Welcome to Gaia! ::

The gypsy troupe he was part of had settled close to the border of Oba and Tale — the women, children and sick too tired and worn down to travel anymore. His father, brother and a few other men had traveled the rest of the way into Yware, set on gathering fresh supplies for the small troupe. Nikaio had been bored, done with his chores, and lazing about while they waited for the group to return. It was likely to be another couple of days before they were up and moving and so Nika had taken it upon himself to slip across the border and into the closet Oban town, Kalv.

Nika took a deep breath and gripped at the cloak he had taken from his father’s things. He pulled it tight around him as he slipped through the crowds, making sure to keep the hood as snug around him as he could. No reason to openly show off his Matorian nature to a city full of the very people who had only just recently enslaved his people. He knew, though, it’d be an unavoidable thing when he started to question people and tried to see if anyone had seen a girl that looked similar to him.

His gaze darted around, taking in everything there was to see. As his gaze dropped to a stall selling fresh fruits, his mouth began to water and his stomach gurgled hungrily. It had been early when he’d ate that morning and already it was late afternoon. A snack, for energy to question people, would not hurt one bit. Nika weaved his way through the crowd and came to a stop just in front of the stall. Just as he was about to reach out for a fruit someone bumped into him. He stumbled forward, barely catching himself and knocking a few fruit from the stall. He bit back a curse as he stumbled back away, hood of the cloak falling back and off of his head.

The commotion of the fruit falling had garnered the attention of the merchant — an old, gnarly looking Oban that didn’t look none too friendly. “Thief! You were trying to steal my fruit!”

Nika blinked and glanced around as he frowned. Surely he wasn’t… “Me?”

“Who else would I be talking to?”

“I didn’t—”

“Guards! Guards there’s a thief!”

Nika opened his mouth to speak again but shut it just as quickly as four armed guards came around the corner. He swiveled around and ran for it. His years in the gypsy troupe seemed to pay off somewhat as he easily weaved in and out of the crowd. It, however, seemed that the Oban people were not so ready to stay in the path of armed guards on the tale of a ‘thief’. The crowds shifted and parted as the guards moved forward. Nika ran as quick as he could, glancing back to see that they were catching up with him and he would surely be caught.

Just as he turned his attention back to the path ahead of him, Nika collided with something solid. He whined and stumbled back. He bit back a curse as he glanced up to find an very tall Oban in the middle of his getaway path. He bit back another whine as he swallowed. “I...I didn’t steal anything! You can’t let them…” His words trailed off as he heard the clink of armor behind him. “Please…”

Nika blinked, completely taken by surprise when the Oban pushed him behind him and told the guards no. He had been expecting no sympathy and to be turned over immediately — his past experiences having lead him to believe that the majority of Obans were self-centered and only cared about themselves. Though, this one could be exactly that and would turn on him the second the guards were gone. He hoped not and forced himself to stay in place. Running now would not help him and would only get the guards back on him.

Nika stayed behind the Oban and tensed slightly as one of the guards started to mention slaves. Nika was not a slave and he refused — ninety nine percent of the time — to act as one. He bit his tongue this time, though, and refrained from retorting. When the man removed a small purse and tossed it to the guards, to pay for what he had ‘stolen’, Nika’s mouth dropped open and he could only stare as the guards finally turned and moved away.

“I…” He finally found his voice. “You. Why did… But…” Apparently, though, not enough to form a proper sentence. Nika closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, the first thing to escape him was an apology. “I’m sorry you had to do that…” His gaze darted from the man and back in the direction the guards had disappeared. “Why did you do that?” His gaze flicked back. “You don’t know me. I very well could have stolen something. I didn’t! I just…” He shut his mouth, shoulders sagging a bit before he shook his head.

“Thank you.”

“Ah. No. I’m sorry,” Nika said in response to the man’s question. He had saved him and Nika should just be thankful for that fact — not question his good luck. Nika watched as the Oban looked him over, a slight flush coming to his cheeks at being observed so closely. When the other spoke, Nika was dragged out of his own thoughts. The words he spoke came out more of a demand than a request and Nika felt himself bristle slightly. Usually not one to take orders from anyone other than his father or the elders in his troupe, Nika surprised himself when he nodded his head yes. Something about the Oban intrigued Nika and, despite usually not even liking the way the Obans looked, this one was rather good looking as well.

As they moved away from the scene and off deeper into the market, Nika opened his mouth several times to talk. What did one say to his rescuer — a stranger? For a while he just followed and fidgeted with his cloak before finally giving in and attempted to break the silence. “My name’s...Nikaio.”

Nikaio blinked, eyes going wide momentarily as the man — Zuberi — turned towards him with a question. Was he good at getting deals? Maybe if he had been anywhere but Oba he could hagle someone to a lower price. Chances of that happening here, though, were about as likely as him finding out his father was rich. Nika shook his head and glanced away from Zuberi, telling him as much. “The merchants would be more likely to try and raise the price of things where I’m concerned. My kind are not exactly looked upon nicely around here — obviously.” He arched an eyebrow as he glanced back to his rescuer.

Nikaio tensed, eyes narrowing on the man before him and what he was asking of him. His mother and sister had been taken as slaves and now this man was asking him to act as one himself. Nika snorted, attention darting down to the paper Zuberi held out. He bit his tongue, though, and held back the smart remark that wanted to slip from his lips. Nikaio did owe the man. Who knows where he would be had Zuberi not intervened with the guards that had been chasing him down.

So he grit his teeth and took the slip of paper from his fingers and huffed. Nika looked around as Zuberi did so, frowning as well. “Neither do I. This is my first time here.”