Starting Somewhere [Deanna Askeladd]

[Jude]

Jude let out a quiet, long snore, like a bear in a long, deep sleep.

"Excuse you!" The voice was also quiet, but shrill and urgent, as though Jude's snore could be the end of the world as it was currently known. And, hesitant though he was to comply, once Jude was awake, his furrowed brow and angry red eyes reluctantly accepted that a library was no place to snore and fall asleep. And that was that. He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep, but the pink-haired boy knew it must've been a while... The sun was setting, and the orange-yellow beams of light that came through the clear glass panes told him that it was time to eat. His stomach was telling him the same thing, and he knew before long he'd have to find food or he surely would not make it to the next sunrise.

Books scattered across the table and across his lap, Jude looked over his day's work. Such titles as "Blacksmithing for Beginners", "The Forge Hero", "Metalwork Master", and "Etrurian Craftsmanship" lined the area. In truth, the red-eyed pirate wasn't sure exactly why he'd decided to dip his hand back in the craft. It had been almost a decade since he'd ever worked with fire and hammers and anvils, and the last time he'd done it, it had been with his mother, who... Now, he presumed, was dead. So it went, Jude thought. And now here he was, in need of a new weapon, with barely the knowledge of where to get the metals he needed. Could he make it himself? Sure. Did he knew where to get the materials? Of course he didn't.

Sighing, Jude pulled his feet down from the back of the chair in front of him. They'd been kicked up high, messily, unbefitting of the type of composure that was expected in a library setting. Calm, collected, and proper were words to describe not only the library, but all of Etruria.. And yet, here was this uncouth, messy, brutish spitfire who stuck out worse than two sore thumbs. But to Jude, it didn't much matter. He was on a mission, and opinions of him be damned-- he had work to do. Since he'd lost his weapon with Mel, he was in need. He couldn't find himself in a fight unarmed... The next time Ryu or Jabal called, the pink-haired boy was sure they'd expect him to be armed. Some apprentice.

"Oooo-kay..." Jude breathed to himself, displeased with the thought that he'd have to put all these books back. He didn't even remember learning much. He had probably fallen asleep pretty quickly... Looking around the library, Jude wondered what sort of folk might wonder in during the later hours. By his memory, the library didn't close until late.

[Deanna Askeladd]

Surprisingly, a young woman with long black hair sat opposite from Jude, her attention focused on the large tome in front of her. This was very unusual for the young man. Normally women stayed clear of the scruffy thief, especially in Etruria. Of course, she didn't have the typical Etrurian look either, so maybe it was just a case of like people coming together.

She was dressed in a rough hempen coverall, smudged with road dirt and black splotches where soot had stained the coarse fabric. Her hair was parted simply and framed a passably fair face. The plain work clothes spoke volumes about her position and profession, but showed an alarming amount of flesh for the youth. Even more alarming was the view afforded to the young man when she reached across the table for the book right next to Jude, "Etrurian Craftsmanship". She had leaned so close to the man that he could smell the sour whiff of sweat and ash wafting from her body.

"Oh, you're awake." She greeted him nonchalantly. Apparently, just now noticing he was awake."I borrowed your books. It looked like you were quite finished with them."

[Jude]

In a sudden burst of awareness and curiosity, Jude's ears perked up and his face turned slowly to his right. Was that a... What the hell? What was going on?

"Mmm...Muh? What? Who the... Who are you?" Normally, Jude might've been upset by this sudden change of scenery. Both because the sight was pleasing, and because it was so confusing, Jude was surprisingly mild addressing her. Most strangers were only afforded the usually crude rebuke, but for some reason, Jude was kept tempered and quiet amidst his thoughts about what was going on. First, she'd stolen his book. Then, she'd smelled like fire. Then, he... Had... What the hell was going on?

Trying to find the words to use to get an answer for all the questions brewing in his mind, Jude spoke experimentally, with a voice that was quiet but detached, as he without any subtlety looked her over. Pleasing, but still, confusing. She looked about as out of place as he did. Raising an eyebrow, his slender face remained mostly expressionless as he tried to put together the pieces. He'd been asleep, and maybe while he was, she'd come and read his books? That didn't make much sense, but it was all he could possibly reason.

"That's my damn book. Give it back." Thought it seemed harsh, his voice remained nonplussed. He simply reached over and attempted to pull the tome away from her fingers, taking note that she was about as dirty as he felt that he himself was. "Also, were you watching me sleep?" He scratched his head, still trying to shake his body of the sleepiness.

