Post by Therdde on Jan 6, 2010 20:38:21 GMT -5
Skelaghe
Kezu
- OGR -
The hour has grown late, though the sun has not given up on lighting the land for the day, and Skelaghe, having already sent her children on home, the short distance that it is, for the night, is simply tidying up so that she will not have to do in the morning. Through the course of the day, items on shelves have been moved, mud has been tracked about the floor, and things are just generally not as ordered as she likes them to be. As she works, she hums to herself a pleasant little tune.
The creak of the door opening sounds through the store, just a crack, as a well toned, rich voice resounds. "Excuse me, Miss, but are you still open?" A man, rich, hazelnut hair draping down his back in a long, tied tail, dressed in a white shirt, covered by a cured leather vest, and what seem like a laborers, or prospectors, pants steps just one foot into the shop. His emerald green eyes glance over the stock of the store momentarily, before locking onto the cleaning woman with a focused gaze, a slight lid of his eyes, as if he were tired, or simply relaxed... perhaps just peaceful, but those eyes ARE focused, indeed.
Skelaghe turns to look at the sound of the door opening. She listens to the question, and smiles at it. As though she would ever turn away any paying customer. "Of course, sir. How might I help you?" After asking her question, Skelaghe sets aside the broom she'd been holding, prepared to devote her attention to Kezu for so long as he is here.
Strong fingers coming up to stroke his chin, which boasts a five o' clock shadow, Kezu steps inside, his olive tanned skin flexing as he looks over the goods. "Coyotes..." Which he pronounces as Kai-yotes. "... have been seen around, so I was seeing if there's anything you'd recommend. I'm not afraid to hurt them, but I'd rather not kill them if possible, so I don't want to just up and buy shot. And... well, do you carry nails and pegs here, Miss?" He turns his eyes back to Skelaghe, stepping further inside with a smile, his thick brows setting in a friendly fashion.
Skelaghe listens attentively, and doesn't speak up until Kezu seems to be done. Once the man is, she answers promptly. "If you're just looking to keep them out of an area, a good fence will do wonders. Trap won't kill them, but it won't do them any favors, either." Skel is not a farmer, but she is friends with plenty of people who have had plenty of trouble with the sly creatures. "Any way about it, you'll probably have more luck with the hardware store, a way's further into town. I can supply you with nails, so long as you don't want anything too specific, but for anything else... Well, space is kind of limited." She only owns a small store, and it doesn't carry very much for construction, though nails are used in a large enough variety of household projects that she has some.
Kezu chuckles, tilting his head with a grin. "Just general nails and pegs, mam. The Hardware store tries to hassle you one way around the barn, if you know what I mean. You beat their price, and I'll just grab my nails from you, if you don't mind. Fence though... I'm moving around a bit too much for a fence. Traps might work, but that'll pretty much guarantee they die, or are at least scarred, one way or another. Well... Do you sell any rations here?" He asks, looking over her just once, then crossing his arms, flexing his, what seems, slender yet firm arms, chiseled from what might seem extensive labor.
It might be easy to assume that Skelaghe's heart barely even beats anymore, beneath her blouse. She can admire the occasional man, but it does not drive her to distraction, as it might a younger woman. "We have quite a bit of food that keeps well, if that's what you're looking for. What's your preference? We've got salted meat, nuts, bread..." As Skelaghe speaks, she walks to a shelf to grab a package of nails.
"Meats and breads, greens are easy enough to come by, if you're willing to go out and look for em, and you have the mind and eyes to watch what'cha get, mmm? Beans too, if you have any." He begins to move to the counter, laying a hand on it's flat surface and peering upwards at the ceiling.
"How much would you like?" Skelaghe continues moving around the shop, as the foods are not kept directly near the shelf with the nails.
"Two or three weeks rations, give or take. I eat hearty, as long as I can afford it." Kezu's gaze flows down to Skelaghe then, mmming as he taps the counter.
