(( Collab between Snagglepuss and I ))

“[color=FF7222]It's not as if I own the steps.[/color]”

At least, that's what Duncan tried to say to the woman who had taken a seat next to him, if he had been able to get the words out before the conversation shifted to the food in her hands. Eel? He had heard those around the Royal City had a taste for it, and he imagined those in freshwater tasted similar to those taken from the sea. Still, they were a pain in the ass to prepare and not any better tasting than the abundance of other meals the sea provided.

When she offered him some he was about to immediately refuse- not being one to accept anything without coin or work in exchange- but the mark on her wrist stopped him. Did not the crown cover all of the expenses during this festival for those that were marked? If she hadn't personally lost out on buying her food, then he had no problem with sharing it.

“[color=FF7222]Aye, I'll share in a slice. I haven't eaten since entering the city, and eel isn't the worst thing you could stuff into a pie.[color]”


[color=bc8dbf]"So you've had it before?"[/color] She asked while passing the entirety of the pie to the man. With her hand free Matilda brushed some of her blonde hair behind her shoulders and then settled her chin in her hand, elbow on her bent knees.

[color=bc8dbf]"When did you come into the city?"[/color] she wanted to know, biting into the meat on a stick experimentally. It was tasty albeit a bit spicy and she was busily chewing away. Wandering around the city had made her ravenous.  She had never been somewhere so large before and was studying the crowds around them with interest before coming to rest on her companion fully for the first time. 

[i][color=FF7222]Are you testing me?[/color][/i]

The thought wasn't directed towards his new companion of course, but rather to the gods. In spite of his aversion to using his gift for anything frivilous, he was being presented with a pie that he had no intention of eating the entirity of, and a complete lack of utensils in which to divide his share. That is, other than the sword at his side. Knowing that trying to divide it with his hands would be a fool's erand, he let out a sigh and divided it down the middle with a highly concentrated line of air. A very tiring technique, especially for how little it actually accomplished, but he wasn't too concerned at the moment. Handing half back to the woman he finally answered her;

“[color=FF7222]I've eaten more eels than I care to remember, though they aren't the worst thing you can find in your net. As for how long I've been here- a few hours at most. Here for this festival that seems to have caught the attention of the continent.[/color]”

[color=bc8dbf]"what?"[/color] She was clearly confused by the initial reaction of the man but quickly recovered, taking her half of the pie and inspecting it carefully before handing over the meat on a stick so that she could hold the pie in both hands. 

Apparently she believed they were sharing the entire meal. 

[color=bc8dbf]"I am here for the festival as well!"[/color] She proclaimed cheerily before sniffing the pie and taking a bite. The sauce was salty and the meat a texture ... That Matilda had no words for. [color=bc8dbf] "Mmm...Hmmm..." [/color] She murmured over the meal. [color=bc8dbf]"Did you say nets? Are you a fisherman then?"[/color] The blonde's eye brows arched with interest, hand coming up to cover her mouth so he couldn't see her food while she spoke with her mouth full. [color=bc8dbf]"I've never been on a boat before..."[/color] she admitted, a rueful smile curving her lips before asking [color=bc8dbf]"Do you like the meat on the stick?"[/color]. 

Duncan had barely gotten a bite of the pie into his mouth before the final question had left her lips. This was... a lot more than he was used to handling at once. He preferred a relaxed pace, in both life and conversation. With this woman it was hard to even answer a question before ten more were waiting in line behind it. They would never get anywhere if he tried to answer all of them.

The pie at least made for the best eel he'd ever eaten, although on-deck cooking was never good to begin with. For now he ignored the new stick of meat that was occupying his other hand, focusing on the conversation at hand and eating slowly in spite of his hunger.

“[color=FF7222]No, although where I grew up there were many. My time on the sea was spent hunting people, not fish. I would pick the latter, if I could make the choice again though.[/color]”

[color=bc8dbf]"How intriging..."[/color] Matilda mumbled before becoming distracted with the formation of clouds overhead. 

She was quiet for almost a full minute before blinking rapidly and coming back to the man. [color=bc8dbf]"Did you decide to come to the festival to try and meet your destined then?"[/color] The blonde wanted to know, curiousity coloring her voice and her eyes becoming bright with focus. She personally wasn't all that fixated on finding the one person who would make her abilities stronger... Matilda had never used her own to much avail...The flower boxes outside the shop florished and that was about it. Still she had to admit the opportunity to see and hear and taste and smell so many things she had never experienced before was more than appealing. And the bill being footed by someone else? Made the possibility a reality. 

