Carry On [End]

[Thalron]

"Hopefully we won't get this far off track..." He said jokingly, hoping it wasn't too mean of a comment. After all, she /did/ manage to go how should he say... waaaay off course. He wasn't incredibly good at map reading himself, but he was pretty sure he could recognize entering the entirely wrong region. "Umm... Not that it's all bad, we did uh, meet because of it I guess." he glanced around, as if searching for a means to escape his blatant foot-in-mouth syndrome but soon resigned to looking at the ground a little sheepishly.

When she spoke about the gardens, he could really tell that something was bothering her... He wasn't sure what the cause of it was, but maybe he'd gather enough courage to ask later. If they didn't separate upon getting to the capital that is. Had he a free hand, he likely would have tried to pat her on the back. Luckily the subject changed before he stuck his foot in his mouth again.

"It helps that I pay them..." He said with a little bit of sarcasm evident in his voice. They were his friends, atleast somewhat. But he doubted they'd spend the time if they weren't paid for it. When she said she was happy he was there, he blushed again and sort of shuffled his feet a bit as he hopped. "Oh, umm... umm... I'm more than err... happy to accompany you too.." Yep, he was starting to feel like an idiot again.

[FlyingPanther]

Viviane hadn't been hurt by the joke. He knew there was nothing malicious about it, and honestly...he was used to teasing...working and living with those that he did work and live with. He laughed a bit at the ferret's uncomfortible words. He gave a reassuring smile. "No, not that bad at all. Like I said, I'm happy we met." Indeed, it could have been much worse, and he could have met someone dangerous. This was not why he said such a thing, however. Viviane got attached to people very quickly, even if the ferret didn't yet see him that way, Viviane had the creature in his mind as a friend.

"Yes...money always helps things I'm sure..." Viviane couldn't help but giggle again, though he supposed it was probably not something to laugh about, "But well...even if you didn't...wouldn't they still lend a helping hand?" he slithered silently for a moment, feeling like...maybe it was now his time to put his foot in his mouth....or well...tail...since he didn't really have any feet.

Viviane found Perth quite adorible, he hadn't met someone so jumpy around him in...well...maybe even ever. Most people he met were fairly happy to dominate, or at the least were accertive, this man didn't seem to have very much confidence in the face of the snake. "You know...you are really sweet. Please...you don't have to be nervous..." he tried to sound reassuring.

[Thalron]

Perth smiled a bit sheephishly as she spoke, he got the feeling that at some point he'd either have to get comfortable around her or... This was going to be a very, very long trip. Not that it wasn't already going to be one. Fifty miles was probably a two day trip if nothing slowed them down... He got the feeling they wouldn't be that lucky though.

At the second comment he shrugged a little bit. "Maybe, I don't know... I'd probably feel bad if I didn't give them something in return." It seemed like when he was talking more about his work that his voice was a lot more confident, and it became much more obvious that he could actually talk his way out of a paper bag. He didn't seem to notice the awkward silence that the serpent fell into for those few moments.

Upon the return to talking about him, and his nervousness he of course blushed and ducked his head away a little. giving her a somewhat shy glance before returning to his rather sheepish nature again... It was obvious her comment on not needing to be nervous while heard, was probably not something he had very much control over. "Thanks.. uhm.. I'll try not to be." he cleared his throat, and in an attempt to regain some control over himself. "So... You want to go to the court right? It'd be fastest to go south through Avington I think..."

[FlyingPanther]

Viviane nodded. The ferret was right, it would be bad if his friends werent willing to work for free, but at the same time...what kind of person would he be for not paying them? It seemed to work. He supposed...friendship was about trust...something that seemd to be lacking in his life for the most part. But then...he remembered he didn't really have any friends. Funny how things worked like that.

Viviane realized he needed to cool his jets a bit. He was obviously doing something that the ferret was getting nervous about, and he seemed to be aggrivating it. He wondered what exactly it was, but decided to let it go. It wouldn't do to potentially make it worse.

He shook his head, "I just came from the courts, I need to get home to the capital. We should probably be going west." he looked up at the ferret. His sense of direction was really off, and he wasn't exactly sure which way was west any longer. It was times like these...that he should really carry around a compass. There were always chances he could get lost, like he did now. He blushed a bit, embarrassed as he realized how far west they needed to go.

[Thalron]

Perth's mind had more or less moved on from thinking about his friends, or associates as he contemplated the routes to the capital... He had looked at a map a fair amount at home, but never actually traveled any of these roads. It was a happy distraction for him as it kept him from acting like an idiot infront of Viviane... Although he just had to make a comment on the direction. "Umm... The capital is to the east. There should be some cross roads in a couple of miles we can take." He was beginning to think that he'd have some serious sores by the time they reached the capital, especially with how his chains chafed...

