Solo Security Conscious

[Chetha Iceglaze]

Castle Commons North, Baker's Butchery and Bakeshop
Morning, 66th Winter 517 AV

"Away!Away, ye theiving scamps!" shouted Kane Baker as he waved a switch at the retreating figures of one of the so called Junior Gangs, theWidowmakers, that had sprung up recently in Sunberth.

"Widowmakers indeed!" the butcher grumbled as h returned to the shop and rearranged the buns on the counter so that it looked intentional, excepting for the missing ones the junior gang had stolen. When he raised his head from the brief task, he saw three sets of eyes watching him. Kiarsha and the children, of course.

The Murian woman eyed him disapprovingly. "What are yo doing with that stick? If you want to be rid of them use your dagger. Let them be afraid of you!"

"Bah, you kno that's not my way. Those children are hungry..." Kane retorted.

"Those hngry children of yours will eat your own children out of house and home! If you won't gt rid of those ruffians, I will. I am not just a baker you recall?"

Kane looked her up and down then looked down at the two pairs of eyes belonging to his children and sighed. "I'll take care of it... I'll find a way."

[Chetha Iceglaze]

North Castle Commons, Baker's Butchery and Bakeshop
Late Afternoon, 66th Winter, 517 AV

Chetha had spent mst of the day in the seaside market. Now though she had decided to explore the Castle commons market futher inland. Now, as the sun sank behind the rooftops of the outer city, she was seated on a barell, that seemed to have at one point held flour, checking her purse and deciding on what she wished to spend on her evening meal.

The store behind her was a matmarket and baker. There wasn't a much more convenient place to shop, she thought. There was a sqirl of bodies around her a moment later. When she looked up a crowd of youths about her own apparent age. They were dressed in the tatted clothingof natives of Sunberth. They were armedwith clubs ada few even had small knives and one had a dagger.

They shouted profanities and insults at anyone walking by r who caught their eyes. Within a moment a shout rang out from within the Butchery and Bakeshop. It was just in time for the boys tohave noticed Chetha. They tugged at her white sleeves, laughing and spitting insults at her. As they were youths, she tried to be patient wit them. They took this for her being slow, and one tried to slide a hand up under her coat. Her dark brown eyes went wide and there was a shout that was drowned out by the sound of her battle axe singing from it's loop on her battle harness. "Axe! This one's going to put up a fight!"

There was general laughter and hooting from the boys. Chetha did a quick head count, there were ten of them. At the adge of the pack a tough looking older man, in the bloodstained apron of the Butcher stood with a switch in hand. He was trying to motion to her to pull things back and tone down the potential violence that was threatening to eruot given that there was a naked battleaxe in her hands.

"Kiarsha! Kiarsha! There's a girl... she's going to get mauled!" Kane called. Kiarsha came running a rolling pin in her strong hands, and still trailing her children. She took one look at the fracas and ducked back inside, Kane dashing after her to prevent her going for the sword he knew was coming. "Listen here!"

Meanwhile outside the Baker children were quickly being surrounded by the street toughs, Chetha waded in toward them, laying about her with the handle of the battleaxe if the boys pushed too close. She managed to gain the children's side and shielded them from the boys with her body, edging them toward the door. Finally she managed to get them in and closed the wooden door behind them. She then turned on the boys. "Have you all been terrorizing these nice people?" She rapped one of them on th temple with the butt of the axe handle. He staggered back, dumbfounded.

The other nine started to close in on her. In response she flipped her grip on the battle axe and stopped speaking. It didn't take long for them to clear out. She sighed and turned back toward the door. Kiarcha and Kane were just emerging with their little family.

Kane scratched his head, surprised they were all gone. Chetha was calmly placing her battle axe back in t's harness. "I think, " sid the Butcher. "We need to keep you around."

Kiarsha nodded her agreement though there was a sheathd sword on the Myrian oman's hip.