dtc, The Tavern Grounds, Mack the Friendly Merchant

[dens-extra-pups.livejournal.com]

Mack the friendly merchant: *making his rounds in and around the village, pauses when he sees a Rom wagon on blocks*

small drake with a chain around his neck and clipped wings: *lifts his head where he's laying under the wagon and eyes the stranger. Or more precisely, the stranger's four dogs*

Mack: *curious about the drake, moves to approach*

drake: *lets a little smoke out of his nostrils, a silent warning that he is protecting this wagon*

Mack: *Amused* Well aren't you interestin'...

drake: *low hiss*


Inside the wagon


Tracks: *hears the hiss and tries to persuade his wife to break for air*

Flashpoint: *reluctantly does so, having heard the hiss as well*

Tracks: *slips out of the nice warm bed and shivers a bit as he jumps into his pants and his heavy tunic. This done, he grabs the spear he keeps propped by the door and sticks his head out to see what the drake is warning*

Mack: *Surprised* Oh, hello. ^_^

Tracks: *frowns as he looks at the unfamiliar man and the dogs that he has with him* May I help you?

Mack: Just making the rounds and seeing 'f anyone is interested in what I've got to sell. *indicates his pack*

Tracks: *considers* What do you have?

Mack: *smiles a smile that may look a bit familiar and not one bit threatening, before he's setting his pack on the ground to open it* Well, this pack's got fruit and vegetables... I've got other packs with non-food items as well...

Tracks: *interested now. Ducks back inside and reaches for his boots* There's a merchant outside with fruit and vegetables, darling. I want to get you some.

Flashpoint: *moving to sit up* D'se 'e 'ave lahms? *hopeful*

Tracks: I intend to find out. *doesn't notice that he didn't fully close the door*

Flashpoint: *Grin*

Mack: *digging through his pack, is almost certain he has limes, intends to give those as a gift*

Tracks: *comes out and carefully closes the door behind him, then comes down the iron step and walks over to the merchant, using his spear for a walking stick as he comes* Do you have any preserved limes? Not those awful sugared things. I want the salted or pickled ones.

Mack: *Nods, pulling out a container of salt-preserved limes and a slightly larger container of pickled limes* 'N I've got fresh ones too....

Tracks: *startled* You have fresh limes?

Mack: *nods* I was given a crate 'f 'em as a parting gift....

Tracks: How much for those? And for the pickled ones?

Mack: Five gold for the pickled ones, and ten for half the crate of fresh. *yes, he's severely cutting into his profits, but it doesn't seem to bother him too much*

Tracks: *puzzled frown* How big is this crate?

Mack: *Shows Tracks the crate of big limes* I'd sell ya th' whole crate 'f I di'n't like fresh ones myself...

Tracks: *looks into the crate and makes a startled sound when he sees the size of the fruit that it contains* My word...

Flashpoint: *coming out to the stoop, wrapped in her good fur clothes, intends to watch the bartering*

Mack: *notices her and goes just sliiiiightly pale*

Tracks: *takes a lime from the crate and turns to show it to his wife* Look, darling. Have you ever seen limes that big?

Flashpoint: Onleh 'n pickled slahces...

Tracks: Do they taste the same as the usual ones? Would you like some of these?

Flashpoint: *nods* Mmmyup.... *Attention going to Mack, slight frown*

Tracks: *turns back to the merchant* You do realize that fresh limes are worth ten gold each around here? And that's for the small ones we usually get.

Mack: Y-Yeah...*Avoiding eye contact with Flashpoint*

Tracks: *sudden frown as he thinks the young man's accent just changed slightly* So... is there something wrong with these? Some disgusting little imp is going to hatch out of one just as my wife tries to eat it?

Mack: *looks horrified at the idea* Ah w'ld nevah do th't sorta th'ng!!! *and then he's going 'urk' as he realizes his slip up, courtesy of Flashpoint's sound of surprise*

Tracks: *sharp look at the slip* Been through Corngrove lately?

Flashpoint: Corngrove nothin'! Beauregard, wh't th' pit're y'u doin' 'eah?

Tracks: ...Beauregard? *gives the merchant a hard look*

Mack: Shhhh! Not so loud! *Nervous look around before he returns his attention to the couple* *Quietly* Ah'm s'posed t' be undahcovah... *Shoulders slump* Guess Ah kahnda blew 't...

