C Traveling Merchant (w/secretsparrow)

[Lovebite]

The man looked young, though he had been on the road for at least a decade already, he had stopped aging ever since he was changed and so he took to the road as not to arouse suspicion in his old home town. He sometimes wondered how he would look as an older man, he was in his twenties and could grow a beard, but it wasn't the same as watching his once dark hair grow grey with time. Howard stopped at his usual merchant, powering off his horse at the entrance and grabbing his bags as he went through the automatic doors of the family owned business. Dropping the heavy bags at the door and removing his gloves and hat before tucking them under his arm, waiting for the line to die down before he approached the counter. His sea blue eyes shifted from side to side and he licked his lips, not exactly liking such a confined space with a group of people. He half expected the shop owners soon to come and mess with him, asking him questions about his life and adventures, he sighed quietly in wait.

[secretsparrow]

Aden had grown up in this town and had worked in this small shop all his life. It wasn't so bad, he didn't hate it or anything but after so long he had come to find it boring. There were vary few new or interesting things that came threw the doors of the shop. Aden heard the door open and after a few moments came to the front of the shop. Aden stood about 6'5 with short brown hair and green eyes. He was dressed casually in jeans and a black T-shirt. "Hello, hows it going?" Aden asked looking over the counter at the other male.

[Lovebite]

Howard looked up at the taller male, raising his eyebrow just slightly, it being rare that he met anyone taller than most people or even himself as he was 5'10" The older man smiled slightly,"Fine."he said in reply, as he placed the baggage he carried onto the counter,"You sprouted up."he mentioned, though didn't elaborate as he began unraveling the rope from around the bag top to show the son of his dealer what he had this time which was a bag of grains, a bag of salt, and another bag which he would leave up to the boy's father to deal with.

[secretsparrow]

Aden looked over everything. "How much do you want for it?" He asked smiling lightly noting the merchants comment. He had grown in the last few months though he was sure this was probably as tall as he would get now. "You haven't been around in awhile, how is everything?" He asked as he picked up each bag and brought it to a scale to be weighed.

[Lovebite]

Howard shrugged,"As much as you'll give me."he watched him as he watched him silently, glancing back over his shoulder and noticing that the store was clearing out some. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"he sighed, the time flew by like the hours in the day, like the weather,"Fine."he said again, though it had been a while since he felt rain on his face. You would think a traveler like him would feel every aspect of the weather, maybe he was just not remembering correctly, though he did remember correct etiquette at least,"How have you been?"he didn't realize this was the longest conversation he's had with anyone in a while.

[secretsparrow]

"Fine, same old stuff really." He ended up paying about 100 for the two bags but he left the 3rd. "I'll have my father look at it later and price it. He is out at the moment but you're staying for a bit right? You can drop by tomorrow and i should know what to offer you." Aden was old enough to make his own choices yet he let the job to his dad because he knew he would prefer to do it.

Aden searched his mind for something else to talk about, "So where did you go?" he asked leaning on the counter and smiling up at Howard.

[Lovebite]

He gave a curt nod when he mentioned his father, looking at his data holder on the back of his wrist and agreeing with the payment of a hundred credits before grabbing his hat and gloves again,"I guess I am." Howard replied,"No point in leaving without the job being done."he licked his lips as he watched the bag he had brought in for a moment, he hated staying in one place too long though it was needed,"There is an inn around 'ere right?" He met the boys eyes, they were a nice color, reminded him of something in his younger years.

The man trusted him with the bag, the family had a good reputation with him and he liked them, at least a little,"Here and there."he cleared his throat, knowing that the boy just looked to be friendly and so he looked to return the favor. Despite how awkward he was himself,"Ever been east? They have these...buildings that float above everything... It's nice to look at, but I usually hate the city so I don't stay long."He trailed off and looked away, almost hoping for another customer to come and save him from conversation, though there was no one and so he was forced to stay and be polite.

[secretsparrow]

Aden's eyes went wide at the mention of the city. "I've never been there but I've heard about it, I always wanted to go." He was grinning at the mention of it, floating buildings it sounded so strange yet amazing, magical. He shook his head turning his attention back to the other question. "Yea it's just up the road, It's quiet here I could show you if you want." Aden said, besides the face he was sure the traveler could find it on his own, he wanted to be helpfull.

[Lovebite]

Howard watched how Aden's eyes lit up with what he said, he wasn't used to having that affect on people and wasn't exactly sure how he felt about being able to do it to this boy... this young man... He nodded when he mentioned showing him,"If it's okay."he replied and pulled on his gloves then placed his worn hat on his head,"I'll tell you more stories, if you want."he added and began to make his way outside of the shop, pressing a button on his horse that compacted it into a small cube and then placing it into his pocket before pulling his personal bag onto his back.

