Bringing Big Street to Little Country

[Storm Veritas]

The injury to his hand had not even really registered to him. It had been an open-handed shot he’d laid on the boy, so the worn, calloused palm of his hand didn’t scream with the same pain that knuckles tended to. It was bright red, and rich with blood, but likely would go back to normal within a day or two. He found himself a bit surprised that Taische would think him hurt, but still touched that she cared enough to notice.

“The hand? It’s no big deal, kid. Should be fine. You’re right about the time; just been a long day.”

The adorable little cherub was rubbing her eyes; he was hoping that she’d look to rest or sleep, or just call an end to a day of mischief and exhaustion. She didn’t take the cheese; despite her obvious fatigue she wanted to continue on.

Shit, kid, you’re like that clock tower. Tick, tick, tick… do you ever stop?

Her little fingers wrapped around his old, vein-addled hand, and he smiled at her. Taische offered a weak smile, and Storm couldn’t discern if it was patronizing, or genuine but tired. He began to lead her out of the market at last, ahead of some of the long, stretched shadows that now began to exaggerate the features of local rooftops.

“I think your mom may be home by now, but either way I’d like to get my feet up. A tall glass of water, (and a short glass of whiskey,) and some quiet. Maybe let you practice a little with that yo-yo; think you’ve got any tricks to show me?”

Her eyes widened a bit at this, and she smiled strongly enough to show teeth. Sure, in her hands the yo-yo was a weapon of lethal magnitude, capable of concussing or killing fools that dare enter her range. At its basest level, the mighty thing was still a toy.

Without a word, the girl skipped ahead, producing the yoyo and instantly practicing for what she expected to be some showcase of just-gained skills. It was unclear to the magician if little O’Sheean had used one for years or was simply a savant with the stringed-rock, but her avarice was unmistakable.

[Taische]

He had said he wanted ice for his hand. But he didn't, really. And now he wanted her to show off with her yo-yo for him. She was bleeding and he wanted her to show off. Did he think that would occupy her and keep her where he could see her? At this point, all she wanted was to force her blistered feet to take one step, then another, until they were finally at the apartment. Then she wanted to wash off the city grime, tend to her cuts, and go to sleep under Taodoine's wing. She didn't want to show off for some old man who cared more about his whims than her well-being, and if looks could kill, he'd have probably dropped on the spot.

Even so, she dug the toy out of her pocket, untangled its string, and did a few half-hearted tricks to appease him. They'd be home soon enough, and then the day would be done. They'd barely crossed the now-closed market square when she put it away. "I think that's enough for today, Uncle Storm."

Each step felt like a dozen knives digging into her feet. While she could walk barefoot all day over gravel, grass, sticks, or mud, a day in hard shiny shoes was too much for her to tolerate.

Part of her wanted her mother to be back before them. Sure, she'd probably get into trouble for running off, but she wanted to be held and soothed. It was a big world, full of chaos, and she didn't understand the jungle that was Radasanth. The world seemed like a safer, more friendly place when she was within reach of Karuka's arms. Part of her hoped her mother wasn't there, because she didn't want to explain what had happened that day. She just wanted to go to bed and deal with it in the morning, if at all.

They trudged down the street, man and child, with the former getting ever more impatient at the latter's painful, halting steps - the only thing that was keeping him from his alcoholic indulgence. But she was doing the best she could.

Contented snorts and rolling brogue greeted their ears as they passed the stable; Karuka tending to big Attila before her day was done. That meant they had a few minutes to get in and settled before the road-weary redhead made her way into the apartment.

[Storm Veritas]

His suggestion to let the girl play had gone over with all the popularity of a fart in a broom closet. Dealing with children hung around Storm’s neck like a noose; they were irrational and unpredictable and difficult. As an expert in the matter of acting irrationally, unpredictably, and with considerable difficulty himself, the electromancer failed to identify the source of the tantrum that was bubbling to a hard boil right before his eyes.

Gods, you little shit. I look after you all day and save you from that handful of little bastards that wanted to slice you up for loose change. Bought you a dress, better than any you’ve ever owned I’d bet. Some sort of gratitude… You know, kids have “fallen” down wells for less.

