aokayes

Your character has just arrived in a swampy, dim town. As they look around, their gaze is met with shacks and cabins. It smells of rotted wood and wet moss. They duck and step into a tattered tent, illuminated by a series of candles suspended in the air. At the back of the tent, an old hag raises her head, “What brings you to this dingy town? She begins, then pauses to study your face—”Ah, it’s you. I’ve been expecting you. Sit,” she gestures at a cushion, “Tell me your story.”

((How do you respond?))

Odesa neglected to sit down, scrunching up her nose at the obviously musty cushion. Unfortunately, this left her half bending down, her hair brushing against the ceiling. She's not equipped for this environment, at all. It's embarrassing. It's clear in how she stands, ruffling her skirts. She can avoid sitting down for now, but how much will she actually have to do to get shelter from this hag?

She took a breath. "My name is Odesa... as you know. I think."

The hag just stared at her.

"Um.." Odesa continued on. "I'm from the East. I'm traveling West because I need work, and there is nothing for me back in my k- in my village." She awkwardly twisted her hands in her lap. Her nails were once a deep red, but now they're chipped and caked with dust. Dust she didn't have an opportunity to yet get rid of.

The hag seemed softer the longer Odesa looked at her, her humility clear. "My..and what kind of work are you looking for?"

"Anything." Odesa spoke quite quickly in her response and caught herself, pausing. "Um.. I clean. I sow. I cook. I can do everything around a house and more. I can be a caretaker. I - was - a caretaker. My boss, he.. wasn't well. He needed help eating daily, he needed medicine."

This seemed like the right thing to appeal to the woman. Hag? Hag woman? She nodded, however, seemingly in approval. "And you're here because we're in your way of something more?"

"Well-" Odesa squirmed, clearly not desiring to stay in the town. "If there's anything that I can do here to help that will permit my stay and some supplies for a moment, I'd be more than happy to help." She pushed a stray strand of hair out of her face, trying her very hardest to look casual as she still continued to crouch in the tent, her hair hanging in front of her. Her eyes darted around the entire tent interior, examining every fleck inside.

"Well..." The woman smiled, revealing a pointed tooth. "We might have a few things. But don't pretend you don't want to clean up my place already."

"Please," Odesa begged, letting some of her discomfort with the environment show. "It would be lovely to help."

"Your skills would be better suited to another resident.. but I'm open to your offer."

Odesa sank with relief, before her back started aching to much and she crouched down to meet the woman's eye level. Shit. That might have been more respectful a minute ago. "I will take open..." She fidgeted with the ring on her finger, nervous. All of the jewelry she wore was quite out of character here. So was she. But after a distant expression made its way onto her face, like she was imagining something far away. Whatever it was, as she blinked her way back to reality, it was enough to Odesa clenched her jaw and nodded. "I won't let you down."