Closed Are you Interested? (Raus)

[Firenze]

10 Fall, 514 AV

It had been a long couple of days. She'd started getting into the swing of living alone, but wasn't quite comfortable yet. She looked over to the pile of furs lying in the corner. Her teeth were sharp enough to peel them off of the carcasses but they were a little tattered. I wonder if I could make a blanket with those? It's going to start getting cold soon, she frowned at the pelts, it might help if I knew how to sew... I should see if there is someone in town that might be able to teach me or if I can pay someone to do it.

Firenze got up and walked to her chest, opening it she pulled out the carcasses of the rats, mice, squirrels and hares that she'd caught the other day. They still seemed fresh enough to her. She sniffed them a little and thought it might be best to try to sell them, soon. She didn't want the meat to sit around and rot, but she had no clue how to keep them from spoiling.

She grabbed the rope from next to the little dead bodies and started tying them around the feet. She didn't clean the meat from the bones but she did make sure to wash the insides out in the stream before bringing them back. She'd had a rather lovely lunch and dinner that day. Sometimes, you could find cool things inside the intensities. She preferred the other bits and pieces, compared to the long rope of guts, mostly they were just fun to play with before eating.

Throwing her cloak around herself, she grabbed the rope and tossed it over her right shoulder. She'd have to see if she could find someone to buy her meat, before it went bad. She walked out the door and headed towards the shops.

Firenze wasn't sure where she should sell her goods and thought for a moment, people eat meat, people have to cook the meat, they might cook the meat where people would eat... people eat in taverns! She walked towards a tavern that she knew of, The Drunken Fish.

Entering 'The Fish' she walked towards the bar top and was met with a rotund and burly man, "Hello sir, I'm looking to sell off my catches and was hoping that you would be interested in purchasing them from me?" Firenze looked over the man, in a town that was dangerous and dingy, he seemed happy and good spirited. "My dear, if I could purchase them from you I most so certainly would, just because I admire your beauty lighting up this dark bar. Unfortunately, I'm not in need of meat, unless you happen to have a nice sized tuna hiding under that cloak of yours?" He smiled at Fire. "I'm sorry, I don't," she said, her heart falling. She was hoping that her leftovers might bring in some needed, much needed, mizas. The mans eyes softened while looking at her and he stuck out his hand, "I'm Father Manowar, it's very good to make your acquaintance. I may not have need of your wares, but I do know of a man that might buy your goods. He works at a tavern down the street and he is usually willing to buy any kind of meat that you bring him."

Fire shook the man's hand and smiled back at him, grateful for his unusual kindness. He told her where she could find the man and went back to wiping off the bar and serving other patrons. She walked out the door of the tavern and started making her way towards the place she could find the man that Father Manowar had told her about.

Walking into the tavern and towards the bar, she didn't see anyone, but she didn't let that keep her from her task. She walked back outside the building and around the side to see if there might be another door. She noticed a small door towards the back of the building. She walked over to it and knocked, waiting she shifted from foot to foot. The door opened and a grouchy looking man with short brown hair opened it. She looked him over hoping this was the man that would buy the meat she had to offer. If he wouldn't buy it then she wasn't sure where to go and she'd have to throw it away and in turn be throwing away mizas that could potentially be going in her pocket.

[Raus]

