brielleroux rp 1 – vvardenfellcat

brielleroux:

“Surprised, are you?” Brielle played along. “I’m not. She
can be very clever and downright unfair at times.

“Could you? That would be wonderful!” Knowing this puts a
little more energy into her step, a little skip, and she beams at the Khajiit
before turning her attention back to the road and what is ahead.

The remaining distance is covered quickly, and soon they are
passing the stable. Brielle stops to stare at the horses poking out their
heads. “You should also stop by the stables if you get a chance. The horses
like company.” For a moment she considers asking to stop, but turns away from
the animals and their home to approach the gate. “You need your map, and the
horses can wait.”

His first impulse had been to approach the horses, a look of awe directed at their dappled coats. But…Brielle was right. The map came first. The horses would still be there afterwards…right? J’hasi let out a quiet sigh, a smile spreading over his face as his eyes roamed the long manes and soft eyes, small ears pricked in quiet interest as they lazily browsed the feed left out for them.

“Yeah…” he muttered, distracted by the new coat pattern and the soft-looking noses of the giant, nickering creatures. The Khajiit’s jaw tensed a little at the sight of the guards at the gate however, eyes instantly wary and on guard as they approached the doors. He unconsciously drew a little closer to the Breton, grip tightening on his spear as his empty hand went right for his belt again, uncertain how to keep it still. He really hoped they wouldn’t give him a hard time like they had at the last big city he had run into.

brielleroux:

Seeing the positive reaction and learning that he, too, read
the book excites her. “Yes! Well… that is close. Two candidates are chosen by a
king who needs a new servant, and those candidates were told to create a
tonic that would make the king invisible.

“Do you? The ones with wordplay are my favorite.” Does he
have time, she wonders, to visit the temple before moving on? There are books
she would like to share. “I haven’t heard many riddles in other languages,” she continues. “I
think I would like to.

“… And if you have an opportunity—before you leave—you should
visit the Temple of Mara. I have a few books lying around…”

The Khajiit’s ears pricked at the invitation, the implications of such making him feel a little better about his conversational skills at the very least. A small, happy smile pulled at his lips before his tail flicked.

“I wasn’t aware that Mara was the Cyrodilic god of riddles.” he joked, a good-natured grin taking the place of the previous smile. He was still unsure of what else he could talk about, but the topic of riddles seemed to be holding the conversation up well enough. His grip on his belt slackened as ease started to seep into the places where tension had gathered, loosening his movements as he continued to keep pace with Brielle.

“I may be a little rusty, mind, but I’m sure I can remember a few of the riddles well enough to translate them properly for you.” J’hasi offered, his ears relaxed and calm as he looked over at the Breton properly. Surely he could spare the time for a short visit? It was the least he could do if she seemed to enjoy his company. If not for her, he would’ve likely lost even more time.

brielleroux:

“They should like you, then.” There is a hint of approval in
her voice. “I think they can tell when a person is fond of them and when a
person isn’t. They aren’t daft.”

Again her curiosity is piqued, but again she holds it in.
The Arcanaeum comes to mind. She wonders if he is, in fact, traveling to the
College—plenty of opportunity to read lies within. There is no proof of this
being his destination, and yet she is still envious. If only she were in a
position to travel.

“It might be silly but…” She laughs. “I have a weakness for
riddles and rhymes. Have you read The
Song of the Alchemists? That is my favorite one.”

The Khajiit’s face split into a wide grin, his ears at attention at the mention of riddles.

“The book… I think I’ve read it at least once… Something about two apprentices…and glass? It’s been many years since I’ve read it last.” he said, his posture relaxing and becoming more at ease as he walked, his tail swishing with barely-contained excitement.

“I love riddles, though it gets more challenging depending on what language it’s in. I’m better with object related ones over ones that deal with wordplay, at least with the ones in Cyrodilic.”

brielleroux:

Such a vague response, but she reminds herself that it is none of her business. She can guess privately, though, and his saying that the Sea of Ghosts will be near has her wondering if he is traveling to Dawnstar or Winterhold.

“Handfuls of powder can still work,” she said. “You only have to be standing in front of the person and take them by surprise. It isn’t as fun as a real snowball, but the reaction is just as good—unless you get caught.” A memory has her smiling and snickering. “Then again, it is also hilarious to see them spin around and try to find whoever threw the snowball.”

