A Helping Hand (Lori)

Sul slowly walked the streets of Ammos. He had heard that a traveling blacksmith had come to town, and was hoping to get some new arrowheads and have his kukri looked at. Most people in Ammos knew him: calling him "The Marksman of Ammos," or "Dragon Tongue." He didn't mind the reputation since most didn't know what he really did, save his daughter. They thought he was just a skilled sellsword. He finally found his way to a tent with a forge burning. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

"Yes."

Out of the tent stepped out a slim yet small figure. It was a woman, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Her pale hands were stained with various colors of paint, which she didn't seem to mind. In fact, she admired it. It kinda shows other people that she's been up to artsy things, which Lori really enjoyed talking about. She was oil painting a canvas before the customer came. She hadn't gotten very far, as her family travelled often and they didn't have a lot of time to stop and do their own thing. It was the more reason the adult relished in the time she got to engage in her hobby. Of course, Lori sometimes helped her father. And this was one of those times.

The guy sure did look like the adventuring type. Lori gave him a friendly and welcoming smile. "Are you looking for my father, the blacksmith?" she inquired. "He's out getting ores at the moment, but he should be back soon." Her voice was cheerful. "I can help you though, if you really need it!" Yorik's daughter knew a bit of smithing. . . Albeit it wasn't much. All Lori Kat could do was sharpen stuff, which was enough to make her dad happy with her.

The man was honestly surprised. He noticed the coloring on her hands, and thought it was odd. Travelers didn't usually have time for art, but it seemed to be what she loved, considering all of the colors. At least she seemed willing to help him, probably because her dad was out getting something.

Sul then pulled out his Kukri. "Sure thing kid. I need this Kukri knife checked and sharpened." The archer then pulled an arrow out of his quiver, and pointed towards it's tip. "I'm also looking for arrowheads similar to this. Broad, razor sharp, and serrated at the back quarter."

The man then thought. It might be good to know this girls name. "Also, what's your name, miss?"

Lori blinked naively at the blade the man unsheathed. She was very surprised as well. Not many people would trust her with their knives, considering that she was merely the daughter of the blacksmith and didn't know nearly as much as her father. The woman smiled, gently taking the blade so she could sharpen it. It was then she noticed a quiver and a bow on the man's back. So he really was an adventurer, wasn't he? Suddenly Lori felt her guts churn with excitement. Surely he must have plenty of thrilling stories to tell! Has he ever seen a dragon? What was the most dangerous situation he has been in? Did he almost, like, die once? Lori loved hearing tales from adventurers, and she wanted to know it all!

However, the artist saved her questions for later.

"Sure. I am Lori." She smiled kindly at the archer. Then she examined the blade once again. "What exactly do you want me to check for, Mister. . ?" She then looked up at the man. Although they were both adults, Lori was very below average in height, so the adventurer looked about a foot taller than she was. She trailed off, and was looking curiously at him in expectance for his name she could call him by.

The man chuckled at the woman's, Lori's, enthusiasm. He soon spoke with his Irish accent. "Súl. Súl Iolar. He then pointed to the blade. "Just be sure the blade's sharp and that the blade isn't cracking." This girl was really helpful, not something he was use to seeing to be honest.

Sul Iolar? For some reason, that name rang a bell. . .

Lori nodded. "Okay, I'll do that for you." She walked over to her father's grindstone. The lady kneeled down as it begun to spin, placing the kukri's sharp edge on it. The blade was firm, and Lori didn't see any signs of it weakening. "You know, your name sounds very familiar. . ."

It was then a man approached, ores in his arms. He had a wild and unkempt look to him, with a beard and messy chestnut hair framing his face. He was short like his daughter, but was a bit taller than she. "My apologies," he spoke to his customer, turning to him. "I was out retrieving supplies. I hope Lori has been tolerable?" Yorik chuckled, and his offspring giggled, rolling her eyes playfully.

"I bet I will be the best, uh, kukri-sharpener he ever got!" Lori joked, beaming, then glanced back at Sul Iolar with a bright smile. She hoped he didn't mind her being overly friendly. Yorik looked at the archer. "Is there any way I can help you, sir?"

Súl Chuckled a bit at the Lori and her father's conversation. Reminded him of him and his own daughter. "Don't worry sir. She's been fine."He then showed the blacksmith the arrowhead he had shown his daughter. "I was hoping you had some arrowheads like these." He then looked over to Lori, remembering her comment about knowing his name. "You may have heard it anywhere. I'm an honorable mercenary. Won't take a job I don't agree with. May have also heard others call me 'Dragon Tongue' or the 'Marksman or Ammos.'"

