Playing With Fire // taal-the-fire-smith
Spring had come to Bree, and everything from the green buds on the trees to the bustling markets declared it with enthusiasm after a long, cold winter. Erikur was thoroughly enjoying it, blue eyes lit with amusement as he strode through the crowded market, admiring the sight of full stands filled with baked goods and late spring harvest. It was as fragrant as it was colourful - the rich scents of fresh soil, apples, pies of various types as well as fresh breads nearly drowning out the lingering scent of humanity and animals. A few times he heard his name called, and the hunter would turn with a wide grin and wave to whomever it was who greeted him - offering a playful wink to the women which earned him several glares. Erikur simply shrugged them off, continuing onwards with the pile of leather slung across his back that he was planning on trading with a company of mercenaries that had made camp just beyond the walls near the lake. It was good income, in addition to the meat he sold from his hunts, and after not being able to find hardly anything and working at the mill all winter he was in an exceptional mood from having left on a three day hunt just prior.
The Stoneheart Mercenaries came typically to spend the winter, but rumour had it they instead had travelled to Harad where it was warm and dry and were only just returning. He was envious, having always wondered what it would be like to travel to such far away places and see things that he had only ever read about with a company of good friends but Erikur also loved his home - loved the woods that provided him with life and a means - and as much as he may fantasize about it, he was not so sure simply seeing these places was enough incentive to leave.
A surprisingly bright flash of red caught the hunter's eye, and he turned to see a small woman making her way through the crowd away from where the mercenaries - Dwarves, mostly - were loading up a large wagon. She turned back at one of the men shouting at her, and he felt a grin creeping across his face at the sight of brilliant silver-grey eyes and a pretty, freckled face though it was difficult to notice with the very little amount of clothing she seemed to be wearing that made it impossible to mistake her for a child. He caught a glimpse of skin around her middle, and both curiosity and interest had Erikur handing off the leathers to one of the Dwarves, all but snatching the purse of gold he was given in return, and moved to follow the redhead in the hopes he may catch a better glimpse.
