Literal Reconstruction

[King Redgar Karligar]

Redgar continued to try to listen as Kreans spoke. He was quite occupied with coughing so he couldn't show off anything he was learning through these lessons. He was also concerned he'd be on his deathbed by the time it was over. He considered waiting until he felt better to learn the actual reading and writing portion of this contract. He asked himself what Tyr would do if he was in that position. The contract hadn't been wholly fulfilled, but that wasn't through Krean's fault. Should he still pay the Skaldi?

That was crazy. Katrina wouldn't do it.

It'd piss her off.

If one can smile while hacking away their life into a handkerchief, Redgar did.

---

Recovery: 20
1tUPDx7X
Failure: 24

HP: 240/400

[Kreans]

It seemed as though this was going on forever, the longer he stayed in this room the more he began to get a small itch under his scales, the itch of being inactive, he was a Skaldi used to movement, fighting, making or just doing something. Sitting or standing still for long periods of time didn't suit him well, he was teaching the Duke the correct form of words to make writing easier but there was no physical activity involved, he was getting antsy from staying so long in one place with nothing for his muscles to work on and only his brain somewhat occupied. The fact that the Duke seemed to be near constantly hacking out blood and slowly drifting closer to death's door only increased his boredom, the lessons didn't seem like actual lessons anymore simply him talking to a dying man as though he were mad, just constantly talking in the  best High Cruic he could focus on as the Duke lost his vitality one coughing fit at a time.

Fortunately for Kreans the Duke's health didn't overly bother him, the man could die and he'd have no stain on his conscience, it was a natural disease that he was suffering from and so nature would take his course, either the Duke would live or die and his only concerns were continuing the lesson. There was a small moment of pity at a warrior having to face a death like this, maybe he should simply put the man out of his misery? No that would cause more trouble than it was worth for him if it were to be found out, he'd just carry on how he was, the Duke would have to endure....if he didn't know any better he'd almost say that the Duke was attempting to smile, an encouraging sign as could be had in the circumstances.

While Redgar continued to hack out his lungs Kreans would continue on, although he was rapidly approaching the end of his rather meagre knowledge of High Cruic, he'd exhausted all of the words he knew as well as their pronunciations and usages. Now he was simply going over some final grammatical points and hoping that the Duke would continued to listen as well as he could given what was happening to him currently.

---

Teaching Redgar High Cruic I (5/5)

[King Redgar Karligar]

Redgar was picking up what he was putting down. So to speak. He was also coughing his life away. But that was no matter. He didn't let the Skaldi stop until he was finished. Once he finished he picked up a bag of coins, and emptied half its contents on the table, then tossed the bag towards Kreans. He had earned half the contract price for now. He made hand motions trying to convey to return another time. That was enough for now.

Right now, he needed to try not to die. As he was liable to do so in the next few minutes if he strained himself too much.

---

Recovery: 20
ksn4L5a2

200/400

Paying Kreans: 500 Ritz

[Kreans]

Finally he was done, he'd imparted every single shred of what he could remember from his own lessons to the Duke, assuming he'd remembered it all then he was likely as proficient in High Cruic now as the Skaldi was, if not then probably quite less. In honesty he'd be surprised if the Duke had heard even a fraction of what was said considering how he'd been dying for the vast majority of the tutelage, but as far as he was concerned he had done his part at least in teaching the High Cruic section. It would be a wonder if the Duke would last through the actual lesson of reading and writing but if it were possible then he intended to see it through.

That was until the Duke tossed a bag of cold at Kreans which he deftly caught in an outstretched claw, opening the strings and doing a rough estimate of the amount, around half of what the contract promised. Shooing motions were being made by the heavily coughing Duke, it seemed his constitution was failing him and he was unable to suppress the disease any longer, he'd not stopped coughing for some time now and did not seem to be getting any better. Half the money for having done half the work seemed reasonable. "Recover from your disease and i'll come back another time for the other half of the work and accompanying reward." Kreans would say before turning and leaving the room, stepping out and making his way down the stairs, out of the castle and out of the town altogether.