7 0 - A S H A N - 7 1 8 . . . N A S H A K I
Hyde didn't have it in him to do much of anything except follow the unusual biqaj. It took most of his energy just to keep walking in a straight decent path. On occasion, he felt a hand at his arm or elbow or shoulder to help guide him. At some point, they got out of the hot Nashaki night air and into a cooler building.
He still had his (soiled and sandy) rucksack, and the clay cup that Kalba had gotten for him. He still lacked a shirt and he still didn't care much, except that dirt had started to cling to his sweat-lined skin. Hyde searched for a table once they entered the tavern, and he wanted to order liquor, but the attempt had gotten diverted before it even started -
- and instead, he found himself inside a new inn room with a refilled cup of water.
So, Hyde sat in the middle of the room - on the floor - rucksack laid beside him. He sipped at water this time. The chug of water from before had made him nauseous again. He ignored whatever it was Kalba insisted on doing, while he focused on the rippled liquid inside the cup.
They hadn't been there long. Long enough to get settled, but not much longer than that. He thought over what Kalba had said in the shop. A soldier... he sipped the water.
He looked at the bandages on his hand. Some reddish-brown spots dappled them, but otherwise it was clean. Hyde flexed his fingers back and forth in a fist, then lifted it somewhat to look at the room's lantern light between his fingers.
Hyde hummed in a low rumble, then he sipped his water. Then he got tired of drinking the water, and just wanted to feel cool again. Hyde jerked the cup enough that water splashed out and onto his face. He paused, while he felt the droplets roll over his face -
- then he repeated the splash. The drunk man then poured it over his head without care for the floor underneath him. He felt the water rinse through his dirty silvered hair, and over the shape of his ears. He set the cup aside. Hyde rubbed the water over his face and it felt nice on his sunburn.
He still had his (soiled and sandy) rucksack, and the clay cup that Kalba had gotten for him. He still lacked a shirt and he still didn't care much, except that dirt had started to cling to his sweat-lined skin. Hyde searched for a table once they entered the tavern, and he wanted to order liquor, but the attempt had gotten diverted before it even started -
- and instead, he found himself inside a new inn room with a refilled cup of water.
So, Hyde sat in the middle of the room - on the floor - rucksack laid beside him. He sipped at water this time. The chug of water from before had made him nauseous again. He ignored whatever it was Kalba insisted on doing, while he focused on the rippled liquid inside the cup.
They hadn't been there long. Long enough to get settled, but not much longer than that. He thought over what Kalba had said in the shop. A soldier... he sipped the water.
He looked at the bandages on his hand. Some reddish-brown spots dappled them, but otherwise it was clean. Hyde flexed his fingers back and forth in a fist, then lifted it somewhat to look at the room's lantern light between his fingers.
Hyde hummed in a low rumble, then he sipped his water. Then he got tired of drinking the water, and just wanted to feel cool again. Hyde jerked the cup enough that water splashed out and onto his face. He paused, while he felt the droplets roll over his face -
- then he repeated the splash. The drunk man then poured it over his head without care for the floor underneath him. He felt the water rinse through his dirty silvered hair, and over the shape of his ears. He set the cup aside. Hyde rubbed the water over his face and it felt nice on his sunburn.