ａｕｄｉｏ + ａｃｔｉｏｎ.

[wolfchild]

[ she begins without preamble, speaking clearly and surely. ]

I have things to trade in the cafeteria. There's hams and cheeses, doughnuts, and juices. Socks too, and wet wipes, toys and jewelry. I've got books too for those who want them and markers in lots of colors. There's a lot more too. I'll be here all day or until it's all gone.

[ she took over a section of the cafeteria for her use. her direwolf lies beside her, guarding both her and the cart.

her wheeled cart ( commandeered from the clinic ) is full of items: the top has a tray of finger food from the promised cold hams and cheeses to oysters and shrimp packed in ice with sauces alongside, even cooked mini pizzas. below are assorted vending machine goods in their wrappers, sacks of ground coffee and hot chocolate, and a dozen fresh doughnuts. she has a pitcher of lemonade and a half-gallon of fruit punch.

in the drawers are assorted items such as wipes, hand sanitizers, socks and scarves, toys including a stuffed bear that moves and talks when you press its stomach, a few books and papers and markers.

hidden inside a bag at the girl's feet are a few cartons of cigarettes and small bottles of whiskey and wine for those who can pay a little extra. ]

Comments

[wolfchild]

I'm not a lady. I'm a bastard. [ let's get that out of the way first. ] What do you have?

[deadlybanker]

A cruel term, I see no reason for it.

[His eyes were drawn away from the wolf towards the girl. Her way of speaking was very curt, but he made no more judgement on it than that. ]

I had a few things with me when I was drawn here, coin from the island, a few from my home... they may mean nothing here, a few books I have already finished. I do tend to travel light.

[wolfchild]

[ she shrugs. ]

It's what I am. Can I see the coins? …Please. [ she adds in afterthought.

even if they have no value, metal is metal and she can always trade it to a smith. ]

[deadlybanker]

[In hindsight it might really have been the Exsilium coins that were worth the least. Giovanni pulled two coins from his pocket: the lire was made of silver and the florin of gold. Neither were pure of course but these two metals still held a value. These two were handed over for her inspection]

Are you very familiar with coins?

[wolfchild]

[ she rubs her thumb over the lire first, getting it's particular feel. ]

I can tell a Braavosi coin from a Westerosi or Myrish or Lyseni in the dark. I know lots of others too. [ once blind, she had no choice but to learn. ] Where are these from?

[deadlybanker]

Most impressive. That is a feat even a banker would have difficulty matching.
These coins are from the past.

[He smiled, before giving her a more complete answer. ]

They are from a place called Italia, and that one...
[He pointed to the florin.]
Is the currency of a city called Firenze.

[So basically they are both Renaissance era coins from Florence, Italy. ]

[wolfchild]

[ the first name at least is known to her. the second has a familiar cadence she remembers only ever hearing from lucrezia borgia. ]

Do you know Rome?

[deadlybanker]

Si, I have traveled there many times.

[The names of the places she mentioned were entirely unknown to him. So, just how had she heard of Rome? ]

Have you ever passed through there?

[wolfchild]

No. I've heard of it.

[ she clutches the coins in her fist and looks up at him. ]

What would you like?

[deadlybanker]

Your name for a start. Then maybe one of your books. They are much more difficult to come by here than they were on the ground.

[wolfchild]

Cat. [ she grabs the cart and tilts it slightly toward her. the coins he had given her are missing. ] Which one do you want?

[deadlybanker]

[What skill she had to palm those coins so quickly! He knew thieves who were not as slick as she.
Giovanni smiled in silent acknowledgement of her talent as he scanned trough the book titles and settled on one close to home. ]

'A History of the Italian Renaissance'. That should keep me busy for sometime.

[wolfchild]

[ if she has any comments about his selection, she keeps them to herself. instead she only smiles. ]

Sure you don't want anything else? You haven't said who you are. [ she adds, remembering she gave her name but he has not given his. ]

[deadlybanker]

Just the book will do for now. If you have anything left after the others have been by I may come again.

I am Giovanni Auditore da Firenze.

[wolfchild]

[ that name rings familiar. she does nothing but smile as if at a new friend. ]

How will you know there is anything left?

[deadlybanker]

If there is not, then I doubt you will still be here.

[He'd be watching. She had already gained his interest.
The book he had selected was pulled from the cart, and though the money he had handed her was probabally worth far more than the one book he said nothing about a refund.]

Addio, signora.

[With that he stepped away from the cart, back to what ever business had brought him to this room in the first place. ]