With a few more final good day wishes for the clerks and jeweler Cinnamon and I step out of the shop and onto the covered walkway. Alec, having decided to wait outside of Goyce's - Fine Gems and Jewelry while Cinnamon and I did our shopping, spots us as we exit and strides over from where he'd been leaning against a carved wooden support pillar a few yards away.
"Thanks for this." I say to the guard. "I hope that we are not taking to long."
Alec shakes his head. "My orders were to make sure you got to the guest accommodations of Citadel. Which I will do. But Marsh never mentioned that it needed to be a direct route." He grins as the three of us make our way across the street toward the tea shop and step up onto the curb. "When you are ready to head there just let me know. Till then, take your time. I'm in no rush to get back."
"Too Tall! Carrots!" Kryst calls out as we approach and motions us to come closer like she has the biggest secret in the world.
"What's up, Kryst?" Drawing adjacent to the table I see she is in the middle of a guffawing laugh.
"Damn, you two have got to hear this." Kryst wipes at the tears at the corner of her eye then points to Captain Raven who is sipping away at her alcohol laced tea with a sly smirk. "Alright, listen. Raves here just told me this one… A new sailor is on a boat and you know, he gets to feeling amorous. So then the Quartermaster says there is a magic barrel in the hold, but he can't visit the barrel on Thirday or Fiveday because that's when HE is scheduled for the barrel…"
Kryst lets out another peal of laughter then waves her arms about frantically, "No, wait! Wait! I told it wrong! And it's not the Quartermaster it's the new sailor guy. In the barrel, I mean. Did I say, there are no women on the boat? Okay, so... Magic barrel and it's got this knot hole, right?" Kryst giggle-snorts for almost a full minute, leaving all of use feeling a bit uncomfortable as we wait. Finally she shakes her head. "Ahh, nevermind. Raves tells it better."
"Really?" I roll my eyes. "I can scarcely imagine."
"This one. This girl here? She'll have you holding your sides to keep them from splitting. She is funny!" Kryst grins and motions to me and Raven, "I mean, Too Tall here is funny as well, but he is like, weird funny." She points at Raven again, "Where Raves is like 'ha-ha' funny. If you understand?"
Kryst pauses to look directly at me.
"She is comedic, is what I am sa--"
"I get the gist." I cut Kryst off, and lean over the table to poach a corner off of the tart she is eating. "Anyway, how are the pastries?"
"Hey! That's mine." Krystal attempts to smack my fingers away but is to busy with her comedy critique to catch my nimble digits. "You never steal food from a fairy! That's a sure way to get a busted butt bone."
"Seeing as I'm the one that gave you the coin for it I contest that it's mine, ya little scrub." I pop the still warm piece of pastry into my mouth and the taste takes me back to another time.
Generously filled, the tart has finely chopped chunks of sticky apple baked into a crumbly crust. Quite similar to the various fruit filled pie pockets that were on the menu at Big Joes. Although, I had always preferred the chocolate filled ones.
I'd been employed at the family owned restaurant for just shy of six months a few years ago, and used to eat myself near sick of the delectable desserts.
It hadn't been that bad of a job, except that the hours had been awful. The food was great, and, being as Joe made most of his menu from scratch, I'd managed to pick up a few tips and memorised enough recipes during the time that my passable cooking skills had sharpened to something akin to competent.
Unlocked: Free Background Skill: Cooking
x2 Free Background Skills Remaining
"You shouldn't be eating all this sweet stuff, anyway, Kryst. You keep gorging like you do and you'll end up with a bubble belly." I tease, "In fact, I am pretty sure you have packed on some pudge since we first met."
"What?!" Kryst takes the bait. She looks down at her washboard ab stomach with an incredulous look. Exploiting the opening I reach over and poke her in her tummy, giving the pillsbury doughboy giggle as I do.
Though none of my companions have any clue of the reference the act still greatly amuses them all. Save Kryst. This time I'm not fast enough. The Kung-Fu fairy darts forward to lock my finger with her arms and a knee, bending it back painfully.
"Ow! Alright! Uncle! Uncle!" I say.