[Deanna Askeladd]

Deanna's fingers clamped down on the tome like a vise of iron, keeping the book firmly in her hand. The girl would apparently let the book rip apart than hand it over to Jude.

She seemed unfazed by Jude's coarse language, instead flashing a warmly twisted smile, "You're a little slow after waking up huh?"

Dean gestured towards the remaining books and the bookshelf. Her words came out simply, clear, and precise with a lilting, almost chant-like cadence. It was an accent found commonly along the villages and burgs along the Bern and Lycian border. "This is a library. They only keep one copy of the book. You should be grateful I didn't just take the book you had obviously finished and decided to wait until this ungodly hour for you to wake and ask if I could have it. It is far too much for a babe so new to blacksmithing he's still sucking on his mama's teat to handle."

That last barb was accentuated with a pointed gesture towards the "Blacksmithing for Beginners" book. Its corner was still damp from someone drooling over it as they slept. Looking at the wet leather binding, her words seemed a particularly apt analogy.

[Jude]

"Tch!" Jude leaned back in the chair, folding his arms across his chest, and looked away from the girl, shutting his eyes to put her out of his mind. "Slow nothin'. I ain't slow." His voice was emphatic and deep, but sweet and obviously not affected terribly by her chide. She wasn't the worst type for him to have run into, at any rate. He'd seen much worse, and if this was the only bad sh*t the day had in store for him, he could handle it.

And then, some line that Jude hadn't even realized he'd drawn was crossed. Without speaking, he was immediately on his feet, rising so quickly that his knees, as they shot upright, pushed the wooden table back and away from the two chairs, knocking one of the books down onto the floor. His red, angry eyes were trained on the girl, and the fiery look flashed and danced as though a simple look could kill. The boy gritted his teeth; he could feel his gears grinding, the desire to reach over and slug her becoming almost too much to bare. The noise he created by standing so fast attracted the attention of the small handful of people around them, most of whom stared for a few moments, then went back to reading. Breathing slowly and laboriously through his nose, Jude finally unclenched his jaw, and his fists, which he hadn't realized had become balls at his sides. His fierce, wild gaze stayed trained on the girl, but he still declined to speak... Uncharacteristic of Jude, to be sure.

Jude kicked the Beginners book off the table with a violent thrust, sending it across the library floor, its pages flapping about, making enough noise to attract the attention of a custodian.

"Sir, you need to leave. Now."

The fire in Jude's eyes faded, and he looked away from her, nodding. He didn't mean to, but he was being strangely cooperative. It was rare that he found himself in these situations. The domination in the girl's tone was enough to keep him quiet, but not for long, he guessed. This wasn't the right place to pick a fight. But instead of walking away, Jude decided he wanted to have the last word.

He leaned in deeply, almost pressing his nose against the nose of the strangely attractive girl who, despite her dirtiness, wasn't hard to look at. His animalistic eyes shone brightly, as if the deep red hues could dance out of his eyes and flood the room. "You wanna see whose the real babe, step outside with me and I'll kick your ass. I could out-smith you any day of the weak, half-sack."

Jude recomposed himself, folding his arms again. His gloved hand rested over his arm and he sighed heavily. Looking at her one last time, Jude turned and began to walk away towards the library entrance, deciding he'd wait outside to see what might happen.

[Deanna Askeladd]

Deanna arched her eyebrows at the challenge. Most men would have challenged her to swords or other duel. Jude had apparently decided to challenge her in smithing. It was an interesting distinction and one she found endearing enough to almost miss the man as he was escorted docilely out the front door.

She rolled up a stack of papers, charcoal etchings of the pages from the texts before, and followed Jude out. Her departure drew a small crowd of onlookers, apparently eager to see if the two would really duel and hash it out with swords in front of the library.

Dean couldn't remember the dueling laws in Etruria, but she did remember it was officially outlawed. She just wasn't sure if people still managed to skewer each other "by accident and without fault to anyone". She tossed aside those thoughts as she approached Jude, one hand resting comfortably on her sword pommel. It was very clear she was not going to draw first against Jude.

"Half-sack?" She asked the thief, "Even your barbs are limp. At least Etrurian poetry has a little bite worth spending the night with."

This comment apparently drew jeers and boos from the crowd gathering to watch the fight. One entrepreneurial student was apparently collecting a pot from the eager onlookers.

