|
|
Post by Crystal on Mar 29, 2020 6:05:08 GMT
Effie made her way through the market streets with a slight skip in her step. As she made her way through the streets, her face was adorned with a soft smile as she nodded in greeting to each person she passed. Her greyish-blue eyes glanced over each of the shops as she walked along the pathway, holding the basket that was in her hands closer to her form as she weaved between groups of people that formed outside a few of the shops. Effie was on her way to one of her friend’s shops with a few flowers she had grown outside her home for them to use in their flower arrangements. They had been missing a few flowers to make their arrangements pop with color and Effie couldn’t say no.
As she continued down the street Effie made her way past a bakery shop and couldn’t help but take in a deep breath filled with all the wonderful aromas. She closed her eyes for a moment as she delighted in the delicious smells, taking it all in. Though that of course was her downfall, taking a few too many steps without paying attention to where she was going. All of a sudden her senses were brought back to the present as her small form ran into a larger one, making a soft grunt as she stumbled back slightly allowing a few flowers to fall from her basket. Her eyes flew open and she quickly blurted out as she reached down to pick up her flowers, “Oh, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.”
|
|
|
|
Post by tavita on Mar 29, 2020 6:21:09 GMT
Ashen was in a good mood, or as close to a good mood as he could be. He had just sold dual swords to a wealthy merchant, made with some of the finest materials he had. It had taken plenty of time, blood and sweat, but the end result had been two, beautiful curved blades with silver, gem encrusted handles provided by the merchant. It was made to be a display, but display or not, the swords were deadly in the hands of the right person. And Ashen took great pride in his work as a blacksmith, which is why he was on his way back to his shop with more money than he normally made in a week's worth of time.
Normally, he would be more aware of his surroundings - the 26 year old wasn't very trusting and knew that he could be a target of pickpocketers, even though he was at a staggering 6'4 height and the sharpness in his icy blues would alert most he shouldn't be missed with. But he hadn't eaten in the morning and as he passed the bakery, the aroma of fresh bread wafted past his nose. Those several seconds of distraction and he felt a smaller body crash into his. He glanced down at the dark haired girl in front of him.
"It was my mistake," he offered politely and knelt down to help her pick up the flowers.
|
|
|
|
Post by Crystal on Mar 29, 2020 6:38:38 GMT
Her cloudy colored eyes blinked as she noticed the man kneel down and reach for a few of her flowers she had dropped as well. Her light colored cheeks turned a soft tint of pink in embarrassment as she gently took the flowers from him and carefully placed them back into her basket, mumbling just above above a whisper, “Thank you.” Effie’s eyes slowly took in the larger man’s form as she stood up, the man standing a foot taller than her in height. She then quickly glanced away, hoping he hadn’t seen her taking in his form, and let her gaze land on the bakery. “I guess those wonderful smells can put anyone in a trance,” She chuckled and reached a hand up to the back of her neck, awkwardly rubbing it for a moment. She then looked back to the man and let a bright smile form on her lips.
“I apologize, I haven’t introduced myself,” She stated and used her open hand to grab the edge of her skirt, curtsying as she continued, “my name is Effie. May I ask your name?” After curtsying to the man she stood up straight once more and held her basket with both hands in front of her form, her eyes filling with curiosity.
|
|
|
|
Post by tavita on Mar 29, 2020 6:55:21 GMT
One of Ashen's eyebrows raised as the girl before him blushed and he stepped back after giving her her flowers. "Right," he nodded, glancing at the culprit of their distraction. The bakery smelled divine and he was starving. He could probably use a couple of pastries and maybe a loaf of broad. "My name is Ashen," he replied curtly.
Ashen wasn't much of a talker, truthfully. In fact, he generally kept to himself outside of meeting clients in and outside his shop. He had a lack of trust in people and for there to even be a semblance of a smile on his lips was rare. Though he received his fair share of female attention, he was hard to love and he had no interest in friendships or romantic relationships. Even purely physical relationships, he did not really partake in. Not that it was for a lack of trying for some of the women he had come across...his ash blonde hair and the piercing blue of his eyes always drew women in. And working as a blacksmith did wonders for his body.
|
|
|
|
Post by Crystal on Mar 29, 2020 7:18:11 GMT
Effie’s brow raised a bit at Ashen’s curt response but let her misty blue eyes lighten a bit as he introduced himself. “It is nice to meet you Ashen,” She commented as she held out her hand to him. Whether he shook her hand or not was up to him, though she only wanted to be polite and wish glad tidings to this man. She always felt that she had to give everyone the benefit of the doubt when first meeting them before coming to any conclusions about their character. She watched Ashen carefully noticing his glance towards the bakery shop as well, her eyes brightening a bit more as an idea formed in her mind.
