[ORP] Grazilda's Trips

[Grazilda]

It was still dark. It was the wee hours of the morning when the sun still hides from the horizon, delaying its appearance. Not a sound was heard from the inn. Grazilda stirred and hugged her blanket. Then, she felt it. She had this sinking and sickening feeling in her stomach. Her nose burned from the smell of the liniment that Scarlet gave her in the tavern. True, she was not as much sore as before from the horseback riding. However, she felt something else.

She gagged and she was able to quickly cover her mouth. "Mages!" She exclaimed and hurried to grab a towel. She cringed at the liniment smell and found a bucket. She knelt on the bucket and started throwing up.

May 5, 1653 XX:XX XX You feel sick due to being stuffed!

She cursed herself for being sick. Everything was already set. They were ready to leave in an hour or two. She usually travels early in the morning and this would have been the perfect time to get up to prepare for their departure.

She felt another fit in her stomach and found herself throwing up violently in the bucket. She knelt on the floor and practically hugged the bucket before her. She cursed the liniment. She cursed the what she ate last night. She cursed everything.

And then she threw up violently.

[Grazilda]

Grazilda made it alive and the travel continued. She sat on the ground under a tree while resting for an hour or two for meal. She was handed a letter and she was in a hurry to read it. Only now did she find time for that. She unfolded the letter and read. A smile formed of her lips. She has won another customer, or at least another potential customer.

She folded the parchment and had a sweet smile. "Business is good," she said and leaned her back on the tree where she was resting. She took an ink bottle and started scribbling notes and numbers on another parchment. She was busy computing for her business.

And that day, she was a merchant, not a warrior.

[Grazilda]

Grazilda opened her eyes though it was still dark. She turned and squinted at the unpleasant feeling that she had. She didn't feel good. However, her trade business calls. She struggled to get up as her body refused to move. Her head was pounding and she was so thirsty. She clutched the sheets and pulled herself up. After some moments of battle between her mind and her body, her mind won and she was able to get out of bed.

She groaned as she poured cold water over her hand during her bath later on. With eyes closed, she scrubbed herself clean. She dried herself and put on some new clothes. She even sprayed some lemon-scented perfume. She sat on the mirror and dabbed some dye on her lips and cheeks to make her face look more glowing. She smiled at her work of art. She was trained to look best whenever she had business transactions. With some cream, she was able to cover the dark circles under her eyes. "Too bad no one can see me like this except for my business partner," she told her own reflection at the mirror.

She took her dagger and hid it in an inconspicuous place. She smiled at herself. Though it was a business deal, she should be ready to defend herself.

She glanced at the mirror one last time and smiled at her masterpiece. It was one of those days when she really felt beautiful, despite the terrible hangover. Oh, well, nothing that a perfect smile could not conceal, she thought.

Then she left her room at the inn to start the day's business.

[Grazilda]

Grazilda woke up with two letters waiting for her. One was about a duel and one was a trade request. "Ahh...Yet another trade deal. My workshop is going to be very busy after all," she said after reading both letters and stretched. It was still very early yet she got out of bed and started her day for her trade business.

She went to check her chickens and they were still looking happy and alive. "Good morning, chickens! Rise and shine!" She fed them and for sure, the chickens were wondering why were they being fed when it was still time for them to sleep.

Somehow, Grazilda felt like her trade business would be successful...just as she expected.

[Grazilda]

Grazilda was finally home, yet her trade business wasn't done. She still have one final mission before she can declare her trade as a closed deal. It was still early that morning and her buyer would not yet be around.

She sat quietly in the tavern, her hair not yet totally dry from her early morning bath. As she waited, her fingers ran through the surface of the table. This made her smile as she recalled the events during her out of town trip. She wondered if it was only a coincidence that she learned more about herself during her trade trips than in her seclusion in her cave. Life proved to be interesting for her, considering her short life in contrast to the others around her.

