Roleplay

“I am as a matter of fact simply resting, I go on runs often to keep myself in shape and you did invite me back at my convenience. And I used the door this time.”

He hated this city he decided, settled on the matter as the heavy steps of armored guard drew nearer outside. This woman would without a doubt leave him to the mercy of the law if they came knocking, she had no reason not to. The red fabric of the scarf he’d kept wound up in a makeshift hood had fallen back in the breeze from his sprinting, now showing a clear view of the curved horns and now messy braid tucked down haphazardly into the bundle of cloth. He’d have to redo his hair tonight, he’d get tangles otherwise.

Hannah shuts the door to Aaliyah’s bedroom and comes into the living room. “ yes, I did offer for you to come back and something tells me that you’re not just here cause I offered it, you got caught again didn’t you?”

@Snoots

He was a bit curious on who’s room that was, clearly someone else was living here. So he’d been right in that assumption, it seemed about the only thing he’d been right in recently.

“I did not get caught because that implies I was doing things that are breaking the law. I just got into a disagreement with..the law. But it wasn’t about anything illegal, I am in fact a very good thief.”

They seemed not to have realize he had ducked down into this house, the muffled shouts and stomping of boots fading off into the distance a bit. Which he was glad for, this city did not agree with him in the slightest and he genuinely had plans to make leave at dawn the next day. Still, he was curious by nature, to a fault probably. That had looked like a child from his brief glimpse.

“You have a daughter?”

Hannah didn’t believe him one bit about what he said about not breaking the law. “ uh huh, and that’s why you’re hiding from those guards. “ She then looked at the door, then back at the guy and nods. “ Yes, I mean, she’s not my daughter by blood, I took her in, saved her from being caught by the slave traders.”

She frowned as she sat down. “ but..I’m afraid she might not make it, she’s sick, scarlet fever.”

She looks at the guy. “ okay, you’re hearing all this about me, I should at least know your name.”

@Snoots

Should he give up his name this soon? Or at all? She had offered him solace were he to need it, didn’t immediately hand him in and for all intents had saved his hide just now. She didn’t seem malicious or like she had something to hide.

“V, is fine. People usually just call me V. Or ingrate, or the prettiest thing they’ve ever seen. Which they are correct on all account.”

This wasn’t the time for jokes, but he couldn’t help let the small humor and accompanying smile across his face for a brief moment before again, the trundling of heavy boots and gruff voices passed by on the street. They sounded much less frantic, maybe having given up for now? But they would still be looking for him until he was caught, he didn’t know how much in total he’d managed to nab but it had to be a decent amount of money. He let himself relax a bit as the voices faded, sliding down the door to sit completely on the floor. Scarlet fever was no laughing matter of an illness, and if the girl was as bad off as he’d been told, he didn’t see much in hope for her. Moving her would be risky, maybe not worth the stress or fight of it.

“I am sorry, about the girl though. I don’t know how viable the idea is but. You have money, you look to have money at least. There is a doctor in Esterton, they may be able to help. The trip would be long, though. I don’t know how bad off she is but the trip would not be easy.”

Hannah nodded. “ well, it’s nice to finally make your acquaintance V.” She saw the brief smile on his face for a brief moment, then it faded. Then she listened as he suggested going to Esterton to get help for her daughter, she started to pace the floor as she said. “ well...I don’t know, she’s already in bad condition, and taking her out might make her worse, but the doctors here say they’ve done all they can, I don’t just wanna wait for her to die...”

She buried her face in her hands, then she turned to V. “ do you know the way?”

“Like I said, I do not know her condition and I do not claim to be a doctor of any sort. But taking her out would put her at more risks, and not just from the illness. It’s really a fifty fifty on whether it’s worth trying I suppose.”

Keep the girl in bed and comfortable, try to ride out the sickness and just hope that she will recover. Or risk the long trip up near the coast to Esterton. The long and potentially dangerous trip. At her pacing he had to keep back a frown, reminding himself to remain neutral on the matter. He didn’t know these people, he didn’t have any sort of connection to them. Still, a sick child was something he’d never wish.

“do you know the way?”

Yes, he knew how to get to Esterton. He’d been there on and off a few times in his life, they had lovely rolling hills out that way. Was she insinuating wanting him to take them there? He couldn’t do that, he was barely equipped to take himself places, let alone a woman and a sick child along with him. They would need shelter from the elements, steady amounts of food and fresh water. Things he couldn’t promise, and that wasn’t fair to them.

“I do, it’s north of here, to the east and nearing the coastal towns. You’d pass through Jaco and Alestin along the Byway and then it’s just pretty much a straight shot there. I’d advise hiring a guard of some sort to accompany you, especially through Jaco. It is a bit of a rough crowd that way.”

She went over next to him with a pleading look. “ please, will you take us? I will pay you whatever you ask, and I can provide food and water for the trip. I just...” she turns away. “ I just can’t sit here and watch her die, she’s the only thing I have left to live for, the only one who brings a smile to my face despite what I go through”

The urgency with which she rushed over to him had him scrambling up a bit to stand, still keeping himself back up nearest to the door. So she was wanting him to take them, his assumption right for once it seemed.

“Look, Miss, I do work for hire. I do guide work, I do mercenary works, I can do most anything someone is willing to pay for. But I can’t take that girl, what she needs is somewhere to rest and all I can promise is the back of a horse. With how I’m equipped I can’t justify dragging this girl out into the world. I’m not really beloved by most of the local populous, I can’t guarantee you’d find a city willing to take you with me guiding you. I just—“

He what? He felt bad for denying them? Absolutely, for turning them and whatever pay she promised away. It was a dangerous trip to Esterton, he knew what kind of people lived in the cities near. He tossed the idea back and forth, the worth of agreeing to this versus the risk. After a few quiet seconds of thinking he let his posture deflate with a sigh.

“I’d need to see her first, see if she’s even fit to travel in her current condition.”

Hannah’s head began to lower as he started to say he wouldn’t do it, but then her spirits lifted when she heard him say he needed to see her first, she nodded. “ okay, just follow me.” She leads him over to the door with her, a small candlestick in her hands so they could see, and she slowly opens the door so as not to wake her.