The Nomad's Trip to the Market

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Bird songs filled the air, overshadowing the gently rustling leaves. Cool and and soothing, the breeze that filtered through the trees was the forest's breathe. Even with a well-traveled path pushing through, it was a world all it's own. Unaffected and uncaring of those that journeyed within. Though the sun trickled through the foliage, it was not a cloudless sky. Puffs of white idly lazed about in the blue canvas above. 

    It was a day of peace. 

    Kneeling by a babbling brook, a large man collected water for his daily routine. The camp he returned to was simple. Bedding made from woven leaves, and a shelter built from branches and foliage. A fire crackled and popped audibly, adding a warmth to the morning ambiance. The giant man set the metal bowl of water atop the flames to boil, held above by a few supports. Bathed in the light of the fire, the man's metal mask took on an orange hue, matching amber eyes. 

    Once boiling, the man filled two cups and set one aside. The other was filled with herbs and allowed to gently steep. To the bowl, wild meats and vegetables were tossed in casually enough to hide how well measured they actually were. A testament to how many times Locke had made this meal. With time to kill, the big man took his cooling cup of plain water and, though not completely cool, shifted away from the fire to brush his teeth. 

    Everything around him had a quieted air of tranquility.  Locke spat to the side and gave a grunt. By now, the stew was beginning to thicken. Not long after it, and the herbal drink, would finally be ready. Settling onto his knees, the nomad risked burning his tongue for the sake of getting breakfast done and over with as quickly as possible. While it would never have the same taste as something made with fancy herbs and spices, the meal was serviceable and filling. The drink was bitter, bland, but filled the man's body with energy. 

    A utilitarian breakfast. 

    Locke ended the morning routine by burning a bundle of herbs and wafting the smoke over each shoulder. For luck. For strength. For guidance. After dousing the fire, the big man swung his pack over once shoulder and headed off. In time, his makeshift camp would return to nature. Perhaps a fox or coyote would get use out of the shelter? It was a nice thought.

    His heavy footfalls sounded different on the trail's pounded dirt than they did on the soft topsoil of the forest. It was strange to hear them sound out so clearly. Typically the Nomad steered away from the beaten path. Today, however, seemed to be different. See, Locke was not what most would call a "people person." His comfort came from solitude. Unfortunately, every so often the need to head into town was unavoidable. Certain supplies could only be found in markets or made by specialists. 

    Medicines, for instance.

    While there was much one could do on the land, and herbal medicines were common, those special concoctions made by proper doctors and alchemists always had a tendency to be far stronger and more effective. Besides, Locke would rather not be caught with an illness that rendered him too immobile to gather and prepare the necessary herbs to make himself feel better. 

    The village itself was no less tranquil than the woodland around it. Only, much of the natural sounds were overshadowed by the artificial. Carts. Doors. Bells, chimes, music, the list went on. Somewhere in the distance, a similarly masked man larger than he was making a ruckus. The big man had to steel his resolve as he journeyed deeper. Spices. Medicines. New boots. That's all he needed, and then once that was done he was free to leave as soon as possible.  

    It was only once he was in the village market, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the commonfolk, that the only problem with that plan came to light. Locke's jaw was set hard, as his knuckles turned white. The behemoth was like a statue in the middle of the market center. A masked island. 

    Fuck he hated crowds. 

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

It hadn't been that long, though Morgan admits she was losing track of the days. She'll just look at a calendar later to get her bearings. It was fine. She had been lucky on the road. Sure she got into a few troubles but she also got herself out of them. She likes to think she's quite clever because of it. Her sisters were absolutely silly fearing for her safety. So far she was handling herself just fine!

Still, she was running out of rations, and herbs, and she just wanted a good place to rest for the night instead of camping. It was nice only for so long ok? She's lucky that sticking to the road led her to a village. Which would hopefully lead her to the city where she could truly get lost amongst the masses.