She touched her pocket and felt the parchment that contained her last will and testament to be there. She revised the said document over and over again depending on the situation. She took the parchment from her pocket and read it...twice. A smile formed on her lips and she tore her last will and testament in two.

She did not see the point of having a will anymore if she was filled with determination to live.

[Grazilda]

Grazilda drummed her fingers while staring at Idunno. "While I appreciate you staring at my beautiful face, I am starting to suspect something else," she glared at the Tavern Wench and grabbed a glass of water. She heard that Idunno was spiking the tea that it caused people to be tipsy. Whether it was true or not, Grazilda would not take her chances.

She touched the red spot on her face, the skin red from too much scrubbing. She read the contents of the parchment that she held with a bored manner. "Ahh...And I am once again bored. I'm sure Zane would not mind if I leave for a while even if his vardo isn't done. I haven't seen him anywhere lately anyway. Maybe he's busy with things more important than his vardo. As for me, I'll find something else to pass my time," she said to no one in particular.

She folded the parchment and placed it in her pocket. She decided to stay there just in case she was actually waiting for someone. Who was she waiting for, she did not know. She was willing to wait for someone to join her as this trade trip might be yet another adventure for her.

[Serene]

Serene entered the tavern. She had overheard a patron arguing at Idunno when she was outside. It sounded like her sister so she entered the tavern.
She was right or was her. Serene had been looking for her and now she had found her.
She walked over to her. "How are you? And Why does your face have a red spot?" She sits down and listens.

[Grazilda]

Grazilda stopped bugging the tavern wench and turned her attention to the door. She smiled upon recognition of the person who got in the tavern. "Hi, Serene! Have you heard that even the cups of tea can make us drunk? I suspect that Idunno here is spiking our tea before serving it. What do you think?" She asked.

She waited for Serene to sit down. She was quiet for a few seconds when she was asked about the red spot on her face. "It's a long story, Serene. To make it short, it has a long history and the memory has been woken up by a turn of events brought about by a misunderstanding which made me scrub that spot so hard it hurts," she explained it in one go.

Then she tried to move the topic away from her face. "Serene, do you want to do some fruit-picking? I remember you told me when I visited your house that you wanted to pick some oranges. I'm going to Widu with Devereaux. Do you want to join us and we can pick some oranges?" She smiled at Serene and hoped that she would accept the invitation.

[Serene]

Serene nods in agreement at the thought of Idunno spiking the tea. That would explain a lot. Maybe it was part of the healing ability of the tea.

Serene realizes she has caused discomfort discussing the red spot on her face. Why can't she remember the rules her mother taught her about social etiquette and bringing up touchy subjects. She was always getting herself in trouble with her curiosity.

Thankfully she brings up a topic and change of subject. "Oranges! I would love to go pick some Oranges! I am ready now! Lets go!" Serene impulsively replies not even thinking that it might be wise to pack for a trip. She stands up and puts her hands out to indicate she is excited and ready to go. "Juan can earn his keep and take care of my house and fields." Serene smiles and almost skips out in her excitement.

[Grazilda]

Grazilda giggled at Serene's excitement which was so contagious that she didn't bother to do a face palm at the nodding. She shakes her head in disbelief. "Well, if you are ready, then let's go. We can just pick up some clothes for you when we get to Widu. Oh and Oreo will also join us," she said and quickly got up to catch up with Serene before she would be left behind.

As they walked on the way out, Grazilda lead the way to the meeting place where the group will gather for the trade trip. While walking, she whispered to Serene. "Before I forget, I apologize in advance if Dev ends up as being too quiet. There's just a lot in his mind lately. I'm sure he'll enjoy your company." She assured her.

As they reached the waiting place, Grazilda looked around and grabbed a back pack that was meticulously hidden by the bushes. No one would have thought that the back pack was there. "We have food here and some stuff if we ever get sick. I guess we're all set. Is there anything that you might want to bring with you?"