• Closed • Fragile Fronds

[Sinnammyn]

Ashan 6th, 718

Sinnammyn

"A flower doesn't love or hate you, it just exists."
-Mike White-[/color]

Sinnammyn stared at the hand before her, blinking before looking up at the man. What was with the humans she'd been running into recently? Wasn't she supposed to be less than scum? A doll for their viewing pleasure? Not that she should really be complaining, but it seemed like there were an awful lot of humans that were actually kind. It was actually quite confusing to think about. If Rynmere was supposed to have freedom for its people, but there were still places that were against it, how was it possible to tell who was what? She just shook her head a tiny bit. She needed to get out of her head a bit more often.

Her slightly blank expression transformed into one that seemed more upbeat as what sounded like a whisper of laughter left her. Slowly, she half crawled half step up onto his hand. Taking her time so that she could keep her balance as she stood in his palm.

"After all that talk, if you did decide to enslave me, I'd be pretty shocked. Based on what you've said, I'd hardly believe that you'd be a good enough liar to keep a straight face when trying to trick someone into doing what you wanted."

She looked up at him and waited as he slowly raised her to chest level, presumably to help her keep warm, it was a welcome gesture really. She slowly sat down on his palm, folding her legs to the side and slightly underneath her, her hand on the ball of his palm. Her head tilted up so that she could try and look at him as he spoke his next question.

"Well... I need to see how getting a loan for a business works. I need to see what kind of buildings are available to buy here or if I should just get one in Venora. Meaning I'll need to know the cost of the building. Finding someone to talk to about it would be best, seeing as I'm still learning to read and write."

Taking a deep breath she looked forward. Shaking her head and taking a slow and deep breath. Nervousness emanating from her whole tiny little form as she tried to laugh through the feeling.

"I... thought maybe observing first... I could learn something. But going out and actually doing just that is kind of nerve wracking huh?"

Off Topic

This thread is a continuation of Pretty Petioles. Go here to read what happened before this!

[/font][/style2]

[Doran Cooney]

Player's Note: Sinnammyn has permission to move Doran about, as he's ferrying her around.
Her weight, if it were possible, was even less that he'd expected. He could feel the shallow depression of his gloves' leather as she stepped onto the offered palm, but, even as he slowly moved her to a more comfortable position by his chest, it was as if he held hardly anything at all. There was a subconscious pull against his fingers, a desire to curl them into a fist, which was much better suited for keeping the digits warmer, but he was already well aware of what Sinna thought about that and had plenty of self-control to keep himself from succumbing and crushing the little thing.

"I've never possessed much talent for such... mendacious methods." Though he smiled as he said it, the words came out as a bit of sigh. "But, honesty usually lends at least a modicum more weight to my words." That, or it was wont to flip him out of a pan and into a fire. "Though, I will confess, people don't usually do what I want them to do. It's much more simple to just align my interests with theirs." He chuckled out his reply as he started back into the street. The chill had finally reached a point where, even as he was pleasantly engaged with his wooden companion, he needed either to generate some of his own heat or find a place that might do it for him. His fingers were, most certainly, numb.

As he moved, he took care to keep his hand as still as possible, so as not to jostle his rider, and his fingers curled just smidgen. Cloaked as he was, with his hand held to his chest, Sinna's form was near completely hidden to those whom he passed, and while his naturally soft and airy voice did not carry too far, it was still conversational enough that those who could see no one around him began to shoot him uncomfortable glances out of the sides of their eyes. "Busy, busy." They turned down a street speckled with people, some interested in the displays of windows and open air stalls, while others passed hurriedly by, presumably on their way to appointments elsewhere in the city. "I have found, any risk, considerable or seemingly insignificant, always seems to be bought with a disproportionally large amount of anxiety."

With no destination yet decided, he moved slowly but steadily. He could feel the slow beat of his heart send his lukewarm blood throughout his veins, though feeling had yet to return to his toes and fingers. Using his free hand, he pulled the hood of his cloak a little lower and shrugged his shoulders a bit higher against the cold before he continued, his amicable tone a rhythmic lilt that matched the fall of his boots against the uneven cobbles of the street. "Building prices?" He clicked his tongue, thoughtfully staring ahead. "Is there any place you have in mind? I imagine we might first need find a location that is purchasable, to begin with."''

Real estate had never been an interest of his, and he wondered if it was something Sinna wanted to do, or if it were merely part of her grander aspirations of freeing her people. Perhaps she intended to build a safe-haven, but he didn't pry too much into the subject. After all, the moment he realized what it was exactly she'd said - not just the information of it - he jerked to stop, catching himself in time to move his hand away from his chest to compensate for the sudden change in trajectory before raising Sinna to eye-level, keeping some distance between them so as not to startle her too much. "You can't read?" Incredulity was painted across his face, the gentle worry in his eyes only further illustrating how very concerning a situation like illiteracy was. "Not even a little?"

