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Post by KATRINA HARSEN on Jan 9, 2012 21:33:09 GMT -5
...except it wasn't. Today was a day that was unique from all the rest, and Trina didn't really know why it should be but woke up with a strange premonition of today's difference. For better or for worse was the question that really mattered in her mind. She woke up, put on her clothes, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and walked to her humble store. There wasn't anything new to do in the shop. She dusted off the shelves, as her store wasn't so known or cared for yet, and re-straightened the already straight stacks of books on the shelf. Trina could depend on having at least one customer a day, she was known enough for that, but one customer wouldn't buy a copy of every book in the store. That was why the unbent spines became dusty, and why she had so little to do. She didn't have one of those fancy new inventions called record players to fill the silence, and it was starting to unnerve her. She tried to mentally prepare herself to not be startled if her bell rang, but she knew her tension would make her jump just as much either way. This was the part of her job Trina didn't like. Waiting.
It was probably this part of her job that was the most annoying. Because she spent so long waiting in silence, she always jumped when someone did come in. Trina reasoned that it was because people only ever saw her jump that they thought she was timid, scared, and flustered all the time. But it wasn't the truth, simply the truth of appearances. She wasn't interested in any of the books left for her to read in her shop. She'd had too much free time on her hands. Maybe she should start exercising instead of sitting around.
Trina stood from her chair at the desk, re-straightened the book stacks again, and started to sweep simply for the sake of doing something. She sighed with boredom and leaned against the broom as she checked the time. Not even ten o'clock yet. So far it seemed the only thing different about today was the longevity it seemed to have. Trina vibrated her lips with annoyance. No, she didn't think she'd like today.
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Post by ABEL FABRICE on Jan 19, 2012 22:39:40 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true] don't you know it's violation? BROKEN HOMES FROM SEPARATION, APPROXIMATELY 777 WORDS IN THIS POST IS FOR TRINA AND ANYONE ELSE TO READ. THE MUSIC INSPIRING AWESOME SAUCE MUSE HERE (BOO TO THE YAH!) IS " ALL THESE LIVES " BY DAUGHTRY. lolz, baby-sitter abel. XD
TODAY WAS CLEARLY ONE of those days. It started out just fine, perfectly normal. Abel woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at dawn as always, fetched Estelle breakfast (of course making it himself since he couldn't very well wake up the people who owned the inn, even though they should have been up anyway), and then sat down to plan his day. But then Estelle wanted to go outside. Which was just not happening. Even if this blasted marketplace wasn't located in his hometown, it was still a marketplace. There were still possible clients, or worse rivals, lurking in every corner. It was just not happening. And then she puppy-faced him. Which was really --seriously -- not helping.
Abel wasn't the kind of guy you would normally think would have a weakness for such things. Of course, you wouldn't think that simply because you had no idea that he had a little sister. He kept her identity as secret as he could, strictly a need-to-know basis only policy. The last thing he wanted was to take her out into the town and have people recognize her as being related to him. Which wasn't too hard to do. She had the same yellow hair, only it was more beautiful and vibrant, falling on her shoulders like cascades of elegant and fine silk, framing her pale, round face perfectly. And she had neater hair, well-groomed and shimmering with even the slightest shift in the lighting.
The only difference, was that Abel's eyes were darker than Estelle's. Her's were a bright, warm, friendly pale green, though it somehow maintained its vibrant appeal. She was a happy child after all. A frail, sickly child, but a happy and content one. Abel often came to terms with how much stronger Estelle was than he. Of course, it was a different kind of strength altogether, but one that he found to be much more admirable all the same. He couldn't really deny her puppy face for very long, and she knew that. It looked like he was just going to have to deny his mercenary duties in this town, and focus on the merchant half. To prevent people from targeting her.
And so, in the end, he agreed to take her out into the marketplace that afternoon. It was one of the busiest times of day, and instantly he regretted his decision. But the moment Estelle began to interact with a stray dog, giggling happily and smiling brightly, he changed his mind. Still, the little adventure had cost him income, and a sufficient amount of it. He would not risk Estelle's life in exchange for a job he despised anyway. Even if the little escapade had only been for a few hours, he was glad he had done it. Abel escorted back to their room, and settled her into bed. She requested a book from him, a new one, and he paused for a moment. Hesitated to calculate whether or not he had the funds for such a pleasantry.
Simply though the request was, it was still not a necessity. But, he knew that he could never deny Estelle unless their financial situation was dire, which it wasn't. So he nodded, and smiled a rare and tender smile that was reserved only for her. "Promise." And then he tucked her in, and set out to fulfill just that promise. Of course, he wasn't anticipating that damned stray dog following him around everywhere, panting annoyingly and staring at him with big, dark brown eyes whenever he turned to tell it off. Even if the color was completely different, it still reminded him of Estelle. The innocence and flickering candle of hope, despite hardship, echoed in the dog's eyes. And so, he tolerated it for the time-being.
