Private Tales Chance Meeting

[Felix Armon]

Felix Armon walked into a remote village where he had rented a room earlier.
It was the dead of night and he had spent the whole day in the forest around this village, investigating the plants and animals of this area.
Judging by the trees and terrain of this area he deduced that some special ingredients could be found here if the plant life here was anything like the plants of his homeland.

His search had extended long into the night as any good alchemist knew that there would be plants at night that would not bloom till then, and he was not disappointed.
The ingredients he found were indeed powerful and some of them were plants he had not yet identified and he thought he would seek out a local alchemist in the morning to help him identify them.

He walked into town giving the guards at the palisade gate a polite nod.
He looked about at the town, the inn where he rented a room was still lively, but the lights in most of the houses where put out for the night and the shops were closed.
A few people still walked the streets, drunks, men heading home from the tavern, women working the night shift.

It wasn't a small village, it was fairly advanced for being so far out of the way and not on any maps.
The houses were made mostly of wood and stone, the streets were still mud however.

Felix walked down the street heading toward the tavern, enjoying the night that was still almost as bright as day to his eyes.
He slung his satchel full of herbs to his hand and twirled it around his wrist as he walked in the direction of the town center and the Inn where he stayed.

Riveria Bright

 

[Riveria]

Riveria Bright was roaming the streets of the village, she kept her red robe wrapped tightly around herself against the cold. Making sure not to cover her face in the shadows coming from the hood of her robe.
Nobody knew what a young female such as her would be doing out on the street at night, the few people she passed by turned their heads to stare at her in both question and awe because of her beauty, Riveria's head jerked up and she looked around as to where this scent she noticed was coming from.

She kept walking around in search of the mysterious scent, remembering every path she had taken on her previous visits to the village. The scent kept getting stronger and stronger, she eventually noticed a tall white haired male walking in her direction. Riveria's stomach slightly grumbled as she passed the male smelling like strong herbs.

After a few meters the girl turned around and decided to follow the male, Riveria's guess was that if he smelled like strong herbs he might also know where to get some good food.
A couple of minutes had passed since she started following him, once again any passerby would turn their heads to look at them.. She was sure it had to do with her pale skin, "Surely the direction we are going in leads right towards the town center" she muttered in a whisper since she did not want the male to hear or notice her.
As they headed toward the Inn where she was staying at this moment Riveria decided to put on the hood of her robe.

Felix Armon

 

[Felix Armon]

Felix Immediately detected a familiar scent beyond his bag of herbs and was somewhat surprised.
He could smell the blood of a little girl, though not just a little girl, the blood flowed through her veins and he could hear her heartbeat.
Just by the smell of her blood alone without turning around he could sense she was a vampire, he must have been too busy or excited since he's been in the village to notice the presence of another creature of the night.

He continued to walk towards the Inn but he slowed his step just slightly to make sure she didn't lose interest.
He wondered why the girl chose him to follow, from the mental picture he drew of her without looking she didn't seem that badly off, perhaps she was hungry but did she intend to feed on him? Or maybe she was a different kind of vampire, did she think he had real food?
He had left his breakfast untouched from that morning, having stayed just long enough to pretend to have eaten it, and then he kept the food and put the tray outside his door for the maid to take.
He was going to throw out that food, but was it possible that this creature was able to eat it?

The idea intrigued him to no end but he realized he was making baseless assumptions.
It didn't matter, what was important was that Felix Armon had finally met a vampire in this strange land and he couldn't allow this opportunity go to waste to learn more!

He went to push open the door to the Inn but stopped and looked over his shoulder at her, he gave her a warm smile and his voice was assuring and friendly. "I can get you some food if you would like, or you can come in with me."

 

[Riveria]

Keeping her face hidden in the shadows of her robe Riveria kept walking several meters behind the male. As the male stopped to turn around to look at the girl following him she kept walking to try and give the impression she was just walking the same way as him.
Riveria was a strange case.. besides her hunger for blood she had also kept her hunger for food, perhaps it was a ancestral thing? As she passed the male her hands moved up and she bumped her left hand against the satchel experimentally as she pushed open the door with her right hand.