[Sinnammyn]

Ashan 6th, 718

Sinnammyn

"A flower doesn't love or hate you, it just exists."
-Mike White-[/color]

Yeah, this guy was just flat out truthful. She smiled up at him from under his cloak. Only really able to see out of a sliver of it. So where they were going was mostly obscured. She'd be a bit more worried if she felt more threatened by this man, but she didn't. It was likely she had nothing really to worry about from this man except for the possibility of him running into someone.

She smiled only softly when he spoke on risk and anxiety, something that she knew way to well. She was experiencing it even now for all sorts of different reasons. She was about to answer his next questions when all of a sudden he stopped in his tracks, almost tossing her off his hand, though she was just lucky enough with his minor adjustment to slam her face right into hand. She hissed when she was reminded of the eagle claw mark she was hiding with a bit of moss as a hair decoration. It wasn't healed quite yet, but it shouldn't open up from that little bump.

She had been moved out from under his cloak, slowly sitting up and turning her body so that she could face him. His next question thoroughly confused her.

"Why would a slave learn how to read? That's just preposterous. Owners want their slaves dumb, unable to think for themselves too much, unable to rebel against them. Having them too learned would just mean problems down the road."

She scoffed at him and even gave a bit of a laugh.

"So no, I don't know how to read, or write even. Not that it really should be a surprise. Back to your other questions though. I was hoping to look for someone that might be willing to show me to some of the town listings or at least me point me in their directions. I need a place good enough to house humans and tunawa as well as a shop..."

She took a deep breath, this wasn't going to be good. She just knew that she didn't have enough funds to get what she needed. She wasn't sure why her not being able to read surprised the man so much. It wasn't like she didn't want to learn. In fact it was the exact opposite. She was going to learn everything she needed for her business. No matter what.[/font][/style2]

[Doran Cooney]

"Slaves... can't read? All of them?" What Sinna said made perfect sense. It wasn't that he didn't understand the reasoning behind intentional illiteracy, but his surprise had yet to fade. He and Lily had spent so many countless breaks beneath their Sanctuary's boughs, lost in the papery world of ink and wonder. That Sinna, and those like her, were unable to enjoy something he'd always considered as so basic a past time was almost as tragic to him as the fact she had been someone else's property. Though she continued right along, hardly as distressed as he about her unavoidable sciolism, Doran came to another realization that, if she couldn't read a book, she probably couldn't even read a waiver. Maybe not even a sign or posting. "But... how would you even locate a listing if you can't... you know, read it?"

It was clear Doran had never once considered someone might not be able to read. He'd lived a relatively sheltered life when it came to such things as worldly knowledge, and he couldn't even recall a time when he'd been unable to read himself. Putting some effort into trying to keep pace with the conversation, he cleared his throat, once more starting down the street. He kept his hand where it was, using his peripheral vision to awkwardly avoid the obstacles in his way. "W-well, never mind that then. Consider me your eyes as well as legs for the time being. I'll keep a lookout for anything... promising." His voice was distracted but not unkindly, as his brows knit together in question.

Her requirements for the would be establishment were a bit vague. He wasn't sure what sort of space Tunäwä might require, and depending upon what it was she wanted to do exactly, he wasn't certain what she meant by "housing humans". She, herself, was also so diminutive, that if she wanted to, she might run a shop from a windowsill. Thus, the concept of space was far too variable for him to even being to think of what might be suitable. "A shop, you said? Might you elaborate a bit more? I'm not certain I really know what to look for."

With a sharp turn, he narrowly avoided colliding with a hoary haired, scowl of man who shot him a dirty glance as he brushed off the shoulder of his coat. "Pardon me!"

[Sinnammyn]

Ashan 6th, 718

Sinnammyn

"A flower doesn't love or hate you, it just exists."
-Mike White-[/color]

Sinna made no effort to hide her eye-rolling sigh as he continued to go on about her not being able to read, or any other slave for that matter. Though she was sure a few of them were able to read.. just not as many as should be able to. She just stared at him as he asked a question that she'd already technically answered. Again causing her to roll her eyes at the man.

"I was going to have someone show me, or tell me verbally how to get to them. Like I said. Though the former would be better with how easily I get lost."

She sighs, wondering if this man was ever going to stop asking stupid questions. Though when his next question came up she supposed it was a reasonable enough one if he was going to be helping her find a place. She took a slow breath and looked around. Jumping when Doran almost ran into a man. She shrank a bit in Doran's hand and waited until they were well out of the mans site before starting to speak again.

