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 Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 12:14 pm
Traveling through Oba again was a reluctant decision. From Matori, he had to go through the desert land to get anywhere else. The dry heat now made Dexurn's skin crawl as he headed through, trying to keep his head level. He wasn't going back to be a slave, after all. He was a free man.
Still... he instinctively dropped his eyes every time an Oban native passed him. It didn't matter if they were noticing him positively, negatively, or not at all. As much as he tried to keep his head up like the free man he was... it always ended up going back down. He wanted to vanish.
With a moment on his own, he ducked into a tavern, found an empty table to sit at, and wished he could be somewhere else while he ate his meal.
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 8:03 am
Dris'rynne moved through Oban streets as if she were native born. She had cared little for their stares and snide comments when she had first set foot in their cities, but now that she had seen the ugly underside of Oba she cared even less. The shifter was neither rude nor was she passive to them; she simply blended with their lifestyle as if she had always been there, and if they found fault with it then they could take it up with her blades.
She and the small retinue of sell swords under her command were camped out in a tavern for the day. It was cooler than waiting in the sun for a job, and at least two of her fighters were "dating" tavern wenches at this very establishment. It was a little sickening watching them coo over each other, but in a way she was pleased. They worked hard, so who wouldn't want a little something to take the mind off blood and gore?
Dris shifted in her seat and looked over, spotting finned ears from half way across the tavern. Wasn't everyday that a non-Oban came in here, so he was becoming a sort of sight on his own. It took her a while to remember the face and when she did Dris'rynne grabbed her plate, which was still mostly full of food, and drink before walking over his way.
"Mind if I sit down?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 6:14 pm
Knowing he had time to spare, he played with his food more than he ate it; pushing it around on the plate to make little shapes. Normally one to scarf down any meal put before him, he blamed this odd behavior on the jitters.
Mostly content to be ignored as people came and went, he looked up with surprise when someone was suddenly addressing him. When he looked up, his first reaction was relief. Not an Oban. "Sure, if you want," he said, gesturing to the open seats around him. Brow knitting, he took a moment to observe the woman. She seemed familiar... When recognition hit, he did a tiny jump in his seat. "Didn't think we'd meet again," he said softly with a bashful smile. "Wasn't too long ago we sparred, right?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 6:44 pm
Dris'rynne crossed her left leg underneath her before taking the seat opposite him. When she settled she was leaned against the table on her raised side, propped up into what was most comfortable for her. She brushed the hair away from her lone eye, leaving it to fall around the other. No point in keeping up appearances for a side you couldn't see out of.
"A few weeks, maybe a few months. Not so long ago that I don't remember your shield." Dris'rynne reached for a utensil, and dipped it into whatever meat she'd ordered. At the time it had been a sort of grab bag meal, though now she had to wonder if it was supposed to be this red or if it was still uncooked. "Dexurn, right? I thought you were going to Matori?"
Maybe he'd decided not to go after all? Or perhaps his trip had just been delayed?
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:03 pm
"Few months, I'd say," he agreed. Glancing down at his shield, Dex nodded lightly. At least she talked about remembering the shield rather that how she'd crushed him. Speaking of remembering-! He nodded when he heard his name. "Good on you." He only remembered their names sounded similar enough to be amusing. Disyn? Dris. Drisyn? "Your's is Dris, but I know there's more to it than that."
Glancing to his shield again, he nodded once. "Was. And I did. ..Guess I didn't stay as long as I'd hoped to." While his expression fell slightly, he gave a dismissive shrug. "And what about you? Been out of Oba at all since then?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:11 pm
"Dris'rynne," She responded before testing out a bite of the questionable meat. Surprisingly it wasn't half bad; even if she could still taste the blood. The shifter took up a few more morsels before speaking again.
She wasn't one to pry, but there seemed to be a story there. Why hadn't he been able to stay as long as he clearly wanted to? What held him back? "Never left." Dris'rynne leaned back in her head, taking her mug with her. Even if he was just filled with water the weight of the stein felt good in her hands. "A little trip turned into a lifestyle, apparently. I do mercenary work now, so if you're looking for work I could help you out." He didn't exactly strike her as a sell sword type, but then again, she'd never pictured it for herself either.
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:43 pm
Dex tried to push down another few bites while Dris spoke. His stomach was still sour, but the food went down easier with a friendly face nearby. Smiling lightly, he shook his head. "I doubt I'd be good for that kind of work. Besides, I'm only passing through. Not staying a minute longer than I have to." He glanced over at Dris with an apologetic smile. "No offense meant to you for staying around. I.. I'm just still searching for where to end up."
