Edith
_It had been a long time since Almann returned home to the city of Ainakil. The city wasn't much, but it was enough for him to be content with the business he got there. As he weaved his horse throughout the small city he recognized plenty of faces along the way. Locals he had gotten to know over the past months, and develop a cordial relationship with. You always had the same group of elders, 3 in all, playing a 3-way board game that Almann never understood how to play and the same group of children playing in the streets, begging Almann, for keepsakes, toys, sweets, and trinkets. People in Ainakil were relaxed to say the least, most people knew each other, and crime wasn't that big of an issue like in many places of the Salvainian Empire. Strangers only really came to Ainakil if they had business or knew someone here. Perhaps pirates were the biggest issue, but they didn't come in from land like Almann did._

_As he rounds the corner he looks upon a familiar sight. The road that leads his shop goes down directly to the docks. From here Almann can clearly see the glitter off the bay. Perhaps, he thought, he ought to go fishing later. After all, the news around the town is that huge flocks of fish had been swarming in the bay since the beginning of the season._

_Almann trots up to his shop, carefully tying his horse off in the public stables adjacent to him, and opens the door._

_Not to his surprise, he is greeted by the many faces he is familiar with. Although they may look similar, given they are all brothers and sisters by blood, he could tell each of them out by the difference in their voices and behavior. Indeed, Almann had plenty of people working under him, maintaining the shop, cleaning the building, and keeping the business afloat while he was gone. They were all brothers and sisters of the same family, with their patriarch Muadhib, a good friend of Almann's._

_Muadhib was one of the best spear fishermen in the entire world, Almann thought. He towered most other men, standing well almost two and a half meters tall with an imposing complexion and a large (but well kept) beard to match it all. He had multiple wives, each of them bearing numerous children, and those children filling up the halls and houses the Muadhib owned. However, having that many rugrats running around grated on the man, so he asked Almann to keep them held up in his shop. With five decently sized bedrooms, a work area, a shop area, and many other amenities, Almann managed to house 11 of them._

_The youngest were aged 6, 8, and 10, and taught letters and maths at their young age at Almann's request after he had shared his knowledge with the older siblings he housed. Their names were Grana, Lana, and Ori. The middle children were aged 13, 15, 15, 16, and 17. Their names were Na'im, and the quadruplets Aya, Mya, Jal, and Abdel. They did most of the cleaning, cooking, and grunt work, with many taking classes in blacksmithing and trade work and reading Almann's notes on similar topics. The oldest were aged 18, 18, and 21. The two twin sisters, Aelia and Relia, and the older son Abram. These three proved themselves invaluable to Almann._

_Aelia was an exceptional tanner and seamstress. She made most of the clothing her and her siblings wore on a daily basis. She tanned leathers and hides so that her brother Abram, who was Almann's apprentice, could make them into cushioned hilts for daggers and rudimentary swords. Relia had a natural silver tongue, able to (sometimes too assertively) strike deals with the even the most stubborn of local merchants and peddlers. Almann was simply amazed at how well these three caught on to his business. All three of them were clearly savants. What took Almann years to master only took them a few weeks, and what took Almann a few weeks, took them at most a few days. Perhaps the most lucky for him was that their living expenses were entirely paid by their father, and, as promised, Almann would make sure they learn skills to make themselves successful after they become old enough to start their own businesses or marry while also keeping a sturdy roof over their heads._

_Recollecting all of this, Almann does his rounds with the children of his comrade in war (they had both done their business on the Irtutian border) and focuses on the different things they have made. Some of the smaller children watched their older brother, Abram, make trinkets, silverware, bronzeware, among other things, and seemed to try to imitate him. Almann inspected the smaller makeshift toys and metal coins the children were able to make themselves, with the girls beginning to sow and tan like their sister Aelia, and compliments the children on their hard work._

_Almann then goes on to inspect the work of his apprentice and dismisses the children to the back rooms to go read and play, leaving the shop corner of the building to him and the three eldest siblings. While he inspects the work of Abram, he asks them to go over the dealings of the shop in the months he had been away, giving him a report on the profits, new customers, and potential beneficial ties to other merchants. They quickly become engrossed in a conversation about the recent business dealings of the city._
John
*Ainakil was the rabbit's next 'target.' Reading up on it, Auburn had found that it was quite a nice place. Maybe it wasn't the best place for 'regifting', but it would be a far easier time than the more militaristic cities. But everywhere, there would be people less fortunate. The beggar on the street that was too weak to stand, the family wearing the same clothes every day, washing them in the stream because they were too poor to buy new ones, or the urchins that ran in the streets. They could be found everywhere, no matter how prosperous an area was.*