"Go ahead. Call for your mother, father and every relative and sibling you've got. They can't help you now, Too Tall!" Kryst bends my finger back further and I'm afraid if she continues she may actually snap the bone.
"It means I give! You win!" I grunt gripping the edge of the table with my other hand. Keenly aware of the others looking I try and maintain some composure of cool.
General Skill: Deception vs Kryst Thunderfist: Fail!
General Skill: Deception vs Cinnamon Butter: Fail!
General Skill: Deception vs Captain Raven: Success!
General Skill: Deception vs Corporal Alec: Fail!
"Oh!" Kryst immediately releases me and for a moment gets a sheepish look to her face.
"You should have just said that then." She lets out a huff, then turns to everyone. A thumb pointed in my direction. "See? Weird funny."
"I like it." Cinnamon says in my defense.
I flex my hand in and out of a fist returning the blood flow to my finger. Eager to turn the conversation toward something else I nod to Captain Raven. "Still no sign of your shipment?"
"Not as yet, no." The Captain shakes her head and leans back in her chair, pushing the front legs off the ground to balance on the back two. "What of you, 'ey? You find what you had been looking for?" She asks indicating the direction of the jewelry store with a head bob.
"We did!" Cinnamon blurts directly at Captain Raven, her voice tinted with excitement and without any of her previous prickly attitude from when the two had conversed. "Brian bought me a necklace." Cinnamon tosses her hair back and shows off the jewelry touching it gingerly to accentuate.
"A lovely gift." Captain Raven raises a brow and leans forward in her chair, the front legs an inch above the flagstones of the sidewalk. She studies the necklace with a keen eye. "Extremely so."
"I agree with the Captain." Alec smiles, "You look very fetching in it, Miss. Butters."
Cinnamon beams, her ears flushing at the compliments.
"Eh. It's alright." Kryst turns away, "If you are into that kind of gaudy sorta stuff, I suppose." She gives a nonchalant shrug of attitude and waves a hand absently over her shoulder. The fairy moves back to her apple tart and pulls free a chunk of fruit; her avoidance of looking at either Cinnamon or I directly, keenly apparent.
Insight vs Kryst Thunderfist: Success!
Was she jealous? My mind flicks back to the strange 'kiss' that we had shared on the side of the cliff and I feel a touch of embarrassment take root in my gut. Is she into me? Really? Or is it just that she just wants a bit of my attention too and simply feels left out?
I glance about. Krysts attitude has had a strange effect. The silence after her statement hasn't lulled the conversation into discomfort yet but I know it won't be long.
"Hey, Alec? Since Raven is still waiting for her shipment There is one other place I'd like to pop into." I motion down the street to one of the buildings he'd pointed out to us before. "You can stay here if you want, I shouldn't be long."
"Uhh, sure. I could do with a sip and a nibble. Do you ladies mind?" Alec reaches for one of the chairs and both Kryst and Raven indicate its fine for him to take a seat with them." He glances over the teacups and grins at the two women. "And as much as I'd like to try some tea with a bit of that added flavoring of yours, Captain. I better refrain. Active duty and all that."
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"Of course." Captain Raven smiles.
"You mind if I come too, Brian?" Cinnamon asks.
"Of course not, Cinni-buns. You know your company is always a pleasure." I smile, but catch a side stink-eye from Kryst as she sits on her bullet shell casing chair at the tiny stone table I'd set up for her. Her postures stiff but I have an idea to shake loose that bit of attitude.
"Hey, nuisance." I give a little poke to the fairy then plop a gold piece onto her stone table. "Get something tasty for me too, would you? And if you want something else, feel free."
"One gold piece? What are you trying to do? Starve me?" Kryst holds up the coin and shakes it in the air, but now sports a huge grin. It was an extraordinary amount of money for pastries after all.
"A diet certainly couldn't hurt you, chubby." I tease. Turning about I start to walk down the street with Cinnamon. "And I expect to get back change."
"We all have dreams, I suppose!" I hear Kryst call back with a laugh.
Hearing the laugh makes me feel a bit better. Kryst definitely got off on both attention and verbal banter. She was in many ways like one of the guys. If you could look past the 12 inch tall, gossamer winged, fitness model physique.