Tracks: I think you had better come inside. But please leave those walking rugs out here. *turns toward the wagon, the hand with the lime in it going toward Flashpoint as he puts a foot on the step so that he can guide her inside*

Mack: A-Alrahght... *Will move to follow Tracks and Flashpoint inside*

Tracks: *carefully seating Flashpoint on the berth, then lays a gentle hand on her belly before going to shut and bar the door. Then nods that their guest should sit on the little three legged stool*

Mack: *moves to sit down, raised brow as he notices for the first time that Flashpoint's got a far rounder belly than she did the last time he saw her*

Flashpoint: Th'nks, Tracks... *moving to get her fur overclothes off*

Tracks: *soft murmur of welcome as he helps her. Has set the lime on the shelf by the door*

Flashpoint: *Watching Mack fidget a bit on the stool, her expression schooled into a mask of neutrality*

Tracks: *stands and hangs her furs on the hook to the other side of the door, then hangs up his own fur-lined tunic beside them and steps back to sit by his wife before looking around to see where he'd left his shirt*

Flashpoint: *Slight quirk of a grin as she takes in the sight that is her husband sans-shirt, before her attention goes back to Mack* Alrahght, Beau. 'Fess up. Wh't're y'u doin' 'eah?

Mack: *Quietly* Lahk Ah said... W's undahcovah.... Trah'n t' fahnd th' source'a th' illegal pahp weed th't's been tricklin' int' th' kingdoms...

Tracks: *raises an eyebrow as he notices the shirt sticking out from under Flashpoint's pillow. Takes it and pulls it on, then ties the ties before grabbing the blanket and putting it around his wife's shoulders*

Mack: *At Flashpoint's disbelieving look* Ah ain't lahin', Sis...

Tracks: Well we haven't seen any of that stuff here, so you're rather out of your way. *rubs Flashpoint's back through the blanket*

Mack: Ah 'eard news'a s'me'un wantin' a 'ome f'r 'is fam'ly.... Th't's wah Ah came out th's fah....

Flashpoint: *'hrrrm's as she moves to lean against Tracks*

Mack: *looking around the Rom wagon, making note of the fact that despite it being neatly organized (really, he didn't expect anyplace Flashpoint lived to be anything but organized), it's incredibly tiny to the point of almost feeling cramped. This concerns him greatly, especially with what he suspects is the reson for her rounded belly*

Tracks: *sees that look and scowls* *sounding rather snooty* Is there something I can help you with, Beauregard?

Mack: Y'all're 'appeh wit' th's? *indicates the room*

Flashpoint: *absently, as she moves to snuggle against her husband* Mmhmm.

Tracks: *scowl turns dangerous* It's ours and it's water proof. Which is more than I can say for the homes that some provide for their families. *thinking of the epic wreck of Sunstreaker's first attempt at a thatched roof*

Mack: *Getting a hunch that Tracks is a bit touchy about this subject* Alrahght....

Flashpoint: *murmurs something as she snuggles against Tracks that sounds supsiciously like "Y'u c'n sock 'im 'f y'u want, Tracks..."*

Tracks: *smirk* Oh don't tempt me, darling.

Flashpoint: *Soft 'Heh', is starting to fall asleep*

Tracks: *softly* Are you finished talking to your brother?

Flashpoint: *small nod*

Mack: *can take a hint, moves to get up and go, will leave half of the crate of fresh limes, as well as the container of pickled limes*

Tracks: Don't go too far. *watches him go out, then gets wife ready for bed and tucks her in before following. Offers gold for the limes* Let's see what else you have there. More than salted cabbage?

Mack: *digging through his pack again, offers a few wild ginger roots*

Tracks: Hmm, that hardly counts as a vegetable.

Mack: *Also getting out a crate of leeks and a crate of cress*

Tracks: *lifts the lid on the first one* Green onions?

Mack: Leeks.... Related t' onions

Tracks: May I? *reaches a hand toward one of the white cylinders tipped with pale green, cropped leaves*

Mack: *Nods* Go ahead....

Tracks: *examines the plant for bugs or anything suspicious, then sniffs it and thinks it might do for what his wife has been sighing for* How much?

Mack: One gold each.

Tracks: You'll hardly make a living with those sort of prices. *though green onions usually go for a bunch of ten per gold* *gives Mack twelve gold, and then looks at the cress. Frowns and tries to figure out what this is, and then blinks with surprise as he remembers his father growing it in the special heated greenhouse when he was very young and the family had been the third wealthiest in the land* ...Water cress?

Mack: *nod* Got it as part 'f a trade earlier t'day...

Tracks: *slight disbelieving look* In these parts? No one here even knows what water cress is.