That's how she found herself in the marketplace. She was marveling over the sheer amount of people around. She had never seen so many in one space, never could fathom so many in one space. It was amazing to her. The goods at the many stalls reminded her of the weight of the coin in her bag hidden away. Or rather the coin that she borrowed... Haha.

First things first, she wanted food. She began to slip her way through the crowd with relative ease. However, there was now something in her path. Well, a rather large giant...she's not even sure what in front of her. She knows to some extent staring is rude, but her curiosity tells her to not give a fuck. So she keeps on staring. Just attempting to understand just what she is looking at. She's not attempting to be rude, it's the wide-eyed innocence of a child exploring the world for the first time.

She'll admit part of her is a little intimidated, but that just makes her more determined. However...he does a pretty good job of parting the crowd. Hm... maybe she could just sneak behind him while he wanders around so she doesn't have to deal with pushing people or telling him to move. Yes, perfect plan. If he doesn't turn around that is. She really doesn't want to deal with that conversation.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    As the crowd passed by, Locke sucked in a deep breath, and slowly let it out. He was a big man. Big tough dude. Looked scary too. There was no reason for him to be intimidated by anything, let alone crowds. The metal spired floating from his back bobbed up and down as he slowly looked side to side. "Hm... medicine... let's see..." He took a step forwards, heavy boot coming down onto the stone road. As he leaned out, the big man spotted a stall that might have been what he was looking for. 

    True to Morgan's assumptions, he parted the sea of people like a wedge. Most everyone who wasn't intimidated by his stature we warded off by his mask. The nomad was used to this. Kind of preferred it, honestly. But something was... different. As he started closing in on the stall, Locke began to notice a new sound that he was unused to. Footsteps moving away from him were normal, but ones that stayed close behind were most certainly not. 

    The big man halted in his stride, just a few feet away from the stall and paused. Brows furrowed behind the skull mask, making the tender jump slightly, but he wasn't the one who Locke was concern with. "Hrm..." The goliath turned on heel as quickly as he could and stared down at the spot behind him.

    Only to find a girl standing in his shadow. 

    To say that Locke was confused would be a major understatement. Who's child was this? How old was she? Why was she following him?? Why did her eyes look like the deepest pits of hell? For a few beats, the only movement that came from the big man were from the chunks of metal that floated around him. And then he blinked. Despite most of his upper face being hidden, the shift in his eyes was enough to show that the man was furrowing his brow. Partially from confusion, partially from concern, partially "what the fuck."

    Actually, if "What the fuck" was an emotion, Locke would probably be feeling that more than anything else right now. The man tending to the kiosk behind him could be seen slowly leaning out from behind the nomad, clearly trying to get a view of whatever the hell made him stop. He was... the only one, as everyone else instead decided to keep to their own business. 

    Locke reached a finger up and scratched the side of his head. The guy most definitely didn't know her. Absolutely no recognition. Is she... is she trying to sell me something? But wait, there's nothing in her hands. Scratch, scratch, scratch. "Ehem... eh... can I help you lil' miss?" His amber eyes darted side to side, scanning the crowd. "You lost or summin'? If you need me t' I can try to help ya find your ma' or pa'?" 

    Gods, he just wanted to come into town and grab some supplies, not have to go on a hunt for some weird kid's parents. But apparently this is where his day was headed. Could he just get a raincheck for the weirdness? Do this another day? No? Ok.

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

As the large man began to step through the crowds, parting it like the sea, she followed after with ease. There is a proud little smirk on her face for being so clever. Though unfortunately, she will also have to follow his path. Probably not gonna lead her to exactly where she wants to go, but it's short cut and she loves taking shortcuts. Seems he was in need of medicine. She had some knowledge of herbal plants and medicinal remedies thanks to her sister's lessons and her mother's grimoire. Still, not enough that she would confidently offer medicine to anyone. Still worth checking out a medicine stall though to see what the people used here for healing. Never know when you're going to need it after all.

