it wasn't as if she needed it. A brief inspection of her fellow bazaar goer yielded a topic for talk.

"Funny to think that there's enough money in this useless little thing to feed you for a week." She replaced the ring on the cloth table covering. "My advice? Find a good pub. Better food, better company and when you hear yelling you only need to hide under the table instead of swallowing your coinpurse." She smiled, to let him know that the last part was a slight exaggeration. At least in this part of the city it was.

[Rhuryc]

"I wouldn't call it useless." Rhuryc spoke, his heavy baritone muted in the slightest fashion from the rampant crowd. "Just unnecessary."

In an almost jaded fashion the young man continued to observe the gems and other frivolities as he spoke. Though his gaze flicked to the impatient merchant as he surveyed the new couple, Rhuryc seemed otherwise uninterested in his sudden companion in shopping. Perhaps he was just slow and the fact that an attractive woman had approached him from nowhere had yet to register. That or that ring was just too damn shiny. The latter remained all the more likely.

When he did finally turn his head Rhuryc was taken aback, if only for a moment. The specimen before him was not what he would have expected. Tall and strangely exotic with flush, red hair and an alluring vibrancy to her actions. He was quick to collect himself as he replaced his one exposed hand back into its protective covering and the rest of his posture adapted a straighter, more appropriate posture for conversation. Funny, he had not even realized he had slouched. A smile spread itself across his lips as he locked eyes with Inca, his head lowering in a cut nod as some token of respect. A civil greeting if any. At least he possessed manners of a sort.

"More expensive food, granted. I'd even be willing to give it a shot should I have some sort of company for the ride." Straight and to the point, at least.

[Inca]

Inca cocked one vibrant eyebrow, a very obvious, if small sign that she was surprised at the suddeness of an invitation to dinner. Such a thing would have been commonplace in Wind Reach where mincing words was rarer than gold. But those days had been gone for some time and to her sorrow she had grown accustomed to the very human tendancy to sidestep anything of any real importance. Hell, in Wind Reach the dinner might have been skipped entirely in favour of the really interesting part. A small smile crept into her expression; she found she was quite pleased by this. Quickly she surveyed the potential entertainer.

For first glances she might have placed him as one of the cities guardsmen; the uniform fit perfectly onto her mental image. However the slouch in his posture precluded that idea. Such sloppiness would no doubt have been beaten out of him a very long time ago. The constant training, discipline and routine set men straighter than bean poles and twice as brittle. Bend that kind of person just a little and they'd snap like thin glass. Such a life was, quite simply, her idea of hell. No, he had the body of a soldier but the attitude of a bored teenager, an interesting combination she decided. He had drawn himself up now, meeting her gaze with the face of the soldier, not the boy. Chiselled and handsome he nonetheless bore the rugged countenance and scars of a man who could handle himself as well with a broken bottle in his hand as he could in a dueling arena. She had been propositioned by worse.

"How good that ride is depends solely on where you plan on taking me." Innocence was a quality which had been wholly stripped from her voice. However she could still inject some if she tried. It ocurred to Inca that for a moment the existence of her brother and her aforementioned plan had been completely forgotten. She'd feel somewhat guilty for this later but an invitation from a complete stranger was exactly the kind of reckless passtime that made life interesting. Besides, it would do her well not to drink on an empty stomach. She reached into her pocket and drew out a shiny miza; flipping it with some impressive dexterity between her fingers. After all what important thing in life couldn't be decided by a coin toss? She tossed the coin. Then she smiled her award winning smile that was worth all the sweet talk she could muster. "If the invitation in still open then I've got nothing but time."

[Rhuryc]

Rhuryc's brow tilted in tandem with his feminine companion. As was his way, he mimed the expressions sent in his direction with a small degree of civility; in no way mocking, but just enough to remain endearing. A clever skill that. In any case, the young man remained attentive and polite as he gave Inca the time to consider her answer. Not once did his gaze dip below her neck and he stood rather still, free of any fidgety nature and bereft of offensive mannerisms. A peasant he may have been, but a well groomed one none-the-less. At least in appearance. The truth remained that his head, already canted down to meet the countering gaze, allowed him a full view of the woman. It was seldom he was able to practice watching events from his peripheral vision.

"I'm sure we could find an upscale eatery somewhere in this mess, or just make a break for the Stallion." He spoke and smiled simultaneously as he unconsciously adapted some peculiar charm. "The choice, my lady, rests solely in your hands." With that he made for a mock bow and a curt lowering of his chin, one arm extending out past his chest as he offered it in jest for Inca to do with as she pleased. Silly, perhaps, but there remained no lack of confidence there.