[secretsparrow]

Aden nodded and locked up the show before he began leading the male towards the inn. "Sure, I'de love to hear more stories." HE said as they walked. The town here was pretty small and you could walk across the whole city in an hour. It was a poor district and many here didn't have a lot of money however, they were kind and there was not a lot of crime in the area despite all of that. The Inn stood atop a hill it was one of the biggest buildings in the city it was made to look old but in all realty it had only been built a few years back.

[Lovebite]

Howard thought about what stories he could tell the other man for a moment, as he looked over the small town with endless comfort being within its vicinity, for once he thought about living in a place like this one. As his eyes came to look at Aden while they traveled at a casual pace,"The cities, they are so over populated, that's why they make the floating buildings... A lot of cities have that now."he exhaled with a slight shrug, getting sick of his own voice for a while and listening to the pebbles crunch beneath their feet,"You've never been out of this place have you?"he asked him, looking up again and waiting for an answer.

[secretsparrow]

"No, unfortunately." Aden said softly. "I've wanted to but I haven't been able to yet. Someday though... Thats all you do is travel isn't it? You must see some really cool things." They walked for awhile but eventually reached the Inn, Aden paused at the front door. "Well.. I guess I'll just see you tomorrow then?" He didn't want to fallow Howard unless he was invited.

[Lovebite]

Howard felt... something for Aden, most likely pity as he nodded at his question,"Mostly."he said and stopped as he looked at him for a moment,"Yes, but, I think I want to show you something." The man then pushed open the inn door,"If you could bare with me."he added and adjusted his bag on his back, moving his head in a gesture for the younger man to follow him,"C'mon." It didn't take long to buy a room and get to it, he was silent along the way and opened the door for Aden to walk in first, which he was sure that the other would follow him and his instructions.

[secretsparrow]

Aden stepped into the room looking around, it was pretty nice but Howard had been a bit lucky the inn was nearly filled when he got the room. That was the thing about this town. IT was poor, and survived mostly on trade and supplies that came threw. So despite the fact that it was small finding a traveler that was wandering threw was not to uncommon. "So, what did you want to show me?"

[Lovebite]

Howard placed his bag on the chair beside the bed and began digging through it, glancing up when Aden spoke almost as if he had forgotten he was there with him. "Sit there."he nodded to the bed and removed a thick journal of some sort, rubbing his nose and then taking a seat on the bed as well,"I have holograms if you're interested." The man said as he opened up the journal, holograms were like the photos of this timeline,"What have you always been interested in?"he asked curiously, turning himself so he faced the young man slightly more, meeting his eyes.

[secretsparrow]

"Everything." Aden chuckled "But mostly the mountains, I've heard a lot of stories about those places and the creatures that live there. Also the cave systems always seemed interesting." Aden was drawn to adventure, yet he had never really been able to leave. HE would someday, he promised himself but not yet, not quiet yet. HE sat down next to Howard and looked over the holograms with him.

[Lovebite]

Howard smiled softly, a genuine smile as he nodded,"Mountains, of course."he nodded some, flipping through the pages in his old journal. "Creatures?"he looked up slightly when he mentioned it, trying not to seem to thoughtful about this subject as he attempted to avoid it actually. Though his nonchalant mention of it might just have started the unwanted conversation,"I'm sure there's other less...risky places for beginning travelers like you."He said, handing over the holograms he had taken years back of the largest mountain in their country,"I'm sure you've heard my cave stories when I came a while back, yeah?"

[secretsparrow]

"Yea, creatures there are a lot of people that come threw here telling stories about it. I don't know how true they are but the stories are often good." Aden said with a shrug. He was fascinated with the pictures watching them and asking questions every so often. "I think I might have heard a few of them yea, but not all. Even if I did hear them already I like stories." Aden was clearly happy looking at all of this with Howard. "Maybe sometime I could go with you." He spoke, without really thinking much of it. IT was just a simple statement he wasn't even sure how serious he was about it.

[Lovebite]

Howard didn't ask more, he simply let the young man scour through the holograms he had and when Aden asked questions he answered them in his short phrases. Not much of a man with words, though he liked doing this, just a little more than he should have. It surprised him though when he mentioned leaving with him,"I..."he huffed and nodded some,"I would like to take you sometime too." He placed a hand on his back lightly, not too high and not too low, it was a natural movement, though he didn't realize what else it had meant.

[secretsparrow]

"Where haven't you been yet" Aden decided to continue with the idea "We can go someplace where it's new for both of us, an adventure that would be cool... of course anywhere outside of this town would pretty much be new to me." He chuckled lightly still not sure he meant what he was saying or that Howard was serious about taking him but he liked the idea of it and as they continued he found himself leaning just a bit closer to the quiet man next to him.