Morgan nearly smacked right into the behemoth of the man as he stopped to observe the stall. What was his deal why was he taking so long to just- OH. Her eyes widen in alarm as he turns around to face her. Her body tenses up slightly but she refuses to let her face show that she was actually a little scared. Only a little though ok?

His shadow practically swallowed her whole, but she didn't seem too phased by that. She began to feel self-conscious as he just sat there attempting to figure her out. She opens her mouth to let out a sassy comment but he finally fucking speaks.

Her eyes narrow into a glare and her mouth downturns into a pout when he asks if he can find her parents. "Do I look like a child to you?!" she says stomping her foot down, much like a child. Morgan of course is entirely unaware of how childish she is and how childish she looks. Her exposure to people is lacking and it shows every time she opens her damn mouth.

"I'm not lost. I'm simply exploring. You happen to be very tall also- what are you?" She asked. Then she paused and cringed slightly at her own tone which sounded just plain rude and even she couldn't deny it. "I mean- what are you?" she asked again, attempting to sound nicer about it. Key word being attempt. There is that innocent curiousness in her eyes that shows she didn't mean much by the question other than a desire to understand.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Without missing a beat, the big man simply responded with. "Yes." She was, what, five-foot-three inches of baby face? It wasn't his fault that he didn't know. And it's not like she was doing herself any favors with the way she stomped her foot down. So. Okay. Maybe she's not a child, but there's definitely some sort of spoiling that went on in her youth. Locke furrowed his brows a bit more, knitting them slightly. Children he could probably deal with, but if she was not a child then... he might have a bit of difficulty with this one. 

    But okay, she wasn't lost. The girl was just creepily stalking him for some reason. Totally normal and not at all weird. Speaking of totally normal and not at all weird, gods that question. The man blinked and quirked a brow behind his mask. W...what did she mean? Was she asking about his profession? His species? He was clearly human. Right? 

    The big man looked down at his own hands, quietly having an existential crisis.

    "Human...?" The word was slow and drawn out, as though Morgan made the poor guy doubt the truth. Because she did. You can't do this to people Morgan, come on. The masked man quickly shook his head out and placed those hands on his hips.  "I'm Human. Yes I am tall. No that is not a reason for you to start following me. Don't ya have any sorta sense of self preservation?"

    This girl was so gods damned strange. Who just goes up to someone and asks "What are you" out of the blue? Locke might not have been a social butterfly himself, but Morgan made him look like a damned smooth-talker with how she was acting. The nomad looked back towards the man tending to the kiosk behind him, since the guy was so keen on watching this play out. He received a shrug in response. Well. At least he wasn't scared of Locke anymore. Might make business a bit easier, though. 
    
    Turning back to the girl, he was stuck with a strange dilemma. Does... does he introduce himself to her? Shake her hand? Send her away? Ignore her? The girl was weird as hell and definitely a rude little gremlin, but that was all. It wasn't like she was actually did anything wrong...? With a huff, the metal mage shifted his hands from his hips to instead cross them over his chest. Guy looked like he could crush Morgan's head with one hand. 

    "Look, I got my own shopping to do, so if you're gonna follow me you could at least tone down the rudeness a bit." He didn't want to have to throw a kid halfway across town. "Locke. Like a key lock but with an E at the end. Remember it. Or don't. Not like I really care which." Either his gremlin stalker was going to stay or go, but he was getting his supplies. 

    The big man returned to the vender, browsing through some of the goods. A couple pre-made salves were nice, couple medicines for fevers and such. Bandages, good quality. A couple healing potions aaaand there went half the guy's pouch of gold. Locke furrowed his brows. He'd wanted to get some of the raw herbs as back-ups, but this was fine as is. He had gotten enough from there and still had more than enough for food and other smaller supplies. The nomad quietly thanked the vender and shuffled back into the crowd, only occasionally looking back behind him to see if Morgan was still following. 
    

