exsilium | 1st Oath

((OOC: Sorry guys! I got a bit excited with my typing and didn't think about the length. >>;; So, I tucked both prompts under cuts, feel free to ask me any questions you has with a PM~))

[action]

[Maybe he's been seen a few times already, or this might be the first day, but Enno's been out since the bombing helping with the rebuilding efforts and as a result learning just a tiny bit about masonry. Mostly he's just carrying things, and even if the Transports haven't noticed; the Natives sure have.

They've been hard at work too, pelting him with what vegetables they can spare, calling him names, and of course just generally insulting him. They do it because he hasn't lifted the first hand against them. He's just grim-faced and stubbornly hauling stone, brick, and metal to and from reconstruction sights, and will be doing it for at least 6 hours today. It has been longer the previous few but he has to train later. He's also not wearing armor or his swords, nor has been. He is instead wearing a double-breasted sleeveless tunic-vest, a white shirt with a lacing neck, some leather gloves, knee-high boots that some rough material pants are tucked into. It has a neat appearance to it for the most part, but that's because he was a soldier.]

[video]

[He's had time to wash by the time his tablet camera blinks on. Enno stares at it for some time before he opens his mouth to speak. Instead of doing so, he quickly turns back to what he was doing, which involved sitting away enough from the camera to let it be seen; he is polishing the breastplate of his armor. It's not to give it a mirror shine, but so it looks nice at least. He glances at the camera a few times, trying to speak. He finally sets it down, picking up his larger sword, setting it against his shoulder so he can carefully sharpen it, and not slice into his neck.]

I apologize for the long pause, I am not a public speaker. [Enno turns the sword over so he can get started on the other side.] I thought that doing something to occupy me might help but... [A small huff] I am not a prideful man. During the bombing, I of course could not do much. I would like to ask for help in improving my sword skill, and perhaps other techniques. If anyone needs assistance, I can help, and have been, with the rebuilding. I am also a decent blacksmith. I do not want to sit idly by and be taken as easy prey, I wish to hone myself so we might eventually take the fight to them, or at least so I can better aide anyone in the next mission.

[Now Enno takes a piece of leather and carefully takes it to the edge for the final touches.] I'd also like to speak with the Initiative privately about obtaining an item from home.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Modern as the city was, it wasn't a mountain, and didn't have its own supply of gems or precious metals. Which means that materials for his forging business were often hard to come by. In order to complete a job in the past, Thorin has gone into the wilderness or bartered with the natives--but since the sickness and the bombing, this was much harder to do. It became even more necessary to be creative.

If there was one very small blessing to be found in the UE's attack, it was the surplus metal left over. He moves through the wreckage of a building, like a thief in a graveyard. He already has charcoal for carbon, and he would have to look through a bog to find a pyrolusite needed for a manganese ore. But for now, he inspects the broken pieces of iron.

That's when he sees the young man, walking past with arms full of stone and metal with his chin high. Even as a native woman hurls disparaging remarks at him, as well as some vegetables. Thorin tilts his head as he comes closer.]

There are some that could never imagine a crime deplorable enough to waste food. [Hobbits, mostly. But living in exile with his people also taught him the value of saving sustenance.]

[Focusing on his work helps. It never quite helps Enno ignore the wors, or the food, but having went through this once in his life already, he can endure it. The new voice however does catch his attention, and he pauses.]

You speak true, Schvartem. I among them. [Taking that as a cue, plus he is likely another Transport, Enno comes over and places his latest burden on the ground so the other cleaners can come and do what the would with it. He then turns to address the new person, a Dwarf if his own eyes are seeing correctly.]

Do you need aid, Schvartem? [It has been some time since Enno has seen a dwarf, and then only briefly. However, he is not one for excessive curiosity, so he holds eye contact enough to be polite before he turns back to the pile to separate it some so it was less likely to fall upon someone.]

[Thorin sets his iron down once he finds that the young man is walking towards him, the line of his gaze ascending as he gets closer and he needs to look up at him, given the usual height differences.

A slight angling of his head.] You would do better to offer your assistance to a bird for flight.

[As in dwarves and metalwork: it is so inherent to their nature, they potentially come out of the womb with little pick-axes...but that's a painful thought, isn't it?

Then he glances at what he's doing.] You are a mason?

[At one time, he probably would have been annoyed, if not outright offended. As it is, Enno inclines his head and goes back to breaking the pile down. He doesn't look back yet.]

Only as much as an apprentice would be, Schvartem. I am a smith, but I was aiding in the efforts to rebuild.

[He's very much a man of the people, so of course he was going to help with the only thing he knew he could help with. So he drags wreckage from the ruins, and returns with fresh materials with which the Initiative can actually help make anew what was lost. He finally turns to address Thorin directly again.]

...Given that your people are so keen with metalwork, might I ask you to repair a greave, Schvartem?