Er, him.
Abel made his way casually around the town, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his pants, dog trotting closely at his heels with what seemed like a skip in his step. Even though it wasn't really possible, even Abel knew that he was no expert. He paused in front of a store that seemed to have books -- since he could see inside via the window and there seemed to be plenty there. Hopefully they were in the business of selling and not collecting, he knew some people like that. Not by name, but by encounter. Abel walked in with a look of partial disinterest on his face, glancing back to see that the stray dog sat down, seemingly waiting for him to return. Joy.
"Hey," he said to the woman there with just enough amount of respect, "you sell books here right?"
Just checking.
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Post by KATRINA HARSEN on Jan 19, 2012 23:10:08 GMT -5
Katrina jumped slightly at the sound of the bell, putting down the book she had been re-reading and removed her feet from her chair. Looking up at the latest customer, she found herself intrigued, but was not so easily distracted as to leave the question unanswered. "Yes, indeed I do," she said easily, though her heart slightly pounded from her scare. "Are you looking for anything in particular?"
Trina looked the man up and down, scanning his face, clothes, and stature. Noting his glasses, she fleetingly wondered whether he was near- or far-sighted. He was dressed almost semi-formal in her opinion; like he was neatly yet also roughly dressed. His physique betrayed his strength and muscle slightly, but he was skinny and not very thick-armed at all. She considered the possibility that this man had a six-pack under that shirt.
Finally she caught a glimpse of what his eyes looked like when his head moved (there was a glare over his glasses before). They were all the more mysterious, pools of dark amber that stared with a sort of 'no-nonsense' warning that made her almost want to provoke him, simply to test his limits. His eyes also seemed a bit guarded, like someone who might get into trouble somewhat frequently. He was most interesting, and not necessarily the kind of man she thought would be making a late afternoon trip to the bookstore. That was more like her or her brother. She was terribly interested but not sure if she could ask him anything at the moment. In some ways he reminded her of her brother, though. Maybe it was the air of cool and confidence surrounding him. She got the feeling that she might have another bargainer today.
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Post by ABEL FABRICE on Jan 28, 2012 15:19:09 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true] don't you know it's violation? BROKEN HOMES FROM SEPARATION, APPROXIMATELY 405 WORDS IN THIS POST IS FOR TRINA AND ANYONE ELSE TO READ. THE MUSIC INSPIRING FAIL /SHOT IS " ALL THESE LIVES " BY DAUGHTRY. lolz, baby-sitter abel. XD
OH GREAT, HE JUST had to go and startle the girl. No, wait, that wasn't his fault right? Nah, couldn't be. It wasn't Abel's fault that she was completely unprepared for her customers and such. After all, she should be prepared. So, it was definitely not his fault. Not in the least. Nope. And with that little matter settled, his mind returned to the question the girl, who he assumed was the store owner, asked him. Abel could only blink and provide a vacant expression. He really didn't know how to answer that. Estelle would, but not him. Reading wasn't really his thing. Was there a difference between fiction and fantasy? Well, either way, he figured it was time to upgrade her from children's books.
"Fantasy." He said, taking a complete shot in the dark as to whether or not that was the right answer to her question. He hoped so. He thought so. He thought a moment longer, then made another decision considering Estelle's age. "Maybe with a little romance in it too." He figured this was a better way to introduce Estelle to romance, so she'd at least see how dangerous it was. Maybe he would be able to scare her away from ever having a boyfriend? Well, if they lived a normal life anyway. In her current state, mental condition and then him with his mercenary job, there was no way she could be seen in public long enough to form a romantic relationship with anyone. But he only felt somewhat bad for that.
Abel was grateful for the fact that his stoic personality made it nearly impossible for the woman to tell that he really had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. He really didn't have a clue. But, he took confidence in the fact that there was no way she knew that, and so his stance remain casual. His face loose, his eyes nearly somber. Not that she could really see them. His tinted glasses prevented that. It almost made him stand just a little straighter, just a little taller. But he resisted. Such a thing would have made him obvious. And so, he just waited. Waited to see if he had been specific enough, and if the woman was going to be able to find him the book he wanted. Er- Estelle wanted. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind that his request might have seemed strange.
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Post by KATRINA HARSEN on Jan 28, 2012 23:03:53 GMT -5
Trina openly raised her eyebrow at his request. Only Cket had ever requested any romance in his fantasy novels. "Okay... Right this way." She got out if her seat a little slower than usual, wary of potential threat. He seemed unarmed, but that didn't mean anything. He could be a trained assassin, know martial arts, etc. Either way she had reason to be cautious. She led the way to the fiction section of the shelves. "The most popular of the selection, A Way To Fly has one of the most happy endings around, but I find the writing slightly less than mediocre," she started. She thought that he might be a fellow book enthusiast because of his request. "I'd recommend At the Tree's Womb by Aaron Glatsfeld. It's what I call A Way To Fly's polar opposite. Glatsfeld's writing is masterful and the ending, romance wise, is truly tragic." She paused to pick up the better copy behind the first. She turned and offered it to her strange client. "It's one of my personal favorites," she finished.
