Sisterly bonds|Skyheort, Talen'sul

[Northen Light36]

Bas trudged tiredly through the streets, holding Letha's hand. She'd refused to take a nap when Alethia had told her to and had therefore been ordered to at least go out and play. So she'd decided to follow that instruction by going off to find somewhere to play her recorder and see if she could add any more copper to the collection she was beginning to build up. Letha had insisted on coming with Bas when she'd spotted the recorder, since she enjoyed dancing around while Bas played.

As they walked, something caught Letha's eye and she stopped dead, turning to stare in the window of a small toy shop. "Bas look!" she annouced, pointing to a doll in the window. "It looks like Muma."

Bas eyed the doll. It was a pretty brown haired, blue eyed porcelian doll, but she didn't think it looked a great deal like Acqua. Letha had clearly fallen in love though. Bas hesitated, considering the heavy weight of the coins in her pocket. They might need that money... She glanced at her little sister again, then sighed. "Come on, let's find out how much it is." Leading Letha into the store, Bas went up to the counter and asked, "Excuse me sir, how much is the doll in the window?"

[Devon]

The man behind the counter, Donald looked down at the two girls with a fond smile. He was in his fifties, his head full of gray hair, and over the years he had managed to grow a hefty beard to match his stomach. "Well little ladies, I'll have to check with my wife," he told Bas. Looking over his shoulder he called out to his wife who was in the back of the shop. "Jasmine, could you come out here for a minute, some customers have a question for you."

Jasmine came out of the back after a moment, she too was in her fifties, though time had been a bit more fair with her than it was with Donald. Looking to the girls she smiled softly and asked, "What is it that you two need help with?"

[Northen Light36]

Bas smiled up at Jasmine and Donald, instantly deciding she liked these two. "Can you tell me how much the doll in the window is?" she asked. "My sister really likes her."

"She looks like Muma," Letha explained.

[Devon]

"Well now," Jasmine said as she moved from behind the counter to go and pick up the doll. She looked at the doll fondly, in their shop Donald made most of the toys, but this was one that she herself made. "Well this doll is normally worth thirty copper," Jasmine told them.

[Northen Light36]

Bas' face fell. She'd counted her copper often enough to know she didn't have even nearly enough. "This is all I have," she told Jasmine, showing her the twenty copper she was carrying around. She glanced at Letha and then back at Jasmine. "Maybe I could earn the rest? I could... come and clean the shop for you everyday?" she offered. "I'm good at sweeping and dusting and stuff."

[Devon]

Jasmine smiled, she had intended to just give the doll to the girl for a much cheaper price, but she wouldn't mind the company since their children were all grown and off on their own now. "all right well here is what I'll do for you two. I'll give you the doll for ten copper and you can come by the shop twice a week for the next two weeks and I'll see what you can do around here."

[Northen Light36]

Bas smiled, pleased with the arrangement. They would still have some copper left over and Letha would have her toy. As far as Bas was concerned, anything that kept her little sister happy was worth any amount of effort on her part. And, if their parents didn't come home, Letha would have something to remember them by. Her smile faded a little at that thought, but her expression brightened again as she saw the joy on Letha's face.

"All right," she told Jasmine. "Thank you very much." Grinning, she handed over half her copper.

[Devon]

Jasmine took the copper with a smile and handed it to Donald to take care of. Donald smiled at the two girls and said, "Have fun with that doll there and we'll see you when you come back."

[Northen Light36]

Bas nodded, handing the doll to Letha and smiling broadly at Jasmine and Donald. "I'll come tomorrow," she promised. "Come on Letha." Leading Letha away from the toy shop, Bas wandered around until she found a suitable area to begin trying to earn back the copper she'd just spent.

After getting Letha settled playing with her doll, Bas took out a small wooden bowl and her recorder from her bag. Setting down the bowl, Bas began to play. Letha looked up at her sister for a moment, then got up and began to dance around with her new doll, prompting a smile from Bas.

[Kender Bard]

Winger was going for a leisurely stroll, having a little bit of time to himself. It was a rare thing these days. Hands in pockets, the young scholar meandered by and paused when he noticed Letha's dancing. Smiling, he stopped to watch and listen to Bas's play before tossing a couple of copper down into the wooden bowl.

[Northen Light36]

Bas grinned and nodded in thanks as she continued to play. Letha, at a quick and pointed glance from Bas, set her doll down carefully and curtsied to Winger. "Thank you sir," she murmured politely, smiling up at him. "Would you like to dance too?"

[Kender Bard]

Winger chuckled quietly, amused by the cute little child. "All right," he agreed, holding out his hands to her. "But you'll have to lead, little lady. I'm afraid that I don't know all the steps yet."

[Northen Light36]

"It's easy," Letha assured Winger, taking his hand. "You just follow the music." She turned her head to look at her sister. "Play something pretty, Bas!"

Bas nodded and switched her tune a softer, slower and slightly bittersweet tune that she knew Letha was fond of. Letha grinned happily and lead Winger in a twisting, whirling 'dance' involving plenty of spinning and leaping about. It wasn't anything special, but the pure pleasure on Letha's face made the dance look sweet and cute rather than clumsy.

[Kender Bard]

Winger smiled and did his best to both keep up with her capering and not accidently trod on her toes. "My but aren't you agile," he laughed. "Would you happen to be a bard's child?"

[Northen Light36]

Letha shook her head.

"Our parents are mercenaries," Bas says, easily reciting the lie she's been trained to give almost since she first began to talk.

"Uh-huh," Letha agrees, her smile fading a touch. "They're away now."