Watching the fight on another cold day

[Existentially Odd]

(ooc: My bad, I didn\'t properly explain that \'smaller\' comment in my last post, I was only thinking it\'s smaller than an ale - I amended it now, sorry.  He didn\'t give her a cider any different to his, it\'s exactly the same size, just not as big as an ale tankard

"Oh, aye," he drawled his agreement after savouring the mouthful he\'d taken from his own drink.  He settled back into his chair, tilting his head thoughtfully as she talked about her mother in the past tense.

He couldn\'t help but look Alithia over more carefully then, trying to examine what might be found beneath the grime.  That smile of hers made him think twice about her looks; she might well be pretty if she allowed it of herself, though she looked so frail she might snap in half in a strong wind (which was not something he found attractive in women generally, though he knew of men who liked to bear down on partners likely to break beneath their dominance).

"Your mam doesn\'t make cider anymore?" he asked quietly, his head still tilted in curiosity.  It was a leading question and he knew it, but the gentle openness with which he phrased it ought to let her know she had the option of avoiding answering, if it was going to be a painful thing to do.

He glanced down to watch the rough pads of the fingertips of his right hand trace the age-old grooves and notches left in the tabletop by the innumerable previous visitors, just in case she felt too much pressure with him looking into her eyes.  His body was turned slightly in his chair so that his left arm was hooked over the back and his right was taking up most of the table space, the long sleeve of his shirt pushed up to his elbow and leaving bare the tanned, muscular length of his forearm as he poked negligently at the wood.  Veins were evident (mostly on the underside) here and there on the limb, from the hard work his arms constantly had to perform and the tendons pulled occasionally as he picked, giving him something else to distract his eye, rather tham imposing a stare on Ali - though he glanced up through his lashes at her occasionally.

[DeathsAngel]

Ali\'s smile faded a little as he asked her about her mother, not much. Though the pain showed in her eyes, she was careful not to let it show anywhere else. The pain was still to close for comfort even though it had been years since they had passed away. "No, she don\'t. Ye see, both meh parents are dead." She shrugged lightly to show that the subject didn\'t bother her, though in fact, it did.
 
Still keeping her grin in place, but it did not hold the joy it had a moment ago, she bit the inside of her lower lip and watched his arm absently as he picked away at the table, until she brought her mind back into the present. Her grinned broadened a little and the pain left her eyes as she forced her mind to think about something(anything) else "But, that was a long time ago, and I\'ve learned how to live on my own."
 
She looked up at Gallagher as she spoke and tried to think of something else to say to add to their conversation, and to change the subject she added to herself. "And yours, what do they do?" She asked, still trying to think of something better to ask, but her mind was slightly distracted, plus her hunger was starting to get worse. She might go up and buy a loaf of bread soon if it got bad enough. But she wouldn\'t really need to anything for a while yet, and she picked up her glass to have another, smaller, sip.

[Existentially Odd]

"They\'re farmers.  Dairy farmers," he explained quietly, smiling kindly at her as his left hand came up so that his fingers could play along his full lower lip thoughtfully, the right still picking absently at the table.  His blue eyes glinted as they watched her steadily, his gaze roaming over her face.

Her parents had been dead for years she\'d said, and she\'d learned to look after herself, so she likely didn\'t have any siblings or any extended family such as aunts, uncles or grandparents to rely on.  She was alone in the world and, judging by the scrawny, filthy state of her and the way she smiled but it never reached her eyes, she had done her best but found a guarded and fluctuating way to survive.  He wondered if she\'d appreciate an offer of something steady or if she was too far ensconced in her ways.

Could she be that old?  He couldn\'t tell.

"I grew up on the farm, until I was fourteen and became apprenticed at the stables, as a hand," he expanded, the smile of fond memories recalled tilting the lips he was playing with up at the corner.  "I didn\'t exactly leave my parents in the lurch, though.  I have nine brothers and sisters younger than me - well, except for Baxter, who\'s my twin and is, technically older than me - who grew up helping just like I did, learning how to work hard and fall into bed every night grateful that it\'s there," he chuckled, still examining her features for any signs of emotion or hurt at his deliberately-provocative words.

