Lets call it educational
Art
Up close and within conversation distance, it was only the slightest bit alarming to realize he was certainly outmatched. Both wolves easily outweighed him, and were a few inches taller at eh bare minimum. His skills were rusty at best, years of indentured servitude forbidding him from raising a paw in his own defense. The Warlord seemed a kind enough man, but he didn't want to find himself on the wrong end of his temper. The blue marked male at his side, armed with a wicked looking blade and thick leather armour, he could only get a quick read on from first glance. Proud, proper, and quite possibly nervous? Regardless, he opted to make it his mission to avoid encouraging any ire from both. There was a decidedly calm expression on the Warlord's face, features absent of any creases and marks from stress or anxiety. This bode well for the rest of their interaction, indeed. “Hello again Absinthe, this is my godson, Artorias” he said simply, and sat back on his haunches. Evidently he was letting the younger male take the reigns, which bred a strange form of delight in Absinthe, who had spent the last few days dealing with haughty old wolves whose tongues were as sharp as their fangs. The unfamiliar boy- Artorias- took a few steps forward, and the prodding from the Warlord did not go unnoticed by the sharp-eyed servant. "Good morning to you too. We are here for the market," he said in a gentle, polite voice. A quick gesture with a broad forepaw towards the figure that he now recognized as a small bear, which carted a load of valuables. Perfect, Augustus would be pleased with this development. "We're looking to make a purchase too, if we find something we like. We're-" another soft jab from the titanic Warlord, correcting the boy. Brimstone gaze flicked between them to follow the motion, and he schooled his features to keep the warm smile from sight, stifle the low chuckle. Best not to make potential clients feel insulted. However, when the boy sighed loudly and rolled his eyes skyward, the dark servant let the corner of his lips curve for the barest moment in a lopsided smile. It disappeared when a pang of sudden, sharp desolation struck- he missed his father. "I'm in the market for someone who would be appropriate as a handmaiden to a princess." the statement was followed up by a tiny smile, which the smaller male met with a flicker of his ears and a crinkling in the corners of his eyes. "Allow me to escort you to the site, and you're more than welcome to peruse the wares while I assemble a few of our most even-tempered females." he offered coolly, dipping his head to both males and following the motion with a sweeping gesture of his paw towards the northern end of the valley. He waited for the signs that they were moving, and only then did he set off at an ambling pace. Charcoal toes pulled him smoothly over the frostbitten terra, and he kept both men on his left side, his good side. He certainly wasn't trying to draw out the time spent out of that cave, where he was half blind in the dark and under constant scrutiny. No, he was trying to gather more information so that he could better cater to the new clientele. "Would you prefer for this handmaiden to be smaller in stature, or will she be needing to handle intense workloads as part of her chores?" the servant questioned gently, canting delicate cranium towards Artorias while he awaited an answer. It would only take them fifteen or so minutes to return to the caverns where they had set up, but he would savour every moment of the relative freedom from his master's constant vigilance. STEP IN LINE, EVERYTHING WILL BE JUST FINE |