In the quieter moments today, Rahse could have almost pretended that nothing had changed. Alone, in a strange town he'd only passed through before, strangers exchanging looks with him, idle winds breezing through the main street, idle chatter and din denoting a few hundred peoples' worth of trade, it all conjured a mood he'd long since learned to embrace. A yearning for travel. A curiosity for people, both in search of opportunity and knowledge, the thrill of reading each often deciding which gained priority. And only so many obligations as he cared to sling over his shoulder and carry down the road, coin in his pocket, something new to read in his bag, some mark or target somewhere promising more roads yet to come.
That last part was where it had all broken down today, the crushing weight of his new reality coming back to bear. He wasn't alone, he had a great deal more thrill than he knew what to do with in the past few days alone, and he had very much chosen very dire obligations that would follow him down many roads.
All for a woman, no less. Maker, if his mother could see him now...
Returning to the inn with an overstuffed bag full of gains, Rahse would spare the inn-keep a nod as he walked silently upstairs. Stopping at the top, he would look over his shoulder, keep still, and listen, letting a good 20 seconds tick by as he pretended not to exist for a bit. When no following eyes, no idle footsteps, no... phantoms, he supposed, came following, he adjusted his grip and went up the ladder to the attic room, knocking on the hatch in the floor with the pattern they'd agreed to before waiting another few seconds and pushing it open, hauling himself up with an exhale.
Letting the wood back down gently for less sound, he would finally come to the bed's edge and set the bag down, glancing at Leena's face.
Seeing that she looked like how he felt, he opted not to; with a hand run through his hair, he would flick his chin up and shoot her a little grin in greeting. "What'd I miss, darling?" Reaching into his bag, he would begin to produce a number of items that represented most of his remaining gold; a few bundles of hard tack for emergencies, some plain clothing for them both, a duo of simple wool cloaks, and other such traveling basics. The sorts of things that would only make a trader recall "ah, yes, I can't even recall what that gentleman bought".
Grin maintaining, he'd nevertheless glance at the window, tone remaining light. "See anything?"
That last part was where it had all broken down today, the crushing weight of his new reality coming back to bear. He wasn't alone, he had a great deal more thrill than he knew what to do with in the past few days alone, and he had very much chosen very dire obligations that would follow him down many roads.
All for a woman, no less. Maker, if his mother could see him now...
Returning to the inn with an overstuffed bag full of gains, Rahse would spare the inn-keep a nod as he walked silently upstairs. Stopping at the top, he would look over his shoulder, keep still, and listen, letting a good 20 seconds tick by as he pretended not to exist for a bit. When no following eyes, no idle footsteps, no... phantoms, he supposed, came following, he adjusted his grip and went up the ladder to the attic room, knocking on the hatch in the floor with the pattern they'd agreed to before waiting another few seconds and pushing it open, hauling himself up with an exhale.
Letting the wood back down gently for less sound, he would finally come to the bed's edge and set the bag down, glancing at Leena's face.
Seeing that she looked like how he felt, he opted not to; with a hand run through his hair, he would flick his chin up and shoot her a little grin in greeting. "What'd I miss, darling?" Reaching into his bag, he would begin to produce a number of items that represented most of his remaining gold; a few bundles of hard tack for emergencies, some plain clothing for them both, a duo of simple wool cloaks, and other such traveling basics. The sorts of things that would only make a trader recall "ah, yes, I can't even recall what that gentleman bought".
Grin maintaining, he'd nevertheless glance at the window, tone remaining light. "See anything?"
06-07-2024, 08:21 PM