"I couldn\'t imagine being in your situation.  Being alone.  How long have you been without your parents, then?  How old are you?" he enquired, his voice soft but his tone not overly so.  He didn\'t think she\'d appreciate him talking to her like she was someone worthy of pity after she\'d proved she was capable of bringing herself up.  In truth, he admired her tenacity and he wasn\'t blowing smoke in her eyes; he really couldn\'t imagine being alone and surviving by himself, he was too used to being with people who looked up to and supported him.  What would he be, if he was in her shoes?  He believed a dismal failure!

[DeathsAngel]

Ali listened quietly as he talked of his childhood and took another drink of her cider, drinking the last of it, regretfully. Her smile quickly disappeared and she debating just getting up and leaving, but instead she took another drink of her cider, wishing it was stronger, and controlled her features so that she was smiling, though you could tell it wasn\'t cheerful like the ones before, as she set down her now empty glass.
 
She remembered her own brother as he spoke of his, she hoped, once again, that he was doing fine, but brought her attention back to the conversation at hand. It hadn\'t changed much. "Brother\'s farmer." She added absently. "Ain\'t seen him in a bit, though." The statement wasn\'t one of selfpity or loss, she just felt like she should say something.
 
 She shrugged as he spoke of her situation. "You get used to it after a while. It was hard at first, but you just force you mind not to think about it." She hadn\'t noticed that her accent had completely dropped. "And you talk to yourself lot." She said with a small laugh. "Well, my mother died five years ago, and my father two, but..." She cut herself off, thinking he probably didn\'t want to hear the whole story, most people don\'t. "I lived with my brother after that, but we parted bit over a year ago." She shrugged again.
 
She looked down at her still empty glass and looked back up. "Do you want me to go get some more drinks?" She asked quite suddenly.

[Existentially Odd]

He raised his eyebrows at her, surprised she was offering to buy drinks and dropping his left hand to the table\'s edge, rubbing it absently as he watched her.  She\'d avoided telling him how old she was, which made him lower his initial assumption a few more years, leaving him with the notion she was only fourteen or so.  Could that be right?  If she was any older, surely she\'d have stated her age proudly?

Gallagher glanced around, knowing she was avoiding this conversation and not having the heart to press it.  What did it matter to him how she\'d coped after the loss of her parents?  He knew enough for now, and only if they were going to become close friends would knowing more make a difference - and e couldn\'t see that happening.

"I have a better idea," he smiled, noting that there were more people around them eating now and that the inn was filling with the most delightful smell of roasting meat.  He looked back at her, expression still enquiring.  "It seems the Falcon\'s Mask is prepared for their dinner rush quite early this evening and I skipped mid-day meal.  How about I buy us both a meal?  It will help steel me for the walk back to the stables and, hopefully, completely repay the debt I owe you for covering you in ale," he asked, his manner enticing.

He glanced down at her front as he spoke, saddened anew by the fragrant wet patch adorning her front.  It wasn\'t going to dry quickly, in this weather.  Did she even have the means to launder her clothes?  Nothing about her seemed clean; perhaps he would be better off offering laundry services instead!

[DeathsAngel]

Ali\'s smile grew anew a the offer of free food, and she realised that she had forgotten to tell him her age as he had asked. Knowing he probably though she was avoided she spoke: "I\'m afraid I forgot to answer one of your questions, my mind seemed to have wandered off." She said, knowing she sounded a lot higher educated that her appearance emplied, but she didn\'t really care. "I\'m sixteen." It seemed slightly weird to tell someone her age, she hadn\'t said it since her father had died, people looking for someone to help carry boxes, or to be a watchout didn\'t care how old you were, as long as you could do the work.
 
"And I\'d appreciate it if you bought me dinner, though I don\'t wish to make you spend too much." SHe added, inwardly glad that she did not have to buy the drinks, she didn\'t know if she could afford it with what she had on her, she never carried a lot, not that she had a lot to carry. "But don\'t you be worrying about owing me, you\'ve already repayed that with the drink!"
 
 She noticed his regretful glance at her shirt and added, to ease his worries. My clothes\'ll dry, and I could always get another shirt when I get home." Steal another shirt when I leave. Was what she truly meant, she wasn\'t going to say that aloud. She couldn\'t tell how he felt about those who broke the law. He didn\'t seem like he was going add any pressure to the subject, but if he did and decided to turn her in, which she didn\'t think he would, she would have to be careful to leave quickly.

