test run

[neverenoughgold]

Most people-- well, alright, many people are helpful and trusting and if you're too slightly bedraggled but otherwise harmless-looking men who need a lift on a road outside Madrid, well, they'll help you out. Which is more or less the facet of human nature that has permitted Tulio's continued survival up to this point.

That and being able to run pretty fast.

But back to the men who need a lift, who get a lift on the back of a cart bound for Toledo. But then again, the man's Catalonian accent was thick-- the words were more Catalan than Spanish, honestly, and Tulio's a southerner through and through but presumably Miguel understood what he was saying because he kept nodding-- and when a bump in the road jolts Tulio awake, he can't help but think that Toledo really shouldn't look quite so-- cold.

He reaches over and gives Miguel a shake. "Miguel." Shake. "Miguel."

Comments

[nolittlevoice]

"It wasn't me, it was the girl in the red dress!" he mumbles and rolls over. Which is very helpful. But another wriggle-and-shake gets him streeetching and yaaaawwwning and looking around brightly.

"It's scenic!" he declares.

[neverenoughgold]

"It's not Toledo." Does that really need pointing out? Tulio edges towards the front of the cart. "Hey! Hello! This isn't-- where are we?"

He gets a torrent of cheerful Catalan in response.

[nolittlevoice]

Miguel listens intently. Nodnodnod. Nodnodnod. Uh-huh. Mmm? Ah! Uh-huh. Nodnodnod. Having absorbed all that, he turns back to Tulio.

"I have no idea where we are. But I think his grandmother is getting better!"

[neverenoughgold]

"You know the word for 'grandmother' but you don't know how to say where we are?" Oh, never mind. He turns back towards the driver. "Hey! Hey! We're-- getting off-- getting off--"

[nolittlevoice]

"Well, it might be his great-grandmother. Or his mother. Or his aunt. But I'm definitely getting the impression that there's an old lady somewhere--"

WHUMP goes a bump in the road, and whump bump goes Miguel tumbling out the back of the cart.

[neverenoughgold]

"Oh, for--"

He grabs hold of the little satchel containing their shared belongings (less now than at some points, but more than nothing!), sighs-- and jumps.

[nolittlevoice]

Miguel had landed with his guitar gripped valiantly above his head, out of the dirt of the road; by the time Tulio gets there he's on his feet and dusting himself off. "Oh, you brought our things. Good idea! So...the next step is..."

He's turning around as he walks, taking in the scenery.

[neverenoughgold]

"Oof." He hauls himself up to his feet. "The next... step..." He glances around. Riiiight.

"We'd better figure out where we are." Not that that will make a huge difference, but-- learning it might present an idea or opportunity. And it's a first step! Plans need steps!

[nolittlevoice]

Good, great, Tulio's on top of the planning. That leaves Miguel to take care of appropriate planning ambience.

Luckily he knows lots of tunes suitable for minstrelish adventuresome wandering.

"...Say, Tulio. Would you describe this as a desert?"

[neverenoughgold]

Where should they go? Left? Right? Which way is north? Tulio squints up at the sky, but it's pure white with clouds. Good. Helpful.

"-- a desert?" He narrows his eyes. "Where are you going with this? --let's try this way."

Yes, it's a direction chosen at random, but you just have to speak confidently and move with purpose and Miguel won't ask!

[nolittlevoice]

That way looks good! Anyway, they're on a road, they have to come to a town sooner or later.

"Mmm? Oh, no no, nothing, I was just considering whether this was a good tune for being lost in a desert." He strums a chord. "Wandering the desolate wastes of Navarre." Another chord. "Not another soul in sight." Dun-dun-dun!

[neverenoughgold]

"Navarre?" Say what? "He said this was Navarre?"

[nolittlevoice]

"I think so? --Funny, isn't it? We've talked to people from all over the world, never any trouble understanding one another, but that Catalan accent is just impossible!"

He adjusts his tune to something more regional. "So, yes, wandering the deserts of Navarre, not a soul for miles... but of course it could be worse!"

[neverenoughgold]

Tulio braces himself. "Why would you say that?!"

--but nothing happens. Oh. Well, good! That's fine. Everything's fine. Is that-- what is that, those little flecks floating through the air?

[nolittlevoice]

It provokes a gasp--*gasp!*--from Miguel. "Tulio! Tulio, do you see what I see?"

[neverenoughgold]

"Is that-- snow?" Does it snow in Navarre?

[nolittlevoice]

"It's--" he presses his guitar to his heart "--a Christmas miracle! You did know it's almost Christmas, didn't you?"

[neverenoughgold]

"All I know is that we're stranded in the middle of what may or may not be Navarre, we have nowhere to go, and now it's snowing." He squints skywards. "If we're going to have a Christmas miracle, can't it come in the form of a place to stay, and kings dumping gold at our feet?"

[nolittlevoice]

"And frankincense! And myrrh! --And the gold," he adds soothingly. "Of course the gold. Gold is good."

But really, Tulio, just look at it! It's fluffy! And white! And it's falling from the sky right on them--them!

"...Do we own any other clothes?"

[neverenoughgold]

"I didn't exactly have time to pack with care," Tulio mutters, and tosses the bag over to Miguel.

[nolittlevoice]

Miguel dives into the bag and rummages, and eventually comes up with--a black lace veil. He looks from it to the snow and back again.

It doesn't look very warm.

[neverenoughgold]

"Well thank God we have that." Tulio scrubs his hands over his face. "Right. Well, we'll just-- walk faster. This road has to lead somewhere."

[nolittlevoice]

"If we find a town we could use it for the bit where I'm your pregnant wife and there's no room in the inn and can we just stay in your stable..." He drapes the veil over his head and shoulders. It does keep off the snow!

The road is taking them up to the crest of a hill, anyway, and from there they're bound to be able to see something.

[neverenoughgold]

"Don't think we'd get away with that one at Christmas, Maria," Tulio says dryly. "--but then again..." He shakes his head. "No, no. Step one: find the nearest village. Then we'll decide what to do."

[nolittlevoice]

"But it's perfect for Christmas! No one will be able to turn us away! I could just be your sickly wife, if you think the pregnancy angle is too much..."

Tulio's step one sounds good, though.

[neverenoughgold]

He can't help but grin. "That desperate to dress up as a woman, are you?"

They're nearing the crest of the hill now, and-- "Ha! There, look!" He points: a village! "That doesn't look so far, does it?"

[nolittlevoice]

Miguel makes a face at him under the mantilla. "We have the veil, I'm just helping with plans. But fine, you're putting me aside, you want a divorce, I understand--aha! A village!"

He squints down at it. "Do we have any money?"

[neverenoughgold]

"Money. Right." That's always the hitch. "Well, we'll-- get some." He reaches into his pocket and produces his dice with a grin. "We may not have money now-- but there's got to be a tavern down there, right? And someone who's had a bit too much Christmas cheer, ready to try his luck..."