Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » The Blacksmith and The Bookworm (1x1)

Roisin nods in response and waits for him to put them on. She was leaning against the doorway, crossing her arms. When he came back, she looked at him from head to toe as she handed him a pair of goggles. "Though you wouldn't be doing much other than pass items and put the finish items outside with the rest, better safe than sorry," Roisin said as she let him inside. "Would you also like to deliver them as well, or is it getting late for you?" She asked.

The inside of the cabin was neat and well-organized, similar to the outside. There were typical tools and setups for a blacksmith. On the wall, there was her battleaxe that had been collecting dust. Nearby was an armor stand that had dark red armor her size. Roisin had many pouches, but it was unclear if some were seeds, gold coins, or gunpowder. Somewhere in the corner of the cabin was a box of small wooden animals and objects. Instead of a bed, there was a hammock. Overall, the inside of the cabin seemed small yet spacious. Lastly, there was a stool near the anvil.

"It is not even lunch time yet, and you did promise me you would join me for a picnic lunch," Jude reminded her with some amusement. He fiddled with the goggles a bit until he got them on properly. He grinned, feeling like a kid in this get-up, and adjusted them one more time before following her inside.

"You have a very cozy home," he remarked, looking around curiously. "And workshop. Is this your home and workshop in one?" He ran an idle hand over the anvil.

"I know. I tend to prefer getting things done first before anything else. We would eat afterwards." She answered. Roisin planned on keeping her word to the panic. She is still surprised by the sudden invitation. Still, she would join him. Roisin watched him fiddle with the goggles and put them all on. A smile appeared quickly before disappearing right after. He truly reflected the people of the past in her life.

"Yes. I didn't want to make a separate area or put some of my work outside unless there are requests. I'm also not too fond of renting a home in the village for work." Roisin explained. She had the helmet near the anvil. "Right now, I have to melt the helmet and make the rest. I have two armors completed and just a chest piece outside, right?" Roisin asked, making sure as the bear attack threw her off.

Jude went to confirm and brought back the confirmation. "I had not expected to be pulled into the actual making of a piece of armor," he said in amusement. "I will do what I can to help, but I have never done anything like this." He pulled over a short stool and sat down to take the weight off his stump. It ached or worse if he stood on it too long.

What she said was true based on Jude's confirmation. "That's okay. As I said, you would mainly pass me items I need and put the finished items outside. If you would actually like to participate in the making. I can have you pour the melted metal into the molds I have. " Roisin explained as she started the fire.

"No thank you. I am quite happy handing you whatever you need," Jude chuckled. "I wouldn't trust myself with molten metal. Not to mention, there is the strong desire to touch the stuff. I don't know why." He shifted the stool to be closer to the majority of the tools. "Ready to hand!"

Roisin knew what he was talking about. She was the same when she was little. Mainly it was her younger sister. "Alright." Roisin hummed before she started the process of melting the helmet. She was now fully focused on the work. However, she wouldn't forget Jude was there.

Jude stayed back and handed Roisin what she needed, but he mostly tried to stay out of the way and watched as Roisin worked. It was fascinating stuff, and the glowing hot metal was beautiful to look at. It was very hot in the cabin. He left his stool long enough to open the window a bit farther and then returned to attentively tend to Roisin's every need.

Roisin was slightly surprised but appreciated the silence from Jude. She was also glad he didn't try to overstep his helpfulness either. Roisin had many who wanted to learn her skills, but failed to pay attention or questioned too much. If he wanted lessons from her, she would happily do so. She would pour the glowing hot metal into molds of helmets, chest pieces, leggings, feet pieces, and swords. She would occasionally ask him to give her more metal near him or tell him to take the finished and cooled pieces outside with the others.

Once Roisin told him to confirm that there were five sets of the child-sized armor, she relaxed a bit. "Now, we can have your picnic set up." She said as she wiped the sweat from her forehead and put out the fire.

Jude watched in fascination. There was a smithy in his hometown, and they made everything metal needed for the town, but he'd never seen armor made or molds used this way. It was fascinating. And incredibly hot.

At Roisin's statement that they could finally have that picnic, Jude happily led the way back outside into the cool air. "Wonderful! How about we set up right over here?" he suggested, pointing to a nice, grassy patch.

