Toward the Smithy

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

As Lovisa began to prepare for what would be her journey up into the heart of Kullyr, for the first time she truly realised that since her removal from the Academy there was a severe gap in her armoury. Namely the fact that she lacked one. Her previous horse, armor, sword and other necessities were issued by the Academy itself and had been stripped from her person before she had even left Doxenia, which had made travel down to Sarkotos in order to meet Kythin an interesting tale indeed. But now, in order to complete her mission to become a true Squire of the Black Knight - however foreboding that seemed - she would need to walk a more dangerous path. Kythin had claimed that the Knights of the Duchy were at odds with themselves and so it would be incredibly foolhardy to travel a treacherous road unarmed and unhorsed.

It was for that reason that Lovisa found herself moving through Sarkotos and to the northern wall of Navahla. Patrons at the Obsidian Heart Inne were abound with gossip of a new smithy who had recently set up shop - if you could call a wagon a shop - and was offering a hefty discount for each new customers first order. Lovisa held a few coins in her pouch, but it was a paltry sum that she had saved from her allowance at the Academy, and as she was not sure when she would be capable of earning again she needed to stretch each coin as far as they could go - and once she was fully equipped once again, after her Vigil at the Chapel she could focus her attentions on earning enough to eat.

Once she neared the prophesied wagon she would pause in front of the sign that had been hammered into the ground, frowning ever so slightly as she scanned the text .. a hand rose to tug on the thick braid of hair that fell over one shoulder. How does one compliment a dwarves beard? Perhaps liken its colour to the deep glow of a well aged cask of brandy? Rust coloured surcoat twitched as she lifted her shoulders, the young woman straightening and moving closer to the wagon itself, nose wrinkling as she took note of the scent of hot coals. Somehow, she found it soothing ..

"Hello? Is there someone here? I would like to speak to .. Grageon .. Ironhouse?"

Voice heavily accented with Doxenian stumbled a little over the name, but the words still rung true as she squinted against the light and into the wagon.

[Rhyldrin Ken'rae]

Despite the day already being warm the heat coming from the other side of the wagon would be warmer still. As she had made her way toward the wagon he had hammered the metal one last time before turning to place the angry red metal into a barrel of water. Great hissing would answer her question and greeting at first before she heard metal upon stone as he placed the item down. A balding head, crowned with dark brown hair that ran down the sides of his face and connected with a worn but not unkempt beard that stopped near his large but solid belly, peeked out from behind the wagon. Various beads were braided into the long strands of the hair, some with runes etched into their dark surfaces. Intent eyes looked upon the female while thick digits were wiped upon the heavy leather apron that covered most of his body, save for his face, arms and.... boots. After a second or so though a wide smile, revealing rather clean and straight teeth (for a dwarf with a warrior's past), would spread across his dark copper skin, causing happy wrinkles to form beneath his eyes and on the corns of his mouth, "hello there lass!"

Stepping out into the open he would place a heavy hammer which had been hidden up to this point up against the wagon's wheel. "What ken I do fer ya this fine day?" His one arm would hang at his side while his other bent so that he could place its matching hand beneath his beard on his stomach. She would then see his beard moving as his fingers tapped against his belly. Was it by chance or was he trying to get her to look toward his beard? Though his face was no longer displaying the smiles of smiles he still had a warm greeting upon his features. "Or did you just come out for some good ol'fashion dwarven company?"

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

A small bird flew across the virescent landscape and settled on the smithies sign, twittering a moment before it spread its wings and hopped back into the air to slip over the wall and to parts unknown. Lovisa watched its passage a moment while enjoying the heat from the wagon before turning her attention back as the sharp noises within the construct were stilled, then followed by the prolonged hiss. She observed the dwarf make his appearance and while this was her first encounter with the blood of stone and ore she did not stare over-much; and soon found that his wide welcoming smile was matched by one of her own. With the tapping of his fingers beneath his beard it did indeed draw her attention to its movements causing her lips to twitch just a little before inclining her head politely.

"Good day, Master Ironhouse. While I have indeed found a lack of good company as of late, I have to admit that my primary reason for visiting is to request a commission, if you have time to discuss business?"

She paused, eyebrows furrowing a little in thought before they cleared.

"And that is a magnificent beard. Instructor Brandt was only capable of growing tiny wisps that he fashioned into a paltry attempt at a goatee..."

Carmine eyes blinked rapidly, a momentary flush of embarrassment darkening her cheeks as she realised she had spoken without thinking: dipping her head again before straightening and rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.

"What .. what details do you require for the commission?"

[Rhyldrin Ken'rae]

"Oh my aren't you a sweet lil' lass!" He flipped his beard a few more times after turning his gaze down to look upon it, his head canting to the side before he pursed his lips and finally nodded an acknowledgement. "Yes, I would have to agree with ya, tis a nice beard indeed!"

A hearty chuckle that soon turned into a great bellowing laugh rumbled from his chest and surrounded them. Several birds even turned to look at the strange noise and more than one passerby gave a sidelong glance. It was of course in response to her question about doing business and though he still had a cheerful look on his face there was a glint in those eyes now that they were talking about gold. "I be a poor excuse for a dwarf, let alone a crafting dwarf if I didn't have time to speak with ye!" As he spoke his response he clapped his thick hands together and rubbed them back and forth with anticipation. 

Pulling two small barrels from under the wagon he flipped them over and sat before patting the one across from him. A drumming noise was of course heard and he leaned forward intently. "Well ye little bird, I would need to know the what and then I can tell you the how and when." 

