Wandering With Different Eyes

[Kysis]

It had been a breath a fresh air, getting out of the keep for a little while, riding like the winds until he and Atropos were both a bit tired.  That had been a hard-coming feat to accomplish.  After the long trek to Greece, it seemed like nothing wore the restless warhorse out.  Kysis was sure it had been an hour, probably three.  Atropos was already back in the stables, happily groomed and quieted down after the run.  Kysis needed to be groomed, but had yet to get there yet.  The city streets were an interesting place to wander now and then, and despite the grumbles of his empty stomach now and then, Kysis wandered.  It had been a while.

Taking a deep breath, Kysis stretched his arms above him, back arching slightly as the muscles protested, actually a little sore.  He had been practicing with his weaponry in every spare moment he got, sometimes even in the shop while he did duty there.  He felt it too.  Having let up a little on the trip to Kreos really left its impact, and Kysis was having to regain his precision.  Kysis dropped his hands to his side, beige tunic and leather doublet settling back into place.  It felt a lot colder, now that he wasn’t in a constant state of motion.

And despite that, there was a lot going on in the streets.  Throngs of people moved through the market, looking at every sort of ware on display, listening to the songs and cries of venders trying to entice people in.  There was dancer from the Frankish territory to the south, something Kysis smiled at, though he did not pause and watch.  Kysis had to pass through Frankish turf whenever he headed back home, to Greece, so it was just a trigger for better memories, of everything his brain was still overloaded with.

There was a lot going on in his life right now, some good, some bad.  That was how it always was, though the highs seemed a lot higher now, and the lows much lower.  Burying his sister, his only sibling, was among such lows.  It still weighed upon him, though it could only be seen in the sapphire of his eyes.  There was a determination in there as well, set because of the new competition in town, which Kysis learned was coming from multiple sources now.  It was more than just the Gulbrands he had to worry about.  That, in and of itself, was setting him a bit on edge.

Anyone could tell just how jumpy Kysis was by seeing the well crafted sword hanging at his side, right hand always hovering close to the wire-wrapped hilt.  It was not that Kysis thought he would be attacked, and especially not in the bright of day.  He was just cautious.  There were a lot of good things in his life which had not come to a full manifestation yet, including his fiancé’s possible carrying of a child—his child.  That, and the wedding, the exhibition, and many other things he could not think of at the moment, especially not with his stomach grumbling again.

Kysis looked around the market as he walked, graceful but deliberate steps as he wove a path through the crowd.  It was nice to just observe things every so often, step out from behind his merchant’s desk and see everything like the people did.  It was a whole different point of view.  Kysis liked it.  It got his mind off things.

[Reaver]

The knife slid easily through the soft grain of the wood, a sliver peeling away as Valdis carefully sculpted the shoulder of the carving. She had been up all morning working on this piece, something to pass the time as she waited. Waited for what, she wasn\'t sure, but something was bound to eventually happen in a city this size. It wasn\'t that she was bored. She was restless.

The carving fit comfortably in her hand, just a few inches in length. The horse\'s head was held low. It kind of reminded her of a bull, getting ready to charge. Another fine animal she would have to craft someday. It would be even better after Magnus got that book he had promised her, the one with a bunch of drawings a doctor had made while observing various animals in the wild. It was pricey, but she would find a way to pay him back.

Not many people stopped to watch her carve. Usually, it was larger pieces and she\'d be passing out whispered prices and details about the fine quality of the wood itself as she worked. Today, she just felt like relaxing. She hoped no guards passed by again, she had been considering joining them for awhile, and might yet. She just wasn\'t sure what sort of license she would need for selling her carvings. It wasn\'t often that she worked in the marketplace, anyways. Magnus usually sold the pieces for her and she would carve them outside of the city, where she could enjoy the cleansing air and scenery.

Pausing in her work to admire her efforts, she brushed the pile of slivers from her lap into a leather bag. The wood she was carving was a rich, dark red. Magnus told her it was from Dag\'s collection, something he had imported from the far South. She wasn\'t sure what was out that way, but the wood seemed pretty enough. It had a healthy glow to it when the sun hit it, and the water she had soaked it in was being retained quite well. She was curious about what the piece would look like after she finished and let it dry. She\'d have a few things left to do, finer details, but it would be worth the effort.