"H.. hey.. B.. Be careful. People will see me. I can't fight slavery if I'm back to being one."

She took a deep breath after practically biting his head off.

"A delivery service of sort. Mail and the like. At first just throughout Rynmere, maybe with good enough mounts maybe farther or through networking with other mailing services. I'll have to start with just one building but I hope to have a building in almost every major town across Rynmere someday. Where in the back end, I'm freeing slaves, giving them temporary homes and jobs to help them get back on their feet and actually work in the shop. I'm not just aiming to free tunawa's, I'm working to free all that are slaves. No one race is any better than the other in that regard."

She looked at him, wondering if she'd just given him too much details. Or maybe he'd tell her that her idea was preposterous. Who knew with the way this guy thought.[/font][/style2]

[Doran Cooney]

"Watch yourself, boy." He spat the words out, eyeing Doran's undyed attire and and wide eyed whimsy with something akin to disgust. Feeling Sinna's furtive movements as she retreated lower into the palm of his hand, he surreptitiously let the fold of his cloak fall forward to better conceal her. Not wanting to further aggravate the other man, Doran merely bowed his head low in respect until the man had shuffled off. Two women who had been watching the exchange raised their brows at him, but neither said a thing.

Starting once more, Doran cautiously drew Sinna out of his cloak. Her protests were sensible, and Doran offered a weak grin of apology. "It's fortunate, with your size, concealing you is hardly an onerous affair." Rather than to main look down into the palm of his hand as he had been, he kept his eyes on the path ahead of them. He could feel some heat returning to the thicker parts of his chest, and the slight warmth of embarrassment helped to combat the air's icy influence where his cloak's hood had little effect.

Her explanation provided him much more searchable parameters. As he listened, his mouth turned a shallow frown. The beginning was ambitious enough while still existing within the realm of a suitable dream. With further elucidation, it seemed she was set one what was essentially a business of illegal trade. Of course, her idea of slaves as people who - in the first place - should not be property to begin with surely meant she thought it a noble cause. Doran, who knew enough of the city as it was, clicked his tongue. "So... a postal service and... covert barrack?" He didn't make any comment about the races. While he'd never had a mind to necessarily think himself above anyone, he wasn't sure how he felt about it. If anything, it made him a bit nervous, the more he thought about it.

Her plan was relatively sound, provided she could find the proper workers to assist her and avoid the wrath of those who would surely come looking for their stolen "goods" as it were. And while she was diminutive in size, she seemed ferocious enough in spirit to carry things out accordingly. "Then, somewhere closer to gates?" If she wanted to run such service, it was probably best to search somewhere nearer the routes her couriers would need to take. Though, perhaps that was what most thought and thus it would be more expensive? "Or... elsewhere?" There wasn't much confidence in his voice, but he sounded quite invested.

Around them, more people had begun to stare. Though they kept their voices low, it was clear that some had moved past the point of uneasiness and into the dangerous waters of suspicion. Having to keep his eyes on the uncertain path he was headed, Doran finally took notice of the murmuring onlookers and offered them a pleasant smile. In a much lower voice, his hand withdrawing a bit further into the confines of his cloak as a nearby guard eyed him with a raised brow, he spoke with a bit more urgency, though his tone remained light, not yet wholly concerned. "Anywhere but here, I think."

[Sinnammyn]

Ashan 6th, 718

Sinnammyn

"A flower doesn't love or hate you, it just exists."
-Mike White-[/color]

She looked up at him, frowning just a bit. She wasn't going to say that he was being rude, cause to be honest, he was telling the truth, her size was one of her few benefits when it came to hiding. Though she was noticing that others were giving Doran weird looks. He probably looked a little crazy to more than a couple people. Maybe even shady. She sighed inwardly. She was going to have to find a way to travel around and make it seem like she was a slave for a while. Maybe she'd see if Darcy could give her some sort of item to carry with her. Some sort of statement stating that she was free or a slave. Even if it was fake, if it looked official, people would back off and things like this wouldn't be a problem.

"Not covert, just gotta buy the slaves and free them right? That's why I need the business part of the plan in the first place. Nel is what makes Idalos go 'round after all."

She felt herself be pulled further into the cloak. It was probably time for them to leave, and by what he said, that sounded about right. She patted the ball of his hand and smiled a bit.

"Middle of town or by the gates, both would work, just not in the slums. Less customers that way."

She shifted a bit in the man's hand and prepared to be jostled a bit. She was going to just sit there when a sudden thought entered her mind. She quickly blurted it out just to make sure that he didn't start moving before she said it. Her voice just loud enough for him to hear it.