[Inca]

For a moment she considered taking the proferred arm in order to see how far he was willing to play the role of the gentleman. However since she had no intention of playing the role of the lady it seemed silly. Her gaze drifted out briefly to that which she was indulging in this to avoid. Mainly the stoic, all encompassing might of Syliras. It was difficult not to look at it when she stood contained within its belly as she did. There was a great deal of freedom to be had in these streets but it had never felt that way to her. Something about this place was opressive in its almost metallic rigidity. No doubt anywhere overseen by an order of supposedly virtuous knights would take on the same quality. Unfortunately for her those knights were precisely her problem while she was her. At that point a frown would have betrayed her had it not been for the lightness of her situation.

"Playing the gentleman huh? Alright then follow me." She knew the place he had mentioned, in fact it had been one of her usual haunts earlier in her life. A graceful priouette sent her off amidst the crowds, her mouth already watering at the thought of the meat pie she was now planning on enjoying. If there was one thing Syliras could do well then it was a hearty meal. "Upscale eateries and I don't mix well." And then as an after thought she added: "And my name's inca by the way."

The act of walking through the streets was something her body could do on its own and so that left her mind free to mull her earlier problem. She was well aware that now wasn't the time to be thinking about it but it was one of those thorny problems that lodged itself and then itched for attention. In hindsight it had probably been a stupid idea to accept the job in the first place but that statement could be applied to almost everything she had ever done in her life. It had lost all meaning. A quick glance behind her yielded the fact that Rhuryc was following with the same speed and ease that she slipped through the crowds. He was obviously a local. And he did have an air about him, a certain pride in being that was quite rare. There was no harm in asking. At this point it was nothing more than conversation and she did so hate to be boring company. She waited until she could pass the question off as mere musing. Her opening came as she caught sight of a pair of the cities guards, draped in the white finery, like armoured swans with tempers to match. Surprisngly that was the most thought she'd put into any action all day. Dropping back just a little Inca fell into an easy, long stride alongside her sudden aquaintance.
"Hey, do you know anyone in the knights?" She spoke, her expression light enough that she could have been asking about the weather. It was a talent of hers that she could erase the gravity from any situation.

[Rhuryc]

Aware of his exposed, silly behavior, Rhuryc remained at a forty-five degree angle for some time, his arm outstretched with a terrible tenacity. While he stared at the ground the young man could not help but feel the part of the ass - a gentlemen ass, but an ass nonetheless. Still, in those few moments he learned a great deal about himself and his would-be escort. The most important lesson in that he could bow at an extreme angle for an extended period of time. And that it hurt his back. Profusely. Rhuryc did not like bowing.

He caught the swish of Inca's garments as she spun about and his gaze was drawn up toward the retreating form. Follow her? It was in that singular point that Rhuryc decided he did, in fact, like this woman. With a sudden start he ducked into the crowd as well and began to maneuver through the large, congested groups of consumers, twisting, turning, and even going so far as to utilize his girth in the removal of the more difficult obstacles. It was only a matter of time before he managed to pop up next to Inca, their combined local knowledge of the area making it an easy to task to keep pace.

"Rhuryc by the way." His thick baritone did well to undercut the idle chatter of the surrounding crowds and her own voice was just as easy to pick out, unique in his own mind not only for the tone, but for the question. Knights? He imagined that on occasion he was mistaken for one, why, his uncle had done everything possible to turn Rhuryc into one, yet the lack of uniform and rarely carried weapons would be a dead give away. Or so he thought.

"Mm, no. I've never even so much interacted with a Knight. Why? There something you need help with?" Perhaps he could offer his assistance.

[Inca]

"Oh yes, you could say that." Inca realised she was smiling at an honest offer of help. perhaps a slightly pitying smile but an honest one nonetheless. No-one that knew her even a hair's breadth below the surface would ever offer to help her in any endeavour. No matter. At this point part of her wished to divulge unto him her entire plan just to see the look on his face. Alas that crossed even her mental line between recklessness and sheer idiocy. And so she stayed silent about that particular part. "I need some inside information and I'm probably only going to get it from one of the knights. Meeting one that enjoys a stiff drink or two would be even better." She knew she didn't need to say anymore than that. It was an art form that she'd perfected on her little brother; a boy blessed with that much imagination was if anything too easy a mark.

