"Tracking them down was no mean feat, mind you!"

Kerr said loudly from atop the trio of lashed together barrels that was serving as his impromptu stage, his feet splayed apart to give him maximum movement with his body as he wove the tale of his more recent exploits.  Not because he expected his audience to have heard the rest of his stories already, they were a group of children young enough to have been done with their chores by mid-morning and old enough to brave ignoring their chores this close to noon.  Foolish, the child he'd once been called them, but Kerr smiled as the adult he was now reminded his inner child that they weren't living in a world of combat and death as he had at their prospective ages.  He'd gotten less serious with time, rather than the normal route of doing it the other way around.  "I had to haunt that stretch of road for nearly a ten-day before I came across their trail in the form of a pair of murdered couriers.  The bandits had left them stripped of everything, even their small clothes." He said it sadly but more for the very serious look on the face of one young lady at the very front.  He guessed that in her child logic that was a greater affront than the killing itself.  So undignified, that sort of thing.  Kerr felt like he could hear the lectures her mum gave her most often about being properly dressed just in case the king arrived or some such. "A great loss, few beings brave enough to take on that job in the best of places but fewer still in the wilds of this great continent.  Still, their deaths brought me to the path I needed, directing me to my quarry..."

"What's a qu... que... carry, sir?"

Once more, a bright smile graced his face as he squatted down to get a better look at the youngster that had asked the question.  There were adults starting to fill in behind them, appreciating a good story on a long day. Though he'd have to make sure it didn't last over long if he wanted this to turn coin. "Quarry, my fine fellow, is the creature that you hunt.  The bandits were my quarry, and I was soon to meet them face to face.  Blade to blade.  For from those two fallen souls I was able to track them back to their camp.  Three men!  Horses, a dozen or so poorly tied just outside the firelight.  I waited from dusk to full dark, let them settle in and get comfortable counting their ill-gotten gains... and that's when I struck!  Like the warriors of your own land I struck at a full run, I knew the numbers would be a danger to me for I stood alone if I stood solid.  I burst from the woods and cut the line holding the stolen horses, my sudden appearance spooking them into a run.  Two ran straight through the camp!" Kerr did a pattern of claps where he struck his hands together and then off his own thigh, imitating the sound of a galloping horse as he gave a shout of surprise the likes of which the bandits would have in that remembered moment. "I caught their archer picking himself up off the ground, a running slash that opened him from stem to stern." He pointed at a man who appeared to be something of a sailor and the gentleman was kind enough to tug on his own collar in discomfort, adding to the dramatic air of the statement.  He could have kissed the guy, it was so perfect.

The second went for his axe, launching into a bold overhand chop the moment his hands closed on the haft.  If I hadn't been at a full run I would have been cleaved in twain!  I slammed my shoulder into him as he swing the axe over my shoulder and we both went down in a heap of armor, legs and arms flailing about as we both raced to right ourselves.  I barely had time to get my feet under me before I had to deflect another chop of the axe, but for my good luck I would have been downed once more.  He slipped, having not gained his footing proper before the strike, and I was able to shove him over once more.  Oh, but then I was in for it as the swordsman of the trio attacked.  Young, over enthusiastic..." He gave the more seasoned men in the gathered crowd a knowing look and they returned it with wise nods.  They knew the type and were committed to the hubris of it all. "I slipped this very dagger under his arm when he tried to beat aside my guard." He flourished the weapon with his left hand, having made it appear from the back of his belt with the practiced dexterity of a blooded swordsman. "Left him fetched up against a tree while I turned my attention back to the axman... knocked out cold when I had pushed him moments before, hitting his head on one of the stones of the fire pit." He held out his hands, another flourish making the dagger go away to its sheath while the adults laughed.  Only a few of them truly appreciated the chaos that took place in a fight, but there were a couple of ex-soldiers who knew his story for true by that little detail.  Luck saw more men through such violence than all the sword tricks in all the world, especially in mass combat.

Kerr intentionally made no move to indicate he desired coin for his story but coin came all the same after he hopped down from the barrels.  A few pieces here and there, pressed into his hand along with strong slaps on the shoulder and shy looks from the common ladies.  A warm smile and a thankful expression as he accepted them.

"Sir?  What did you do with the last bandit?"

Kerr sighed slightly, turning to find a young boy tugging at his cloak.  He immediately dropped down to one knee to address the wide-eyed youth face to face. "I made sure he would never hurt anyone ever again, lad."

"You killed him?"
"That I did."