[Kysis]

Kysis saw a glint from the corner of his eye, gaze sliding over before he turned his head.  Flashes of metal normally meant trouble in Kreos, so he was quick to look, spotting the woman with her carving.  Interesting.  Kysis had never seen a woman carving wood.  Perhaps it was the seclusion and social pretenses of Kreos which shielded him from such things before, but it was because of that difference that his interest was peaked.

Turning nonchalantly, Kysis made his way towards the female carver, eyes constantly scanning the wood (very fine product, some of which was imported into Greece every so often for use in the newly rising cathedrals) to figure out what the figure would be.  He could see the arch of a medium-long neck, it looked muscular too.  Bulls had shorter necks than that, though Kysis had only seen one once, so he could never be sure.  That head, as vague as it was without the details yet, made Kysis think of a horse.  Perhaps.  The emerging shoulder reaffirmed his suspicions.

“Is it cherry wood or mahogany?” Kysis stopped five feet from her, close enough that his low voice could be heard without shouting, despite the clamor of the crowd.  Until the final polish was put on the piece, Kysis would not be able to tell which of the woods it was, but he was sure it would be one of the two.  Kysis had spent a lot of his youth in churches, while he was being tutored.  He recognized the woods used.  It was a very fine material.

What he wondered was if she had a sketch of a horse with her, or if she was going completely by memory.  If the latter, Kysis would be impressed.  However, he was too busy looking at that knife in her hands, trying to discern if it was from the local forge or elsewhere.  Kysis knew it was not of Liari make, the steel giving it away instantly.  However, it was good enough to do the carving.  Kysis was curious also if she had smaller tools for more precise cuts, precision work.  There were a few wood-workers back in Kreos who Kysis remembered as having a whole assortment of tools for different purposes.  This woman, whoever she was, seemed just as good as any of them with the singular knife he could see.

[Reaver]

Valdis jumped, eyes flashing widely as she realized the man was talking to her. People usually watched quietly or avoided her. This was certainly different. "I haven\'t t\'slightest clue as t\'what wood it might be, but it works wonderfully." It certainly did, too. With a little water to loosen the grains, the wood was easy to carve and shape.

She smiled disarmingly as she tucked the knife away in her pack, and balanced the carving on the palm of her hand. She still wasn\'t sure what the man was after, but from the distance he stopped at and the calm way he regarded her, he was either a cautious brigand or a smart lad. Either could be a fun way to pursue the afternoon, but she had a feeling he just wasn\'t that sort of person. She hid her frown well as she set the carving aside.

Rising to her feet stiffly, she stretched out a long morning of sitting. Her tone was warm as she continued speaking, "my friend got it fer\' me. \'e says it matched te\' personality of what I was meaning t\'carve. Horses are t\'being a fine thing t\'carve. A lot of spirit." She frowned as she felt one too many knots in her back, and stretched again to loosen it. "I\'ve gone and misplaced my drawin\' though. I suppose I like carvin\' from what I be seein\' anyways." She smiled disarminly again, barely holding back the twinkle in her eye. "Fraid I\'d frighten t\'horses if I tried to work in the stables though." She had certainly tried to, but it had been a difficult task sneaking in.

[Kysis]

No idea?  Most wood-workers were extremely proud of the material they worked on, or grumbled about it depending.  She was not a professional?  For not being in the field, she sure did a fine job of it.  The little figure was coming to life in her hands.  Kysis tried imagining what it might look like when finished, finding it easy to visualize what the rough figure might look like when done, but not if she added a lot more detail, like he at first thought she might.  Would she?  Kysis had no idea.

For jumping, she sure did cheer up fast.  Kysis did not even have a chance to apologize for scaring her.  He was quiet on his feet, as many people had complained about, though with her concentration on the wood, Kysis figured a fully armored guard could have walked up and scared her.  At least she seemed devoted to the subject.

“Horses are proud creatures.” Kysis nodded when she noted their spirit.  Among spirited horses was his own, Atropos, who had been a pain in the stable’s neck since he moved to Oberon.  From what he heard, making new recruits feed Atropos had become a real initiation rite in the stables, as well as a good prank.  It was humoring.  All the more because Kysis knew just how much Atropos would be irritated if the war horse could know.