Dragon Tongue? Marksman of Ammos? Those definitely sound familiar. Lori knew for sure that those aliases had reached her ears before. She looked surprised, but nodded happily in the archer's direction. She didn't want to say anything in fear of interrupting him and her father.

The young adult was thrilled to hear that she was being helpful. Yeah, it wasn't anything like she was amazing, but most customers basically ignored her and treated her like a servant. After all, they came for Yorik, not for a woman who can barely lift a smithing hammer. Lori understood, but was really happy to hear that she was actually helping.

While listening to her father and the archer's dialogue, Lori lifted the kukri from the grindstone and pressed her finger against the edge to check if it was sharp. It certainly was, and it drew a bit of blood. It was nothing Lori wasn't used to, and she simply pressed the wound against her clothes to stop the bleeding. She then stepped over to Súl to give him back his blade. Yorik examined the arrowheads closely, humming thoughtfully. "I think I have some in the tent. Make sure Lori doesn't fall into the forge while I'm gone." The man stepped inside, leaving Súl Iolar and Lori alone once again.

Lori smiled towards Súl. "Wow.. I'm sure you've been everywhere, haven't you? I bet you've had a lot of crazy adventures. . ."

Súl chuckled at the smith's comment as he walked out to get the arrowheads, and was quick to give an answer. "Don't worry. I'll keep the forge from eating her." He then heard Lori's questions. How would he explain just what he did?

He then took a breath. "Yes. I've been most everywhere, save the southeastern tip. And I've had quite a few adventures." Súl had to think a moment, with an idea soon coming to mind. "But, if I tell you the craziest, you have to promise not to tell anyone, with the possible exception of your father, if you think he'd approve. And mind you that it isn't anything amoral, just looked down upon by most."

As the archer spoke to Lori, the adult became thrilled. So this guy has been everywhere? In Pyyria? Lori has been almost everywhere. . . That was certainly safe to say. However, what she really wanted to lay eyes on was the ocean. She had seen lakes and rivers, but she had heard tales of the scent of sea salt and the sensation of sand between your toes. She wanted to hear the sound of waves crashing to the shore. She wanted to spend a day catching crabs and giving them cuddles before setting them free.

Has Súl ever seen the ocean, I wonder?

Before Lori could daydream, the Marksman of Ammos' following words surprised her. He was willing to tell her a secret? What an honor! "I promise," she began in a determined voice, "that I will not tell a soul." Although she was firm, she still had a hint of her usual cheer. It was always hard for Lori to stop being positive.

Súl smiled at the young woman's answer, taking a breath before he spoke. "Well, I tell most people that my mother, a Dragon Keeper, taught me how to speak their language, but that's not entirely true. I'm also not primarily a mercenary. I learned most of the language from the dragon in the cage my mother throw me in when I told her I didn't want to be a Keeper like her, and what I do most of the time is stop trappers and hunters from hurting dragons and the other species like them. I've freed a wyvern and hydra that were bound to the point that they couldn't move. I've attacked trapper camps to sabotage their cages and traps. I even even helped a Fire Phoenix run from the Icewings once. I've freed countless dragons, thunderbirds, Phoenixs, and the like." He then seemed to remember something that put some fear on his face. "And I've seen what some trappers will do to the dragons that escape."

It was no secret that many years ago dragons had enslaved humans, and said slavery was only taken down by a war against the two species. With the whole tale in mind, Lori was surprised to learn that this man, Súl Iolar, helped the giant reptiles. Lori herself never found herself face-to-face to one of these, so she wasn't sure how he actually felt about the dragons. However, despite not having experience with one, she felt none of them deserved death. It was so many years ago, too! Why should humans and dragons hold a grudge?

Thus, it also frightened the gal to hear that there were still trappers. . . And Súl had seen what they do to their prey. Lori shuddered, frowning. She did not envy him. . .

"You know the dragon language?" Her voice seemed tiny. "I'm happy that there's someone out there, helping the dragons. . . Especially in these times." Aye, with the Monsterlypse crazing all of Pyyria, dragons were the ones who suffered the most. Those poor beings. . .

The archer looked at the Lori as she asked about him understanding the dragon language. The mercenary gave her a nod. "Yes I do. I'm fluent, actually. And it's quite useful."