The child looked grim for a long moment before nodding and moving away.  Kerr stood slowly and watched the kid go, the youngster moving slowly and methodically as if deep in thought.  The mercenary knew that look, the kid had lost somebody to banditry or the like.  Deep thoughts for deep emotions, much too deep for little minds and little hearts but that was obviously an event long done and beyond Kerr's ability to resolve for the kid.  Oh well, nothing a hot bowl of stew wouldn't clear his mind of.  Maybe one of those shy looking peasant women had a kettle on...

-  The Foreign Princess -

Lyanna had hardly been in Thisbē for long–certainly not long enough to be wandering the streets, pretending to know she knew where she was going, and attempting to blend in. But she couldn’t help it, sitting for so long during her travels from Katteia had made her so restless, and staying in the unfamiliar place so far from home, left her feeling uneasy.

She tried not to pass judgment on the lands and how incredibly different it was from home–she had only been in this place for such a short period of time, how could she possibly make a fair assessment? Well, it wasn’t home. Nothing was familiar, including the language these people spoke.

One advantage she did hold, was that she would be unrecognizable in Thisbē. No one would know of her royal status, or that she could even be a princess. Lyanna had made it a point to dress simply and without any adornments to give herself away. She had even told her guard, Balor, who insisted that he come along, that he needed to either stay several paces away from her or walk with her as a friend rather than her guard. He, of course, agreed, knowing he would have very little say over the matter, regardless, and it was better than letting her wander off on her own.

She hadn’t fully thought everything through, however. As she walked through the busy streets and began to listen to the voices that hummed loudly, the realization of the language barrier hit her, and she knew she should have brought someone who could translate for her. Then again, perhaps she could do without if she remained just a quiet spectator in her travels through the city.

As she walked, her mind wandered to possible excuses she could have (even though she wouldn’t be able to explain them to someone), for being a stranger in a foreign land. The only solution she came up with was some sort of traveling journalist explorer. Yes–that is what she would be today, and she even had a book to write in, tucked away in her satchel. Body language could certainly get her through this if needed.

After a while, she wound up tangled amongst a crowd that all seemed to be facing the same direction and watching what Lyanna could guess was a sort of storyteller. She stopped and looked over her shoulder to see where Balor was, and it wasn’t much of a surprise that he was moving up right behind her as if he were another spectator stopping to watch the storyteller.

Lyanna smirked faintly and turned her attention back to the front, watching the man as he told a story she couldn’t understand a word of. Yet, after some time, she found herself drawn to the rhythm of his speech and the movements of his hands and body, and his facial expressions. She tried to make up her story, interpreting what she could and only becoming more curious about the story he told.

Occasionally, Lyanna would look around her in the crowd, watching the reactions of the other spectators. They seemed to match the tone the man held as he spoke, and despite the language barrier, she still felt a strange understanding connection to the people around her.

As the story seemingly came to an end, Lyanna smiled and remained where she was, watching as the others offered coins to the man and (what she guessed) thanked him for the story before moving along. Was it custom to pay for storytellers if you stopped to listen? Perhaps not, since she noticed some had not. Yet, she did not wish to be rude or do something she should not, so she carefully moved towards the man as she dug through her satchel and pulled out a couple of coins.

When she reached him, she spoke no words, but offered him a warm smile and a nod, holding her hand out towards him to offer up the coins.

word count : 668

template by punki of adoxography

He accepted a few more offerings before a woman who was far too attractive to be common approached him. His eyes flickered around her and he quickly found her guard doing an awful job of pretending like he wasn't guarding her. Terrible actor but an affective deterrent to most common forms of trouble. She'd move through the crowds never aware that bad people were giving her a wide berth because she had an armed shadow. She'd be happy, he'd be happy, and people like Kerr would move on to easier targets in the grand scheme of things. Opportunity really was the driving factor for most common criminals, after all. She handed him coins as well and he visibly brightened. "Thank you, m'lady. I'm glad you and your armsman enjoyed the story..." He glanced at the coins and immediately noticed that they weren't local. Still good for spending, of course, precious metal was precious no matter who's coat of arms was pressed into it's surface. Still, he took a second to switch over in his head to what he presumed was her native tongue on the off chance he was speaking to a visitor before speaking again. "I'm flattered to have entertained you."

((used her native language in the last sentence))

-  The Foreign Princess -

Immediately after giving the man the coins, she realized that they were not of this land and would probably be of no use to him. Her smile faltered as she looked down at the coin purse at her hip, wondering if she even had coinage from this place yet.

