RP:Pesky Customers

Summary: Syrri bumps into Thamalys, presently trying to assess the reliability of a costly piece of armour - in a very Avian-like fashion. Upon a rather innocent comment of the halfling about the past Titans of Winter tournament, the Blue decides to put the Tiny Warrior to the test - with mixed results. On the verge of being shoved out of the shop by a definitely fuming Eleenin, a halfling by the name of Zedidiah joins the mix…

Frostmaw: The Frosty Herb and Armor

Thamalys was thoroughly intent to repeatedly smash what seemed to be a massive piece of metal against one of the wooden timbers that supported the whole of the store. Again and again the Spellblade went, while a rather bewildered Frost Giant, presently standing beyond the counter, arms crossed and bearded face oscillating in disdain, witnessed in silence. Not that he had another option, as the noise was just unbelievable - imagine a carriage full of pottery crashing into a brick wall, only to do the same a split second after, never to wind up. For one thing, it seemed that the space was enough, for once, to fit the huge shapes of the Avian - something that he must had appreciated. Clad in black, leathery pants and loose shirt, the latter missing the right sleeve but boasting a beautiful embroidering of stars throughout, the Blue had eyes for whatever he was trying to break, the mass of his waist-long white dreadlocks swaying ominously in between the very roots of those immense wings, neatly folded and yet twitching from time to time in response to the blows.

Syrri was in Frostmaw again for one reason and one reason only - to seek out the elusive priestess who healed her all those months ago during the tournament here. Their only rendezvous had been at the healer's room directly south of the herb and armor shop, and now the petite female stood in its massive shadow, dual-colored eyes blinking rapidly as she soaked in the towering form of Thamalys. She recognized him as an entrant in the tournament, but she'd never gotten a proper chance to meet the avian until now. Leaving a wide berth around the winged man, Syrri's azure-and-chestnut eyes bounced between Thamalys and Eleenin and back again as she folded her arms over her chest, deciding on whether or not she should intervene. Each clang of metal against wood caused the whole structure to shudder, snow and dust falling into the street and onto the floor and sprinkling a fine layer all over the disgruntled Frost Giant and the Lilliputian axeling both. "Um." The halfling cleared her throat, unfolding her arms to settle them on her narrow hips, Fate and Luck hanging from them within a few hairs of her grasp should the need arise. "You got a thorn in yer side, mister?" she eventually piped up, canting her head to one side in a way that allowed the shoulder-length locks of silver to fall over her face, the light of the shop glinting off the shaved half of her head. "I reckon you need some help'r something?"

Thamalys took notice of the tiny frame of the Warrior by mere chance, as one particularly nasty blow managed to put the Blue off balance - thus forcing him to take a half step back. In that very moment, the Axeling inquired, hence the Spellblade stopped his next knock mid-air and listened. Solid blue eyes nailed into the mismatched one some solid distance below his cranium, the Winged Beast canted the latter by a tiny bit to the right, before offering answer, the countless ivy leaves and branches covering his pale skin dancing with his breath, possibly a bit elaborated at this very time. "Help?" he simply sort of stated in a deep, rough voice, a single eyebrow lifting before moving swiftly on. "I very much doubt you would be able to provide any, Ma'am. See, I was merely trying to figure out whether this breastplate would really be worth the outrageous lump of gold this gentlemen here says he does… black metal, aye? Light and strong, but you only need the tiniest of the creaks, and whoever you are standing against would have had you torn into pieces already. Ah, well, what can you possibly… oh, wait…" he suddenly halted his rant, eyes narrowing to the extent of thin, sharp slits. "I believe I know you… do I not? And if that's the case, I may very well be in need of offering you an apology after all… you lost to Shishi at the Tournament, did you not?"

Syrri regarded Thamalys similarly, a pale brow rising. "First of all," she started with a wry smirk, "don't call me 'Ma'am,' I ain't an old maid." Silvery hair or not, she was closer to the equivalent of late-twenties/early-thirties as far as halflings go. "Second of all, pretty sure Eleenin here is the armor expert you came to see, not the other way around." The scar-faced female jutted out a hip, lifting her arms to cross them over her chest again, a pure picture of attitude in a package just over three feet tall. "And thirdly, I woulda beat him if I wanted to," she added, albeit her tone was playful more than bitter. "Beat everyone else, didn't I?" She squinted at him, smirking, "Got further than you, at least."