[Jude]

Stepping out down past the stone steps that lead up to the library, Jude was only able to sigh as he heard the woman follow behind him. Of course she'd followed... Somehow, he knew she would. Half of him was pleased with this, and the other half was incredibly irritated by it. He could do nothing save for rest his hands on his hips, holding the bones of his exposed hips and midriff as he turned to face her, the fire in his eyes all but dead. "Really?" He scanned the horizon. People were massing, and the woman was armed. He hadn't noticed this before. Was that her intention? She was one of those, huh? A brawl in the streets?

Jude could get behind that.

But not today. Here he stood, unarmed, his dagger probably in possession of the Bernese guards from the town he had Mel and loitered around in during their rooftop chase. It was unlikely he'd ever see it again, and would, in all likelihood, have to fashion a new one... Though, unfortunately, the pink-haired boy wasn't sure he had the skill to do so... It had simply been too long since he'd been around the forge. He realized, though, that since his mouth was likely bigger than his brain, he'd made the mistake of challenging the woman to a contest of forgery, which he would no doubt lose if she decided to take him up on it. His options were slim, but he couldn't let his guard down. He refused to do so.

As he approached her, he realized how different the two were. Despite being dirty, Jude was no doubt cleaner. He was taller, but it didn't seem to intimidate the woman. In fact, she continued to speak as she had before they were both standing at full height. It was rare that anyone was taller than Jude, but even so, it was usually to his advantage. He didn't feel in a position of power over her, which was bad. Hands still on his hips, he narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out how to deal with her. "So that's your aim, huh? Spending the night?" He teased, an evil smirk drawing itself across his face. "Can't say I haven't heard that one before. Listen, you don't want to do this. I promise, you don't want to get tangled up with a pirate. So what I suggest you do is--" Jude took a step towards her, closing the inches-long distance between the two of them. "--turn around, go back home, lie in bed, and think about all the clever things you could've said to me before I punched you in the face."

He turned around to look at the crowd, who to his surprise, was still massing. Great.

Jude sighed, looking down at the girl again. "Because I promise you, that's what's coming next. If you wanna play that game, hey, fine with me. But don't say I didn't warn ya." He turned away from her, showing his back to her. "We pirates mean business. Now get outta here."

[Deanna Askeladd]

A pirate? In a library? And then that whole "i'm too cool for you" line with his dirt-stained face turned away. It was comedy gold and simply too much for Deanna to stop herself from cracking up. Her peals of laughter echoed down the stairs and likely cut deeper than a dozen knives. Finally calming down enough to talk, she managed to gasp out, "Oh you pompous, arrogant, drynet-twilling mummer! That was brilliantly delivered."

The crowd apparently had not gotten the joke but had transformed in to a low murmur of white noise as the fight they were looking forward to was replaced with an odd comedy. Needless to say the crowd started dispersing, the students going back to their studies or wherever they spent the evenings.

"If you get your head out of your arse by the morning, go to the Rowena Trading Company and ask for Askeladd. I'll show you how to smith an iron blade purer than gold." She called out to the man, turning away to her own apartments for the evening. It was just the thing she needed to brighten up her day.

[Jude]

Morning came just a touch too early for Jude's tastes.

Climbing over to the edge of the bed, the pink-haired boy threw his feet over and they hit the ground with a light, lifeless thud. He massaged his temples with two fingers from his normally-gloved hand that was currently bare like the rest of his body. His sleep had been restless and all but useless, and he didn't feel like much energy would follow him that day. He groaned as he recalled the day's past events, wondering if it would be all better to just avoid this "Askeladd", if that was even her real name, and be on about his business. Jude figured in no time he'd be called upon again; it would be easy enough to just leave the city and never worry about this again.

But he knew he couldn't do that. He cupped his face completely, groaning like a small, angry child. Many things Jude was, but a coward was not on that list. He'd issued a challenge, she'd taken him up on it, and now if he didn't show, the entire city would know he was a fake and a fraud. And he wasn't. Jude knew he wasn't. And, he knew, what he lacked in skill he might make up for in sheer luck. After all, he had no way of knowing if this Askeladd was the real deal or not... And in any case, his natural talent might be enough to save his ass.

As Jude fashioned on his odd-looking, one-sleeved, exposed-midriff leather vest, he replayed all the insults he'd heard yesterday in his mind. She was almost as fiery as he was, and for that reason, it was worth enough to at least go see her again. He didn't much like the thought of spending time with her, but at least she was as fearless as he was. Jude, childish though he could be at times, could respect that. Sliding his brown glove over his right hand, Jude stood fully, allowing his waist cloak to billow out and readjust. He was just about ready for whatever fresh hell would find him today.

