Welcome to Gaia! ::

Werymn's yellow eyes flicked around in curious delight. He was accustomed to big, crowded cities with many people all flocked together. On the ground. But this establishment made its place up in the trees. The people were a colorful array of silvery-white skin and the green-yellow he'd come to recognize as Alkidikes, and even the pale cream of Wind Earthlings. They were all remarkably beautiful and new and foreign and weird. The only person who didn't seem keen on taking all the interest was Dovev. Wer glanced speculatively at him from the corner of his eye.

The days they'd been together had revealed what a worry-wart the other Water man could be. Constantly concerned about threats, food, shelter, or money. Hadn't Wer said he'd take care of all that? Minus the threats of course, which seemed a perfectly natural thing to be concerned with, but the rest of it. He shook his head.

"Look," Wer said slowly as he tipped the liquid about in the mug in his hand. "I don't want to make a big show of it. Wasn't even going to tell you unless I thought it was necessary for you to know. But if you're constantly going to be concerned about money and lodging... I... took a few things from my former masters," he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. "Mostly old jewelry and trinkets, small things that were easy to conceal and carry. It was supposed to be emergency backup money, but if it will ease your thoughts," He tipped his head back, trying not to pout, "We can... do off with... a little of it now."

Wer tried not to roll his eyes at the defensive clip to Dovev's voice. Of course he appreciate food, drink, and shelter. Most people did! But as his employer, it was Werymn's prerogative to handle such things. It should be the least of Dovev's concerns. Really, the only matter the larger Water lad should have to deal with was Wer's safety. Perhaps only in a perfect world. He shook his head to knock the thoughts away and instead spared a moment to delight in the notion that he wouldn't have to blow through what excess trinkets he'd managed to bring just to ease Dovev's mind.

Instead, he smirked. "My dear man, what kind of lad do you take me for? Surely not one that values the belongings of others before my own convenience, safety, security, and well-being?" He rose from his seat, fluid as the water of his homeland and moved to Dovev's side. he leaned toward the other man, a delightfully mischievous grin spread across his lips. "My only requirement is that you'll come to my aid should things turn sour. They do have a tendency to go awry every now and then, but you probably expect as much. If you think you can fulfill that minor goal... Then watch and learn."

With an almost imperceptible brush of fingers to Dovev's long hair, Werymn strode off toward a table that seated a small band of Fire Earthlings, dressed in the familiar Oban finery of home. It was a touch tattered with the wear-and-tear of travel, but Werymn doubted they'd look so comfortable if they didn't have a little gold in reserve.

Werymn dipped his way toward the Obans, sliding nonchalantly past the bar to daintily scoop up a tray that held three glasses of very boring water. The Water lad couldn't help but smirk in spite of himself. Would this be more interesting if he had bosoms? Probably. But to his knowledge, most Fire men had a strange way of taking an interest in whatever lowly Water servant walked by. They'd probably been mostly devoid of subservience since the war's end and were likely the most delicious of targets for Werymn's endeavors.

He approached with a swish of his hips befitting any female and set the first glass before one of the men. "Good evening," he rumbled out in his politest, most high-class sounding drawl; the type of voice any self-respecting Oban would want to put in its place. He didn't allow his gaze the chance to linger on their treasures for more than an instant as he moved around the table to settle the glasses next to each of them. He collected the pad and quill that were (blissfully) arranged on the tray and hummed out, "I imagine you'll be wanting something stronger than that, hm?"

To Werymn's chagrin, the men seemed very uninterested in him as a whole as they grumbled out the names of drinks that Wer didn't even understand. What he did notice was the looks on annoyance he was being sent, as if he'd already done something wrong. His lips thinned a fraction and he ever-so-slightly tipped the tray toward one of the lads, sending a spray of glass and water raining down on him. Cups clattered to the floor, shattering on impact, and the Obans erupted in violence and anger without even shifting a beat. There was a clamor of wooden chairs shifting, bags clinking, the thump of angered fists on the table, and suddenly Wer was hauled off his feet, dangling by the collar of one of the Oban's clenched fists.

"You lousy brat-" So uncreative. Wer held his gaze unflinchingly as the threads of his shirt tightened around his neck. "Are you so ballsy that you think one battle makes you anything more than what you were born to be? A slave." He released Werymn's shirt with a flick of his wrist, sending the boy backward. "Get this mess cleaned up, rat."

Werymn stumbled, dipping low to regain his balance before righting himself. "Of course, sir," he mumbled with an inclination of his head. "My apologies. I'll fix it right away." Without another glance, he scrambled back toward the bar, shooting Dovev a quick, beckoning look to meet him outside before he headed out the back door. One of the Shifter women there scrutinized him on his departure, and even made to question him. But she thought better of it, instead letting the Water boy breeze by her and out the back.

"Well enough," Wer grumbled as he held out a pouch full of silver bits. He tried to hide his disappointment at the lack of gold, but for the effort that went into the endeavor, he could hardly expect too much of a payout. "It'll be enough to get us through to the next town, anyway. And if we have to restock-" His words were accented by an innocent fluttering of lashing and the upwards quirk of his lips. "-then I'll be able to do so there. Of course I'd hate to go about making a great sum of enemies while we're still en route to finding this treasure, but-" He shrugged. "-I'm prepared to do what must be done."

"So, Dovev-" The Water boy leaned forward, standing up on his tiptoes and bringing himself nose-to-nose with his 'guard.' "-relax, now." He hummed softly, tucking the pouch of silver into his companion's hand. "Anyway, we'll need to find a different inn, I suspect... Don't think anyone is likely to be particularly welcoming back in there."