Mack: *shrugs* I go farther than just the immediate area...

Tracks: *frowns* Well, I know that. But walking is a slow business, and even a good mount only speeds you up a little... What on Earth?

Mack: Huh-Oh! You silly thing... *reaching to pet the nose of the winged mule that just wandered over to nibble on his sleeve* Alright, alright... *pulls an apple out of a pocket and gives it to the creature*

Tracks: ...Do I want to know?

Mack: *grins a bit* This is Luka... He's how I get to far away places and back here easily... *more nose petting as Luka noms the given apple*

Tracks: *trying to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching as he looks at the comical little pigeon coloured creature* I see.

Luka: *happy ear waggle, nomming apple*

Tracks: *smirks and turns his attention back to the water cress, his mind going to presenting his wife with a huge bowl of it dressed with salt, oil, and lime juice* How much?

Mack: Five gold... *Has a hunch who'll be eating most of the water cress*

Tracks: *thinks* I want the whole crate.

Mack: Five gold for the whole crate.

Tracks: ...You are going to starve.

Mack: You're family. *Meaning he's cutting you a pretty good deal*

Tracks: I suppose. *gives him the gold and then tastes one of the delicate little sprigs*

Mack: *nods as he puts the gold in his money satchel* Want me to keep an eye out for anything in particular while I travel? *Yes, he makes this offer to everyone*

Tracks: *thoughtful expression* Well, we could use a big stoneware crock, and a good recipe for pickled eggs. Preferably one that'll work on drake eggs.

drake: *gives him the stink eye and moves to the other end of the wagon*

Mack: *chuckles at the drake's antics, before nodding* I'll see what I can find.

Tracks: *then looks at Mack's pack* And I don't suppose you'd happen to have any pickled eggs on hand?

Mack: *and now he'll check... only to come up empty-handed* Unfortunately, not this time...

Tracks: Pity. But I can make due in the meantime. *moves over to the bowl of glowing charcoal on the stoop and digs it aside with the tongs, then pulls out a roasted wyvern egg, which he sets down to cool slightly* You dogs had better not even think of touching this. It's bad enough some wretched gnome stole our stove the other day. *hence the new security system*

Mack: They won't... and I could get you another stove if you need it....

Tracks: The resident blacksmith's already taking care of it as soon as she gets to it. This is the time of year when she's got a lot of work.

Mack: Gotcha. *Will gently nudge Luka to try and get the mule to go back to the barn*

Tracks: *grabs the crate of cress and puts the other vegetables and fruits into it, then slips those inside the wagon before extinguishing the charcoal and bringing in the egg as well. Closes and bars the door, then checks on his wife before he does anything else*

Flashpoint: *having a bit of a doze*

Tracks: *soft smile, and then sets to work peeling the egg and flavoring it with vinegar and lime juice. Lets it sit while making that huge bowl of salad, then puts slices of egg on top, grabs a fork and goes to the berth* Flashpoint, darling, do you want your supper?

Flashpoint: Hmm? *moving to try and sit up, rubbing at her eyes a bit*

Tracks: *sets the big wooden bowl down and helps her sit* I've made you a lovely salad with roasted egg in it, and all the green onion and pickled lime that your heart could desire.

Flashpoint: *Pleased grin*

Tracks: *settles a cloth across her lap... what's left of it... and then sets the bowl there. Smiling, he then offers the fork*

Flashpoint: Th'nks, Tracks... *accepts the fork and begins to eat, making pleased sounds as she does*

Tracks: *grins himself as he goes to close the salad crate and then sit on the three legged stool to watch his wife eat*


Meanwhile


Ironhide: *playing Mungskull as Mack walks into the tavern*

Mack: *Amused snerk as he watches the poor sap who thought he could win get knocked stupid*

Eruiste: *hollers her approval from where she's cuddling her husband in a nest of skins on the hearth*

Young Lumen: *slightly absent-looking grin on his face as he cuddles with his wife. He knows he's home, but everything's a bit muzzy right now*

Bonnie: *writing on the walls again*

Deepdancer: *just blasted that gnome flying with a flash of lightening that seemed to have come from the rafters*

tankard: *sails past Mack's head*

body: *goes by the other way*

Thrrpt: *belly dancing on table with pine cones!*

Mack: *moving to grab the tankard so he can bring it to Anna*

Kriti: *Watching the merchant warily. She's never seen him before*

Ironhide: *stands up when she notices the stranger, and then her blue eyes are widening as she catches his scent* *eyes him, and then nods to Kriti that he's alright*

Raoul: *absently playing dolls with Sludge as he sits in what's become his chair. Tired from a happy day of babysitting*

Kriti: *Small nod, moves to bring Raoul a plate of food*

Snarl: *making happy sleep sounds in Raoul's shirt*

Gerard: *nearly runs into Mack as he heads toward Deepdancer with a tankard in each hand* Oh! Excuse me. And welcome to Dragon Tavern, good sir. *grin*

Mack: No harm done. *Smiles* I should've been watching where I was going.

