northclifflogs | [Open!] I'm New In Town!

WHO: Fíadh and whoever wants to meet her.
WHAT: Fíadh has arrived and taken over the blacksmith shoppe. Hope no one has issues with that.
WHEN: A few days after the Shepherds' fun.
WHERE: The Smithy
NOTES: Let's have a doozy!

Maybe it's the sound of clanging metal, or the plume of inky black smoke billowing from the chimney-top, but if someone was to come and take a look they'd find the blacksmith back open for business. But if they were expecting a different proprietor, they were about to get a shock. A shock in the form of a very tall woman with choppy blonde hair, currently scrubbing aggressively at a nasty rust stain spread across her anvil. Teeth gritted and eyes narrowed, it's a pure look of concentration and determination scrunched into her face.

At her feet is a decent-sized pack on its side, a few clothes and baubles spilling out to the floor. One might think she simply tossed it to the floor before immediately getting to work. But the second Fíadh saw this shop, and this rusted anvil, she knew she has to be the one to take care of it. That's just how she operates. Of course just barging in and taking over has never been the best way to ingratiate yourself upon a community, but Fíadh has never been very good at that. With any luck it will go over better here than the last few towns, but if not ... well, she'd burn that bridge when she crossed it.

Besides, when it comes down to it, she knows she won't stay here for long. She never does.

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Fíadh's attention is focused on the anvil, but she spots Detlef in her periphery when he enters. She tenses slightly, but says nothing; if she's lucky he'll just gawk for a bit then move on. But the minutes crawl by and he just. Stands there. Does he want her to acknowledge him or something? Because he's the one who strolled in and-

Oh, he spoke. She finally raises her eyes to assess his person before meeting his own.

"Fíadh," she says curtly. Maybe it's her name or maybe it's just a word, who knows, she's not clarifying. "What would be the point of fixing it if I'm not planning on using it? I'm staying here."

Ignoring his outstretched hand, she immediately turns back to the anvil and gets back to work. After a few moments, though, she speaks again.

"Do you need something? Horseshoes?"

Edited 2019-07-11 17:20 (UTC)

Not very friendly, apparently. But honestly, if he waited for people to be friendly before he tried befriending them... well. Okay. In this town he wouldn't have to wait often. Most of them are affable enough. The point is that he doesn't need to wait for that.

"Some people get paid to fix a place up for someone else. But yes, Fiadh." It might be her name. It might be a swear word. He'll use it as the former until he knows better. "If you can make them, I could use them. We haven't had a blacksmith for a while."

Detlef leans against a handy wall and gets comfortable. He's going to have to work for a conversation, likely, but that's not a problem.

"Then give me approximate hoof sizes and how many you need. Once I've finished cleaning and stocking what I need I'll get to work on them."

Once more her full attention is back on the anvil, almost done by this point. Or rather, she would like it to be completely focused on her work, but she can't help being aware of Detlef's continued presence. Eventually she purses her lips and snaps back to him with narrowed eyes. Why is he still here?

"If you're concerned about payment we can figure it out once I've finished. Unless there's something else, you can go."

"Are you going to remember a dozen horseshoe orders?" He's settling in now, getting cozy, being friendly. Strangers should be made to feel welcome if they're joining the village, and not just because it makes villagers safer. It makes the whole village feel whole.

"I didn't bring a pen and parchment, I'm afraid. And I thought I might serve as part of the welcome wagon, though I've forgotten to bring any snacks or cats."

"I have a good memory."

All right, no one has that good of a memory, but Fíadh's trying her luck. She knows few people will ever call her bluff. The trick is to always look like you want to murder the person across from you.

"I don't need a welcome. Or snacks. Or ... cats." Her brow raises just slightly at that one. "I need to get my work done."

"Everyone needs cats. Except Shepherds. But thankfully I don't think you're one in disguise." His voice is light enough, mostly to make sure she doesn't take that as him actually badmouthing Shepherds. Detlef does not care to be reported.

"If you're sure you don't need a cat, though, then you may just need human company. That could be me. I'm human, I'm company." Maybe she's nervous about being new and it's manifesting in aloofness. He doesn't know enough to say yet - part of the reason he's sticking around.

"No one needs cats," she says brusquely. She chooses to ignore the mention of Shepherds, though. She herself has no love of those type of enforcers, and while she knows logically that just speaking of them won't summon them ... who wants to risk it?

"And I don't need company, human or otherwise. I need to get my work done. Without distraction." The more that she beats that necessity into his head it eventually has to sink in, right?

He sighs heavily, disappointed but not defeated. What he needs gets listed out before he pushes himself up off the wall.

"I'll be back," he says after that. "No one really likes being left completely alone. Everyone needs company sometimes." Like cats. "Being new doesn't mean you have to be lonely." Then he'll start heading out, unless she stops him or has more to say.

A more self-aware person would actually ponder what Detlef has said. Would maybe come to the realization that they've been pushing people away as a defense. Maybe being in a new village invites the possibility of giving camaraderie a shot instead of assuming they'd soon need to leave it all behind.

But that person is obviously an idiot, and Fíadh is determinedly resolute in getting back to her self-imposed isolation. Still, she gives a long pointed stare with pinched lips to Detlef before speaking. Maybe she thought about it.

"I'll bring them to your stables," at least that way she can determine how long they have to interact.

[Open!] I'm New In Town!

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