[ P ] Colorful Charades

Sif Asgaut The streets weren’t as loud as the miniature woman had expected while she traversed the plains at leisure, having not really had plans of coming here till her prior plans didn’t exactly work out. She had wished to bring her daughter to Ayr and Mirror Lake to bring her closer to their heritage, teach her their roots and culture while she had the day free from work but the girl had fallen ill from a small cold. She hadn’t wanted to risk her getting more sick in travel, so she had decided she could bring a bit of her old home back to her; if she was lucky enough to find what she was looking for in the markets. So far her hunt hadn't been going so well, though she had picked up a small bundle of dried herbs a healer had offered her as a cure all for simple ailments, though she wasn’t so sure they would do anything herself. Her knowledge on herbal healing was rather minimal. Wound care being the primary information she knew but not enough to claim herself any form of a medic. She could only hope this would at the very least bring down Aurora’s mild fever, though a cold shouldn’t kill anyone to begin with; a mother’s worry never ceased. A sigh drifted from her nostrils as her plush fur coat kept the cold of winter’s bite at bay, finding the snow rather comfortable and calming from the chatter of the patrons walking past stall after stall. It was strange to be here, so different from Mainland shops, though to say they were any less full of suspicious activity was far from true. There were always your general thieves, be it ones of actual evil intent or children playing a game of dare to see if the elders would notice. She kept having to remind herself she wasn’t on duty at this moment, she didn’t have to intervene and it looked like most of the more seasoned merchants here could handle themselves. This community was a bit more together, watching each other's backs but it didn’t feel as lively as she once remembered. Her ears perked up a bit at the scent of food, migrating away from the wares and more to the hunter’s stocks. She grumbled as she saw their assortments however, so many hares and small game she could just catch herself easily, nothing that really stuck out or what she was looking for. She could feel a headache coming on, making her start to walk away. Maybe she needed a break at the local tavern to loosen up and relax before she carried on. Barely taking two steps away from the prey providers, she paused and glanced around. Now where was it? “Excuse me, Madam?” she started, attempting to ask the first wolf she saw, a small earthen woman that had barely entered her gaze. "speaking"

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SORCHA She had left her stall in the care of a trusted acquaintance whilst she took her break, a fellow hunter who was also working the Edinburgh market that day, his own stall stationed just a few stalls down from her own. She traversed the bustling street at a leisurely pace, peeking at the wares of her fellow traders and making idle conversation with buyers and sellers alike, enjoying her short break before having to return to work. She bid the gem seller she had been speaking with farewell, before turning to head back towards the corner of the market the hunters had commandeered. She was about to brush past the small woman as she called out, catching Sorcha’s attention. Sorcha paused, offering the woman a smile. “What can I do you for?” She asked, head canting to the side. It would not be the first time she had been stopped for directions. A moment later and she placed the woman’s familiar scent. Imperial Army. Could this be related to Inverness? Her smile tightened but still she waited to see what the army wolf wanted of her, not wanting to cause a scene unnecessarily. "someone speaking" "speaking"

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Sif Asgaut Her head would tilt up only a small bit to look at the stranger’s face, barely having to look above as this particular woman wasn’t all that much taller than her, allowing her shoulders to remain fully relaxed from not having to crank her neck up awkwardly or stand several paces back to avoid such discomfort. She did not think much of the other’s cordial smile as it caused the fang like dark markings upon their cheeks to bunch up just a tad in correspondence with the push up of the corner of her lips, though she wasn’t quick to return the smile either. Her own darker visage would remain calm and tame if not a little expectant as her tail did a gentle sway behind her while she was in silent observation of the other till they spoke. A smile would finally touch her lips, giving the faintest curve to lighten the heavy gaze her single ember often carried. There was something pretty about the earthen wolf’s chartreuse gaze, a rare color that depending on the refraction of the light might make them appear more honey or more green but there was that silent question that followed suit with her words. Just as the younger woman was about to answer, there was a slight shift, that tauntening of the lip that would make her pause. Between the woman’s appearance and scent, this wasn’t likely a native of the Lowlands nor a patron of the Mainlands but rather someone from the absolute north that had become in a sense untouchable to her as she had avoided it since the war; primarily since her post did not bring her so far. With the Winter festivities only days away, much of the forces were set to occupy where the King wished more than anything. A party Sif had no desire to partake in; far preferring just doing her job keeping peace over noble folk’s merriment, around nobility enough to know she did not fit like a puzzle piece. Of course that was only surface deep, the rich always played the world like a chess game, this wasn’t just a means of celebration or to flaunt wealth but she would let the thoughts dissipate as she focused on the woman before her. “I was going to ask where the nearest tavern was,” she started before her ears would flick forward just a little. “But now I wonder why that pretty smile of yours has grown so tense. Is there something on my face you’re too polite to point out?” It came off almost teasing as if insinuating her missing eye was the token for the maiden’s subtle discomfort. That was not entirely the case, she was curious what exactly this little vixen might be hiding but she wouldn’t jump to anything forthright, not yet anyway. Biases and preconceptions were crud and undesirable things she didn’t like succumbing to but she couldn’t help the blood that boiled at the sight of what was likely a Highlander. "speaking"