But her bright eyes returned to the man as he spoke. She didn’t understand a word he was saying, but she could tell by his smile and body language, he was thanking her. Lyanna returned the smile and gave a nod of her head in response, not knowing the words to say in response.

When she turned to walk away, she heard more familiar and recognizable words that caused her to turn, a confused look on her face as she came to realize the storyteller had just spoken to her in her native tongue. Perhaps he had traveled to Katteia and learned the language.

A bright smile spread across her lips and she spoke this time, in her native language, wondering if he would be able to fully understand all of it.

“I appreciate the entertainment, though I fear I did not understand most of it. You speak the language of Katteia?” She asked curiously.

word count : 206

template by punki of adoxography

Oh, the whole situation was worth it for the look of surprise that graced her face when she turned around in response to what he was growing more confident was her native tongue. That gift was eclipsed swiftly by the smile that erupted on her features at fully realizing he spoke her tongue. "Oh, I can't say you've missed much. Just a little misadventure with some highwaymen far from this place. Searching, tracking, swashbuckling, and justice. Your usual heroic fare." He gave her his most charming lopsided rakish grin.

"Perhaps a dash of dumb luck," he gave her guardian a wink to go along with the smile before refocusing on her. "Ah, yes. I've always had an ear for languages, and speak more of them than I can remember half the time. A proper tutor once called me something... a polyglot I believe it was. Nice lady, used a lot of big words I didn't understand when I was a boy. Elves are like that sometimes but I digress. I had the good fortune to travel to and from Katteia once, very briefly, in the company of... a tradeswoman who happened to be a native speaker." The trade happened to be prostitution before the journey and a postmaster afterward but that was neither here nor there. "I couldn't resist the urge to learn something new and speaking the language helped immensely when dealing with the business that took us both there in the first place. I take it you're a native yourself?"

-  The Foreign Princess -

She hadn’t been away long enough to be home-sick yet, but long enough to feel like hearing someone else speak her language was a breath of fresh air. Lyanna’s smile grew, causing her eyes to glimmer in amusement. She didn’t miss much? Yet it was a story of misadventure, highwaymen, tracking, swashbuckling, and justice. A heroic fare? Lyanna laughed and shook her head, raising her brows in question. Oh–and some dumb luck, too, it would seem.

“It seems like I might have missed a lot, actually…” She laughed again before watching his face while he explained his experience in learning her language and how he had traveled to Katteia. As he mentioned visiting there, her smile beamed a bit more.

At his question, she nodded. “Ah, yes, a native. Born and raised, actually.” But she knew his next question would probably be regarding her business in Thisbē, and why she was so far from home. The last thing she wanted to do was tell anyone she was here out of obligation to her country and was being forced to marry the king of this land (or so she had been told). Would anyone even believe her, anyway?

Before he’d be able to ask, Lyanna answered the question, “I was asked to accompany my brother in his business travels. He tends to go off track and can be quite forgetful. I seem to be the only person to keep him on track,” she chuckled softly. It wasn’t a complete lie– she and her brother really did have that relationship, but he wasn’t here with her. Unfortunately.

“What about you? Are you from here, or are you some traveling storyteller?” She grinned, raising a playful brow.

word count : 300

template by punki of adoxography

She really was stunningly beautiful, particularly when she shined happy on him. Kerr shifted his intentions for the day about in response to that smile and the glimmer in her eyes. "Well, if m'lady wishes it I would be happy to recount the misadventure in your native tongue. I fear I don't get to practice this tongue, or several others, nearly as often as I would prefer. The opportunity is certainly worth the effort." He offered it as pleasantly as he could. For it was the honest truth. He usually had to go find one of the station masters that read through messages and other things from foreign lands and hope they had the time to converse with him when he got there if he really wanted to put in some practice. Or the occasional sage, but they tended to be worried about the old languages of these lands rather than those on the other side of a boat journey. Sages were good for Elven, though.

"Welcome to our thin slice of... well, here." He'd found himself at a loss for kind words when it came to the world he mostly saw the very worse parts of the majority of his waking hours. He had a sense that she was lying to him suddenly which just fascinated him more, yet he said not a word about it for the moment. "He's a fortunate soul, then. So far as I know I haven't any siblings and I can only imagine I would be the one that needs looking after if I did." He chuckled in self-deprecating amusement before continuing along with their little conversation. "And I'm gladdened to know you didn't have to come all this way alone. I know the ins and outs of travelling alone all too well."