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

Her expression was nonplussed for a few moments; no one ever called her sweet or little, and given that she towered over the dwarf by perhaps a foot or more meant the description was perhaps somewhat inaccurate. But then, the dwarf likely surpassed her in age and experience so she acceded the point within her own head and when he flipped the barrels over and indicated that she should sit, she did readily.

"Thank you."

She took a minute or so to think. Having carefully outlined in her own mind what it was she wanted, it was another thing all together to put that into words for the blacksmith himself. She wanted to be careful, not wanting to waste what coin she did have on an item that fell short of what she wanted due to poor descriptions. Finally, she took a steadying breath.

"Foremost, I am looking for a good heavy shield just longer than my torso. I would like this shield to be sharpened at its edges, and forged entirely from a substance that I have heard referred to as purple mournlode. I believe it has some rather interesting properties regarding the dead. There are also some other small items .. a fitted set of traveling clothes and perhaps other supplies, but the shield is the item of import."

Pausing, she made sure she held eye contact, though she believed it would be unnecessary.

"Master Ironhouse, I wish for this shield to outlast me long after my bones have crumbled to dust in some future age; are you willing to do that?"

[Rhyldrin Ken'rae]

He listened intently, his eyes twinkling as if he were a child on their birthday and they just laid witness to the mounds and mounds of presents, cookies and milk! OH DEAR ME WHAT LOVELY IMAGERY! He let her finish, thinking on her words before shaking his head while holding up a finger. "No such weapon or piece of armor exists little bird, unless it is hung on a wall or put in some deep dark hole never to be disturbed!" He looked her to prove his point, "and something tells me you aren't the sort to decorate your walls with weapons and armor, no not at all." 

He stood and pulled a rope out of one of his back pockets, it was actually more akin to a string then rope but was rather thick for a string so rope it was for all intents and purposes. "Up up little bird, let's get some measurements." If she stood he would begin to measure her height, waist, inseam, hip to ankle and dozens of others that were scribbled on the top of the barrel with a pencil he had also procured from a back pocket. While he measured he answered her question, "what I can make you is a shield that will be an extension of your body, an extra finger or perhaps arm. If you treat it as a treasure it will last as a treasure. If you respect it and the world around you it will survive. You let a dragon step on you and it then I can nae guarantee your life nor it's own."

Positioning her near the barrel he scrambled up with rather amazing agility before lifting some strands of her hair. He studied them as they fell, mumbled a few things and wrote some more notes on the underside of the wagon's wall that had been lifted earlier. The one right above his head now that he stood on the barrel. He then used his pencil to lightly tap her nose, "I will make you a treasure little bird, a treasure that others will covet and that you can be proud of, I promise you this!" Hopping down he would point one last time to the open wagon. "If you would be so kind please write down your order on that scroll over there (email) and I'll have it for you within the week!" There was that big beaming smile again! Oh how he loved to forge!

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

Rising from her barrel she stood with her arms out and moved with each little prod or push so that he could get as accurate a measurement as possible; he would find that neither breeches nor surcoat restricted the application of his tape measure and endured the necessary embarrassments involved with having a dwarf take your inseam. It had been the same at the academy when being measured for the uniform or the practice armor, functional with nothing personal involved. She couldn't help but chuckle at the imagery of being stepped on by a dragon: while she hoped that her shield would survive such an encounter, she was pragmatic enough to understand that she herself would not. One of the strongest in her little group she may have been, but even she did not hold illusions of being stronger physically than such a massive beast.

"That's all I can really ask for, thank you Master Ironhouse."

Eyes glanced at him askance as he began fiddling with her hair, eyebrows furrowing somewhat with bemusement and a small noise made in her throat. Tapped on the nose, her head jerked back a little and she wrinkled the protuberance in question.

"Thank you, I look forward to it .. um .. what exactly did you write about my hair .. ?"

Moving towards the parchment in question, she craned her neck to try and spy his notes as she went past before focusing her full attention in writing up her commission.

[Rhyldrin Ken'rae]

"Bah! No peeking!" He wiggled his fingers some and all of the notes he had written suddenly disappeared, even the ones about her hair. When she finally handed him the paper another little finger wiggle and she would see all his notes magically reappear along the bottom of the order. Looking at her he offered a wide smile before she may notice a twinkle in his eye. He then picked up the barrels, put them back under the wagon and turn to face her with his arms across his chest. "Alright little lass, away with you so that your master smith can get started!" He wouldn't move until he had seen her leave. He didn't like nosey people around his smithy!

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

"Ah, but .. "

Her voice halted as the notes she had been trying to peer at vanished from the side of the wagon. Well .. she had tried. While there was no such physical change on her countenance as she lifted her work order and handed it to Grageon; there was a look in her eyes that definitely gave the impression that she was pouting. At least a little.

"As you wish."

She almost said something as he wriggled his fingers a second time: she could have sworn she saw the writing reappear on the parchment she had just handed to him! Leaning in a little, she just barely stopped herself from attempting to take back the orders .. she may have been curious, but she could ill afford to stay here all day playing these cockamamie games, she had other items to prepare before she could attempt her vigil.

"....as you wish."

His eyes twinkled, and hers definitely afforded a small child's pout as she was shooed away from the wagon, skulking off the way she came. But when she thought of how soon it may be until she could rest her hands upon the shield held within her minds eye, her step lightened again and became almost girlish. She was looking forward to it.