Open Chronicles The Elven Arrow

[Oliver Rose]

This particular afternoon in Alliria was bustling. People crowded in the tavern of the Elven Arrow sloshing drinks back and forth, the floors sticky with booze and ale. Laughter rang through the hall, certainly disrupting the current residents upstairs. Rysa was happy she decided to hire a bard for tonight.

A song of mischief bounced off the walls, the bard's face lit up in a smile as a group of drunken merchants chanted and shouted along. A few danced to the tale of the petty thief the bard so lovingly sang of. It was a fun story, Rysa had to admit, as she tapped her foot along to the beat from behind the counter.

Silvan was working the floor. She watched as the boy nearly slipped on a puddle of spilled ale, turning to give her a worn out look. Rysa chuckled, but knew the night would be a living hell when the people had cleared out and the mop would make her arms sore.

A man at the bar expressed interest in her jewelry display, fingering at a necklace with a sky blue pendant. He told her it was his wife's favorite color and paid her nicely to take it with him. Rysa thanked him and gave him one last drink on the house before he shakily stood up and left the inn.

Many people came up to her that night. A group of sailors ordered a large platter of ale which they would only drink if served in horned mugs. A lady dressed in silk and a disgusted expression asked for the room farthest away from the bar. A young boy and his sister attempted to steal a pair of earrings she'd made. These interactions were typical, but all of them at once had worn her out.

When the bar seemed to settle down, Rysa practically ran up to Silvan and took the tray from him.

"Where is this going?" she huffed.

Silvan looked shocked, "The table in the far left corner."

"Got it," she smiled, "I can't handle being at the bar for one more second so I'm letting you take over."

The elven woman gave him a friendly slap on the back, something she's made a habit of, as he rolled his eyes and groaned. Then she gave the tray of food to the table in the corner and continued her duties, praying the day would end quickly.

 

[Urchin]

The lad hadn't been planning on entering the inn that night. He was still a few coppers short of his day's keep, and was keeping his eyes out for any late night passers by, too drunk to keep an eye on their purses. Still, the sound of the bard reached his ears and brought a smile to his face. He loved this song! This was the ballad of Light Fingered Jane. One of his favourites. Against his better judgement, the lad turned to the Elven Arrow and the warm inviting candlelight that glowed through the windows... Bugger it! He was tired and hungry and cold and miserable. Besides, would it really matter if he was six coppers short of his payment or eight? He'd been working hard all day, and it wasn't his fault that his last marks pockets were practically empty. He deserved a bloody drink.

A smile lit the boy's face as he entered the inn just in time for the last verse, and he cheerfully lifted his voice to join in the song with the rest of the rowdy patrons. "The bold knight were smitten with the wily young kitten an' loosened the chains on 'er wrists. 'E said 'e would give up the bounty on 'er if she only would give 'im a kiss. She offered 'im better, a night ta remember, an' tilted 'er 'ead ta the stair. She told 'er fine knight that she'd order a room an' she asked 'im ta wait for 'er there. With 'is purse in 'er hand, she ordered an ale an' raised it to drink the knight's health. She left with 'is coin an' she left with 'is heart an' she left 'im to pleasure 'imself." With the song finished, the boy cheered along with everyone else as the bard took a dramatic bow. That's when a few of the patrons started tossing coins to the man for his entertainment.

By whatever luck the sly little urchin hand, one of those coins rolled across the floor to land rather close to his feet. With a whistle and a quick glance around to room to make sure no one was watching, the lad placed his bare foot over the copper so that the bard couldn't see it as he gathered his generous donations. It was one of the rare occasions when the boy actually felt a little bad about his shameless theft. He loved that song, and the bard had sung it well. If he was having a luckier day, they lad might have even tossed the man a copper himself... But desperate times, desperate measures and all that. Once the man had finished collecting his earnings and began his next song, the lad casually leaned forward as if scratching an itch and picked the coin off the floor. Heading over to the bar, he fished a couple more coins from his pocket and smiled up at the pretty elven lady behind the bar. "How much fer a shot o' the cheapest rum ya got?"

 

[Sersean]

LaVaya finished her ale and rose from her table near the back of the Elven Arrow. She was alone as usual, and didn't wish to take up the table knowing that the tavern would get more crowded as afternoon gave way to evening. She walked toward the bar, reflexively scanning for threats or potential troublemakers as she gracefully navigated the crowd, moving like a predator on the hunt. LaVaya frowned slightly at the sticky floors; she preferred to go barefoot, but the state of the floors in most taverns necessitated she wear at least the simple black slippers she currently had on. She slid into a recently vacated stool, just beating a man who was targeting it as well, nodding at the urchin beside her.

"Another ale, please. Might I inquire about this lovely jewelry? I see a piece I would love to purchase if it is available" she said with a pleasant smile.

