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 Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 10:01 am
Sauti was a strange place indeed. It was dry like Oba, but not as hot. The sun was bright, the wind cool, and the sights new! Koril walked through the town with has zanteer Flana trotting along beside him. "Papa and mama say Sauti is special to them," he murmured, looking around with curious eyes. He earned plenty of stares with his Matori skin and bright red hair, but he was too busy enjoying finding out what made Sauti special. He wanted it to be special, too!
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 10:12 am
Hargitt had planned in advance on making today a trading expedition. While Jakkoa was off gathering information, Hargitt had wanted to barter what skins and meat he had for valuable supplies, but with his recent injuries their supplies were abysmally low. So, even though they had now made it to a decent enough settlement, the best he could do was to barter off a few capramel hides, the same hides he'd brought with him from home, for medical supplies.
What a waste.
He stuffed them into his pack, pausing only when a murmur from the shop keep had him turning.
"Would you look at that? Get all kinds in the market these days."
Poor sod. Some wide eyed, hopeful kid with a big smile on his face and no idea what he'd walked into. He just watched him for a moment, noting the strangeness of the teen before turning away. The kid was none of his business and until someone made it his business he didn't plan on approaching him.
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 10:46 am
Petting Flana's head, Koril swerved over to check out a stall with some snacks on the counter. "Those look yummy!" he chirped happily to the vendor.
However, the vendor had no smile in return. "They are delicious, but they ain't made for hybrids."
Koril looked up with surprise. He'd gotten plenty of that in Oba, and even in Matori, but he had not expected anything in Sauti! Apparently, there were mean people all over the place. How sad. "Okay," he replied with a shrug. "I'll go spend my money at a nicer place."
"Ya got money?" A couple boys a little older than he was approached. They were clearly related to the vendor, who only looked on with a smirk. "Ya probably stole it all, didn't ya."
Koril pursed his lips. "No I didn't! I did chores, and mama gave it to me."
One of the boys shook his head. "Lemme guess, your mama was did by some lord an' left in the dirt ta raise ya on her own. Typical story from your kinds. Bet that jerk dad is givin' yer mom money ta raise ya. Ya got plenty. Only right for someone with a rich dad ta share the wealth."
Brow knitting, Koril took a step back from the hand that was held out to him. He had no idea what the boy was trying to say about his mother and father, but it certainly didn't sound good. "They love each other," he insisted, looking around in confusion. Right, his sister wasn't here...
Flana was there though. Sensing her boy's anxiety rising, she pressed against his leg and hissed at the strangers in warning
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 11:22 am
[2/10]
Hargitt stilled. He wasn't so far away that he couldn't hear what was going on, but he also wasn't so close that his staring would be immediately obvious. He looked up through a curtain of blond hair, hands stalling by slowly fastening the latch on his satchel.
At first Hargitt thought that the kid was going to be alright. He'd deflected the merchant's snark with enough ease, so maybe he could get around the others as well-
Until that bit about his mama and then Hargitt knew he had to intervene. He'd thought the boy particularly clever, maybe a little thick skinned, at first, but now he realized he was truly dense and innocent.
There was no way could walk away now.
Tossing his satchel over his shoulder, Hargitt walked up behind the boy, easily standing over him with a hard look in his icy eyes. From his current angle he could see the boys just fine, and he wanted that. If they were going to get a talking to then he needed a clear shot. "Is there a problem?"
"Keep your nose out of it, stranger. The boys were just having a little fun." The merchant passed Hargitt a hard nosed look. "Nothing wrong in that, is there?"
Hargitt shook his head, but instead of agreeing he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, and craned his head so he could see his face. " Are you having fun?"
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 4:36 pm
Snotty merchants were one thing. They could be brushed off for another source of whatever he was looking for. They were nothing new. These boys though... while not new, they were a tougher bug to be rid of. Koril put a hand on Flana's head to quiet her down, though she continued to growl. The last time she had hissed at someone in his defense, she'd gotten a rock thrown at her. Mean people were everywhere... "I don't wanna share with you. You're mean," he said flatly. If the boys had been nice about it, he would have happily shared!