Gerard: *perks* You're from the Mountain Kingdom capitol.

Mack: I've spent some time there, yes... I'm not from there originally though...

Gerard: You've done a great job of picking up the accent then. *chuckle* So what brings you here?

Mack: Business, mostly... *and there's that grin that may be familiar....*

Gerard: *tilts his head slightly when he sees the grin* *looks at the young man's packs* Merchant?

Anna: Get that mule out of here! I've got enough jackasses to deal with!

Mack: *Acks and moves to herd Luka back to the barn* Sorry about that!

Luka: *Just wants more apple plz*

Kia: *looks up from feeding mounts as Mack comes in* *softly* There he is.

Mack: I don't know how he keeps getting out.... *Sheepish*

Kia: I do. I'll chain and lock his stall. *glances over at the robed figure who's helping her*

Perceptor: He appears to be quite clever.... Though I have never seen such a creature before...

Mack: *chuckles* Luka's pretty special... His papa charmed a lady Pegasus, and he was the result...

Kia: *chuckles and nods toward a lovely white mare of a heavier breed, who is showing distinct signs of growing wings on her shoulders* Pegasi seem to have a knack for charming and being charmed.

Mack: *amused* I see... *Gives Luka another apple as he leads the little winged mule back into his stall*

Luka: *happily nomming apple*

Kia: *comes over, her face invisible under her hood and her hands gloved. Takes a slender chain from her waist and wraps it through a hole in the stall door and in the gate post, and then closes it off with a small but sturdy padlock*

Perceptor: *Soft chuckle as he moves to check on another stall's lock* I do believe Luka is one of the few we have to lock in for reasons other than the safety of those who frequent the area....

Mack: *puzzled expression is a go*

Perceptor: Luka is much less of a hassle than some of the other occupants... *Amused* And he is far less prone to being argumentative...

Roy: *thunder rolls!*

bonded force of nature: *creeps a tentacle out through the bars of its stall and looks for somebody to grab*

Grimlock: Stupid Roy!

stall next to Luka's: *has a rasping sound coming from it, as though something's scraping at the inside of the door*

Mack: *Curious about the scraping sound, goes to have a look*

Fantasian racing snail: *laying on its side and busily chewing through the door despite having a big heap of fodder*

Mack: *Raised brow* Er....

Perceptor: *mildly though wryly* I rest my case.

Mack: ... I see your point.... I'd better get back inside though....

Kia: *soft chuckle, then fills Luka's feed bin, rubs his nose, and moves on*

Luka: *Ears up, ooo, noms! Happily eats what he's been given*

Kia: *offers Grimlock a big bowl of oat mash with dried meat mixed in*

Grimlock: *perks when he smells the mash* Me Grimlock liiiiike. *settles down to eat*

Perceptor: Take care, friend. *moves to help Kia feed the rest of the mounts present in the stable*

Kia: *waves without looking away from the wyvern she's tending*

Mack: *Pauses on his way back to the tavern to watch as a pale blonde woman hurries to the barn* Huh....

Wheeljill: *from the orchard* It's working! Oh waitno SLAG! DUCK!

boom: *comes from orchard. Is loud*

Mack: ... *Hurries towards the orchard, worried* Are you alright, Miss?

Den F.: *also hurrying out* 'Jill, what'd you do?

Wheeljill: *blinks at him through a mask of black* Yup! And it was only gunpowder, Den.

Den F.: Oh, good. For a moment, I was worried. ^_^

Mack: ... Are you sure you're alright?

WakeJumper: *looks out to see what blew up. Upon seeing the situation, he chuckles and changes the subject* Hey 'Jill, plate or trencher?

Wheeljill: I'm really hungry! ^_^ *turns back to Mack* Yeah, buddy, I'm fine. Oh, hey, you're new.

Mack: *As WakeJumper chuckles and ducks back inside* Name's Mack.

Den F.: *moves to help Wheeljill up*

Wheeljill: *as she's helped to her feet* Wheeljill. Wanna hand me the chicken poop?