Stepping out of his room at the inn, Jude quickly made his way down the stairs and out the door, pulling his neck scarf above his mouth as the chilly morning air brushed against his exposed face. Disgruntled already, Jude could tell this day had no blessings in store. The sky was overcast, threatening rain, and Jude had had just about enough rain for the rest of his life. He sorely missed the warm shores of Nabata, the clear, sunny skies...

"Rowena Trading Company." He said to himself, finally setting off down the road. Ignoring most of the people that looked his way, the red-eyed boy scanned the area until he found the unassuming blacksmith shop that Askeladd had spoken of the day prior. "Ask for Askeladd..." He said to himself, as though a parent were condescending a child. Stepping through the door, the man at work paid him no mind. Jude looked around the shop-- the craftsmanship he saw scared him. If all of it-- no, if any of it-- were Askeladd's doing, he was in trouble. He'd only ever fashioned his own crude iron knife blade, and that was years ago. Now that it was lost, he had no comparisons, and little experience... Only knowledge aided him, some pieces forgotten, some in tact. And what he hoped remained of his skill. That was it.

He sighed again.

"S'cuse me," He said bluntly, awkwardly, as though he were a foreigner to social interaction. "Any idea where I can find... Askeladd?" The name dripped like venom from his slender lips.

[Deanna Askeladd]

The trading company was much more than a blacksmith shop. It was an entire campus with a wagon depot for traveling merchants to pick and drop off wares, workshops like the smithy Jude had found, and even dormitories for its members. All told, it was a prosperous hub of commerce.

A well-dressed man in blue livery met Jude with a nod and a well-practiced smile that somehow made the thief feel oily. "Of course, sir. I believe she is in the yard. I am named Matthew. Please allow me to guide you to her. May I get your name?"

The man guided Jude through the front door and the front gate in to the company's proper. The company was almost like a small fort within the town, with a brick wall and wrought iron gate surrounding the courtyard. The courtyard itself was filled with all manner of workers, loading and unloading wagons filled with merchandise. An unimaginable amount of wealth and trade goods could be seen, and it was easy to understand why the company would guard it so carefully. It occurred then that perhaps Matthew was not simply acting as a host to guide the young man to his destination, but also to keep track of him just in case.

On the side was the young woman, apparently covered in more ash and soot and wearing the same coveralls he had seen the day earlier. She was swinging a saber against a wooden log, lodging it deep in the wood and then twisting the blade so that it bent against the wood. Deanna observed the cut before jotting a note in to a cloth-bound notebook.

Matthew gave a cough as Deanna finished, prompting her to look up at Jude and flick a tired smile. Jude could make out faint bags under her eyes, and couldn't help wonder if the girl had slept at all last night.

"Oh, it's the pirate. It's about time you showed up."

She sheathed the blade with a shake of her head and handed him the blade.

"It looks like this sword is another failure as well. As I thought, I can't get enough knowledge from just the book to really improve it. As a blacksmith, what are your thoughts?"

It was a good steel blade, less some wear and tear. It had a curved edge perfect for cutting and balanced well in the hand. The fuller was neat and tidy and extended the blade by a good foot, long enough to be used from a horse. The blade however seemed heavier than normal and was probably not hard enough for real use though, as she had somehow managed to bend the edge with the small bit of morning practice.

[Jude]

"Oh, uh..." It was rare that Jude was forced to be cordial, and he found himself in an even more awkward spot as he had to try and feign professionalism around this man, as he quickly realized what a large scale operation he'd stepped foot in. No longer were his thoughts on a small shop, but they had instead become fixed on the idea that he may be way, way out of his league here. But, before he could stumble over his thoughts, the boy's red eyes fixed themselves on this Matthew, and followed him as he beckoned Jude out towards the hub of the expanse. "Jude." He said finally, as though he was unsure of his own name. It was rare he was treated with such respect, and it almost made him uneasy. Most often, he found himself in spots were he was either a villain or a victim, and years of this procedure had rendered his hospitable side all but erased. "I'm Jude, from uh... Nabata."

It was the truth, but it probably wouldn't have sounded like it.

As the two men walked, Jude took in his surroundings. The outside of the shop was deceiving; the interior was much larger than the outward appearance gave away, and this was unsettling as it was amazing. A feat of incredible engineering, but beyond that, it was also strange that such a large post would be in the middle of Etruria, of all places. Then again, Jude considered, looking high to the stone bluffs around him, it could've been anywhere. And this was, despite all of Etruria's problems, a fairly safe place to be for the time being.

