Welcome to Gaia! ::

(1/10)

Offering to stay a month had, honestly, been a selfish ploy and he knew it. The odds of the Aishan woman returning to meet and travel with him was incredibly unlikely, but in the end telling himself he was waiting to see if she'd return was a nice excuse for staying in Belrea, and avoiding returning home. And it HAD been a fun month, even if he'd had to be careful not to spend too much of his dwindling reserve of coins. He prepaid the innkeeper so his room and food was guaranteed and, with the meager amount of coin still in his purse, had done what a young businessman did best; he invested.

On certain days, if you had the time and patience, you could flit between storefronts and shops, purchasing crops or raw wool or other goods from the Geian farms that dotted the countryside. Then, he would seek out inns, cookeries, and tailor shops that needed deliveries and pawn off what he'd purchased for a bit cheaper than it would typically take to have it delivered. He saved money by making the deliveries himself, with a cart he'd rented, and at the end of the day he was worn out, but had a bit more coin to his name than before - and that difference was spent on drinks, or watching performances or enjoying other curiosities the city could provide.

A month later, his clothing was a bit more worn, since he only had a few changes of clothes, but he was in good spirits.

Then - a familiar, tremulous voice called to him and, blinking, he sat up and looked at the familiar girl he'd met a few weeks - no. No, a month ago! "Miss Iphito!" He greeted, surprised as he stood from his chair, abruptly setting down the alcoholic drink he'd been imbibing. "You're back! Is it - ah. Did you have a good.. visit?" With a tree? He had no clue how all this worked.

(2/10)

That was - NOT the greeting he'd expected! She made her way through the inn to him, and Amon gestured to the booth, about to ask if she'd like to join him for lunch when she lunged for him - her arms draping around his shoulders and, due to their height difference, his face landed squarely in a place no refined gentleman's face belonged. An unintelligible noise of panic broke from his throat and when she drew away his face was a mottled purple, eyes huge on his face as he stared up at her.

His brain had completely shut off and, for a moment, his mouth worked uselessly until he finally cleared his throat, splaying a hand over his mouth. The many silver rings that used to adorn each finger had been pawned off to pay for the inn and, in the time he'd been here, he'd realized he didn't miss them at all.

"I-I'm delighted you had a good time with your ah... family?" He croaked. Finally, he sank into his seat and took a long drag from his drink, using the burning liquid confidence to settle himself. At her observation he looked down at himself, then back at her curiously. "I've kept busy. It has ah... helped me keep my mind off what bothered me, the last we spoke." He admitted a bit awkwardly.

"Do you want to sit? Eat?" He invited, nervously rapping his knuckles against the wooden table. The inn was of middling repute; a bit grubby in that some tables went longer than necessary without a good wash, and there was a persistent murmuring that often felt overwhelming and loud. But there was an area, segmented off against one wall, where musicians played, and it was pleasant to sit and just exist.

(3/10)

This girl...! Amon had to close his eyes to fight the urge to stare at her again, biting the inside of his cheek. She was such a sweet thing, apparently ignorant to just how fetching she was, and now so innocent as to fuss over his rings! She stood very close now, and casually touched his knuckle, just a tap but still more contact than he'd ever grown up getting so casually from a girl his age. It was at this moment he remembered what she'd mentioned before; that she made jewelry. At the time, he'd been distracted by her words about being attacked, and it hadn't been the focus, but now it made him wonder what sort of things she made, if she'd ever thought to sell them-

OBVIOUSLY not, because here she was offering to just... make him rings! He shook his head at the idea and beckoned her to sit, breathing in quiet relief when it meant she stepped away from him to do so. Then he raised a hand to call a waitress, huffing a bit when the nearest one nodded at him but held up a finger, motioning that it would be a moment.

He sat and looked across the table to Iphito, still flustered but beginning to compose himself again. "Not to worry, my friend; I've been working and rings get in the way when you are working with your hands. Not to fear." Besides, it wasn't very classy to admit he'd sold his things to enjoy his time in Belrea a bit further. "So...! Your business in this land is concluded? When were you looking to travel onwards to the continent?"