"And can you afford it?" She wouldn't ask, but Kezu was the one who first broached the topic. While, if she were capable, she would gladly feed the world, she cannot give away food if she even hopes to just feed her own children.
Kezu chuckles, tapping the back of his boots against the counter. "I wouldn't rightly know, till ya come on over and haggle about it, no?"
Skelaghe fills her arms well enough with food before heading to the counter. "I assure you, my prices are fair. I won't try to sell you a story about my own children, but you'll understand why I don't have much give." After reaching the counter, she spreads the items along it, making no effort to hide precisely what she is offering.
Kezu makes a good effort at looking at the beans, picking them up, weighing, and shaking, before setting them down and looking amongst the jerky's and meats, peering over the breads, making sure they aren't overmoldy or otherwise dangerous. "Well now... They seem well enough. You open bid, Mam." And Kezu smiles once more
Perhaps, if her prices were truly fair, she would use paper to tally up the costs, or at least a scale to tell her precisely how much is being sold. Surely, estimating as she does, she cannot be charging everyone exactly the same thing, but she has been doing this for long enough that her ability to do basic math in her head is second to none. "I'll sell you the lot for ten dollars." The food may not be quite enough to see him through three weeks, not if he eats as heartily as he implies, but with the foods and nails combined, her price is in line with most of her competitors in other cities, she knows.
Kezu twists his smile up in a strange facial expression, like a half-hearted smirk, only it's more thoughtful, as if he was considering the price. "Well now..." As he looks over the store, furrowing his brows as he considers the store...
Kezu takes a long moment, then a breath. "How about five dollars, and I fix up your place here?" He waves his hand about.
The price is nearly enough to make Skelaghe cringe, even with the offer. It's a terrible lot of food to be giving away for five dollars, even if she knows that her shop could really use a lot of work. Work that she simply can't do. "If I'm going to do that, I would need three days of labor, at least." In this much, she is unwavering.
Kezu chuckles, winking. "I'll work on your shop for as long as this food feeds me, how about that?" He stands up straighter, rolling his shoulder for a moment, then looking, intensely, into Skelaghe's eyes.
"I am not a thief, sir." In might not feed him three weeks, but it should, easily, feed him two, and five dollars for two weeks of labor would be absolute robbery. "I shall let you leave with half the food for five dollars. When you complete three days labor, or when the largest projects are done, I will gladly give you the other half, and you can go on your way."
Kezu laughs at that, closing his eyes as he crosses his arms. "You're shining in my eyes, madam. It's a deal." Kezu's eyes open then, a broad grin on his face as he looks over Skelaghe, making a motion. "I'll be right back. Going to get a skin to wrap this all up in. And... oh." He pulls from his pants a wad of notes, bound with woven fibers from a tree or plant, and takes out five dollars worth, putting them on the counter. Then he extends his hand. "We have a deal?"
Skelaghe takes Kezu's hand in her own, a gesture she does not make often, and one that seems a little odd for the older lady. "It is a deal." Oh, it might hurt her a ltitle, to begin with, but when the winter comes, and she will nto have to worry about keeping her store in one piece nor about freezing to death, she will be very grateful.
"I'll go pick up the lumber and metal now, and I'll see you first thing in the morning." Kezu smiles warmly at that, nodding as he shakes her hand, firmly, and she can feel the callouses on his palm: Either he was a fighter, a miner, or a construction worker. His attire blatantly stated which was obvious of course, but then, who knows? He turns then, moving for the door, opening it and disappearing outside for a brief moment.
Skelaghe shakes his hand in response, though her grip is light. Only once he leaves does she pocket the money, then get back to her work.
Kezu returns a moment later, with a blanket, and takes it to the counter, storing approximately half the goods, making sure he has, in even proportions, breads, meats, and beans, tying the blanket up with another fiber rope, and hoists it over his back, making for the door, only pausing at it to turn back, and smile warmly. "You're a keen businessman, miss. And might I say a good head on you." He nods at that... before grinning. "You've aged well too, if it's not too bold of me to say so." And he opens the door, leaving without waiting for a response.
