Astrid ⟡ 001

[4everythingelse]

Who: 4everythingelse and anybody afoot
Where: The fields around Espoir, midday ish
Style: Third, preferably
Status: OPEN~

Comments

[brbblending]

Of course, since Paola started living here she often found herself walking. She had already oriented herself but it was a force of habit to wander. She was a blade in the crowd, blending in with city streets. She never quite got out of some of her courtesan habits. Once you set everything like that down to a routine and stop being squeamish at age sixteen, you really couldn't erase the habit of doing things this way. However, you'd think she'd be used to the odd sight of mythical creatures.

As she saw the blonde child approaching with a giant dragon following, she tried to shake the tremble in her hands. She had met a dragon before, Toothless and he wasn't at all as frightening as he had first appeared. Perhaps this one wasn't either? Then why, even though she knew that, where her feet planted firmly in the cobblestone, ready to flee.

[4everythingelse]

Approaching the road at the edge of the village, Astrid paused when she saw a woman standing there, dressed in flowing fabric the color of rich earth. Astrid had to stare for a moment, if only because she had never seen someone quite so beautiful. The woman looked almost like a fancy doll.

After a moment, she shook her head quickly, then offered the woman a smile.

"Ah... hello," she said, turning and waving a hand at Öndótt to tell the dragon to stay where she was. It seemed this woman was a bit unnerved by the great reptile. "I ah... I'm a little lost," she said. "Is there somewhere I can go to find a map, or get some directions?"

[brbblending]

Paola calmed herself, relaxing her body completely but not ridding the fear in her heart. However she attempted to look calm. She even so much as returned the smile. "You are new here?" She asked, it was more of a statement then a question. She hated to tell people they'd probably never leave...

[4everythingelse]

"New?" Astrid tilted her head. "I just woke up in that field there, if that's what you mean," she said. "I'm from Berk, and I need to get back there as soon as possible."

The pretty woman still seemed a bit tense, and so Astrid turned to look at Öndótt, then returned to the dragon's side and scratched at the smooth scales along her neck.

"You don't have to worry, she won't hurt you," she assured the woman. "I know she looks a little scary, but Öndótt is actually pretty friendly so long as you're friendly, too." That was a very important distinction, after all.

Stepping forward again, she regarded the woman mildly.

"My name is Astrid," she said. "Can you tell me where I am?"

[brbblending]

The courtesan took a deep breath. Even children. Even children were being sent into this world and trapped. Did the mastermind behind all this find it amusing? How was she supposed to tell this child she may never return home?

With gentle steps, Paola approached the girl. "Sono molto spiacente. You are in Somarium," she began, her voice going grave and her eyes seemed less lively, "You may be here for a very long while..." Oh, this broke her heart. It hurt every time to tell people and to hear herself say it. It only inflicted pain on both parties.

[4everythingelse]

[ooc: Okay, I'm gonna assume this is some nebulous time after she spoke with Drizzt, just so we don't end up having to repeat the same things over and over. ^_^;]

"So I've heard," she sighed. This place didn't seem like such a bad place, but she wasn't terribly keen on staying here too long. She wanted to get home, she had things to do! And she wanted to know Hiccup was okay.

Angling her head a bit, she regarded the woman.

"This village, though, does it have a name?" she asked. "If I'm going to be here for a while I guess I'll need to find someplace to stay..." She had been touched by Drizzt's offer, but she didn't want to impose. Maybe this was all a test or something. Only The Strong Can Belong, as they said in Berk. Astrid wasn't too proud to accept help when she really needed it, but she wanted to know she had at least tried.

[brbblending]

l[ No problem. ]l

The courtesan looked behind her. "This place is called Espior. The city beyond is Somni." Her voice was quiet, as she was just learning these things as well. She turned back to the girl. "There are many open houses... Though I suggest you stay clear of the fourth district." She couldn't take the child in, no, not to a brothel. Rosa was no child and knew better but to have someone as young at that in a brothel was a big no-no.

[4everythingelse]

Espoir. Somni. What unusual names. She nodded then.

"I was told I can just... take an open cottage," she said, still not quite sure what to think of that. "What is the fourth district?" she asked. She'd never been in a village that had been large enough to really divide.

[brbblending]

Her face looked grim when she spoke of the fourth district. She was somewhat forced to live there because those in other districts didn't pay for those sorts of services. They were too "above it". However, she knew that young children did not belong in that district. "There's many dangerous people there." She said quietly.

[4everythingelse]

"Dangerous people, huh?"

She wanted to be a little indignant. Astrid knew dangerous was relative--she knew she looked like just a kid, but after taking on dragons and winning, she wasn't so concerned with dangerous people so much--but she appreciated the sentiment. This woman wasn't patronizing her, that much was obvious. She had a very thoughtful, almost sad look on her face, and her voice was soft. She seemed like a very nice person.

"Okay," she conceded, "I'll make sure to be careful and stay away from that place." At least until she had a better idea of what exactly constituted 'dangerous people'.

"I appreciate your help--do you know where I might find a vacant cottage?" she asked.

Whores are nice people. They can teach you how to assassinate, you know. :<

[brbblending]

Paola turned a little bit more east. "Come, let us walk a bit until we find one suitable." She made it a point to face this way to head to the first district, well away from the fourth that they were facing. It'd be a long hike but had she come across anything dangerous, Paola would need to kill them. She wanted to feign that off as long as she possibly could. Conceal that she was an assassina just like Ezio was. "What would you like? Maybe something," She began, eyeing the dragon from the corner of her chocolate eyes, "grande.