Rose shrugged her shoulders, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "I'm from a really small town. Most of us are farmers, most of the rest are miners, and my family owns an Inn that's really more of a pub, because we don't have too many people stay. We get a fair amount of travelers, but they aren't the majority of our patrons. Anyway, it's so small, and everybody knows everybody, and none of us are particularly wealthy, so we all help others where we can. Someone loses their job, the rest of us help keep 'em fed, you know..." she looked out the window at the rain, which was slowly whipping itself into a storm, "the Mages in the white tower have this individualistic approach to life, everyone must support themselves and rely on no one and each person's individual accomplishments are--well, where I'm from, we care about the community, first, so even when I'm so far away from home... community first."
 
Valara listened as she spoke, still shivering a bit, huddling in the towel that was starting to look soggy too. "That sounds real nice.... better an anyplace I been" she said, rubbing her shoulders and following Rose's eyes out the window "Why'd you leave it?" she asked. Didn't make sense to her to leave a comfortable kind place like that. of course she had only known cruelty in her short life. A place full of nice people who helped each other, sounded like heaven. Rose's kindness was testament enough for her to believe what she said was true.

"Is it real far away?" she went on, maybe she could go there and find a safe place to live, maybe a new family...
 
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"Well, I didn't leave it for good. I always go back, but I can't stay there, not forever. It's quaint and peaceful, but there's a whole world out there, full of so many sorts of people, and I want t'meet them. One day I'll probably feel a bit old, and head home, back t'my warm bed and the green, rolling hills, but until then, I'm going t'travel, play music for the people I meet, and learn their stories. I write it all down as I go, and when I'm through, I'll edit it together and make it lovely, one great Epic of life within this world," Rose paused for a few minutes, and frowned. Her grand adventure and troubadour inclinations weren't why she was in White Cliffs, and it felt wrong to not admit it, "but, I came here because the mages in the Onyx Palace demanded I help them, and I had no choice but to say yes. I don't want t'end up in their prison complex for saying no."

"And it is really far away, my home town. Of course, I walked all the way, I'm sure it's faster if you have a car."
 
Valara listened and watched her as she spoke "will ya write about me?" She asked, seeming entirely fascinated by this womans life "be nice ta know that someone'd remember me ya know?"
 
"Of course I will, I write about everybody. I'm trying t'remember all the little people. History books and songs they only remember the people who are wealthy or famous or politicians, but the normal people are forgotten, I want t'have them not be lost," she crossed her arms, yawned and began to quietly sing, "I met a lass in a little town / by the name of White Cliffs..." but trailed off, too tired to come up with anything proper.
 
Valara smiled listening to her sing, it was nice and well, comforting in a way. She decided she liked Rose.

"Do...you have a spare blanket?" She asked hopefully. The towel was soggy now and not doing her much good now
 
"Hm, I'm not sure," Rose replied. She stood up, and went through the little closet in the room. She was glad to find, on the topmost shelf, a spare blanket. It was a bit thin, but warm enough for one night. After handing it to Valara, she said with a small, apologetic shrug, "I should probably go to bed, I have to be up early tomorrow. My friend and I have to go find someone... you don't happen to know a man called 'Dark,' do you? He's an inventor, with black hair? I heard someone mention he had a wife who isn't very pretty?"
 
Valara accepted the blanket but didn't wrap it around herself right away as it would just get damp too. She would take her clothes off to let them dry whence Rose had gone to sleep

"Uhm yeah I think so...not seen him in a long time though...maybe I can help ya look?"
 
"I don't know if that's a good idea," Rose replied, switching off the light and lying down, "it could be dangerous, and I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
 
"No more dangerous than living on the streets and getting caught in the rain" she said. Slipping her clothed off and laying them on top of the towel to dry off before curling up in the warm dry blanket
 
Valara sighed but didn't push it just curled up tighter in the thin blanket to sleep

Come morning Valara jumped as Nassirah knocked loudly on the door "Rose time to go! Wasting daylight!" she seemed impatient again, whatever softness she might of shown the night before was gone. She certainly had a thick shell to get past but had shown it was possible with persistence

Valara hastily pulled on her still somewhat damp clothes, true to her word, she had touched nothing, and had stayed right here where she had been the night before, careful not to disturb anything
 
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Rose was raised accustomed to hard work, so being up on time wasn't difficult for her, "Okay, but, listen, I have a bit of a situation," she said, opening the door. She was already dressed, and her curly hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, but she stood mostly in the doorway, with her items prepared but still resting on her bed.
 
Nassirah frowned "situation?" She raised her brow curiously "what sort of situation?" She seemed impatient and annoyed but that seemed to be her constant state really
 
"Do you remember the child from yesterday?" Rose asked, in a hushed tone, "She's here. She came last night when it was raining, I didn't know... don't know, what t'do with her." She glanced over her shoulder at Valara, and then looked back at Nassirah, "She wants t'come with, I told her it's a bad idea, and anyway I don't think there's space for her on your bike, but..."
 
Nassirah glanced past her and could see Valara standing near the window ready to climb out and take off.

"But what?" Nassirah asked frowning "you want to bring her anyway?"
 
"Don't be ridiculous, I don't want t'bring her. Despite my reservations about this whole thing, I know this fellow may well be dangerous, and I don't want t'bring a child along to risk harm," Rose replied, a bit sharply, "but I don't want t'just cast her out, you know, I don't want t'kick her out onto the street. Say, 'go on, git,' send her escaping goblins only to be caught by wolves."
 
Nassirah rubbed her temple "well then what are you asking?" She asked, as impatient as ever. "She's not your responsibility. Get ahold of child services if you want I suppose but we need to get going soon"
 
"Do you not remember what happened the last time we considered calling CPS about her? Did your hand miraculously heal overnight?" Rose said, crossing her arms, "And what she said about being sent back to the lab? She's not our responsibility technically, but... well, doesn't it concern you? 'The Lab'?"
 
Nassirah let out a long sigh and dragged her good hand down her face. "Well what exactly do you suggest then? We can't take her with us and we can't leave her here either the innkeeper wouldn't like that" she frowned
 
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