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Against Herryk's better judgement, he'd been spending more and more time in the maul. Honestly it wasn't his most favorite place to be, not after the bad experiences he'd had while buying clothes here. It seemed like he always ran into boils and ghouls that kind of patted him on the back after dressing him in horrible outfits before sending him on his way while telling him he looked great.

He never looked great.

Idly scratching his chest, Herryk squinted into one of the stores. Everything seemed too small and too tight and too... creaky. Shaking his head, Herryk spun around and nearly smashed into a petite ghoul. Instinctively Herryk grope-grabbed the ghoul so that she didn't careen to the floor.

"Sorry! Herryk is sorry!"

By the grace of Jack her needles missed him by mere chance, though with his luck he half-expected them to skewer him. At her softly spoken words, Herryk immediately released the ghoul. He didn't want her to think he was being forward, or one of those boils that ran into ghouls just so they could cop a feel -- not that there was anything wrong with copping a feel, Herryk just wasn't the type.

"Herryk was busy looking at ill-fitting clothes in this store and was not watching where he was going," the large Draugr explained, taking a step back and eying her needles warily. "Are you okay? Herryk would be happy to help you if you needed it." He rubbed his bristly jaw with a large hand. Yes, he would be happy to help her, but he really wanted to find some clothes that didn't split at the seam or cling to him like a second skin. Most importantly, he wanted some clothes that covered up his backside.

Sometimes he got cold.

"Are you looking for a store? Herryk knows this maul pretty well." The latter part of the sentence was spoken with a melancholy sadness. No, he did not like the fact that he knew the maul like the back of one of his giant hands.

Herryk looked embarrassed as he shifted on his feet.

"Yes, I am Herryk," he said softly, splaying his palm across his chest. He always forgot to introduce himself and it made him feel a little foolish. Clearing his throat, Herryk barged onward.

"Herryk would be happy to show you around in exchange for help finding clothes. These maul shops like to dress Herryk in too-tight clothes and tell Herryk that he looks good, but this is not the case. Herryk does not want to walk around like a fancy boil and Herryk certainly does not want to wear clothes that are going to rip if he bends over." A dark scowl thundered across his face, brows lowering in annoyance.

"This maul is a terrible place," Herryk confided in the ghoul before glancing around and leaning closer as if about to impart a most crucial secret, "filled with terrible lies." That being said, Herryk straightened and peered around before clapping his hands together abruptly.

"Now, where does..." he frowned and looked annoyed at himself once more. "Herryk apologizes. What is your name?"

Herryk couldn't fight the urge to grin like a loon when she mentioned that his name was good and strong. Good and strong, just like Herryk. "Herryk is pleased to meet you too, Lattice. Unfortunately Herryk knows this maul very well and none of these stores have clothes that fit Herryk very well." His voice turned sad, almost downtrodden, when he continued, "Herryk feels like he is just going to wear his loincloth and fur boots since they fit him." Shrugging off his upset, Herryk turned his attention back to Lattice again.

"Instead of looking at clothes, perhaps Herryk can take Lattice around the maul so that she can ..." he was going to say 'look at stuff' but Herryk was pretty sure that one needed eyeballs in order to check things out. "...touch things," he finished weakly.

A seamstress? No, Herryk had never given any thought to a seamstress. "Herryk does not think there is a seamstress in this maul. Herryk is very sure that this maul is full of only terrible things," his voice turned sad. It really did upset him that he could not find clothes that fit, but after today he was just going to stick to his loincloth. It was comfortable enough and really he didn't get any stranger looks than he did when he waltzed around wearing too-tight clothes.

"Can Lattice see what Herryk wears," he asked idly as they walked through the maul at a slow pace. He really was curious. "Herryk thinks his clothes have no ink on them." He really wanted her to see what he wore, and while he waited for her to answer he gave thought to what he could do to show her if she could not see his clothing.

"Lattice knows a seamstress!" This was said with great gusto, not really posed as a question but stated in excitement, instead. "Herryk attends the Academy. It is.. very interesting," he said weakly, exhaling with a soft 'heh' as if the use of the word interesting was a very, very large understatement.

"Herryk will show Lattice what he wears," he said with a slightly mournful tone, slipping the engraver's hand from his forearm to his stomach -- if she allowed, of course. His intent would be to slide her palm down his stomach to his belt so that she could get the general jist of his clothes, or lack thereof.

If she had not pulled away at that point, Herryk would have continued onward. "Do you think that Lattice's seamstress-friend will help Herryk with some better clothes?" Still lightly gripping her wrist, he moved her hand from his belt, up his chest and to the clasps of his fur cape. "There is my cape."

Probably the most awkward part of all was that Herryk did not see this as even remotely inappropriate. In his mind he was just showing a new potential friend his woeful lack of clothes.

"Herryk would be most thankful for introductions to Lattice's seamstress friend," Herryk said solemnly, idly watching the engraver's fingers brush over the fur of his cape. He didn't stop her, actually enjoying the expression that was on her face. She really seemed to be enjoying the softness of his cape.

Herryk didn't pay any attention to the strangers that meandered by and oogled the pair -- Lattice held all of his attention. "It is a very soft cape, yes," he agreed with a smile on his face, unclasping the garment before carefully swinging it around so that he could place it on Lattice's shoulders. It would likely engulf her.

"It is comfortable," he added, directing her hands to the runestones that decorated the front of the cape. "These are Herryk's runes. Their meaning, Herryk does not know," this was said softly, almost sadly, "but Herryk is convinced they mean something." Shrugging, Herryk reached for her hand once more, intent on showing her the rest of the maul if she so desired.