Taische had grown tired, as any mature adult could plainly see. Storm was exhausted, as any mature adult would have easily predicted. He instantly caught sight of Karuka far ahead, tall and elegant and calmly grooming his mighty beast. A maelstrom of emotions that washed over him in a wave of confusion, frustration, anger and guilt. He had made several mistakes, errors in judgment, and allowed the little miscreant to put herself at risk. Would her mom understand this mischief, or hold it against him? He supposed either was possible, but his own temper was burning like a small fire, begging to be flared.

Looking down at the tender-footed wildling, the self-appointed wise Storm Veritas attempted to tamp her frustrations first.

“Hey kid, you want a lift? You’re limping like you hurt your feet; I didn’t see it but know how lousy that can feel.” He offered an open arm for her to be scooped into, fairly certain she wouldn’t accept. Immediately he realized that it would look like a desperate play to improve the optics of the situation, and allow him to stride back to the barn a conquering hero.

That was stupid.

Undeterred, they still had a few moments and dim twilight as they approached the large barn and those somewhat welcome familiar faces. He only had a minute to prepare his words, and it seemed obvious that he’d be best choose them carefully.

“I think we both want to pack it in for the day, but you know your mom is smart enough to know you’re a little banged up. You’re limping like you took shrapnel, and all sorts of scraped up. Personally, I’d rather go straight in and hide, but think we’d better come out with the truth first here.”

And which truth would that be? The truth of the absentee protector, who lost track of a child in a dangerous market on multiple occasions, allowing her to brush up with death? Or the truth of the selfish little shit that snuck away every time her babysitter blinked, causing him endless heartache and putting herself in danger?

He swallowed his pride a bit. He could have likely fast-talked Karuka, who was sharp and instinctive, but also a touché naïve regarding the dangers of the city. It wouldn’t last; if he spoke on behalf of the girl he risked being betrayed by her the next time the two broke off on their own. It was unacceptable.

“You know what? You can tell her the story. I owe you that much. Just make sure you don’t sell yourself short on how well you handled those little punks…”

Perhaps playing into her blossoming ego wasn’t the worst idea he’d ever had.

[Taische]

Taische looked up at Storm, then over at the stable, where her mother was still preoccupied with the horse. She'd rather hide inside as well, but there wasn't really any more running to do, since her uncle was making her tell her mom. Her feet hurt too much, for one thing. But she wasn't a baby to get carried, so she hobbled into the well-lit stable, where her mother had just finished tending to the great black horse.

Karuka smiled wearily down at her daughter, but her warm expression only lasted for a second before her eyes widened. She knelt down in the hay, checking the little girl for injuries. "What happened?!" Her gaze flashed from Taische to Storm, then back again. "What happened?"

The O'Sheean pet phoenix landed beside the women, joining his keeper in inspecting the youngest member of their family.

Taische looked down, then back up at her mother, fidgeting side to side a little. "I went to get dinner when Uncle Storm was still in the tailor shop and-"

"Stop right there." Karu looked from the worst of Taische's cuts to meet Taische's face. "Y' know very well y' can't lie t' me. Th' fact that y' tried means y' wandered off at least once when y' knew y' shouldn't have. Fer th' runnin' off, one day indoors. Fer th' lies, two more days. Now. How about y' try tellin' me th' truth?"

Taische seemed to crumple. Her shoulders pulled in and started to shake, her eyes squeezed closed, and her little teeth bit into her lip. Her valiant attempt to not cry lasted only a handful of seconds. A little tear sneaked out of one eye, followed by a bigger tear from the other, and after a few seconds, she was a mass of sobs. Karuka wrapped her arms around her child, holding her and stroking her hair while she cried and listening while she spoke in a language utterly unlike either Tradespeak or Dheath.

The redhead didn't talk again until Taische's words ran out and the deep sobs had settled into half-choked gasps. "Y' had a longer day than y' were ready fer. Y' have some injuries, we need t' get rid of those shoes, an' yer overtired. Go on inside, clean yerself up. I'll be along in a bit t' help, but if y' need me b'fore I get there, call me. I'll come."

Karu kissed her daughter's forehead and pulled out a cloth, wiping her face and nose. "Yer still in a ton of trouble, but I love y' all the same. Go on."

With a sniffle, Taische motioned to Taodoine, who followed the little girl back. Karuka sighed and stood up, rubbing her forehead and the bridge of her nose. "Jus' a day, it's all I asked. An' people want t' know why I only had th' one!"