Finally taking a bite of the stick, and giving an appreciative “[color=FF7222]Mm![/color]” in response to the flavor that greeted him, Duncan appreciated the short silence that had fallen over the two. While he didn't particularly mind sharing details about his life, he'd still prefer to steer the conversation elsewhere, and at the woman's next question he took the opportunity.

“[color=ff7222]I'm not here to find my destined, just looking for the start of my next phase in life. How about you though? I don't think you're a local if you haven't eaten eel.[/color]”


[color=bc8dbf]"Most definitely not local. But I saw this an opportunity to see more of the world and expand my horizons. I know a lot of things within the pages of books but little of the real world."[/color] Matilda finished the rest of her eel pie, chewing thoroughly and glancing around the square appreciatively. 

[color=bc8dbf]"My village is much smaller than this...I don't think I've seen so many people in one place at once... Have you?"[/color]

Perhaps her chattiness and excitablility was merely a reflection of her experiencing a novel situation and not a statement of her true and constent nature.

“[color=ff7222]Books?[/color]”

Duncan had never read a book outside of scripture. Sure, his father had enough wealth to afford him an education in reading and writing, but he had never sat down and actually read through dozens- no- hundreds of pages at a time. If he wanted stories there were always patrons at the bar to ask, and since leaving his life had granted him more experiences than he could ever divine from pages in a tome.

“[color=ff7222]This is far from the first city I've visited- although perhaps the largest. When I lived at sea we never stopped long enough for me to become familiar with any of them though. Be careful though if you're not yet familiar with the 'real world'. I've already been set upon by robbers once since arriving here, some wariness might serve you well in this unfamiliar place.[/color]”

[color=bc8dbf]"Robbers? Were you frightened?"[/color] Matilda's eyes widened at the thought, looking around quickly as if expecting to see the ruffians right there. Realizing the flaw in this thought she smiled sheepishly at her own self and dusted her fingers off on her skirts idly, not caring if it soiled the practical cloth or not. 

Duncan hesitated before answering. He had no interest in denying fear, though in truth he hadn't felt any during the encounter. It bordered too close to boasting for his taste, and so he stuffed his mouth to avoid having to respond right away. He had no desire to look like a headstrong youth, too confident in his own abilities to feel fear- a fool. Even if he was one.

"[color=ff7222]They weren't much older than children, and none of them were marked. The only thing to fear for was their future if their lives kept to the same course.[/color]"

Matilda thought these wise words over for a moment before nodding in agreement. [color=bc8dbf]"You must be braver than I, I think even threatening children would frighten me, but then it sounds as if you have had experience defusing such situations before...I read once that prepartion is by far the most important aspect when it comes to battle...I would think it would be the same for street thugs as well." [/color] The blonde smiled before glancing up at the sun. The day was trickling away and if she wanted to find her host's house again she'd probably need to start on her journey. 

Now...Had she gone left or right when she tottled out of her father's friends house?  What was the street name again? 

[color=bc8dbf]" Do you happen to know where High Street is?"[/color] she wanted to know of her new found companion. 

For his part, Duncan made no move to stand, still content to relax with the remains of the meal the woman had shared. After all, he had been walking for months on end at this point, and passing up the opportunity to sit for awhile was not on his to-do list for the moment. As for the question she asked, he had no need to stuff his mouth in order to buy time for an answer, he simply shook his head in response immediately.

"[color=ff7222]Sorry, I have not looked at the names of any streets since arriving, I've simply been walking with Olwyn's wind guiding me.[/color]"

[color=bc8dbf]"I doubt Olwyn's wind was guiding me, more like my nose. But I'm sure I'll find my lodgings..."[/color]  Matilda held out her hand to shake with the gentleman, he had been a good companion for the meal after all. [color=bc8dbf]"Next time I think I'll try something called squid. Perhaps we'll see each other again."[/color] 

It seemed to the blonde she had come into the square from the left of the main fountain, so she tried that path, quickly and easily absorbed in the sights and sounds of the city again. Distraction was Matilda's main companion after all. 

Duncan's one good eye watched the woman leave with mild interest. It had certainly been a more favorable encounter than the one he experienced upon first arriving in the city, but still...

[color=ff7222]She was a strange one, no question about that.[/color]

Still, he had seen stranger things at sea, and if his intuition was worth anything, he would see far stranger things yet during his stay in the Royal City.