“I have to drop off these flowers, but I have some time to spare. Those delicious smells are very tempting, would you maybe want to join me for a quick bite? I don’t have much but I can certainly treat you since I was the one to run into you,” Effie offered with a cheerful smile. It was true she did not have much, most of the money she made as a servant in the castle went towards her parents well-being or to friends that needed it more than her. She didn’t mind it of course, she was young and didn’t need much money to make her happy. What truly made her smile was the joy that she could bring to others, even if it was through doing something small.
|
|
|
|
Post by tavita on Mar 29, 2020 7:23:56 GMT
His eyes, framed by surprisingly dark sooty lashes, flitted to her hand. That eyebrow arched again, but to be polite, he did take her hand to shook. Ashen wasn't going to be completely rude to people he met, especially because he knew the importance of reputation. And he had built his shop up from nothing and honed his skill since he was a child. He couldn't ruin it with his attitude. He was unsociable, but not stupid.
He was a bit taken aback by her offer to pay for his meal. "Um," he was truly starving, but he didn't really want to be sharing a meal with someone. He hadn't shared a meal with someone in a long time. However, that smell was captivating, so he gave in. "Alright. But there's no need for you to pay," he told her and gestured with his arm for her to enter first.
|
|
|
|
Post by Crystal on Mar 29, 2020 8:34:13 GMT
Effie was filled with joy as Ashen agreed to grab a snack with her, though she couldn’t help to chuckle a bit at the slight reluctance. Her lips pursed at his comment of him paying and couldn’t help but roll her eyes, she would find a way to make up for bumping into him. Effie then bowed her head at his gesture as she entered the bakery. Her greyish-blue eyes filled with awe at the sight of the pastries, licking her lips a bit as the smells hit her nose once more. Everything in the store looked decadent to her as she made her way around, checking out each pastry before choosing one for her to enjoy.
She made her way over to the clerk and pulled out her small pouch filled with what money she had. She pulled out change for her pastry and though she thought of paying a bit more for the man’s food as well, she felt as though it would be a bit disrespectful to ignore his wishes at this point. She then waited for Ashen to pick out and pay for his food before finding a spot to sit with him, nibbling on the small tart she had obtained.
Her eyes closed as she reveled in the wondrous taste of the pastry, it truly tasted just as good as it had smelled. Effie was one to enjoy more sweets than savory when it came to food and she was quite happy that she chose this pastry. Her gaze then looked to Ashen in curiosity as she asked him once she finished a portion of her tart, “How is your food?”
|
|
|
|
Post by tavita on Mar 29, 2020 19:11:02 GMT
Ashen followed her inside the bakery, glancing around at the piles of goods. He noticed the small tart she had picked out and it briefly crossed his mind if she chose something smaller because she just didn't have very much money. Yet, she'd offered to pay for him...His brows furrowed in confusion and he could feel the curiosity creeping in. Greed and selfishness plagued this market, so he couldn't understand why she would offer to spend her money on him.
Ashen paid for several pastries for himself and a loaf of bread as well. Paused and then ordered himself a cup of cider before taking a seat across from her. He held his cup to his lips, peering at her from over the rim. His eyes raked over the contours of her face, studying the slant of her eyes, the locks of her dark hair and her mouth. "It's good," he said simply. "And yours?" Clearly he wasnt very good with small talk.
|
|
|
|
Post by Crystal on Mar 29, 2020 20:24:27 GMT
Effie watched Ashen carefully and blinked her eyes a few times at the amount of food he picked out for himself. She did her best to hide a soft giggle as the thought crossed her mind that it was probably a good thing she didn’t try to pay for him, she wasn’t sure if she had enough in her little pouch though she would have done her best to pay for what she could.