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

She sputtered for a moment her cheeks turning red and her glare burning. Seriously?! Well- she had to admit she didn't really meet any other children growing up. She can't really say for sure what they would look like in comparison to her. But that means she would have to admit she doesn't know something. That's just embarrassing and it will not go well. Someone could take advantage of that.

Morgan blinked when he confessed he was human. Huh. "You look interesting for a human," she says simply with a shrug. Besides, there are many things that can disguise themselves as humans. One could never be too careful now. "Of course I do! You were just easy to follow because then the crowd of people wouldn't be in my way," she muttered with a huff and a cross of her arms. She didn't think it was creepy it made sense to her. But somehow she cannot fathom how another person might feel. Not like she's interacted with many to make her aware of that. Los of growing pains here.

Morgan stammered again as he called her rude. Her? Rude? ...Probably. She let out a frustrated sigh and looked at the ground. However, her gaze didn't stray for long as she began to observe the wares and medicinal salves. "You may call me Morgan," she replies curtly still not quite looking at him. "Your name is cool..." she begrudgingly mutters.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    So the stalker was going to stay for a bit. Well, it didn't bother him too much. The girl had quieted down a bit once he called out what she was doing, so that was easy enough. Thankfully for Morgan, it seemed as though he missed her mumbled compliment. As he moved, the metal spires that floated from his back remained in place, the only motion coming from them idly bobbing up and down. Flecks and small shards of metal could be seen glinting nearby them, floating around a bit more actively than the larger chunks. 

    Locke continued his shopping trip without much in the ways of conversation. On the list were a few lines of rope, some herbs and spices for cooking, a good few bars of soap, a new sewing kit, some bait for fishing and hunting, all thrown haphazardly into a big burlap pack with the rest of his shit. The young man continued in silence only until they got to the food stalls.

    At first, he quietly picked out the standard bit of goods. Fruits. Some dried meats, a couple veggies. Two loaves of bread. After all that, the amount of gold Locke still had in reserves was... not much. But enough. With a sigh, Locke turned back towards Morgan. The girl was a determined little gremlin, though the guy didn't actually know what was so interesting about him. Seriously, the only thing unique about him was the fact that he was six-foot-seven, and that he looked like he could crush a person like a tin can, or that he had metal floating off of him constantly, or that he had a really cool mask.

    Actually, he might be more interesting than he thought.

    With a small cough to clear his throat, the nomad turned his eyes onto the young woman. "Do you want something? Eh... you know... to eat?" The section of the market they were in was filled with not only fruit stands and other stalls for travel, but also stands where the food was actively being cooked and prepared for patrons. A mouth watering smells of different spices and herbs filled the air and taunted the senses with promises of a good meal. 

    Despite not being hungry himself, Locke wouldn't have been at all surprised if the next thing he heard coming from Morgan was a rumbling stomach. Nice change of pace compared to how she acted towards him prior. Didn't help the "not a kid" image though. By now, however, the nomad was confident she was actually being truthful about that. The poor thing was just tiny is all. 

    Then again he was practically part giant. 

    As Locke began to browse the food stalls, he started speaking again. His voice was low, slow, and had a rumble to it. Almost like someone had pulled thunder from the sky and pushed it into his throat. "So, what brings you into this part of the world anyways? You don't look like you're from around this place either." 

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

Morgan was content to follow along in silence for now. She was rather fixated on the sheer amount of people and the sights that consumed her vision. It was all so much but it was all so wonderful. There was a tiny hint of an excited grin on her face as she continued to look around. This was a cute little village. She'll have to visit again someday once she's more settled into her own life. Right now though she's content in wandering. Since wandering means it's harder to find her.


Her eyes widened at all the food available in the stalls. She is ready to go and purchase some of her own for the road. She pauses in surprise at Locke's offer. Her eyes dart to the coin he is carrying, which is running quite low. "Sure, I can pay for it though," she says as she begins to pick out her own food. She easily fishes out enough coin to pay for everything. How???