[Existentially Odd]

Again, his eyebrows went up as she did declare her age as sixteen.  "Oh, okay," he smiled, then got to his feet.  "I\'ll go and order us the meal of the evening, then," he said easily and strolled over to the bar to do just that, feeling the money spent was worthwhile and also not a very large sum at all.  Of course, he rarely found anything good to spend his excessive savings on, so he didn\'t worry about money much.

When Gallagher returned, he sat with a smile.  "They\'ll bring the food out when it\'s ready," he explained.  "I got us some bread each as well," he noted, indicating that such wasn\'t a regular inclusion. His elbows were resting on the tabletop this time, his hands clasped loosely together before his mouth and so he tilted his head to speak around them while he asked a question that had been nagging at him the whole time he\'d been away.  "So, where do you live?"

[DeathsAngel]

Alithia noted his cocked eyebrows when she told him is age, more of he probably thought she wouldn\'t tell. She didn\'t have any reason not to, after all, when you work on the streets your age doesn\'t matter, plus, sixteen was a good age, she was considered an adult but still taken lightly enough that she could get away with more things, which is harder to do as you get older.
 
She smiled as he returned and said that their food was cooking. She leaned back, placing her hand on the table and set her chin on her palm, feeling herself starting to relax from their earlier conversation. She turned to Gallagher as he spoke to her again. "Well, usually anywhere I can. I rent a room at one of the inns when I can afford it." She shrugged casually, showing a lightness ont he subject. "Though, when I can\'t I either sleep outside or, if it\'s too cold, sleep here where no finds me." She added truthfully.

[Existentially Odd]

He frowned, having thought she\'d respond in this manner but still disappointed that she didn\'t have a real home to return to nightly.  It showed in the way she was presented, of course, but he was sorry that she didn\'t have anywhere safe and secure she could call her own.

"Have you ever thought of seeking work where there is accommodation provided?  Like... at the stables?" he asked airily, giving a little shrug to show that there was no pressure with his question, he was just curious.  They were always in need of new stablehands; young people these days seemed to have a miniscule work ethic and when the job got too dirty, they got out, even though there was the option of food and shelter provided.

It didn\'t get offered to everyone, of course, it was usually something that farmkids received, since they were too far away from home to commute daily, but he knew there\'d been exceptions made in the past and there would be again, in the future.  Such as for Alithia, if she showed an interest.  He was trying to appear casual, but he was actually very interested in what her reaction to this suggestion might be.

[DeathsAngel]

Alithia didn\'t know if his frown was one of disapproval or pity, she was used to both. He didn\'t seem like the type that would disapprove of someone because of their home, or there lack of. But still, she probably shouldn\'t have told him. Her opinion on that changed with his next line.
 
"Work at the stable? You\'d allow me to work there?" SHe asked in shock. "Most don\'t allow me to work for them, I mean, it\'s pretty obvious as to why." She said making a flowing motion with her hands going downward, indicating that she didn\'t have the best of images. Replacing her elbow on the table and resting her chin on her palm once again. "I don\'t think I\'d be very welcome there." She shrugged, two of his words still playing in her head; "accommodation provided".
 
The thought of actually knowing for sure that she\'d have a place to sleep at night sounded absolutely grand, but still, nobody in the past had let her work for them, or if they did it didn\'t last long. She bit her lip and thought about it, then looked back up at Gallagher. "I don\'t think they\'d let me stay, but," she shrugged lightly "It\'d be kind of nice if I could."

[Existentially Odd]

He shrugged, warming to his topic now that she\'d shown some interest.  A light had flared in her eyes, that had her gaze moving and her brain obviously co-ordinating this new prospect into her life, causing him to grin.  "\'They\' is me," he informed her simply.  "They\'re my stables, I run them.  I may not have the Stable Master\'s title, but you\'ll find I do far more work because of it.  I live at the stables, too, in the rooms that ought to be his, while he sleeps elsewhere, with a family."

Gallagher bore no grudge against the man who was, technically, his boss, but he did feel that the stables were his, due to the lack of committment the stable master showed to the job.  Bede was in the place for every hour of the day, he knew the rosters, the horses, the newcomers and the secret inner workings of placing a horse into an establishment such as his.  For whatever he didn\'t know, there hadn\'t been a question designed to alert him to the fact, yet.