Carving from what she sees: a lot of artists preferred it that way.  They believed the subject came out more true rather than distorted by memory or fantasy.  Kysis had to agree in some cases.  Others… the distortions could be quite humoring.

A blond brow cocked up in question, curiosity sparking in his mind.  Lost the drawing?  Well, how clumsy.  Her way of speaking reminded him of Ryanna in a way.  That had him not as stand-offish as he normally would be, more willing to offer a helping hand where he could.  There was absolutely no interest in the woman for more than her talent carving, of which Kysis was intrigued with.  Alia would have liked one of those carvings.  Or his mother, for that matter.  Her birthday was coming up, and he had yet to send something off to her.  Perhaps he could commission something?  If the girl proved good, though.  Kysis would have to see a finished piece before he decided on that.

“Scare the horses?  Maybe some of them.  Not all though.  My own horse is rather used to strange noises and weaponry.”  Kysis made a motion to the sword hanging at his side, his pride lately.  Well, one of them, the one he could show off.  Lam might get a bit… flustered (he wasn’t sure if that would be the word, but it sounded similar to what the Greek one would line up to) if he was going all pride and joy in public, after presenting himself so cool and calm that whole time.  Kysis normally was aloof, level headed, rather cold.  It was easy enough for him to keep it up (unless he kept thinking about Lam).

“I’m Kysis Liari.” Kysis took a cautious step forward, extending a hand to shake as was the custom in Oberon.  He could at least try to be nice, rather than completely detached.

[Reaver]

"Well, perhaps y\'could show me your horse sometime. That I might try to craft him." Smiling mischievously, she cocked her head to one side and blinked. "Although, if y\'horse is any near as mysterious as yourself, I might not be t\'havin\' t\'skill enough to craft \'is spirit."

Her eyes widened as she finally let her eyes settle on the sword, having ignored it up to this point. She had noticed that he was armed, but she had been too intent on the man himself to really note the quality of his finement. Liari. Magnus had mentioned this man.

Blinking again, her lips pursed together in a condensating frown. "A mysterious man with a fine\' crafted blade and business, who is t\'freely offerin\' \'is name. If only e\'eryone in this city crawled with as much personality as yourself. That would t\'being a fine time indeed." She chuckled, and picked a troublesome sliver of wood from her hair. "I hear your business produces t\'finest arms. I might t\'bein\' interested."

"I\'m Valdis Ragnhild." She gripped Kysis\' hand tightly, giving it a firm shake. It was a custom she wasn\'t quite used to. She prefered patting someone on the back and comparing blades, trading stories and clinking tankards of ale. Oberon was simply too refined for her.

[Kysis]

Ahhh, so she recognized who he was.  Kysis was missing the anonymity he had gotten when he first moved to Oberon.  Of course, with how well his business was doing in the city, and with who he was engaged to, remaining a random stranger would be impossible.  Kysis was now expected to attend noble functions, act and talk like a lord, all these things which still had his head spinning a bit.  He took a deep breath.

The firm handshake was reassuring, and Kysis quickly noticed her hands had the same callouses as one who uses a sword on a regular basis.  Kysis\' own hands were quite rough, his left one rather scarred up as well.  With the next exhibition coming up, Kysis was bound to knick his palm again in the process of practicing (hopefully not in front of the crowd this time).  No matter, at least not now.  This woman, Valdis, knew who he was.  Strange name.  It sounded foreign, not that he would really know, considering.  Kysis was foreign.

"Well, perhaps one day we can exchange a carving for a blade?"  Actually, that sounded like a good idea.  He could commission the piece he wanted, and give her a weapon from the shop as payment... Hmmm.  Perhaps.  Kysis liked keeping his personal funds and business funds separate though, so perhaps not.  They could work something out if it ever came up.

More than one thing was clicking in his head.  Since Kysis had just gotten back from an especially long ride, Atropos would be a lot calmer than if it was before.  Atropos, in such a state, would not mind a visitor.   Perhaps... or not, either way.  Valdis might be a busy woman, and Kysis could just be a gnat to her, in all reality.

