The town is...surprisingly normal. As usual, they teleport there from Esmerelda's favorite stump. The witch's name is Esmerelda as Arek discovers very quickly walking through the town.
"Hey Esmerelda!" A bald man calls, unloading some crates.
"Esmerelda, when'll you give me that pest control charm?" A stout woman inquires.
"Esmerelda, do you have any candy?" A crowd of children rush forward.
Arek watches the townspeople crowd around Esmerelda with a raised brow. Whether she's really an evil witch or not the people here sure do love her.
Moving back as a young boy nearly runs into him, Arek looks off to the side and pauses as something catches his eye. He walks towards it, realizing that it's a sign half peeling off the wall. It has a distinct picture of a man's face on it. A wanted poster? Arek wonders, coming closer.
Peering at it, he sees that there are clear words imprinted above the profile in small font: "Vote for Gerber if you believe in free choice!" Arek pauses. Vote? I haven't heard that word in so long-holdup, what's a word like that doing in a monarchy? After a moment of confusion, Arek decides to ask Esmerelda about it and see what she says. He straightens and turns around only to realize that there's no sign of the woman who was surrounded by people moments before.
Scanning the crowd for a moment, Arek contemplates asking someone. Finally with a shrug he decides to just keep walking and hope for the best. Surely she'll come find me if she realizes that I'm lost and more than that, Arek looks around at the bustling cheerful little town, let's enjoy this atmosphere while I can.
So Arek strolls along, gazing at the young girl selling matches as her pigtails bounce, the gray haired apple seller, the mustached fur trapper selling "the best quality furs, definitely better quality than the mustache less sellers on the west side", the bespeckled fabric seller, the children begging for candy, the variety of produce and grains and meat being sold here and there, etc.
The scent of freshly baked bread wafts up to his nose, the laughter of children and chatter of people filling his surroundings with color. Externally, it's so much like the capital outside the prince's palace however, the knowledge that the prince's spies aren't infiltrating each and every corner constantly watching, is enough to allow Arek to experience a deep and surprising sense of relaxation. Feeling a breeze caress his face, Arek closes his eyes for a moment.
"Stop, thief!" Arek's eyes snap open at the commotion and he sees a sharp featured man wearing a cap sprinting in his direction, chased by another fellow. Instinctively, Arek reaches out and grabs the sharp featured man and locks him into a chokehold. Seeing that the thief is caught, the pursuer slows to a jog before stopping in front of Arek who looks up and does a double take.
The man pursuing the thief is handsome, incredibly so with dazzling yellow locks and baby blue eyes. The features are familiar, however where Lennox's eyes give out a strange, seductive type of warmth, concealing the sharpness underneath, this man's are frank and friendly: characteristic of the town itself. Beyond their hair and eye color the two men are nothing alike, their auras and even noses contrasting: where Lennox's nose is dainty and sharp, this man's is longer and more proud.
Arek finds himself drawn to that nose as well as to those honest eyes: a far cry from the nobles he's spent time around, each one hiding secrets ranging from having a habit of picking their nose to the murders they've committed to retain their power. Even this fellow's hooked smile is cute, and the way his lips move...Arek blinks realizing that A) the man is talking and I'm not paying attention and B) What kind of thoughts am I having now?
Arek never really had a chance to have a love life. Besides a couple crushes here and there, he never really got into a relationship before he was summoned and the chance disappeared. From there, after he swore an oath to Lennox he was almost immediately put to work seducing both men and women due to his delicate appearance.
Having been forced to be with scum from both genders, Arek was certain he'd lost his ability to feel attraction. Yet here I am, salivating over a man I just met Arek sighs.
"-pretty strong there, thanks for grabbing him for us." The man replies with a grin and twinkle in his eye. "I'm Sloan, I haven't seen you around before. New?"
"Huh? Ah yeah, I'm staying with Esmerelda."
"Ohhh, you're Esmerelda's friend!" Sloan replies, smacking Arek on the back. "That makes you mine as well, where are you heading?" Arek flinches away from the overenthusiastic greeting, offering a small smile.
"Uh, yeah about that..." Several moments later, Arek is led by Sloan who, despite his tough appearance, turns out to be a chatterbox: chatting about the cow that recently got lose in someone's yard, then the hen that isn't laying eggs, how good the harvest had been that year...etc. Arek listens, feeling like a waterfall of words is pouring over his head. Suddenly, he has a thought.
"Hey..."
"Hmm?" Sloan blinks.
"What's the deal with the posters?"
"What?"
"The posters, saying vote for Gerber or whatever..." At this, Sloan makes a face. "Ah Gerber that old bastard, he really thinks he can be mayor, does he? Well, I suppose he does have his fair share of supporters." He scratches his head.
Arek blinks. Did the ever affable Sloan just curse? Wait, vote? Mayor?! I thought we were in a monarchy???"
"Anyway," Sloan continues. "I'm not the best person to ask for this, you should ask...oh there she is." Looking up, Arek sees a familiar red head stomping towards him.
"THERE you are! I wondered where you ran off to! Ah, and it looks like you met Sloan too, how delightful...whatever, there isn't time for that. Come help me with my campaign!"
"...Ah?" With that Esmerelda drags a thoroughly flabbergasted Arek away.
