To Hell in a Blizzard
01-02-2016, 06:26 PM
"Basileus?" He nodded, yes, his name was Basileus and not Mi chiamo, which was why he'd emphasized his name in the first place. "Yes, Basileus." Patience, he reminded himself. "Can I call you Basil?" That was a little personal since they'd only just met, but if a beautiful woman wanted to call him anything he wasn't going to argue. The brute shrugged. "Sure." Why not? It didn't hurt any.
After a moment's thought as she tried to decipher his question the woman shook her head no and confirmed what he'd already guessed. Oh well. He'd made it work with Bacchus and he'd make it work with this woman. Thankfully his time helping the man had given Basileus insight into the language Bacchus shared with Serefina. Basil's grasp of it was far from perfect, but today he had the advantage. Thank you, Bacchus.
"Um... are you lost?" Okay, maybe it didn't help him as much as he would have liked because he didn't have a clue as to what she'd just asked him. "Ah...lost?" His imitation of the word was by no means perfect, but to his ears he'd nailed it. He understood the first two words just fine and he knew she was asking something about him specifically. Was he what? Hungry? Thirsty? Tired? Had Bacchus ever used any of those words? She pointed towards the entrance. Was he...cold? Wet? Unhappy with the weather? What, woman, what! He most definitely wasn't lost so it didn't occur to him that the word might be worth considering.
He gave up trying to understand the word when Serefina's gaze abruptly left his to trail across his body. Basileus was instantly aware of himself, but not at all uncomfortable under her scrutiny. This was the kind of woman he was used to. The wives of the traders were often quiet and shy, and not at all like the women of his homeland who were sometimes too fearless and opinionated for their own good. "You look like you fight. You know, fight!" Serefina stood up suddenly and scowled at him, a growl on her lips. For a moment he was befuddled - had he said something wrong? - and then she was laughing and settling back down again. "Fight," she said again. It took a moment for it to click. The stance, the growl. She was trying to establish shared interests. "Combattente?" He stood briefly and did as she'd done and then seated himself with a smile. "Yes, I...fight." It was his turn for a question. "You fight?"
After a moment's thought as she tried to decipher his question the woman shook her head no and confirmed what he'd already guessed. Oh well. He'd made it work with Bacchus and he'd make it work with this woman. Thankfully his time helping the man had given Basileus insight into the language Bacchus shared with Serefina. Basil's grasp of it was far from perfect, but today he had the advantage. Thank you, Bacchus.
"Um... are you lost?" Okay, maybe it didn't help him as much as he would have liked because he didn't have a clue as to what she'd just asked him. "Ah...lost?" His imitation of the word was by no means perfect, but to his ears he'd nailed it. He understood the first two words just fine and he knew she was asking something about him specifically. Was he what? Hungry? Thirsty? Tired? Had Bacchus ever used any of those words? She pointed towards the entrance. Was he...cold? Wet? Unhappy with the weather? What, woman, what! He most definitely wasn't lost so it didn't occur to him that the word might be worth considering.
He gave up trying to understand the word when Serefina's gaze abruptly left his to trail across his body. Basileus was instantly aware of himself, but not at all uncomfortable under her scrutiny. This was the kind of woman he was used to. The wives of the traders were often quiet and shy, and not at all like the women of his homeland who were sometimes too fearless and opinionated for their own good. "You look like you fight. You know, fight!" Serefina stood up suddenly and scowled at him, a growl on her lips. For a moment he was befuddled - had he said something wrong? - and then she was laughing and settling back down again. "Fight," she said again. It took a moment for it to click. The stance, the growl. She was trying to establish shared interests. "Combattente?" He stood briefly and did as she'd done and then seated himself with a smile. "Yes, I...fight." It was his turn for a question. "You fight?"