Message Running|Contrasta

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"Someone's throwing a guy at me!" was the first thing Locke heard as he materialized in Port Widor.

"Huh?" he said intelligently, dizzily sitting up. The scent of bruised vegetables was the next thing he noticed, and the Mind realized he was sitting in a pile of radishes and parsnips. "Oh, no. I'm so sorry," he apologized, inelegantly managing to get from vegetables to street with a minimum of more bruising to the edibles. "Really, I'm sorry. I've never teleported here before- um.... I can pay for this, I think. Will you accept currency from Naruta?"

Any ire the vegetable vendor would have felt vanished in astonishment. "You came all the way from Naruta?!"

"Uh-huh." Locke fished in his pouch for the coins needed and handed over a palmful. "Took me a while, but I got here. There. I'm sorry, again."

"Sir, this is too much," the vendor protested, hastily dividing the coins into thirds and trying to hand back two of the division.

The Mind waved it off. "It's okay, I'm getting paid this week. But if you wouldn't mind telling me how to get an audience with King Sunray, I have a very important message to give him."

"You might have to wait until an audience day," the vendor supplied, very slowly withdrawing his hand. "Then you just go to the palace and wait to be called on."

"Thank you. I guess in the meantime I'll.... sightsee, or something." Locke bowed slightly and wobbled off. A loud sneeze was heard a moment later, followed by "Forces damn it all...."

[Kender Bard]

"Are you okay sir?" A young woman, roughly in her mid to late twenties, approached Locke from behind. She had a basket in her hand full of tied up handkerchiefs. She plucked one and started to loosen the knot it was in, in case he needed it.

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"I'm fine, miss," Locke promised as he turned and bowed slightly, though he was sure the glassy eyes and nosebleed he was sporting told otherwise. He fished out his own hanky and pressed it to his nose, grateful his new mantle was red as well; any messes wouldn't show up as much. "Thank you for your concern though. I don't suppose there are any inns nearby, by chance?"

[Kender Bard]

"Yes of course," she said, retying the handkerchief and replacing it in the basket. "Come, I'll show you the way. My name is Ivy by the way." She smiled and wound her way through the street, heading towards the nearest Inn - the Fisherman's Tail.

[Deleted]

"Thank you, Miss Ivy. I appreciate it." Locke found a smile and used it for the young lady. "I'm Locke of Mentis, from Naruta. My regards. Would you be able to tell me how to get to the King's residence, while I'm thinking of the subject?"

[Kender Bard]

Ivy's eyes widened a little when he said where he was from, but she managed to find her voice again. "Ah, yes, it's a couple days' ride south, to Kalina. It's hard to miss; just head towards the Humpback Hills and you'll find it."

[Deleted]

Damn. He was off course. He should have listened to the manager of the keep on the island and waited a bit before trying the jump again. But no, his desire to help others had intervened, made him try to play the perfect messenger.

I'm such a moron. No wonder Diamond left me. Locke sighed, and pocketed his handkerchief to give his head a good rub; it was starting to ache. Maybe if he was lucky, he could get a visual from another traveler, or maybe see a picture of Kalina. After he slept off the oncoming migraine, that is.

[Kender Bard]

Ivy cocked her head slightly, frowning in concern. "Are you sure you're okay sir?" she asked, sounding worried. "You look a bit pale. Seasick from the journey over?"

[Deleted]

"No, it's just a bad headache," Locke assured her. "I'll sleep it off and be on my way by tomorrow."

They entered the inn together and the Mind approached the reception desk, ready to haggle the rate for a single-bed room for use from that moment to eight in the morning.

[Kender Bard]

"Hello Jones!" Ivy sang out.

The innkeeper, Jones, smiled at her. It was the kind of smile that spoke of a crush that had persisted a long time over the years and yet was never broached. "Hello Ivy. You look beautiful today."

"Thank you," the lady giggled, blushing. "My friend here would like a room. He's come all the way from Naruta."

The man's eyebrows rose. He'd heard tales that the Narutians were rich beyond compare. Ivy gave him a stern look and he blinked at her. "Yes?"

"Don't go be ripping him off," she warned.

Jones tried to look innocent. "Of course not, m'lady. That'll be two copper, sir."

[Deleted]

"Thank you." That was practically a ripoff. "How much for a wake-up call at eight tomorrow as well?" Locke asked, fishing in his belt pouch again.

[Kender Bard]

Jones opened his mouth but Ivy raised her brow. He shut it and gulped. "It's included in the two copper sir. As well as breakfast."

Ivy nodded, just slightly, satisfied and Jones's face lit up with glee at pleasing her.

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Locke discreetly added two more coins -he wasn't about to be a miser here- and handed the money over. "Thank you. It's all greatly appreciated," he said with a slightly wobbly smile. "What is the room number?"

[Kender Bard]

"Eight," the man answered, handing over the key as he went to deposit his money.

Ivy gave Locke a parting smile. "I hope you rest well," she said sweetly. "If you need anything, just ask around for me. I'm happy to help a newcomer to Contrasta." With a curtsey, she left.

[Deleted]

Locke accepted the key with a nod and bowed to Ivy. "Thank you," he said to her back, and went to find his room. The instant the door was shut behind him, the exhausted, hurting Mind collapsed face-first on the bed and promptly passed out.

Tomorrow, the message WOULD be delivered. Hopefully those Humpback Hills wouldn't be too far.