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[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220927/23fb834f443fddf069b302a80ffae13a.png[/img]
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[color=1E90FF][b]Time[/b]: Late Morning[/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Interactions[/b]: [@Lava Alckon] Farim; [@Potter] Layla; [@Princess] Charlotte [/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Mentions[/b]: [/color]
[color=1E90FF][b]Attire[/b]: [hider]
[url=https://i.postimg.cc/8z5xjhFf/b73aac48-9c15-4c53-9289-37731ac8aace.png](Placeholder until I get a better reference image)[/url]
Roughspun, blue trousers
A shoulder belt and waist belt carrying his equipment
Two swords and two pistols, one on either side
A woven, conical hat wide enough to shade his entire face[/hider][/color]
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While Sjan-dehk did his best to take in all of Farim’s introduction – and much to his surprise, he managed to grasp more than just the gist of things – it was the Alidashti’s mention of a trading company that piqued his interest. A trading company that was owned by Farim himself, no less. A tinge of excitement bubbled in Sjan-dehk’s heart. Assuming all went smoothly, and that Lady Adiyan would be well enough to conduct negotiations within the next two weeks, he might not even have to bother sailing for Alidasht or Varian. Not that he minded the journey; were it just his Sada Kurau and himself, he wouldn’t mind making the trip as many times as it was necessary. Unfortunately, he had the Sudah and her obstinate passengers to escort, and he would prefer to spend as little time as possible doing just that. 

He willed himself to remain calm, and stifled his anticipation. There were far too many variables, too many things that could go wrong for him to put too much hope into that possible future. Besides, he wasn’t sure if Farim was being serious. He looked trustworthy enough – even if his resting eyelids made his gaze one that discomforted Sjan-dehk slightly. The clothes he wore were new to Sjan-dehk; they hugged his body tightly like a second skin, and for a moment the Viserjantan wondered just how comfortable it was. 

[color=1E90FF][i]“You are…Too nice? Kind.”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk bowed his head once more to Farim. A minute smile played across his lips as the Alidashti gave his Sada Kurau a compliment. It took all of sjan-dehk’s restraint not to go on at length about her strengths and virtues. [color=1E90FF][i]“She is a very…Fine ship. Thirty-four guns. Sails good even into the wind. And fast. Good crew. We fought, we won many fights.”[/i][/color]

Well, he [i]tried[/i].

He cleared his throat, and went on to answer Farim’s question. [color=1E90FF][i]“We, my ship and [/i]Sudah[i], we came here to trade. Many things in–”[/i][/color] half-turning, he pointed to the huge, imposing vessel in the distance, her battened sails swaying gently in the morning breeze [color=1E90FF][i]“–the [/i]Sudah[i]’s hold. Woods, metals, carved…Art? Decorations, yes, and spices, and more things.”[/i][/color] He paused, then shook his head slightly. [color=1E90FF][i]“Ah, apologies. [/i]Sada Kurau[i] and me, we have…Not a lot to trade. We…Mostly protect the [/i]Sudah[i]. Keep her safe from pirates. My ship, she is a warship. Very good at fighting, but not good at trading.”[/i][/color]

Whether by intention or by accident, Farim helpfully introduced at least one of the others to Sjan-dehk by way of greeting them. Though the man’s name proved too long for Sjan-dehk to remember, he understood that he was a physician of some sort. He turned towards the well-dressed man. Sjan-dehk wasn’t a man of medicine by any stretch of the imagination, but he was curious about how injuries and diseases were treated by other peoples. Perhaps he could learn something that might be of use to Dai-sehk, things that might help the surgeon better treat the crew. Or at least improve his bedside manner. 

Just as Sjan-dehk was about to speak, however, someone new arrived.

Dark and pretty, she reminded him of those who hailed from the Commonwealth’s northern territories. He dipped his head slightly towards her and started to offer a greeting, but she spoke first. And as the first of her sharp words flew from her tongue, whatever prettiness she had in his eyes instantly vanished. 

To Sjan-dehk, she seemed determined to either offend or wound as many people as possible with scalding words, and even though she never turned her ire towards him, he found himself chewing both his tongue and cheeks to a pulp. Especially when she started insulting and deriding the pale girl. But still, Sjan-dehk kept his mouth shut; Farim seemed to be family with her, and he wasn’t about to jump head-first into what could very well be a familial affair. It wasn’t polite, and it surely wasn’t the Way. That, however, didn’t stop him from eyeing her guards. This newcomer had to be some noblewoman – he couldn’t imagine anyone else who could be afforded such protection, and who could speak with such venom. Sjan-dehk drew in a deep breath and kept his calm. So long as words were all she threw, he could swallow his rising anger. 

