"You clearly seemed to like her. If this gnome really did summon her, perhaps she was some kind of divine being... but I know little of magic. Nor do I understand why he brought her here." Rio tentatively touches the gnome's carotid artery to check for a pulse.
"'e was definitely summoned by the gnome" Tifer, having finished tidying, moves to stand next to Rio
"Well, I wouldn't say I liked her as much as I very much respected her. It's wise to be on the good side of any Celestial-speaker." He grins. "My powers are also from a Celestial."
Tifer rolls his eyes, clearly having heard this particular tidbit several times from Lynn. Perhaps a few dozen times more than several.
The boy stirs slightly and mumbles something, trying to grab for his tattered cloak and pull it around him. You see his eyes flutter and look vaguely around and he stops moving like ... well like when you see a mouse in a corner of the room and it sees you.
Tifer ruffles his hair and tries to look nice and friendly-scruffy, instead of scary-scruffy
For the rest, Tifer is standing a bit awkwardly and letting Lynn and Rio do the talking. He's a bit miffed and discomforted by having something unexpected happen in his place.
cryptic treasure map that leads to a fish-and-chips market stall, and the recruit has to figure their way through an unfamiliar path and fight to get at the front of the line for the freshest fish
> "Since when has young meant weak, Rio?" Tifer sees that everyone is staying and takes the time to tidy up the area a bit more. "He is not weak, mijo - just unconscious. I will not leave an unconscious child unattended."
It's Lynn's birthday, so his parents throw a party (and ofc invite all the nobles over) and Lynn is well, dragged into stuff so currently not available
(these nobles have a lot of parties)
(hm, kind of bland actually)
hehe, maybe Tifer and Valerio got hungry so they stopped by Saffra's place :P
Valerio reaches into his coat, takes out a small box wrapped in an old newspaper and tied with a pirate-knot, and tucks it under his arm. "Looks like we came at a good time, mijo."
Tifer made a tiny pouch for holding emergency spell components (more easily hidden than a larger one) and added little musical notes as decoration. He's jiggling in place and shifting it from hand to hand.
You can finally see Lynn and Saffra's faces as they come closer. Lynn's expression is almost glowing - he has a genuine sort of laugh and smile that you're not used to seeing - you can tell he's very comfortable around Saffra.
Lynn simultaneously manages to scowl and grin at the same time. Saffra coos to Lynn. "Your friends brought you presents? Let me escort you up to your studies before we open presents, Lynn-Lynn?"
"Well, get better at riding then, and I won't have to carry you like this. Saffra takes the secret entrance back up to Lynn's studies. She unceremonious plops Lynn down on his couch. "I'll get one of the maids to check-up on you later."
Lynn hurriedly apologizes. "No, no, don't be sad, it's just because our magic works differently! Thank you, it's very nice. I can definitely carry other, smaller stuff around in here."
Rio awkwardly takes out his newspaper-wrapped little box and sets it down on a side table. "You don't have to open mine now. It's not much. Save it for later, maybe."
Rio sighs. "It's something nice for you and Saffra to share when you're ready for the commitment, chico. I had a friend find me some of those promise rings that gnomes make for couples. Wasn't sure what to get someone who has it all..."
Lynn turns red. "Well- I-" he coughs. "Thank you. I'll present it to her when I'm ready to propose." He turns pink and then breathes out a sigh. Footsteps can be heard coming up, so Lynn quickly hides the rings within Tifer's component pouch.
Inside sits two bronze rings with silver spirals - courting rings. In some traditions, nobles exchange courting rings with each other as a way of signifying a declaration of commitment, but without the formal status of engagement. It functions similarly to a statement of "back off, they're taken"
Lynn turns completely pink and is slightly speechless.
Saffra is pink as well. She kneels down to Lynn's head level (he's reclining on the couch as of now) and says, "I figured you might want some ward against other suitors."
Lynn and Saffra make eye contact and exchange the most disgustingly adorable look at each other. She puts the ring on Lynn's pinky before Lynn puts it on hers. (more traditional stuff)
Rio stares in a mix of amazement and slight dismay, realizing both that there is a great significance of this gift and that his own present has just been rendered completely unneeded.
He rolls his eyes slightly. "You guys are all acting like I'm getting married. This is just a 'hey I have a girlfriend' signal, not a 'hey I'm engaged' ring." He turns slightly pink at the world girlfriend, before clearing his throat. "I guess it's a way of making things official?"
"Si." Rio recovers from his apparent discomfort and looks at Tifer. "Well, I suppose we should be going, and let Lynn-Lynn recover from his grievous injury?"
Lynn attempts to smack Valerio, but (I assume) Valerio nimbly dodges out of the way. "I hate you guys. Thanks for the presents." He grins in that same way when his guard is down. It makes him look slightly stupid.
"I wish you a swift recovery and a happy time with your... not-girlfriend." Rio claps Lynn merrily on the shoulder, a pirate's way of saying farewell, and then gestures to Tifer to follow him out.
