Blood Will Tell|Clan Char, Naurorod

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So far, Malcamon reflected, the twins seemed to be settling into the clan well. Abigail was an astounding cook, and she was gifted in the art of trimming, beautifying and caring for hair. Some of the clan maidens, less worried by the twins' presence, were taken with her skillful hands and stylish ways.

For Zakk's part, he was proving skilled with the longbow, providing fresh meat for his sister whenever she asked for it, and sharing his larger kills with the clan at large. He was more distant than Abigail, but in the company of young men, he loosened up slightly and shared stories with them.

Their behavior coincided with their explanation of their history: They did indeed act as though their mother had been inattentive and let them grow up largely by themselves, finding their own way to build their skills.

Still, there was something that nagged at Mal, and he couldn't place it. Hopefully it would come to him soon.

[Devon]

Ryuk walked around the clan fresh from his trip with Ashra and Gemma. The trip had been a bust when it came to his goal and the bickering with Gemma wasn't all that fun, so he really enjoyed being back in his home. Glancing up at a group of clan maidens with Abigail, Ryuk gawks before asking. "Who is she?"

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"Right, you just got in," a random, nearby clanner replied. "That's Abigail. She claims she's Elder Alexi's daughter, but we'll see. She has a twin, too: Zakk. Good hunter, that boy."

Looking up briefly, Abigail noticed Ryuk looking at her and smiled somewhat shyly before returning to her work.

[Devon]

Ryuk covers his mouth and coughs when he catches her looking back. Looking at all the clan maidens again he starts to talk. "Zakk and..Abigail huh.. How long have they been here? Uh..well I guess I should just ask her since she is here. Um..how long have you been in Char?"

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Abigail didn't look at Ryuk, but she did answer. "A couple of weeks now, before Elder Charminei and Alexian.... um our father left," she said quietly. "I think they're on vacation, or something. We barely got a chance to even exchange greetings, but I guess that's okay."

[Devon]

Ryuk clears his throat and looks away as well."Oh well...nice to meet you then. You guys should do fine in Char as long as you pitch in. Char is probably the nicest Clan in Naurorod and the strongest. They do have me after all. Just ask the clan maidens, I'm known for my skills in battle. Right ladies?"

Smirking at the last part he looked at Abigail and gave her a thumbs up sign, then immediately muttered curses under his breath for being that corny.

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The maidens giggled, gently mocking, and Abigail just smiled shyly again. "Thank you. It's good to hear that."

"C'mon, Abby, why are you saying that?" one girl, her hair in elaborate curls thanks to the twin. "He can't back it up."

"That's right, there's no one to fight," another added, though she smiled at Ryuk to take the sting from her words.

"We-Well, that's good. I don't like seeing fights," Abigail mentioned, and the other girls nodded to themselves.

[Devon]

"Well I can do other things too! If I wanted I could run twenty laps around Char itself..with a full basket on my back." Ryuk boasts, more to impress her than to stand up to the jokes the girls made.

[Deleted]

"It's okay," Abigail almost whispered. "You don't.... don't have to make up stuff to seem likable. You seem all right to me."

[Devon]

"Uh I..um..thanks." Ryuk turns around to hide how rosey his cheeks had gotten from that. After calming down he turned around again. "I understand, but just so you know I wasn't making it up."

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Meeting his eyes for the first time, Abigail nodded. "I'll take your word for it, sir. Thank you." She quickly finished tying off a braid of the maiden she was working on, and went to pick up her basket of brushes, ribbons and ornaments.

[Devon]

Ryuk steps forward quickly and picks up the basket for her, throwing it over his shoulder. "Looks heavy. I'll carry it for you. Consider it a duty of Char's strongest man...Thats me if you didn't get it already."

[Deleted]

"Laying it on a little thick, huh?" one of the girls muttered as she departed.

Abigail just wrung her hands nervously, and then managed a sweet smile. "Our tent is this way," she said, motioning towards the outskirts of the clan grounds. "Th-Thank you for your help, really. My hands are kind of tired."

[Devon]

"Oh its no problem Abigail. Thats what I'm for after all, heh sometimes I feel like a pack mule always carrying things, but I'm used to it." Ryuk shakes his head, "Never mind about that, so where were you before you and your brother came to Clan Char?"

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"We lived in Squallstorm," Abigail explained. "Mother tended bar in a tavern, and we had to help wash the dishes every night growing up, before we did our homework. Most of the time we'd stay up late, talking, wondering what it would be like if Mother was more.... well, motherly. She wasn't bad or very neglectful, don't get me wrong, just.... not the best."

She reached the tent and flipped open the flap, motioning Ryuk in. "Zakk and I finally had enough when Mother said she was getting married and moving us to the Crystalands. We told her it was too late to act motherly, so she said we were old enough to find Alexian, for all she cared."