College Debt Makes a Student Upset

Then a pause.

Then a pause.

@watchthew0rldburn

Victor ran a cute bakery on the street corner. The interior was a cute pastel pink with pastel blue furniture. A beautiful display case was by the counter filled with gorgeous desserts. He certainly took pride in his work.

Gathering the motivation to go outside was one difficult task that was already tackled. Now the next was to pick something, and not order one of everything just to avoid making a decision.

He looked up at the man behind the counter, pushing up his glasses that had gradually slid down his face from staring at the selections for so long.

@watchthew0rldburn

Victor ran a cute bakery on the street corner. The interior was a cute pastel pink with pastel blue furniture. A beautiful display case was by the counter filled with gorgeous desserts. He certainly took pride in his work.

Gathering the motivation to go outside was one difficult task that was already tackled. Now the next was to pick something, and not order one of everything just to avoid making a decision.

He looked up at the man behind the counter, pushing up his glasses that had gradually slid down his face from staring at the selections for so long.

Many of the herbs seemed to just be generic cooking herbs. She shifted the basket into the crook of her elbow so it would slide off her arm. She brushed some of her hair behind her ear.

“Oh, it’s mainly just busy work. I’ve gotten the important work out of the way. I don’t get company very often so it can certainly wait.” She smiled sweetly, leading Yennefer into her cottage. The inside was as cute and homely as the outside. She set the basket down, sitting down by the hearth and adding some firewood.

“Please make yourself at home. Yeah, my teacher lived here for a long time. She left a few years ago to accomplish more.”

Yennefer followed her inside, moving to take a seat near to the fire she was tending to. She had a habit of running cold, anyways. She let her eyes wander around the home, keeping track of anything she might need to ask about further.

It was curious, to hear of someone wanting to take over staying put, when she could barely manage to stay in one place more than a few months ever since leaving her position at court. Still, there surely had to be some value in it if the woman kept it up.

Aurore fixed the ribbon in her hair, getting a two cups. She looked over at her visitor, thinking for a few seconds before answering.

The woman nodded and smiled softly, shaking Yennefer’s hand. “I’m Aurore. It’s nice to meet you.” Her face was soft and gentle. Dirt was plastered under her hands from her garden work.

Herbs filled the basket that was rested on her arm. “Would you like to head inside? I can put on the kettle so we can talk over a cup of tea.”

She waved as Kyllian started to walk off. “Bye, Kyllian.” He waved, “bye, Aurore!”

Her eyes drifted curiously to the herbs in the basket, trying to gather as much information as she could without outwardly asking a question. Direct questions could lead people to her motivations and she hadn’t quite settled on what hers were.

“Nice to meet you, too. Tea sounds lovely.” She nodded towards the basket under her arm. “As long as I’m not interrupting your gardening.” She consciously doesn’t offer to help. After years of enduring her life on her family farm, she wasn’t interested in going back. Yes, herbs were necessary sometimes, but more often than not they were available for purchase, or she could get them as she needed.

“Oh, it’s mainly just busy work. I’ve gotten the important work out of the way. I don’t get company very often so it can certainly wait.” She smiled sweetly, leading Yennefer into her cottage. The inside was as cute and homely as the outside. She set the basket down, sitting down by the hearth and adding some firewood.

“Oh, of course! Don’t worry about it! We’re always happy to help when we can. I’m sure she’d like some company.” The man smiled and nodded, happily walking into the woods.

He stayed quiet overall, occasionally commenting on the scenery around them. But, he figured she preferred to cut the chatter.

After some time, a small cottage could be seen. It was a modest living space, but rather cute all the same. Along the path to the home, there were weeping trees lining the sides. A garden surrounded the building. The witch was crouched by a plant, harvesting some herbs.

She was a shorter woman, quite cute honestly. Her hair was chestnut in color with curls at the end. She wore a black gown with a tight bodice. She seemed startled when she heard the footsteps. “Ah hello there!”

The man waved, “hey! I bring you a visitor!” He bowed to her and she smiled, approaching with a basket on her arm.

Sometimes, when she was in towns who were in kingdoms outside of the Brotherhood’s good graces, she could be met with malice and suspicion, so it was a nice change to have someone helping her for once. Normally it took a bit of coercion to get somewhere this useful.

Her eyes grazed over the scenery, enjoying it. She’d traveled more places than she had ever imagined as a girl, and it was still a wonder that she could find new places to stumble into on her travels. But it wasn’t just about taking in the sights. She liked to keep track of where she was–know what to look out for if she came back and where potential threats could hide.

Herbs filled the basket that was rested on her arm. “Would you like to head inside? I can put on the kettle so we can talk over a cup of tea.”

He chuckled a bit, standing up and brushing off his clothing. “Oh don’t worry about it. She’s really sweet, just a tad quiet.” He stretched and started to walk.

“I’m sure she’d appreciate a bit of help too. Ah I’m Kyllian.” He held out a dirty, calloused hand. “Where you headed to after this?”

The man was clearly trying to make small talk as he moved towards the woods. He was a simple commoner, much like the rest of the village.

Quiet types she was fine with. Could be a refreshing change for some of the mages she ran into. Most thought far too highly of themselves to shut up. Sometimes it was useful for when Yennefer was messing in politics. Most of the time it just bored her to death.

