Silver Spoon Envy

Eastwatch Bazaar 


 * A chaotic maze of muddy cobblestone pathways and wooden storefronts form the Cardo, Eastwatch's infamous subground marketplace. Reclaimed from slavers during the reign of Talus Kahar II, the ancient casbah grew in the shadow of Eastwatch's stone dikes; along the the yawning grottos betwixt those mighty walls. Merchants ply reed baskets of pungent spices in the ivy-choked passageways, the sky barely visible through the tegument awnings. The aroma of spice is nearly suffocating; permeating every crevice of the market streets.


 * The other half of the bazaar is a motley grouping of furiously bubbling iron cauldrons. Their steam has the sticky-sweetness of rotting wood; their broths a multitude of colors: the Cardo's dye quarters. The market is bordered on all sides by lean wooden buildings, crisscrossed by canals connecting the docks to the central market. Eastwatch's gurgling Marshlands continue to the north. Finally, rising high above the crowded pandemonium looms the ancient Watchtower of the East - a bastion of stability amid the anarchy of the port.


 * It is a temperate late evening. The air is stagnant, not stirring with the slightest breeze. A few wispy cirrus clouds streak the otherwise clear sky. The following of the six moons are visible in the sky: Dayhunter (crimson/waxing).

From Haste's saddle, Lucius Nepos is saddled up on Haste and looks to have just recently gotten up on his horse, in today's busy dinnertime Cardo. The Eastwatcher looks at ease in his hometown and wears a thin smile on his lips.

Bryce stands on the cobblestone, his nostrils flaring as he inhales the aroma of spices about him. He reachs into a pouch on his hip and pulls out a cigar and lights it after placing it in his mouth. He takes a few puffs and then crosses his arms. He doesn't spot Lucius just yet, but he's not far from him.

From Haste's saddle, The soldier, for his part, does not notice Bryce's presence. He seems to be somewhat preoccupied with a pretty dark haird girl in the crowd, at whom he looks thoughtfully. Naughty, for a married man.

Bryce's eyes catch sight of the very same young girl and he does just as his former commander. He takes a few puffs of his cigar before he turns his head from the pretty lass to find Lucius sitting upon Haste across the way. He raises his brow and begin to walk toward the fellow veteran, uncrossing his arms.

From Haste's saddle, Finally, Lucius's attention is snapped off the girl and redirected towards the person approaching him. Seeing Adaer he smiles thinly again and now removes his helmet, revealing a freshly shaved head. "Adaer. Found a new House?"

Bryce returns the smile, taking the cigar out of his mouth. "Well," he begins, "I thought I did. I was going to join the Mikin House but in the end decided against it."

From Haste's saddle, "So.. you're one like me now? A citizen?" Asks Lucius, his expression belaying a perplexed thought process. "Why would you want to give up your nobility?"

Bryce waves his hand, his cigar clenched between his fingers. "Well," he begins with, once again, "I think I'll be more happy this way. Nobility, it turns out, didn't suit me. I looked at the Mikin House and thought about it and prayed about it and just didn't see the point in choosing to be noble any longer."

From Haste's saddle, Lucius Nepos narrows his eyes a bit at Bryce, but his expression still is one confused by this event. "Choosing... to be noble? You don't /choose/ to be noble, Adaer. You are /born/ that way, for better or for worse. So when you decide to just /choose/ not to be noble, that's okay? Why can I not /choose/ to be noble, then, eh? Why cannot I enjoy the priveleges of your class, if it's simply a matter of /choice/?"

"Good question," Bryce replies, gesturing with his cigar. He then looks out toward the crowd, placing the cigar back in his mouth. He takes one puff, pauses, and then take another. "I was born a Vozhd-Kahar. I didn't choose to be a Vozhd-Kahar. It was then decided that the realm didn't need the Vozhd-Kahars, thus we were given the choice to join other Houses. I say: What's the point, anyway? I'm not a Mikin -- why pretend to be just so I can remain noble?"

From Haste's saddle, "Because you are a bloody noble! It's not a choice, it's by bloody birth! If it was by choice, then you wouldn't see so many nobles who were complete idiots. Nobility would be by merit and not parenthood, but that is not the case. Light, I cannot understand you nobles." Lucius shakes his head, looking rather bitter.

"Luckily the system doesn't hinge on you understanding it," Bryce replies looking back toward Lucius. He pulls the cigar out of his mouth and bends down, putting it out on the cobblestone. He then stands and shoves the cigar into his pouch.

From Haste's saddle, "You dropping out of nobility has nothing to do with the system. Logic is the order of the day with the system, and you apparently are intent on defying logic. I have no desire to talk to a noble masquering as a citizen today." Lucius says conclusively, pursing his lips into a frown.

"As you wish," Bryce replies with a shrug of the shoulders. "There are better ways to spend my time, too. Just so you know, I'll now be known as Bryce Ironvein. I thought you'd be happy to know that I gave up my nobility, but I guess I didn't count on your arogance and sense of entitlement. Oh well." Bryce turns, then, walking off down the road.

From Haste's saddle, "Arrogance! This is coming from the man who grew up with a silver spoon in his bloody mouth and then tries to preach to ME the virtues of citizenship!" Lucius throws back his head and laughs. "You never had a lack of anything in your life when it wasn't caused by your own idiotic antics, Bryce; you are the /definition/ of entitlement, a noble who gave up his nobility because he didn't /feel/ like it. Start getting out into the community and helping your now fellows and then perhaos I can see you as a normal member of society." He snorts, turning Haste to the west and moving off.

Bryce turns back toward Lucius and rolls his eyes, "Whatever Lucius. You think you're some sort of hero or savior as if you're any better than me! Why don't you grow up and learn to deal with your own problems before you cry and bitch about everyone else!" He turns back around and shakes his head, storming off.

From Haste's saddle, "I have dealt with my own problems! That's why I'm going to become a Knight, to help people with theirs." Lucius chuckles to himself, evidently now very amused. He spurs Haste to move as his namesake.

''Return to Season 6 (2007)