He wasn\'t sure what else to say.  Conversations were still a bit awkward.  Kysis had never been a people person anyway.  So, he decided to leave it at that.  He could bring up Atropos\' mood if she decided to continue their discussion?  It must have looked odd, since they broke hands, Kysis standing at a good distance of a few feet again.  It was a bubble, his personal bubble, of which he planned to keep intact.  Shaking hands was still a big stretch for him.

[Reaver]

Valdis winked and tossed the carving up in the air, catching it deftly as she spoke. "I don\'t think my carvings would be t\'amounting to a sword. A good blade makes t\'craft." Pulling her knife out again, she twirled it and rolled it across the back of her hand, catching it by the handle. "E\'er piece I be makin\' is worked with the care of a sharp mind an\' sharp blade."

She held the blade out a little to show Kysis the tip. It curled back on itself, with a notch in the back side. "Made it special fer\' various work. You be wantin\' coin fer\' your craft lad. I wouldn\'t be lettin\' you walk away with one of my hunks of wood when I could better show you how to be makin\' one." Normally she would have leapt at the opportunity, but she wanted to make a good impression with this Kysis Liari. Building a reputation as a craftsperson would excell if they heard it from him. Building a reputation as the craftsperson you wanted to buy from, took something more. If they saw that she had skill and kindness, they might try to take advantage of her and buy her goods for well-under price. Except, that Magnus and Dag had both taught her a great deal about the merchant business. They\'d walk away with a piece of her work, and a far lighter purse. They\'d do it again, too.

"If y\'aren\'t busy, I\'d like to be seeing those famous blades of yours. I can\'t be buying at t\'moment, but it never hurts t\'look. No?" She purred, smile warming her face affectionately. Her passion for blades outlived carving any day. Of course, she\'d still find the chance to try and sell one of her carvings to Kysis. This was a chance she simply couldn\'t pass up.

[Kysis]

Well, if she was going to be so modest, Kysis could respect that.  It was a sign of dignity on her part.  That was a rarity, as Kysis had noticed from meeting with fellow merchants.  Very few had the integrity Valdis just showed.  So, definitely not a professional.  That was fine.  Kysis kept a close eye on that blade when she pulled it back up, always weary of a weapon in the area.  He had not been around her anywhere near enough to even be remotely comfortable around her with a blade in her hands.  So, the keen sapphire eyes kept locked on that blade, taking note of it when she held it towards him.

The design of the blade looked like it would be great for skinning a catch after the hunt, but he supposed it could have various uses.  Kysis was not familiar with all types of knives.  Swords were more his type.  Kysis could tell most swords blindfolded by just holding them and feeling the distribution of weight.  It was a honed skill he had.  Very honed.

Rather than telling her how he would never have the time to make something like that, much less learn, he just listened quietly, one hand hanging comfortably at his side, the other resting lightly on the quillion and the bottom of his sword’s hilt.  It was a habit, not a feeling of threat.  Kysis was always ready.  His gait alone could alert someone of that (if they had a trained eye, like a guard would).

“Of course, the shop.”  Kysis had really not wanted to go in the shop today, but that was life.  He would have to stop in some time anyway, so why not?  Motioning for her to follow, Kysis led the way, weaving through the crowd and to the store front.  He opened the door and allowed her to pass through first, before entering himself.  Rico was sitting behind the counter, and perked up for a moment before sighing and slumping over the ledger again.  Ryanna was gone again?  Strange. “Any weapon preference?”  There were all sorts of morsels up for display, and if Kysis was walking in a store like it, he would be like a kid in a candy shop.  There were exotics and normal swords and spears and maces and flails alike, including the arc-bladed flail that was another of his prides.  Kysis was planning quite the exhibition, ending with it again.

[Reaver]

Valdis had slung her pack over her shoulder as soon as he said it, and the carving and knife dissapeared again. She kept a respectful distance, mindful of how far he had put himself when they were speaking before. He hadn\'t seemed very interested in the knife, so she wondered if he was very familiar with wood carving or not. She assumed not. If anything, that could help her out with selling him a piece.

She only had a few finished works with her, the smallest the size of a ring, and the largest the size of her two fists held together. They weren\'t her best work, but they had both been time consuming. Considering that he owned a horse and seemed to respect them, he might be interested in the larger piece. It was a pair of horses, side by side, obviously wild and charging. Crafted from a wood that was nearly black, she was surprised she hadn\'t sold the piece yet. Exotic woods seemed popular here.

