Travelers 4: Varu the Barber & Laru the Welder

There is nothing that Laru and Varu can’t mend. Not metal, not fabric, not broken friendships nor a bad haircut. The twins didn’t have a home per se, more of a workshop where the sound of clanging metal was only ever dwarfed by the bickering that would spark out of nowhere. It is said that someone who once stopped by to have their boots mended interrupted a heated discussion regarding whether or not metal studs or leather stitching is better for fastening a saddle, and asked Varu why the two lived together if they rarely seemed to get along. They soon left barefoot, sprinting with Laru at his tail, her blowtorch roaring as she shouted behind him. Thankfully Varu managed to calm her twin down enough to apologize and return the client’s boots.

The twins are truly two parts of the same whole, both completing the other. The hot headed Laru would spend day and night repairing broken tools and jewelry, her skill with a hammer and blowtorch unmatched by even the most seasoned of masters. Her eye for detail was her boon and her bane, once refusing to move on from completing an intricate wrought iron chandelier until every last detail was flawless. Were it not for her twin, she could still be working on it to this day. While Varu could never seem to focus on one thing at a time, taking on more and more projects for others and herself until she would look down at her station and realize she needed a dozen hands just to keep up with the demand she had set for herself. It took Laru calculating just how long it would take to fill an entire order of leather jerkins single handedly before Varu admitted she needed help. While leather was not her preferred medium, Laru insisted on assisting, even if she did complain the entire time.

The twins never seemed idle, the workshop bustling for weeks at a time before they had anything resembling a break, then the two would meander about and wonder what to do with their free time. Would they do as Varu suggested and catch up on the latest gossip? Or take up Laru’s idea to plan other projects? In the end they would typically wander the streets repairing rusted lamp posts and tattered banners to busy themselves. Usually these idle periods would last for only a brief moment before they found another task to work on, but the lulls in business soon came more frequently and lasted longer. Until, finally, the two had spent days and days at a time with no one but each other to talk to. After engaging in yet another debate about whether or not the refined stitching of thread or the sturdy bond of iron was the better approach to garments, the two grew tired of waiting for a challenge and set off to find one.

Leaving their workshop behind, they followed the main road out of town past the newly refurbished gates and walked along the overgrown pathways, until they reached a thickly wooded forest. As they fought their way through the thick weeds and twisting roots, they came across a small clearing where a disheveled stranger was resting against a tree. The stranger’s hair was unkempt and laced with twigs and leaves, their metal mask cracked and chipped. They were in desperate need of care, and the twins excitedly approached with tools at the ready before they had even uttered a greeting. Once the bedraggled stranger’s panic had died down and the two assured their new friend they were only there to help, Laru not only repaired the mask but added her own flair. Vine like engravings and a touch of red and white paint while Varu cleaned and trimmed their tousled mane, adding in streaks of dye that matched their new face. All the while Varu chatted the stranger’s ear off, telling them of long forgotten scandals between people she could half recall the names of. They spent hours grooming their new friend before they were happy with their handiwork and let him go, but they heard not one complaint. Their first customer in ages was thrilled with their craftsmanship and hurried off to gather his friends in need of their trade. Once they were done, they realized that setting up another workshop and staying in one place was not their calling. Repairing trinkets and garments was one thing, but what they truly appreciated was the satisfaction that came with helping someone in need. Instead of setting down roots they packed their bags and once again set off on the road to search for anything or anyone else that needed mending, styling or just a friendly chat.