OPEN | come away, oh human child

[keenly]

WHO: Colin
WHAT: Setting up shop, literally
WHEN: Present through the end of the month
WHERE: The Gallows
NOTES: The Inquisition's Kirkwall branch now has a general goods store where you can get a discount. Yaay.

All day yesterday was hard work, getting everything off the ship, getting the key for the place, testing the key to the place, carting in load after load of crap, et cetera et cetera but today is the day the store actually opens.

Colin has run a business, sort of, but this is his first time actually running his own store. It's a dream come true, especially since the day the templars dragged him away from his family and locked him in a tower. Now, it's starting to feel like he might be able to leave it all in the past. If he can only get this lyrium shipment sold, maybe he'll have some padding if business goes poorly at first. It feels like it's burning a hole in his pocket, so to speak. Not his literal pocket.

To lure people into the store during the noontime, he has crafted a massive street-pan full of an Antivan paella, spicy with chilies and sweet with seafood and steaming hot. On other days it might be a lamb meatball soup, spicy and vinegary and fatty, with a side of fresh bread. Or it might be delectably grilled onions, eggplants, and tomatoes with hot and fresh sausages. Whatever it is, the meal always costs the same day-to-day, and is always delicious even on the days when he's clearly paying less to produce it, making up for more extravagant days.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

It's the blend of spice and vinegar that hits his nose and reminds him that he'd forgotten to have lunch, which his stomach quickly backs up. It wouldn't do to keep healing on an empty stomach so he detours over and flashes Collin a smile.

"How much for a bowl?" It's some sort of meaty soup, by the looks of it. "And can I get three extra meatballs?" Pawdric might not be able to do more than nibble at it, but Purrelden would certainly 'help' with any leftovers. Or Lady.

[keenly]

"Extravagance," Colin comments in fake judgment. He's shelving a new crate of twine. "Take what you want, Anders, it's about to go cold and everyone else has already got theirs."

Could he heat it up himself, with ease? Sure, but people would get weird upon learning the local merchant is a mage.

[justice_is_blond]

"I've three little ones at home that would know if I short them," he says with no little amusement as he serves himself (and wraps the aforementioned treats in a cloth.)

"Why are you let--" The words stop as it dawns on him and he coughs instead. "I could heat the food back up, if you'd like. A trade for the meal."

[keenly]

Some of the wind goes out of Colin's sails, and he stalls in his task, gaze dropping. It's gotten so natural, to avoid using magic, to resolve himself to a secretive life, to finally feel like everything is going to be okay, and then remember exactly how quickly it can all vanish. Mages who run independent businesses are called apostates still, at least officially, by the Chantry. The Inquisition is shelter, but temporary shelter at best.

"That's very kind of you," he says quietly, and Anders might understand just what that means.

[justice_is_blond]

He looks down.

"Of course," he says quietly before casting and getting things warmed through again. They shouldn't have to hide, but the future isn't certain yet. There are a few moments of quiet before he takes a breath.

"Is business going well?"

[keenly]

"It is!" That seems to perk Colin up a bit. He continues shelving twine. "This is a good opportunity. Starting out, I hardly had anything. Wound up hiring on with a merchant ship for a while. But it's good to have a place of my own, yeah?"

[justice_is_blond]

"It's very good." As soon as he's finished with the heating, Anders leans against the side of the stall and starts eating his own serving.

"Would... I don't want to impose. Especially when you've just gotten here. But would you be interested in taking on an apprentice or two when you've got some stability with the business? Younger mages who need to learn a trade? They don't have to know you're a mage."

[keenly]

It does feel a little bit like imposing. It feels a little bit like being asked to do mage things. And Colin supposes, perhaps, that he's the only shopkeep in the Inquisition, at least locally, and therefore the only shopkeep who can teach the younger mages the trade. It just feels...

"People would assume," he says, folding his arms and feeling uncomfortable. "If I'm teaching, even if it's not magic, people would assume I'm a you-know-what too."

[justice_is_blond]

"They might," he says mildly, noting the arm-crossing. "People like to gossip and speculate and assume."

It's hard to convince people to take risks for others. Especially when he doesn't have the means to pay them and make the risks a little more worth it.

"But they're likely already making assumptions about you. You're young and running a shop alone. They could think you thief or murderer, or anything else. We could make up a story and shape the narrative ahead of students arriving if you chose to take one or two on - you'd a sister who was being taken to the Circles and vanished, impossible to disprove and certainly cause enough to sympathize with mages in need of a future. There are ways about it, if you'd be willing. And that's all I'm asking, if you'd be possibly willing in the future, not if you can take some in right now."