It wasn't a busy hour at work. Lunch had passed a while ago and most people where now plotting ways to get enough miza's together for their next meal. Tenny and elsa were loitering around the back area. Checking their stock of beer and food. Where the old man was he had no idea. He was supposed to help him get the stew for the evening rush ready. But as usual he was off doing his own thing, leaving raus to do all the bloody work. He quickly checked if he had everything. Slabs of mystery meat, some butter, some pieces of vegetables, some onions. No spices or any of those taste giving leaves. The old man was to tightfisted to spend money on those things. Not to mention nobody who came here cared much about the taste in the first place. He grabbed a cutting plank and a slab of meat. Putting it in front of him before taking a knife and chopping up the slab of meat. Throwing each raw piece of meat into the pot. When the pot was about a quart filled with meat he put the meat away again and put the pot on the already lit stove. Grabbed his wooden spatula and browned the meat. Making sure that there wasn't a single red spot left on the meat. He heard a knock on the door. “Oi! Old man. Elsa, whoever. Get the bloody door!” He shouted as he continued his work on the stew. He got a muffled reply from out of the storeroom. “Speak louder , can't understand a think you are saying! Or better yet. Get your ass tot he door you lazy morons.” Another muffled response. Even though he couldn't make out a single word of what they were saying. The tone said enough to him. They weren't planning to move a bloody inch from where they were. “Bunch of lazy shykes.” He growled as he took his pot of the fire to make sure he didn't burn the meat to a crisp and made his way towards the back door. Pulling it open and giving an annoyed look towards the woman that was towering over him. “If you wanna get some food or drink. You're supposed to get in through the other side.” He looked the tall woman over. He didn't see the brand of the sun's birth on the hand. No dagger tatoo either. So it probably wasn't a shakedown of some sort. She had a bunch of dead vermin hanging of her. Probably a mystery meat supplier then. Unless that was her lunch to be. You never knew what some of the people in this town were up to. She had long hair, at least something to use against her if she became voilent. A dagger hung at her hip. Nothing really out of the ordinary. Though he better find a way to get that away from her if she became voilent. “Alright, out with it. What do ya want?” He had a pretty good guess she was trying to sell that vermin meat. But ya never knew.

[Firenze]

10 Fall, 514 AV

Standing there staring dumbfounded at the man, he growled at her, "If you wanna get some food or drink. You're supposed to get in through the other side." She watched him for a moment trying to figure out if this was the man she was supposed to talk to. "Alright, out with it. What do ya want?" He stared at her.

She shifted the weight of the rope on her shoulder and replied, "I was pointed in your direction to try to sell some of my catch. The man at The Drunken Fish said that you might buy them from me? I have quite a bit of extra meat and I didn't want it to go to waste."

She pulled the rabbits, squirrels and remnants of other animals off her shoulder and held them out in her outstretched arm towards the man. They hung from the rope, swinging back and forth. "Would you be interested in possibly purchasing them from me?" She smiled at him hoping that would make him feel better about a stranger coming to his back door and trying to get him to spend his precious mizas.

[Raus]

After the woman told him why she had been pounding on the backdoor of his workplace. Trying to sell him more mystery meat as he had suspected. Great, just when nobody else was around and he had heaps of work to do did that happen. But whining about this wouldn’t make either of the problems go away. And the food store was starting to run low on food. At least the last time he checked. He doubted either of the lazy bastards that were supposed to keep an eye on the storeroom and keep it stocked had done their petching job. “He’s right. We buy all meat. lemme take a look at those catches of yours. see if I can use em.” He held out his hand, waiting for her to give him one of her catches. When she did he gave the rabbit she gave him a close lookover. It looked healthy as far as he could see. Well, as healthy as a dead and skinned rabbit could look anyway. No strange patches of colour in the meat. There was actual meat on the bones so it hadn’t been a starving rabbit either. There were strange rips in the meat though. Didn’t look like a cut from an arrow or dagger. Didn’t look like the wounds of a trap either. It was as if an animal had mauled the thing. “Do ya hunt with dogs? MIght wanna teach them not to maul the entire thing to death.” Raus spoke up. giving her a pointed look. The more he heard and saw of her. THe more he was beginning to think she was new to the hunting business. She had tried to sell meat to the tavern that only served fish. Her dogs were ill trained. He turned it around, inspecting the belly of the rabbit. He scowled. The intestines had been removed, not bad in itself, it would usually save him time. But it had been done badly, an intestine had been cut and the shyke had fallen out of it and against the meat of it. He might not have been a doctor, but eating meat after shyke had laid on it was something even he knew was bad. Now he knew for sure that she was a newbie hunter. Most seasoned ones knew how to butcher an animal themselves. Or at least had the sense not to try if they didn’t know how to do it properly. “Ya made a mess of this rabbit.. I can still see traces where the shyke of the intestines fell in there in here. He pointed at it. Either learn to do it correctly or let me do it. I can’t use half of the meat on this thing. Unless I want to give whoever eats my food the runs. If not worse.” He said, looking up from the rabbit carcass to the woman. Who was giving him an unsure smile. He knew that he should have to send her away. Or at least not buy anything from this contaminated load. All meat around the place where the intestines had been would be useless. The rest of her catch probably wasn’t any different. “I can’t pay more then half price for this rabbit, since I can’t use half of it. I’m pretty sure the rest of your catches are in the same condition. For the squirrels and rats I’ll have to pay even less then half the price. Most of the usable meat would have been ruined the botched butcher job. Next time either learn how to butcher or let me do the job.”