Then Súl heard Lori's response to what he usually did. The marksman almost didn't believe how well the woman took what she heard, and her response gave him hope for other humans. A hope that there were some humans that's would give dragons a chance at least. He pulled down the cloth that covered his face to show the sight smile that he wore. He then responded to the Lori. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks it's a good thing. There aren't a lot that do."

Súl's face said it all. This wasn't something he could tell everyone he knew, but he trusted Lori his work. He didn't really know why, but he did.

The Dragon Language. . . Well, Súl Iolar's alias sure made sense now! Beforehand, Lori wasn't sure why he was called that, but now it all made sense. Lori was a bit afraid to make assumptions (although she had already come up with a few ideas in mind), so she was just thankful she put the puzzle together before she freaked out. The artist wondered what it was like to talk to dragons, and what the beasts talked about. Maybe they acted like humans, but as. . . Y'know, dragons.

Then Súl removed the cowl covering the lower part of his face. Lori never really saw a person take off their mask before, especially after talking to them for a few minutes. It was like revealing a person was inside another person. But Lori felt really happy to see the Marksman of Ammos' expression-- one of happiness. A smile. And whenever someone else is happy, that makes Lori happy.

Lori nodded. "I think that humans and dragons should be nice to each other. . . We were enemies in the past, but with time comes change. . ." Maybe the two species should even become allies to go against the Monsterlypse!

Yorik finally came back out. "Sorry for the wait. . ." He put down a few arrowheads. "So. . . What do you think of these?" Lori tilted her head, still intrigued. She liked this Súl Iolar guy so far. She hoped they didn't part so soon.

Súl smiled as he heard what Lori said. Sometimes he felt like both him and his daughter were the only ones who thought dragon's deserved a chance, but here he was, talking to another human who thought the like he did. "I hope and pray you're right, Lori."

Yorik then walked back in, bringing the arrowheads with him. Súl Took one and examined it. He thought these were excellent, and that they seemed sturdier than his previous arrowhead purchase, which the archer didn't think was possible. "These are even better then my last ones. Do you, by any chance, have twenty of these?" He then noticed Lori again. She still seemed curious, and the Dragon Tongue honesty wondered where she got this curiosity from, especially considering she traveled.

Yorik scratched his beard in response to Súl Iolar, thinking. He then shifted through the box again. Thankfully his gloves kept his hands from being scratched up by the arrowheads, and after a few seconds of swift counting under his breath, Yorik looked up and shook his head at the archer. "No, I do not, although I'll be happy to craft them." There were only twelve, and Yorik would have to forge eight more, which shouldn't take so long. "It'll take me around twenty or thirty minutes to create the rest of them, if you would be willing to wait for that long." The blacksmith noticed that Súl and Lori were already speaking and making conversation whilst he was away, so he had a feeling that if the archer chose to wait then at least he won't be too bored. . . That is, if Lori wasn't blabbering too much. Lori, on the other hand, hoped the Marksman of Ammos would wait that little bit. The chance of seeing him again after this day was slim. How often do you meet a person like him? A fellow who helps the dragons and can speak in their language. . . Lori had to admit that he was one of a kind, particularly in a world where dragons and humans were arch enemies.

Súl looked at the Yorik, actually a bit surprised that he would ask if he was willing to wait. He gave the smith a smile and a nod. "For these, I don't mind a wait." The archer then walked back to where he was before Yorik showed him the arrowheads, placing his quiver in front of him has he did.

As the Dragon Tongue pulled out a couple of arrows with dark black fletchings. In fact, there three different types of feathers used to fletch them: black, probably raven feathers, black and white striped feather, which fletched the most and was probably turkey, and brown. The marksman then looked over at Lori as he cleaned off one the arrowhead with a canteen. "So, do you have anymore questions, or do you mind if I ask one?" Súl thought that the woman was interesting, and wanted to learn some more about her.

At Súl Iolar's response, Yorik nodded with a kind smile and went nearby to his crafting area to begin making the arrowheads. Making arrowheads wasn't easy, but it wasn't that tough either. But what would it matter if they were hard to make? Don't we all enjoy challenges?

While her father got to work, Lori felt happy. For a bit there her gaze began to wander, and she laid eyes on a mother duck with for cute babies following not far behind. They were still fuzzy, so Lori assumed they weren't that old at all. The woman did a little 'aww!'. It was always nice to see animals, and Lori thought they were all very adorable. It was then she realized the archer Súl had returned to her, and the lady turned to him with a smile.

