A Brief Encounter

(JP with Lucian and Jaxx)

Hunter woke up before sun rise as usual. He had trained his internal clock to do this since he was trained to become an assassin. After that he did his daily routine of exercise before washing off and having training and breakfast with the soldiers. Once they were done he washed off and made his way to the market to fetch more arrow heads. Since the market was smaller in comparison to places like Helias, the quality of products was a bit lower. Even on his meager budget he was very picky since his life depended on it. Today he was looking for more arrowheads since the majority of them were sold to the military. The left over arrowheads were of questionable quality so this meant Hunter could only buy a few at a time. Since he had a keen eye for such things he could also spot arrowheads he could fix himself back at the barracks. By doing this he could lower the price of his spending. So he took his time to look at what the market had to offer.

While no verbal response was given and his hand was left hanging, Tarmen figured this was just part of Hunter’s character. Every mercenary had their own eccentricities, so he stowed the handshake for a later date. Plus, the man hadn’t moved away, though Tarmen noticed he seemed deep in thought. That would probably explain the lack of a response, so he tried again, this time focusing on the mans interest in the fletcher. “If your after arrows to replace whatever was left for us at the barracks, I do some work with the vendor an’ can getcha a good deal for more serviceable ammunition.”

Hunter looked at Tarmen and gave him a slight bow to acknowledge him. He was surprised by the offer of finding arrow parts so quickly. He wondered if this act was out of kindness, business, intel gathering or just random. Hunter knew people had many reasons for their actions but not all of them were bad. So he replied, "My apologies I was in deep thought. It is good to see you again Tarmen." The offer of sharing his vendor was good news for Hunter, since he was not pleased by what he had found. Hunter replied, "You are quite generous for sharing your vender with me. I would be honored to see their wares. I have been struggling to find the same quality back in old continent. Some of these arrowheads are fragile and break in one or two uses so I may as well use flint instead for free." Hunter gave Tarmen a polite smile.

Glad to have a conversation started, Tarmen chuckled at Hunter’s comment. It was irritatingly true that the provided ‘arrows’ were very, VERY lacking.
“Think nothin’ of it. If we are supposed to risk our hides outside the walls, we should probably have decent supplies, aye?”
He went through the process of discussing with the vendor, introducing the two as well. After the transaction, he decided to pick his companions brain, see if he could learn anything about Hunter.
“So, word around the barracks is that you’re a rather silent one. While that’s perfect for a job, you never seem to loosen up. Why don’t ya join me tonight at the Hare? Don’t gotta be raucous, if ya don’t want.”

Hunter smiled at Tarmen politely as he gave a slight head nod. He understood that Tarmen was trying to bring him closer to the group as a form of bonding or intel gathering. To Hunter it was the same thing since he was only close to one person in his whole miserable life and she died. Friendship was a common thing for those who were blessed with free will. Free will was denied from Hunter as a child till he escaped from his prior employer since it was a sign of weakness. However even though he now had free will, he had no real desire for friends. He had seen betrayal in so many forms and killed people for less than that. On more than one occasion he was forced to kill men who desired the same women as his prior Boss and then he had to kill the same women who his prior Boss got pregnant since it was to much trouble to deal with.

Hunter thanked Tarmen for his aid in making contact with his vendor. Granted the quality was not much better, but the prices were better and he could make it work with some adjustments. He replied, "Thank you for your aid in meeting your vendor. It will help me hunt better with better arrows." After Tarmin asked him about his lack of being social, Hunter replied, "I am sorry for being a bit of a loner. In my prior job, I spent most of my job alone hunting so I didn't have many opportunities to talk with others outside work related business. As for drinking at the pub, I avoid it because I can not afford it on my meager budget and it is often filled with many troublesome types. Its cheaper to buy spirits and drink alone since I won't over do it." Hunter gave Tarmen a kind smile in response.

With his answer, Tarmen could make more sense of the man. A ‘secret weapon’ sort of man. He had met a few and generally avoided them because of a similar attitude, all work and no play. He appreciated the humble nature of Hunter though, it balanced the usual stuck-up persona that he would expect. “Well, the offers always open and don’t worry about pay, I usually have an bet over a buddy I made. Haven’t had to pay myself in a few days.” Following a light laugh at the memories he had gained, he bid Hunter farewell before returning to the barracks. “I reckon they will try and suit us up together. From what I have seen of you, it seems like it could be fun.”

Hunter gave Tarmin a kind smile and a polite bow as he replied, "Of course. Hunter watched as Tarmin left towards the barracks. He found him entertaining and rather nice for a mercenary. In the past Hunter met many arrogant and mean mercs, but it was nice to meet one who acted somewhat professional. He looked at the ten arrowheads he managed to collect this time and they were half decent. He planned on adding them to his arrow bundles later on. He didn't want to use his good arrowheads unless he had to and kept them hidden in his backpack since they were of high quality and to be used for emergencies. This was why he needed a good supply of new arrows for hunting. He put away his purchased goods and continued his shopping.

Tag