Eventually, the duo stopped upon the woman that Jude recognized from the day before. This Askeladd, her appearance easily remembered, stood before him, hard at work with something that looked as though it had kept her occupied for quite a time. It almost looked as though she'd slept about as poorly as he had. He folded his arms, his typical scowl writing itself across his face as she initially addressed him. He spoke naught at first, deciding he'd wait and see what sorts of wicked comments she'd lash out at him with.

But then, there were none. She was being... cordial? Asking for his impression? Was this really happening?

"Well, I..." Jude at first had no way to react. He'd never been treated this way before. So often he was treated rudely, crudely-- but never like this. It was rare that anyone had ever asked for his advice, additionally. As a defense, Jude immediately moved to chide, afraid to open himself up to someone he barely knew. "Yeah, whatever. Let me see this piece of sh*t you're wasting you're playing with."

As he examined it, Jude didn't really notice any imperfections. Sure, it was crude, but powerful and sturdy. A failure? What were this girl's standards, anyway? Did she always intend to craft so perfectly that only the knights of the realm could be suited to use her weapons? Was she a professional? Jude gave her elevator eyes as he studied over her, considering that she might very well be a professional. And he was right, he was out of his league. Most certainly.

Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke. "I mean, it ain't bad. A little heavy, I guess. Damn, swords are so obtrusive and crude... Ever think about using something smaller and lighter?" He unsheathed the sword and gave it some experimental swings. The last time he'd swung a sword instead of a dagger, it had almost gotten him killed. "Not too civilized. Rough, tough, sturdily built... Honestly, I uh..." He was grasping for words. It had been so long since he'd seen a forge, Jude wasn't sure he had the authority to speak. "I don't see how it's a failure. Sure, it's heavy, and it's... What kind of alloy are you using for this?" His red eyes shot back and met hers, the curiosity therein taking over his entire personality.

[Deanna Askeladd]

"Iron." Deanna replied simply, "from northern Etruria using walnut charcoal and linseed oil."

She eyed him curiously, realizing she had leapt ahead a couple of paces ahead when she asked him for his opinion. Matthew took the moment of silence to drop Jude's name with Deanna, causing even more confusion and a second bright laugh that brought color to her cheeks. "I shouldn't be surprised you don't know what I'm asking after, or perhaps you might have heard of it by a different name."

She took a seat on a bench and learned forward to face Jude. "Have you ever heard of a metal so strong and sharp you could bury it underground and then dig it up a decade later and still use it? A metal so pure, it sings when swung and when it would break, only bends and then returns back to its original shape? I have, once. And never again."

Deanna gestured towards the blade in Jude's hand. "I'm trying to recreate it and traveling the world to figure out how that sword was made. I thought I had it here. The blade bends instead of breaking, but it doesn't flex back. I thought as a pirate, you might have seen a bit more than I have and know what place had made better."

Her tone drifted up from an obvious disappointment to regain some of its venom and charm from last night, "After all, I'm sure there' a story for how a pirate came out of a land where you couldn't fill a bucket of water if you hiked 30 acres for it, Jude of Nabata. I'm Deanna Askeladd, just a journeywoman trying to improve her trade."

[Jude]

Listening as the woman spoke so plainly, Jude examined the blade she'd made again. Despite the slight wear, it did hold up well... But he supposed it wasn't quite like what she was describing. "Iron, huh?" He bounced the now-sheathed weapon up and down in his hands, getting accustomed to the weight of a weapon whose weight would always make it near impossible for him to use. He preferred life's smaller, quicker blades, and he was reminded of Ryu's words as he held this weapon-- that he would probably be at a severe disadvantage if he continued to use knives all his life. But Ryu wasn't here, and couldn't scold him, so Jude handed the blade back to this Deanna. "Guess that's why it's so heavy. If it's just crude iron, even if it's curated well, it's still gonna be a bit... I dunno, lackluster I guess." His tone was surprisingly contained and calm, two things rare for Jude to be. This woman had a strange effect on him.

"Oh please," Jude began, waving his hand as if to dismiss this Deanna's remarks. He shoved a thumb into his chest proudly. "Look, I've been all over the globe. I've seen a lotta sh*t. But nothing to ever make me believe there's some all-powerful metal out there that beats all others." The red-eyed boy looked around, and once he found a wide, low stump, he took a seat on it, looking around him. This was indeed quite the operation, and with both Matthew and Deanna here, he wondered how many other smiths had residence here... And what kinds of weapons they made. Were they under contact from the Etrurian military? That might not be good for him. After all, he was an infidel and a thief... In all honesty, Jude realized Etruria probably wasn't a good place for him to begin with.

