Of girls and pigs

The Chetwood

The forest here seems darker and fouler, and the trees seem to grow crookedly at strange angles. There is a small stream through the forest here that runs east-west. To the east, the stream plunges down into the rank Midgewater Marshes, its clean water mixing in with the brown muck and mire of the swamps. There are several paths here that lead away into all directions, but the most well-worn of them leads to the west.

A small hut has been built into the woods an anvil sits in front of the door.

Obvious exits: West

================================== Bree Time ==================================

Real time: Tue Mar 23 17:00:47 2010

Bree time: Twilight on  of Summer - Midsummer 2,1449

Moon Phase: Full  Moon

Breelands Weather

The summer air is very hot and dry around you. The sky is cloud-filled and gloomy.

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[Nob(#16122)] The light fails swiftly here under the great trees of the Chetwood. So, although it is yet early evening, and the sun hasn\'t set, the shadows are thick around Gidon\'s small home. But it is light enough yet that the boy hasn\'t lit a lantern - though he will need to soon. If he plans on doing anything, anyways. At the moment, he is simply sitting on the ground in front of the open door. Dreaming, maybe - a little smile lightens his normally somber face.

The approach of Brev is heralded by soft footsteps even before he comes into view. There is a pack on his back, and he is clad in leather jerkin and boots, and trews ... the latter, however, are short enough that there is a gap between hem and boots, and the belt round his waist is cinched extra tightly. He peers at the figure in the doorway and lifts a hand. \"Evening.\"

[Nob(#16122)] It is safe here in Bree and its environs - safer maybe than any other place in Middle Earth aside from the Shire and the elven homes. But Gidon has spent a year and more where safety is not a given, and it only takes the sound of the first few footsteps to draw him from his dream to alertness. He reaches for the spear propped in the doorway, then relaxes as he sees who is coming. \"H\'lo...\" The boy\'s eyes drop to the pants and he seems to be trying to cover a smirk.

Brev notes the smirk and retorts. \"What? No I\'m not /that/ pleased to see you.\" He aims to keep the words deadpan, but he cannot quite hide the twitching at the corners of his mouth.

[Nob(#16122)] And after a year, Gidon should be quite used to Brev\'s sense of humor, but he still is caught off-guard, uncertain of how to respond. And so he says nothing, only stops trying to hide his amusement, and finally saying, \"She looked so funny, that lady.\"

Brev exhales, and the twitching of his lips becomes a smirk. \"Aye. Thank Kiern Breewomen are so ugly, else things could have got ... complicated.\" He coughs. \"Wasn\'t about to chase after her though, the father\'d likely take an axe to me for ravishing his daughter. \'Sides,\" his smirk broadens suddenly, \"the old trousers were all worn out.\"

[Nob(#16122)] Unaccountably, the boy\'s thick eyebrows draw together in a scowl. \"They\'re not either ugly,\" he says angrily, but frown and anger both smooth away as he admits, \"She were a bit, though.\" His eyes drop to Brev\'s ankles. \"Bit short...\" he points out.

Brev notes the scowl. \"Oho, you have a vested interest?\" One brow quirks up. \"And that one was. Like a plump pink pig. Ever seen that prize sow of Farmer .. what was it? Trotter? Trothouse? It wobbles just the same way. Not like Saraid, without an inch of spare flesh on her-\"

He cuts that thought off abruptly, looking down at his legs and shrugging. \"I\'ll buy another pair, or the cloth for them. Before heading east.\" As he lifts his head again, there is an unspoken question in his eyes.

[Nob(#16122)] Gidon blushes a little and looks away for an instant, before looking back and laughing at Brev\'s description of the pig. \"Squealed like it, too,\" he says, grinning. His eyes meet Brev\'s then, in the moment of silence as the smile fades and he says slowly, \"East?\"

Brev chuckles softly at Gidon\'s comment. At the query he nods, then states simply, \"Taken on a job with the sheep-herders, rebuilding that village of theirs. You\'d be welcome to come, I could use a hand ...\" He hesitates, then unaccountably glances back west. \"But figured you might not want to. Putting down roots here, eh?\" There is no mockery in his tone, though he no doubt noticed the blush.