"...Wait did you mean right now?" she asks as she begins to pack up her rations into her bag. "My answer remains the same regardless," she said. She doubted he could afford a meal for the both of them. Not that she judges that she'd rather not someone go broke over her.

She looks a little cautious and suspicious at his question. People getting to know her makes her feel nervous. The warnings her sisters gave didn't help but damn near any of them applied. "Just traveling. Wanted to wander for a bit," she replies. All of which is true, though the truth is far deeper and more complex than she is willing to reveal. She'd rather not info dump her complicated family dynamics and strange childhood.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Watching the young woman, the nomad could only really shrug. The offer had been to pay for her, but if she was adamant about paying for herself then that was her choice. Instead, the big man pocketed the small amount of gold he had left, and began to wander once more. Some stands had juicy looking meat kababs, others with veggies. One had strips of meat sizzling over a fire, dripping its seasoned juices into the flames. Another had roasted vegetables and artisan breads, either plane or slathered in herbal butters. There were even a few pastry stands too.

    Being honest, he was a bit peckish. But not enough for him to burn the last bit of gold he had that could be used on something else. Passing by another stand selling whipping up curries, the big man glanced back towards the girl. So she was a wanderer as well. Locke felt a bit of solidarity bloom in his chest from that fact. 

    "What are you gonna get then?" His voice rumbled, amber eyes shifting back to the crowd. With his shopping done, the next part of the plan was finding a clearing away from the crowd. Somewhere he could relax, recuperate, and plan for the next leg of his journey. Gold supply running low definitely created new issues. Gonna have to look for a bounty or a quick dig to grab a bit of gold... The brute quietly mused. 
    
    The problem was figuring out which one he wanted to do. 

    A bounty offered more gold but nine times out of ten meant more effort. On a positive note, beating a motherfucker up was always good stress relief.... But some of the smaller tasks could be done quicker and easier, and gave just enough gold for him to get to the next place. He honestly was having trouble making a decision. 

    No use getting worried over it right now. Instead, the masked man glanced back over his shoulder down to Morgan. "So, Morgan, uh... what sorta place's have you liked visiting so far? You seem to be pretty starry-eyed with all the people around." The exact opposite of Locke who would rather be holding his head under water right now. He didn't really feel... afraid of the crowd. His discomfort wasn't anxiety. Just distaste. 

    Maybe the guy was just introverted, but he didn't like how everyone's eyes were always on him. Judging him, watching him, looking at the nomad with a mixture of concern and intimidation. Locke knew part of this was self inflicted. The death mask he wore to memorialize his clan was still that. A death mask. He was a large man, sure, but big didn't always have to mean scary. And yet he couldn't exactly bring himself to be some sort of boisterous, booming type. But at the same time, the fact that he wasn't that type seemed to at least make Morgan less hostile towards him, so that was a big bonus. This was probably the nicest interaction he'd had with a girl in. Ever. 

    "Once you get something to eat, I'm going to go find a quieter clearing. Again, you're welcome to keep following if you wish, but I'm not going to be staying around this village for much longer." Bounty or job offer, he wasn't going to stay for more than a day or so. Even if the big man wanted to, he didn't have enough money for a room anyways. And most villages had rules against camping out in the street. With a shrug of his shoulders, Locke kept wandering down the market street. It was up to the girl whether or not she wanted to keep up with him right now. 

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

The scents of herbs and spices that filled the air had Morgan somewhat entranced. She knew better than to run off and look at every stall, though she did want to. She could but then she would lose her easy mode of travel slipping through the crowds. She couldn't risk that since she knew this crowd likely wasn't gonna let her pass by as much if she was alone.

