Rascals astray

It was busy at the market, even with the declining temperatures. People, with pink noses and rosy cheeks, nosied around the market dressed in warm furry clothing. It almost made Yadriel proud to see his people so resilient in the cold. He himself was casually strolling along the many different stalls that Ishgard's markets had to offer. A big, hairy dog followed him closely, sniffing the ground his owner had just stepped on. Yadriel recognized many faces, since he himself had often stalled with them. If he wasn't working on any major projects, he loved to sell his merchandise at the market. He saluted the fishmonger, admiring the fresh fish on ice. He made small talk with the seamstress, who always tried to hitch him up with one of her cousins. He bought a new pair of leather gloves for his smithy. Thus, he spent his afternoon at the market. His four-legged friend Bear, sticking to his heels. At least...? He was a second ago? Yadriel spun around on his feet, looking for the animal. It shouldn't be this hard to find a large dog like Bear, even with the number of people around him. With a high-pitched whistle between his teeth, Yadriel tried to call the dog back to him. "Bear! Here boy!" Where did that rascal go?

「R」

Aurora took a deep breath as she was looking at the pale face of her father. She had given some golden coins to the mage who journeyed all the way from Lemuria to Ravaryn to help her father. It seemed to be wasted money: the mage hadn’t found a cure for her father yet, but Aurora knew that she couldn’t let the woman go without paying her anything. And her services were still not done; the woman insisted on staying, even telling Aurora that she didn’t need to pay. It felt wrong to do so, but Aurora felt like she had no other choice. She was able to pay the woman if she needed to, but she also didn’t want to waste money on cures that didn’t help her father in the slightest. But she knew she would give up any money she had if that meant that she could save her father. But reality started to peek around the corner that she might not be able to save her father this time.

Aurora went out to get some fresh air, but also to buy some groceries. She knew cooking fresh meals for her father would at least keep his strength up. That was if he wasn’t going to vomit after dinner, but that was something they both had no control over. She could cook fresh meals for him and save some to give it to him later, but what happened after that was out of their control. Aurora was being so wrapped in her thoughts that at first she didn’t notice the big dog that was approaching her. Only when it thrusted its snout against her hand did she look down, a smile creeping around the corners of her mouth as she looked at the large animal.

The owner of the dog soon made himself known: Aurora looked up when she heard a loud whistling sound, followed by a voice yelling for the dog. Bear. Well, it was a name that suited the animal, that was for sure. The dog started to thrust its snout once more against Aurora’s hand, as if he wanted her to follow him. Then it started walking in the direction of the yelling and Aurora hesitated, but she followed soon after. She saw a man he seemed to be in his early thirties and smiled at him. ”That’s quite the big pet you have there,” she told him. ”And so friendly as well,” she cooed, stretching her hand towards the dog again, waiting for him to approach her.

Yes, this most certainly brightened up her day alright!