[Nob(#16122)] \"That - that one town?\" Gidon asks. He shivers a little, looking past Brev at the swiftly-darkening forest. There is a space of quiet, filled with a soft breeze rustling the branches of the rees overhead, before he continues, slowly. \"Ain\'t much call for hunting now, high summer. If they\'re paying... but...\" He looks west also, and confesses shyly, \"She - still likes me. Kissed me, even.\" There is wonder and astonishment in his tone but his face is troubled.

Brev notes the shiver. Almost, he raises a hand to the other - it starts to lift, then falls back to his side. Some things are best not spoken of.

About others, he seems to have no sense of taboo. At the final words he chuckles. \"So that big mouth of hers is good for something, eh?\" He flashes Gidon a swift grin, then says more seriously, \"Stay here, if it\'s what you want, Gidon. It\'s only for a season, I\'d see you at the end of it. Saraid will come, fancy she\'ll find life outside town more to her liking. And they\'ll need her spear ... \'sides,\" his gaze slides away, \"I promised I\'d not dump her in a strange place. So she\'ll just have to follow me instead.\" His mouth twists wryly at that thought.

[Nob(#16122)] Gidon starts to scowl again, then relaxes and grins sheepishly. \"Were right nice,\" he admits, then sighs. \"When d\'you go? I - got to think.\" He lifts his hand and rubs his cheek. \"Be good t\'have some coins.. I could buy her a ribbon maybe?\" He looks at Brev questioningly.

Brev answers the simplest question first. \"Couple more days. It\'s a fair old journey.\" He pauses. \"And you\'re asking /me/ what she\'d like?\" A snort of derision follows. \"How in Kiern\'s name would I know? Would have thought she might prefer you to the ribbon, but ... women are strange. Kiern knows what goes on inside their heads.\"

[Nob(#16122)] Gidon flushes again. \"I dunno. Thought girls like pretty stuff.\" He looks around helplessly - what has he got that\'s pretty? \"Sure don\'t know what they /think/!\" He sounds alarmed at the prospect, he\'s expected to know? Then he reverts to the other matter. \"Might go, dunno. I ain\'t much good at building, though.\"

Gidon\'s comment on women is answered by a shrug. Might this be an area in which Brev is not as expert as he\'d like to claim? Other topics are more easily answered. \"You\'ve helped me before. You\'ve got enough sense to know what\'s right and what\'s wrong, that\'s more use than two strong ham-hands. Likely they\' appreciate meat for the pot too. And ...\" he hesitates, \"I\'d appreciate the company. Don\'t want to push you though. It\'s - uh, not a pretty place.\" He looks away.

[Nob(#16122)] The boy nods, thinking still. Then, for the first time, he refers to the matter most on his mind directly. \"He\'d not likely be there, that man...\" And with more decision, adds, \"Want t\'talk to Honora, too.\"

Brev\'s head swivels back. \"Which man?\" And then he sees the expression on Gidon\'s face. \"Fellow who attacked you? Wasn\'t a villager, was he? Ones I\'ve met seemed decent enough - odd thief or brawler in there, maybe, but get that anywhere.\" He pauses, then nods. \"You talk to Honora.\"

[Nob(#16122)] \"Yeah,\" Gidon says, trying to sound casual. Then he nods, stands and tips his head towards the black interior of the house. \"Come in? Getting hungry.\"

At that, a grin flashes across Brev\'s swarthy features. \"Was thinking you\'d never ask. Rabbit stew again? Or do I have to endure some of those slimy worms you pretend are fish?\" Brows tilted up as he glances at his companion, he steps through the doorway.

[Nob(#16122)] \"They\'re not slimy!\" Gidon protests, laughing. \"I got rabbits...\" His voice fades as he moves to find and light the lantern and stir up the fire over which a kettle is simmering.