A soft grumble could be heard from her stomach once again, this time she was sure the man had heard it as she was right next to him "I will be fine, I already had your leftovers from this morning". She kept walking further into the Inn and you could hear the manager speak to her "Oh, welcome back Misses Bright.. Did you have any luck in your search?". Once again Riveria's soft voice could be heard as she replied "Yes, I think I found something rather interesting" she smiled slightly but the smile got lost in the shadows of her hood.

Taking a few silver coins from her purse and placing them on the counter she yawned softly "I will be going to sleep for tonight", as she turned to walk towards the stairs up to her room she put down the hood of her robe and glared once at the male she had followed. While she glared at him a faint glow could be seen from her normally beautiful red eyes, hoping the male would understand this served as a warning not to come near her during the rest of the night.

Riveria walked up the stairs towards her room and she plunged down on her bed totally exhausted. Yet she couldn't fall asleep as she kept listening to the grumbling of her stomach.

 

[Felix Armon]

Felix was taken slightly aback, so she does eat, and judging by the loud growl from her stomach was hungry again.
He was envious of her, he imagined being able to eat a roasted leg of ham and to know if it actually tasted as good as it smelled, if he could taste it with the mouth of a mortal...

He shook himself out of his revere when she bumped his satchel, which confused him slightly, though she wouldn't know that there was nothing but plants, herbs, and alchemical ingredients in the bag. He caught the door and followed the girl inside, he nodded to the proprietor and sat down at the counter ordering some wine, which seems to be the only normal consumable that his kind can enjoy.
He watch the little vampire girl go up the stairs and look back to shoot her sinister and inhuman glare at him, he didn't know what he did to earn such a look, all he did was offer her some food, but he concluded that her true age probably was not very far off from her appearance as her childish attitude suggested.

When she disappeared upstairs he sipped his wine, he only ordered a little bit since he only drank it for the taste, not to quench his thirst.
He considered his options; For some reason she was offended by his offer of food, but she is obviously hungry and it seems she only had enough coin to pay for a room.
Furthermore she's the only vampire he's met since arriving in Arethil and he desperately wanted to ask her questions about her kind.

He cooked up a plan, literally.
He finished his wine and told the manager that he would take his meal in his room, then he quit the counter and walked up the stairs to the guest wing.
He passed by a couple of rooms before he found hers, marked by her smell on the other side of the door, and he continued on to his own room where he began unpacking his latest harvest of rare ingredients, some of the things he found were useful components in some spells and enchantments, not only potion ingredients.

While he waited a knock came on his door.
When he answered it there was a messenger holding out a letter to him, he tipped the messenger and closed the door again opening the letter, it was from his sister, Alexis Armon.
She was requesting some components for crafting high quality spell scrolls.
He looked at the items he had already found and he had at least two of the components she requested, but she would want a supply of them at her disposal, so he needed to find more.

While he worked the food was delivered to his room.
Steaming hot potatoes and assorted vegetables and a large leg of chicken.
It was time to put his plan into motion.
He waited for the halls to be clear of the other guests as they went to their respective rooms, once clear he went out with the plate and found her room again, he placed the plate of food outside the door where she could see it and let its scent waft into her room for a second before he gave the door a light tap.
Then he stood up and leaned against the wall beside the doorway waiting for the girl to take the bait.

 

[Riveria]

Riveria knew out of bitter experience some herbs could give off a nasty odor or even paralyzing/poisonous spores, that had been her reason to touch the satchel. She sighed deeply as she sat up in her bed again and spoke softly "I should probably apologize to that man first thing tomorrow and explain to him why i glared at him the way i did". She took her small coin purse and counted how much money she had left from her chores "Just enough for breakfast" she mumbled.

Riveria had smelled the scent of the food coming closer before she heard the sound of a plate being put down in front of her door. A careful listener could hear a slow muffle as she stood up and walked over to the door, she moved her left hand to open the door then stopped halfway... She spoke "I would have hoped you had not come with questions.. I take it this means i can ask you any questions i have myself?".

