Baelkash sat down, nodding in agreement.  "I'm a wandering man.  As I said, I come from a foreign land, Blinsea.  My father was a soldier, but I wasn't interested in taking that path, so I set off on my own.  I was living in the forests mostly, away from everyone else. I recently ran out of supplies and so I came to town looking for work."<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">The ales arrived and Taliha nodded her thanks to the girl, before focusing back on Baelkash, "Work? What kind of skills do you have? Perhaps we can pool our resources together and get something together?"</span><br/><br/>Baelkash thought for a moment, wondering how much he should tell her. "I'm a hunter," he replies, "and a fair craftsman.  I'm fast and make a decent fighter.  That's about it.  People here are...suspicious of newcomers. People have turned me down before I can say more than my name."<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Yes, I can see that. Well I am fairly strong and good with a bow. Combine that with my winning personality and charm," she grinned at that obvious tease at herself. "I think that together we could get some form of employment. We are two capable people seeking honest work, so it should not be hard for us to find it. Right?" her tone very optomisic.</span><br/><br/>Baelkash grinned.  "Yes, I think we can."  He adjusted his hood, making sure it was securely on his head.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Good. Then we will drink, then eat and figure out where to find work in this place," as if on queue their meals were brought to them. "No comments about the stew being beef, BC knows I am not sworn off beef. Just his hide," she chuckled before breaking a piece off her bread to dip into her stew.</span><br/><br/>"That's quite an incredible companion you have." Baelkash said, taking a sip of his ale.  "How did you come across him?"   Baelkash took several quick bites of his stew.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Ah, yes well, my family works with the miners in Tyrinia. We run a cart business where we basically transport the minerals and such from the mines to various places. We breed the cattle that haul that carts about and BC was born rather sickly and should have died. I took pity on him and my folks allowed me to raise him. Skip ahead till, now he is like my baby I suppose. Follows me around like a very very large puppy."</span><br/><br/>"That is rather amazing.  Soft spot for the dregs of society, eh?"<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">She chuckled and shrugged, "I don't know. I have a soft spot in general for things that are smaller and weaker than myself. Feel the innate need to protect them."</span><br/><br/>Baelkash smiled softly. "Well, that is good news."<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"I suppose for one of your size," she snickered before chewing on the bit of bread covered in stew. Swallowing before continuing, "What about you? Any quirks I should know about?" </span><br/><br/>me:  "Not a quirk, exactly..."<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Oh? Hmmm....is it a secret or is it can I know?"  she asked with a smirk.</span><br/><br/>"I have a...let's call it a deformity.    People don't exactly...take kindly to it when they see it."  He finished his soup, wrapped his bread in a piece of cloth, and tucked it away in his pocket.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"You seem put together well enough," she remarked, noting him tucking away the bread. "A bit on the small side but that is hardly a deformity."</span><br/><br/>He chuckled.  "Yes, well, it's mostly aesthetics.  I'm otherwise fine."<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Scars and such add character to the person, nothing to be ashamed of. They hold a story worth telling," she said with a definitive nod.</span><br/><br/>"Indeed, they do, but it's not a scar.  I was born with it.  Where I come from, it was simply a common birthmark.  Here...people don't tend to like what they aren't used to.  At least, that's been my experience.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Understandable. People do not like what is different, what changes." she nodded, the motioned to his hood. "Is that what this is all about?"</span><br/><br/>"Unfortunately."<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">She nodded and continued to eat her stew while she muddled over everything.</span><br/><br/>He sipped at his ale, which he had barely touched.  Baelkash wasn't much of a drinker, especially among strangers, particularly with a stranger who was somewhat suspicious of him.  "I apologize for my vagueness."<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Everyone is allowed their secrets. I happen to not have any, or at least I do not think so," she smiled and shrugged.</span><br/><br/>"I suppose so.  Where are we going to look for work?" He asked, changing the subject.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"I suppose the town center or whatever. Could seek out the mayor for employment. Ask around," she shrugged.</span><br/><br/>"The woman with a pet bull and the mysterious stranger...quite a pair we make." Baelkash smiled.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"A pair made for adventure," she smiled.</span><br/><br/>me:  "I suppose so."<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Trust me and have faith, my small mysterious friend. Together we will seek our adventure," she raised her cup, "To Adventure!"</span><br/><br/>Baelkash smiled.  "To adventure!" He said, touching his glass to hers.