A new beginning, a new arrival

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:55 pm

Mol would have been in a cheerful mood were it not for the fact that she knew there was a little boy who'd been going hungry. Now he had three bishani, enough to buy lunch and probably dinner too if he knew how to spend wisely, and kids with his background often did.

As they were continuing along to the end of the marketplace there were more established buildings, some that had been there through a few generations, but were well-kept. One of them had been taken up by Haskell's boarding house. The only indication that that was what it was was a sign out front with the word "Haskell's" and a picture of a bed and a picture of a mug. The front of the place had a new layer of paint on it and looked clean but not at all ritzy.

"The way I figure it, guys like this Sirah are used to staying out of sight with respect to the law. What he does might not even be illegal even though it should be. It's a crime in my book anyway." Mol had been remarking as they came upon the place.

"I think this would be it." She said. "The wife runs it, the husband just keeps the books. I think she calls herself Ma Haskell or some-such." She stepped up and opened the door.

Directly inside was a hallway. The building had not originally been a boarding house but it seemed to work well as one. As they came in the owner kept an office on the left side just in the door. It was a small room with a half-door blocking it from the entryway which was padded with a woven straw rug.

An ample woman wearing her graying hair braided and pinned up on top of her head shuffled forward.

"Good afternoon." She said, noticing that she did not recognize them. "Looking for a place to stay? I've got a few rooms available."

Mol smirked, gesturing over her shoulder. "Not me, but he does."

"Oh, OK, well I'd be happy to show you around if you'd like to see the room first. Our standard fees are one and one half bishani per night or a weekly rate of ten bishani per week."

She started to go into a torrent of details about meal schedules, obligations, cleaning schedules, and other things that Mol did not especially care about.

Post by **Valz Malar** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 4:29 pm

The building was fairly well kept painted, two stories, a sad little sign but it looked like it would work, upon entering Haskell's boarding house he saw clean floors, a hallway straight ahead, and a rather large (but not in the same way as Mol) woman who soon realized that he was the future boarder. Apparently this "honor" entailed listening to a long list of rules about the boarding house. Valz had forgotten how tedious these things could be. The woman, Ma Haskell-as she kept referring to herself-was nice enough and seemed like she could talk for hours, but Valz and Mol were in a bit of a hurry.

Finally, Ma Haskell seemed to pause for a breath of air, "I'll take it for a week to start with," Valz said. Ma Haskell finally seemed to actually see him, noticing his sword and the look of determination on his face.
"Mr., we don't tolerate no violence in this here house, and we'll be expecting you to follow the rules or the guard'll hear about it." she looked stern while saying this, and Valz thought that perhaps she didn't need to many guardsman. He would have bet there was a big wooden cudgel behind the low door.

The business over, transaction handled, and key in hand Valz went off down the hall towards the reading/dining room and the stairs that lead to his room (upstairs, back corner, one bed, a chair and desk, and a locking wardrobe).

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:54 pm

Lachtna Spéir sat quietly, cornered in the large quiet room while he enjoyed a simple chair near the window, and the roof above his head. He had been in Marn for some time now, and each day he grew more fearful that he would be discovered for what he was.

It had been difficult to pass the questioning of the guard when he had entered the city. His pronounced features and creamy complexion too easily gave away his genetics, his pale gold and auburn hair a halo - nay a beacon - that seemed to attest to his elven heritage. And elves knew magic, at least that is the impression the guard had come upon him with. It had taken nearly a day before he'd been allowed entrance, and perhaps a week more before he felt comfortable enough to breath normally and attempt to find work.

He'd made a decent week's wages assisting in the market, and weariness had finally led him to use the bishan on a warm, clean room and a bath for himself and his clothing. Had he ever lived a life different than this one? He wondered to himself. The holes in his memory remained large, and he felt he was lost in a sea of possibilities as to who he had been. God knows who he was now didn't help his stress level.

There were footsteps down the hall and he lifted pale eyes toward the door, the pages of the book in his lap forgotten. Perhaps it was the guard. Had that homeless woman with a fever he'd laid his hands on turned him in?

The sound grew closer and two figures entered his line of view through the doorway, one taller than the other, both masculine in appearance. New tenants? He wondered to himself as he closed the book.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:36 am

Mol chuckled and looked to the woman behind the door. "Do you mind if I leave a few things with you 'til my boarding friend and I come back in a few? Nothing major, a few purchases from the market is all. I work down by the warehouses with your husband's cousin Warrell."

