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"H-huh?" Rick looked embarrassed. "Oh, naw, I just thought I'd try to follow your example and be more polite about it. This is actually less 'n I'd usually order." He cleared his throat. "Taking a look around sounds fine to me. Shouldn't take long, I only saw about ten houses out there."
(again. Your mercenary is very adorable)
Charlotte's eyes widened– follow her example? "Oh, uh… Right. Okay. My bad."
Silence fell again. She diligently kept at her soup, pausing only to sip her beer. "Maybe we split up, make it even faster," she said after a while.
(hee hee yes he is >w< )
"Works for me." Despite having slowed down, Rick was still almost done with his food, and now he finished it off in one fell swoop. "Right, I'm payin'. You can go on ahead, if you want, I'll catch up."
"You sure?" Charlotte asked, stood up and slinging her back onto the table to pull out the necessary cash.
"Thanks, but I'm sure," Rick said firmly, waving her off. "I'll be right out."
Silently nodding, Charlotte headed outside with her bag. She stood by the entrance of the tavern to wait, examining the village before her. If he took the far East Side and she the far West, then they could meet in the middle and leave from there.
(I gtg, seeya tomorrow!)
The village was much more quiet than the tavern. The children from earlier were still staring at Charlotte from across the muddy street, hiding behind a rickety fence. One of them worked up the courage to wave at her.
(Goodnight! =
Charlotte noticed immediately, her heart fluttering. She smiled and waved back before walking towards the gang, figuring she could start on her questioning. "Hey, kids," she called lightly.
"Hi," the brave one responded, showing off a shy, gap-toothed grin. "I'm Thomas. I live here. This town is more like a village, Dad says, but more like a settlement, Uncle Ben says. We saw you earlier when you came into town. That guy with you is really tall. I might be taller when I grow up, though. And this is my little brother Will. He's three. I'm five. How old are you?" He stopped abruptly and gazed at her with a serious expression.
(You're back!)
Charlotte stared at the child, Thomas, as he rambled on. "Well, I'm Charlotte, I'm 28," she grinned, getting to her knees to level with the kid. "Do you like living here?"
"Yeah," Thomas said offhandedly. "There's a river nearby here and we go fishing in it. Will can't fish yet, but I'm pretty good. One time we saw a huge fish but it got away. Everybody has a part of the bank that they share. One time when I was really little, like two, Uncle Ben's part caught on fire. But it's better now."
One of the other children, a girl with tousled brown hair, suddenly poked Thomas to get his attention.
"Oh yeah," he said. "Mara says she's seen you before. And that guy who was with you. She saw you at her birthday party. Where you there? I don't remember you."
Charlotte wanted to frown in confusion, but she went for a calmer approach to the kids. Switching her gaze from Thomas to Mara, she spoke to the girl. "Is that so? When was your birthday?"
"Don't remember," the girl replied, hiding behind her hair. "I saw you guys and you had a dragon and I got to pet it and I think it was maybe a dream. Or do you have a dragon?"
(you excellent storyteller you)
Charlotte's smile froze in place, and she lowered her voice. "Was this a while ago?"
(awww shucks XD)
"I think so. You were…um…..as old as me, I think. The dragon was pink and purple and it could talk. The tall man was a knight. Right?"
"Mara!" A harried-looking woman suddenly came out of the house and walked over to them. "Are you kids bothering this young woman?" She offered Charlotte a polite smile. "Sorry about them, they don't meet strangers very often."
(ahh wait do Deorns talk… I think I misunderstood something)
(They do but this kid ain't talking about one, she legitimately just had a dream ^^; Sorry if I was being very confusing there, I'm trying to practice writing little kids and it's difficult X'D )
(noo I just got confused, your kids are very convincing)
"Of course they aren't," Charlotte kindly assured the woman, with a wider smile than she'd worn for a good few years. "We were just talking, but I'll let you be on your way."
(Aw ty XD)
The woman seemed relieved. "Of course. Thank-you. Mara, Thomas, you have chores to do. Will, come inside with me, all right? You can help me cook."
Just then Rick arrived, tipping his cap amiably at the woman. "Okay," he said to Charlotte. "Sorry that took so long. Find anything interesting yet?"
Charlotte eyed the family as they headed away, nodding slowly for Rick's benefit. "Apparently the Sandman has used our identities," she said to the retreating silhouette of Thomas and his mother. Then, turning to face Rick. "Isn't that right, Knight Rick?" she teased, already heading for the town center.
Rick looked confused for a second, then chuckled. "I have an uncle who's a psychologist. He used to tell us that when you're a kid, you're real busy learnin' how to recognize faces, but sometimes it goes overboard a bit." He sighed. "I miss bein' able to hang out with my nieces and nephews back home…..they were the best comedians I ever met."
(eeeh I got to go to bed, gnight <3)
"I miss children. When I was working with them day after day, it was some of the best times I've ever had, despite the context."
She was clearly softening, pulling beloved moments from tangles of memories she'd only ever tried to repress. "I remember once…"
And just those words brought tears to her eyes. Shaking off the memory, she turned away from Rick. "Anyway, never mind. I'm going to head to the Easternmost spot, start on questioning. Meet you here in a bit."
(Night! ^^)
Rick noticed her sudden shift in mood, and watched her go with sadness in his gaze. "I'll see you," he called, then headed off in the opposite direction, determined to make this quick.
Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.
She marched to the farthest house, running up their front steps and forcefully knocking on their door. No answer. She knocked again.
(I was thinking maybe we each play the people the other are questioning?)
(Sounds good. I do have an idea for that guy who was staring at them in the tavern, btw, so you'll probably meet him again pretty soon)
The door slowly opened and a very old woman poked her head out. "If you're here to arrest me, I haven't done anything wrong in almost twenty years," she said in a wobbly yet indignant voice. "don't make me break my streak. And if you're here to sell me something, I'm afraid to say that my dog has more money than me, so go sell him a bone or something."
(WHO IS THIS WOMAN)
Charlotte blinked in surprise once, twice, before regaining her composure and offering the woman a reassuring hand shake. "Nothing of the sort, ma'am. I'd just like to ask you a few questions, and I don't even have to come in."
(I WISH I KNEW, SHE JUST APPEARED IN MY HEAD)
"Oh….well in that case, carry on." The woman took a cane from a bucket near the door and leaned on it with dignity. "What would you like to know?"
"How long have you lived here?" Charlotte started, clearing a space in the center of her mind to stock the coming information.
The woman squinted thoughtfully. "Ohh, since I was maybe fifty-two, and I'm probably about eighty now. When this town first started, there were three houses and a barn. That nasty tavern didn't get built for another five years or so, although I admit it did draw a few more settlers. And that's how I met my dearly departed husband, so I suppose I can't really complain."