Her good humor vanished. Looking back on what she said, her comment did sound rather nasty. “I’m sorry. I—You are doing what you have to do, and you’re still helping people. I’m sure they appreciate that.”

It still leaves her feeling uneasy. She was thankful that he changed the topic.

“There are the stables, but if you happen to dislike horses then you would want nothing to do with the place. The market can be… interesting on occasion.” And if you stand around too long you risk your pockets being emptied. “I prefer to stay in and read.”

A grin spread over his face, a chuckling starting in his throat at Brielle’s description of snowball warfare tactics. Being in front of someone and taking them by surprise rarely coincided in his book, but he figured there were ways of accomplishing such. As it was, ideas of how such an assault could be pulled off were flickering through his head.

Her apology surprised the Khajiit a little, pulling him from his thoughts rather abruptly. His mouth opened to assure her that no harm was done, but he quickly snapped it shut when she followed his diverting topic. J’hasi decided leaving the subject would be better than bringing it back up, and hopefully would be forgotten soon enough. His ears pricked at the mention of stables, however.

“Far from it, in fact. I’m actually rather fond of horses. The reading too, though I’ll have plenty of opportunity to do so soon enough.” Her hesitation about the market led him to believe it wasn’t the safest of places, least as far as everyday occurrences went. His jaw tightened at the thought of the Breton coming to harm, and the resulting twist in his gut made him force his gaze towards their destination.

Perhaps looking for work in Riften could be a good start if his already-dwindling coin started to run too low. The idea that he would be doing so to keep an eye on the lass was entirely not the reasoning behind his decision. It was ridiculous, they’d only just met after all. Whoever drew that conclusion was entirely out of their logical mind, clearly. J’hasi cleared his throat, his voice sounding a little raspy afterwards.

“So…what sorts of books d’you read? Anything you’d recommend?” he asked, his eyes flicking towards the ground as his tail curled in closer to himself.

brielleroux:

He might have said loved, but it makes no difference to Brielle. He still enjoyed the snow. That is all she needs to know. This makes her like the Khajiit even more.

“You built snow forts? I helped make a few, but I joined more snowball fights than anything else.” Pressed for time? How sad. “Winter will be arriving soon. Hopefully you won’t be on such a tight schedule, and hopefully you’ll get a chance to enjoy the snow.”

She heard his list of jobs, but it was the last one that had her pursing her lips. “That is dangerous work. I hope… No, I doubt that anyone protests if a troublesome group of bandits. And at least you were able to get some… some gold out of it.”

“Well, the forts are easier to build when it’s just you. Snowball fights tend to require more than one set of hands.” the Khajiit said, a slight frown pulling at his lips at a scent he was catching on the wind. It smelled like…water, stale water, fish, honey, mead…horses, hay…people. He swallowed the lump that started to form in his throat. He didn’t particularly like cities, at least the ones he had run into in Skyrim thus far. They felt small and cramped most of the time.

The villages weren’t so bad, as they didn’t have walls. But then again, no walls meant little protection for those who lived there…

J’hasi’s mouth pressed tight at the mention of winter. ‘Not with the dragons about, I won’t. I hardly had the time when there wasn’t reptilian furnaces belching their innards over the landscape.’

“I’ll probably end up being inside more often than not. From what I’ve heard of it, where I’m going there isn’t much except for the reason I’m crossing Skyrim for in the first place. I imagine I wouldn’t be outside long either, not if the Sea of Ghosts is anything like I’d expect out there: bitterly cold and always blowing. Probably cold enough that snowballs would be difficult to make, that is unless you like throwing loose handfuls of powder.” He had gotten the art of snow-packing down to a science over the many years he had spent at Cloudruler.

Brielle’s tone about his work did finally derail him from the topic of snow and winter in its various forms at least. The Khajiit’s eyes flicked off to the side of the road as his throat constricted out of nerves. He swallowed in an attempt to alleviate it before it could worsen. He could feel the disapproving aura even from the distance he had allotted between them.