He let silence fall for a few moments before speaking again, he didn't like that awkward sort of feeling... Not that it got any better when he made a fool of himself. "Do you... know a lot of torquehelmites?" he asked curiously, he had never personally met someone from Selkie lakes... but since she lived in the capital, he had to wonder if many people had moved there. "I only know a couple people from the neighboring regions... Tulgy woods, Avington... and a marshlander or two." he said somewhat casually... Managing to resist embarrassing himself infront of her again. For now atleast.

[FlyingPanther]

Viviane cocked his head a bit at Perth. However, it was short lived. Suddenly he grew a deep shade of red, laughing nervously, "Oh my. You are right! It is to the east....I must have...somehow mixed it up in my mind...That explains how I ended up in Torquehelm..." Viviane felt like smashing his head against something. How could he have been so stupid? Oh well, his track record in that field was not exactly at it's best...ever.

He tried to ignore the critical voice in his head, instead listening to the chinking of the chains on Perth's front legs as he moved. He looked at them. They really looked...quite painful. He couldn't help but ask, "I've always been curious about your people's curse. Do you feel cursed, Perth?" he asked looking up at him, and into his eyes. "I apologize...if that's...personal." he then slithered up a bit, watching the road in front of him.

"I don't know to many personally, actually, though I have seen them wandering around a lot, and I've...been hired by a few..." he said, trying to keep his words ambiguous. He knew eventually he would have to let the ferret know...especially if the Ferret was going to stay in the capital with him for a while. "One of them is Acheron...the man I was trying to find before...He's a friend of mine's lover...but...he...left...under...a bit of misinformation. He saved my life once...I worry about him." if the snake had ears they might have pinned back sadly, but luckily...he didn't have any of these same tell tale signallers. "The other...is a fellow employee...a mouse...though, I haven't seen him lately." he mildly wondered what had happened to the whore mouse...

"You know...Tugley Woodlanders?" the snake looked at him...fearfully. Viviane hoped, that he would never have to meet one of their kind...he knew...that if he was ever hired by one...it would probably be the last job of his life. He shuddered slightly.

[Thalron]

Perth couldn't help but laugh a little bit when Viviane made that realization, making sure to stop himself before it turned possibly hurtful. Afterwards, giving her a little nudge with his nose on what would be generally shoulder-location to someone who had them. "Let's try to keep straight this time, I was never too good at foraging in the woods..."

He did seem to pause a bit when she asked whether he felt cursed... It was a bit touchy subject, but he didn't stop long enough to let her realize that. Instead just shrugging a bit as he hopped, as dangerous a move as that was he managed not to trip. "I guess so, everyone has their problems though. Mine are just more supernatural." He managed a small chuckle again, before popping his neck. "Although... I don't know which is worse, my legs or my neck..." It seemed like he was on a roll, there wasn't any visible (or audible) stumbling through his words that time!

He listened intently as she spoke about being hired by a few, and about Acheron. Maybe when he came home he'd do some searching, if he got a little bit more info he guessed it wouldn't be too difficult to locate him. A lot of people wandered through his shop after all. He didn't have much to say on the subject though, maybe later.

When she spoke about the tugley woodlander like that he tilted his head, he knew they had a bad rep but was it really /that/ bad? Maybe he'd have to re-evaluate his relations when he got home... Or something. Not that he saw them that often. "Yeah, there's one or two that come in my shop on a semi-regular schedule. I've never had a problem with them."

[FlyingPanther]

Viviane's pale scales betrayed how embarrassing his mistake was, and he giggled good naturedly with Perth, but well...his face was so red he might as well have been part Morganberry. He gave his new friend a smile and nodded, "I agree...I always get in the most trouble when I try to cut through foliage. I get turned around really easily." he didn't feel it nessesary to admit that the few times he had been assulted on his way to and from the courts had been in the forested areas. If the Ferret didn't know how to navigate through them, well then...he was about as useful as a broken compass.

He immidiately regretted asking about the curse. He couldn't help but be curious, but it seemed like he had hit a nerve in his new friend, and he really wished he hadn't. As Perth spoke about it, he nodded. Everyone he knew at least seemed to have a myriad of different problems, be them a Torquehelmite or not. He jumped a little at the rather loud sound of the ferret's neck cracking. His eyes immidiately went up to his rather impressive set of horns. They must be really heavy. "Well...I don't know whether the knowledge really helps any, but your horns are lovely." he smiled a bit. He certainly wasn't going to help Perth with his no stumbling streak if he kept saying such things.

