Ice Breaker

The ear is the avenue to the heart.

Shifting her books in her arms, Elizabeth made her way through the throng of people occupying the hot springs. She clutched the pages tightly, worried that a single slip or bump might send them tumbling into the water. The mist might do some damage, but that was a risk she was willing to take to enjoy the romantic tales in the relaxing atmosphere. A steamy romance in a steamy cavern? What more could a girl wish for?

Elizabeth gave a couple warm smiles to people as she finally found an open spot amongst the waters. The cavern protected her from the brunt of the Leafchange chill as she stripped off her outer layers of thick clothing to reveal the lacy bathing suit beneath, but she still giggled at the tickling cold on her skin. Goose bumps popped up while she carefully placed her books away from the edge of the spring, her feet pattering on the wet stone. Once the valuables were properly out of distance, she slid into the hot water, moaning at the way it loosened her tight muscles. "Ugh. That feels sooo good." Her brown eyes fluttered closed momentarily before she looked to the woman on her right, a content smile spread across her face as she asked, "Wouldn't you agree?"

Elizabeth

Brokkrid had arrived much before the woman that now was at her side, who moaned as she slipped beneath the hot waters. She could almost hear and feel the muscles in the other woman start to relax in jerky spasms, almost like metal being tempered by warm oil. She smiled and took the rag off her eyes, which had been covering them, their verdant almost luminescent gaze drifting over the woman, "I wish I had fancy wear like that." She mused, "And a more delicate frame like yours as well."

Rolling her shoulders, tight with knots from working the bellows all day and pounding metal, Brokkrid added "Then again, I wouldn't be able to do what I do - so maybe not." Brokkrid's rolling motion made its way to her back as she scooted further into the pool, the wave of her body's motion finding her neck as it waved side to side, cracking twice.

"This is only the third time that I have been in one of these, but I thought I might treat myself after a hard day's work, and after making a large amount of coin." She grinned and looked behind her, "Looks like everything is still there." Her things hadn't been moved. She had held them in her mind, just as she had put them down, including the fist sized hammer.

Her roving green eyes, a stark contrast to her crimson hair, settled back on Elizabeth again, "What brings you to the hot springs, you seem to be wound tighter than I was, and I was at a forge all day." She ran her hands, which had dipped below the water through her hair and let her body float, revealing that she had naught on but what the gods had given her.

The ear is the avenue to the heart.

The stranger's response elicited a laugh from Elizabeth that caused her brown hair to tumble into the water. She couldn't argue about her 'delicate' frame, but she rarely considered it a source of envy. "I think I'd much rather be fast and strong than weak and petite. But luckily, magic doesn't require muscles." Her laughter continued as she felt the tingle of her magic lingering just beneath the surface, running her wet hands over her shoulders to dissipate the sensation and spread the warm water into her tense neck. Inspecting the woman, she added, "I'm sure we could still find you something cute to accentuate your own figure. And your hair is a beautiful feature." Her own mousey brown wasn't anything to gawk at, and she dunked her head back to wet it further. 

Lifting her head again, Elizabeth smiled at the woman as she followed her gaze. "Sounds like a productive day. What do you do for work?" She'd assume something physical, but found it was a great topic of conversation for people to share their passions and professions. Which brought her to her own reason for being there. She shrugged her shoulders into a roll as she said, "Just a bit of self-care. It's something I preach to my patients a lot but rarely do myself." As evidenced by the painful loosening of her muscles, not that she had anything in comparison to what was now before her eyes. Elizabeth wasn't fazed by the woman's nakedness, although she politely refrained from letting her eyes drift too far from the woman's striking green eyes. Offering a warm smile, she seemed to remember her manners. "I'm Elizabeth, by the way."