Suddenly she looked into his eyes, compelled by some impulse. She thought she saw a flicker of interest, but with those tinted glasses, she was unsure. Just as suddenly and unprovoked, Trina looked away towards her desk, to where she proceded to walk once she let go of the book. A lot of things were running through her mind and she didn't know why. She just kept doubting that he actually wanted the book, that there were alterior motives for him to be here, and at this hour, too. And what about that dog waiting outside? Was it his? Was it trained to kill attack on command? Why did she suddenly feel so paranoid? She wasn't actually scared, but couldn't help thinking of all the possible bad things that could happen. She was on her guard, as if she were with her half-blind brother in the violent side of town again. She was just waiting for something to happen for surely, something must happen. She checked her list of prices once she reached her desk. "The book costs 10 silver coins," Katrina informed him
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Post by ABEL FABRICE on Mar 15, 2012 14:29:49 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true] don't you know it's violation? BROKEN HOMES FROM SEPARATION, APPROXIMATELY DIDN'T COUNT WORDS IN THIS POST IS FOR TRINA AND ANYONE ELSE TO READ. THE MUSIC INSPIRING SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG D8 IS " ALL THESE LIVES " BY DAUGHTRY. lolz, baby-sitter abel. XD
A HAPPY ENDING? WITH romance? That was unacceptable. Abel refused to expose Estelle to that one, but he didn't let his distaste show too thoroughly. After all, even though the woman had expressed her own distaste for the book, Abel felt he was in no place to judge. Not for the sake of sparing someone an insult, he was never that thoughtful. No, his restraint was in fact because of something much simpler: he didn't read. Sure, you might argue that was thoughtful in and of itself, but it really wasn't. He just had no basis on which to form an opinion, and so he did not. However, the woman's description of that second book did catch his interest.
It had the romance, but a romantically tragic ending. It was the perfect deterrence! A small grin and a flash in his eyes and the woman seemed to understand. He followed her to the counter and nodded at the price. It was a bit much in his opinion, but he could put no price on Estelle's happiness. He removed his wallet from his pocket as he removed the coins he reflected back on the woman's behavior. It was defensive, cautious. He unnerved her. "Here."
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[/b] He said, casual yet somewhat short, as he laid the coins out on the table for her to count. "You were uneasy earlier."[/b] He mentioned casually, not wanting her to be afraid of him when there was no need to be. He wasn't as cold and uncaring as he made himself out to be, and although normally he wouldn't give a damn this time he did. Only a little bit, but there was a line between caring and not caring. He didn't care what people thought of him. He did care when people, especially women and children, were uncomfortable around him when there was no need to be. "Don't be."[/b] He bluntly continued, removing the book from her hand gently yet firmly. I'm not going to hurt you."[/b] And it was true, he had no reason to. Abel turned to leave, but he suddenly remembered something. That dog...I can't really take him home without at least trying to get rid of him.[/i] "Do you own a dog?"[/b] He asked, pausing and turning to look at the woman over his shoulder, his eyes slightly visible due to the angle of his head. "Or want one?"[/b] He added. As much as Abel knew Estelle would love a dog, he just couldn't handle adding the risk to their lives. He couldn't look after her and a dog and be as efficient as he is now. A cat maybe, they were quieter and more independent. But a dog? He just didn't see something like that happening, not anytime soon. Of course, he knew that he would find it difficult to abandon the animal, especially if he was still waiting for Abel and followed him home. But he had to try....
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Post by KATRINA HARSEN on Sept 12, 2012 22:45:32 GMT -5
She counted the coins systematically, not to insult him but to verify. After all, he was still human too. But then he actually spoke a full sentence. Not that it was surprising that he knew how but that he would speak to her. She would have said something I reply, but she was unsure of it was a test or something, like he was trying to pry her mind. She knew these fears were foolish, but they were there regardless. Anyway the shock of hearing him speak again was mostly what kept her quiet. He turned to walk away and she couldn't help but physically relax somewhat. She felt ashamed that this was her natural reaction; consequently, she tensed a little when he looked back again to ask her if she had a dog.
"Err..." she started. Or if she wanted one. She quickly shook her head. She would, but she spent all day at the bookstore and some customers would complain since they had dog allergies. "No, I'm afraid not," she told him, and then she noticed a man outside beginning to examine the black ball of fur. "But maybe he's interested?" However, the man seemed to be very cautious, and when he found the dog friendly, he got more threatening. The man was wearing dark clothes, and now slinked forward with confidence, as if he had a mission that was about to be achieved. "Can you tell him I'm about to close up shop on your way out?" she asked, unable to hide a tiny tremor in her voice.
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