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 Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 9:59 pm
 xaawopost oneXaawo's biggest regret was not her argument with the elderly toffee cart lady on their last day in Tind, nor was it forgetting to pick up the scarf she knew would have looked perfect hanging from Azehra's branches. No, the thing she regretted the most was failing to purchase more paint before they left town. It was a stroke of luck that she had been commissioned for a portrait of a brown and orange raptrix upon their arrival in Liem when those were the colors she had in abundance, but she longed to depict endless blue sky, vast frozen lakes, and...
She paused, the brush poised above her rendering of the beast's impressive plume. Ink was not that far from some types of paints, and her traveling companion was the master of it. Why hadn't she thought of that before? She would have to ask him his opinion over dinner.
The hybrid boy in the corner of the room cleared his throat. "Why'd you stop?" He was at least a decade younger than she was, and a hundred times as wealthy. His raptrix took up most of the rest of the space, her and Howth's possessions swept out of the way against a wall.
"I was thinking. Sorry." Xaawo glanced at her work. "This is looking rather impressive. Would you like a peek?"
"At the end." He tossed his hair. "I want to see Ridi in all her magnificence."
Xaawo stifled a snort. "Yes, sir. She shall be glorious."
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm
 howthpost oneThis town was significantly slower than Valmon, but its overall energy was still familiar to him. Howth had found that settlements directly adjacent to larger cities often attracted rich earthlings searching for affordable land. Case in point—the Wind and Ice boy holding court in their room. With a raptrix. Such an eccentric individual could have only been bred in the city.
He shot Xaawo a look of restrained disbelief as he stopped at the door, catching her amusement in return, though where he had picked it up remained a mystery to him. Had it been a sparkle in her eye? A twitch of her antenna? He found himself noticing the more subtle ways she conveyed her feelings recently, and it had helped a lot with their communication efforts. He no longer thought of her as stoic, and she had adapted a few of his unconscious displays of emotion to better fit her own personality.
Momentarily forgetting the reason he had come back so early when faced with the reality of what had happened to their room, Howth finally looked down and noticed the crumpled flyer in his hand. Oh, right.
"Good afternoon. Is anything interesting going on around here?"
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm
xaawopost two"I'm painting a raptrix for Amar," Xaawo replied, gesturing at the hybrid. And then, as if it was completely normal to have a large, flying mount leisurely sitting in their rented room, she dipped her brush into a splodge of brown and got back to work.
The boy inclined his head toward Howth. "Good afternoon." Amar's noble seriousness only added to Xaawo's controlled mirth.
"Besides that, there's nothing interesting going on at all. What do you think of the town so far?" She knew Howth had hoped to make some interesting trades, but if all he had returned with was a piece of paper, she couldn't imagine he had found what he was looking for.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm
howthpost two"It's..."
Freely speaking of this in front of someone he didn't know felt too revealing, like he was admitting his belief in some forest-dwelling cryptid in front of a child looking for an excuse to make fun of him. Howth sighed. When he laid it out like that, it seemed like a rather foolish concern. He glanced at Amar with a nod of acknowledgment, but quickly looked back at Xaawo.
"I found an advertisement for an upcoming expedition in Secer."
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm
xaawopost three"Ew." The child replied before she could, his face broadcasting his immediate distaste for Howth's announcement. "Secer."
Xaawo looked up at Ridi, the corners of her mouth rising as the raptrix stuck out her tongue. The animal hadn't worn out her welcome, but the boy certainly had.
"I think that's all for this session, Amar." Xaawo rose and began gathering her paints and brushes for cleaning. "My associate and I have important business to discuss. I will alert you when I'm ready to continue."
"Ah! Yes, okay!" Amar scrambled to stand as well, laying a hand on Ridi's side when the animal rose to serve her master. "We'll be waiting for your summons!"
Xaawo nodded, smiling a bit to suggest she was just as enthusiastic. "I will walk you out."
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm
howthpost threeHowth admired the confidence with which Xaawo cut the kid from the conversation and led him from their room. He had always tended toward being polite, even when the situation didn't call for it. Hm. He watched the raptrix's tail slowly swoop out the door, and as he smoothed the flyer against the small wooden table, someone new joined him.
Jasla scrambled into the room, a poscuta-sized tunic stealing some of her usual coordination. She didn't seem to mind the impediment.
"Did someone dress you up?" he asked, knowing full well the answer was yes and the culprit was Xaawo. Jasla bounced in a proud circle, then flopped at Howth's feet, inviting him to pet her.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm
xaawopost fourShe hadn't meant to return without making a sound, but there she was, standing in the door and watching Howth. He was crouched in front of his poscuta, scratching at Jasla's neck until she rolled onto her back. It was cute. Of course it was. But the fact that she lingered on that sentiment made her toes curl against the tiled floor, now dusted with the dirt Ridi had tracked in.