Mack: Er... Alright... *moves to get what Wheeljill asked for*

Den F.: I won this round... Bagged a Lightning Spewing Blue Scaled Dragon in the Underworld earlier... :3

Wheeljill: *takes the basket of chicken droppings* That's great, Den! I can hardly wait to sink my teeth inta some of that. :D

Mack: Won what?

Den F.: Anna pays gold to whoever bags the meanest dragon for dinner. First time I've won...

Wheeljill: And then she cooks it up reeeaaal nice.

Mack: Huh... *looks intrigued*

Den F.: C'mon... I've got enough gold to buy a few rounds of mead.

Wheeljill: I really gotta get this finished. But it shouldn't take too long. *cheery grin as she starts combining ingredients again*

Den F.: 'Kay. I'll make sure your drinks're by your food. ^_^ *moves to head into the tavern, Mack following curiously*

WakeJumper: Creator preserve us, someone gave Thrrpt an intact stasis mine!

Wheeljill: *drops everything and rushes inside* Thrrpt, drop it!

Wheeljack: *wants to see the mine, is curious*

Thrrpt: *already has the casing off and is avidly examining the guts, will try to beat off parents with a stick!*

Wheeljack: *Examining the casing and musing about what else it could hold*

Ironhide: *leaning on the bar and cracking up as Mack comes in*

Mack: *moving to apologize to Anna for Luka following him into the tavern, pauses when he sees Ironhide* ... *Raised brow*

Ironhide: *finally catches her breath, then lets out a little smoke and ups her tankard to knock back the contents*

bulge in the front of her tunic: Sludge liiiiike!

Mack: *both brows up upon seeing the smoke and hearing that little voice*

Ironhide: *slams the tankard down and calls for a refill, then notices Mack and gives him a cheesy grin* C'n Ah 'elp y'u? *has a knowing look in her eyes*

Mack: *quick glance around to make sure nobody can overhear them* *Quietly* 'T's been awhahl, Ahrnhahd.... *Small smile*

Ironhide: *shows not one jot of surprise* Don' blow y'u'r cover, dumbaft.

Mack: *even quieter* Sis 'n 'er 'usband know...

Ironhide: Don' mean anehbodeh else gotta know.

Mack: *Small nod as he presses his lips thin*

Ironhide: Ah felt y'u comin' a ways off. *more loudly* Tracks sez y'u're a merchant. Whaddya got f'r sale?

Sludge: Sell pretties! *wriggle!*

Mack: *raised brow Look for Ironhide, before he's digging in one of his packs* Depends on the pack.... This one's got baubles and other things of that nature, and I also have food and weapons, as well as clothes....

Ironhide: Wh'r's th' lahms? *absently getting Sludge out of her shirt so that the baby can see the other things Mack's showing*

Hormah: *over at the other end of the bar, talking with a very squeaky voice after sucking on an airship part she picked up today*

Mack: *gets the crate out of his pack* I sold some of them to Tracks and Flashpoint alred.... *Trails off as he realizes that the crate has refilled itself*

Ironhide: D'y'u git a bug? *looks*

Sludge: Ooobug!

Mack: I know I sold them half this crate... I saw Tracks take the limes...

Ironhide: *studies the large green fruit* Who'd y'u bah 't offa?

Mack: I was given the crate when I was selling the blockhouse...

Ironhide: Who bah? *picks up a lime and smells it cautiously, then grins*

Mack: *Quietly and a bit sheepishly* The servents that came with the house when I bought it....

Ironhide: *thought there was something interesting about that blockhouse* *bites the lime* XD

Mack: I've also got salt-preserved limes...

Ironhide: *waves the bitten fruit aloft, totally unbothered by the fact that the rind is thicker than what she's used to* 'Mia! LAHMS!

Chromia: *looks up from polishing her sword after getting back from incruing a massive XP Debt in The Blight* *small smile*

Ironhide: FRESH 'uns! *waves the one in her hand*

Chromia: *looks a bit more interested now, moves to get up slowly*

local merchant: *pushes his way over* Ironhide, I don't believe that was a bong you sold me. I want to go find the guy you got it from.

Ironhide: *lowers the lime and scowls at him* T'was 'n industrial strength Rakasha bong, y'u yahoo. 'N y'u cain' ask th' gah, 'cause Ah done ate 'im.

Mack: *blink blink, gives Ironhide a surprised look*

Chromia: *Finally makes her way over*

merchant: Y'u wh't!??