As she continued to watch Ashen while nibbling on the tart she had bought a bit more. Now that she had a moment she began to really look over his features including his dirty blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and tint of soot on his face probably from his work. She then placed her tart down and brushed her short black hair back behind her ears before she nodded as she replied, “Yes, it is delicious and very sweet.” Her dark gaze then glanced over the pastries he had bought once more and she couldn’t help but ask him teasingly with a soft chuckle, “Do you have a sweet tooth by chance?”
|
|
|
|
Post by tavita on Mar 29, 2020 21:20:55 GMT
Ashen glanced away from her when he noticed she was looking him over now. But from the peripherals of his vision, he could see that she was appraising him as he had done her. He suddenly felt a bit awkward now and he couldnt even understand why. Maybe because it was one thing for women on the street to notice him that he didnt even spare a glance towards and another for someone he was sharing a meal with to. This felt completely new and awkward to him.
When she asked him if he had a sweet tooth, he grimaced and surveyed his purchases. "Not really...I didn't eat this morning," he responded, picking up another pastry. "And it's not all for right now," he added, needing to explain himself for some reason. He looked back at her and the curiosity bubbled to the surface. "Why did you offer to pay for my meal? Do you even have enough to purchase all of this?"
He didn't want to come off sounding callous or arrogant. He was by no means well off. Every coin he made, it went straight to purchasing materials for the weapons he created. He imagined that except for the wealthy few, most people were in the same boat he was. He wasn't an unkind man by any means and he would help another human being if they truly needed it, but he had never gone out of his way for someone. He didn't want to build even a semblance of a relationship with someone.
|
|
|
|
Post by Crystal on Mar 29, 2020 21:50:53 GMT
As Ashen glanced away from her awkwardly, it hit her that she had possibly been taking in his features much longer than she should have and quickly glanced away. The embarrassed tint of pink slowly formed once more on her cheeks as she nervously picked up her tart and finished it off hastily. Effie’s gaze avoided Ashen for a moment as she looked around the bakery once more, only allowing her misty colored eyes return to his form as he spoke.
Effie nodded her head in understanding, breakfast was a important meal for everyone. Though she had been known to skip breakfast in the early morning when she first awoke to watch the sunrise in the garden, she made sure to eat later on though. As Ashen explained that not all of the food was for now she couldn’t help but let the corner of her lip to turn up in a playful smirk, nodding her head once more in acknowledgment.
At his sudden question caught her a bit off guard and the tint of pink on her cheeks darkened a bit as embarrassment continued to bubble up inside her. She glanced down at the small pouch she carried with her money then reached her hand up and awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. “Well I,” She began though trailed off for a moment as she tried to think of how to word her response then looked up at Ashen and continued, “I probably wouldn’t have had enough for all of it, though I certainly wouldn’t have minded paying for what I could. I did run into you and I feel it is only right to make up for my mistake of not paying attention to where I was going.”
Effie was known for giving to others even if she had nothing to give if she felt it was right. Her mother use to tell her a story called “The Most Foolish Traveler in the World”. Though many saw the man in the story as foolish and was tricked by the others in the story, she saw the man as kind by giving all that he had without regret because it was what he wanted to make others happy. She wanted to be like that, to give to those in order to bring them joy if she could.
|
|
|
|
Post by tavita on Mar 29, 2020 23:42:40 GMT
Amusement at the flush of her cheeks made one corner of his lips curl up. It could barely be classified as a smile, but it was still a smile nevertheless and he was surprised that she had managed to humor him enough to make him smile. When she spoke, his brows furrowed in bemusement. He didn't understand her and for some reason, he wanted to.
"Why would you do that?" he asked, confusion etched across his face. "You wouldnt have anything left if Id accepted your offer," he pointed out. "It's....generous of you, but to me it seems very foolish," he told her bluntly.
|
|
|
|
Post by Crystal on Mar 30, 2020 2:10:12 GMT
Effie couldn’t help but let a bright smile grace her light colored lips as she noticed a hint of a smile on Ashen’s lips. He seemed like a serious man and to see even a hint of a smile from him overjoyed her. Everyone deserved to smile and if she could help in bringing that feature to someone it made her happy.