Ma Haskell gave her a doubtful look, then waved a hand to have a look at the bags. Mol showed her the bags and what was in them with a shrug. "It's for the work crew. I got a little tangential errand to run. We shouldn't be long."

"Sure, I'll mind them for you." Ma said beckoning. "Warrell's decent. Do you know him?"

Mol nodded. "Sure do. He told me about this boarding house and that's why I suggested it to..." She nodded down the hall.

Ma nodded. "Well if you're bringing in business I don't mind helping you out. What's your name?"

"Molly Coles. I've been in the city for quite awhile. This is a nice place you've got here." She said. "And since I'm waiting for my friend I'll just hang around a bit if it's all the same..."

"Go on ahead. Don't mind me." Ma said shuffling back to her desk and starting to sort through items in a box she had sitting there.

Post by **Valz Malar** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 3:23 am

Valz wandered down the hallway, it was narrow almost brushing against his shoulders as he walked down the hallway; behind him he could hear Mol and Ma Haskell talking about something. The hallway had two openings, one to the left into a kitchen (Valz could smell bread coming from it), Valz assumed it led into the Haskell's living area, the other opening, with an indirect view down the hall. A large table, some bookshelves, some chairs, a staircase leading up to the second floor, and the oddest man Valz had seen in quite some time. A tall, thin (almost rail thin), man (Valz thought, but couldn't be sure, his track record at noticing genders wasn't great today), sat in one of the chairs a book in his lap looking quietly right at Valz. The man's hair was odd, multiple colors, and hanging down into his face.

Valz paused, the man was staring right at him..."can I help you, sir?" Valz asked as he slowly moved towards the stairs.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 1:32 pm

"Forgive me." The man's voice was soft and even, colorful in accent and tone. "I was merely curious as to who was walking this way."

He was definitely male by that voice, even if it was medium in tone and quiet. When Lachtna lifted his head and the hair fell back, the high angled cheekbones became more pronounced, the masculine jut of the chin and set of the shoulders came into view. But he was still a very "pretty" man, easily mistaken if one were to give an idle glance.

Lachtna closed the book in his lap and pushed it away, his mind now on more important agendas. If he was unable to find work, or at least another path to wander very soon, he would run out of the precious bishani he needed in order to pay for this roof above his head.

"I am new to this city." He offered the stranger as he gracefully unfolded his tall frame from the chair. "Perhaps you know of work I may seek after?"

Post by **Valz Malar** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:22 pm

As soon as Valz said the words he realized he sounded gruff, and the man before him was merely curious about his surroundings. The man in front of him, a man Valz was sure, put his book down and stood; normally Valz would take it as a threatening gesture but he sensed no anger or threat in the mans stance, merely more curiosity and politeness.

They made an odd pairing, the tall thin man, standing poised surrounded by books, facing a tall, muscled, sword carrying stranger. The man asked Valz if he knew of any work.

Valz chuckled to himself, "I too am new to this city, arriving only this morning," Valz said to the man, relaxing somewhat, "my name is Valz and my friend Mol suggested this establishment, so here I am. What line of work are you looking for? I've got some things to take care of, but I too will need work soon."

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:10 pm

"I take whatever is available." Lachtna offered with a sheepish smile. "Whatever people are asking for that I am physically capable of."

He watched as the man's face became thoughtful and he shifted his weight, looking about him in that same overly observant manner he had adopted since entering the city.

"Perhaps we could search the market at some point." Lachtna offered. "It is where I have found most of my work." He looked as though he might step away, and paused. "I hope that your tasks go well." He added, hoping the stranger would not think him odd. Old habits died hard, and the elf had always been hopeful and polite.

Post by **Valz Malar** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:46 pm

Valz looked deep at the man before him, "I'll be back in a second, I may have an opportunity for you." Valz looked at the man again, and made for the stairs. He needed a minute to think. Heading up the stairs, Valz doubled back at the top of a hallway leading back along the length of the building. A half-dozen doors opened on either side; Valz's was in the far back. Unlocking the door and going in he saw a window overlooking an alley, a bed underneath, a dresser/wardrobe, and a chair with a pitcher and washbasin on it and a chamber pot underneath it. Dropping his pack in the wardrobe, and locking it behind him, Valz filled the washbasin and proceeded to wash his face. The act was refreshing, in reality washing the dirt off his face while internally washing his worries away.

