The prince was almost disappointed. Almost. If Hanna didn't fling around spells at common folk, surely he wouldn't turn him into anything! That train of thought was promptly derailed when Hanna flashed a grin at him. Maurice tightened his grip on the reins.
Uncomfortable was right. He was by no means repulsed by the sight of dragon's eyes and sharp teeth set into the man's face but something about it made him squirm. Somehow, even with the mage feet below him, Maurice still felt like he was in his shadow. Was it hot out here? It was hot out here.
"It's not something you can teach." And truth be told he knew that most people could tell there was something off about him, but it wasn't common knowledge in myths and legends for dragons to take the skin of humans, so it made it all the more easier for him to blend in.
"Most folks out here are wary of wizards though. They aren't made to be like court jesters like you would find them in a castle." Magic was powerful, and dangerous, and any commoner would know that having that puts you a step above everyone else. It wasn't natural, and something to be feared. "I'm pleasant enough though, so I get good business."
Maurice thought back to the wizard his mother employed. He couldn't help but wonder if he knew more about dragons than his parents did. Or that his parents let on that they did. He found the more he thought about castle life, the more gloomy it became in comparison to the open air life he'd been living for not even a month.
"What do you do for people?" He was watching the crowd more carefully now. Heads turned, people stood aside, some waved and called out pleasantries. Hanna was right. "Are you a healer?"
A stall came into view and stole Maurice's attention. Fine bows made from saplings hung all in a row, some of them even more beautiful than the one hanging in his room at home.
"I make potions, sometimes offer them charms, protection wards..." Hanna did a number of things for people, and all of it added to his horde. Or at least, a small portion did. He was at least smart enough that he kept more money laying around to fund his business without having to take from his gold pile that slowly grew the longer he continued. "I keep it quiet though. I don't want much attention, and I don't even have a stall here. It's pretty much word of mouth between the village, sometimes I deliver to another, or I travel on occasion, but..." He shakes his head, "It's not wise to be too good."
He could continue on forever about the strategy of keeping under the radar, but Maurice's attention was pulled elsewhere, and he raised a brow, curious. He remembered him saying something about archery, but he hadn't thought much of it until now. "You're missing your bow, aren't you?" He supposed it would be too dangerous to retrieve his own for him from home.
"I don't know if I could stop myself from being too good," he said, distracted. Hanna was wise and knew how to keep himself safe and Maurice couldn't help but feel that the dragon had been cheated in his lot.
He slowed his horse as they passed the stall with the bowsmith inside talking happily with his customers.
"It's...a mixed feeling. If I'd had it with me the day we met, you'd be on a wall. And I don't want that...but. I do miss it."
"That's the difference between you and me," He says with a smile, well aware that Maurice probably hadn't had to hold back much at all growing up as a child of privilege. He can't fault him for it though. When you're raised a certain way, it isn't the child's fault, just given the opportunity to change, that's what brought out true character, and Maurice had already shown he had it.
His smile turns less playful and more thoughtful as he looks between Maurice and the stall. "Any particular catch your eye? That craftsman is especially good with his wood, isn't he?"
Sally was finally ordered to stop. Maurice turned to look down at Hanna in surprise strong enough to combat the weird feeling he got in the pit of his stomach when he looked at the smaller man's eyes. "He is, are...you serious?"
Hanna had made it clear that he was no slave, but the prince hadn't expect his employer to supply him with fine weaponry. Maurice quickly dismounted before Hanna could change his mind and led them to the stall to have a look at the display. There were bows of all types, some even tall as Maurice himself. And arrows! Arrows of all sorts. He couldn't stop himself from grinning like a child in a sweet shop. Every bow he'd owned had been custom made--he hadn't gotten to experience the thrill of picking one.
"Your work is incredible," he complimented the craftsman as he took down bow after bow, hefted it in his hands, peered down the length of it with one eye, tried it in his other hand. For once he was in his element. "Look at this one!" He turned to show off a longbow that was such a rich brown that it was almost black.
After fighting the prince with a sword, he had hoped that the man was more skilled in some other weaponry. He had...unfortunate lack of kill with a sword as far as he was concerned, and he was well aware of how fragile humans could be, having faced them before in battles that were far more serious than the one he had with Maurice. He wasn't a large dragon, but he had his own natural advantages, magic being a very useful skill that he possessed, and he was well aware that Maurice had no natural born talent for the craft himself. He could be taught, but it didn't come to him, like it had when he was a hatchling.
He watched the way he looked at the bows though, the way a true master might, and his human mouth twisted into a smile, watching with interest. "It's a beautiful color," He returned, not sure about the actual use of the bow, but able to appreciate the craft.
His smile changes some, knowing that the human under his care would need to protect himself at some point in his service, nodding to the weapon in his hand, "Is that the one you would choose?"