[Firenze]

10 Fall, 514 AV

“Ya made a mess of this rabbit.. I can still see traces where the shyke of the intestines fell in there," He pointed at it, "either learn to do it correctly or let me do it. I can’t use half of the meat on this thing. Unless I want to give whoever eats my food the runs. If not, worse.” She looked down at the man while he spoke and inspected what she had to offer. She grimaced and replied, "I'm sorry I was rather hung...er in a hurry. I'll make sure if you need meat again I'll bring them with the innards or have them cleaned somewhere else first."

“I can’t pay more then half price for this rabbit, since I can’t use half of it. I’m pretty sure the rest of your catches are in the same condition. For the squirrels and rats I’ll have to pay even less then half the price. Most of the usable meat would have been ruined by the botched butcher job. Next time either learn how to butcher or let me do the job," the man gruffed at her. Fire looked at the meat and then back at the man, she wasn't sure how much she should ask for. She looked back at the carcasses, he was right she did kind of make a mess of the insides. She crossed her arms and looked back at the man, "Well, what do you think about 2 gold for the rabbit, 8 silver each for the squirrel and you can have the rats for free." She thought it was a pretty fair price and was hoping that he would be interested enough to buy it off her.

She smiled at the man and put her hand out,"by the way I'm Firenze, but you can just call me Fire." She waited with her hand out, cloak flapping calmly with the breeze. She watched him and hoped that he would be interested in her offer, otherwise she might have to eat what should could tonight and dump the rest in the gutter and let the vermin pick the bones clean. What a waste that would be, after all the hard work I went through to even catch this much was hard enough, sighing internally, the thought of chasing the little animals for bells and bells and then tossing the rotted meat to the street, it made her cringe.

[Raus]

The woman seemed to be listening to what he was saying and unlike what he was expecting she didn’t start arguing with him about the quality of the meat. That was a good start at least. He gave her a strange look as she apologized for that. Not for the apology, even though the fact she did that was quite strange for a sunberther as well, but for the fact she swapped out a word at the last minute. Did she have a speaking problem? Hit her head hard when she fell down? Or did she have something to hide? “Just bring them to me. I can clean them up myself. I’ll pay less for the uncleaned rabbits then I would for the clean ones. But you’ll still come out on top in the end. Butchers tend to charge a hefty sum for just butchering the meat instead of selling it to them. Have to get a profit out of it.” He told truthfully. He listened with growing amusement when the woman started to try and haggle for the price. It was painfully obvious for him that she didn’t have a bloody clue how much what she was lugging around was worth. He let out a sigh as he shook his head. “You’re a newbie at this entire selling and buying thing aren’t ya? For two gold coins I could buy a small goat. We sell our meals here at two silvers a piece, we need to use more then a single squirrel worth of meat in each of our meals. Everything ya have might be worth two gold coins together if they had been butchered correctly. Petch, I’m getting paid two gold for each day I’m working here. Do you really think a badly butchered rabbit is worth an entire day of labor?” He bluntly informed the woman. Quietly wondering why she was so bad with money. Was this the first time she handled money herself? He couldn’t help but start too worry a bit about this girl. How did she even survive? Had she been in somebodies care before this? Was she some kind of escaped slave from some rich bastard? “Look, I would pay a silver for the rabbit corpse. Half of what I would usually buy it for. The squirrel and rats are things we only use for our surprise stew. Given the state they’re in. I would pay a copper for a rat. Since nearly all the useable meat has gotten shyke all over it,” honestly the fact he even paid a copper for the rats was more out of pity and a sliver of concern about the woman then their true value. If it hadn’t been offered by a hunter this inept he would have assumed they were trying to scam him and thrown them out of his sight after knocking them flat on their arse. "The squirrel, in its state is probably only worth three coppers." He took a look at them and the meat he could probably still use. Yeah he would need around three or four too fill a bowl of stew. Add in the price of a loaf of bread and the fact they needed to make some profit on the bowl. That probably was slighty too generous. But he had a sinking feeling that this girl could probably use a bit of charity if she was that horrible with money. “Yo do know how much copper goes in a silver and a gold do you? You haven’t really shown the best grasp of money so far.” Again, he didn’t bother with tact. Nor did he care that he probably called her stupid by accident. Better to be seen as a fool and be taught, then to deny it and go along on your merry life, getting scammed and probably sold into slavery.

