"Ah, so you lived in a monastery? I'm sure you know they do have a high demand for barbers." He grabbed a length of the Goblin's hair, on the back of his head, and gave it a quick cut with the shears, as a large chunk fell onto the attic floorboard. "I'll cut it rather short, initially, see if you like it like that, or if you'd like the full head shaved." He said, grabbing another chunk of hair, as he cut through it with his scissors.

"Well for a Goblin, perhaps. And when I am done with your hair-cut." He said, snipping more hair off, "You will be keeping the Goblin Women back with a stick." He continued quickly cutting the hair, as large chunks began piling up. He examined the back of the Goblin's head, noting that he had cut it to an incredibly short length. He moved onto the Goblin's top part of his head, "Well anything you'd like to ask of me?" He inquired, as he continued cutting the hair.

Rhone waited by the auctioneer as his new master paid his bill. The man was tall, lean, and pale. Most of his masters were pale skinned, so that didn't surprise him too terribly much. Rhone had learned over the years to associate a pale complexion with cruelty and deceit. He'd only met a handful of decent people who had it.

This man, however, seemed nice enough. He insisted that the shackles be removed from Rhone, freeing his wrists and ankles from the rusted metal. He gingerly rubbed his wrists once the weight had been removed from them, cautiously reminding himself not to let a small act of kindness win him over. It wasn't a new trick. A master would act kind to him at first, try to win his trust, but when they lost their patience with him, they were like all the rest.

Rhone kept his eyes downward as the man introduced himself, trained to never look his master in the eye. He was taught that they weren't equal; he didn't have the right. He was taken aback when the man, Lucien, offered his hand. Rhone stared at it. His own hands were dirty and calloused. No other master before would have let him touch them with such filth. But to openly defy the man by refusing the gesture was asking for a beating.

Rhone slowly reached out and took the man's hand, only for a second, and them quickly returned his own by his side. "Rhone," He said simply, his voice lightly accented. He hadn't spoken his native tongue in a long time, but there was still a light trace of it when he talked. Occasionally, he would meet another Sudalian slave to converse with, but it was rare. Most of the time, they were beaten for speaking in any other language than English.

double post

"The hat keeps me from going blind if anything explodes in my face. However granted the coat is for more nefarious means."
Judging by how far they had moved, Tirarian could only assume they were closing in on Lucien's position. Gods only knew whether he would add his own voice to the cacophony that was sure to follow a rare creature such as this one up for sale...

"It's nice to meet you, Rhone. We shall have to get to know each other better." Lucien noted the accent. It wasn't uncommon to meet someone in shackles so far away from his homeland.
The Vurkolak stepped off the stage, helping his new servant down after him. After looking about, he saw Rosa and the gnome, who were swiftly making their way towards the stand.
"Come along. I'll have to introduce you to Rosa. She was the one who asked me to buy you."

"Aye, Gukb here lived in a monestary. Thirteen years, see? Good people, treated me just fine... but I er... I set their barn on fire when I got into old Master Grangor's robes and found me some 'o them fire sticks. They booted poor Gukb out shortly afta'." the goblin replied, sighing slightly. "Couldn't help meself, see? They said I was born with natural mischief, 'n that I'd neva' fit in, despite their best efforts to ah, domesticate me. Was a shame. Miss it."

Growing increasingly uncomfortable of bringing up his past, Gukb shifted in his seat, and also shifted the nature of their conversation. "I got's me a question for yer human; if yer were gonna slit me here throat, you'd done it by now. Which be meanin' you one'a the good'ns. Dyin' breed, yer type. Met many on the road, man and maiden, that screamed bloody murder at poor Gukb for so much as standin' within eye sight, like." His attention switched briefly to the changing shape of his head, as more hair fell from his scalp with each resonating snip of the barber's shears. "But yah, me point bein', why didn't ye kill me? Yer ain't dumb, I know me a dumb'n. Ya know I weren't 'ere for a hair cut... well, originally anyways."

"Oh of course, I knew you weren't here with the most savory intentions. And I can understand having a little fun with mischief. Such as messing with an older brother." Elric said with a smile, "Also speaking of why I didn't kill you, I will tell you a little story, always amusing for us barber surgeons." He said as he began cutting the top part of his hair. "The story goes, there was once a rather prominent Nobleman, who called for a barber." He said, giving the shears a quick snip, as more chunks began piling up near the seat.