[Storm Veritas]

It shouldn’t have surprised Storm to see how quickly and effortlessly Karuka was able to sift through the half-truths her daughter offered, cutting immediately to the root of the issue and setting straight the generally good kid. After all, Taische was mischievous, but certainly good-hearted, and this hadn’t happened by accident. The very act of competent parenting felt like a bit of witchcraft to the experienced wizard, who came to realize during this long day that it was far easier to kill a platoon of Coronian Rangers than safely raise a child.

Karuka quickly dismissed her scraped, tired, and embarrassed child, who took her big orange bird with her off inside. With a disarming comment, the stunning woman seemed to offer a bit of an olive branch to Storm. Despite his novice status in dealing with children, he had dealt with women quite a bit. The hair on the back of his neck began to tingle; his nerves buzzed.

It’s a trap. A little dab of honey atop the spring and spike. Tread lightly.

“The one you had is a good one,” he began, standing tall and looking the magnificent Karuka in her eyes. “She’s just a better kid than I am a caretaker.”

He stood next to Attila, the big, brutish horse that was fast as lightning but acted dumb as rocks. He was also ornery to a fault; as a general “friend”, Attila would make for a fine source of glue.

Sound familiar? Maybe it’s time to invest in a mirror…

Storm breathed deeply as he rubbed the round, thick jaw muscle of his magnificent monster of a horse. It was incredible; the unique Karuka O’Sheean was the only person aside from himself that Attila wouldn’t bite or kick before submitting to mount.

The sun was nearly down completely now, and the oil lanterns of the stable began to drive a harder contrast to the rising black that crept forth from the ground to swallow this unmerciful day. His mind raced to find the right thing to say to a rightfully angered mother, knowing full well that despite his silver tongue, there wouldn’t be words that would aptly save his ass this time.

“If she’s in trouble, then I’m expecting I’d be damned near dead.” A hard swallow, a sheepish grin; Storm refused to show fear or shame. He had made his bed to this point; there was no sense trying to connive Karuka, who had long since proven herself too shrewd to be conned.

[Karuka]

Karuka's blue eyes flashed from behind her hand, focusing in on the lover who had still not yet grasped the depths of her rage. She'd only asked Taische for one day - one day! - of staying with her caretaker and behaving. The child should have learned something about staying close to her responsible adult on the day she got snatched away from other caretakers and whisked away to Salvar. That she'd ended up with someone who had a vested interest in returning her to her mother had been a stroke of luck. That she hadn't learned anything was probably her mother's fault; excessive willfulness ran deep within the O'Sheean bloodline. But she'd only asked a day.

She'd only asked Storm for the same. One day. Just one. One day to focus on minding and caring for a child he'd known for a month. One day to not drink on the job, to not run his mouth off like an exasperated donkey, to just... just watch the child. She hadn't asked him to buy her anything. She hadn't asked him to take her child into Corone's busiest market on its busiest day of the cycle. Those had been choices he made. If he'd taken Taische to run around in the local greenspace for an hour, grabbed her some lunch, and then spent the rest of the day relaxing inside, that would have been more than fine. But no. He'd had to be Storm Fucking Veritas.

Prob'ly should've asked him in a moment when his head was clearer, an' not b'lieved his flippant 'how hard could it be?'

Karu reached out with a golden hand to rub Attila's soft nose. "Since she didn't die or get carted off t' some other country on yer watch, I do want t' thank y' for tryin'. She's not easy on her good days, an' t'day she d'cided t' be testy. Doesn't help that she's been aristocracy since b'fore she knew what th' word meant an' has enough pride fer a lion. Doesn't help that y' come off as condescending an' acerbic an' she hasn't yet learned that y' don't mean any harm by it. Doesn't help that she has no idea how C'rone works. Doesn't help that y' have no idea how children work. Y' coulda saved a lot of grief if y' knew she always does that side t' side wiggle when she's not tellin' th' truth."

The redhead sighed, exhaustion settling on her like a blanket. Neither one of them was going to like what she said next, but she had to say it. And she had to be absolutely certain that he understood her, and understood that she was serious. When she spoke again, all but the slightest bit of roll and lilt had been stripped from her tone.

"You probably think that Taische despises you. She doesn't. Having you around day in and day out - here when she goes to sleep, still in bed with me when she wakes up, walking, talking, eating together, being together... it's a first for her. She's never had a man be part of the family like this. And you've been so long without a family that you don't understand its burdens and its privileges. So at her first chance, she started asking questions, and asking them in ways that you could neither evade nor answer falsely."

