Finally On My Way

[Kiran Adasi]

Granite or marble, Kiran determined without having any actual knowledge of such things. Certainly the stout white house was one or the other. Built of good strong stone either way. White and shot through with glittering silvers that made his fingers inch to touch. Feel the sediment of the stone and determine for sure which. To be polite he kept them safely tucked in his pockets instead. Read the weather beaten plaque above the door once more. Just to be sure.

Yes. This was the place. White house where a jungle guide lived. That was who he needed. A strong, brave guide to help him navigate his way into to... well he wasn’t sure where his chart was leading. He was sure it would  be something great though! Kiran only needed enough to prove there was more worth exploring.

A bit hesitant he pulled one hand free of his deep pockets. Knocked, lightly at first then realized it had hardly made a sound on the dense wood. So he knocked again. Hair pushed back out of his face and nervous fingers dropped back into his pockets. He took several steps back. Waiting as if he expected someone to jump out of the foliage any moment.

Behind him a pack horse flicked flies away with his tail. It’s reins were looped carelessly around a post, but it seemed unaware that its master had been so lax. Standing quite patiently with a bit of long grass between its lips. Only twitching when one of the infernal bugs landed on its rump. The weather was warm in Hayll despite it being winter. Insects still rampant, much to the young prince’s chagrin. He twitched two, hand flapping wildly at a buzz near his ear. Nearly slapping himself in the face just as the front door opened.

”Oh, hello. I’m- um, looking for the guide.” Kiran said, finger pointing up at the sign over the door. Eyes full of expectation as they craned up to meet the eyes of a woman some inches taller than he was. A very sturdy looking woman, he thought, rubbing his sternum nervously with the pad of a thumb. Rather intense looking for a housekeeper.

@dergon

[Senna]

Scratching at her door. Senna frowned, eyes falling upward toward the ceiling. The children must be back, playing kickball against her walls. But no, the sound was too soft. They must have broken something and come to make apologies. And excuses. Huffing, Senna pushed her chair away from the desk and stood.

Then the real knocking started. Frowning, she strode to the door. Someone's mother must have come. What had they broken then? Something expensive. She was still frowning, ready to haggle damages when she opened the door. A nervous young man on her stoop, swatting at his own face. No. Flies. Eyebrow flicking skyward, Senna rocked back on her heels and considered him.

And the horse he'd half looped to her hitching post.

"Yes?" Senna answered, not looking at the sign. She knew exactly what it looked like and what it said. She had designed it after all, and had the man in town paint it for her on the shingle. He did all the shop signs, among other things. She'd gotten a good price for it. He seemed hesitant. Senna goaded him on with her eyebrows, flapping them at him.

"Well, come in, then. Tell Senna what you need." Waved him in as she stepped out of the doorway. Looked his horse over again, judging his packing skills and the quality of the leather. Despaired of making any good money from this one. "Office is there." She pointed, following him in, front door shutting behind her. Inside the walls were painted a muted dust-orange, the windows covered with gauzy curtains to let the light in.

Tidy, but sparse.

She sat behind her desk again, sweeping the papers she had been working on to the side and flipping them so he could see only their blank backs. And then she waited for him to get on with the speaking. Hoped he didn't start by asking for discounts.

[Kiran Adasi]

Flustered by her dancing eyebrows Kiran nearly remained outside. He was not very fond of stern women. He couldn’t tell yet if this one was or was not, but housekeepers had a reputation for such things. At the very least this woman was in no hurry to put up with anything she deemed nonsense.

He certainly hoped not to be nonsense.

”Ah, yes. Thank you, miss.” His keen eyes took in the furniture. Not an ornately decorated house. That was a good sign, he thought. Ostentatious people rarely did well on long expeditions. Of course this was more of a trial run. He needed to iron out all of the details before he started looking for investors.

Nervous in the new space he went where he was directed. Fingers fiddling with a small bundle of marks in his pocket. They were all he had left. All, all. He’d been fooled by the last ‘guide’. Brought no where and robbed while he slept. Only the emergency money he kept in is psychic cabinet safe from the deception. So he couldn’t really risk another mistake.

To his surprise the woman that had first greeted him moved to sit behind the desk. He couldn’t quite mask his reaction. Eyes widening and laughter on his lips. ”Oh, you’re Senna... Very well then.” That was fine. Fine. He could work with a um, a woman. ”Hehe, I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to answer the door yourself.” And the way she had spoken in third person had convinced him there was someone else inside.

He took a moment to gather his thoughts. ”I’ve not much money, as this is more a trial run of sorts. I’m hoping to mount a series of lucrative expeditions in the near future. The problem is... I’m not quite sure where we’d be going. What I need is someone familiar with the jungle, someone that knows how to find the secret old places that lie under the ground.”

Just get him there. That was all. Kiran could do the rest. Make it worth their while.

[Senna]

His surprise didn’t surprise Senna in the least. Here they were used to her, but she knew in the wider world she was an oddity. Shameful little was expected from the witches of the world. The look on his face was rather amusing. Insulting, but still amusing. It made Senna’s cheek twitch.

”I am glad we will not argue this point.” Because Senna was sure by all his nervous flinching that they would be arguing many other things. Haggling was the polite term, but really it was just arguing about money. Was he laughing? One eyebrow drew upward. Strange man. He could laugh all he wished, but he would still have to pay. ”Why not? I have ears and legs and hands all of my own.” She needed no one to do such menial tasks for her.

Thumb flipping the corners of the papers she had moved, Senna waited. Eyes cool and heavy lidded, as if she might sleep right there across the desk from him. He was well made for such a nervous creature. He probably had good bloodlines. Flowers had been known to bloom even in gutters, but his accent was not right for that. Ah. Now he was talking. And Senna listened. Ears alert.

Not much money! Pah!

”If you have no money, prince,” Senna drew the title out, reminding him that he had forgotten the simple curtesy of giving his name, ”how do you plan to make these trips lucrative?” Trips. Plural. One trial run while he had no money and then? Senna did not trust him. Would have trusted him even less if he had been excepting her, a woman, to be the guide. Unless it was all a ploy? Eyes drawing tight at the corners, Senna studied him.

Was he nervous because he was a cheat?

”I know the jungle as well as anyone not tiger or creeping vine can, but I do not work for free.” Strange little man.