[Him]
// Text – He does stand appart in terms of looks and manners. What gives?
"[pc.isdcb|So, what is your deal?" you ask matter of factly, all the while the taste of salty chop still lingers. "Not entirely Leothran and not entirely uncultured. Not indigenous to these lands, I take it?"
"I-I am not sure how to reply to that," he sights, tapping his finger across his plate. "I was not born and raised here, yes. I come from the desert lands of Jassira – son of an Anubian Mother and Leotharn mom."
"A little dry but it will suffice," you reply. "So a Jassiran, hmmm? What brings you to these baren tundras?"
|"Let's cut to the chase," you say as the aftertaste of the salty snack lingers. "Compared to {pc.has met the twin sisters|most of village folk|everyone else}, you stand out like a sour thumb. You aren't originally from the Marches I take it?"
"Um, yes. You are correct. While I try not not to stand out," he chuckles, you think, "the truth is my roots originate under the watchful warmth of the Jassiran sun. My mom is a Leothran; my mother is an Anubian."
"Wow," you let out, "a Jassiran? So what compels a guy to trade a sandy desert for a snowy one?"
|"Question: you are not entirely a kitty cat, yet you are not entirely a wild cat. What gives?"
The semi-fluffy boy chuckles, you think, "If you are asking why I don't quite fit in, madam, it is simple – I am not from the Marches. The deserts of Jassira are my roots. Son of an Anubian mother and Leothran mommy."
"Oh, a desert boy! That is sweet. Why come here, though?"]
"Um, so," he gasps, fidgeting a little. "My mom hails from these lands, albeit she never spoke that highly of them. Painting them as savage steps from which she was lucky to escape from. A stance that my Anubian mother, head of one of the larger merchant families, encouraged as a way to keep my curiosity down. Yet what they tried to subside, the books provide.
"Whenever I was not busy studying arithmetic or old-world scriptures, what free time my child self had was spent scooped up in our library. Amongst the texts of ancient philosophers and fictional tales, the historic accounts of The Belharan Empire preoccupied my mind."
"Huh, I wouldn't have guessed that Leothran had entries related to them," you reply.
"Well, truth be told [pc.ismf|Sir|Madam], what was there mostly stemmed from the recorded witness accounts strung together across numerous books. None of them went much in depth. Disjointed contents that I had to cobble together into a somewhat coherent image. For all I know, I could have been just making a fool of myself. Not an unusual thing for me," he says matter of factly, "Nevertheless, I had to go there."
"[pc.isdcb|Ah, well ain't that sweet? A dream steaming from the child's wonder. Alas, can you cut to the chase and tell me how you got here?|Well speak about following one's dreams. So how exactly did you come here?|Ah, that is adorable! Being so full of dream wonder. So,hmmmm, did you ride a cloud to here?]"
"Mother had a delivery that she was requested to do in person. A deposit of spices for the{PC did Ryns quest|former} Queen of the frost elves. Alas, like always, she was busy, so she needed someone to do so in her stead. I volunteered.
"My trip to the Marches was supposed to be only a quick stop. A short-lived excursion to quench my childhood want; an opportunity I couldn't possibly let pass me. I booked a boat, intent to spend no more than a couple of months exploring the supposed barren wastes I knew so little about; it has been four years since then."
"[pc.isDK.|That is the longest ever short stint I have ever heard of.|A quite large departure to your original plan, yes.|Yeah, that is so looooooooong!] What gives?"
"I, um, like it here," he chirps out, "I feel like there should be something more, but there isn't. The first time I encountered this village, its people and their way of life, a charm was casted on me. Getting enveloped into their everyday happenings as their guest… It made me wish I was constantly a part of it. A desire that I expressed to them. One that they accepted with open arms – to openly now that I think about it."
"[pc.isdcb| Albeit, one has to ponder how your parents reacted – if you have even told them, that is.|Oh, good for you! Though, do your parents know that you are here? Have you told them?|Though, do your ma’s know about you being here. Did you tell ‘em?]"
“I did… It wouldn't have felt right to just leave them in the dark, and I needed to bring back the Queen’s part of the transaction. Once I told them, well…” he grumbles; "I was disowned. My parents, thankfully, gave me money to move out, but with the prerequisite that I wouldn't be showing my face from them onward. A prerequisite that I kept."
You stay silent, slowly gulping your cup. Really now, this whole conversation took an uncomfortable turn. One that has more story behind it than you are willing to probe for.
"At least you are happy," you reply, steering away from this shipwreck.
Kocchi nods with a faint beam: "That I am."
