[ Voice, Action ] "You lost today, kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it."

[talentsgirl]

[Molly debated, but in the end, didn't lock this post from Harry. It was as good as a note slipped under his door, really.]

Hey, Luceti, here's a crazy question. Does anyone know the best path up to the mountains? I hear there's a lake up there I'd like to see. And does the Welcome Center keep those really good maps in stock, the ones that are a bit more in detail than the one in the journal?

And here's a slightly less crazy question - if there's anyone feel like filling in an inquiring mind and have a chat over a cold one, I'd love to know some more about these missions everyone keeps going on. Even if it was about the more recent one, or about one of the ones we can sign up for, there's nothing like first hand experience. I'll be in the Good Spirits from 1-3 if there's any takers.

[And that is exactly where she will be, sitting at the bar or on one of the tables, looking friendly over a cold one... which will originally be an iced tea. She may upgrade, depending on the conversation and the conversate-ee.

After her time in the Good Spirits, hopefully chatting with friendly, informative folk and if not spent poured over a very old-looking book and a village map (hopefully someone will help her get her hands on one of the Nami editions), she'll head to the Item Shop and finish picking out her camping gear. After being exposed to some serious bad news magic, she hasn't been quite herself. And this dusty old book and a remembered conversation with Shiro once upon a time has given her an idea.]

Comments

[greenjacketed]

"Went with the Captain again, and another sailor of his knowing."

Sharpe tapped the table once and then made a vague gesture at the barmaid for a drink. He didn't want to look her in the eyes, either. Not after that sad sad tale Jack told him. Luckily, the girl'd simply understand that he wanted some ale and not a scene need to be made of it.

Softer: "Sorry I didn't tell you. It all happened a bit suddenly, and..."

And he hadn't been ready. Not yet. But Jack's despair made him braver, today. "And it weren't nothing dangerous."

[talentsgirl]

A tactile girl, Molly reached out a hand to brush her fingertips against his shoulder before letting her hand rest on the table without a second thought. Possibly, she should have thought twice. Her voice was serious and low.

"You don't owe me anything, Richard."

He'd needed his time. She could understand that.

[greenjacketed]

Not for lack of trying, he'd told Sparrow. It hadn't been so true, had it? He'd backed off, the moment he'd learned. Not in disgust or revulsion but in confusion. And he couldn't even be certain whether the lass realized that...

Sharpe licked his bottom lip in a rare show of nerves. Where was that bloody drink?

"We, err, taught soldiers. Drilled'em. Urged them into shape."

Through thick jacket and thin linen, he would swear he could feel his shoulder burn. Right where she brushed him.

[talentsgirl]

He still wasn't looking at her.

Her tone of voice is slower now, as if she was testing ice, "Soldiers from where?"

[greenjacketed]

"Recruits from other villages, I suppose."

Enclosures. That was the word. But he didn't like it much. Village worked much better.

[talentsgirl]

She frowned a little in thought. "Recruits for what? Self-defense or their armies?"

[greenjacketed]

"Both."

Now, his eyes lifted. "So a man or a woman might survive one of their drafts, lass."

[talentsgirl]

And Molly suddenly found the tabletop fascinating. "Oh."

A long pause as she tried not to consider what very much needed considering.

"I didn't know they recruited from other enclosures for their drafts."

[greenjacketed]

"Neither did I. But those recruits were in a sorry state. I didn't need any fancy future gun skills to see that they needed help or they were bound to be nothing but artillery fodder."

He shrugged. Finally, the tiny blonde deposited a tankard at his elbow. Sharpe grumbled some vaguely-almost-barely friendly obligations and she left in a little huff.

[talentsgirl]

Artillery fodder. There was a horrible thought. She closed her eyes for the briefest moment.

"I see."

And then she glanced up at him, "Were you able to help?"

[greenjacketed]

Bloody stupid brave man that he was, he tried to catch her eye.

"...Aye. Yes. No question of it." It wasn't boasting; it was fact. "It's something I'm known for, back in the army. Put Sharpe on a company you want to see brought to field readiness, for he can do it without floggin'em."

[talentsgirl]

She allowed their gaze to meet for a moment, a heartbeat. And then she turned away before it had a chance to become anything more. "I'm glad."

Flogging. And again she felt the distance of time between them - that he'd say something like that as a matter of course.

"That you were able to help them, I mean."

And about the whole 'not flogging' bit.

[greenjacketed]

Sharpe fancied he'd done better than the pirate and the navyman combined but...but he wouldn't tell them so. And he wouldn't tell Molly, either. How was he to know how much of that opinion was pride and how much was fact?

"You're not thinking of going on one yerself, are you? One of their missions?"

[talentsgirl]

She shrugged one shoulder. "Not any time soon, but someday, maybe. And in the meantime, there's this whole world going on out there that I don't know anything about."

And how was she supposed to put a puzzle together without even all of the available pieces?

[greenjacketed]

"Then someday, maybe, you'd do me the honour of asking an old soldier along?"

He tried not to sound like a busy-body. It didn't work so well. It rang especially unfair after he'd been off thinking for so long.

[talentsgirl]

Her eyebrows winged their way upwards at the unexpected gallantry.

Well.

"I think you'd probably be bored to tears. I'm no fighter. The ones I'm most likely to sign up for probably all take place in a library."

Or a cargo hold. Or a bunch of ruins.

[greenjacketed]

"Ah. Well," he hemmed and hawed and took a deep drink.

"It's a blessing that I'm not cowed by a bunch of dusty shelves, then."

[talentsgirl]

She rested her elbow on the table and propped her chin in her hand, "Why would you want to come, anyway?"

[greenjacketed]

"...I could use the points?"

[talentsgirl]

Her eyebrows winged up in quiet skepticism, and she watched him, waiting. Nope, not letting you off the hook this time.

[greenjacketed]

"...It wouldn't be so awful. Seein' how the other half do it."

It's unclear just what other half he's talking about. Women? Magic-users? Civilians?

[talentsgirl]

It was very, very unclear. Molly leaned back and crossed her arms under her chest, a light smirk playing at her lips.

"So - what. I'll go and do all the work and you'll watch?"

She was teasing.

[greenjacketed]

"Never, Molly. You'd doubtlessly put me to work. Browbeat me with your books, I'll bet."

Ah. Teasing was nice. Teasing was comfortable. Maybe they could just ease into that and forget all about everything...else.

[talentsgirl]

"Who me?" She tilted her head and smiled, "In a heartbeat."

[greenjacketed]

Sharpe took another sip and leaned forward to tap her map.

"Before that, though -- what's all this about? Eh?"