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 6:09 pm
Seating in the tavern wasn't comfortable by far. Dris'rynne shifted many a time before finding a cozy spot to place her legs. In Jauhar she might have just found a branch to nestle her, but here? It was all chairs; hard back chairs and solid benches made for durability in a desert.
If only she could get used to it.
"Can't say much that I blame you." She might have left a long time ago if she'd been able to. Truth was, Dris'rynne was scared to go home. She wasn't the same girl who had dutifully taken over her sisters care. She was a killer now; seasoned by the blood on her blade, and just as cruel. Would they even love her once they knew?
"Do you have any ideas to where you'll go next?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 9:36 pm
Dex cocked his head slightly before giving Dris a small smile. Something was keeping Dris where she didn't want to be.. but asking would surely be too presumptuous... He just hoped it wasn't like what had once kept him in Oba before.
Taking a sip of his drink, he shook his head. "It looks like Sauti is next in line, but we'll be stopping through all the regions at least once." He smiled ruefully. "Who knew I'd be traveling? Strange how life changes on you, isn't it?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 9:17 am
"Sauti?" She snorted. "Why anyone would want to go there voluntarily I'll never know. It's a barren wasteland." One that the alkidike had wanted for some reason she still couldn't fathom. They were a lot like shifters in that their homeland was in the rain forests; why would they trade that for empty caverns and sparse meals?
"It will be eventful for you, to say the least," she commented ruefully. "And aye, life has it's way of changing you. Sometimes for the better, and sometimes not." Dris'rynne still hadn't quite figured out which way she had fallen. Was she better for having picked up her blades, or worse off?
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 10:59 am
Dexurn shook his head. "That's what we're going to find out. Besides, gotta go through Sauti to see Zena. No real straightforward way to get anywhere, it seems."
As Dris spoke, Dex's smile softened. "Yeah. ...It's not great now, but I feel like it's better than it was before." Pushing in another mouthful, he watched Dris curiously. "So, what's it like being a mercenary? Being one yourself, is there something you enjoy about it?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 2:14 pm
"Zena? Do yourself a favor and buy bulk material here, then have a Sauti tradesman make you enough clothing so you won't freeze. Much cheaper that way." Dris'rynne would never understand the 'see the world' mentality some earthlings had, as she herself was just fine with the rain-forests of her home, but to each their own.
She pushed her now empty plate towards the edge of the table so the waitress might take it away once she was ready. "It's hard, cruel, and unforgiving. No one thanks you for your work, but since we never take jobs that directly hurt others I suppose there's a satisfaction in that." Sometimes in her dreams she could imagine the battles like they were still happening, and would wake up in a cold sweat. No, he was better off not knowing that.
"Still, I guess I'm just the rough and tumble type. It suits me."
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 3:06 pm
Dexurn chuckled lightly at Dris' reactions to the various places. "Thanks for the tip." He'd planned to do everything the closer they got, but what she said made sense.
Brow cocking slightly at the description of the mercenary work, he shook his head with amusement. "Maybe I'd be better with it than I thought, even though I'm not really the rough and tumble type," he mused sarcastically, stabbing at the last piece of meat on his plate. "I'll stick to the person I have thanking me though. ..It's a nice change." Sitting with Dris, he nearly forgot his discomfort with his location. He looked over as a nearby group burst out laughing. The Obans were just enjoying their meals and company, but Dex still quickly dropped his gaze. "May I ask.. why you came to Oba in the first place?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 3:12 pm
At first Dris'rynne wasn't planning on answering. She watched the Obans tell their bawdy jokes, spewing alcohol as they laughed and jeered with each other. After what seemed like forever she finally spoke up, "When my mother carried me we thought my father had passed away in Zena. She raised me alone, until she remarried, and a few months ago we found out he hadn't quite died like everyone thought. He had a lover, two more children and a new life up there. He wasn't treated well, but he was still alive...well, until he did eventually die."
Dris'rynne leaned back in her chair. "My step-father is a merchant, so when my half-sister came nosing around, trying to find answers, and found them, mom flipped out, and he swept us away to Oba with him. At the time it made sense because it cleared a lot of heads, but now...Now I don't know if I can go back. I've killed a lot of people, Dexurn, and I can't say I didn't enjoy it. I can't be the same daughter and sister that they knew before. Oba's all I've really got now."
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 3:51 pm
Dexurn watched Dris with a hint of surprise. He hadn't expected such a thorough answer... Still, he listened attentively, giving a couple nods when she finished. "You won't find out sitting here," he said, quickly blushing at his forward statement. "I mean... You might not be the same you.. but you're still you. If you have the chance to see your family again.. you should take it." He ducked his head slightly with embarrassment. Who was he to offer such advice? "We can hope the gods will give you better luck than they gave me.."
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