"Oh, me? I'm from the far Northern regions of this continent. I was found by a mercenary on the edges of one of the great forests, raised as his own, and he did such a good job I find myself possessed of the skills and talents to make my way through a variety of means. I was working as a bounty hunter in the story I just told, bringing brigands to justice for attacking messengers, couriers, and merchants along a particular trail. I used those proceeds to buy some furs and took work on a merchant train in exchange for space in their wagons that brought me here, where I will sell the furs on the 'morrow. I decided to tell a story or three to get myself the coin together for a meal and lodgings this night. It's not much. It can be hectic, unpredictable, and quite dangerous. But it's the closest thing to freedom a man can hope for without doing something... extreme." He gave her a wink that said there was a great deal more to that lifestyle than he was letting on. Gotta leave them hungry for more, after all.

"I might even have enough for two meals, the goodly folk of this place have been kind to me by the feel of it. And there's always the hay loft of some stable or another, if you would care to partake while I tell you that story and any other you might like to hear." He shrugged as if it wasn't the worse idea he'd ever had on the off chance it would convince her it wasn't the worse idea she'd ever heard.

-  The Foreign Princess -

Lyanna’s grin remained on her lips as the man, she had yet to learn his name, offered to retell his story in her own language so she could hear and understand what she had missed. It was amusing to her that he actually wanted the opportunity to speak her language. Some, she knew, felt exhausted by trying to keep up with the conversation outside their own native language. A thought suddenly occurred to her, that perhaps this man might be of use to her, though she had just met him, she decided she would test the waters first before bringing it up or asking him.

Lyanna sat down on one of the seats that were once filled by a patron who had stopped to listen to his story. She smirked and held her hands out as if motioning him to go ahead and restart his story.

"Welcome to our thin slice of... well, here." His words caused her smile to falter slightly, and her stomach twisted in knots. Thisbē was a lot larger than Katteia, and it was overwhelming to her. But also, she knew very little of the land and its people. What if they did not like her? What if she hated this place and ended up completely miserable? The man in front of her seemed as if he were not very fond of here.

She breathed a soft laugh at the mention of her brother being a fortunate soul to have her looking after him. “I think he would highly disagree with you on that one.”

Lyanna listened to him as he told her of where he was from, how he grew up, and what he did for a living.

“...But it's the closest thing to freedom a man can hope for without doing something... extreme.” His words caused her smile to falter again and she nodded slightly. Freedom–how nice that sounded, and unsure she felt that she would ever know what that was like. She quickly shoved the thoughts aside and nodded in agreement. “Extreme? How is none of that extreme?” She laughed.

He mentioned needing the money for a meal and lodging and she suddenly felt a pang of guilt as she realized she had given him foreign coin. “I apologize if my money is not good here… I should have thought about that before offering it up.”

At his offer to join him, she looked at him questioningly. She wasn’t sure if he was asking her to join him in a meal– or in a hay loft of a stable. Had he used the wrong words or mixed them up together wrongfully? Well–that was easy to pass off if she did not understand him correctly, or was misunderstanding whatever he was insinuating–neither was hardly proper, but she knew she could not let on that she was of higher status than he seemed to be, and her guard would most likely not have it or allow for her to wander off with some stranger.

A slight smirk twitched at the corners of her lips and she nodded, “I am quite hungry, actually. But you do not need to pay for me. If they accept my coin here, perhaps I could offer to buy you a meal and then you will not need to spend the night in a hay loft?”

word count : 584  |  Tag: Kerr Blackwood

template by punki of adoxography

Her face fell a bit when he called it a thin slice of here, and he gave her a commiserate look. It appeared she was familiar with the place, at least in part, and wasn't any more impressed thus far than he was. Sounnah was a hole, to be honest, especially if you were looking at it from the outside. Kerr preferred riding through the great open wilds beyond the borders of city and village alike. Oh, there were plenty of reasons to come back in from time to time. One of those reasons was sitting on a short barrel turned seat for his earlier performance. Assuming she was this sweet and pure all of the time he could imagine a man wanting to stay close to home with her waiting there for him after a day's work. Not a feeling familiar to himself but he met very few sweet and pure people in his line of work.

"Oh, I'm sure. But that's how it is, having a guardian angel. The people who've never had to go without one don't appreciate it until it's gone." He gave her a reassuring smile as he spoke further of her looking out for her brother. "He'll thank you one day. I'm sure of it."