Kezu
- OGR -
The hour has grown late, though the sun has not given up on lighting the land for the day, and Skelaghe, having already sent her children on home, the short distance that it is, for the night, is simply tidying up so that she will not have to do in the morning. Through the course of the day, items on shelves have been moved, mud has been tracked about the floor, and things are just generally not as ordered as she likes them to be. As she works, she hums to herself a pleasant little tune.
The creak of the door opening sounds through the store, just a crack, as a well toned, rich voice resounds. "Excuse me, Miss, but are you still open?" A man, rich, hazelnut hair draping down his back in a long, tied tail, dressed in a white shirt, covered by a cured leather vest, and what seem like a laborers, or prospectors, pants steps just one foot into the shop. His emerald green eyes glance over the stock of the store momentarily, before locking onto the cleaning woman with a focused gaze, a slight lid of his eyes, as if he were tired, or simply relaxed... perhaps just peaceful, but those eyes ARE focused, indeed.
Skelaghe turns to look at the sound of the door opening. She listens to the question, and smiles at it. As though she would ever turn away any paying customer. "Of course, sir. How might I help you?" After asking her question, Skelaghe sets aside the broom she'd been holding, prepared to devote her attention to Kezu for so long as he is here.
Strong fingers coming up to stroke his chin, which boasts a five o' clock shadow, Kezu steps inside, his olive tanned skin flexing as he looks over the goods. "Coyotes..." Which he pronounces as Kai-yotes. "... have been seen around, so I was seeing if there's anything you'd recommend. I'm not afraid to hurt them, but I'd rather not kill them if possible, so I don't want to just up and buy shot. And... well, do you carry nails and pegs here, Miss?" He turns his eyes back to Skelaghe, stepping further inside with a smile, his thick brows setting in a friendly fashion.
Skelaghe listens attentively, and doesn't speak up until Kezu seems to be done. Once the man is, she answers promptly. "If you're just looking to keep them out of an area, a good fence will do wonders. Trap won't kill them, but it won't do them any favors, either." Skel is not a farmer, but she is friends with plenty of people who have had plenty of trouble with the sly creatures. "Any way about it, you'll probably have more luck with the hardware store, a way's further into town. I can supply you with nails, so long as you don't want anything too specific, but for anything else... Well, space is kind of limited." She only owns a small store, and it doesn't carry very much for construction, though nails are used in a large enough variety of household projects that she has some.
Kezu chuckles, tilting his head with a grin. "Just general nails and pegs, mam. The Hardware store tries to hassle you one way around the barn, if you know what I mean. You beat their price, and I'll just grab my nails from you, if you don't mind. Fence though... I'm moving around a bit too much for a fence. Traps might work, but that'll pretty much guarantee they die, or are at least scarred, one way or another. Well... Do you sell any rations here?" He asks, looking over her just once, then crossing his arms, flexing his, what seems, slender yet firm arms, chiseled from what might seem extensive labor.
It might be easy to assume that Skelaghe's heart barely even beats anymore, beneath her blouse. She can admire the occasional man, but it does not drive her to distraction, as it might a younger woman. "We have quite a bit of food that keeps well, if that's what you're looking for. What's your preference? We've got salted meat, nuts, bread..." As Skelaghe speaks, she walks to a shelf to grab a package of nails.
"Meats and breads, greens are easy enough to come by, if you're willing to go out and look for em, and you have the mind and eyes to watch what'cha get, mmm? Beans too, if you have any." He begins to move to the counter, laying a hand on it's flat surface and peering upwards at the ceiling.
"How much would you like?" Skelaghe continues moving around the shop, as the foods are not kept directly near the shelf with the nails.
"Two or three weeks rations, give or take. I eat hearty, as long as I can afford it." Kezu's gaze flows down to Skelaghe then, mmming as he taps the counter.
"And can you afford it?" She wouldn't ask, but Kezu was the one who first broached the topic. While, if she were capable, she would gladly feed the world, she cannot give away food if she even hopes to just feed her own children.
