Cyneray spurns Nepos

Central Bazaar


 * Massive archways adorned with bas relief sculptures grant access to the central bazaar from the main thoroughfares that pass through the Market District: Providence Road to the west and east, Market Road to the north, and Guild Row to the south.

Cyneray is milling about with a group of dockworkers, all idle. Some are smoking; others appear to be 'shooting the breeze', occasionally erupting in brief laughter.

Lucius Nepos likewise appears to be smoking as he walks through the central bazaar with Amalai on his arm. A short wooden pipe is clasped firmly in between his teeth.

Amalai walks in silence for a moment, looking about the bazaar. When she speaks, she says to Lucius, "Still gotta meet your family, y'know... and I'm gonna be pushy 'bout it til it happens." She grins up at Lucius, jesting in some of her statement.

As the couple strolls through the crowd, they attract a few hoots and hollers from the assembled Dockworkers. Some from the crowd shouts "Nice catch, Nepos; but you oughta..." - the rest of the comment being drowned out by uproarious laughter from the crowd.

Lucius Nepos rolls his eyes at the jeering of the dockworkers, ignoring it otherwise. "And those are the Deepers. Lovely bunch, in'it? I'll take you to meet Papa Nepos real soon. He's a treat. Stiff upper lip and all that bollocks. My mother you'll get along with, I think."

Amalai laughs at the calls out from the dockworkers. "Lovely bunch, indeed," she murmurs, continuing along with Lucius. "Hopefully so. If I don't get along much wit' your father, I gotta have someone t' get along with, righ'? Any'ow, where we goin' now?"

The Deepers give a collective groan as Lucius deftly ignores their taunts, returning to whatever business they were at beforehand.

Lucius Nepos considers that, puffing a few times on the pipe and exhaling a big cloud of sweet smelling smoke into the air. "Good question. I was going to go rob a caravan and kidnap some rich noble so we could ransom him back to his parents. Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds excitin'," Amalai replies with a grin. "I'll stand back and watch, maybe I can learn a thing or two." She raises her eyebrows and says, "I know wha' we can do, if you're up for it. I still wanna learn to use one o' them knives y'got, yeah?"

Lucius Nepos nods at Amalai. "Yep, yes indeed. We can practice that.. I'd like to ask one of the Deepers a question about it before we get into any technique and the like." The former Marshal moves on towards Cyne and company.

Nepos receives a few questionable glances from unfamiliar Deepers along with some nods of recognition as he angles his way through the crowd. He notes Captain Velvet in animated discussion with another Deeper, towards the back of the empty wagon train, and Cyneray Coolweather, who is sitting alone picking dirt from underneath his fingernails.

Amalai follows alongside Lucius, eyes dancing back and forth over the gathering of men. She keeps silent - Lucius came to speak with them, not her.

Lucius Nepos points at Cyneray, moving closer to him and basically ignoring anybody else, unless he's directly addressed. "Coolweather, right?" He asks. Amalai pulls her cloak in and looks at Cyneray as Lucius addresses him.

Cyneray looks up, mildy suprised. He glances at Lucius, then to Amalai, than back to Lucius. "Oh, it's you," he mutters, returning to his manicure. "What can I do fer ya?"

"Stop finnicking with your bloody hands, for one." Says Lucius in a jestful tone, grin evident on his face. As he speaks to Cyne, he taps out the rest of his pipe and tucks it away onto a pocket on his tunic. "I was wondering about the Deeepers. Had a question about you guys that I didn't want to ask Thayndor."

Amalai purses her lips and eyes the other men briefly before returning her attention to the conversation between Luc and Cy. She rocks back slightly on the heels of her feet, unable to keep completely still.

Cyneray flashes Lucius a cross look before flicking away the small wooden wedge he'd been using. "The Deepers, huh?" he says. "Can't say i'll be tellin you too much, but whaddya want to know?" he asks as he rises to feet.

Lucius Nepos can't help but continue to smirk, crossing his arms in front of his chest while he makes direct eye contact with the man, as is his usual way. "Most of you are rivermen. Steer the boat, make sure it's kept in running order and all that other good stuff. I don't know how you're fixed for combat, though. Do you have marines?"

Amalai continues watching and listening, as there isn't much else for her to do at the moment. She clasps her hands behind her back, beneath the cloak, and tilts her head.

Cyneray frowns. "My boat? we run a trade route; guard the caravan on way to market," Cyneray states, not looking completely comfortable. "Don't wanna know why you can't go to... Thayndor with that."

Lucius Nepos chuckles. "Well I can. I just rather not waste his time with pointless little questions, you know? Do you guys ALL fight? Or do you have a specific detachment for combat operations, is why I'm asking. I'm maybe thinking of joining up, y'see."

Amalai shifts her eyes downward, looking at the ground, and presses her lips together.

Cyneray lets out a hearty chuckle. "Pretty boy like you? Pretty wife? Heh," he chortles, amused by Lucius inquiry. He gives Amalai a lingering glance, then crosses his arms across his chest and returns Nepos' gaze. "You can join up with me, help haul these wagons around. Anything else, I can't be speaking on."

Lucius Nepos stares at Cyneray for a few moments. "I served in the Blades for nine years. I was commended by the Emperor for my service and commanded an elite unit of shock soldiers for over a year. I really don't think you're in any position to be questioning my qualifications, /soldier/." He looks a bit cross at the whole business, proud man he is. "Fuck hauling your bloody wagons around until I'm in. I'll just talk to your fucking Duke about the whole business."

Amalai lifts her eyes to look at Cyneray, narrowing them slightly at his comment. Then there's a slight hint of a smirk when Lucius speaks up, but she keeps her eyes on Cyneray.

A few of the Dockers take notice at Nepos' raised voice. Cyneray grimaces bemusedly, brow furrowing, then lets out a mocking whimper. "You might as well be askin me bout what the Emperor's havin for dinner this night; I even told ya I couldn't say much. You sure aint be the brightest" he says, no sporting a cocky smirk. "You best move on," Cyneray states, peering down at Lucius.

Lucius Nepos spits on the ground, a few feet away from Cyneray. "I don't know if you were trying to be funny before, but you ended up just sounding like an idiot, Coolweather. I'll take it in stride and make myself think you didn't know what you were talking about. We're done here." Without another word, the man turns on his heels and walks off.

Amalai backs up a few steps, then turns to walk away with Lucius, shaking her head slowly to herself. She comes up beside Lucius and slips an arm around his, should he allow it. "I'd hate t' see ya surround yerself wit' them folks, darlin'," she says after a moment.

As Nepos turns, Cyneray 'dismisses' him with a flick of the wrists, and mutters to himself as he kneels down search for his instrument which he previously discarded.

Lucius Nepos shrugs, his shoes padding against the cobblestone surface. "I don't know.. I might not hate it so much. Soldiers are the same way. It's okay, I know that if it ever came to a fight I could mangle all of them." He grins. "But being around the vulgar keeps ya sharp, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess yer right 'bout that, but. Well, better you 'an me, I s'pose," Amalai chuckles and shakes her head.

Return to Season 4 (2006)