She had put away her robe and taken off her socks and shoes, assuming the male would reply favorable she opened the door and stood in the opening just wearing her white one piece dress and the black bow in her hair. Hoping the smile on her face and the fact that her eyes were not emitting a faint glow would show the man she had no hostility toward him.
She pointed at the plate on the floor "And exactly what is the meaning of this? Just a way to get me to talk?", as she spoke she made it seem like she was looking straight at the man while in fact her gaze went to a point just behind him. There was no way she could have looked him directly into his eyes, she was way too wary of people to do so.

Though the man was not the first vampiric creature she'd met on her travels so far, he was the first one to actually not try to harm her on sight.
Her mind kept racing on about what this person could possibly want from her, then she came to an idea.. she could use some medicinal herbs after all, her travels were always full of danger and she met many people and/or animals that had been hurt on her way. Maybe she could treat them with those herbs?

She patiently waited for the man's answer without moving an inch or letting him come into her room.

 

[Felix Armon]

He smiled back and raised his hands to show he had nothing to hide, he spoke with a slight chuckle, "Guilty as charged, though I hope the merits of having a warm meal are an added bonus to entering your good graces, and also as a way of apologizing if I have offended you in any way."

I spite of his physical and factual eldership over her he spoke to her with a respectful tone as if he were speaking to another adult, he made no move toward her or her room but bent down to pick up the plate, the steam still rising off of the succulent smelling food.
He held the plate and looked at her.

"But to answer your first question; Yes, this does mean you can ask me as many questions as you would like, providing you allow me to ask my questions as well."
He raised the plate questioningly, "Is this a satisfactory arrangement for you?"

 

[Riveria]

The young woman standing in the door opening let out a small giggle "You sir.. are impossible you know that? Do you always go all the way like this once you have set your mind to something?". Riveria wiped a single tear out of laughter hiding in the corner of her eye with her right hand, she stepped out to take the plate of food from the male.
Turning her back to him and raising her chin she walked into her room with the plate "You may enter, I will listen to your questions and answer them to the best of my ability".

She put the plate down on the little side table next to her bed "You seem like a kinder person, my sincerest apologies for glaring at you like that earlier this evening" she sat down on a chair and gestured for the man to join her.
Riveria had kept her hunger of food because her parents had casted a little spell on her after she was turned into a vampire, they had done so to keep her hunger for blood to a minimum. Requiring blood only once every few days helped her a lot, she started to eat the food without hesitation.
Had the man poisoned the food she would've smelled it by now, speaking in between bites she decided to give a little explenation as to why she was so wary "The reason I glared at you like that was to try and warn you not to come near, even though you do not seem hostile i have never met another person or creature who didn't attack me after speaking to me.. Even the Inn's manager attacked me when he realized what I am, after he was subdued by me he noticed I meant no harm though".

She ate quietly while finishing the rest of her food, after she finished it she spoke again "I am merely traveling through here though, some officials from Vel Anir might be coming here soon". Riveria let out a small sigh "Those bastards never give up on their target once they decide to eliminate it" She looked to one side then murmured something under her breath "Pesky humans".

She looked up at the male, yet again looking at a point just behind him making it seem like she was looking him in the eyes. She waited patiently for any questions to come.

 

[Felix Armon]

He followed her in after her invitation and closed the door, recognizing the need for secrecy.
He gave a little chuckle again, "I do admit that I am goal driven."

He was happy to make her laugh, it eased some of the tension.
When she sat down to eat and invited him to sit as well he accepted the offer graciously, seating himself as he listened to her speak.

When she told him of her hardships with people he was somewhat disturbed, "You mean that they attack you as soon as they learn that you are a vampire, correct? And you say someone is hunting you specifically? Have they charged you with a crime, or is this a racist hunt?"
He knew of that struggle, his own family ran into it more than once being mistaken for vampires on several occasions. He heard her spiteful muttering about humans as well, "Don't hold it against them. Humans either fear or hate what they don't understand and that is how they have been able to survive for so long as a race, their paranoia has saved them so often throughout history that it's to be expected of them and pitied."

He pondered her situation for a moment, perhaps there was a way to avoid having to run, but he would need more details, and to get those he would have to convince her to recruit him to her cause unless she was willing for any helping hand to come along, she's obviously made it this far without help but how long would that last?