[Firenze]

10 Fall, 514 AV

Taking her hand back and crossing her arms again, when the man didn't take her hand, she became peeved. She watched him for a moment after giving her suggestion for a price, he replied,“Just bring them to me. I can clean them up myself. I’ll pay less for the uncleaned rabbits then I would for the clean ones. But you’ll still come out on top in the end. Butchers tend to charge a hefty sum for just butchering the meat instead of selling it to them. Have to get a profit out of it.” She understood that it might be of more value if the insides were still intact, considering they could make meals out of the other bits and pieces, so she wasn't sure why he said they would be of less value. She had started out catching the animals for her own meal but when she realized that she wasn't going to be able the store the meat for much longer without it rotting, she had decided to get it to someone that could use it. She wasn't sure if this man actually wanted this meat, or if he just liked being crude.

“You’re a newbie at this entire selling and buying thing aren’t ya? For two gold coins I could buy a small goat. We sell our meals here at two silvers a piece, we need to use more then a single squirrel worth of meat in each of our meals. Everything ya have might be worth two gold coins together if they had been butchered correctly. Petch, I’m getting paid two gold for each day I’m working here. Do you really think a badly butchered rabbit is worth an entire day of labor?” He sounded like he was reprimanding her for offering a price, she may not know how much she should sell it for but she wasn't expecting a tongue lashing from the man. Her brows furrowed as she watched the man talk. He gave his offer, a silver for the rabbit and the squirrel and rat for a copper. She didn't think that sounded exactly fair, even though the animals were missing their intestines. She thought for a moment if she wanted to take that offer, she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to do, but she knew she would prefer the mizas then nothing. While she was thinking a comment burst through, "...you do know how much copper goes in a silver and a gold do you? You haven't really shown the best grasp of money so far."

Who was this man? She may not understand arithmatic or how skin an animal, aside from just licking it and pulling on it with her teeth, but she didn't feel she was entirely stupid. "I do know. I know that I tried to offer what I thought was a fair price, but the prices that you are giving me seem a bit small for what I have to offer. I understand that you are doing your job and you may be able to purchase meat elsewhere with the intestines intact, but I put a lot of hard work into catching this meat. How about, if you can do 2 silver for the whole lot, then we can call it fair. You said that a meal costs 2 silver, right? If you take what I have to offer, I'm sure it could be enough for at least a few meals, so you're pretty much getting a few free meals out of the deal." She nodded, pleased with herself. She hadn't really thought about what she said, it more just kind of flew out of her mouth due to her growing frustrations. Hopefully, he would take the offer, if not then she might have to take the meat elsewhere and see if someone else might be interested in buying it... or just give it to someone living in the gutter.

[Raus]