We have almost reached the end of the street, and our destination Whispered Words, when I feel Cinnamon reach over to and take my hand in hers.
"Does your finger still hurt?" Cinnamon lifts my hand and inspects my hand gently rubbing it.
"Nah. Maybe a little sore but its fine." I say. "Kryst got me good. But I am glad that she stopped bending it back when she did. My gun may be a piece of crap but I certainly don't need a broken trigger finger to go along with it."
Cinnamon nods and we step around a tall fellow who is slowing up some of the foot traffic on the sidewalk and bee line toward the doorway to the scriber based messenger business. We are only a step or two away when Cinnamon stops.
"Well, if it's still sore. I remember you said the other day to Kryst that a kiss could make it better. So..." Cinnamon lifts my finger to her lips.
My knees nearly buckle at the erotic visual, nevermind the sensation, as she places a series of feather light kisses along its length. Cinnamon then pauses, looks me dead in the eye, and delivers one more lingering final kiss upon my finger tip.
"Does that feel better?" She asks in a soft voice.
My mouth opens but no words come out. Only a weird inhale squeak. Is she screwing with me? Left speechless, my legs turn to water, while other parts transform into titanium steel. I mean there is no way she can't be. She has to know exactly what she is doing. Right?
Insight vs Cinnamon Butter: Fail!
I gaze into those big brown eyes of hers and I can't tell if it's simple shy naivety that she's showing me or if I am being toyed with like a cat would a mouse.
A person moves past us with an agitated clearing of throat and she glances to the side.
"I guess we better stop standing in the way, huh?" Cinnamon gives me a smile and then steps inside.
It takes me a few more seconds and a couple of steadying breaths to get my feet working again, but I finally manage to follow.
The interior of Whispered Words is painted a light blue and has only one large window stretched along the length of the open room. Opposite the window is a partitioned off area that reminds me of a post office; complete with a series of tellers behind wooden desks. There is also a hallway with a series of closed doors. Most likely private rooms where customers can go to send and receive confidential messages.
Cinnamon looks around and then points toward a large board that looks to have a listing of services and prices.
"I'll just be over there, okay?" Cinni says.
I clear my throat first, to make sure my voice comes out good and manly, before responding. "Sure." I glance around. "I shouldn't be to long either. I just want to ask a few questions."
Perception: Success!
I spot and important looking middle aged woman standing over the desk of one of the teller types. With my background in the service industry it is easy for me to recognize the air of authority in both her dress and mannerisms that single her out as someone in a managerial role. Cinnamon and I split apart and I head in the direction of the woman.
Ignoring the queue I instead walk past it and over to an empty section of counter where I wait until she's finished talking with the 'teller' then catch her attention with a raised hand and a smile.
She returns it in a practiced manner then walks over.
"Good afternoon. Is there something I can help you with?" She asks.
"Yes, hi." I extend my hand. "My name's Brian."
"Janeil." she says with a pleasant smile.
"I may have a bit of an odd question for you, Janeil. Do you sell scribers?"
"That's not that odd of a question. But yes we do. Are you looking for something portable? Or…" she trails off as I shake my head.
"Actually this is where the oddness comes in. See, I was wondering if you happen to have any that may be in disrepair or no longer functioning?
"A broken scriber?" Janeil purses her lips. "I'm not sure I understand."
"I'm new to town, you see, and I am working with the G.U." It might be a bit of a fib, even if I do have the credentials, but my membership with the organisation did seem to grease the wheels a bit when I was dealing with the jeweler earlier. My hope is it will do the same for me here. I hold up my hand to indicate the ring that Plogz gave to me.
Insight vs Janeil: Fail!
However, if she knows what it means she gives no outward indication.
"Oh? You are with the Union." She pauses and then turns toward some desks behind her. "I may have something now that you mention it." She walks over to a larger desk and opens a few drawers, rooting around until she finds something. She comes back hands me a scriber that is a little smaller than the one Marshal Tomas had been using.
A large crack splits the slate and a chunk the size of a drink coaster is missing. Leaving only broken fragments wedged into the splintered wooden frame. I take a moment and Analyse it.