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SORCHA “I was going to ask where the nearest tavern was, but now I wonder why that pretty smile of yours has grown so tense. Is there something on my face you’re too polite to point out?” Although her tone was light, Sorcha could sense a slight edge to her words. She had better play it safe. “Not at all, ma’am.” She replied, polite and apologetic. It seemed like the woman thought her reaction was towards her scarring, but Sorcha had grown so used to seeing Baelfire’s similar scarring that she had completely overlooked the woman’s missing eye. That said, it was a good cover, and she was happy to feign embarrassment at being ‘caught staring’. She allowed herself to relax a little more. “You just took me by surprise.” Not quite a lie, but not the whole truth either. “Off duty, I presume? I know a reasonably priced pub that’s not too far.” Sorcha hoped that she had managed to mask her discomfort, but she was more than happy to change the subject, and get back to the woman’s initial inquiry. Hopefully she wouldn’t ask any more questions and they could both get on with their days incident free. "someone speaking" "speaking"

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Sif Asgaut Her ears twitched just a little at being called ma’am by the woman that she had a feeling was older than herself, though she was mildly used to it at this point, getting a small bit of respect in different approaches of addressing her but it still all felt off. Not that the woman had said it but the fact it just felt like whiplash when she was a servant at home, though she did find it a little odd a random civilian would call her such without knowing anything about her. She supposed the barracks was heavy on her pelt, going there a few times a week to gain new orders to carry out and ensuring her routes hadn’t changed, oak more than pungent on her pelt, even for living in Castle Stuart, it couldn’t compare to Yorkshire's more robust forest. That didn’t take her focus away from the conversation at hand though, taking in the woman covering her tracks perhaps and she quickly took to the bait when the Captain knew she hadn’t been staring. That said, there wasn’t anything she gave away either, nothing she could pick to pieces and find something in. Odd reactions and potential lies didn’t make a criminal, if anything it just made an unpleasant individual. “My apologies,” she responded calmly with a small dip of her head, taking in at the very least she may have actually startled the woman by her tactless sudden call for directions. Her head lifted at the mention of being off duty, further serving as a marker that this woman was well aware she was of the army, an officer when no war was to be seen and it only heightened her mild suspicion. “Technically yes but one is never fully off duty,” she answered with a small cant of her head in return. “Should any civil unrest rise that gets out of control, it would be unjust not to quell it for the safety of others. Should a soldier turn a blind eye to it, even if on a break, they are just as at fault as those involved.” There was mild agitation in her voice at the end, knowing some of her comrades would not hesitate to allow things to fester and go out of control without so much as a thought to stop it, especially if it involved someone they saw as justifiable to the torment; a jacobite for instance. They were peacekeepers, not a judge and jury but some would say it was the opposite. “Sounds perfect. Why don’t you join me? It’s always better to drink with company and drinks would be on me to make up for startling you,” the smallest of smiles, cordial. A rarity. Of course, it wasn’t entirely out of good will. "speaking"

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She had been correct in her assumption that the small woman was an army wolf, though Sorcha found the scent of the Yorkshire Barracks becoming all too familiar the longer Baelfire was stationed there, even if he was often in the Lowland cities. The woodland scent, so different from her own, was becoming second nature to her.

Speaking of her work, it was clear that woman was dedicated to her job and Sorcha had to admit she had some admiration for her stance. If she was one to hold her fellow officers accountable, then Sorcha could only hope that she was one of the officers who would treat all citizens fairly, regardless of their nationality.

“Sounds perfect. Why don’t you join me? It’s always better to drink with company and drinks would be on me to make up for startling you,”

She gave a polite smile in return. "I do appreciate the offer - but I am actually a trader at the market, and I should really be returning to my stall." She took a quick glance around the market, noticing that things seemed to have waned off for a moment. "But I may be able to spare the time for one drink." A small, but more genuine grin pulled at her lips. "I'm Sorcha."

Sif Asgaut It seemed the other was rather quick to turn down her offer, not missing a step in finding a reason not to. Her gaze followed where the stranger’s gaze had migrated to, curious of the excuse the other would give but she was mildly surprised to learn one of the hunting wares stalls was theirs. Her ears perked up and she glanced over what supply the other carried, that was if she was even looking at the right place, it was easy to follow another’s sight ineffectively so she appraised it with a grain of salt. Maybe she had what the young Captain was looking for. She shifted the medicines in the glass around her neck, quickly reminded her dear daughter was sick back home and her reason for being here in the first place. Just as she was about to ask about the other’s wares, it seemed they had changed their minds about the drink, giving her a feeling of whiplash of what this woman really wanted. Had she been trying to get out of being around a soldier or had she actually not been making up an excuse afterall? It appeared the latter in this case as a smile that didn’t feel at all forced gave the earthen woman a bit more beauty to her face. “You sure?” she asked, the slightest hint of teasing in her voice. The name gave her nothing to go off of but it was a bit of information she’d hold onto in the back of her mind, though it agitated her that a surname or any kind of familial introduction was not included. She was taught from a young age to respect one’s ancestors and wear it perhaps with even more pride than any title or rank society could give someone. It was important to her, to her culture where her kin often even included who one’s parents were in an introduction. “Sif Asgaut,” she addressed with a dip of her head, more curt than she might have been with others. “Do lead the way then, Sorcha, if you would be so kind,” she’d say after a moment, shaking off that bit of agitation and coming off more genuinely polite. "speaking" -fade to bar-

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