She shook the hand briefly. “Yennefer of Vengerberg. Thank you for your help Kyllian. I’m sure I would have had a far duller time in your town without my interrupting you and your friend.” She shrugged off his question. “Off to the next town over. Casting spells for those willing to pay for them.”

He stayed quiet overall, occasionally commenting on the scenery around them. But, he figured she preferred to cut the chatter.

After some time, a small cottage could be seen. It was a modest living space, but rather cute all the same. Along the path to the home, there were weeping trees lining the sides. A garden surrounded the building. The witch was crouched by a plant, harvesting some herbs.

She was a shorter woman, quite cute honestly. Her hair was chestnut in color with curls at the end. She wore a black gown with a tight bodice. She seemed startled when she heard the footsteps. “Ah hello there!”

The men jumped a bit, not really expecting her interruption. The man who was comforting the other let out a soft chuckle, leaning back in his chair.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. She won’t mind too much. She doesn’t live in town and she only visits once a week to gather supplies.” He hesitated for a moment. “She lives out in the woods. About an hour or two out of town. It’s a small cottage amongst a grove of weeping trees.”

The other man nodded his agreement. “I can take you there if you’d like. That way you don’t have to worry about getting lost. There’s no actual path.” He smiled a bit at the woman. “She’s quite a bit standoffish though, but I’m sure she’d be alright with a bit of company.”

Yen had to suppress the grin that threatened on her lips, keeping her expression neutral though she always enjoyed giving someone at least a bit of a start. She listened to them, nodding after a moment.

“That would be lovely, thank you. And I know a thing or two about not being… the easiest to approach.” It’d practically be a compliment the day that Yennefer was described as a bit standoffish. A cold-hearted bitch was normally the level she was on. “And I make delightful company when I want to be.”

“I’m sure she’d appreciate a bit of help too. Ah I’m Kyllian.” He held out a dirty, calloused hand. “Where you headed to after this?”

A Hidden Gem

@fourmarksmage

Aurore was a shorter woman with a nice figure. She had long chestnut hair with curls at the ends. She was rather cute with a quiet personality. She tended to stick to darker colored clothing too. Her cheeks were rosy.

She lived in a small cottage that was hidden away in a grove of weeping trees. It kept her hidden away and safe. The local town often called her the “witch of the grove”. She acted as a midwife and healer for the them and they actually liked her. She was easy to talk to and never had any ill will towards anyone.

Currently, two men were talking about her since she delivered one man’s son. He was comforting the man beside him because his wife was pregnant. “Oh, don’t worry so much. The witch has got some powerful healing stuff. Your wife will be in good hands when the time comes.”

“I know, I know. All the women are telling her that.” The man chuckled a bit, waving a hand. “Just can’t help but worry, you know?”

Yennefer had just been passing through, planning on no more than just earning some quick coin and making her way to the next one. She had a lead on a few old books she wanted to get her hands on, but she was still a ways away from the towns that had any leads for them. This stop was just a resting point that she was taking advantage of.

But the men’s conversation made her curious, especially given her goals for attaining those particular books. Perhaps the town was good for more than money. If the woman wasn’t actually a witch, she doubted the residents would be putting such trust in her.

After mulling over her choices, and deciding she could stand to stick around the town for an extra day or two, she stepped over to the men’s table. “I hate to interrupt, but I couldn’t help but overhear. It sounds like this place already has a mage, and I hate stepping on toes without meaning to.” Her smile was friendly, but deep down, Yen knew she stepped on toes if she had to. Still, no use making unnecessary enemies. She had plenty of those already.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. She won’t mind too much. She doesn’t live in town and she only visits once a week to gather supplies.” He hesitated for a moment. “She lives out in the woods. About an hour or two out of town. It’s a small cottage amongst a grove of weeping trees.”

The sun was setting on the third day on the road and Ryker had been relatively calm through most of it. Garret liked to think it was jealousy, since he’d been assigned a horse that was made for fighting throughout the last job. His rational brain knew that wasn’t the case though, Ryker was too simple to be jealous. They’d just had a good run of behavioural luck. That would change after dark, he knew. The skittish stallion shied at bumps in the road most days in plain daylight, he didn’t want to guess what the dark would do to him, although he already knew.

Garret looked around to find a suitable place to set up camp, pulling back on the reigns to slow his horse. It was almost like he jinxed his good luck, for as soon as he was told to slow, the stallion twirled once and set himself facing backwards on the road, looking back the way they came. His ears pinned to his head and he gnawed on his bit as though thinking on what he’d done and, not particularly liking the result he’d come to, snorted and backed up a few steps.

“You dumbass.” the old merc admonished, maneuvering the quirky animal back around with a few reign tricks. “You did that to yourself. Now hold still.”

Outside of a step or two back, Ryker did what he was told, even though he clearly didn’t like it. Garret took his window to look around properly before his eyes spotted a lone figure walking up the road to a house nearby. Fields around it told him all he needed to know and he slacked the reigns and nudged Ryker into a walk. Farmers were pretty decent folk and usually didn’t mind someone of his stature hanging around for a night, given he knew how to fend off most threats creeping around as payment for room, as it were. He whistled to catch the other’s attention, holding a hand up in greeting.

It had been a rather quiet day. Simple work. The animals were also behaving which was a nice change of pace. He straightened his back, stretching and cracking it. Then, he ran a hand through his hair when he heard someone call out. He jumped a bit... There hadn’t been anyone on that path all day.