"I\'ll allow you to stay at the tables, should you be interested.  It\'s my decision and, as long as you work harder than you likely have in a long time, earn your keep by listening and following directions exactly, learn everthing you can about horses and keep your nose clean, I\'m willing to find you a place there.  You just have to tell me it\'s what you want," he coaxed, staring very seriously at her.  "Because I have no place for anyone on my team that\'s not entirely dedicated to helping animals - and themself."

[DeathsAngel]

Alithia forced herself back into the present, and forced herself to keep a serious face, though the corners of her mouth tugged upwards, though her eyes still showed the shock of somebody actually offering her a steady, and legal, job. "You\'d really allow me to... Work for you?" Most took one look at her and decided she wasn\'t worth trusting, and were right for the most part.
 
"Hard work ain\'t nothing compared to sleeping in the snow!" She stated firmly, showing that she would indeed, work hard. "And I really do want it! I\'ll work hard, and won\'t take up much space!" She smiled and stopped herself from babbling. An actual permanent roof, food every night, she didn\'t mind working for that. She had worked for less. She restrained herself from begging, though she couldn\'t stop pleading with her eyes.
 
Though she had never thought of working with animals before, she liked them, and now loved them for getting her off the streets. She would treat them like they were royalty, as long as they didn\'t steal her food. But she doubted they would. She wished she could tell Daniel, but she didn\'t even know if he was alive. She would have to see if she could find out after she got settled.

[Existentially Odd]

Gallagher beamed, interrupted from speaking just then as their meals arrived.  He\'d ordered them another cider each while he was at it and he was glad now, for they certainly had something to toast.  As he sat back in his chair to allow the plate and drink to be set in front of him, he peered around their delivery girl to speak to Alithia.

"Of course I\'d allow you to work for me!  You\'ll get a bed but you won\'t have a lot of space to yourself; you\'ll share with some of the other hands, they have a common area down on the ground floor of the stables," he explained, sitting forward again as the barmaid left them.  He picked up his mug of cider and held it aloft once more, the smile so broad on his face that his dimples were practically flashing.

"Here\'s to gainful employment and a permanent roof over your head!" he crowed, waiting for her to pick her mug up and clink it against his.

[DeathsAngel]

Alithia watched as the serving girl placed her plate before her, barely allowing her to set it down before she grebbed the bread to start and eat. Swallowing a large mouthful she looked up at Gallagher as he spoke to her again, and smiled broadly. She wanted to get up and hug him and jump up and down with joy. A permanent roof, no longer going hungry... A home. It was marvelous!
 
"I don\'t need the space! Don\'t have much to take the space up with." She shrugged happily as she finished her bread and swallowed it, then started on the rest of her meal. She stopped eating to pick her glass and tap it against his. "To gainful employment and a permanent roof!" She repeated, then before she drank it she smiled again. "Thank you!" She drained half the glass in one gulp.
 
She slowed down her eating a little, and ate with a little manners. "When do I start work?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. "I mean, it\'s be a good thing to know." The twinkle in her eyes still danced as she spoke to him, but her smile had toned down to a comfortable grin, instead of a large smile.

[Existentially Odd]

He tried not to stare as she ploughed into her food like she hadn\'t seen something warm in weeks, managing to glance surreptitiously at her from beneath his brows instead, wearing a slight smile simply because hers was so happy.

"You\'re welcome," he laughed after he was thanked and they\'d shared a generous mouthful of their respective drinks.  "I figured I\'d take you back there with me this evening, and show you around.  You can start tomorrow.  The work\'s not too complicated - though there are a few techniques with equipment care you\'ll have to learn - but there is a lot of it.  I\'ll let you get used to the layout and the routines we have before I assign you work with animals though, alright?"

Gallagher watched her properly now.  She might object to starting off slowly but he was always cautious with the livestock.  They were, after all, the whole reason for everyone\'s employment and generally very expensive.  He wasn\'t going to be responsible for something going wrong, simply because he\'d loosed an inexperienced worker onto a prized bit of horseflesh.  Besides, for all he knew, she\'d jump at the first chance she got to steal a horse and make a fortune selling it in a nearby city (by her standards, anyway); he had to take it slowly, until he\'d had time to fully judge her character and her affinity with animals.