Thamalys blinked once, her rebuke failing to impress his absolute Avian logic. And yet, by that time in Frostmaw, and even more so in Larket, to be fair, he knew that he was the one with the odd manners - and not the other way around. "Of course your not" he commented in an undertone, shifting his weight from one leg to another, eventually placing that piece of armour still in his right hand onto the wooden floor. "Oh, I am sure he's an expert - he is also a brilliant salesman, though…" he added in the flattest tone one could have possibly imagined. If the Giant took any form of offence, nobody could have told - still as frosty stone he remained, albeit his eyes did tell a different story. As per the cocky claim, the Blue spent quite a moment in silence, as if pondering the odds. "As per the Tournament… why, I have no regrets at all - Leoxander fought bravely and brilliantly, and bards are singing about it already. On a different note, though…" and here he came closer to her, sort of assessing her figure with a note of curiosity, before leaning his massive frame in order to manage and whisper in an undertone the following into her ear, the one which did not have any hair in the way. "Well, maybe you would have beat him, maybe you would have not… let's find out!" he sort of yelled, suddenly taking a step back and swaying his whole right arm from his side up into the air, a huge gush of blue flames pouring from his hand, in less than an instant shaping themselves as a fairly angry kite, his feathery not to mention burning figure swiftly aiming - or so it would seem - right in between the eyes of the Tiny Warrior, as if that very magic could not decide what colour it would have loved to rip first.

Syrri considered Thamalys' words with a shrewd stare of heterochromia, all the while thinking maybe the giant bird was a little off his rocker. And then came his challenge, like a fiery blue burst that came charging for her face. She only had a moment to step back before the arcana rushed right through her, in between her eyes, out the back of her head, as if she never stood in its path in the first place, although she gulped in a fresh lungful of air. Eleenin was less than pleased by this display, the Frost Giant hovering nearby but not intervening; he'd seen the halfling fight before himself and had seen her through her recuperation. "What in the nine hells are you thinking?" Syrri shot back, hands falling instinctively to the pommels of Luck and Fate as whatever remained of Thamalys's so-called attack had zero effect on her; the same could not be said for some of the herbal pots situated behind her, which now singed and smoked at the behest of the magic kite. "Are you -mad-? I oughta clock you right here and now!" she threatened, grip flexing around one of the handaxes. "You can't just go around throwing magic at people!" Even if said magic did nothing to actually ruffle so much as a hair on her head.

Thamalys limited himself to outstretch his left toward the similarly towering mass of Eleenin. "Utterly sorry for that. I shall be sure to remedy - and I believe I will, after all order some ten of those breastplates…" Such a neutral tone he showed, he would have irritated a priestess in the middle of the vespers. Furthermore, he never let throughout his speech his gaze wonder anywhere else than upon the silvery head of the halfling - at all. "I would not say I could not… possibly I - should - not, but I tend not to care about these petty details. I do value bold claims from tiny people, though - and I believe I just heard a second one, aye? Clock - me- , I hear you say? You re most welcome, my little friend…" he went, while something not too dissimilar from a grin surfaced upon his pale, bony face, two whole steps back taking, now, while sort of reassuring the Giant in between. "Now, now, whatever happens, you'll be sure I'll pay for it… just stand down, please…". And with that, a metallic, clinking sound broke the already quite noisy atmosphere, as the rim of the Blue's wing twitched and arched, shooting a deadly curtain of silvery-clad feathers across the room, once more putting to the test the Tiny Warrior. Imagine a gigantic blade coming from side to side - cutting everything in between. An expression of pure pain painted in his eyes, the Avian did not flinched, though, as he forced his very body to follow that dire move. Meanwhile, those piercing blue eyes never stop staring…

Syrri huffed out a growl, lips curling into a grin. "That's right, don't think I won't!" Another attack came at her, this time palpably slicing through the air on a flurry of mercurial blades of bird-leaves; what was this guy's issue? Perhaps he didn't like that someone less than half his size was so much better? Well, small in stature or not, she had a few tricks up her sleeves. If the bird wanted a fight, well, she'd give him one! It didn't take much for her to duck under the aerial assault, diving under a table and belly-crawling to the other side of it. "You -are- mad!" It was a matter of fact now. Azure and chestnut fixed on the avian as Fate was pulled back, her hand loose around the pommel; chucking it forward, the weighted ax spun butt over pommel, arcing through the air at an alarming rate. It whistled right for Thamalys' wing even as Syrri sprinted forward in its wake. Luckily for Tham, however, Eleenin needed only take a single step out from behind the counter, snatching up the plucky upstart by the back collar of her cuirass. "No fighting here," the Frost Giant bellowed, hoisting the halfling off her feet as she kicked them out from under her. "Put me down!" she demanded, swinging her small fists at him. He obliged, setting her carefully down as if she was as light as the feathers Thamalys tried to slice her open with and sent Thamalys a warning glower. "Take yer fight outside," the shaman added, his tumultuous glare daring either brawler to object. Syrri did not, as Fate plunked harmlessly into the wall, and she moved to retrieve it, securing it to her belt again before turning toward Thamalys. "I don't fight for free," she lied, holding her chin high in indignation. "So you're lucky this time." Despite the tone of her words, the halfling's dual-colored eyes shimmered with challenge and amusement.

