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

Roisin enjoyed the slience. It was peaceful and claiming for her. She would occasionally sit up and grab a bit more food. Roisin was starting to get lost in her thoughts for a bit.

"You're not wrong. You would've maybe liked my hometown." She said without much thought. Roisin helped him clean up. "Well, be safe. You might even see me in town for a bit." She said as she went to gather the armory. "Thank you. This was nice" Roisin said.

"It was a delight to share a picnic with you," Jude smiled at her. He folded up his blanket and tucked it into the basket along with everything else leftover. He stood awkwardly and tested his leg briefly before trusting it to hold his weight. Every now and then it acted up, but it was fine now. He gave Roisin a little wave. "I look forward to seeing you around, ma'am!" He headed toward town, humming softly as he went.

Roisin nodded as she watched him go. "So will I." She said to herself before going back to the armory. Soon, she made the delivery and got paid for it. She then went to the tavern for a bit and drank while talking to the bartender, her best friend apparently. Roisin went home late, slightly tipsy, but didn't look like it. Once she was home, she began working on the prosthetic leg. Roisin planned on finishing the leg first before anything, as seeing Jude struggled upsetted her.

A week has passed since they last met. This time, however, she was dressed nicely compared to her usual outfit. However, her outfit still gave her flexibility in case of anything. Roisin had flowery accessories in her hair. She was near Jude's office, waiting for him to be off. Roisin had finally finished the leg but didn't have it with her. Instead, she gave it to the bartender earlier this week, since she received a letter from her sister-in-law, Axa. Roisin is assuming her time with Jude would be cut short, but it won't stop her from keeping her promise to him.

Thankfully, she had already paid her best friend two pouches of gold coins. Now, she was leaning against the wall while crossing her arms. Roisin began to wonder what Axa wanted to discuss that she claimed was urgent.

A group of older men came out of the office first. They were a mix of races, and none of them paid Roisin any attention as they walked past her. They were caught up in some kind of argument with each other and far more interested in that than anything else.

Jude came out a few short minutes after. He walked slowly, favoring his leg a little, but his smile was still genuine when he saw Roisin. "Hello! I am glad you are here. I was half afraid you would be caught up in a project and forget. You look very nice today." He turned and started walking slowly toward the bar, assuming that was where Roisin wanted to go.

Her eyes followed the group of older men as her ears twitched. She didn't pay much attention to what they said as she looked away once Jude walked out. Roisin stood up straight and dusted herself off. "I'm sorry it took forever. I was busy with projects." Roisin's ears became slightly red when he told her she looked nice. "Thank you." She said before realizing where he was going.

"It's this way, actually. It's a tavern, not a bar. I'm sorry I wasn't clear about that." Roisin said as she started to become bashful. She didn't understand why she was getting like this as she began to lead the way and walked at a comfortable pace for Jude. Thankfully, it wasn't too far from where they stood, though he had to do a little more walking.

The tavern was huge and could be mistaken for a home where a family could live. Its sign read: The Sleeping Rock. Roisin opened the door for him. The inside of the tavern wasn't packed, but had a few travelers and villagers either eating or drinking. It was also spacious and home-like. "Welcome to Sleeping Rock." A male faun welcomed Jude as he was serving drinks. "Ah, you must be Red's da-" The faun was cut off when Roisin glared at him when enered right after him, "Jude, Archer. Archer, Jude." She introduced Jude to the faun."

Jude turned and followed Roisin the other direction, chuckling at his mistake. The tavern was a warm, cheery place, and it seemed like a lovely place to be. He looked at the faun and greeted him with a warm smile, choosing to pretend he didn't hear the little slip.

"Hello, Mr. Archer! It is a pleasure to meet you," he said. "I would offer to shake your hand, but you seem to need them for other things."

Archer smiled brightly. "See, you got to learn some humor from his fellow. Please, take a seat in the front." He said before he continued serving drinks. Roisin continued to glare at him before sighing heavily. She took a seat and motioned one close to her. Archer's face flashed a shocked look before going back to cheery. Once he finished serving, he began to attend to both Jude and Roisin. "I already know what you want, but how about you, Judie? May I call you that?"

Roisin began to fiddle with her earring. "How about honey wine? You seem like a sweet tooth, or are you like Red the Grumpy? A bitter drink of spider's venom? Just say what you like, I may have it. If not, I can make it on the spot." Archer said with confidence.