Roisin had handed him a towel and began to take off her gloves and goggles. After she took off her apronas well. She had took a pouch of walnuts with her, the ones she was eating eariler. Roisin followed Jude outside.

"Looks good. What me to help you?" She asked as she began to eat some of the walnuts. Roisin began to wonder when was the last time she ever had a picnic with anyone. It was problary during her time as a Peacemaker. However, she refused to let this idea bitter anything at the moment.

"Sure! If you could help me spread out the blanket?" Jude tossed the blanket out as flat as he could, and with Roisin's help, it was soon nice and flat. He sat down with a pillow and used it to prop his bad leg. He opened his basket, and from the basket came small cuts of meat, cheese, creamy spreads, crackers, and fruit. A couple of large, wooden plates held them all quite neatly, and he set a small knife on the plate. It was essentially a charcuterie but without any fancy cuts. He also had a small bottle of juice and one cup. He poured out a cup's worth, which was about half the bottle, and handed it to Roisin, keeping the other half of the bottle for himself since he didn't have a second cup.

"Please, help yourself to anything you want," he said, gesturing to the spread.

She nodded and helped him with the blanket. She didn't sit down right away; she added the walnuts she was eating to the other food. Roisin took the cup when handed to her. "Thank you. You've packed a meal that a lot of travelers will be envious of." She said as she finally sat down, of course, leaving space between them. Roisin took a creaker. "I haven't had this since I've been here. Quite nostalgic." She said before eating it.

"You haven't had a cracker since coming here, or you haven't had a picnic since coming here?" Jude asked with a smile. He helped himself to a sharp cheddar cheese chunk with an olive on a cracker of his own. "If you haven't had crackers, then I am glad I arrived! If you haven't had a picnic, then doubly so! This area is so lovely and amazing. It deserves a good picnic now and then, and so do you. A breath of fresh air!"

Roisin just smiled a bit before getting a piece of fruit. "I suppose it's a good thing you came afterall." She said before eating it. Roisin grabbed a handful of walnuts before lying back and looking up. She popped a few in her mouth. "Why do you enjoy coming into the forest, Jude?" Roisin asked, not turning to look at him. She was curious about his answer.

Jude considered the question as he nibbled on some grapes. "Well," he finally said, "my hometown is a railroad town. We maintain the lines, build the lines, protect the lines, all of that. It's a lot of work, and it's hard work, and every single person in town does something with the line. Men, women, children, everyone has spent their time tending the line. Young mothers, small children, older folk, and physically challenged work in things like bookkeeping, feeding people, tending crops and animals, things like that." He smiled and lifted his bad leg. "I think you can tell which camp I fall into. Well, it is stiffling spending so much time indoors looking at numbers. I started going out into the woods near my home just to get some air and time to myself. There's space to breathe and lose yourself outside."

She turned her head towards him once he spoke. Roisin listened, sitting up slightly as she had a walnut in her mouth. She ate it quietly and looked at the prosthetic leg when he lifted it. Roisin had already pieced together what happened, but didn't dare to ask for a confirmation or anything. She nodded when he talked about the woods. "I guess we're slightly the same. Nature is escapism from work and expectations. Even faults and failures." Roisin said, looking away.

"Hmm, I don't know that I'd use the word escapism. I think more of it as a respite. A pause. A safe place to rest and then face my flaws and mistakes," Jude mused. "I suppose escapism could be a good word for that, too, but it makes me feel like I am running away. It is rather difficult to run away from failures and flaws, but you can step away until you are ready to face them again."

She was quiet as she laid back down. Roisin looked back up at the sky. She knew he was right and his words got to her but she wouldn't stated it. All she did was let out a noise of agreement before eating another walnut. Roisin really didn't like how much Jude reflected her past. Again, she wouldn't say it out loud.

Jude allowed the silence to continue. He did not feel the need to fill the silence with idle chatter just to talk. He ate for a while and drank his juice and enjoyed the sounds of the forest around them.

Eventually, he said, "I can see why you live out here. It is a lovely area. I think I prefer to stay in the town where it is easier to travel between places, but it is an amazing place to live." Nearly everything had been eaten now, so he started to casually clean things up. "I should start thinking about heading back."