"Hmm... I'm not sure, all of it seems good," Morgan said. She wondered how it compared to her sister's cooking. Few things have even been able to match the quality. Then again they don't have the advantage of having half the ingredients harvested from the backyard. She spotted something that made her dash off real quick towards the cart. She came back with two decently sized pieces of bread. Morgan was already taking a bite out of one and it seemed to have some veggies and spices stuffed inside to bake. She silently offers the other one up to Locke. Seems she got one for him too.

She was slightly relieved he hadn't run off yet and he was still willing to put up with her. The food was her way of attempting to say thank you. Good luck trying to get her to say it out loud. She only does that as a way to apologize.

Morgan took another bite out of her food to delay having to answer his question. She wasn't comfortable revealing any of her previous whereabouts. Her sisters could run into him and he could spill everything just like that. She swallowed down and piece and sighed. "Here and there. Mostly been through farms and villages smaller than this," she replies. No, she won't give names or go into greater detail. I don't get to see a lot of people where I'm from. It's fun seeing so many in one place," she admits with the tiniest hint of a smile.

"If you're not staying in the village, where are you going?" She asks.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Off she went, bouncing around from stall to stall. It was almost kinda cute, in a way. Though if he ever said that she'd probably skitter up him like a tree and claw his throat out. Locke was prepared to continue on once she returned, only for the young woman to surprise him yet again. Amber eyes flicked down towards the offered bread, then back up towards Morgan. No one had really offered him food like this before. At least not in a long while. Part of the big man wanted to mistrust the act, the other part...

    ...Quietly reached out and took it. 

    Table manners were obviously dead with this one as he bit down and tore into the loaf. "Hm!" It was a savory treat. The veggies inside were roasted nicely, the bread was fluffy and had just enough chew to it. Crust was perfect. A pleased expression washed over the Nomad's features. Well. The visible ones. If only he didn't eat like an animal. 

    Locke listened to the girl as he ripped another chunk off with his teeth, chewing thoughtfully. The girl's voice wasn't a bad sound. Compared to most everything else he had to listen to, it was actually pretty... nice? Given the hidden gremlin inside her, "nice" was probably an objective statement. Still, good change up from the norm. Nerves aside and all. Swallowing the chunk of veggie bread audibly, the man stared back at the young woman, thinking over her last question. 

    "Mm. No clue. Probably going to take a bounty, handle that, move on. Don't have the gold for a room, would rather not stick in one place for too long anyways." What he wouldn't tell Morgan was that the man was looking for someone. Someone very particular. Multiple someone's in fact. You see, his story was a revenge tale. And the big man wasn't going to stop until he had that sweet, sweet satisfaction. That part wasn't for her to know, however. Better to keep it under wraps than to bring the mood down. "I don't have any proper destination. I just wander for the sake of wandering. If there's a bounty for an escort mission, I'll probably take that. Get free meals for a week or so until we reach the destination. Free gold to wander like I normally do, just with a set end-point." 

    In most cases, when adventurers were called nomadic, they typically still had destinations in mind. Locke was the more literal definition. The young man had no actual destination in mind, he literally just purposefully got himself lost and if he stumbled into a village, well that was a bonus.

    Finally pushing out of the crowded market center, the nomad found a small clearing. Not exactly a park, but more like a nice plot of nature that was tended to and kept nice and tidy. A few scattered benches, a nice little pond. Of near the side of the water a family was set up for a picnic, while a young couple passed by enjoying one another's presence. Perfect little slice of calm. He thought, dropping down heavily underneath an old oak tree. Perfect little spot to relax. And to enjoy this bread.

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

Morgan could sense his hesitance with her offer of food. What was the prideful like her? She smirked like it was a victory she won when he took the bread. Of course, she was interpreting the entire scenario from her point of view, the only way she ever really viewed the world. Her lack of exposure brought to her a frank lack of empathy. Sure she has an easy time getting to people's heads but not in the way people usually think.