He cleared his throat, "Perhaps it would be better if I saved my questions about you for later, if you are being hunted perhaps we should talk about that instead. If you would like to know anything about me ask away, but I cannot think of any reason vampire hunters would not travel through the night."

 

[Riveria]

Riveria gave a slow nod "It is as you say Sir, still humans are fickle beings and are easily thrown into a state of chaos". She gave a quick glance over to the door thinking she heard the creaking of the stair steps, she listened intently for a few more seconds then continued "I too can not think of any reason they would not travel on through the night" she got lost in thought for a moment "Should I tell him more about myself? He does seem trustworthy enough".

She decided quickly, if this man would let her travel with him it could make moving around a lot easier. A small smile appeared once again on her face "It started about 4 years ago on my 16th birthday, my father's best friend who worked with him in the same company had decided to sell our family out to the government. My... best friend helped me escape, he knew I was a vampire yet he didn't care. After I escaped my parents eventually died while fending off the vampire hunters sent to execute us, my friend got jailed for helping me escape. I've been traveling and avoiding them up to this day.. but they seemed to have found my trail not too long ago, i do believe one of the hunters is the man that sold us out".

She got quiet for a moment again then nodded "I guess I might as well show you how I avoided them so far", she looked up at the man. This time however she was looking him straight in the eyes, her eyes gave off a faint glow and the man could see her appearance change to that of a small 6 year old. The little girl stretched out her arms at the male in front of her and smiled "Pick Riveria up please", she had spoken in a soft voice and purposefully used her name while saying that as a way to introduce herself.
Not even waiting for the man to pick her up she walked over to him and took hold of his hand, she then started to try and drag him over to the door. She softly whispered to him so nobody outside of the room could hear her "I am afraid it is time to go, they're here and I need to feed soon or I will lose my strength". She started pulling his arm harder and harder.

She opened the door and started walking downstairs hoping the man would follow her, the proprietor was still present as he noticed the little girl he called out to her "Excuse me little one, but it's not safe for little children to go out alone". Ignoring the person behind the counter she walked out, while out on the porch she waited to see if the man had followed her.

 

[Felix Armon]

He listened to her story and was impressed at her ability to manipulate her appearance at such a young age, he chuckled and followed her out the door allowing himself to be led by the hand.
She whispered that the hunters were already here, so he played along with the charade as they went down the stairs.

When they were challenged by the manager he did some quick impromptu story telling, since they both had pure white hair and pale complexions they could logically be mistaken as relatives, so he smiled at the manager as she led him toward the door, "Don't worry sir, I'll keep an eye on my niece. Just a short errand to run with her uncle Felix."
He also said this as way of introducing himself.

He stepped outside with her and immediately detected something off. Even at this late hour there should have still been people about in the streets, but there was nobody not even guards.
He could read these signs well as he has been in many situations like this before.
The professional made contact with the authorities, told them of the 'danger' and offered to handle the problem for them, which would explain the absence of the guards as well to not get in the way of professional hunters.
He held her hand and kept her closer so they walked side by side and kept a natural expression, playing the role of an uncle and his niece just leaving the inn and hoping she was as good at acting in public as she was earlier.

They left in somewhat of a hurry and he didn't carry his sword with him when he went to speak with Riveria, and he was unwilling to leave all the supplies he left in his room that were so valuable to him and his household.
He would not skip town without recovering his possessions first, but he didn't want to break their cover that he just created for them, and on the flip side he didn't want to make an in-character excuse to go back inside for his belongings and leave her in the jaws of what he knew could only be a trap.

But then again... He COULD create his own trap using her alone as bait to draw out the hunters... He could see how that would be an easy if not dangerous solution to this problem, but the downside was that this plan would not inspire trust between himself and Riveria, and that was something he was unwilling to jeopardize.
Retreating back inside the inn would alert the hunters and endanger the occupants.
So instead facing the trap head on was the best course of action.

With her little six year old hand in his, without showing any signs of awareness of anything amiss, he jovially walked out into the street, playfully swinging their joined hands with each step.
"There aren't many stores open right now, but which one would you like to see first?"