Broken Nose dismounted from his chocobo, his armored boots landing onto the dirt and raising a cloud of dust. He spat out the grassweed he had been chewing, his masked gaze going to the caravan that had come to a stop. Two other mounted Blades flanked each side of the wagon, and one gave Broken Nose a knowing nod. The Roegadyn grunted with satisfaction, then looked to his side where the newly recruited Sultansworn-turned-Blade came to join him. Her lips were drawn down in question.
“You never know what could be smuggled into the Jewel of the Desert,†he said with a snarl as he made his way to the back of the caravan. He did not pay attention to the wagon driver at the front calling out whatever excuses they would always offer. He had learned to drown out the incessant pleas long time ago. He rounded the back of the wagon and gestured to Roen Deneith. “Search away, make sure nothing gets missed.â€
The red-headed hyur gave him another glance; though he could not see her eyes, there was clear uncertainty in her hesitation. That will be erased soon enough. Roen turned to look inside the wagon, and paused when two children waved at her. They were two young miqo’tes, furry ears flicking with curiosity and eyes wide with awe and already scrambling towards the edge of the wagon as the Brass Blades approached. Broken Nose only noticed them when the new recruit paused, extending a finger for them to grab onto.
Broken Nose cleared his throat loudly, that it made the hyur woman stiffen. The adult female within the wagon offered words of apology as she gathered her giggling children back towards her. The new recruit waved at the children with a finger, before returning to the task of searching the various boxes.
“I see nothing here of suspect…†she began to say when Broken Nose tossed a small pouch that landed on a box next to her.
“What is that, recruit?†Broken Nose jutted his chin forward, crossing his arms.
She paused, staring at the pouch. She glanced over her shoulder back to him, then picked it up warily and fingered it open. She sniffed it and the Roegadyn could see the frown under the mask. “It is somnus,†she said with a hint of disbelief.
“Oh ho! Smugglin' in illegal contraband is grounds for arrest,†Broken Nose uncrossed his arms, approaching the wagon. He looked to the miqo’te woman within expectantly, hands going to his hips. “Of course, I can let you off with a heavy fine.â€
“Please. We are poor and have no gil to offer. Take anything you like from what we own. We came from afar with very little…†the mother began to plead and Broken Nose swore silently to himself. Gil was always easier to spend and exchange, not tribal goods, blankets, or clothing. He groaned until he spied something glimmering on the miqo’te’s neck. “How about that necklace you wear?â€
The mother gasped with her eyes wide, immediately tearing up. She shook her head with both hands wrapping around the gem that hung from her neck. “This is an heirloom! It is the only thing of value, I was going to sell it within the gates to afford lodging and food for the children until I can find a job…â€
Broken Nose began to shake his head, one hand extending towards the woman. “Pay the fine, or it’s the gaols.â€
“I-I think I was mistaken about this.†The recruit suddenly piped up, stepping in between the Roegadyn and the family within the caravan. She held up the pouch in front of him in her hand. It no longer held the somnus that he had filled it with before, it was filled with dirt that also rested on her open palm.  It coated her gauntlet as if she had quickly scooped it up with her hand.
Broken Nose’s eyes narrowed into slits immediately as he scanned the ground. Sure enough, there was a mark on the dirt where it was scraped up in a hurry, and another area where the dirt seemed to have been hastily kicked and brushed aside with a foot. He could not readily see where the somnus had been dumped in that mess. He growled.
“Apologies, Miss…†Roen Deneith turned around and held up her hands to the miqo’te woman. “My mistake.†She tapped the side of the wagon loudly with her gauntlets and shouted to the driver in the front. “You are free to go! On your way!â€
The driver’s head popped out from the front of the wagon with clear surprise on his face. Broken Nose could see his eyes, as well as the eyes of those who flanked the wagon on their chocobo mounts on him, staring in disbelief. He frowned deeply. “Well what are you waiting for! On your way!†He bellowed.
The miqo’te woman leaned against the edge of the wagon, offering strings of thanks and praise to them all, but Broken Nose heard none of it. He only glared at the back of the red-headed hyur, as she waved at the children who even now were jumping up and down with excitement, clueless as to what had just passed.