Darting shadows danced in the guttering lantern light between the two lovers, dividing the space between them into jagged fragments.

"What is a man? What sort of man are you? Are you watching? Are you going to protect me? Do you care? And she got her answers, even if she doesn't understand them yet. But I understand them. And she's also posed questions to me. Just how much does a woman take from a man? And what does she do when that line's been crossed?" Karuka didn't look at Storm, instead sliding her gentle, calloused hands up the big horse's face and scratching behind his ears. She let him shove his head into her chest; he wanted scratched how he wanted scratched, and he could trust that she'd respect that.

"If you ever decide you're ready to be an adult, with an actual family, come find us again. We'll give it another try. But as you are now... as you are now, you aren't good for my child. And you're reasonable enough to know that however much I might love you, she will always come first."

She looked back at Storm, a little bit of moisture shining in her eyes and her mouth set into a firm line. Attila snorted his discontent as she stepped back, crunching straw beneath her feet, but she didn't bend to him any more than she'd bent to Taische. She reached into her bag, bringing out a beautiful new pipe and holding it out to him. She was a clairvoyant; she'd had a hint that his old one would get broken over the course of the day. He shouldn't have to lose anything because he was watching her little girl.

He was already losing so much because he hadn't watched her well.

"Take this an' anything else that belongs t' you. An' know I wish y' well, wherever yer feet might take y'."

[Storm Veritas]

He had expected the strong, venerable Karuka to come back at him hard, but her careful, measured words were much more difficult to manage. It wasn’t some flippant, angry response that led to her spouting disapproval, but rather the thoughtful, intentional decision that he was bad for Taische.

Before trying to govern the brazen little girl for a day, the concept of being a bad influence would have rolled off his shoulders like water off a duck’s back. Having tried and failed, the concession of incompetence was impossible to bear. Gently snatching the pipe from the caregiving redhead, Storm moved to Attila, running his fingers through the mane. The big beast snorted a bit before acquiescing to his owner, stepping across hay to land nearby.

No, you big bastard, you don’t get to choose. Taische chose, and she chose to leave. Karuka chose, and she chose to leave. You are coming with me, and I won’t hear the first f*cking word of argument.

Karuka hadn’t been unfair, but her words still cut through him as deep as a tempered blade. What could he say to her accusations? With a deep breath and a sigh, he squinted his eyes tautly to stifle any errant tears before speaking.

“If you want me gone, I understand. Probably best I go, anyway.” He walked Attila over to the stable side wall, pulling up the heavy leather saddle that slipped effortlessly over his back. It cinched well beneath the horse in only a few pulls, stirrups dropping smoothly below the mighty belly of the stubborn stallion.

Enough work to do on your own. Need to pull in a lot of cash to get that place back in Radasanth, and it’s not the type of work that these two would approve of.

…yes, of course. Get that spacious loft overlooking Center Market; let it remind you of what you DON’T have. What you left behind.

Storm raised his eyes to meet Karuka’s, able to tell that her decision, while final, hadn’t been made easily. He wasn’t easy to love, but after what they’d been through, she was tied to him in a way that was hard to understate. There was nothing left to say between them; while they were good for each other, Storm was a terrible influence on the impressionable Taische, and it could not be tolerated.

Without a word, his left hand shot out beneath her jaw, softly gripping the supple flesh of the staggering beauty. He pulled her tight despite her confusion, kissing her firmly on those lips which felt as soft silk and sweet like the sugar-borne candies he’d have wished to spoil her girl with. The kiss was brief but intoxicating, and he pulled himself away just as his body began to scream to him, demanding more.

You don’t deserve more, and she deserves better. If you can’t make this work, in what situation could you POSSIBLY be happy?

Hopping atop the wide, rock-hard back of his loyal horse, Storm pushed off down the road with only a single final thought.

“Farewell, beautiful. Tell the kid I’m sorry, and that I’ll miss her.”

The uneven clip-clop of hooves began their rhythmic beat, as the old wizard rode off in the darkness. The nagging pain that pulled at him was a reminder that future times would not come more kindly to him. It was an indictment of past deeds which would not escape him.

Some people don’t deserve happiness.