He didn't know what to do...he wanted to talk a bit more about it...but he didn't know if it was really proper to do so. His curiousity was getting the better then him, and he asked softly, "I really don't mean to be so...nosey...but I'm curious. Have you ever thought about freeing yourself?" he gave a weak smile. He had heard that some Torquehelms could eventually free themselves from the curse, though he really didn't know how one would go about doing that.

When the subject went back to the Woodlanders Viviane looked visibly shocked that Perth had managed to communicate with some without being killed. He didn't seem to understand the snake's fear however, and he blushed. Maybe they really werent that bad? Perth didn't seem to have a problem with them. He looked away, "Tugley Woodlanders....they really scare me...." he admitted slightly ashamed.

[Thalron]

Perth pretended not to notice the sudden, and vivid reddening of the others face... Even if he could probably see the glow from a mile away, he didn't feel the need to mention it... He even resisted commenting on how she appeared to get turned around even while on roads but instead just chuckled. "Oh, there's the cross roads up there." He said as they came around a bend in the road. It was probably good to let her take a break from the teasing... Even if he didn't do that much.

And of course, the comment about how lovely his horns were made him duck his head a little bit... Well, a little more than usual, it seemed he was a bit bashful, although he did like the comment. His horns were one of the few things he prided himself on, even if they caused him pain it meant that he stuck out a little bit. Which was good, he wanted to stick out, but not so much as to draw unwanted attention. Flames or such would probably make him too nervous. "Umm.. Thanks... I like yours too, they're erm... very cute." if he could shuffle his feet he probably would be doing so, but as it was he just continued to hop, and jingle.

He managed to pull out of his embarrassment alittle bit when she asked if he thought about freeing himself. That question seemed a bit... Silly probably, he didn't mind the prying so much though. If there was something he didn't want to talk about he'd say so. And of course he had thought about freeing himself... But truthfully didn't know where to start. "I've thought about it, but I don't know... I don't know how I'd even do it, or what the other Torq's would think of it." he looked down at his front legs as he hopped. "...It would also be nice to get rid of the name pogo, or tripod though..." He gave a few chuckles at that joke, although it was a bit more solemn than he had been a few moments ago.

He shook his head, or rather swayed it side to side when she admitted being afraid of them. "Well, I can't say they don't make me nervous at times... But I give people the benefit of the doubt atleast... Even if it does end up biting me in the end." He eyed the signs that were visible up ahead... He had never really gone further than that.

[FlyingPanther]

Viviane looked ahead of him, to see that indeed, there was a crossroads coming up. "Are we going to go straight...or turn?" he asked as they slowly approached it.

Oh suits. Did he embarrass the poor guy again? I guess complimenting someone using the word 'lovely' was just asking them to blush. It was a bit forward wasn't it? Though Perth was good about getting him back. Viviane blushed a bit to as his eye ridge was commented on. "Really? I always thought they were...a bit to manly for me....but...I suppose I wouldn't be the best judge for those kinds of things..." he laughed, blushing a bit harder. He really did have to be careful of the things he was saying. The ferret was obviously the bashful type, anything remotely flirtacious could be taken the wrong way, and well...he didn't want to make his new friend uncomfortible. If he wanted it, it would be a whole other issue, but the ferret didn't seem to have the same kind of mentality as most of his clients. Maybe all men weren't pigs.

"Well...I can't imagine they would be upset. Wouldn't they be happy to see one of their fellows freed?" Though deep down he understood what the ferret meant. He lived in a world constantly worried about what others thought of him. His job depended on it, and his friendships tended to depend on the other not finding out about his job. Was being freed the same way with Torques? Was it heavily looked down upon? It seemed niether of them really had the answer to that question...and sometimes it was scary to risk so much. He didn't comment on the nicknames. He could understand the need to be called something...other then such hurtful things. But he really didn't want to think about that right now.

"That is very good of you...I wish I could do that...but...it's not really a good idea with my job." he blushed a bit, there he went with his job again. But what he had said about the woodlanders made him think. Maybe his new friend wouldn't think to badly of him? After all...Woodlanders were rumored to be horrible people...killing anyone who wandered into their territory. If he could give people like that benefit of the doubt...well...would he be able to extend the same to him? It might be nice to...get it out of the way sooner...then to explain it when they got to the capital.

The snake was nervous, as could be told by his erractic slithering...and the look in his eyes. His mouth twitched a bit. "Would you....treat me the same...if I told you something...about...me?" he realized this was kind of vague..."I mean...I don't hurt people or anything...I would never hurt anyone. But...if I told you something that was....a little...um...taboo...would you....not be my friend anymore?" his cheeks turned a deep scarlet. Guh...on second thought...what was he doing?