Thamalys watched the blade carving its smooth path through the air - and did not move, as he righteously trusted Artia's magic: whether or not the axe would have met his wing, the silvery enchantment of the now Vampiric Witch would have sufficed. In any case, it would have seemed the halfling wanted to play nicely enough, the blade eventually sinking into the wooden panels beyond the enormous shapes of the Winged Beast. He nodded, once. "Quick and precise, fair enough. Against Shishi, though? I still cannot tell. Alright, alright, Eleenin, we'll go now. I will be in touch regarding that order. Do you reckon you could get me ten in less than five moons, maybe?" he went casually enough, as if nothing noteworthy ever happened at all. "Out, Avian! Out, I say - I care not about what The Queen would say, I - am - going to skewer you if you do not! Out!" he bellowed the Giant, one massive arm raising. To which, the Spellblade eventually yield. "As you wish…" and with a stiff bow, he would have followed the halfling outside, not before having furled his right wing, presently falling into place with a neat metallic note - albeit even him had to sigh in order to ease the pain he still spiked through his shoulder. "After you, then…" he offered the Winged beast, gallantly propping the door open while waving some salutation to the fuming Giant.

Zedidiah bursts into the room through the aforementioned door, almost waddling around his round, swaying belly and rubbing his hands together before the 2'7" halfling walks directly into Thamalys' knee. "So cold out there, who would've. .Urp! Wha..." the halfling looks up, then up more, until his head is tilted all the way back. "Oh. Pardon me sir, I thought you were a support column."

Syrri dusted herself off, eyeing Eleenin and Thamalys with those dual-colored eyes and a bit of a scowl. "Awright, awright," she mumbled, making sure both axes were once more secured to her belt (always double-checking that, she was). But before she, too, departed the herb and armor shop, Zedidiah's rotund form barrelled into Thamalys's knees, inspiring an unexpected chuckle to burst forth from the halfling. "Psh, tall people!" she grunted, sending a wink to the slightly-shorter stranger. He was right, though — it was awfully cold out there, and she glanced past the menfolk toward the icy tundra that was the city of war. And then her initial reason for coming to Frostmaw resurfaced in her brain, as one particular 'tall person' had her on a quest for answers. Sidling up toward the angry Frost Giant, she pried him for answers after the whereabouts of Leone but was disappointed to find the priestess hadn't been seen in weeks. Frowning, she withdrew, azure-and-chestnut swiveling in curiosity toward Zedidiah and giving him a thorough once-over. "Huh."

Thamalys was perfectly unamused by the bumpy entrance of yet another Halfling. "A column? By the Wind…" he muttered, actual sparks of gold building quickly into the otherwise flawless blue of his eyes, before Eleenin thought necessary to clear his throat, offering a clear hint for the Spellblade about what the Giant was expecting the Avian to do still. As such, the Winged Beast duly executed said implicit command - why, he even find time to put to the test his manners, for once. "No harm done, good Sir. In you go…" he noted while short of shoving Zedidiah into the room. "Bloody wingless creatures…" he concluded in a whisper that mostly died in between his clenched teeth, while squeezing the awful mass of his wings through the entrance and then eventually finding the comfort of the icy air on his skin. Barefooted as usual, he savoured the feeling of those tiny flakes of almost-snow, flocking around him like faithful friends of old, before with a single swooping motion of those shiny hangings the Blue went for climbing the sky once more, in a swirl of greyish haze vanishing into the murky air.

Zedidiah dusts himself off, glancing back at Thamalys and muttering, "Bloody gia.." He looks up at Eleenin for a moment, "Bloody jolly day to you too, sir." Syrri gets a polite smile as the halfling just works to warm himself.