Kerr tilted his head as her face once again faltered at the word freedom. Oh, she was no politician. Or her guard was down. Regardless, she was important, a moderating force on her brother, and... obligated to something she didn't want to do. Female, clean, educated sounding. Probably an arranged marriage. The pieces were coming together, she was out to breathe some air amongst less complicated, covetous, and arrogant folk. A bit of unobtrusive rebellion before her choices were completely out of her own hands. He'd seen the behavior before and was feeling pretty confident about this while impressed that even her 'rebelliousness' was sweet and pure. He gave her a shining smile before answering her question. "I still bathe, socialize with man and mer, come into the edifices of society and obey... respect its laws. I could have hiked up to a cave and set about becoming not much better than a beast, draped in furs and protecting myself from biting bugs with a layer of mud."

"Oh, rest assured. Coin is coin and I know where the money changers and the ship captains are. The latter like to pay docking fees in local coin and will change out denominations if they can get some for where they're headed in the near future." He chuckled and made the coins clink to show they all sounded the same when it came time to pay the bill. She'd understood him correctly about his offer to buy her a meal, then him sleeping in a loft to offset his incurred cost. He seemed to consider her counter offer and then smiled. "I prefer not to take charity but we can just call it the cost of hearing my story a second time in your native tongue, yes? Since it's a special request and all." His tone made it clear he considered it no imposition on his part to tell it again, or in her language. Double entandre aside, unintended or not. "So, as I mentioned moments ago, I was working as a bounty hunter along a length of trail far from here..." and he retold his story, stepping up on the makeshift stage once more.

Speaking directly to her, focused entirely on her, and in her native tongue. For her ladyship's entertainment he put on a grand show, playing up the swashbuckling elements and downplaying the gore.

-  The Foreign Princess -

The slightest hint of pink rose on her cheese as he called her a guardian angel and she smiled, shaking her head at him, not because she didn’t agree with him, but more because it felt ridiculous to be called a guardian angel. “Perhaps he will, someday…” She said with a soft laugh, regarding her brother thanking her someday. His being without her was already on its way to happening. Once she was married, she would remain in Thisbē, and she wasn’t certain when, or if, she would ever return to Katteia. The thought was enough to make her smile slightly falter.

But her smile and laughter would soon return as he assured her that he did not quite live an extreme lift compared to what he did live through. “No… I suppose you are right then… there are certainly more extreme ways of living life than what you have described in your life adventures.” She smirked and shrugged her shoulders.

Lyanna was relieved to hear that her coin would still be accepted and she nodded to him as he found a way to accept her offer without it being charity. She laughed again, and her smile brightened. “Of course. That is only fair that I pay to hear the story again…and extra for it told so I can completely understand this time.” She gave a single nod, with a mocked serious expression, as if to confirm her words were the honest truth.

Once he began his story, she gave him her full attention, hanging on his every word with eagerly wide eyes, her expression changed throughout the story to reflect the emotions he displayed. When he finished, her smile was beaming and she laughed, clapping her hands together. “What a wonderful story. Thank you!”

word count : 302

template by punki of adoxography

She gave a soft laugh and Kerr gave her a dazzling smile. "Now, then, that's a sound like music. We keep that up and it will be a day well spent," Yup, there was some hurt there, too. He'd gleaned it from the falter. She was going to be terrible at cards, he thought, while he was sorting the information. He doubted it was a fault of the brothers, she seemed to love him as a subject... it was time. Or, maybe, opportunity? Hm, her brother wasn't staying and she was. He'd already touched upon the idea of an arranged marriage. Kerr immediately had to tamp down the urge to take her away from it all. She hadn't given any indicators that she was interested in him, not even remotely. And that was to say nothing of what would happen next. She'd likely not be able to go truly home after dropping her obligations like that and certainly nobody in the Judicars would be happy with him for blindly getting involved in international politics.

He was well known for being more concerned with justice than political expediency but that wouldn't get him forgiven.

"Right? I'd likely prefer to simply go one of the many, many places in the world where nobody would know me and simply start anew rather than go into actual isolation." That seed planted he set about his little performance and then, when finished, hopped down from the barrels to address her once more. "I find the stories where the bad guys face justice and the good guys ride on triumphantly are always better received. Tell me, do you like the ones where the hero settles down with his lady love or those where, with his job there done, he rides on to his next adventure?" They were both equally unlikely but they were called fantastical tall tales for a reason, they were meant to be unrealistic. In reality there was rarely anything that could be properly called a 'good guy' and even more rare for said good guys to survive.