"The nobleman offered a rather incredible amount of gold for the barber to remove his beard and shave him completely." Elric continued clipping. "However, the man said that if the barber even left the slightest trace of blood, that he would kill the barber." Snip, went the scissors, as Elric continued working on Gukb's hair. "The Master Barber was too frightened by the man, and asked the Joruneyman Barber to shave the man instead in his place." Snip. "And the Journeyman Barber felt the same fear, and asked the Apprentice Barber in his place." Snip He moved to the left side of his head, trimming behind his ears."So the Apprentice Barber went to the Noble, lathered his face, and took his shears and razor and proceeded to give the noble his haircut and shave." Snip He now moved onto trimming on the left side of his head, trimming behind the ears.

Elric glanced at Gukb, and took particular care looking at the top, back, and sides of his head which were now had an even layer of short stubble. "The Apprentice finished his job, without leaving a drop of blood. The Nobleman complemented his work, and the fact he did not tremble even when he was faced with death. The Apprentice responded, 'Sir, that wasn't a problem. I had you by the throat - if you had flinched and my knife had gone awry, I'd have cut your throat immediately.'."

Elric chuckled a bit, "If I kept you on John's side of the attic, I wouldn't have you by the razor's edge. But, I know people can fall on hard times, doesn't mean I should slit their throats. Plus, if I wasn't here, you could have fell into a worse situation, well namely death, and you probably would have brought some havoc along the way. And that wouldn't be helpful for the community at all. It wasn't necessary for me to kill you, and I am a Barber-surgeon, I am not an instrument of death, but one of life." He glanced back at Gukb, "So, are you happy with the hair styled like that, or would you prefer the full shave of the head?"

"Drats," muttered Anya. Some day, however, she would be an adult too and learn all of their adulty secrets. And probably go to secret night time adult parties that children couldn't go to because they were too fun.

Anya hesitated outside the threshold of the bar before stepping in uncertainly, gripping her father's hand a little tighter. Now that she was a vampire, she would get very sick and weak if she stepped inside certain places without being invited. She got a little scared before stepping inside anywhere now, but thankfully it didn't feel bad this time. She supposed that public places that were open to anyone were open to her too.

"Papa, why are those men roughhousing?" Anya asked, watching the drunken brawl take place. "And why did that man knock that other man out? And why is there a very big squirrel? Can I pet him?"

Rosa and Tirarian approached Lucien, giving a curt nod and a tip of the hat.
"Well fought Mr. Le Croix, it is fun to spar with a skilled opponent," All to suddenly becoming aware of his careless grace and boasted rapier, he moved with the same sway his daughter did, always putting in enough effort to look dramatic, but not enough so he still floated here and there
Tirarian got a good look at this slave, although she noticed him as well toned before, the words didn't begin to describe him up close. His face was set in a masculine manner, and with the slightest hint of a beard. He was the peak example of a youthful and healthy man. "And to the victor the spoils, hmm." she nodded curtly towards this slave

"Sometimes thugs fight. Keep your distance, Anya." James explained, looking down at his daughter.

"And I'd refrain from playing from animals. It might be rab-" he paused as he looked up, seeing a three foot tall squirrel with a crossbow. James bit his thumb, and confirmed he wasn't dreaming. "That squirrel is huge."

"Hey squirrel! You're huge!" he called. "Can you talk? ....Is this town enchanted?"
He turned down and said quickly, "Anya, don't drink the water here."

Gukb nodded his tentative understanding of the barber's story, and the lessons to be learned behind it. And, having heard the man's explanation as to why he offered a hair cut, and not a sword, well, the goblin was satisfied as he could be. He looked into the mirror, and liked what he saw; for a moment, he imagined himself in robes of fur and silk. An idea hit him, a bizarre one, but an idea all the same.

"I be havin' tha' look of a king about me, dun I?" He said, more than asked. "All's I need now is a sceptre and a crown."

Hopping off the chair, Gukb scratched the arising itchiness of his scalp; loose hair clippings fell to the floor. Realising that all labours incurred a fee, he dug into his trousers, then pulled forth a pouch and placed it onto the counter. Coins rattled inside.