*But of course, she couldn't simply walk in, steal things, and get out. She had to establish herself at least a little bit. Walking over to the beggar, she opens a sack full of food, handing him a soft loaf of bread. It's almost fresh, and it was. It was from the bakery the next city over. They wouldn't miss a single loaf of bread, but this man would consider it a lifesaver.*

*The man's eyes light up as he sees the loaf of bread in front of him, graciously taking it in with both hands. Before he can say a word, the rabbit scampers off, giving him a wave before hopping away. Now, to steal something of actual value...*

*There. A building that seemed to be a tinkerer's shop, or maybe belonging to a blacksmith? Either way, Auburn would see a tall macen walking inside. Hm.*

*Carefully, Auburn enters, hoping to look like a customer. 'Remember, just take something and run.'*

"Hello?"
Edith
_Almann finishes his conversation with the three in Siuian tongue. Relia gets behind the counter, Aelia goes in the back with the children, and Abram continues to work in the next room on several pieces for display and selling._

_As Auburn walked into the shop, she would see jewelry, swords, daggers, spears, shields, among other miscellaneous sharp and otherwise useful objects to the everyday citizen. Perhaps the thing that would stand out among the entire shop was a shield. It wasn't a particularly ornate shield, the bronze inlay on the ironwood body of the shield itself shined much brighter than it's counter parts. The spit-sheened steel reinforcement on it's side looked immensely sturdy. Perhaps what was most interesting, was that the bronze inlay seemed to resemble a viper with horns, with the intent of intimidating the opponent of the user._

_It hung low above one of the dagger display cases on the left side of the shop._

_Almann claps his hands together and offers a welcoming grin to the kemonomimi._

"Hello! Welcome to Denwen's Forge. How can we help you today?"
John
*The timid rabbit jumps back in surprise, then smiles once she sees who seems to be the storeowner.*

"Hi! I'm just looking around. As you can see, I'm not exactly looking for weapons..."

*She spread her arms out to her side, and indeed she wouldn't. The kemonomimi would be dressed quite plainly, with somewhat loose-fitting clothing and a small sack on her back.*

*Shit. She didn't exactly think of a reason to be here. Fortunately, there was jewelry as well as weapons. Auburn wasn't exactly the best with those (besides knives and daggers).*

"I'm looking for some jewelry, for a friend. Mind if I try some on?"
Edith
_Almann eyes the kemonomimi up and down, walk towards her and getting in close, narrowing his eye at her and scratching his chin. He pays close attention to her eyes, hair, and ears, while also thinking through the different types of jewelry that would look well on her. The colors have to compliment or match. As it seems that her eyes were a soft brown, and he knew just what color could fit._

_He was thinking a simple gold necklace would look well on her, and perhaps any friend she had. Gold was the default choice for many people, and this customer was no exception. Some flattery would work in his favor to get her to pay a bigger amount. Though she didn't look like she was of any status, but it was best to try anyways._

"Sure. But before we continue I have to get a gauge of what your friend looks like. Are they as pretty as you? If not... Could you give me a description? Jewelry is best worn when it compliments the wearer you know."
John
*Fuck. He's studying her, carefully. Did he perhaps suspect her true intentions? Did she not hide her knives well enough? Her boots shift ever so slightly just in case, suddenly realizing just how many weapons there are in this shop, many of them having a shining bronze color. It's bronze, of course it would.*

"Well, I-I really can't say anything about that. She does look pretty similar to me though."

*Auburn visibly blushes at all the flattery. Clasping her hands, she turns away slightly, though the macen can see an embarrassed smile form on her face. It's too bad that she's going to steal him, but she wasn't looking for any relationship.*
Edith
_Almann slips a gold necklace out from under his sleeve, dangling it in front of her face. The necklace itself was all that ornate, and it wasn't the more pure gold, but it was real gold. It was one of his apprentice's experimental pieces, not one of the more expensive ones Almann himself made. Why would Almann show a customer who clearly isn't of higher stature a more highly priced piece of jewelry? He would have to make her ask for something better, look desperate to buy what humble piece he's teased her with._

_Almann grins._

"How is this?"
John
*It was gold. Real gold. Auburn's eyes practically lock onto the thing.*

"Wow... How much is it? I am looking for a more expensive piece."

*This was good. Really good. If she could get her hands on an expensive piece and sell it, she could buy who knows how much bread she could buy with this. And the gold... Not yet. Focus on the now.*