Hanna has to laugh, hiding his grin behind his hand before he nods to it, approaching the stall himself and reaching into the depth of his pockets and cloak, addressing the craftsman and starting to barter.
Hanna was fair in his offers, felt no real attachment to the money in is purse like he did with the horde back in his cave, and there was obviously a difference between the two. What it actually was, wasn't apparent, but if tested, he wasn't handing out fake coins in any case.
Though, once the bartering was through, Hanna handed over the coin and nodded to Maurice, ready to get on toward their true destination, "I can make you a string myself if you'd like." He offered softly beneath his breath, waiting for Maurice to mount Sally again.
Maurice watched the bartering with much interest. He wasn't very good at it and anything that could help him learn people skills would be welcome at this point. With the bow in his hands, he felt the need to please his employer. After he finished yelling at him about having hands THIS WHOLE TIME NINE HELLS.
"That would be fantastic, thank you! Thank you!" With his weapon in-hand, he couldn't stop grinning and he couldn't bring himself to let go of it. Not once! He nearly fell off Sally trying to mount her one-handed.
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theattic2014-11-09 08:06 pm
no subject
Uncomfortable was right. He was by no means repulsed by the sight of dragon's eyes and sharp teeth set into the man's face but something about it made him squirm. Somehow, even with the mage feet below him, Maurice still felt like he was in his shadow. Was it hot out here? It was hot out here.
He looked ahead again and swallowed.
"You'll have to teach me."
no subject
"Most folks out here are wary of wizards though. They aren't made to be like court jesters like you would find them in a castle." Magic was powerful, and dangerous, and any commoner would know that having that puts you a step above everyone else. It wasn't natural, and something to be feared. "I'm pleasant enough though, so I get good business."
no subject
"What do you do for people?" He was watching the crowd more carefully now. Heads turned, people stood aside, some waved and called out pleasantries. Hanna was right. "Are you a healer?"
A stall came into view and stole Maurice's attention. Fine bows made from saplings hung all in a row, some of them even more beautiful than the one hanging in his room at home.
"Oh!"
no subject
He could continue on forever about the strategy of keeping under the radar, but Maurice's attention was pulled elsewhere, and he raised a brow, curious. He remembered him saying something about archery, but he hadn't thought much of it until now. "You're missing your bow, aren't you?" He supposed it would be too dangerous to retrieve his own for him from home.
no subject
He slowed his horse as they passed the stall with the bowsmith inside talking happily with his customers.
"It's...a mixed feeling. If I'd had it with me the day we met, you'd be on a wall. And I don't want that...but. I do miss it."
no subject
His smile turns less playful and more thoughtful as he looks between Maurice and the stall. "Any particular catch your eye? That craftsman is especially good with his wood, isn't he?"
no subject
Hanna had made it clear that he was no slave, but the prince hadn't expect his employer to supply him with fine weaponry. Maurice quickly dismounted before Hanna could change his mind and led them to the stall to have a look at the display. There were bows of all types, some even tall as Maurice himself. And arrows! Arrows of all sorts. He couldn't stop himself from grinning like a child in a sweet shop. Every bow he'd owned had been custom made--he hadn't gotten to experience the thrill of picking one.
"Your work is incredible," he complimented the craftsman as he took down bow after bow, hefted it in his hands, peered down the length of it with one eye, tried it in his other hand. For once he was in his element. "Look at this one!" He turned to show off a longbow that was such a rich brown that it was almost black.
no subject
He watched the way he looked at the bows though, the way a true master might, and his human mouth twisted into a smile, watching with interest. "It's a beautiful color," He returned, not sure about the actual use of the bow, but able to appreciate the craft.
His smile changes some, knowing that the human under his care would need to protect himself at some point in his service, nodding to the weapon in his hand, "Is that the one you would choose?"
no subject
"Yes," he said, almost breathless. "Yes, this one is perfect! I could hunt with this--with the right string, I could bring down an elk as large as--"
He was going to say 'as large as you' but that would sound weird when he was addressing Hanna while he was a small, weedy man.
"A really big elk," he finished sheepishly.
no subject
Hanna was fair in his offers, felt no real attachment to the money in is purse like he did with the horde back in his cave, and there was obviously a difference between the two. What it actually was, wasn't apparent, but if tested, he wasn't handing out fake coins in any case.
Though, once the bartering was through, Hanna handed over the coin and nodded to Maurice, ready to get on toward their true destination, "I can make you a string myself if you'd like." He offered softly beneath his breath, waiting for Maurice to mount Sally again.
no subject
"That would be fantastic, thank you! Thank you!" With his weapon in-hand, he couldn't stop grinning and he couldn't bring himself to let go of it. Not once! He nearly fell off Sally trying to mount her one-handed.