“I’m not particularly fond about doing that sort of work, but rarely does anything else pay that well, and it’s better than some half-baked adventurer that’s still wet behind the ears to go traipsing off into a cave and never coming out.” he said, eyes still following the slight ridge of rocks and dirt along the edges of the cobblestone, grass stems pushing their way through in an attempt to reclaim the road. His own odds were much better than most adventurers’ nowadays, not that he would elaborate on that with her. Again, trying to avoid ruffling feathers for the time being.

The Khajiit took a deep breath, holding it for a moment, then slowly letting it back out as he lifted his head up a little higher, loosening his limbs as best he could, trying to appear at ease, despite the roiling in his stomach.

“Anything of interest in Riften, other than it’s stunning array of maps?” J’hasi asked, realizing his tail was far too still and giving it a swish behind him. ‘Just relax.’ He repeated it to himself over and over in his head, a mantra intended to soothe his frayed nerves. Suspicion was nigh imperceptible in the lass, and it would remain that way if he stopped acting like a twitching, gibbering idiot.

brielleroux:

Does she miss Bruma?

Yes, she does.

“Every single day,” she answered. “I… don’t miss it as much as I used to, but… some mornings I still wake up expecting to be there and—“ And it leaves a longing that she tries to ignore. Scoffing softly at herself, Brielle leaves the sentence unfinished.

But she feels as though she should say something else. Ask something else, perhaps, to prevent an awkward lapse of silence. Riften’s gates, while closer than they were, are still quite a ways away. “It’s good to talk to someone else who has lived in the city, even if it was only for a short period of time. Tell me, did you hate the snow? I thought that the snow was wonderful.”

Then another question comes to mind, and there isn’t much of a pause between the first and this one. “Is this what you do for a living, then? You travel?”

The Khajiit’s lips twitched in a grin.

“I loved snow. My brother, not so much. I used to build forts out of it in front of the Chapel of Talos, though I never did get to finish one. I’ve been a little pressed for time since I came to Skyrim, so I haven’t done much of the same here either.” Just remembering how numb his hands would get made the joints ache a little. J’hasi flexed his fingers a bit as his tail swept behind him, chuckling quietly at the second question.

“If traveling was all I needed to do to make a few drakes though, I’d be set for life. Nah, I mostly do odd jobs. Hunting, chopping firewood, bounties, whatever needs to be done. Occasionally I’d do mercenary work, but I’ve done less and less of that over the years. It tends to make a few enemies.” He shut his mouth, swallowing as he mentally chastised himself. ‘Stop talking so freely, idiot! Finish your thought and shut up!’ J’hasi’s tail gave a quick flick, smiling at Brielle as if nothing was wrong, nothing at all.

“But if a few bandit dens get cleared out, very few protest against it, and it makes good gold.”

brielleroux:

“You crossed the Jerall Mountains?” There is a sudden pang in her chest. She misses those mountains. Those mountains mean home, and the ones here are simply, well, mountains and nothing more.

“That is good – you not having many problems while on the road, I mean.” She pressed her lips together, preventing herself from rambling.

She remained this way until his next question. “Cyrodiil,” she answered with a smile. “I lived in Cyrodiil, in Bruma. Did you pass by the city before crossing the Jeralls?”

Bruma.

Even just the name brought up a rush of memories. Flashes of snow, blood, flames, and familiar faces long dead flickered in his mind. One face in particular caused that old ache to squeeze in his chest, only worsening with the flash of smouldering ruins and broken bodies, splashes of red staining the white of the mountainside. Old feelings of fear, pain, loss, but also a sense of belonging, of purpose… Bruma was a lot of things for him.

The Khajiit quickly remedied his brief moment of silence with a wide grin, grasping his belt with his free hand and pressing his fingers into the leather, gripping his spear even tighter with his other hand to hide the slight shaking.

“I lived around there for a time. Not long, mind, but long enough to call it home. It also was my last stop to get supplies before I headed into the pass.” Last intended stop, anyway. J’hasi’s tail flicked as he slipped his fingers free from his belt and adjusted the strap on his shoulder. What happened after he returned to Bruma still made his shoulder tingle uncomfortably. He looked over at Brielle with a smile.