"Ain't much, but s'all a little critter like me has got, m'fraid," he said with a curt nod of the head. Then he made towards the hole in the roof he had created earlier, but stopped to look at the strange he-bastard. Kind humans deserved a second glance. "So's, you be a smart man like. Put yerself in me shoes, if ye would humour for but a moment.

Yer a goblin, no one likes ya, 'n the only mention you eva get in tales of glory is how many of ya kind died when some tall warrior in steel came through 'n put all ya family to the sword. So's ya travel the world, hated by all, mocked by all, and sometimes, aforementioned 'all' tries to kill ya real quick like.

On one hand, ya got the safety of the open road; keep moving, never stay long, and that way, ya will live, right? Well, just say that afta a decade, ya start gettin' real tired of that kinda life, 'cause it aint no life at all, not really. What'd ya do to start changing all that? To start movin' in a different direction? It er, I think Master Grangor would have used tha word 'perplexes' - yah, it perplexes me."

Not really expecting an answer, and eager to escape the bizarre situation he'd found himself in, Gukb started to root through the piles of old clothing and other clutter for Red Rust. A King needed a sword, after all.

Leaf was pulled from his thoughts when he heard a male voice calling for him. The squirrel paused for a moment to make sure that it was indeed him the voice was calling for. "Hey squirrel! You're huge!” Other people usually spoke about the creature in silence but this man didn’t bother with the decency. "Can you talk? ....Is this town enchanted?” This guy didn’t seem too used to the magical energies surrounding the world.

“No…” Leaf responded, tilting his head slightly. This man thought that it was something in the ale? “I can talk…” He continued with a nod. It was to be expected that someone would start asking questions but as long as leaf fell under the same protection everyone else did, he’d be fine. The last thing Leaf wanted was to be skinned by a crazed hunter. With this man speaking, Leaf placed his hands on the crossbow laying on the table. Better safe than sorry, especially after what he went through. “Can I help you with something?” Leaf finished, his fingers around the device tightening. Usually Leaf wasn’t so on edge but after what had happened that night, he didn’t want to let his guard down again. The pain in his stomach already told a tale he didn’t want to hear again.

Estermere was filled with all manner of filth and even bandits made their home in the town. Just because this one had a child with him didn’t make him more pleasant to look at. All humans were intimidating this night, but after some sleep perhaps they wouldn’t all look like monsters.

Elric smiled, "Well then, if you are satisfied with the cut, then I've done my job. It never gets old seeing people enjoy their cut." He glanced at the pouch of coins that were put on his table, "I thank you Gukb, even though you couldn't afford it, you still handed over coins for payment. With that gesture, you have proven yourself to be better than some other humans..." He then patiently listened to Gukb as he told his story,

"Well, the wanderlust is a prominent thing. As for what caused it, there are many factors, but I feel that it is the fact that you would long for a place to call home, one where you aren't constantly threatened, one where you can raise a family and thrive. A desire, to not live in fear.." He followed Gukb, and stroked his beard. "I have an idea, it may not be much, but I will talk it over with John in the morning. Perhaps, if you aren't still eager in wandering the roads, you can help me out a bit. There is much hair that needs to be swept away, leeches to be collected, and other assorted tasks that I need to do besides my primary ones. I would of course hand a bit of coin your way the help, while making sure you have a roof over your head, and make sure to the best of my ability no one wants to kill you."

Anya nodded seriously at her father. She didn't know why she shouldn't drink the water, but she trusted her papa because he always told the truth all the time.

She got really excited when the squirrel started talking, though, because what girl wouldn't be excited at the prospect of a gigantic adorable talking squirrel? She began bouncing up and down excitedly again, and decided to ask once more.

"Pleeease can I pet him? A rabid squirrel wouldn't be able to talk that good, right? He'd sound more like 'hisss blargh blargh blargh', but this guy doesn't sound like that at all!"

The goblin's ears pricked up at the mention of employment. It'd been a long time since someone - especially a human - had offered him any coin for his services; even if those services were perhaps a little mundane. Still, that crown and sceptre weren't going to buy themselves. And a King should never be above the lowly toils of the common people.

"King Gukb the Humble," Gukb mumbled to himself, almost vacantly, before clearing his throat to speak up. "Yer be offerin' me fine things there, human. Though bein' things as they may, and bein' that wanderlust is a word egotistical maniacs be usin' to explain their lack of purpose in the world, I accept." He nodded at the hole. "First, let me get to fixin' that roof. Knew me a Dwarf, way back in Fullforge Keep who showed Gukb a thing or two 'bout woodwork."