Elizabeth

"Ah, Elizabeth, a pleasure to meet you, I'm Brokkrid" Brokkrid replied, her voice warm and inviting, like the glow of a forge at dusk. "I spend my days as a blacksmith, shaping metal with fire's embrace. It's a craft that demands strength and precision, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else." She chuckled softly, the sound reminiscent of the crackle of embers. "My muscles sure help when you're hammering out a sword, but coaxing the flames to dance just right?" She shook her head, "I'm still working on my magic for that. Perhaps I could have been a bit kroe disciplined in my younger years and learned better control. I'm paying for it now. Every hammer stroke is harder because I can't control the flames as well as I'd like."

Brokkrid leaned back against the smooth stones of the hot spring, letting the heat seep into her weary bones. "You see," she continued, her verdant eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, "there's something almost magical about working with metal that kept my learning magic, well, stunted. Each piece our of my forge tells a story—whether it's a delicate pendant or a sturdy shield. When I strike the iron, I can feel its potential beneath my hammer. It's like coaxing a shy flame into a roaring fire." She gestured with her hands as if molding an invisible piece of metal between her fingers.

"Today was particularly rewarding," she added, a grin spreading across her face. "I completed an order for a set of armor for a local guard. They wanted something both functional and beautiful, so I infused some intricate designs that reflect the spirit of our town. It’s always satisfying to see my work go to someone who will wear it with pride."

"You know," Brokkrid said thoughtfully, "the forge can be quite therapeutic too. The rhythm of hammering is almost meditative—each strike releases tension and clears the mind." She smiled wryly. "Though I must admit, sometimes I get so lost in my work that I forget to take care of myself."

"But enough about me," Brokkrid said, shaking her head playfully to dispel any lingering thoughts of work. "What about you? You mentioned self-care—what do you do when you're not tending to your patients? Surely there’s more to you than just healing others." She leaned forward slightly, intrigued by the woman beside her.

With a playful glint in her eye, Brokkrid added, “Perhaps we should have a self-care day together! A bit of pampering followed by some forging sounds like the perfect balance.” She chuckled again, imagining Elizabeth at her forge—an unlikely duo working side by side. Then again, this delicate woman might not be suited to the ringing of steel against steel. She would like to be pampered some day, when she made it big. For now, she would remain a nomadic Smith, and she couldn't subject a woman as lovely as Elizabeth to that.

Brokkrid looked down at her own nudes frame, a more masculine than feminine form met her gaze, then looked longingly at Elizabeth. Could they really find something to fit her and make Brokkrid more effeminate?

The ear is the avenue to the heart.

"Nice to meet you, Brokkrid." The name was unique, and Elizabeth immediately found herself liking the woman. Especially as she began talking about her own magic. She understood the struggle of weakness, her own abilities still but fledglings of power. Smiling encouragingly, she said, "Magic takes time and training. It's hard to have that kind of focus when you're younger. Once you start though, things get easier." 

Listening closely to Brokkrid ramble about her work, she stretched her arms along the end of the pool, content to admire the passion with which she spoke. "It sounds like you have a lot of reasons to be proud of your work." Elizabeth smiled, understanding the sentiment all too well. "There's that saying that 'If you love your job, you never work a day in your life.' That sounds pretty accurate when we seem to be fueled by our purpose. Things like food and sleep become a distant thought in comparison."

She didn't correct any misconceptions about her 'patients' not needing physical healing. As a therapist, she still considers it a healing of the mind. Instead, Elizabeth considered the question. "I often read or bake. I like to get out of my own mind for a while, and books are a great escape from reality." She shrugged her shoulders, assuming that was all that needed to be said about the topic. 

Having not explored many forges, Elizabeth found the idea fascinating. Even if she wasn't an asset to the process, she'd love to observe and try her hand at it. Smiling warmly, she laughed. "I would love that! Although I would argue that steelwork should come before the pampering." She'd hate to get comfortably relaxed and clean only to exert her meager muscles, sweating profusely. However, a comfortable spa day after a hard session in the forge was more than a little enticing.

Elizabeth