[CRP] Niveus' Life in Camaar

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At first glance, Niveus thought Hraborst looked like a wonderful town to settle down in... but oh how he would find himself wrong. On his way to the bistro after just a few days of settling down in his house, he meets a slimy old man. He looked around, there is no way of avoiding him as he stands right in front of the entrance to the bistro. Uh oh.. he is looking at Niveus. Maybe I should turn back, Niveus thinks but his stomach doesn't like that thought, protesting its hungry. The slimy old man opens his mouth.

You look like a nice young fellow..

Oh um.. yes.. I suppose. Excuse me, you're standing right in the way to the bistro.

The slimy old man didn't take any notice, instead he repeated his sentence.

You look like a nice young fellow.. strong too.. say, wouldn't you like a nice potato field?

A potato field? What should I do with one? I just want a nice loaf of bread, that is enough for me.

The slimy old man placed a hand on Niveus arm, digging his nails in. Just for 1 silver.. it will be yours. Niveus turned his head and looked at the man's hand. He shuddered, the nails were long and yellow. So.. what will it be, young man? eh? the slimy old man smiled, showing a row of yellow rotting teeth. Niveus gulped and held out a silver coin which the slimy old man accepted eagerly. You will find it among the other potato fields. Hard to miss. Field number 78... he chuckled and moved out of the way and Niveus quickly went to the bistro to order a loaf of bread.

The bread didn't taste as good as Niveus had expected. It tasted like sand, he spat it out and looked if the slimy old man was left. Nope, nowhere to be seen. He waited a while longer, just to be safe. Maybe I should have a look at the stupid field, Niveus thought and peeked out again. The slimy old man wasn't seen anywhere and Niveus dared to get out. He walked towards the farm area. All different kinds of field types grew there. He whistles happily, maybe his 1 silver had gained him one of these healthy fields. He passed some overgrown fields, not-so-healthy fields and passed those quickly but.. what was that number? 78? nah.. can't be.. best I double-check ...

The potato field needed ploughing. Well, actually. It needed more than that. It was overgrown with all sorts of bad weeds. Looking around, Niveus thought it must be the worst field. Another farmer was working on a field near Niveus' potato field. He glared at Niveus' Is that your field? Cause if those weeds start to grow on my field I swear I will... the farmer explained in great detail what would happen to the poor owner of potato field 78. Niveus got pale and swore on his mother's grave he didn't know who could treat a potato field that badly, which was partly true...

With heavy feet he started to make his way home. Deep in thoughts, Niveus didn't see the chicken on the road and tripped over it. Hey you! Watch your step! a woman yelled at him. He looked up and met her angry eyes. How am I supposed to sell my darlings when people don't see where they set their foot! The chicken ran to hide behind some barrels and high grass in front of a house.

Niveus glared back at her, Perhaps you shouldn't keep them in the middle of the road where people walk! He kicked a chicken nearby and sent it flying a good distance. The woman gasped and Niveus being proud of the length the chicken flew, kicked another one for good measure and grinned when it beat the record. The woman stood right in front of him, hands on her hips, Do you know who I am?

Niveus eyes her from head to toe and was about to open his mouth to say who he thought she was when she poked a finger in his chest, Hmpf! Clearly not! I'm Althea the Witch, they call me. Dare do anything else and you'll wake up with your skin itching, feathers growing out, big and fat enough to feed the whole town. She poked him again and it felt as if she poked in to his spine and he let out a scream. However.. if you pay for these poor chickens, I might forget about this little matter... Her eyes had something to them, as if she meant the whole chicken thing. Niveus could already feel his skin itching, his hand.. wasn't that a feather growing? He glanced at his right hand and the witch chuckled and imitated the sound of a chicken.

Niveus' hand trembled when he emptied his pouch in the witch's hands. She smiled sweetly and thanked him and walked past him. All the chickens followed after her, except for the two he had kicked. Instead, they looked stupidly at him. Niveus in turned stared at the witch. The chicken who had hidden herself behind the barrels came out and clucked. He picked the three of them up, strange enough, they didn't protest much and he carried them all the way home. One even fell asleep in his arms and Niveus regretted behaving so ill mannered towards them. That is, until he opened the door leading to his house.

His house was located in the outskirts of Hraborst. It was questionable if it could even be called a house, others would say it was more like a shed. It looked like it would fall apart any moment, it was dirty and not well kept. Nonetheless, it was Niveus' home. And he dreaded to come inside. As quietly as he could, he rounded the shed and dropped the chickens on the back yard, which was surrounded by an old wooden fence built by the previous owner. Perhaps the previous owner had kept chickens there too. They clucked happily and started to explore their new surroundings.

Niveus heard something move inside the shed. He sighed and walked to the door at the front on which there was a lock. One would think a lock wouldn't be needed on a such shed, where someone could just break in with a good kick on the rotten wood boards. Still, there was a lock and Niveus took the key which hanged from a rope around his neck and turned it in the lock, click. The movement ceased, Niveus opened the door and a sound as if someone pulled in air through their nose was clearly heard.

Almost as a whisper, a male voice said You know very well that I don't like chickens...

Closing the door quickly Niveus didn't even glance at the direction of the voice. Even if he would look that way, it would be too dark to see. He had been thinking how he would explain the chickens. They'll just be here a short while. I promise to slaughter them soon. Besides their eggs might make us some money. As soon as he had said that, he regretted it. A force hit him in the side and he lay on the floor gasping for air. Where is my meat? The voice didn't change tone, it was still quiet as a whisper and not angry or shouting as one would think after dealing such a blow. I.. I... I didn't have any money. Niveus closed his eyes, waiting for what would happen next, preparing for the pain.

You fool. No hit yet. Money falls through your fingers as soon as you get it. Niveus heard the voice coming closer, close enough that he could feel a wet breath on his face. You will get me food or you know what I'll do. The voice sounded as if it the threat would be a pleasure for him to deal out. Goldie, please, you need me. You know that. I will get you food. Do you want the chickens? I can pluck them? I swear, I'll sit and pluck every little feather on their skin. Nivus was nervous and talked fast but he had been through these kind of things before. He knew nothing too bad would happen to him but the bad things that still could, he liked to avoid. No. Bring me eggs instead. If it can give more eggs it is no use to slaughter it. Goldie, as the owner of the voice's name was called, moved away and Niveus dared to sit up. Of course, of course, you're right. I will do so immediately. He hurried outside to see if the chickens had left any eggs but before he closed the door, Niveus looked into the shed and saw a pair of reflective golden eyes following him in the darkness.

Everytime Niveus found some eggs from the chickens he carefully fed Goldie with half and sold the other half on the town market. Slowly he was building up enough money to buy Goldie meat. He shuddered at the thought of Goldie's long purple tongue twine itself around the egg, picking it up from Niveus' palm. The crushing sound inside Goldie's mouth as the egg broke and his sharp teeth chewed the shell and then the gulp swallowing it down. Niveus had started to travel outside the town and mine for iron ore. He found that the town was in great need of it and at the same time it meant he would get away from Goldie. Of course he had to leave some meat around at home or Goldie would lose his temper. Sometimes Niveus thought that Goldie would like it out in the wild; the forest and the mine. Goldie however couldn't defend himself from all the creatures roaming about. Niveus sighed and lifted the pickaxe at a promising spot, thinking what kind of fate had brought them together.