Raus rolled his eyes at the mention that she mentioned about how she thought it had been a good price at first. Two gold would have been more then ten times then what a single rabbit, a squirrel and four rats would have been worth. There would have to be something wrong with her to think that was a decent price. Still, he just chalked it up to a sheltered upbringing or a lack of money. When he thought about that however, he felt slightly worried. He knew of bums and other miscreants that barely made the rent on their little shack, or worse, those who lived in the tent city, only a thin sheet of cloth protecting them from the cold. He had cooked more then enough food for those down on their luck, with no funds they weren't able to buy food or clothes. Without that they weakened, without that they weren't even able to get a job or even steal to get more miza's. It was a vicious cycle that was very hard to get out of without trying to join one of the larger gangs. He had a feeling that this rather clueless woman might just end up in that vicious cycle. Which made him feel rather uncomfortable. He wouldn't wish a slow death of starvation or freezing, with the winter coming along, on anybody. The two silvers offer however did sound a lot better then the two gold one though. He did a quick count of the animals she had. One silver for the rabbit, a single silver for the squirrel and four rats. That came down to a silver and 7 coppers. He guessed that three coppers weren't really worth arguing over, she might be able to use them better then the old man could. He could water down the stew a bit if some of the regular troublemakers came around. Or maybe give them a loaf of bread less to make up for this. “Ya, two silvers sounds a lot better in price for what ya got. If you come back with animals that aren't butchered yet I'll buy them for double the price I did today. Two silver for a rabbit, eight copper for a squirrel or rodent of similar size and two for a rat.” Raus agreed. Reaching in his purse and pulled out two silver coins. Holding out his hand for the carcasses.

[Firenze]

10 Fall, 514 AV

Looking at the man, her arms crossed and the rope of animals hanging over her shoulder, he appeared to be mulling the new price that she offered over in his mind. He kept his eyes on hers while he tried to figure out if the 2 silvers would be worth the amount of meat that she had to offer.

Finally, coming to a decision he spoke, “Ya, two silvers sounds a lot better in price for what ya got. If you come back with animals that aren't butchered yet I'll buy them for double the price I did today. Two silver for a rabbit, eight copper for a squirrel or rodent of similar size and two for a rat.” She was pleased that they had come to an agreement on price and watched as he fished in his pocket for the money. Pulling the two silvers out of his pocket, he held his hand out waiting for her to hand the meat over. She wasn't sure if she could trust him.

Should I hand him the meat first or should I ask for the money first?

She thought about it for a moment, hesitating, "Do you have something that you would like me to put the meat in? The rope isn't apart of the sale. Do you want me to just pull them off and hand them to you or do you have a basket?"

She figured she was the one that had come to his establishment trying to sell her wares so she should probably trust him to not rob her of the mizas that they had agreed on. She watched him waiting, for his reply, so that she would know what he would like her to do with the meat. "If I come by again I'll make sure to bring you animals with the insides intact," trying not to let his grumpy demeanor rub off on her, she gave him a small smile.

[Raus]

The woman said the rope wasn't part of the sale, figured. But he could understand the decision. Wasn't as if he had any use for rope anyway. As much as he sometimes wanted to string up his coworkers. He didn't have a basket on hand and he didn't really want to let the woman wait at the door. “That's okay. I'll ask one of my coworkers for a basket. If they aren't still hiding and doing who knows what under the old man's nose. Lazy petchers.” He grumbled under his breath. His mood worsening considerably when he thought back to those lazy bastards. “Ya please do. Keep coming back enough times and ya get a small discount on the food in this place. It's pretty good. If I say so myself.” He said with a bit of pride in his voice. “But first, that basket. I'll pay you after ya put it in the basket.” He said as he pocketed pocket his money for now and turned around. Putting both of his hands at hsi mouth before shouting as loud as he could. “Tenny! Elsa! One of you get your but out of the storeroom! Bring a basket with you will ya! Be quick about it, I know you're lazing off in there!” A few moments silence before there where some noise coming from down the storeroom. Before both of them walked out of the storeroom. Elsa was carrying a small basket. The two of them weren't that much older then Raus, though they had a much more normal height then the small raus. “So this time you two listen. Where were you when I called for you a while ago. Eh?” raus glared at his two coworkers. Both of them squirmed a bit under his gaze. But didn't say anything. they became alarmingly red though.Elsa quickly offered him the basket, hoping. Raus sighed as he grabbed the basket that Elsa offered him. “I hope the storeroom is ordered at least?” both of them nodded. “That's good to hear at least. Now get back to work before the old man is back. Not gonna cover for you two today.” He said with a scowl as he turned back to Firenze. The two of them quickly scampered away. Raus hoped it was to do their jobs and not to laze around some more. “Sorry bout that, they're lazy asses the best of times. But the patrons love their faces.” He held out the basket, motioning to her that she needed to put in the rats and animals. When she did he offered her the silver coins.