Before he could notice her, Xaawo said, "So, tell me about this expedition," not bothering to hide her smirk when he jumped. She moved briskly into the room, as if she had only just arrived, and started cleaning up her supplies.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm
howthpost four"Ah, yes. I suppose that was a telling reaction." He gestured in the general direction that Amar had gone. "But no matter how boring a place is, I find there is always merit to seeing it for myself." Howth propped Jasla back on her feet and shook his head. "Enough about that. The flyer mentioned Secer. I'm not sure if that's where we begin or where we find more information. Someone is offering a reward to anyone who can locate a couple of missing explorers. I thought it might be a fruitful trip since we're already so far north... if you are interested in continuing?"
Xaawo had shown no interest in heading back south or east just yet, but he knew she eventually wanted to return home. It felt safer to give her the choice than to be suddenly disappointed.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm
xaawopost five"You don't have to keep asking. I am accompanying you, Howth." The mysterious box they had pulled from the river had yet to be reunited with its owner and, more importantly... she was having fun. "Our collaboration has only just begun."
"If we are to venture farther north, however, we're going to have to do some shopping." She was being a little cheeky, but in truth she did need something warmer to wear, and maybe even some dreaded boots. "What does your afternoon look like?"
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm
howthpost fiveHowth chuckled and shook his head. "I'm free all day." She knew that perfectly well, having heard tales of his lack of exploits around Liem for two days now. He really believed there was something worthwhile to be discovered in everything and every town, but sometimes searching for a location's novelty took a bit of effort.
"I can't imagine they don't have gear around here somewhere." He watched her wipe down the brush she had been using when he'd arrived. "You're sure you have time for this? Don't you have a painting to finish?"
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:11 pm
xaawopost six"The Prince of Liem can live without my work," Xaawo said with a smirk aimed mostly at her inner thoughts. Amar hadn't paid her yet, and she had no problem leaving the boy with just as little as he'd given her. Taking his commission had only been a temporary way to occupy her idle hands and an excuse to bring a raptrix indoors. "He won't come after us, I promise."
Her supplies now carefully stowed, Xaawo turned to Jasla. "We have plenty of time to shop, don't we dearest?"
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:11 pm
howthpost sixIt took Howth a moment to move past Xaawo's easy abandonment of responsibility. He could never...
Or could he?
It wasn't the same by any means, considering she was her own woman and certainly not his responsibility, but he couldn't help wallowing in a flash of guilt as Zumei crossed his thoughts. He sighed, his exhale barely audible.
It was true. Xaawo didn't owe Amar anything. Unless he had paid her. Had the child paid her? Howth wasn't going to ask. Maybe he would ask when he wasn't feeling so contrite.
His sigh ended on an airy laugh. "You're going to buy more clothes for the poscuta, aren't you?"
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:11 pm
xaawopost seven"She deserves it."
With their destination confirmed, at least in Xaawo's mind, she lifted the poscuta in her arms and headed back out into the street. She hadn't taken a lot of time to find the shops around here, but there was really only one place they could be. While any store that sold cold weather essentials would technically do, a custom clothier would be far better.
After examining a handful of shop windows and dismissing each one, Xaawo stopped in front of a bright blue door. A small plaque to its right read Diala's Emporium. There were no windows here, but that made it all the more enticing.
She pulled open the door and ascended the stairs, nodding at the man who waited for them at the top.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:11 pm
howthpost seven"Welcome to Diala's Emporium."
The Zenan man behind the counter had the air of someone from a much larger city, his sharp suit and polished crystals sparkling under the imported lamps that ran across the ceiling.
"How may I help you?"
Howth glanced at Xaawo, pausing to allow her to voice her eccentric request, but she was watching him instead, waiting in expectant silence. Did she want him to inquire about clothing for Jasla? If she did, she was going to be disappointed.
"We are looking to purchase winter clothing and gear for our journey north. The plan is to leave in two days. If tailoring is required, money is no object." It was nervewracking to indirectly admit as much out loud, but he certainly wasn't hurting for funds. At some point, all of his treasure hunting and artifact trading had left him with an impressive sum of money, and short of giving it away, Howth had little else to do with it.
He looked to Xaawo again, only to find her just as silent as before. No one spoke for at least half a minute, the Zenan awaiting instruction and neither customer willing to concede. It was only when the ice gentleman cleared his throat that Howth sighed and closed his eyes for a little longer than a blink.
"We would also like a couple of warm wraps for my poscuta." Fine. He supposed Xaawo wasn't going to be disappointed after all.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:11 pm
xaawopost eight"More than wraps," Xaawo added. "Cold weather outfits for her as well." She placed Jasla on the floor, awkwardly craning her neck so she could watch the man's reaction. Though his professionalism didn't waver, the Zenan was clearly surprised.
"If that's all right." She smiled with her golden eyes, her lips barely moving at all.
"Whatever you wish, miss." He watched the poscuta as he addressed her.
"Might I have your name, sir?"
"Bysna, miss."
"Thank you, Bysna. I appreciate your assistance."
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