Ironhide: Ate 'im. 'E w's trahin' t' eat me.

merchant: *scoots away*

Ironhide: *turns to her sister and holds out the lime, which now has Sludge toofy prints on it too* Lookit th't, 'Mia.

Chromia: *reaching for the lime, and this close, it's clear she's not feeling the best right now*

Ironhide: *concerned look and puts her free arm around her sister, then whispers to her who this guy is* *aloud to Mack* Y'u got anneh bug juice?

Chromia: *very brief look of surprise as she tastes the lime and glances at Mack*

Mack: Lemme check... *digs in his pack*

Ironhide: *grabs the salt celler off the bar and holds it up so Chromia can dip the lime in it*

Chromia: *chuckles and proceeds to do so*

Mack: Aha, I knew I put a couple bottles in here... *pulling them out with a grin and offering one to Ironhide. He'll give the other to Anna*

Ironhide: *grins* 'Ow much f'r th't 'n ten lahms? 'N th't rattly th'ng Sludge jes' grabbed.

Sludge: *happily shaking an ornate tea ball*

Mack: Thirty gold... and the rattly thing is a tea ball...

Ironhide: Tea ball? *looks interested*

Sludge: Tea? *looks at the ball, then looks around* UNCA PERRRRCY!

Ironhide: *wincing and laughing as Slag bellows back from where he's playing in the corner with Dion's boot*

Mack: *Snerks*

Chromia: *Quietly* Shh, Sludge.... Uncle Percy's 'elpin' Aunty Kia....

Sludge: *looks up at Aunty and hugs the tea ball* Ohhhhh.

Ironhide: Y'u got anneh tea t' go wit' it?

Mack: Yeah... *digs and pulls up a couple of bricks of tea and a few fancy and not-so-fancy baby rattles*

Ironhide: *grabs one of the wooden rattles with the band of silver on the buck ivory handle and the painted beads that rattle back and forth on a fine bit of metal* 'Ey, Sludge, lookit.

Sludge: *will trade tea ball!* Sludge liiiike!

Mack: *chuckles* I'll add that for one more gold.

Ironhide: *looking around to see who has her little son, her expression intent as she uses all her senses*

Snarl: *happily curled up and sleeping in Raoul's shirt*

Ironhide: *spots the bump, and turns back to Mack* Ah'll take th' green 'un too.

Mack: Alright. So that's ten limes, a tea ball, a couple of bricks of tea, a bottle of tequila, and two baby rattles.... Thirty five gold sound fair?

Ironhide: *looks at Chromia* Y'u want anythin' else, sis?

Chromia: *headshake, mouth full of lime*

Mack: *is going to try and be sneaky and tuck the container of salt-preserved limes in the skin bag he's putting goods into*

Ironhide: 'Leven lahms, 'cludin' th' one we et. *thinks, then perks* Y'u got anneh books?

Mack: *Will start digging through another pack and pull out several books*

Ironhide: *surprised and pleased. Sets happy fat baby on the bar and picks up the books one by one to see what shape they're in and what they're about*

Sludge: *waves her new toy and peeps happily*

Mack: *Chuckles as Ironhide flips through the books, which are about various subjects, including one that's a translation of an ancient Epic War Ballad*

Ironhide: *pauses to read a bit of the ballad* Th's's almost as good's wh't Bonnie wrahts.

Chromia: *helping herself to another lime*

Mack: Bonnie?

Ironhide: *nods and looks around* 'EY, MIRA!

Old Mira: *looks over from copying down Bonnie's latest work* What?

Ironhide: Th's gah wants t' see Bonnie's Epics. *nods toward Mack*

Old Mira: Gimme a few minutes... *finishes transcribing what's currently on the wall*

Mack: .... *surprised*

Gerard: *coming over when he notices sisters with books. Looks at the title on the epic and grins!* I've been looking for this one! Are all the pages there, Ironhide?

Ironhide: *blinks at older brother, and then gives him the book to look at* Ah th'nk th'y are.

Mack: They should be...

Ironhide: *picks up the smaller and elegantly gilded book. Opens it and reads the title. o.0* A love poem. *flips through the pages* ... Fifteh pages 'o love poem. Th' slag?

Mack: *Soft snerk* That's from the Steel Empire....

Ironhide: *sudden mischief* Ah'm gonna bah 't f'r Percy. *sets it in the bag too*

Mack: *Chuckle* The same one who your little one was hollering for earlier?

Ironhide: Yeah, th' assistant stable 'and. *picks up next book and snorts* Lahdeh's fashion, circa last yeah? People read th's stuff?

