Sea-spray and friendship

A roleplay by Gisele Valentein and Ven-Vyzran

Ven-Vyzran stepped down onto the busy dock market. The boards creaked beneath his weight and his metal boots, but it was barely audible above the sounds of barter, livestock and the ocean. He enjoyed the atmosphere here - especially after so much time in tunnels and caves recently. He made his way over to the cheese stall - a taste he'd picked up over the years he'd spent around humans - and stopped to look at the produce. Nothing particularly special today, but he pointed to a wheel of hard Keshel Cheddar and asked the price with a smile. The effect of the smile, as always, wasn't as charming as he intended owing to his tusks and general appearance. But the seller knew him and began to haggle enthusiastically.

Gisele Valentein stood by the grill awaiting her cooked fish. She had ordered two filets for lunch; she was ravenous. As she waited for her meal, she turned and spotted her blue-skinned friend. And when she did, she brought her hands up to cover her mouth to suppress an excited scream. Her excitement was very uncharacteristic, but Ven-Vyzran was like a father to her. She loved the hell out of him and if there was anyone she trusted completely, it was the orc. She walked hurriedly toward him, the fish completely forgotten for the time.

Ven settled negotiations and caught out of the corner of his eye a dark clad figure approaching quickly. His hand moved to the knife at his back and clasped the hilt as he turned to face the figure. "Who…" he began and then recognised Gisele. His face broke into a smile that was almost endearing and he let go of the dagger and spread his arm. "I heard you here!" he said with warmth in his voice. "Come hug." He took a few steps around the cheese cart to close the distance to her, unconcerned if people noticed their greeting. He had been hoping to meet her, but hadn't realised just how pleased he would feel.

A big smile curled her lips. Gisele threw her arms about his neck as she stood on tiptoes to press her cheek to his. “Ven! It’s been way too long,” she softly said, unable to contain the excitement in her voice. “Quicka told me you were around so I have been looking for you.” She slid her hands down to his upper arms, keeping them there while she had a look at him. “My god, you haven’t aged at all,” she laughed. “Hungry? I have some fish frying over here,” she lifted her chin, drawing his attention to the fish stall behind her.

He held her for a moment. It wasn't often that he let people so close into his guard and the physical contact was reassuring in a way that nothing else quite was. "Hungry no. Watch you eat, yes," he said, gesturing for her to lead him over. "So good see you…" he paused. "What name?" he asked as quietly as he could in his deep voice and with so much background noise.

Her grin felt plastered to her face. As usual, he always put a smile there. “Ok, prepare to be appalled,” she jested as she released him. “I warn you I am quite hungry. However, it will wait.” She released him, but kept her eyes on his large form. “Silver,” she quietly said so she wouldn’t be overheard. He would remember that name. She had used it since Banebirch. She probably should have changed it, but she just couldn’t quite let it go yet. “How long has it been?” She asked him, trying to recall the last time they had seen one another.

Ven nodded. "Good name," he said. Then, in answer to her question: "Maybe 5 years?" His tone was uncertain. Much had happened since they'd met last and the months and years had a habit of blending into one another as he moved from job to job and treasure to treasure. "Too long," he said after a moment's thought. "Too too long." He stepped back a bit and placed his arms on her shoulders. "Let me look," he said and cast his red eyes over her. "Healthy." He turned her gently this way and that. "Nothing missing." He bent down to look into her eyes for a moment, searching for pain or sadness. Once he'd finished his appraisal, if she had let him, he straightened again and looked around the market. "Very open," he observed. "Somewhere else? Should talk."

Gisele nodded in agreement. “Way too long, I concur!” She posed like a silly girl for him as he looked her over. She was playful only for him though. “Nothing missing, no.” She laughed again and bit down on her lip, smile still present as she continued to gaze up at him. “It’s just so good to see you. But yeah, let’s. Let me pick up my filets and a little bottle of ale.” She turned and collected her purchases then moved to follow Ven.

He led her out onto the ship docks. Only The Changeling was in dock, so the sea berths themselves were empty. He walked to the end of the farthest walkway from the market and eased himself down onto the wood. The waters of the bay were relatively calm and little spray came up from the small waves lapping at the wood. The sounds of the market had grown quiet and the soothing sounds of the ocean and the smell of salt filled his senses. He watched Gisele sit and smiled again, thrilled to have run into his friend. "Good to see you," he said again, as though that hadn't been clear from their earlier greeting. He was both excited and concerned to see her and found, as always, that strong emotions were slowing his thinking. He took a few deep breaths and then asked: "Why you come here?" His tone was not judgmental - rather a mix of curiosity and concern.

Gisele followed suit, lowering herself to have a seat on the secluded end of the docks. She loved how her skin and hair smelled of sea-spray when she spent time out on the docks and boats. She was always drawn to them - those docks, and it was how she had first met Javier. She sat her wrapped fish down and began opening the paper, eyeing the grease,  her belly growling, knowing how good her lunch would be. And it would probably be her only meal of the day. She looked up at him as he spoke, and relaxed her shoulders. “You too, Ven. I’m so happy to see you.” She gazed down at her filets, lids fluttering as she blinked and tried to form her explanation. Mindful to not tell him everything. “Well,” she started, her tone somber. “I was ready for a change. My last two jobs?” She thought that over quickly. “No, three jobs,” she corrected herself. “They just weren’t clean breaks and I know of at least one who was so pissed at me that I no longer felt safe staying there.” She pinched off some of the flaky fish and put it to her mouth. “You been back to Banebirch? Any new jobs lately?” She queried over a mouthful of white fish, trying to sway the conversation in the direction she favored and shifted her gaze over the stretch of sea before her.