That would wait, though. She\'d spring that surprise on him when she could. Magnus told her time after time that the perfect sale was struct at just the right moment.

Following him into his shop, she paused in the doorway and felt her jaw drop a little. The selection was stunning. The quality looked magnificant. "Truth told lad, I\'m t\'best being interested in slender swords. I\'ve a good long one, that yearns for a smaller, balancing mate." A short sword would suit her well, and wouldn\'t be as expensive as some of the heavier pieces. At least, that was what she hoped. She wondered if any of the other mercenaries had been through to make purchases. Magnus for sure, it was how he had met this man. Sigvald wouldn\'t buy a blade for his life. He hated the idea of killing.

"Like I said, I can\'t be t\'buying right now." She shuffled her feet a little, doing her best not to pout. She had to look somewhat profesional, and she knew she was failing miserably. Her eyes did lock on the arc-bladed flail for sometime. Her opinion of the man was rising alarmingly. A pity he wasn\'t more friendly, and the rumors about the captain... Again, she went through a fit of wanting to pout, but hid it behind a wide smile that showed the whites of her teeth.

[Kysis]

A short sword?  Not too heavy?  There were a few like it, some with thinner blades, some made in like with a Roman sword, a spatha.  Perhaps she would be interested in looking at it, at least?  The spatha had cost no more for the forge in Kreos to make, though the price was higher because it was considered as exotic.  Kysis could lower the price considerably without any problems, if she was at all interested.

“That is perfectly fine.  It is always good to look before buying.”  Kysis walked swiftly over to the racks that held swords, pulling out one with a tapering blade that ended in a sharp point, great for thrusting, though not too much for cutting.  The taper of the blade made it so the harder one thrusted, the bigger the wound would be.  Valdis did not seem like a rapier type, so he did not bother pointing them out.  Only nobles seemed interested in them.

“Here is one.  Do you prefer slashing or thrusting?” Kysis tested the weighting of the sword in his left hand, nodding to himself before flipping it over and offering the hilt to Valdis, hand careful on the blade.  All the pieces (that were bladed) were very, very sharp, as Kysis had noticed the hard way more than once.  He had tried catching a sword Ryanna dropped once, slicing his hand up good.  It was the already scarred up side as well, so it did not help any.

“There is also a Roman spatha over by the case.  It is a touch heavier, but small and good for both slash and thrust.”  Kysis was thinking, trying to figure out what would be best.  He could not tell much about Valdis’ fighting style yet, a pity.  Was she a mercenary?  Hmmm, maybe…

He would ask that question later.  For now, he would concentrate on being a good businessman than paranoid.

[Reaver]

"I be t\'prefering t\'let my longsword do the slashing lad. A good stab with an offhand weapon \'as always served me well, but I\'ve never been \'aving a fine weapon to keep for that role." She took the sword gently, making sure to keep her eyes locked on the man\'s. He was definitely seasoned. Paranoia like that served every soldier well. Now was he a soldier, or some sort of guard? The question churned her gut, as dark memories stirred. Best to not find out.

The craftsmanship was fine, and the design would serve her well. She had heard of the spatha though, and was curious about that piece. Multi-use weapons were of far more use in battle than a single-use weapon. This one seemed sharp enough for a slash, but the design seemed too rigid. It really depended on price. She didn\'t need an offhand weapon. Want was more the key word there.

"I would love t\'see te\' spatha. I\'ve heard good things about it." She did her best not to giggle with delight, and repremanded herself for not greeting the person behind the counter. Hopefully no one noticed her slip of manners. Magnus\'s mother Carina always did have trouble teaching her those. The lessons simply never stuck. Not when Magnus had been studying weapontry and sharing the knowledge with her.

[Kysis]

“This one can slash at very close range, but does not have the thickness of blade to withstand a slash from more distance, or if there is armor.” Kysis took the short sword back from her, putting it back on its velvet lined holder.  Then, he lead the way to the counter, glad to see Rico was already pulling out a spatha, doing a final polish on it with a cloth as they approached.  Kysis flashed Rico a smile, one that showed a bit deeper in the eyes.  To the general observer, it might seem a bit odd, though it was completely explainable to anyone that knew them.  They had been friends since childhood, after all.