She didn't think much of her companion. Other than he was tall, quiet, and strange looking. Not much to really think about there. She wondered why the metal was floating but figured that was likely just some magic. Lots could be explained with 'it's probably magic'.

She chewed along in silence. She debated whether or not offering a room was smart to this man. She certainly had the money for it right now to be able to purchase two rooms. She would have the money to be able to purchase more rooms after with no problem. But, spending willy nilly wasn't the wisest move either. She didn't have her sisters with her to help erase that worry. If Morgan knew two things it was business and magic, so keeping the cash on hand was smarter for now.

"Oh, so you're a bounty hunter?" She asks. She's never met one, not that she would admit that. Admitting to an absence of knowledge could be dangerous after all. Locke doesn't seem to have the intent to hurt her. Surely he would have done it by now especially with her crass attitude. Part of her debates whether or not she should be a bounty hunter. Getting into fights would be fun, but even she knew she still had a lot to learn before engaging. She will still get into fistfights though. No one can stop these hands.

Curious how he had no destination in mind, much like her. Though their reasons for aimless wandering were entirely different. He at least had a goal in mind, hers was just an attempt at escape. But if she's running for the rest of time is that true freedom? Existential wanderings aside she was just trying to hide away and have space for herself.

She let out a sigh as they finally escaped the large crowd. Thank goodness. It's all fun to watch but still, the risk of getting jostled is not pleasant. That's why she had Locke do that for her. She takes some more bites of her bread as she looks around the clearing. Her hard expression relaxes a bit to cool gentle rains. Nature would always be a source of comfort for her.

Morgan goes to sit beside Locke, though she keeps a respectful distance. She decides to admire the branches and leaves of the tree while she enjoys her food. She seems content in her views and focuses on nothing else.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Ripping into the bread, Locke downed it in record time. It was a good little treat for... honestly doing nothing at all. But again, free food was free food. Her next question got him to perk up a bit, looking at her more curiously than anything. "Eh. In a sense. It's not my primary job, I just use it for quick cash occasionally. Otherwise I survive off the land itself. My clan taught self sustainability when I was a kid." 

    He learned a lot of things when he was a kid. How to fight, how to clean and skin an animal, how to make fish hooks out of bone, how to cook, smoke, and otherwise cure meats. There was a lot that the nomad had been taught as a child. It was thanks to that knowledge that he had been able to survive this long, all on his own. The memory was bittersweet. Emphasis on the bitter. Mentally, he gave his thanks to them for giving him his life.

    Calloused fingers ran along the metal mask. Tracing along the finer details with the middle and forefinger. They weren't searching for anything, just idly exploring. It was a way to fidget and give his hands something to do. Kept the young man's mind off of how awkward this situation was, just hanging around with a girl like this. This was the first time anyone had taken interest in him, much less a woman, and it confused him. With a guy, if they were bothering him, he could just kick their ass and send them packing. But with a tiny little thing like Morgan, Locke didn't know if he could even bring himself to yell her away. 

    Guilt would probably kill him first. 

    So, here he was. Awkward as all hell, unsure of what to say or what to do. Maybe if he was quiet enough, she'd forget he existed and would leave on her own? No, that was just rude. Also probably unlikely. Gods, if anyone found out that a big man like him was scared of a girl like Morgan...

    Sure, that'd definitely be an ego boost for the young woman. But also he would rather not have to deal with the rest of the repercussions. Or the potential taunting. From Morgan or others. Leaning back, the metal spires shifted around slightly, then completely crumbled into various bits of shrapnel to properly allow Lock to settle down. 

    Looks like Morgan was right in her assumption of "It's probably magic."

    Something that equally made conversation difficult was also something Locke picked up on early in their meeting. The girl didn't seem to want to talk much about what she was doing or where she was going or anything else surrounding her. It left a lot of curiosities, but Locke was polite enough not to probe into them. The big man would rather not dig at open wounds, or even potentially step foot on a landmine. People with too many secrets could be dangerous like that. But... the silence wasn't much better... "Ehm... I guess feel free to not answer this if you don't wanna, but what about you? Got a god bit a gold, what's your profession, ma'am?"