She blinked her eyes at his question and tilted her head a bit as she took in the confusion that took over his face. “I may not make much in what I do but I have what I need, so why not use what I have to brighten another’s day?” She asked him in response. At his last comment she seemed to be a bit taken aback. Though her smile softened as she rested her hands on the table and glanced down at them as she intertwined her fingers.
“My mother use to tell me a story when I was younger, about a foolish traveler,” She started as her eyes seemed to mist over in thought before continuing softly, “he was considered foolish because he was fooled by everyone he met. On his travels people made up sad stories to tell him and he fell for every single one, giving away everything he had until he was left with no money and no clothes. The traveler always smiled though and wished each one of the people he met happiness. Though without any clothes left he had to leave the main road and begin traveling in the forest where no one could see him. As he continued he came upon the goblins who lived in the forest, whom only wanted to eat him. Each of the goblins begged and pleaded as well as used kind words to persuade him. Of course he gave them what they wanted until all the traveler had left was his head. The last goblin he gave his eyes to thanked him and told him in return that he would give him a present, but it was only a slip of paper with the word “fool” written on it. Without his eyes the traveler could not see this, he didn’t not know what the gift was. Even still, he began to cry tears of joy and thanked the goblin. This was the first and only present anyone had ever given him and it made him so happy. Then the traveler died with a smile on his face.”
Her bright eyes blinked bringing herself back into the present as she realized she had rambled on about the story. She then cleared her throat and nervously brushed her short dark hair back behind her ears as she looked up at him. “I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t bother you with such a long childish story,” She apologized and glanced away from him as she continued with the same soft smile on her lips, “I suppose my point is, many saw the man as a fool as you may see me as one. Though I think that he wasn’t truly fooled. He gave what he wanted, which included his everything, in order to make others happy. I just want to do the same thing too.”
|
|
|
|
Post by tavita on Mar 30, 2020 5:50:26 GMT
Ashen listened to her story intently, taking in the sound of her voice, her words, the expressions on her face as she spoke. She bemused him, but at the same time, she sparked a curiosity in him he couldn't explain. He felt awkward at having been caught smiling and noticed the sparkle in her eyes when she'd noticed and he ran a hand through his hair.
When she finished telling her story, he sat still without saying any words at first. He just leaned back and appraised her with his icy blues, trying to make sense of this interesting tale. He'd never experienced that kind of selflessness, didn't truly think it existed. He'd always had a bleak view of the world; any happiness he had had died with his family and he knew to survive, you couldn't just give everything you had away. Most people, like the one characters in Effie's story, just took advantage until you had nothing. Ashen supposed it was less about what you had though, and more about how you felt, but he couldn't help but think Effie was a little naive. And her mentality would lead to her getting hurt.
And for some reason, that thought, of her being hurt or taken advantage of left Ashen feeling unsettled. He frowned, not at her but because he didn't understand why he cared.
He realized she was probably waiting for his answer and shook the thoughts away from his head. "You know that's a dangerous way to live life," he told her, sipping his cider. "You'll end up hurt"
|
|
|
|
Post by Crystal on Mar 30, 2020 6:48:06 GMT
As silence seemed to take over between them, she looked back to Ashen and let her greyish-blue eyes trace over his face curiously. She wondered what was tinkering through his mind as she watched his every move, her head tilting to the side slightly. Effie had never been more curious to know what someone was thinking until that moment, though as he finally spoke she couldn’t help but let a soft sigh leave her lips.
“You sound like my parents,” She retorted teasingly with a slight chuckle, the corner of her lips turning into a weak smile. She then took in a deep breath and released it slowly as she let her smile brighten a bit. She knew many would try to take advantage of her with that kind of life style, but as long as she was happy isn’t that all that mattered? “I suppose I like to live on the edge then,” She joked and gave a slight shrug of her shoulders.
Effie watched Ashen take a sip from his cider and began to feel a bit parched as well. She then quickly stood and took a few coins from her pouch, leaving it behind with her basket on the table. Once she obtained a small cup of cider she returned to the table and took a sip as well before clearing her throat. “Enough about me, what about you? May I ask what you do?” She asked him curiously, wanting to hear more about him than her spew on about herself.
|
|
