Welcome to Gaia! ::

There was a smattering of small tables and chairs in the entryway of the inn, but Kismet was seated on a bench much further back than that, carefully rocking the bundle that had settled onto her lap. Next to her was a slightly older woman in an apron and black dress, one hand gripping a broom. They were conversing in hushed tones, so as not to disturb the baby, but much could still be heard by those nearby when the noise level was not too high.

Kismet was almost radiant, despite the fact that she was both cold and wet. She had peeled off her covering, so that the only things she wore were her "business" clothes, which were rather transparent when wet. The baby's bundle, damp but mostly unharmed, covered most of this. When Kismet spoke her tone was bright and animated, even when soft.

"... and I'll be taking care of him. So you see, Alice, I'll need a bit of help, but it will really be okay I think."

The other woman, Alice, was not so content. She bounced the broom lightly in her hand, and looked almost ill at the state of Kismet's dress. "Charade, my dear, what were you thinking? Accepting care of this babe will only serve as a burden. How can you expect to take a customer for the night, and then have a crying child interrupt? It simply won't do."

"It will if it has to," Kismet insisted. She let out a sneeze and shivered before continuing. "The spares are in the back, aren't they?"

"They are, and I've no problem with you using the back to dry off. But if you think you're going to pawn that child off on me you've another thing coming. I have work myself."

As if remembering this the woman gasped and stood immediately, looking around. Whatever she saw soothed her mildly, but she gave Kismet one last stern look before taking her broom into the back.

A huge splatter of water landed on the open book and caused Easter to squeal in fright. She quickly sopped up what she could with her blanket and slammed the book shut. As soon as it was safely below the floor once more she shoved the bookshelf back in place hoping it would keep the water from getting underneith. The rain started to speed up and the girl ran down the hall to the closet where her father's fall weather jacket was being stored. Her feet slid across the slippery threshold of her room and she threw the coat over the infant shielding it from the rain that was falling quite heavily now. Bundling him up onto the floor Easter looked about for something to keep her bed from getting too wet. The thin sliding door of her own closet yelled at her eyes from across the room and for the first time she was thankful that it had snapped apart. With at least part of the bed protected she scooped up the watching infant readjusted the coat so the two of them were covered and carefully made her way down the stairs.

Mud puddles were sprining up around the two as Easter made her way towards the Kensington District. "I don't have any money, Egan. So we have to just go to the place that woman mentioned." She wished there was some other way to find food. One that involved less tiresome wandering and not having to talk to strange people.

Deftly, the lieutenant struck the deathblow to his foe. It had been a long and gruesome battle, with the blood of his enemy fresh on his arms and nicks cutting into the metal of his sword.

In short, Lt. Valerius Saunderly was exhausted. He bowed to his opponent: a now freshly trimmed shrub.

The juice from the plant's leaves made his hands stick the hilt of his broadsword as he returned it to its sheath on his back. His left arm was starting to ache, which had been one of the reasons for his stopping his practice training.

As his mercenary business wasn't getting many takers, Valerius had taken to practicing his skills on the local plant life surrounding the shops in the Kensington District. Thus far, he'd covered: stealth tactics (hiding in flower beds and bushes), direct confrontation with the enemy (stabbing plants), negociation and intimidation policies (whispering threateningly to the odd petunia), and currently was working on his one-on-one duelling assault (stabbing plants again, but more honorably).

And, apart from keeping him ready for warfare, it allowed Valerius to showcase his skills for potential employers.

He sighed, then checked the area around him for possible hostiles. Finding none, he plotted a course for the Harbor, ready to return to his base and acquire fresh bandaging for his arm.

Sad thing was, he WAS interested in her in that way. He was just swallowing it and keeping it down and as far away as he could. He shifted a bit as she played with his hair, "I can tell you're enjoying the effect you're having on me Ayira."

He looked her in the eyes, "And I know your trade, but...I can also see that you're still lonely regardless of it. You could basically have any man you want, but they only want you for one thing right?" he said, his tone solemn. He tilts his head to the side as he watched Ayira's eyes.

"...I hope you manage to find what it is you truely want..." he said quietly to her and gave her a smile, "You're heart's deepest desire."

Nekura shook his head slightly, "I apologize for speaking what I saw...I am sorry Ayira, it was rude and unkind of me to be so blunt and forward about it." he set his drink down and stood up.

"I should probably go...I think I might have overstayed my welcome with you and have angered you to boot..." He shook his head and looked to her. "...and...for the record...if you truely wanted me...I know you are smart enough to take me all for your own..." he said quietly before he made his way towards the exit of the Red Rat.

It was all well and good that he had suddenly lost his apetite since his food has not yet arrived. Dang, he thought to himself, it would figure I would fall for a lady of the night.

He turned to face her and tilted his head to the side, "...I didn't do anything to you...not that I am aware of beyond sewing your wounds up and treating you with respect and kindness..." he said to her. He looked a little confused at her question, and quite surprised at her chasing after him.

"...I...think we should probably discuss this in private...at least if we walk off together, your...customers might assume operations as normal and stop thier gawking." he stated quietly, showing concern for her reputation that he believes she has carefully built up.

He looked down at the key in his hand and hide it in a pocket hidden within another pocket within the inside of his coat. This was done once he was out of view. He made his way back to the abandoned building where the goons were waiting for him.

"Good, good..." He said as he looked at the supplies they brought him. He wasn't going to ask how they got it, best he didn't know. He then walked to them and handed them each a wayfarer's cake, "...Enjoy...It's more filling then bread."

The men left and he began to take inventory of what he had available to him now.

"Alright, Princess."

Larry found his front door, which was lying civilly next to his doorframe. The hinges were still attached, but not to the frame, which accounted for its placement.

"I know it doesn't look like much, but this is just the upstairs. We're remodeling right now, and still waiting on those furniture shipments from Milan."

What hadn't been plundered was either burnt, broken, or unidentifiable. Soft light filtered in broken beams from the ceiling and walls, and everything was damp. Larry shifted the baby to his hip and lifted up what very much looked like a piece of the floor.

He called down into the consequent set of stairs, "Fifi, it's me! Hold off on the whole attack number!" Then made his descent, closing the make-shift door back behind him. The basement was a good size, and tastefully decorated in spite of a sparsity of useful decorations. There were smatterings of clutter here and there, but for the most part Larry kept the space clean. The largest buildup was from trinkets...useless accessories Larry had unquestionably accepted as payment for detective work.

"Now, now, settle down. We've got a new...err, member of the family? I mean, I guess she was always around. Or has been around as long as I have? Or I- Well, I'm not clear on the whole business, but the important thing is that you and I have got a kid to raise."

Fifi, the chicken Larry was trying to explain things to, was adamently asleep.

"We're all going to have to make some changes, but apparently we're going to save the world, or Wynander, or something, so I expect you to behave and possibly up your egg production. That's only possibly, we don't want to wear you out, but you should try your best for the sake of the family. Gilmans look out for each other, you know."