"Do you really know what mean looks like?" one of the boys snarled, starting to move in. However, his brother caught his arm and pointed, and both soon wore the same nervous expression when they realized the big stranger was looking right at them. One took a step back, but the other was bolstered by his father's defense. "Yeah. It's all fun, ya know?" he said, glaring hard at the hybrid. The well-meaning windling was surely just putting on a small show, and would tire of it soon. Then they could get the kid's money.
Koril looked up with surprise at the touch, eyes widening in awe. This new guy was huge! ...and... he was helping him. Fun? He couldn't help glancing at the bullies and their sharp looks before looking back at the newcomer. "No, sir," he replied honestly. "Other people think it's fun, but I never did." It had been an overheard excuse ever since he'd been small. 'Aw, boys will be boys. Just having a bit of fun.' 'Calm down, they're just having fun.' 'It's all in good fun.'
Still feeling quite bold, the older of the boys reached out to place a hand on Koril's other shoulder, squeezing it firmly; not enough to harm, but to get a point across. "Hey, you'll see it's fun soon! I told ya, ya just gotta learn the rules." He looked to Hargitt and grinned innocently, subtly trying to give the hybrid a pull toward himself as though they were pals. "A game ain't fun until ya know the rules, right?"
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 7:48 pm
Hargitt nodded his head, and slipped his hand away from the boy's shoulder. ...but I never did. What sort of life had this boy lived, simply because of something he couldn't help? It was one thing to try and live the hand you were dealt, but when others maliciously made it harder...
The archer stepped forward; edging around Koril to come right up to the windling boy's side. He looked down at the boy, eyes hardening into glaciers with each passing moment. "Remove your hand. I won't tell you again."
"Hey! Are you threatening my boy?" The merchant leaned over his table, a vein popping just above his left temple.
Hargitt slowly, methodically, shook his head. "No. I am warning him."
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 8:17 pm
Eyes darting among those interacting, Koril felt his cheeks heat up a little. He was causing a scene... "Please don't fi-" he started to say, though a pinch to his shoulder made him squeak. Looking fearfully at the boy holding him, he was shocked to see the expression on the other's face.
With Hargitt looming over him, the young bully finally felt the grasp of fear. This guy was scary... "Wh-why do you care anyway?" he managed to stutter out obstinately, letting go of Koril's shoulder and taking a step back at the same time. "He's just a mutt! D-don't need to sh-show off for him!"
Koril leaned away from the angry stall vendor, inching closer to his savior. A mutt.. he'd heard that before, too. Watery eyes lifting, he reached out to touch Hargitt's elbow. "I'm sorry... We can go now.."
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 8:25 pm
"It's not showing off. It's being decent." Hargitt didn't feel the need to explain why he felt a particular affinity for hybrids, nor why he was willing to stand up for them over his own kind. Nor was he going to waste his breath trying to reason with a bully.
Looking down at Koril, noticing the water in his eyes, Hargitt nodded and started to turn away when he heard the vendor murmur something under his breath. When Hargitt pause, turning half way around to glare at him the man gathered his courage to speak louder, "You heard what I said, hybrid lover. " What that man had murmured was enough to make Hargitt's ears color, never mind what it might do to an innocent child's. "I've seen you and that fiance of yours. I'd be careful about coming back here."
Hargitt furrowed his brows, but instead of commenting he gently nudging the boy away from the stalls, moving him further down where a little grouping of stones made a shadowed sitting area.
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 8:40 pm
The worst part was that someone else had gotten involved in the ruckus. The man seemed like a good guy. He didn't need to come under such fire... Hybrid lover... Why did that have to be said with such disdain? Why did there have to be so much venom behind those words? Why was it so wrong to love- fiance? He looked up with surprise at the tall man. Did that mean he was engaged to a hybrid? Oh...