Jude sat carefully in the seat before fully trusting it. It was quite comfortable, actually, not at all like the wooden seats he was used to. Those had worn sore spots in areas he preferred not to think about. He leaned on the table lightly and returned Archer's smile. "I prefer Jude, but I wouldn't put up too much of a fuss if you insisted on Judie. I've been called many worse things! The honey wine sounds delightful. I'd quite like a glass of that, if you please."

Archer nodded. "Very well. They'll be ready soon. Anything to eat with them or just the drinks? We have almost anything you can think of, available." He asked. "I'm good, you?" Roisin asked as she stopped fiddling with her earring for a bit. In fact, she had already eaten before coming to the tavern. She was so nervous that she had to eat something before arriving at the location. However, she was also nervous about what her sister-in-law wanted.

"Would you happen to have a bit of bread and jam?" Jude requested. "Any sort of jam. I would love to be surprised with your favorite!" He watched Roisin out of the corner of his eye. She seemed quite nervous. Why? Surely not just coming here, he didn't think. He would wait to ask until Archer was not a spectator.

Archer nodded before going. "You got." He chirped as he left. Roisin started fiddling with her earring once again. "I'm sorry for his behavior. He's always like this, no matter who it is." She said, trying to ease her nervousness. "So, have you ever had honey wine before? It's common here in Valebright and most requested outside of here," Roisin said.

"There is nothing to apologize for. He is a lot of fun," Jude said with a chuckle. He set his elbow on the table and shifted to face Roisin, propping his head on his hand as he looked at her. "I have tried it. It is quite good," he said quietly, smiling faintly. "Are you all right, Madam Roisin? You seem nervous. Is anything the matter?"

Roisin scoffed a bit before shaking her head. "For now. He can be a handful. I'm apologizing for now and the near future," She said. Roisin's ear twitched a bit when he spoke quietly. "What? I didn't-" She cut herself off when she faced Jude. Roisin had already stopped fiddling with her earring by then. She shook her head slowly. "Just realizing I never really been here with anyone," Roisin answered, though it truthful but not the reason why she was nervous. The tips of her ears turned slightly red.

Soon, Archer came by to drop off a basket of sourdough bread with a jam jar containing honey, a wine glass of honey wine, and a shot glass of spider venom. It looked as if the wine glass only had honey in it, as the shot glass held colors of white, yellow, and green in clear liquid. He didn't say a word but smiled before he left again.

"Then I am flattered!" Jude smiled. He thanked Archer when he came by and tried the bread and honey first. "Oh, this is very good. Would you like to try a bit?" he asked, offering her a bit of bread and honey.

"I'm okay. Thank you." Roisin said as she drank the shot. She figured she'll end up having many more. "I'm not too interested but what was it you discussed with those older men?" Roisin asked.

Jude looked a bit blank as he tried to figure out what Roisin was referring to. "Oh, the men at the office?" he asked, brightening in realization. "Nothing much. One of them is the pursar, and he was debating on some of the charges to the account, charges made by the engineer, who was there telling him exactly why those charges were needed, and then there was the safety council who has no idea how a railway actually runs but wants everyone to think he's making it as safe as can be. The others were part of those various factions. I am nothing but the record keeper and a bit of a historian in numbers, I suppose, so I tend to get drug along as they try to use me to make their various points. It's all a big thing."

Roisin nodded when he referred to them. She listened to him explaining. "Sounds frustrating to deal with many people for a simple tasks. I give you credit for that." Roisin hummed as Archer came by with two more shots, leaving once again when he placed them.

"Money is never simple," Jude said dryly as he sipped his wine. "Neither is anything to do with the government. Combine the two, and you have a lovely snake's nest. But it's alright. Things get done eventually. Nevermind me, though. What have you been up to?"

Roisin drank another shot. "It is. Even dealing with royalty is worse. More than anything huge projects I've done." She said with annoyed face before shrugging at his question. "The usual. Do more requests. I can take more as I finally finished my biggest one. I also may not be here, however, it depends when she comes." Roisin spoke before taking another shot.

Jude watched Roisin, his eyes following the trajectory of her drinking arm. He'd only lightly sipped his own wine, enjoying the flavor. Roisin seemed to be someone on a mission to get drunk, and that rarely turned out well. "Not to be too interferring," he said carefully, "but if you are dreading a meeting with her," (whoever "her" was, he had no idea,) "then perhaps it would be better to face her with a clear head rather than one muddled and poisoned into blurriness?"