“D’you ever miss it? Bruma, I mean.”

brielleroux:

She, too, had almost held out her hand in greeting. It seems that they had similar thoughts – stopping their progress down the road to shake the other’s hand, something that would take only a few seconds, and then continuing on would be a wasteful and silly thing to do. That didn’t stop her hand from shifting. It brushed across her skirt, sweeping away any patches of dirt that clung to it before fiddling with a sleeve.

“I have lived in Skyrim for a couple of years.” Has it really been that long? It didn’t feel like years at all. “Tell me if I’m wrong,” she continued, “but this is your first time to Skyrim, yes? I hope that you haven’t had much trouble while traveling.”

J’hasi grinned, eyes briefly flicking to the cobblestone just before the worn toes of his boots before his gaze returned to Brielle’s face.

“What gave it away? Y’know, I’ve been trying to get rid of this accent for years. I’ll have to try harder it seems.” he joked lightly, his tail giving a quick flick behind him, his ears cocking. The Khajiit’s grin eased slightly.

“I’ve been here for…almost two weeks, I believe. Maybe three. I haven’t been keeping proper track for the last few days.” His tail twitched, the fingers wrapped around his spear tightening the barest amount, remembering his first day across the border.

“As for trouble…aside from the sudden appearance of dragons, it’s nothing I’m not used to. The Jeralls were more of a problem than Skyrim itself. The mountains are beautiful, but the winds are cold and cut right to the bone.” he said with a shrug, his smile back in full force.

“And aside from a few interruptions, my travels have been relatively unhindered. Outside of being entirely lost, that is. But you’re being incredibly helpful, so I should make up the lost time with little trouble.” His nose twitched at the scent of a deer, his mouth watering before he made a mental note to hunt after his business in Riften. He looked back over to the Breton he easily kept pace with.

“So where did you live before Skyrim?” he asked, his smile softer, genuine curiosity on his features.

brielleroux:

She couldn’t agree more. Losing your way once is more than enough. A second time would be maddening.

She chuckled. “I hate admitting it, but you are probably right. Some people stop for nothing.” Her eyes glanced down at the map as well, and she wondered where he had gotten it. And, more importantly, who made it? Even she had a better map than this.

“My name is Brielle,” she answered, feet beginning to move down the road. “And you are?”

The Khajiit lifted the haft of his spear off of the ground before he walked alongside the Breton, his tail flicking over the worn cobblestone under their feet.

“M’name’s J’hasi. It’s nice to meet you, Brielle.” he said, a little more at ease now that they were moving rather than having the lass’ full attention on him. He was about to offer his hand for a shake, but thought better of it. It would be awkward to pause just to shake hands, and walking while shaking would be even more so. He settled for glancing around the area, his nose picking up the sweet scents drifting on the breeze.

“So how long have you been in Skyrim?” he asked, feeling his mouth go a little dry at the prospect of small talk, but what else could he do? Walk in complete silence, the awkward tension growing in the air until it felt like it would strangle him? No thank you. At least with attempting small talk he had a chance to get more information about the area, maybe even find something in common that he and the lass could chat about until they reached the Pawned Prawn. His ears pricked, focusing less on the scents and sounds of their surroundings and more on his new acquaintance.

brielleroux:

“I’m sure that Bersi would have a map or two that he would sell.” It slowly dawned on her that this stranger might not know who Bersi is. She added, as quickly as she could, “Bersi is the owner of the general store, the Pawned Prawn, in Riften.

“I… am making my way back to Riften. Do you want to join me? I can show you where the Pawned Prawn is.”

The Khajiit’s face broke into another crooked grin.

“Considering I’m in need of a new map, I’ll have to accompany you. I’d rather not get lost twice in one day. Once is more than enough.” Not that she need know he had been lost since two days ago. He definitely needed to have a word with Markus about what maps he gave out. A brow crooked higher, his grin softening into just a quirk of a smile.

“Besides, I don’t think I would get as lucky if I asked for directions a second time. Meeting such a kind lass as yourself hasn’t happened often.” His eyes flicked back down to his map, a small grumpy frown flitting onto his face before he sighed and rolled it back up, fastening it tightly closed and tucking it into his pack. J’hasi pulled the strap back over his shoulder, grabbing his spear from where he had leaned it against his knee.

“So what’s your name?” he asked, his ears pricking as his tail slowed in a flick to curl at the tip, patiently waiting for her lead.