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 Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:11 pm
Alaine had gotten dressed and was stretching in her bedroom. She made her way downstairs and began to cook her breakfast. Eggs on bread, a bit of bacon, and fruit.
She yawned and noticed a flier that she'd left on her desk.
It read: Archery Contest: This Friday.
"Oh. That." She mumbled to herself.
"Well....I suppose I'll sign up for it. Father would expect me to." She almost smiled. "Crazy old man. What did he think--raising his only daughter this way."
She put on some gloves and headed off out the door, locking the pad lock with a key and slipping it around her neck with a silver chain.
Time to go register. She thought, bemused. I'll show these men how to shoot.
She walked off boldly down the rode to the blacksmith's shop where she could sign up.
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:21 pm
Just as he finished cooking up the breakfast the Father came out of his room yawning a bit.
"Mornin to ya."
"Good morning father." He set a plate down. "I made you breakfast, I hope it suites your taste. We have bisquits and gravy with bit of grits I managed to find in the cabinet."
"Mmm sounds lovely sounds lovely." The old man sat at the table and started to eat.
"Is there anything you need me to do around the house for you today Father?"
"I do have a small shopping list, if you wouldn't mind picking up those things from the market i'd greatly appreciate it" He said wiping some gravy off his lip and pointing shakily to a notepad on a side table.
"I'll get those picked up for you just after I clean up from breakfast" Damian nodded and grabbed the sheet of paper looking it over, there were only about 12 items on the list.
The father fished a few coins out and handed them to Damian then finished his breakfast. "Once you're finished with those you're free to wander the town. I should be in the church all day, I have to prepare a few sermons for this weekend." He got up and went to his room.
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 5:43 pm
Alaine walked down the cobblestone road, shooing off some troublemaking street urchins in the process who were trying to rob an old lady who was a street vendor.
"Ohh thank you, M'lady." She nodded.
"It's no problem, M'am." Alaine bowed. She handed the old woman a silver piece.
"Oh dear, I don't think I have enough apples for that amount...would you care for a few and some change?"
"Just a few will be more than enough--and please, keep the change. I realize times are tough around here."
"Oh, you are so gracious, M'lady." The woman filled Alaine's small canvas sack up with a bunch of apples. Alaine walked down the street, slowly consuming the apple.
I guess breakfast didn't fill me up. She thought. I wonder how much longer the world will be in this state... She walked down a dingy alleyway which led to the blacksmith's workshop.
The rising sun caused her silver armor to glow in the morning twilight. She walked toward the blacksmith who happened to be outside, pounding metal and nearly blinded him.
"Good Lord, man, what's with all the armor?" He exclaimed.
She walked toward him, the shade enveloping her tall, looming, figure.
"I would like to enter the shooting contest please." Her voice was almost androgynous but he could tell "he" was a woman. Her tall stance cast a shadow upon him.
"O-of course, M'lady. Please sign these papers. And a small fee is required, also." She took care of the business with a few signatures and the payment.
"Thank you, my good man." She walked off. As she did, the blacksmith saw the Royal Crest on the back of her cape.
"Good Lord..." He whispered to himself, once she was out of earshot. "It must be the fabled 'King's Daughter'....how frightening."
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 5:53 pm
Once the Father had finished, Damian had himself a bit of the breakfast and then cleaned up. After getting the dishes squared away he headed out the front door, Abel following at his heels. He was headed towards the small marketplace to pick up the goods and possibly get a job. As he passed one of the small store fronts, he saw a flier for the archery competition and stopped to read it. The fee was double what he had, but he could possibly earn enough over the next few days to pay into it. He went to the blacksmith's to see about signing up.
"Excuse me"
The smith looked up from his work "Eh? Yeah? What can I do for ya sir?"
"I'm looking to enter the archery contest, but I see that the fee is more than I have, is it possible to sign up the day of?"
"You have until one hour before the competition to sign up and pay the fee."
Damian nodded. "Good, is there any work you need done around that could earn me a few pieces?"
The smith looked him over and then around. "Well I could give ya one silver for moving some crates about, but that's about all."
Damian set his things down and shooed Abel out of the smith's "I'll get right to it, what do you need moved where?"
The smith wiped his hands on his apron and led Damian to a store room. "These ten crates need to be moved over to the store room across the way and unloaded. the shelves are labeled. Come see me when you've finished."
Damian nodded eagerly and rolled up his sleeves as he hefted the first crate up. The crates were full of raw materials and weighed a fair amount, it'd be long, back breaking work, but he'd already agreed and wouldn't go back on his word.
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:25 pm
Alaine had already made her way back to the center of town where people were bustling about. She saw some human children playing with elf children until a human mother appeared in her doorway and shouted,
"You little gits! Stop playing with that trash! Come inside this instant!" Naturally, the children began to cry and the mother nabbed up her kids from behind and all the while they were crying and kicking and reaching out toward their elven friends.
Alaine sighed, Why must people be this way? She walked toward the town bank which was tall, formidable, and made of alabaster that glowed in the bright morning sunlight. Two children, a boy and girl were begging for handouts on the corner of the bank. An older man scoffed at them, spitting on the girl and kicking the boy. They cried out. Alaine could not stand and watch so she approached him and just as he was about to strike again, she deftly grabbed his wrist.
"Why harm those weaker than yourself? Coward." She spoke not angered but firmly. He ran away from her after catching sight of her sword. She took out two red apples and handed one to each child.
"When you're old enough, find work. 'Till then, if you're hungry, go to the church." They quietly, timorously, accpeted the apples and ran off.
Alaine walked into the bank.