Valz was focusing on his task at hand and kept running into two main problems. First, how to gain entry into the orphanage, and secondly he knew nothing about the situation once he was inside. Valz thought rationally, who was going to open the door to a muscular, six foot man with a sword peeking above his shoulder? But somebody else...and suddenly it hit him.

Valz was back downstairs quickly, minus pack, and dirt. The tall man was sitting back down again. Valz stood near the man, addressing him with his eyes and tone, "I've got two questions for you, are you an agent of the law, and have you ever worked with children?"

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 6:34 am

"Oh no." Lachtna said too quickly in answer to the first question, certain that the other man could see the fear enter his eyes at the very mention of the word "law". "I'm not an agent of the law." He added, emphasizing each word.

"And I have worked with children a few times..." He trailed off. He had healed children, who held a special soft spot in his heart because he did not know what his own childhood had entailed due to the block within his mind separating him from his memories.

He watched the other man's face, and guessed that he was making an internal decision of some sort. "Is there something you need?"

Post by **Valz Malar** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 5:51 pm

Valz had been lied to enough times to have learned to trust his gut instinct and his gut saw the mans eyes, pale but full of flashing life, narrow in fear while answering. Valz silently judged the man and his answer about the law. Okay, he thought, you've got to trust somebody.

"Here is the deal," Valz began, "my friend and I have stumbled into a situation that may or may not be against the law here in Marn, but in any event is wrong, and that is all the law I need."

Valz began to get warmed up, quickly outlining the situation, his meeting with Mol, Evan the beggar child, and future meeting with Sirah. "Clearly, this man, Sirah, may be honest, and the child could just be upset at him, so I, we, need to check it out, but I have no way of getting close to an orphanage, who's gonna let me in?" Valz said, and quietly looked at the man, "you and, maybe Mol, however, could talk your way into the orphanage. I'm thinking that you will need to act like an official of the city, tell the doorman at the orphanage that you are inspecting for sanitary conditions to prevent the spread of disease or something along those lines. Mol can be your assistant, or can help me keep watch outside. Once inside, first, figure out if the conditions are acceptable, clean, and the children are okay, second, make contact with Sirah and gauge his worth as a man, and finally make a mental map of the building, noting other windows or doors and the number of adults and children."

Valz was kind of amazed at his luck, things seemed to be falling into place, once he had the measure of the orphanage he would decide how far to take his retribution. He was putting a lot of trust in two strangers, but nothing he had done so far was against the law, he was merely talking, and could always tell a judge or constable that he was going to turn the evidence over to the city officials.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 6:36 pm

Lachtna nodded slowly as he thought over everything that Valz had told him. "I would gladly be a part of this mission." He said rather formally, giving the other man a moment to wonder of his history once again.

Lachtna suddenly was straightening his pale gray tunic, brushed his hands over his hair and smoothed it down over his shoulders. His flesh and hair seemed to stand out against the neutral tones he chose to cover his body with.

The books were forgotten for the moment, the roof over his head, the rent money he needed to make. In his mind there was simply one thing - there was someone less fortunate than him in need, and whatever his life had been before, his life now had centered around helping those who could not help themselves.

Post by **Valz Malar** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:23 pm

Valz nodded, a slight smile on his face at the formality of the mans answer. "Good then, I'll get Mol and we can be on our way."

Valz poked his head around the end of the hallway, "Mol" he half-hollered/half-said, "you wanna come back here?"

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:34 pm

"No, but I will." Molly replied. She'd been waiting patiently, or rather, impatiently for Valz since their arrival.

She plodded down the hallway taking heavy steps for a woman, but then she was heavy. She approached Valz with a quizzical look. "I do have to get back to work today unfortunately so I don't have all the time in the world."

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 2:23 am

Lachtna politely remained quiet as she spoke to the other man. He took in her appearance, shorter than him with dark cropped hair. He focused on the fact she was far more masculine than other women he had encountered, but he did not find it odd. After all, hadn't he been mistaken more than once for a woman with his fair features and delicate bone structure?

He instead shifted his pack on his shoulder and waited, certain that the other man would explain the delay that had ensued.