Smashed Scriber: Magical Item. Broken beyond repair this Scribers days of sending messages are now over.
"This has certainly had a number done on it." I give a little whistle. I was hoping that my Analysis would tell me a bit more. I think on the various plans that have been kicking around in my head since I learned of these devices in an attempt to solidify them more firmly in my mind.
Inventor + Complementary Skill: Magitech: Success!
Much like the lenses that I had used to make my shades, the knowledge is pure instinct. Designs materialize with inexplicable clarity in my mind's eye as I study the cracked slate in my hand.
"This one was unfortunately dropped." Janiel says. "Normally it wouldn't have been a problem, they are quite sturdy, but it was then stepped on by a horse and wouldn't you just know it, run over by the wagon it was pulling."
"That'd do it." I chuckle, keeping up the banter. "So, would this be for sale?"
General Skill: Persuasion vs Janiel: Fail!
"Well this was one of the in house scribers we use." Janiel nods, "We find it perfect for keeping in contact with our runners in the city who are out on message or delivery runs. It is a bit more durable but I might recommend something with a thicker slate and frame. A design that could take a bit more punishment. I know those Goblins can be quite clumsy."
"Pardon?" I feel my brows knit.
"It wouldn't survive a fall off the cliff or anything but we could offer you something similar to this, if you are budgeting and simply need something with short range. Though it should be more than enough to cover the distance from the Harbor docks to top of Cragcliff." She lowers her voice a little. "Not to be crass, after all, I have friends who are goblins, but I've seen their antics over there on the docks. I don't imagine something too delicate would last long with they way they… work."
"I'm not looking to purchase for the Union." I shake my head catching onto the miscommunication. "This is for personal use."
"Ahh." Janiel shoots me confused look. "I thought you wanted to see the kind of damage they could sustain." Her confused look transforms to one of caution. "So…? Why do you want a broken scriber then?"
"My field is more along the lines of mechtanics but I'm a bit of a hobbyist in other areas." I say, "Enchantments and so forth hold a particular interest." Turning the device over in my hands, I make a show of looking it over. "I enjoy pulling things apart. To study them. Learn how they tick."
General Skill: Persuasion vs Janiel: Tie!
"I see." She nods slowly.
"I've never played around with scribers before, but I'm hoping to maybe learn a trick or two. That's why I was looking for a broken one. I don't want to trying messing around with something that actually works and break it."
"That would be a rather expensive mistake." She says.
"No doubt."
"Well, I don't know how useful this will be." Janiel shrugs, "I mean it's really not much left."
"You can say that again." I chuckle. "I don't know if I'll be able to do much more than toss it in the trash to be honest. But it would be nice to give it a look over in any case." I tap the edge of the scriber. "So what do you say? Would you be willing to sell this to me?" I follow up the question with, what I hope, is a charming smile.
Charm vs Jeniel: Success!
General Skill: Persuasion vs Jeniel + Bonus from Complementary Skill: Critical Success!
"Alright, I suppose, I could sell it…" She reaches over and takes the device from my hand. "How about…?" Janiel sucks her teeth and bobbles her head from side to side for a moment. "You know what? It's fine you can take it." She holds the device out to me with a smile. "No charge."
"Are you sure?" I boggle. I wasn't expecting that.
"I am. I'd been thinking of getting this one repaired but even if it could be, the cost wouldn't be worth it. Beside it's been sitting in my desk for a couple of weeks now."
"Thank you, Janeil." Careful not to let any of the loose shards of slate fall free I take back the offered scriber. "Should I need any messages or courier services you are the lady I will come and see."
"Please do. We have a wide array of services, and we are ever expanding." Janiel says proudly then points toward Cinnamon who has finished looking at the board and is making her way over. "Please let your friend know that we have recently set up a connection with Hutchhollow."
"Thanks again. And I will." I stash the scriber away in a pouch. Pushing away from the counter with a wave I turn toward the approaching Cinnamon.
"Brian?" Cinni steps close then points outside the window to a horse-drawn wagon that is pulling to a stop at the tea shop.
"I think that Ellian girl is back."