Syrri gave Thamalys some serious side-eye as he left, exhaling suddenly upon his final departure. "Oy!" she mumbled, shaking her head. Lifting both hands, she smoothed her half-shorn locks out of her face, presenting Zedidiah with a grin before thrusting a hand out in greeting. "Sorry about that big ol' bird," said she, "he's just a bit of a sore loser." She winked to the halfling again, then said, "I ain't seen you around before, not these parts at least." Azure-and-chestnut slid toward the frost giant and back toward the halfling. "Syrri Darkfoot's the name, fightin's the game." She should get that on a T-shirt, promote the Syrri Fan Club, or something. Not that there's a fan club, but a girl can dream, right?

Zedidiah nods eagerly and clasps hands with Syrri, "Ahh, well. Sometimes people make bad decisions. Zedidiah Gawkroger, of the Gawkroger Shipping Company. President and Chairman."

Syrri returned her hands to a fold across her chest, Zedidiah having her full attention now. "Jeez, what a mouthful!" the halfling teased, eyes lighting up with humor. "President and Chairman? What exactly do you ship?" she found herself asking, then adding, "I don't have any fancy titles m'self." The woman rolled her small shoulders dismissively as if she didn't often dream of all the fancy heroic titles she'd one day have.

Zedidiah laughs and smiles, clapping his hands to either side of his belly before tucking thumbs under his suspenders, the last hope for pants on a fat man. "What don't I ship, that's the question. Pet food, bathroom hardware, farm goods, rare exotic magical plants." Although he's yet to actually deliver most of those yet. He ships promises fairly easily.

Syrri was not stocky like her cousin-kin, Zed, but rather shaped like a 3'3" twig with arms and half her head shaved to reveal jagged scars. There were no suspenders for her to loop her thumbs around, and she eyed his almost enviously before flashing him a cheeky grin. "Oh, is that so?" the axeling replied, canting her head to one side and lifting a hand to scratch at her right ear, which was missing the tapered tip. "Where you based outta?" She figured he'd say the halfling settlement, but she was curious nevertheless. "Never heard of this Gawkroger Shipping Company."

Zedidiah turns to point toward the imagined direction of Xalious Village, revealing the two incredibly ornate, some might say gaudy, most would say gaudy, dagger sheathes that fit him more like shortswords. "Oh, based out of Xalious Village, but rapidly expanding. Doing some business in Cenril now, and a bit in Larket."

Syrri's weapons weren't ornate, Fate and Luck dangling at her narrow hips like toys, simple in their design, but her gaze was fixed on those daggers that Zed unwittingly revealed. "Well, sounds like you're makin' quite a name for yourself if I do say so," she commented with a nod. Her thumb brushed almost lovingly against the chipped metal of Fate as she eyed Zed curiously. "Say, how does a fella like you get into a business like that, anyhow?" It wasn't all that uncommon for Halflings and halflings to venture out into various enterprises, but Syrri herself preferred a solo road, for now.

Zedidiah grins back and snaps his suspenders, "Oh, family business. Started as an agricultural concern. I've started expanding into other businesses. Really the most natural solution."

Syrri raked a hand through her silver hair, lips twisting in a curious smile. "So there's more of ya, is what you're saying?" she found herself replying, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. Eleenin was trying to occupy himself with Thamalys's ridiculous request, but he was also a bit curious about the two small people in his shop. Syrri, meanwhile, inched closer to Zed, sizing him up, as it were. "You always wanna get into shipping and such?"

Zedidiah lifts his brows into a large smile. "More Gawkrogers? Oh, certainly. Not that it's a hive of nepotism, we're always looking for talent. As far as my desires, I suppose I've always had an eye for business."

Syrri hmmed and hmmed. She wasn't in the market for any sort of retail or import/export biz, but that didn't mean she wasn't still a bit curious. "Is that so?" she offered up a winsome grin. "Makes sense that you'd be president -and- chairman then." She inched forward, toward the door then, but didn't leave just yet, sparing a glance of azure-and-chestnut toward the halfling. "Say you wanna grab a drink? There's a pub not too far from here - if you don't mind more giants." They were in giant country, after all. "You can tell me more about this shippin' business if you want."

Zedidiah looks to the giant, then back toward Syrri, or as she'd be known back home, a near-halfling. "Sure, I could use something to warm me up. Lead on, please."

Syrri's features brightened into a crooked grin. "Awright, les' go." That being said, she saluted Eleenin for his unending patience with her kind, then ducked out of the shop to head to Frostmaw's own tavern the next street over.