The newcomer snatched the pale girl’s ribbon from her hair. Sjan-dehk ground his teeth, but kept calm. He didn’t want to make a bad situation worse.

She snatched the girl’s drink from her hands. Sjan-dehk still kept his calm.

Then, she emptied it over the girl’s head, and Sjan-dehk could keep calm no longer. 

An auburn-haired lady reacted first, but the newcomer’s guards surrounded her as soon as she rose to her feet, giving her no chance to do anything. Farim dispatched three of them with impressive skill and speed, but left one who stood far enough away to avoid the scuffle. “This, please hold,” he said in a quiet voice to the pale girl, handing her his drink. Then, he stepped forward to place himself in front of her, at the same time drawing one of his pistols. He didn’t point it at the guard, but instead held it out just enough for it to be clearly seen. Despite the indignation burning within him, a grin pulled hard on his lips. With his other hand, he pointed at the guard. 

[color=1E90FF][i]“Suyahksa ujantah, dai’ihksankan. Sjukihku ika, tusuh-sehka lehksikasoh!”[/i][/color] 

‘Come if you dare. Only one of us will remain’. So caught up was Sjan-dehk in the moment that he barely realised that he had shouted at the guard in his native Viserjantan. Neither did he realise the weight of his actions, nor did he consider the consequences. All he knew was that he saw an injustice happening right before his very eyes, and it had reached the point where he could no longer let it go. And so he had to act. 

As Farim accosted his cousin, Sjan-dehk kept watchful eyes on the guard – and as the other three got to their feet, them as well. Only when he was done, and the guards returned to the newcomer’s side, and he felt certain that there would be no more fighting, did he slide his pistol into its holster. He turned towards the newcomer. [color=1E90FF][i]“Your words, why do you say them? Why do you think it is right?”[/i][/color] His voice was light, and his grin still remained on his face. [color=1E90FF][i]“Because you have guards? Good that a pretty…Noblewi–Noblewoman like you got them. But you are not the only one.”[/i][/color] He flicked his eyes up towards his Sada Kurau. [color=1E90FF][i]“I have two hundred. I look at them in the right way, one hundred will come. Please, do not make me do that. It is…A lot of trouble.”[/i][/color]

He shook his head as the newcomer turned to leave. [color=1E90FF][i]“Please think about what you do. You called her ugly, yes? I disagree. You make her dirty, but that is only outside. Can be cleaned. You are ugly inside. Even if you are pretty outside, you are still…Most ugly here. That is a shame.”[/i][/color]

With hands folded across his chest, he watched them leave. One-by-one, they disappeared into the dense crowd. And as they did, Sjan-dehk’s mind slowly caught up with all that just happened. Once he lost sight of the last of them, he let out a long, heavy breath. His hands went to his hips, and he ground his toes into the sand, all the while chewing on his lip until he was sure he would soon draw blood. 

[color=1E90FF]“What the fuck did I just do?”[/color] He couldn't have done nothing, but at the same time, he wondered if he had done too much. Not that he could have helped it; everything he did had largely been on instinct, and those were still very much tuned for times of open warfare.

Well, it was too late. He did what he did.

He took a moment to steady himself before returning to the group, taking care to pluck the discarded cup with the pale girl’s ribbon off the ground as he did. With a hand, he loosened his belts and pulled them off of his body, dropping them onto the sand beside the chairs. [color=1E90FF][i]“Apologies,”[/i][/color] he murmured. A flush crept up his cheeks. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed that his interference might have made a bad situation worse. But when he saw what that newcomer had done to the pale girl, something within him urged him to do something. He couldn’t just stand by and watch her be abused like that.

Sighing, he untied the ribbon from the cup and threw the latter away. Then, he took off his outer tunic and shook it free of sand, leaving him wearing only his white and sweat-stained undertunic. He offered both to the pale girl. [color=1E90FF][i]“Your ribbon,”[/i][/color] he said. [color=1E90FF][i]“And my tunic, until you get new things to wear, you can use it.”[/i][/color]