He inspected the wooden beams arching towards the ceiling's center point; noted they were souring with moisture. Clicking his tongue, he looked back at the barber, "this buildin' is either old, or poorly put together. Ayuh, this roof wont be lastin' you another twenty winters that's fa sure. Gukb can look inta that for ya, inbetween sweepin' hair off yer pretty floor of course. Least I can do for ya kindness - BUT - I ain't foolish enough to be workin' for a master with no name."

Holding out his little green palm to the human, Gukb bowed, "Gukb, Gukb Stonebasher, of the long dead Stonebasher clan. Son of Helm only knows. Whats your name? Lest you already told me, and stupid as my memory sometimes is, I've forgotten."

"Yes, working for a master with no name, is generally considered an ill-fated idea." Elric gave a quick flourish with his right hand, spinning it around with a quick twirl and extending it out. "Elric, Elric Barber. Typically I don't engage in the dramatic flair, but, it just felt right at this moment. I will say I am not nearly as talented in the dramatic arts as a mountebank. Hm, but onto much more serious manners than me engaging in the dramatic arts..."

He glanced back up at the roof, "Well yes, Johnathan bought this place quite some-time ago. Used to be owned by a man named Gerald, who was a rather corpulent individual. He gorged himself on greasy mutton as much as he could. From what I heard those chamberpots he had, actually corroded. I know that is some silly gossip, but with Gerald it had some bit of credibility. And, funnily enough I believe his primary profession was that of a carpenter. Well, considering the fact you got through there, you should have little problem fixing it back up."

"Easy, now." James' own hand curled around the hammer at his waist. "I'm just trying to find a place to hole up tonight. I don't want my family to squat in a barn. I'm just confused on what makes a squirrel grow dog-sized is all."

"And..." he added, "My girl wants to pet you. If you'd oblige, that is."

Gukb shook Elric's hand, and drew a smile full of little incisors. "Be a real pleasure, Mister Barber. S'pose your name makes perfect sense, can't be sayin' the same fo' mine tho'. Don't go bashing stones me, not sure why anyone ever would, 'sept them Dwarves maybe."

He looked at the hole, and started to take in rough measurements in his mind. "Well, I can patch it up like, keep tha' rain out fa' now. Maybe in tha' mornin' I can get to seein' what needs doin' for it's ah, lifespan. I reckon Gerald got most'a it right, 'cus these beams be lookin' solid, 'n they'll dry like, but the tiles need lookin' at... so does tha' underlay."

Realising he was getting away with himself, Gukb turned back to Elric. "Lemme clean up here first. Only right a goblin sweeps his own hair up anyways. Ya best get on, thinkin' that Samuel fellah be owin' ya some money, aint 'e? D'worry Mr. Barber, I can work my way round a crossbow, so's I sure can be workin' my ways around a broom."

Rhone followed behind his new master obediently. As expected, he showed no signs of trying to escape. After all, where would he go? He had been a slave all his life; living on his own wasn't an option anymore.

He glanced up to see two women approaching them. The tall one that resembled his master must have been Rosa. His daughter, maybe. She was a fair in appearance, he couldn't help but notice, but Rhone hadn't forgotten why he was here in the first place. Speaking with his master's daughter outside of what was strictly allowed was bound to get him punished.

The small woman, he thought she was a dwarf or a gnome (honestly, he couldn't tell the difference), was a strange sight. She barely came up to his hips. And yet still, she spoke of him as if he were an object, showing that, despite her size, she was still over him on the social ladder.

Leaf clenched his teeth for a moment, his fingers around the crossbow tightening until he eventually sighed and closed his eyes. “Sorry…” The creature shook his head slightly and released the grip he had around the mechanic device. This wasn’t fair, he couldn’t treat every human like a murdering bandit just because of what they are. “I’ve had a rough night…” Leaf rubbed his forehead and turned towards the girl. She seemed harmless enough and while allowing her to pet the squirrel was a bit of an insult, it wasn’t like the child was trying to insult him. Jumping down from his seat, Leaf moved closer to the entrance, holstering the crossbow on his back. “Hello…” Leaf managed a soft smile for the girl.