    Against all better judgement, he decided to step on a landmine.

[fluffymcsnuggles]

[Refs]

"Your clan?" she echoed sounding a bit more curious. If he had a clan, Morgan is curious as to why he wasn't with them. But that might be a bit too nosy. So she will just settle with her subtle question. Let him expand on it if he wants to, or let him drop the subject entirely.

Not like she really cared. She would continue to chow down on her meal until the last of it has faded away. That was a good meal all things considered. Then again nothing quite compares to a good home-cooked meal. Not that she misses home or anything. She's perfectly content out here, happier even.

She watches quietly as he traces over the strange mask he wore. She didn't want to ask more about it. She figured it was just a good intimidation tactic while traveling on the road. Maybe she should try and make one for herself. Hmm...

Morgan paused at his question about her career. Saying she has no job with the amount of gold she has is suspicious. But, she cannot fathom what career she would be into. She's never had a job. Oh dear god, she's going to need a job. Fuck. She stares at him in silence for a moment or two, letting her eyes dance around acting like she's debating if she should trust him. In reality, though she's trying to make up an answer on the spot that sounds believable.

"I just travel around. Sell my skills and wares. I'm decently good with herbal medicines and stuff like that," she says. Once again keeping it all pretty vague. "I'm also a scholar. I travel for my studies as well. Learning on the road and all that." Act casual. He won't know she is totally bullshitting this. Besides, the key to being a good liar is to sprinkle in the bits of the truth.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    "Yes. They were known as Clan Karnheim. They lived in the mountainous regions far west of here." Amber eyes stared out towards the pond. A soft breeze gently pushed through his hair, rustling the leaves above them. Locke fidgeted with one of his pockets for a moment, and produced a small water canteen. Quietly, the big man unscrewed the cap and took a swig. It helped wash out the strong taste of herbs and cleaned the palate. "Now it's where they're buried."

    Those eyes never once left the pond as he screwed the canteen's cap back on. "I am the last." There was no real sadness to those words. Just a simple statement of fact. Truth was, Locke hadn't felt sad about it in a long time. No, instead all he felt... was an overwhelming rage. Time tempered those emotions. Made it easier to manage. Which was helpful because Locke didn't want to expand any further, for risk of dampening the mood more than he probably already had. 

    At the mention of her professions, the nomad perked up more. It was clear that he couldn't tell she wasn't being completely honest with him. Locke wasn't dumb by any stretch, but he also wasn't intelligent either. The guy had no clue on how to properly read others, and the only thing that saved him from being lied to and manipulated extensively thus far was a combination of his own moral fortitude and the fact that people were shit scared of what he'd do if he found out. 

    It happened once before. Key word: Once. 

    Morgan, however, wasn't really manipulating him. Her lies were more lies of omission. And even with how bad the big man was at reading others, he could at least tell that she wasn't someone that trusted easy. He understood that the girl might not want to be forthright with every little piece of information, and that was alright. People had their own demons and it was their choice on whether they wanted to share them or not. 

    But, what the young woman did share greatly interested the metal mage. "An herbalist and a scholar! Those are both really fuckin' impressive, if I may say so my self. I know just enough with herbs to make what I need when I need it, but they're nothing compared to what a professional could make. And as far as my, eh, literary pursuits go ehm..." The man wagged a hand. "I still have difficulty with different words." 

    Not having anyone around to teach him past the age of eleven really made it hard to learn certain things. He could read, sort of, but sometimes the letters got jumbled together and it took him more than a few passes to properly get it. Even then, there were just so many that the young man simply couldn't understand or didn't know the meanings of. Haha, big barbarian punchy man don't know how read, big funny. But to him, the idea of someone who wanted to be an expert in all things literary and historically was sincerely impressive to him.