[Karuka]

Karuka held her breath while she watched Storm vanish into the night. Though he sat tall and proud in the saddle, she'd seen the look in his eyes when she'd told him to go, like he'd just lost something far more precious than a limb. She'd wanted to give him instruction, to teach him better. But he just wasn't the listening sort, and his actions and inactions had put her child into very real danger. That was unacceptable.

No, Storm Veritas was not an easy man to love. He was as coarse and crude as he was suave and smooth, and while that was not always a bad thing... he just wasn't ready for the blessings and burdens of parenthood. He also wasn't a man who loved easily, and while she had no doubts that he would soon find himself between the legs of a prostitute, so drunk he couldn't remember his own name, she also knew that the pain of this parting would return with the hangover. It would get worse for a day or two, and then it would ease. He was, after all, a man who really only thought of himself.

She finally let herself breathe when Attila's footsteps faded into soft raps on distant pavement. It shuddered on its way in and rushed out explosively. She stood like that for a few seconds with her arms wrapped tightly around her torso, just breathing and fighting hard against the tears that threatened to fall.

I haven't th' time fer this. I've a child that's been hurt. A child that needs tendin' to. Her first, whatever she's done.

She closed the door to the suite only a minute after leaving the stable. Taische was in her room, dealing with her injuries and her punishment. It was a nice suite in a decent hotel; Storm's pride wouldn't let them stay in poor accomodations. Taische even had her own space, though it only had a child-sized bed, a small dresser, and a basin.

It would have been so easy t' him, t' jus' not have come back any of th' times he left. But he kept comin' back. T' th' both of us.

"...mom?" The piteous little voice called Karuka's attention back to the present, and she knelt to look at Taische's cuts. They'd already been cleaned out with water and sterilized with fire, so she turned her attention to her daughter's raw and blistered feet. The soles of Taische's feet were tough and leathery, perfect for navigating all but the toughest terrain. They weren't made for the sort of hard shoes that Rayse had bought for her during her brief stay in Knife's Edge. Taische didn't even like them, she'd just thought that maybe her uncle would like her better if she was wearing shiny shoes.

"Mom? Did I break our family?" Taische's tear-stained face still screamed of her frustration with the failures of the day. In the end, she felt, she'd ruined everything.

"No, wee bit." Karu dipped a cloth into the nearby basin, squeezing it before washing her daughter's face. "Fam'lies don't break b'cause one little girl misbehavin' fer one day. Storm jus'... has some thinkin' t' do. If he comes back, we'll make a go of bein' a fam'ly again. If he doesn't... then it jus' wasn't meant t' be. But he did say that he's sorry an' that he'll miss y'."

"But...we're only here three more days." Taische's face scrunched up when her mother traced a healing rune onto her forehead. Beorc would deal with her cuts and feet by the morning, but it tingled. "Does he even know where we're going?"

Karu shook her head, moving around to release her child's thick black hair from the intricate braids that had held it in place all day. "My tiny love, we don't even know where we're goin'. We'll just go wherever th' wind takes us next."

"You always say that. And it's always weird."

A weary chuckle passed the redhead's lips, and she sat, pulling Taische into her lap and holding her close. "I wasn't with yer father long... less time even than we've been with Storm. But I told him about dharma, like I told you. That we've all got paths t' walk. He went off, d'termined t' carve his own. He prob'ly thinks he's doin' it, but he's makin' a damned mess. Storm just has t' walk his own path a bit. If it's meant t' be, we'll see him again. If it's not... Yer gonna learn right quick, wee bit... there's more'n one man in th' world."

Taische's blue eyes blinked for a few seconds, calculating. Should she ask about Storm? Should she ask about dharma? Should she ask about any of over a hundred things? No... No, she shouldn't.

"Can we go see my father? I'd like to meet him."

Karuka's mouth hardened. "No, wee bit. Maybe when yer older an' can handle th' man he's become. Maybe when he realizes he's a damned idiot and that power an' money aren't worth anything, really. Maybe never."

"Oh. Well... can we get a puppy?"

"That, wee bit..." Karuka leaned back against the little bed. "That, we can see about."

[Rayleigh]

Thread: Bringing Big Street to Little Country
Participants: Storm Veritas, Taische & Karuka
Type: Workshop

Congraulations!

Storm receives:
3,460 EXP
250 GP

Karuka receives:
370 EXP
30 GP

Taische receives:
2110 EXP
225 GP

[Rayleigh]

All EXP and GP have been added!