"Y'know," he said, appraising the girl again. She looked well-versed in her craft, as though it came naturally enough that she never looked worn by it, despite her somewhat dirtier appearance. His mother had looked the same way when she worked the forge as well. "You say you've seen it once, but uh... I dunno, Deanna," He smiled a wide, mischievous smile at the girl. "But okay, sure. I'll humor you." He thought a moment, bringing his gloved hand up to his chin in an effort to feign thinking. "We pirates don't tell our secrets. Especially not about rare earthen ore. Not for free, anyway." He winked at her, hoping that he might actually get somewhere with this.

He 'hmm'ed loudly, taking a stand from his stump. The boy crossed his arms and approached Deanna again, standing over her. "Sure, I gotta story. Everybody does. You're here to hone your trade, and I'm here to... Well..." He scratched his head. Could he tell her about Bee? They weren't even that close. Nonchalantly, and with a look away from her, he spoke lightly. "I'm just trying to find someone I've lost track of, is all."

[Deanna Askeladd]

ooc: sorry, was super busy with a project yesterday. Also, leaving on a trip labor day weekend so I'm not going to be around too much then either.

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Dean stared at Jude as he spoke and boasted about the secret earthen lore of land pirates. She had heard stories of how iron making was discovered by a clan of bandits in Tuscana. The clan's smithing was unparalleled at that time and easily conquered the surrounding area with its iron. Of course, the bandits prospered and members later established the High House of Seadis. It was possible that those same bandits could have carried some sort of lore on smithing, but it was difficult for the girl to believe in the words of Jude.

He had his secrets, and some such as his lost friend were obviously painful and dear, but Deanna needed to know whether she could trust him.

"Look Jude, I understand you're a good man and you like having fun, but there's some things you can and can't say in business." She began, staring at Jude seriously, "I need to know the truth. Is that story about 'earthen lore' really true?"

[Jude]

ooc: No worries, I understand!

Still sitting atop his stump, Jude rested his arms over his thighs, letting his hands hang loosely between his legs. He laughed, looking up to Deanna and then away from her. "Good man, huh?" He reached one hand up to rest it on the back of his neck, sighing loudly. "Welp, can't say I've heard that one before." In an effort to dance around her line of questioning, Jude placed emphasis on his words, drawing them out, as if her statements were geared more towards him than this ore she was interested in. He smiled wickedly at her as he let his hands rest down between his legs again, a posture loose and fitting of someone as careless and unconcerned as this would-be seafaring plunderer with pink hair red eyes.

"Right to the point then, huh? Well, okay." He smiled again, standing up from his stump. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stood in front of her. "I ain't walkin' away from this little endeavor without some payment, Askeladd," he said viciously, leaning in towards her. "Many things I am, but cheap ain't one of 'em. And information can be more expensive than lives." His tone was lighthearted, and he couldn't help but break his serious attempt with another goofy smile.

Sighing heavily, he began his tale. "Well sure it's true. You know, when I was back home in Nabata, I smithed sometimes with my mom. She was great at it, and me... Well, I'm better at other things." He sat back down on his stump and looked up at the girl. "Right now, there's not a stronger metal in the world than the alloys they create for forge Regal weapons. Typically these sorts of things are reserved for like... Sh*t, I don't know, higher-ups, people with money, high-ranking military officers... Most civilians don't come by them on chance. You either got money, or you got status. Or both. But.." His smile grew more devious as his red eyes flickered with fire.

"Legend says there's an alloy out there that can be used to craft yielding yet unbreakable weapons. An ore stronger than that used on these Regal weapons. Now, I shouldn't tell you anything like this, but you know Deanna, I like ya, and I like your drive." He smiled again, then looked up to the sky, his eyes following the clouds. "The big-wigs and know-hows call it Orichalcum. I'm inclined to think it's just a really high-grade steel, but..." He scratched the back of his neck, truly unsure of his feelings. "I dunno. I guess something so far-fetched could be true, I mean why not? Pirates hear lots of tales. All absurd, but only some are fake. That one... I dunno. Guess you'd have to go hunting for it. That's your aim, isn't it? That's why you stole my damn book yesterday? You're looking for it." His eyes were amused, his smile soft but spread wide across his devilish face.