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:32 pm
Damian had been working for over an hour and was drenched in sweat as he moved the last crate over and paused to catch his breath. He'd moved them all over now and had unloaded 2 of the ten. He sat down on one of the crates and wiped his brow on his sleeves. "man... I'm getting one silver for all this... I know times are hard, but ouch..." he quietly talked to himself, "it's going to take a hell of a lot of work to get used to all this business" he shook his head dolefully looking at his hand. A bit of blood trickled from a small cut he'd gotten opening the first crate. he wiped it on his pants leg and stood up stretching. "Back to work i guess. I still have errands to run after this" he went back to opening the crates and putting the materials away on the labeled shelves.
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:03 pm
Alaine entered the bank. Despite being a large building, the bank wasn't exactly the most secure bank in the world. There were only two tellers and they seemed beyond the realm of boredom. They both jumped up when Alaine entered.
It seemed at first they thought she was a bank robber--as they were very common nowadays--but as she approached them with a gentle, casual walk, they became less tense.
"What can I do for you, M'lady?" The first asked, a somewhat handsome looking elven man.
"You know, it's a shame for us to say but it's best you not leave too much money here..." the second, an older elven woman whispered--especially lowering her voice--"...for we do not have much security these days."
Alaine nodded; she had anticipated their remarks.
"I am aware." She said, looking around at the cracking walls. "I am not here to deposit...but to discuss the matter of security. I come from the great kingdom many miles away. I can arrange for more security here and perhaps this town may not be so impoverished in the future." She handed them a letter with the royal seal on it. This was one of her duties upon arrival.
"A-ah! Of course." They almost said in unison, after seeing the Royal seal.
"Expect Royal guards in no less than five days." Alaine said quietly. "Until then...I shall arrange the blacksmith make some safe deposit boxes for you. I only need your signatures." They signed and she nodded to them both, leaving briskly.
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:52 pm
Within another hour he had put away three more boxes. "Halfway there" he looked tiredly at the other five boxes and then started on one of them, he was bound and determined to finish up within the next hour and poured himself into the work. The smith passed by a few times to check his progress. Damian was so into lifting the materials from their resting places and putting them away accodringly that he didn't notice the smith passing by. Within the third hour he had finished. Drenched with sweat he gathered up the empty crates and carried them out to the smith setting them down. "I'm all finished sir. Where should I put these?"
The smith smiled and nodded. "I haven't had a worker like you in ages" he seemed generally sprised that Damian had finished in such a short time. He pointed to where a few other crates had been piled up "over here, the next shipment comes Tuesday they'll pick up these empty ones and give me fresh full ones." He looked Damian over then went to a small box and opened it pulling out 4 silver coins and handing them to him. "You earned these and a lunch. What do you say to working for me?"
"I... I would love to!" Damian was shocked at the pay and the offer for the job. He'd hoped that the man would at least pay him the one silver and offer a recommendation if he needed it, but this was better luck than he anticipated. He gingerly put the silvers away, he'd only need one more to enter the contest.
"Good good, I always have small tasks to be done here and there and need the extra hands. I should be closed tomorrow but I'll see you early the following day say... an hour after sunrise?"
Damian nodded "I'll be here!"
Him and the smith went to a small table just outside where a few sandwiches had been set with some lemonade and cups. They both took a seat and started to eat.
"By the way, My name is Darrel Jeknins"
"Nice to meet you Darrel, I'm Damian and my fox who's slinking over there" he pointed to a small face peering around a tree "is Abel" he motioned and abel bounced over and into his lap. He fed him a bit of sandwich.
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:44 am
((Sorry I was traveling crying and that's why I haven't been posting but I'm back!))
Alaine hurried down the road toward the blacksmith's place again.
I'll just put that request in for the deposit boxes and he can forge them for the bank...it's about time someone does something around here for the wellbeing of the town. A stable economy is crucial to the growth of this town. She thought, walking down the dusty road to the man's shop.
She went down the path, past his outdoor work station, underneath the hangover roof and up to the door where she rapped on the wooden door a few times and rang the small bell near the door.
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:34 am
((LOL no worries, I was wondering what happened to ya! Glad your back now things can continue!))
The smith turned "I think there's someone at the door. As my new employee I'll let you handle it. Just take a message unless it's of great importance."
With a mouthful of sandwich Damian got up chewing it, best he could. He managed to swallow it down as he reached the door and pulled it open. The woman in the armor nearly blinded him as he blinked "Whoa, Hello... Oh" He nodded a sort of half-bow "Alaine right? Thanks for the help last night, the Father was very generous." he nodded "Darrel has hired me on now, what can I do for you?" He stepped outside the door pulling it almost closed behind him and putting himself out of the blinding light of her armor.
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:38 am
"Oh is that right?" She looked down at him. "Well I just have a message for Mr. Darrel...the bank needs new safety deposit boxes. Here's the payment and blueprints. Tell him to take his time as it will be a little while before the guards come to the bank. Thanks." She handed him the stuff and then turned to leave.
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:40 am
He took the blueprints and the folder with the money scanning the info scribbled about quickly "How many do you need? And what material do they need to be made of?" He looked back up to her.
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:43 pm
She stopped midturn.
"Ah, it should be written down on there somewhere...yes. Ten in those dimensions. Strongest material he has. The payment ought to cover it all."
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:12 pm
He smiled polietly to her "Do you have an actual job here or do you just go where you're needed?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:38 pm
"Eh..." She looked down at him inquisitively. "I go where God needs me to go." That was all she said. "I only hope that peace comes out of my stay here in this town."
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