She grins. "Sure will." She turns to leave, before stopping. "You know, do you if you show me around just" she flippantly waves her hands around "anywhere? I don't really care where."
"Hmm, I guess we'll have to choose for you," Rio says playfully, and starts heading down the road towards the house. "Let's stop by and get some food and the picnic basket."
"Of course, mijo, if you don't mind," Rio says, and checks his pocket to make sure he has money. "We can browse the stalls and pick up some sandwich supplies."
Saffra blushes. "I guess so." She looks down at the ring on her pinkey. "I knew he wasn't quite ready for a marriage proposal, and I think we're still a bit too young for that, but I figured since we're already" she waves her hands around "a thing, we should properly symbolize it."
She looks just a smidgen sad. "It took a while for me to consider too. I know Lynn's not the most adventurous person in the world, but I guess you can't have everything."
"I would rather be with him, even if that means I won't ever get the chance to sail the big blue ocean." She pauses for a moment. "Or I guess I could just drag him along."
"Of course. I... heard quite a bit from Lynn about how he believes his parents would not approve of the match, for one. And we clearly have our differences, him and I." Rio shrugs. "But he is a kind and considering soul, despite how much we bicker at times, and he cares greatly for you. He wants only the best for you. He has told me as much."
"Yes, I imagine they will not be pleased." Rio seems to finally muster the courage to confess himself. "I must ask you something, Saffra. Despite all our differences, I do... truly... want to connect with Lynn, and have us be... well, at least people who can get along. But I struggle to find a way to do so. There was more behind my gift today, but I was afraid to explain... and, well. It just feels like we are... so separate. I do not know if it is him putting up the wall, or me."
He looks at her a bit sheepishly. "What do I do, chica?"
She smiles and lightly touches his arm. "It's not really your fault, Valerio. Lynn has a hard time warming up to people, and he doesn't really like to drop his guard very much. It'll take time. I mean, look at him and Tifer!"
"That being said, Lynn appreciates the recognition of his status, but" she drops down to a conspiratorial whisper "don't give that satisfaction to him, his ego's already big enough as it is." She grins mockingly.
She smiles. "Honestly, I wouldn't change a thing. Lynn appreciates the genuineness of people, even if it's at times a bit... harsh." She perks up. "Ooh! What should we take?"
It is now that you notice how out of place Saffra looks in the market
Strangers eye her slightly warily out of fear. Not that they recognize her status, but because of her armor and weapons.
"Hmm..." Rio browses a fish and chips stall and picks out some fried fish for his own sandwich, then sorts through some meats. "What kinds of meat do you like, chica?"
"Hogwash," Rio says, but shoots the man a flirtatious smirk and makes a pile of their purchases. "I have been curious about your family, chica. Lynn hasn't told me much about them. What are they like?"
She smiles. "My family is... eccentric at times. It's what happens when you have elven blood in your lineage. My father's a bit more traditional at times, but it's really my mother who helps run things around."
"My maternal grandmother is full elven and fiercely proud of it too. My mother says she sometimes feels cooped up having to manage a ton of servants to run our refuge, but she says it is very rewarding for her."
"My father wants to stay out of politics and my mother couldn't care less about what other people think."
"It must be quite a culture clash," Rio says, leaving the market with an armful of fish and beef cuts. "Did you grow up in both worlds, or was it more of a human arrangement?"
She smirks. "I'd say I grew up more Elvish if anything. I spent a lot of time with my grandmother, so she's taught me more than a handful of tricks. Though I don't really have any bard magic or anything of that sort. Don't have any natural talent for that." She laughs. "But I can slash, fight, shoot, you name it."
"Si, I miss sailing." Rio gets a misty look in his eyes. "Out on the open ocean, without a care in the world..." He refocuses and looks affectionately at Tifer. "But of course, I am much more at home on land these days, with my hijo."
Rio sighs, then stomps up to the teenagers and clears his throat. "Por favor, amigos," he says. "This is usually our picnic spot. Do you mind expressing your undying affection someplace else?"
"Well, they would hardly know that." Rio sits down and opens the picnic basket, and lays out the bread and ingredients for them all to share. "Veremos, let's eat - I'm hungry enough to eat a whale."
Rio builds himself a little sailor's sandwich with brown bread, salted cheese, copious amounts of bacon and fried fish, and finally some hot peppers and tomatoes to top it off.
She sighs. "Yes, that is true. And a reasonable fear as well. Though he could denounce his claim to the throne, but that's a rather complicated process, and no way that High Princess Hikari would ever allow her precious little son to commit such atrocity."
"Oh, Rio." Tifer pauses eating. "Forgot to tell you. There was this rich kid who was just asking t' be pick-pocketed, moneybag poking out of back pocket." Tifer fishes around in one pocket and comes up with a few silver pieces. "They won' miss this"
