Syrenrei
Otakuforreal
Rabidporcupine
X Fiendfyre X
Ivar
Necroes
rush99999
LightBringer
SporkoBugKailea Arydunseyr
“Fer th’ last time, lass! I won’t be taking no apprentice without a copper to ‘er name!”
The thick, accented slur nearly rocked the windows of the densely packed house row. Had it not been for the narrow streets cutting off the flow of much needed breeze, the stench of stale alcohol might have drifted away before it ever reached a nose to offend. Instead, it hovered in a cloud around the lean young woman standing in the door way of its source. Though the drunk, greying stump of a man before her looked as if he’d pulled himself out of a gutter a few minutes before, her own appearance was little better. Kailea had been taught to put her best foot forward and tried most of the morning to make sure she was as presentable as possibly, but there was little one could do with hair that had clearly lost a fight with an open flame. Her clothes at one point had been quite lovely and well made, which was likely the only reason they’d not yet been charred black. Soot was another matter entirely, and it made her look as if she’d taken to cleaning lit chimneys and fireplaces for all the burn holes the close fitting linen sported. Even so, she wasn’t about to let the chance slip through her fingers, and though the “aroma” stung her topaz eyes, she refused to let this chance slip her by because of something as silly as her outfit.
“Please Master Telrin, I’m begging you to give me a chance.” She said, trying to lean into the door a little further. She’d already been turned down by a half a dozen others who might have been able to teach her magic the second they learned the nature of her abilities, or of the lack of coin in her pocket. She’d managed to pick up a few rumors that the old man in front of her now, while a former mage of some repute, was now a notorious drunk and she’d been hoping perhaps he might have been a just far enough into a bottle to overlook her… minor issues. [color=firebrick]”I know I can be useful-“
“Iffn’ I was looking to burn my home to th’ ground!” He cut her off with a slur that echoed off the dirty cobblestones. Kailea tried her best not to look as hurt as she felt. It wasn’t like the words were anything she hadn’t heard before, or even untrue, but she’d hoped that her willingness to at least learn would count for something. After all, she’d traveled all the way from Asher to Risha on nothing but rumor and hope that she’d finally find someone to teach her proper magic, instead of the guesswork she’d made do with so far. Really she’d had plenty of practice to hide the disappointment, but perhaps it was the her fatigue or his alcohol that helped him see past the normally even mask she was able to tuck her discouragement behind.
“Lass, th’ fact ye could well lit m’breath ablaze is reason enough fer me not to take ye.” There was a softer inflection behind his slurred words than the open hostility of a few moments before. “Might be a few who could, but ye need pockets without holes and full’a coin first.”
Damn. So he’d noticed after all.
”Don’t suppose you know of any work then someone like me would be suited for?” Kailea sighed, and resigned herself to the rejection, ”Or the name of someone else I can try so they might tell me ‘no’ themselves?”
“Yer stubborn fer sure.” The old man shook his head, as his fingers buried themselves in his unkempt beard for a moment, before reaching for a small piece of parchment on top of a pile in the entryway, “Here. Can’t say if they’ll have ye, but someone’s out lookin’ fer fighters. Yeh’d make a mess of my home, but a show in th’ Arena, I’d imagine. Don’t have nothin’ more for ye than that.”
”No, thank you! This is more than enough!” Kailea looked over the flier in her hands as a flicker of hope grew in her chest. It wasn’t much of a lead, but it was something. There was plenty of gold to be made in the Arena, and if whoever was assembling a team by casting a net so wide, they might just be willing to take her on! A wide smile split across her face as she planted a firm kiss to the side of the old man’s face and left him standing dumbfounded in his doorway as she raced off down the street.
The sun was already getting higher in the sky, and the last thing she wanted was to be late.
------------
The estate was certainly something to behold, especially when the wall itself was the first imposing sight to greet her. The guards took little prompting to allow her inside, and she found herself wanting to step away from her escort to marvel at the grounds. The manor itself looked as if it was large enough to house the entirety of her parents’ caravan, including the animals, and the land itself was covered with lush beds of flowers and plants the likes of which she’d never had the chance to see in the expansive sands of her home.
She didn’t dare try to slip away from the guard, since she was here to make a good impression after all and followed obediently into the open area that was clearly designed for combat and sparring matches. There was a great deal of equipment set up for a wide variety of weapons from the looks of things, and she suspected most of it saw a good deal of use. If not, it likely would today.
There were already a few people gathered around, some helping themselves to a scrumptious looking assortment of drink and foods that made her stomach rumble appreciatively. Of the four three were rather impressive looking male specimens that she unabashedly took her time in appreciating as she looked them up and down. The fourth she nearly missed, and was somewhat surprised to see a young woman who looked to be near enough her own age helping herself to some of the table’s bounty.
The last two were clearly not there to present themselves for combat. And older man in well-made clothes stood beside a younger man who looked as if he’d bleed blue if cut. The circlet around his head was enough indication he was the one that had placed the call for fighters. Kailea felt her nerve quiver for a moment before tamping the feeling back down. Just because she’d never had dealings with nobility in the past didn’t mean that she wasn’t capable of it in the least. She might not be able to swing a weapon around like some, but people gave her a wide berth for a reason. Besides, if she pulled this off, she just might be able to make enough coin for a real mage to consider taking her on as an apprentice.
Leaving her escort behind her, she eased past the group around the table and picked up a piece of fruit, biting into it and savoring the sweetness for a moment before leaning around to get a better look at the red-haired applicant speaking with her potential employer.
”I don’t suppose the rest of you have already had a chance to show off for the nobility, have you? Any chance of sharing a few tips with a newcomer?” She smiled sweetly looking back at the gathering, with a wink. ”I’d certainly be happy to make it worth your while.”