“This is the spatha.” Kysis took the sword, short with curves wider at the end and thinner close to the quillion, and a fat but effective point.  The hilt was wrapped in fine leather, an intricate weave.  Kysis offered this one forward as well, flat of the blade resting across his arm, hilt jutted forward to Valdis.  It was exciting, being able to show weaponry to someone who would actually know what they were doing.  That did not happen very often.

That, and Kysis had been aching for a spar all day, having done his morning warm-up routine without actual one-on-one practice, which lead to such a long ride with Atropos.  Of course, Kysis could get in his spar later that day.  Rico was always ready, and seemed even more eager to please than usual.

“You haven’t introduced me yet?” Rico leaned over the counter a little, giving Valdis an inquisitive look.  She was an attractive woman, though not Rico’s type.  If Kysis was not already taken, Rico was sure the lord would have been interested in the blond.  Warrior women were non-existent in Kreos, after all. “Rico Licosa, Retainer to the Lord Liari.  It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss.”

[Reaver]

Valdis nodded as she accepted Kysis\' explanation, and idly watched Rico hand off the Spatha. It took her sometime to realize that he had introduced himself, and wide-eyed once again she held out her hand to shake, disdaining the proffered sword in Kysis\' grasp. "I\'m Valdis Ragnhild. I\'m surprised Kysis was not t\'introducing you. Shame on him." She winked up at Kysis before giving up on the handshake, too eager to examine the spatha. "My apolagies Rico, but the blades calls t\'me." She managed another wink for his sake, even idly resting her weight on one leg to let her hip rest a moment.

She took the spatha slowly and once again kept her eyes on Kysis\' own. No sense in exciting the poor boy. He seemed to be having a fine time with this though. She wondered how long he had been selling weapons. "Isn\'t to bein\' too heavy. Not t\'prettiest thing I\'ve seen, all the more reason t\'be lovin\' it." She flashed her teeth in a grin, and nodded her approval. "After I go t\'find out if I can charm and fight my way into t\'guards, then I might be t\'having the coin to buy something from you Kysis." She made sure to use his name, to draw in his full attention.

If she was going to set the hook, now was the best chance. Before she started drooling over the blades. "An\' if I don\'t get in, my carvings fetch me a pretty." She hefted her bag as she returned the sword to Kysis\' grip carefully. She made sure the weight of the carvings could present itself without letting the pieces escape their rolls of cloth and harm each other.

[Kysis]

A slight dusting of pink showed on Kysis\' cheeks, but nothing more of a blush was visible, the young lord concentrating on watching the spatha and being sure it remained safe.  If a noble ended up buying one of the three spathas (all unique) they had, Kysis knew they would more than make up for any discount they could give Valdis.  Of course, if Valdis was waiting on an opportunity with the guard, it might take a bit.  From what he had heard, they were not inducting new guards at the moment.  Kysis hoped that worked out for her.

It was interesting that she kept saying his name, if a bit odd.  Most people only said it when they had to, since it was a bit out of their usual range of sounds.  Of course, Kysis was already certain of Valdis being new to Oberon, from somewhere other than the keep city.  That constant use of his name made his earlier question come up again, and this time he really had to ask it.

"You wouldn\'t have happened to come to Oberon with the Gulbrand mercenary group, perhaps?"  Kysis took back the spatha, handing it swiftly over to Rico who put it back to place.  Rico had a smirk on his face and was watching Valdis like there was nothing else in the world.  If he knew Rico at all, Kysis knew what he was thinking, and it wasn\'t happening.  Kysis made a mental note to let Rico have it later, in sparring form, that is.  It would be fun to wail on him with a sword for an hour or so.  Very fun.  Especially if he was getting ideas like Kysis thought the sneaky Retainer was.

"Captain Wilson is going to flay your hide."  Rico kept his smirk, darting a glance towards Kysis before looking back to Valdis again, dropping her a wink back.

"What?  I can\'t talk to females anymore?"  Kysis shot the Retainer a glare, rolling his eyes. "I could just send you back to Greece."

"I didn\'t say a word, Lord Liari."  Rico gave a mocking part-bow on his stool, flipping through the ledger before him and pretending to be interested in it.  The glances he kept darting back up at Valdis showed he was not even paying any attention to the ledger.