Mack: The fancy ladies of the court and the wealthier families do....

Ironhide: *opens the slender and stylishly decorated book, then starts laughing her aft off at sight of the first fashion plate*

Mack: Doesn't mean the stuff's practical. *Yes, he had a good laugh at the fashion plates*

Ironhide: *shows the picture to Chromia*

Chromia: *Nearly chokes on her lime due to laughing so hard*

Ironhide: Bitteh, c'mere! *snorts and wipes tears out of her eyes*

Kriti: *patpats Raoul's shoulder and moves to come over* Hm?

Ironhide: *shows her the illustration*

Kriti: *snickering*

Old Mira: *Coming over now, having finished transcribing what Bonnie wrote*

Bluestreak: *comes with her, takes one look at that fashion picture and goes 0_0, then squirms at the thought*

Old Mira: The slag is that supposed to be? *Indicates the fashion plate*

Mack: Last year's high fashion. *amused*

Ironhide: *sees Chromia snort lime juice, and busts out laughing again*

Chromia: *rude hand gesture as she coughs*

Ironhide: *holds up the fashion book so that the whole tavern can see that first picture* Anehbody th'nk we oughtta bah th's?

Common room: *Erupts into fits of laughter*

Ironhide: Th't a yeah? *grinning*

Common room: *resounding agreement*

Ironhide: *puts it on the stack, and then turns to Mira* Y'u got them hahds y'u 'n Lu wrote th' othahs on?

Old Mira: *Nod* In my bank box.

Ironhide: Th'y in Common?

Old Mira: Of course.

Ironhide: *grins* Show buddeh here s'm real good wrahtin'.

Old Mira: Alright. *moves to ask Anna to get her bank box, please and thanks*

Anna: *lets Mira in to get into her box, is watching the barter session with interest*

Sludge: *has toddled over to try and show Anna's wyvern her new toy*

wyvern: *grumpy sound. Issasleep in his basket and wants to keep the sleep!*

Mack: *Attention going to the wyvern* Aww...

Ironhide: *reaching for the next book, glances over and snerks* Aww? Y'u need y'u'r ahs checked, mister.

Mack: What? I think it's cute.

Ironhide: *snerks again and looks at this book*

book: *is a very old field guide to edible plants, written by Alonso Quixada*

Ironhide: *looks thoughtfully at that name, and then looks over at Don Quixote* 'Ey, Donneh, Ah th'nk Ah found y'ur book.

Don Quixote: *looks up from his plate of food, before quickly getting to his feet, to the annoyance of the rest of the people at the table* Ah, but what is it you have found? Some dastardly wizard's book of enchantments? *moving to come over* Or perhaps the very book in which the Emperor of All wrote the story of creation...

Ironhide: Nah, th't last 'un's in mah trunk. Y'u wrote th's 'un. *shows it to him*

Don Quixote: *Seems quite puzzled by this*

Ironhide: *offers him the book* Y'u wanna 'ave a look?

Don Quixote: *Curiously examining the book, before declaring that he shall seek out this Alonso Quixada, for the book is quite intriguing* *And then he's off on another adventure*

Ironhide: *gives his servant an apologetic grin, and then puts the book in her 'to buy' bag and grabs the next one, which is smallish, locked, and bound in wood. Jimmies the lock, blinks at the poof of green smoke that hits her in the face, and then opens it and frowns at the writing for a moment before grinning* 'T's s'mebodeh's diareh.

Chromia: *looks, even as she helps herself to a third lime*

Old Mira: Ooo, whose diary?

Ironhide: *reading the flowing lettering* Sultan s'mebody 'r othah's eldest daughter.

Old Mira: Hrrm......

Ironhide: *snerk* 'N she had a boyfriend. *in other words, scandalous, but not X rated reading* Mack, y'u bettah save th's'un f'r th' fahn citeh ladehs. *offers it back to him* Once y'u get it translahted.

Mack: *Nods* Alright.

Gerard: Speaking of translations. *smiles at Mira*

Old Mira: *Offers the translations of Bonnie's War Ballads*

Mack: *Curious, begins reading*

Gerard: *gets hold of one of the other books and is delighted to find that it's the second volume of the epic he's already snatched*

Ironhide: *laughs and calls him a clerk*

Mack: *Impressed whistle*

Ironhide: *attention back to the merchant* *big grin* Toldja.

Mack: These're pretty darn good....

Old Mira: Bonnie's that good.

Ironhide: *grins* 'N we're 'er agents.