Kezu chuckles, tapping the back of his boots against the counter. "I wouldn't rightly know, till ya come on over and haggle about it, no?"
Skelaghe fills her arms well enough with food before heading to the counter. "I assure you, my prices are fair. I won't try to sell you a story about my own children, but you'll understand why I don't have much give." After reaching the counter, she spreads the items along it, making no effort to hide precisely what she is offering.
Kezu makes a good effort at looking at the beans, picking them up, weighing, and shaking, before setting them down and looking amongst the jerky's and meats, peering over the breads, making sure they aren't overmoldy or otherwise dangerous. "Well now... They seem well enough. You open bid, Mam." And Kezu smiles once more
Perhaps, if her prices were truly fair, she would use paper to tally up the costs, or at least a scale to tell her precisely how much is being sold. Surely, estimating as she does, she cannot be charging everyone exactly the same thing, but she has been doing this for long enough that her ability to do basic math in her head is second to none. "I'll sell you the lot for ten dollars." The food may not be quite enough to see him through three weeks, not if he eats as heartily as he implies, but with the foods and nails combined, her price is in line with most of her competitors in other cities, she knows.
Kezu twists his smile up in a strange facial expression, like a half-hearted smirk, only it's more thoughtful, as if he was considering the price. "Well now..." As he looks over the store, furrowing his brows as he considers the store...
Kezu takes a long moment, then a breath. "How about five dollars, and I fix up your place here?" He waves his hand about.
The price is nearly enough to make Skelaghe cringe, even with the offer. It's a terrible lot of food to be giving away for five dollars, even if she knows that her shop could really use a lot of work. Work that she simply can't do. "If I'm going to do that, I would need three days of labor, at least." In this much, she is unwavering.
Kezu chuckles, winking. "I'll work on your shop for as long as this food feeds me, how about that?" He stands up straighter, rolling his shoulder for a moment, then looking, intensely, into Skelaghe's eyes.
"I am not a thief, sir." In might not feed him three weeks, but it should, easily, feed him two, and five dollars for two weeks of labor would be absolute robbery. "I shall let you leave with half the food for five dollars. When you complete three days labor, or when the largest projects are done, I will gladly give you the other half, and you can go on your way."
Kezu laughs at that, closing his eyes as he crosses his arms. "You're shining in my eyes, madam. It's a deal." Kezu's eyes open then, a broad grin on his face as he looks over Skelaghe, making a motion. "I'll be right back. Going to get a skin to wrap this all up in. And... oh." He pulls from his pants a wad of notes, bound with woven fibers from a tree or plant, and takes out five dollars worth, putting them on the counter. Then he extends his hand. "We have a deal?"
Skelaghe takes Kezu's hand in her own, a gesture she does not make often, and one that seems a little odd for the older lady. "It is a deal." Oh, it might hurt her a ltitle, to begin with, but when the winter comes, and she will nto have to worry about keeping her store in one piece nor about freezing to death, she will be very grateful.
"I'll go pick up the lumber and metal now, and I'll see you first thing in the morning." Kezu smiles warmly at that, nodding as he shakes her hand, firmly, and she can feel the callouses on his palm: Either he was a fighter, a miner, or a construction worker. His attire blatantly stated which was obvious of course, but then, who knows? He turns then, moving for the door, opening it and disappearing outside for a brief moment.
Skelaghe shakes his hand in response, though her grip is light. Only once he leaves does she pocket the money, then get back to her work.
Kezu returns a moment later, with a blanket, and takes it to the counter, storing approximately half the goods, making sure he has, in even proportions, breads, meats, and beans, tying the blanket up with another fiber rope, and hoists it over his back, making for the door, only pausing at it to turn back, and smile warmly. "You're a keen businessman, miss. And might I say a good head on you." He nods at that... before grinning. "You've aged well too, if it's not too bold of me to say so." And he opens the door, leaving without waiting for a response.