Ven listened and watched her unwrapping her meal. He nodded at the mention of the trouble she was describing, aware that both their lines of work were not the safest. "Banebirch," he answered as he thought about her question. "No, not back." He looked up to the Sky Tower climbing out of the bay ahead of him, his eyes falling on the Solemn Promise for a moment and then looking away. "Not place for me," he said. Then he brought his eyes back to Gisele. "Recent jobs scarce," he said. "Think Ysa Thalas running out of treasure." He smiled, indicating that was mostly a joke. "Want avoid messy work. Prefer take from long dead, not living." He shrugged. "Not judge messy. Just prefer clean." He watched her for a moment longer then asked, somewhat cautiously. "Which guild you join? Or you run single?"

Gisele swallowed her bite and rubbed her fingertips on the outside of the paper before reaching for the bottle. She removed the top and took a big swig of drink, then passed the ale to Ven if he wanted it. “Order of Whispers,” she openly said to him. She knew Ven would never share such sensitive information. For the price she would have to pay would be removal from the guild and marked for life. And that life would be a short one. “You know, my guild doesn’t know about those skills. I’m not sure I want to get into that here. I just signed up for a little -procurement of much needed articles-. I’ve been able to pick and choose what I want to do.” She smiled softly at him again. “You doing ok? Financially? Or you need some help? I have some coin put back for a rainy day.”

Ven took the bottle and pressed the neck to his thick lips. He took a reasonable gulp and then handed it back to Gisele. "Whispers?" he asked as he did so. "Good crew." Then after a moment. "Heard things about master." He rubbed his heavy chin thoughtfully and then nodded to himself. "Good choice for you, I think. You handle well." He smiled at her question to him. "Savings good," he said. "Trust bank owner to handle. She good person. Mostly. Need regular coin for crew and kitchen though."

Gisele had finished off one filet and found she couldn’t touch the other. Which was fine by her. She would just enjoy the ale that was left. She neatly wrapped the leftover fish back up and moved it over to the side, then turned the bottle up for another sip. “You use the city bank?” She asked him incredulously. “Well, I guess you can earn interest there where you can’t at our personal moneylender. I’ve been meaning to meet her - wanted to scope the place out though. She wiped her fingers on the paper again and then dipped her fingers into the water. “What’s the scoop on the guildmaster?” She asked cooly.

Ven looked at her levelly, wondering whether she had truly joined a guild without doing her research. He somehow doubted it. "Yes, use city bank," he said with a smile. "Very discrete people. Safer than other places." He shifted his position. "Silmariel pragmatic woman," he seemed to conclude on the topic. A high compliment in his book at least. Then his face took on a more serious cast and he turned to the matter of Lord Silence. He spoke in almost a whisper: "Biggest rat always bite hardest." He paused for a moment and then decided not to speak further. She had loyalties now that he could not be aware of, and many years of survival in Ansa`fel's underworld had taught him that caution was often the best strategy. "What you heard?"

Both of Gisele's brows lifted as he spoke about the safety of the bank. She had heard the bank owner was also a mage, and this ended up causing her a bit of hesitation in paying the elf a visit. “Ok, cool,” she said in response and then smiled prettily at him as he eyed her. He knew her and would know that she wanted to see what kind of information he would give up on the guildmaster of the Order. “Not much really. People I have spoken with do not know who he is outside of the guild. He’s probably a dick with a big head and a…” She stopped right there and laughed. “I have only chatted with him once or twice. He’s all business and no play, that one,” she said, her gaze locking on Ven’s. “He doesn’t seem to care for humans much. Oh! I have something to run by you. It’s a brooch someone gave me. Dwarven, I think. And there’s another thing I want to show you. Hopefully, you can help identify if there is anything special about the two pieces I recently acquired.”

Ven watched her reaction to his comments about the bank. He had avoided telling her that mainly he trusted Silmariel because he'd worked for her many times over the years. Some of his most lucrative work truth be told. He smiled at her reaction and then listened carefully to her careful answer about the Guildmaster. He knew better than to pry further, though he nodded in agreement to her comment about the master's view of humans, as he'd heard that too. Finally she moved on to a safer topic and he was glad to shift the conversation. "Of course," he said with a nod. "You have it now, or we meet again?" He laughed. "We definitely meet again. Mean for this?"

Gisele smiled reflexively, chuckling with him. She admired him for who he was but she also cared deeply for him, and seeing his face again after so many years reminded her just how much. “I don’t have it on me. Let’s meet at the Crucible when you have time. I’m staying there for now. I haven’t rented a place yet.”

Ven nodded. "Not favourite place. But come for you," he said with a smile. "Should go now. Need to get cheese to storage." He patted the purchase he had made that was slung from his belt. "So good you here," he said, standing up and adjusting the metal of his shin guards. "You stay here, or you walk with me?"

Gisele could understand why he was not particularly fond of the Crucible. It was always filled with people. And although it was a “neutral” zone, you still felt like you needed to watch your back sometimes. But then what would one expect in a room full of rogues? “Thanks, Ven. One item I have to show you is a bit too large and will draw quite a bit of attention.” She leaned forward and reached to take his hand and squeeze it briefly. “Yes, so good to be with you again.” She watched him stand and gave a quick jerk of her chin. “You go on. I’ll stay here for a bit longer.”