Gerard: *sideways look at baby sister*

Mack: ...Agents?

Ironhide: Yeah, we'll sell a copy 'a th's, 'n give 'er th' gold.

Gerard: *relaxes. He knows his sister is honest about things like that. Resumes enjoying the books he's found*

Mack: *Small nod* Gotcha.

Ironhide: So 'ow 'bout a 'undred gold?

Mack: *Getting gold out of his money satchel*

Ironhide: Y'all know not t' keep th't on 'and at nahght, rahght?

Mack: *nods* I may be new to the area, but I'm no fool.

Ironhide: Alright. *takes the gold and gives it to Anna for Bonnie, then gets out gold of her own to buy her order, and twice the number of limes she'd asked for initially* Ah saw wh't y'u done th're, 'Mia. *chuckle*

Chromia: *Razzes sister*

Ironhide: *grabs two last books and buys them too, and then grabs something she thinks Mira will like... an iron pen*

Old Mira: *Soft snerk when she sees the pen*

Ironhide: 'Ow much? *grins at Mack, the light of battle haggling in her eyes*

Mack: *Considering look* Fifty.

Ironhide: *scowls* Y'u're gonna dah broke, kid. *gives it to him*

Mack: Maybe, but I'll be happy. ^_^

Ironhide: *scowl turns to a laugh, and she gives him fifty more*

Mack: *Chuckles* Pleasure doin' business with you.

Ironhide: Whateveh. Go git y'urself s'methin' t' eat. *head swivels as she senses someone coming in* Ah gotta 'usb'nd t' kiss stupid*

Mack: *Chuckles* Alright, alright... *Goes to put his wares in his bank box and to get some food and drink*

Old Lumen: *Absently humming something he picked up on his travels today*

Ironhide: 'Mia, will y'u watch my stuff? *eyes shining with mischief as she lowers her head slightly in preparation to charge*

Sludge: Me stuff! *giggle*

Chromia: *nods, chuckling*

Ironhide: Thanks! *hits Old Lumen with a flying tackle as yahoos and louts scramble out of her way!*

Old Lumen: *Startled cuss!*

Ironhide: *SNOG!*

Sludge: *over on the bar cheering at the top of her bitty lungs!*

Mack: *surprised sound as it just now sinks in that Ironhide is MARRIED*

Chromia: *Slapping her leg and howling with laughter at Mack's delayed reaction*

Anna: *snerk* *takes it that the merchant knows the sisters*

Ironhide: *still snogging. Is a snogmoster*

Old Lumen: *Starting to get dizzy from the epic snog*

Ironhide: *finally comes up for air* Welcome 'ome. :D

Old Lu: *Chuckles and snuggles close* That was some welcome, 'Hide.

Ironhide: Ah gotchy'u a book. *grins*

Old Lu: Oh?

Ironhide: Yup. *cuddles a bit, but then gets to her feet and offers him a hand up so that Anna can stop hollering about the open door*

Old Lu: *glad for the hand up* What kind of book?

Ironhide: Don't know. But Ah knew 't's one y'u'd lahk. *arm around his shoulders as she leads him back to her place by the bar*

Old Lu: *Chuckles and glances at Mack* New arrival?

Ironhide: *pulls up a chair and pushes him down into it, then sits on him. Face by his ear, she murmurs just who the merchant is*

Sludge: *cheep cheep cheep! Snuggles is happening and she can't reach!*

Old Lu: *brows up, but that's the only indication that he's surprised. Then he's moving to reach for Sludge*

Ironhide: Ah'm sorreh, babeh. *snags the bitty and tucks her and her little green dolly between them, then reaches into the bag for the book that she could feel that her best friend would like*

Old Lu: *chuckles when he sees how Kriti is snuggled with Raoul* *brows UP when he sees the book Ironhide got him, which is a collection of Epic War Ballads that one of his distant relatives wrote*

Ironhide: *looks at the book for the first time and blinks* 'Ow'd Ah git th't past Gerry?

Gerard: *looks up from the first of his new books* Huh?

Old Lu: *Soft chuckle as he begins to read*

Ironhide: *grabs some food and that table that only had three guys at it, and then comes back and sits on Old Lumen with Sludge. Grabs the book she picked for herself and is pleased to see that it's a largish chapbook on nearly worn out reused parchment. The contents prove to be a set of utterly hilarious short poems with appropriate illustrations, and she's soon leaning back against her friend and eating between bouts of cracking up and sputtering*

((Co-written with random_xtras))