"Don't run, that will make you suspicious looking. More so than you already probably look. Smile and nod like you have been doing, you'll do fine, just breath. You aren't doing anything wrong, let them believe that by believing it yourself."[/font][/style2]

[Doran Cooney]

He found himself blinking in surprise at Sinna's pragmatism. He'd never considered that she might be planning to run a business merely to generate enough revenue to simply buy people out of slavery. It was a good plan, but he wondered just how effective it might be. He supposed any freed slaves at all would be a success in terms of what she wanted to accomplish, and it did help his nervousness about the situation a bit. After all, once the slaves were hers, it wasn't really anyone's business what she did with them. "Crafty." It seemed that business was a good place for her to invest her time - after all, she certainly had the mind for it.

With two choices presented, he chose to head towards the middle. If they were unable to find anything satisfactory there, the gates would come next. "Understandable." A destination in mind, his pace naturally picked up some. At her warning and reassurance, Doran only laughed her concern off. "Oh, I'll be alright." Sure enough, as he rounded the corner into another street, the faces were fresh and mostly downcast against the cold. "The trick is just not to linger too long. Everyone is a bit on edge these days." And it was for good reason. While he was no mage nor public enemy, he couldn't fault people for being wary. If anything, he encouraged it; though, he would have preferred people directing their mistrust towards things that weren't quite so innocuous, namely his specific self.

Still keeping his hand partially hidden beneath the folds of his cloak, he adjusted its placement a bit so Sinna might have a easier time seeing ahead. Behind them, two men followed, their hoods pulled low but otherwise garnering no special attention from those around them. "I really did think you had intentions to play the role of vigilante." The words were chuckled out with a fair amount of pleasant embarrassment. "Purchasing them is a much better plan." As they passed along the street, he kept his focus out and ahead, eying any posted flyers and slowing slightly to skim them before picking up pace once more. "So... do you envision windows?"

[Sinnammyn]

Ashan 6th, 718

Sinnammyn

"A flower doesn't love or hate you, it just exists."
-Mike White-[/color]

Sinna just sat there, waiting for something to either ruin this entire day or for Doran's general luck to hold, seeing as her own luck was horrid. She felt as he moved her so that she could see better out past the cloak. Shifting so that she was sitting on her feet and able to lean forward.

"To be honest, I thought of doing both, but I realized that it wasn't the greatest overall business plan, though that doesn't mean I can't figure out another way to start changing things. I hear speeches aren't a bad way to spread word. I thought maybe if I get in with the right crowds, that I'd even be able to meet the king one day and talk to him about this issue."

She sighed and though for a moment about his question.

"I mean... I've not really thought about it. I would think anything homely would have at least one or two windows. I don't want those I free to feel like they've been encased in a brand new prison after all. As for the shop, I'll need somewhere to put the mounts that will help over longer distances. You know, like.. a stable house or something... So I might really be looking for two or three different locations. Which wouldn't really be ideal, but the main part of the business needs to be IN the city."

She sighed. She didn't realize why she felt this way or why she understood it, but maybe it was because of her time as a slave and hearing them talk about setting up new trade routes and such. She frowned at that realization. One of these Trials, she might run into them again, and in the end make rivals out of them, or, maybe start working with them. That thought kind of intrigued her.[/font][/style2]

[Doran Cooney]

However small her body, her confidence, at least, was massive. Just the idea of so minuscule a person delivering a speech about freeing slaves to a crowd of Ryns was enough to draw an amuse grin from him as they continued down the street. She wasn't wrong, of course. Swaying the hearts of people seemed to always start with words, especially in Rynmere. He wondered if it were possible, for her not only to gain the ear of the public but to earn an audience with the king himself. It was absolutely outlandish, but that didn't necessarily disqualify the whole thing from plausibility. For Sinna's sake, he found himself hoping that she might beat the odds, though even those he couldn't be sure of, as he'd never heard of a Tunäwä seeking the liberation of the enslaved.

Listening closely to the little woman answer what he had thought to be a passing question, it was quite plain she cared deeply for what she was doing. It was also clear that there was a lot she wanted to do and not nearly as many means with which to do them. He nodded, thoughtfully, as she described her ideal situation. "Well, for now, I suppose we'll focus on just one location." Though, if she believed a stable would be a necessity...

With an abrupt turn, he changed directions. "Let's try the gates, then." The men who had been following them passed by, and while Doran didn't notice, one of them carefully eyed his extended hand. "It's more likely we'll find something with a stable there, I think." Not needing to pass back exactly the way they'd come, Doran took a side street, his pace a bit faster now that he was no longer reading every little thing he saw posted. "When you say 'mounts', what exactly are you envisioning?" As he picked his way over the cobbles, eyes ahead and occasionally glancing down as he spoke, the two men followed a safe distance behind.