Mel's annoyed expression finally broke through Tal's lack of social awareness and he drew up short as she glared at him. He deflated like a kicked puppy as she laid out her lack of interest in his predicament and took her leave. This time the courier didn't try to follow, just called a forlorn: "Yeah, well... see you around, I guess," to her retreating back.
Boreal whuffed in surprise as Fangorn was called away, her tail sweeping a disappointed arc across the dusty road. Tal patted her head, scowling down at their feet as he mumbled to her. "Yeah, girl, I know how you feel..." With a sigh he shook his head and turned back to the blacksmith, clearing his throat as he stepped into the booth.
Excuse me? I'm lookin' t'get a knife made, an' I need this worked into the handle." He pulled the hunk of diamond from his Bag to show the muscular woman who was quenching a sword blade in a trough next to her anvil.
She squinted at him and, upon seeing a stranger who obviously wasn't a native of Torchline, her teeth flashed in a predatory grin. "Oh? Well you've come to the right place, boy. Let's see what you've got." Laying the blade aside for one of her apprentices to polish she came over to examine the stone that Tal warily handed to her after trying not to scowl at being called 'boy.' She frowned at it, brought out a small hammer to tap it experimentally, and grunted. "Gonna be a bitch to work with. Gonna cost," she added meaningfully, tossing the stone in her hand.
"Yeah," Tal agreed with a sigh, wishing Mel was there to back him up. "I can get obsidian from the Climb. An' ursur leather for grips," he added after a moment's thought.
The blacksmith nodded, pursing her lips as she pretended to consider the generous offer. But there was a gleam in her eyes that promised nothing but trouble for the courier. "That'll do... for a start," she drawled, pulling over a sheet of smudged paper and a pencil as she began to sketch a design to show him. "Now, let's talk details..."
~Fin~
Boreal whuffed in surprise as Fangorn was called away, her tail sweeping a disappointed arc across the dusty road. Tal patted her head, scowling down at their feet as he mumbled to her. "Yeah, girl, I know how you feel..." With a sigh he shook his head and turned back to the blacksmith, clearing his throat as he stepped into the booth.
Excuse me? I'm lookin' t'get a knife made, an' I need this worked into the handle." He pulled the hunk of diamond from his Bag to show the muscular woman who was quenching a sword blade in a trough next to her anvil.
She squinted at him and, upon seeing a stranger who obviously wasn't a native of Torchline, her teeth flashed in a predatory grin. "Oh? Well you've come to the right place, boy. Let's see what you've got." Laying the blade aside for one of her apprentices to polish she came over to examine the stone that Tal warily handed to her after trying not to scowl at being called 'boy.' She frowned at it, brought out a small hammer to tap it experimentally, and grunted. "Gonna be a bitch to work with. Gonna cost," she added meaningfully, tossing the stone in her hand.
"Yeah," Tal agreed with a sigh, wishing Mel was there to back him up. "I can get obsidian from the Climb. An' ursur leather for grips," he added after a moment's thought.
The blacksmith nodded, pursing her lips as she pretended to consider the generous offer. But there was a gleam in her eyes that promised nothing but trouble for the courier. "That'll do... for a start," she drawled, pulling over a sheet of smudged paper and a pencil as she began to sketch a design to show him. "Now, let's talk details..."
~Fin~