As much as he wanted to ask questions about the man and his fiance, the energy had been drained from Koril in a painful way. Instead, he crossed his arms over his stomach to fight off that familiar sour feeling and gave the big man an apologetic look. "Will this.. get your fiance in trouble?" he asked softly, now concerned for the pair that he didn't know.
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 8:57 pm
Hargitt shook his head. "He'll be fine." They weren't planning on staying in the area long anyway, and if Jakkoa did manage to make his way back to that particular section of traders he would be able to handle himself. If anything Hargitt was more concerned about what he would say to the vendor than vice versa.
He dug around in his bag and pulled out a waterskin. Hargitt worked the cork out, then held it over to the teen. "It's just water." He looked...green, or at least a different shade of bluish-green than he had before all of this.
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 9:08 pm
Koril certainly hoped so! If someone else got hurt for trying to help him.. it was the worst. Brow rising at the offer, he smiled and accepted the water. "Thank you." After taking a couple sips, he held the skin back out. "I mean.. for all of that. It was.. really nice of you." With the sour taste backing out of his mouth, he took a deeper breath to muster up a small smile.
Flana came scurrying up from the crowd suddenly and nudged Koril's knee, tail swaying about.
Smile growing, he sighed and squatted to give the zanteer a hug. "Where did you get off to? Thank you for not getting yourself hurt~" When the happy familiar dropped a half-eaten sweet roll from her mouth as an offering, Koril found himself laughing. Flana sure knew how to cheer him up.
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 9:22 pm
Hargitt recorked the waterskin and placed it back into his pack. Once everything was settled her unshouldered the bag, holding it out before letting it rest on a nearby boulder.
He watched the...strange creature come closer, the same one that had been around the kid in the beginning. Hargitt quirked a brow. At least he shared an affinity for it, and it seemed to cheer him up. Not that he thought it was a good idea to touch that half eaten sweet roll...
"Are you here on your own?"
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Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 9:34 pm
Koril ruffled Flana's fur, nudging the roll back to the zanteer. He looked up at the question and shook his head. "No. I'm here with my papa and mama and sister!" At that, his brow knit slightly. "Sauti is special to our parents. They wanted us to see it." He looked up again though, and smiled warmly. "Meeting nice people like you makes it special! It's always special to meet someone new like you." Jumping to his feet, he strode over and stuck his hand out in greeting. "I'm Koril, and that's Flana!" His mood had certainly shifted around, now that he was away from the negative source that family had created...
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Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 11:11 am
Well, at least he had a family to look after him. Honestly Hargitt had thought him some kind of orphan, or at the very least an unwanted b*****d, given his particular mixed heritage. Still, unlike the other windlings, he wasn't about to voice his speculations.
The teenager was certainly peppier now. It was better for him to be like this, as opposed to being saddened, but Hargitt knew less about handling pep than he did when handling tears. He took the offered hand, gave it a quick shake, and quickly dropped contact.
"Hargitt." It was a plain and simple introduction; one without a lot of tack and fluff. "Your sister isn't on her own, is she?" If she was anything like Koril, then a run in with that same group of windling boys could prove nasty.
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Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 4:09 pm
Koril's expression fell the tiniest bit at the cool greeting he got. It was probably better for Hargitt if he didn't linger for too long in the presence of a hybrid. Back there had been enough trouble for the nice man.
Smiling still, he shook his head lightly. "No. She's off with mama, doing girl things." Able to manage making the connection, he chuckled as well. "They'll regret it if they try picking on Kyril. She can glare anyone into shutting up!"
Since Koril seemed to turn down the roll, Flana picked up the treat and brought it over to Hargitt while the pair was talking. As forward as her boy, she dropped the half eaten roll on Hargitt's leg, offering it to the stranger who had helped out.
Koril muffled a laugh. "Flana! Hargitt doesn't want your leftovers either!"
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