Broken Nose wondered if the Sultansworn realized at all what she just did. He doubted it.
But she would soon find out. This would not go over well with the Captain. This would not go over well at all.
“You never know what could be smuggled into the Jewel of the Desert,†he said with a snarl as he made his way to the back of the caravan. He did not pay attention to the wagon driver at the front calling out whatever excuses they would always offer. He had learned to drown out the incessant pleas long time ago. He rounded the back of the wagon and gestured to Roen Deneith. “Search away, make sure nothing gets missed.â€
The red-headed hyur gave him another glance; though he could not see her eyes, there was clear uncertainty in her hesitation. That will be erased soon enough. Roen turned to look inside the wagon, and paused when two children waved at her. They were two young miqo’tes, furry ears flicking with curiosity and eyes wide with awe and already scrambling towards the edge of the wagon as the Brass Blades approached. Broken Nose only noticed them when the new recruit paused, extending a finger for them to grab onto.
Broken Nose cleared his throat loudly, that it made the hyur woman stiffen. The adult female within the wagon offered words of apology as she gathered her giggling children back towards her. The new recruit waved at the children with a finger, before returning to the task of searching the various boxes.
“I see nothing here of suspect…†she began to say when Broken Nose tossed a small pouch that landed on a box next to her.
“What is that, recruit?†Broken Nose jutted his chin forward, crossing his arms.
She paused, staring at the pouch. She glanced over her shoulder back to him, then picked it up warily and fingered it open. She sniffed it and the Roegadyn could see the frown under the mask. “It is somnus,†she said with a hint of disbelief.
“Oh ho! Smugglin' in illegal contraband is grounds for arrest,†Broken Nose uncrossed his arms, approaching the wagon. He looked to the miqo’te woman within expectantly, hands going to his hips. “Of course, I can let you off with a heavy fine.â€
“Please. We are poor and have no gil to offer. Take anything you like from what we own. We came from afar with very little…†the mother began to plead and Broken Nose swore silently to himself. Gil was always easier to spend and exchange, not tribal goods, blankets, or clothing. He groaned until he spied something glimmering on the miqo’te’s neck. “How about that necklace you wear?â€
The mother gasped with her eyes wide, immediately tearing up. She shook her head with both hands wrapping around the gem that hung from her neck. “This is an heirloom! It is the only thing of value, I was going to sell it within the gates to afford lodging and food for the children until I can find a job…â€
Broken Nose began to shake his head, one hand extending towards the woman. “Pay the fine, or it’s the gaols.â€
“I-I think I was mistaken about this.†The recruit suddenly piped up, stepping in between the Roegadyn and the family within the caravan. She held up the pouch in front of him in her hand. It no longer held the somnus that he had filled it with before, it was filled with dirt that also rested on her open palm.  It coated her gauntlet as if she had quickly scooped it up with her hand.
Broken Nose’s eyes narrowed into slits immediately as he scanned the ground. Sure enough, there was a mark on the dirt where it was scraped up in a hurry, and another area where the dirt seemed to have been hastily kicked and brushed aside with a foot. He could not readily see where the somnus had been dumped in that mess. He growled.
“Apologies, Miss…†Roen Deneith turned around and held up her hands to the miqo’te woman. “My mistake.†She tapped the side of the wagon loudly with her gauntlets and shouted to the driver in the front. “You are free to go! On your way!â€
The driver’s head popped out from the front of the wagon with clear surprise on his face. Broken Nose could see his eyes, as well as the eyes of those who flanked the wagon on their chocobo mounts on him, staring in disbelief. He frowned deeply. “Well what are you waiting for! On your way!†He bellowed.
The miqo’te woman leaned against the edge of the wagon, offering strings of thanks and praise to them all, but Broken Nose heard none of it. He only glared at the back of the red-headed hyur, as she waved at the children who even now were jumping up and down with excitement, clueless as to what had just passed.
Broken Nose wondered if the Sultansworn realized at all what she just did. He doubted it.
But she would soon find out. This would not go over well with the Captain. This would not go over well at all.
