"I think this calls for a celebration", Rotemdol says, "Lulmyra has certainly earned a good meal. You are all invited to celebrate with me and Lulmyra. Any suggestion for where we should eat?"
"What about the Ford Inn?", Banjo suggests, "I think they've got their bluefish special today. There was a cart belonging to Ulore the Fishmonger outside the rear door this morning. And I saw Ransall the cook at Mialda's yesterday afternoon, buying spices. Ransall's Fish Special is legendary".
"Lulmyra doesn't like spicy food", Ayruna snorts.
"It's not that spicy!", Banjo says, "Unless you order the dish he calls 'The Flamelance'. Guardians know what he puts in that!".
Ayruna eventually agrees, and the four of them journey to Inn. Ayruna, still frail from her illness, walks slowly, so the it takes a while to arrive. The inn is busy, and they have to wait a while for a table, before another group of diners leave, vacating one.
They discuss where they might be housed; the rooms they'd been renting have been empty for the time the family have been living in the temple, but it will be let to someone else if the rent isn't paid within the next few days. Apart from Lulmyra and Ayruna, there is a younger brother, Teyrath, only eight years old.
Ayruna has had some basic education; she's been taught to read and write, and the basics of numeracy, as all guild children are. It turns out her parents were jewellers, and she's been taught the basics of fine metalworking. Ayruna remains tight-lipped over what happened to her parents; Lulmyra knows little, and Teyrath, probably for the better, is too young to remember anything about them.
Rotemdol looks around to see if there are any familiar faces in the crowd. He recognises a few faces that often turn up at his shows, plus the Zul and the enigmatic Gerryn. Just as the Zul is served a portion of the fish special, Gerryn get up and leaves. Some date he turned up to be!
Rotemdol discusses lodging with the two sisters. Rotemdol suggests a couple of places near The Dragon, in the mostly human occupied Farside ward. Ayruna doesn't like the idea; although it's much cheaper than their present lodgings, she doesn't want to live surrounded entirely by humans.
Rotemdol turns to Ayruna again.
"I can try to check with the ownership in the Dragon and with some friends to see if they can make use of your skills in return for meals for you and Teyrath and some change. I understand you can keep books, write invitations and some such. would you like me to try?".
"It's better that what you were doing before", he sister tells her.
"Once I'm well enough to leave the temple, perhaps", she says, non-comittally.
After everyone has eaten a little Rotemdol raises a toast to Lulmyra.
"I hope to see the day when you surpass the promise I see in you, I hope one day to be able to say "look, there is Lulmyra, she was my student, I taught her everything I knew and now there is no one better".
"That won't be for a few years", Lulmyra says.
"You see the women eating the fish over there with the brown wig?" Rotemdol asks.
"Yes, I've seen her before", says Ayruna, "Even if most humans look alike".
"Yesterday at the Dragon, before our performance, she was having a confrontation with a local hood because he did not treat his date respectfully, at least I think that was the reason"
Ayruna frowns.
"Anyway, she comes to him and them throws him to the ground using a sacrifice throw, perfectly timed, and pins him. Looking at her you would never suspect that she had it in her. And I thought that I knew all the people in the city who train regularly..."
"Humans are strong. And many of them are bad and like fighting", Ayruna says.
Rotemdol gets up and approaches Zul and asks. "Did you find out how the fire started?"
Zul pushes her plate away and smiles. "Hey, Stretch. Aw, you know. Rumours. Conspiracy theories. Zarandar crap. The usual". Zul eyes Ayruna. She nods at the girl. "Kinda young for you, ain't she?" Her grin broadens wickedly.
"Beggars can"t be choosers" Rotemdol replies with a straight face. "You know at my age ... Well actually we are celebrating Lulmyra - the younger sister start of apprenticeship with me. She is amazing; excellent coordination, no fear".
"I wanted to ask you" Rotemdol adds " Me and Banjo" pointing in Banjo direction where wandering who taught you this sacrifice move you used so nicely on Klarrash? I thought I knew every Kalmas practitioner in town".
"You sure it's a Kalmas move?", Banjo asks, "There are some weird and dangerous cults in the mountains with some, um, interesting styles. And some of them are made up of women. Maybe there's more to this girl than meets the eye?".
Zul shrugs. "Oh, you know, just kind of picked up little bit a' this, little bit a' that."
She arches her eyebrows at Rotemdol's comment about the apprenticeship. "Hm. So, you're gonna take some sweet young thing and teach her how to... perform." Zul rests her elbows on the table and clasps her hands together -- making the pommel of the small throwing knife up her sleeve obvious to Rotemdol, but no one else. She perches her chin on her hands, gazing enigmatically up at the black-clad kandar. "Yeah. I had me one of them apprenticeships, too."
"Y'know, if you need another sparring partner for her, or whatever -- or maybe, say, a lovely assistant for some private party you've booked, just let me know. I think I can help you out."
"True, I do need an assistant from time to time" Rotemdol replies " I have no doubt that you have no fear of crowds, which is good but I know nothing of your skill. Would you be interested in going to the training ground to show me or will a private training hall suite you better? By the way, in the private parties it is a requirement to be polite. Can you try it for an hour just to show me that you can?"
"Ooh!" she smiles broadly and gives an exaggerated shiver of excitement. "You wanna rassle with li'l ol' me?" She pauses, still smiling, but dropping the sarcasm. "That's fair. Didn't have to show you much last night, schooling some bravos and a fat drunk. And who told you I'm not polite? Give me a name, so I can go kick his ass." She beams and downs the last of her beer. "What's your schedule like today? I might have a couple of stops to make before our little date. Or maybe you wanna come with?" She waits for his reply.
"I was thinking" Rotemdol replies "that after we finish our little celebration I will take the girls back to the temple. Then I have to ask Minene to find some decent place for them not too far from the Dragon. In two hours or so I will probably be done and go to train at Banjo's place in the Ant-Hill, just above the twisted candle. If you don"t know the place, ask any kid where to find me. "
Rotemdol pauses and adds "If you happen to know how to use knives, and have some nice ones, you probably should bring them along. Any other weapon for that matter"
"Tell you what," Zul declares, rising and dropping some coins on the table. "You give me a few pointers on chucking steel, and maybe I'll show you how to use a nirvork for something besides chasing butterflies." She heads out. "See you at your mates, then."
She walks towards the docks to see if she can meet up with the gimp who works for Rataxe.
"You mean this trophy?" Rotemdol replies pointing to his fancy nirvork " I recall learning how to use it, even won the silver nirvork for the fifth once. [ooc: first place in the legion, if Rotemdol is not lying, means very high skill] A very fancy weapon but once you learn how to use a knife.... Anyway, see you later at Banjo's"
After finishing the meal, Rotemdol will go back to the Dragon with his routine, set the wheels in motion about finding lodging for his new apprentice and put them back in the temple. Then Rotemdol will go to Banjo's and start training.