"Hi," she greeted to him again before humming, deep in thought. She felt a lot of questions buzzing around her head, but it would be polite if she let Súl ask his own questions. Lori happily nodded to him. "Sure! Ask away."

Súl smiled at the woman, somewhat glad that she would let him ask his question first. He looked at Lori, picking up and cleaning another arrowhead as he did. "Ok. So how long have you and your family been travelling for, and are you an artist?" Súl didn't know why, but these questions popped into his mind. He remembered and again noticed the paint on her hands, which hinted at what she did, but the archer wanted to be sure.

At this, Lori let her eyes look up at the sky, deep in thought. "I've travelled for as long as I can remember," she said. "But the thing is, we've always stayed on the safe roads so I don't see a lot of cool stuff." That was true. The most interesting thing she had ever laid eyes on were two male deer fighting, bumping each other with their antlers. Lori didn't know what the fight was about, but she didn't get to linger long to find out since it was raining at that time.

Then Lori remembered Sul's other question, and she smiled. She held up her hands and looked at them, giggling at her stained skin. "I paint whenever I can. Everyone is an artist in their own way, so that makes me one too."

That's right. The sleek, glossy blades Yorik makes is his own art, as with the flowers and crops that people plant in their gardens. Art was in everything. . . Or, that's what Lori thought at least. She never really told anyone, so she wasn't sure if she was the only one with that view on things.

Súl gave a curious look at the answer to to his first question. He only started his traveling 11 years ago, and he couldn't imagine traveling that long. He then heard Lori's answer to the second question and smiled, agreeing with woman. "I know what you mean." He then looked at her. This woman was something special, at least from what he could tell. "So, do you another question for me?"

Lori was relieved that Súl Iolar knew what she meant. She wondered if he liked to paint too? That made her smile, and she put her hands back to her sides. She then considered what to ask this archer. . . And suddenly it came to mind.

"Have you ever seen the ocean?" She asked him after nodding. "I've only heard about the sounds it makes and how blue it is. . ." That was like, Lori's dream trip. "Oh, I'm sure the crabs are cute too!" She got a faraway look in her eyes as she started to daydream again, but it didn't last long, as a sharp voice in her head reminded her not to lose focus.

Súl smiled hesitantly at the question before speaking, though the crab comment gave him a chuckle. "Yes. I'm originally from Brysur, so I got to see the ocean almost everyday. And what they tell you is true. The water is blue away from the inlets, and the wave are beautiful. And crabs are kinda cute. Tasty too." He chuckled at the last part, before looking back at Lori, thinking for a moment. "Next question for you. What is your favorite place on Pyyrai?"

Whoa. . . Súl Iolar got to see the ocean everyday? That must have been absolutely gorgeous! His reply brought a cheerful grin to Lori's face, and she giggled at his comment about crab. Although she wants to see a cute little crab one day, she had to agree that they tasted simply divine. Lori and her family never went to Brysur. . . Her father and mother always said that it was so full of other merchants and advanced blacksmiths that they never got business. Business really was better in other parts where honest salespeople weren't so common.

So no ocean for Lori.

"Yeah, totally!" she spoke in response to Sul's food comment, still smiling as she patted her hands on her sides, deep in thought. She was really enjoying their game of 20 Questions so far, haha! It was a nice way to get to know someone, and Lori never felt so intrigued.

So. . . What was her favorite place?

"Golly, that's a tough one!" she exclaimed, then finally said, "I really love this mountain area we went to once. Have you ever seen cherry blossoms?" She grinned. "I saw a lot of those there. They are outstanding!"

Súl smiled at Lori's response, happy to see it. He then listened intently to her answer to his question. She seemed so happy all the time, and it was contagious. He smiled even more when she asked if he had seen a cherry blossom before. "I saw one when was a kid, but haven't seen another since. Wish I could, cause like you said they're incredible."

Súl the thought of the places he had been, and which was his favorite. Like Lore said, it was a hard choice. Especially when you had traveled as much as either of them. He finally remembered one thing he saw, and couldn't help but share it. "Mine would probably be a tree I found in the northeast portion of Pyyrai. It was covered in ice, icicles hung from its branches, and it was the right time of day for the sun to reflect off of it." Súl closed his eyes slightly as he thought about the sight. He'd never seen anything like it since.