Inca billowed into a side street and followed it until it widened out onto a more residential street. This part of Syliras was somewhat quieter, if only for the lack of shouting and the offensive assault to the senses that the market provided. Quiet was a relative term in cities she found. It was surprinsgly warm too, hemmed in by stone and the press of bodies. Inca slipped her coat off her shoulders, revealing bare arms up to the elbow and slung it lazily over her shoulder. The sign that marked the presence of the Stallion inn hung up ahead the same as it had done for as long as she could remember. Every time she returned to a place she expected it to have changed beyond all recognition. It was inevitably the same. She was willing to thank one or two small Gods that she wasn't prone to nostalgia.

[Rhuryc]

Insider information? Rhuryc's expression went stoic. There was not much one could need of the Knights that was not public information. At least, that was not also illegal. In the spirit of newfound friendship he put aside the explanation for now, but he in no way forgot what he was told. Rhuryc may be no more than a simple blacksmith but the values of Tyveth were deeply ingrained into his manner. Not too mention he was not an idiot. The propensity to be vague was not a virtue he was fond of. At all.

Once they had passed through the winding corridors of the over-sized fortress Rhuryc had returned to his jovial self. He slipped his hands into his pockets and kept up in-step next to Inca, admiringly dipping his gaze for just a moment as she removed her coat. He was a man, after all, and even knightly fellows took pleasure it reviewing pleasant forms. Which was a magnificent way of justifying impure thoughts and ideas. His silence, perhaps, spoke louder than any words.

"Should be more crowded," He mused as his gaze swept over the entrance to the establishment. Quaint. With a shrug he made his way toward the door and pushed with just enough force, stepping ahead and keeping the portal open for the lady behind.

The inhabitants were of no unusual sort. Smiths, merchants, clerks, off-duty guardsmen, all sort of city folk kept to the Stallion in the early evening. The rambunctious clatter of glasses and rowdy chatter had yet to spring up in spades, though, and thus the common room was left with a casual grace. A perfect spot for some idle banter, and maybe even some taunt teasing. The rustic, wooden interior did well to even smooth the nerves, with the wafting smells of alcohol and freshly cooked meat interwoven into the very fabrics themselves.

[Inca]

It was not lost on her that her questions provoked a seemingly instinctual expression of distaste amongst her companions rugged features before he reset it. Her inner self shrugged. Oh well, at least there was no reason to pursue that line of inquiry any further. Inca did so loathe to mix business with pleasure, a difficult feat considering she enjoyed her work immensely. Satisfied to follow Rhuryc she nonetheless made her own visual sweep of the place. Despite the vast tract of time that had passed since her last visit it was nonetheless exactly the same as it had been the last time and the time before that. Places like this didn't change much which was fine with her as long as they had some character to begin with. The door swung closed obediently behind her and sealed her inside this rich, smoky den of old memories. The redhead stretched luxuriously and slightly more provocatively than she meant too; any other result was difficult with a shirt open as low as hers. The light level was too low in here for anyone to see much, barely maintaining an uneven twilight of lamplight that was only sufficient to make out who you were about to punch in a brawl. But it wasn't often that she graced a place such as this in the early evening, hers being a personality and lifestyle given over to more nocturnal activities. She had to say it felt a little different. Perhaps the kind of place that a gentleman could respectably bring a lady if he so wished.

Inca made her way to a table in the far corner where she could watch the rest of the inhabitants slowly fill up. She didn't people watch much, meeting was far more fun but it never hurt to have something to look at. Slinging her coat over the back of the chair she held up one finger alongside a smile that said she would be right back. Crossing the room allowed the familiar to flow around her, an apt description since the atmosphere was so thick it was surprising she didn't need gills to breathe it. And for the most part the familiar was fine until it grew trite and dull as hell. In fact now that she thought about it wind reach was the only place she had ever ventured where day to day life was actually exciting and not just a wonderfully complex way of killing time. Inca draped herself over a spot at the bar as if she owned it. At one point in time that one spot was invariably hers to claim of an evening. Two tall glasses of lager were ordered from the bartender, a man whom against all sense of reason she still recognised. It had been eight years dammit! He had no right not to have changed. Even his beard was the same muddy stubble that it had always been. She told him this in no gentle terms and waited with an amused grin for realisation to dawn before collecting their drinks and heading back.

Once she was in her seat she pushed a glass invitingly across the table and lounged back in her chair.
"Just a little social lubrication to make getting to know each other easier." The dense air cushioned her voice, ridding it of some of its mercenary's edge so that she sounded a little silkier than usual. At this point she finally removed her glasses, tucked them into a top pocket and resisted the urge to put her boots up on the table. "I think at this point we're supposed to make small talk for a bit. But why don't you just ask me anything you want?"