 

[Oliver Rose]

Rysa had travelled back to the bar for a split second to return the tray when people started throwing commands at her.

"Another ale here!" a sailor yelled drunkenly.

"Bring me some mead!" A merchant huffed.

Men and women littered the bar with their drunken breaths and Rysa groaned, handing the tray back to Silvan. She began pouring drink after drink, throwing away bottle after bottle. At this rate, she wouldn't have much ale left for the next night. A fair-skinned woman order an ale and requested to look at her jewelry. Rysa gave a polite smile and got her another cup before pushing the display stand in front of her.

"Just tell me if you see anything you'd like to buy," she said.

After preparing a platter of bread and cheese for what she thought was a jester, a boy raised his voice, asking for, of course, ale. Rysa peered over the counter to look at him and nearly laughed.

"And how old might you be?" she grinned, "Don't you think you're a bit young for rum?"

There was a glint of mischief in his eyes and a hint of curiosity. She wouldn't dare refuse a customer a drink, especially not on this particular night, so reached for the bottle of rum under the counter and poured it into a small glass.

She pushed the glass toward him, "Just four coins."

 

[Sersean]

LaVaya selects a beautiful and delicate anklet with a moon shaped charm on it.

"How much for this? It is lovely. And put the lad's rum on my tab" she says with a smile.

A drunken man on the other side of her bumps into her roughly, singing loudly. A cloud annoyance passes briefly over LaVaya's face, then vanishes as her smile returns.

 

[Aeyliea]

It was a bit early to drink, to be honest, but the day's work demanded some kind of release and this was to be it. It was entirely the wrong part of the city for her, truth to tell - too upscale, too refined for someone like her. And not least because she loathed the city dwellers, the people who had grown deaf to the land they lived on. These people had forgotten their ancestors and forsaken the spirits in favor of pieces of gold and silver and copper.

Sometimes she worried that she had become as much a whore as they were in seeking their coins and hoarding them. But vengeance required material and manpower, and both required coin. And an impressive amount of it.

Vel Anir and her grudge had no place here, though.

The smell of spilled beer, yeasty and bright, assailed her nose as she stepped inside, door crashing against the wall. The common room was a cozy place, not richly furnished but by and large better than any place she frequented. For one, it had real taes and chairs instead of bricks and boards. For another, it was far cleaner, the smell of unwashed bodies less pronounced. She looked across the top of heads, somewhat disappointed that there weren't any rats or flies or other pests to entertain herself with once the flow got going.

Eyes naturally tracked her as she looked for a table. She was of average height, but that was the only thing about her that was common. Her hair was almost stark white with glints of silver. And it was braided in an elaborate fashion, feathers and the bones of birds and small animals worked into the whole affair. The skull of a crow sat on her forehead like the gem of a crown, empty sockets leering at everyone she looked at. Hair framed a finely boned face, eyes like stormy skies and bright with intelligence despite her primitive appearance.

She wore a leather jerkin, tight in all the right places, to go with leather trousers. The entire outfit was primarily dyed red, with accents of black and gold, and with tribal fetishes hanging from her belt. Along with a heavy bladder knife. The long hilt of a two-handed sword stuck over her left shoulder, the hilt leather wrapped and plain.

She made her way to a table, casting a glance back to see if Tian had extricated himself from the arms of that woman they had pulled from the cells deep under the city. She had no illusions about that situation, anyway. Besides, it was good for him. He had been...withdrawn since Cynthia's death.

The mercenary captain pushed a chair out and kicked her feet up in it as she took a seat. She wondered what the wait staff at an upscale place like this were like, and set about waiting to find out.

 

[Urchin]

The lad beamed a cheeky grin as the pretty young woman with the brown hair sat beside him, though his attention was quickly averted when the two women started discussing the rather unique jewellery that Rysa had on sale. "Awh, sparklies!" The lad declared as his eyes roamed over the goods. The sight of so many lovely shinies made his pick-pocket fingers twitch. If he couldn't quite manage the full payment tonight, perhaps he could find something in this lovely collection to keep Zilvra happy. A nice pair of ruby earrings, maybe. The drow liked rubies... But not right now, of course. The women were looking at them, and no doubt would notice if a piece of jewellery suddenly disappearing. Maybe on his way out, if he got the chance.

When asked if he was a bit young for rum, the lad turned back to the elven woman and casually rubbed the back of his head as his little brain got to work. "Yeah, I'd see why you'd ask that, miss. I get that a lot, me bein' so small an' all. I'm actually a lot older than I look. My Da' were a half dwarf, ya see. Only 5'2 'e was. That's where I get my red 'air. Believe it or not, I'm 22." ... Complete and utter bollocks, of course, but the lad was used to spinning tales like this on the spot. An old habit from his begging years.

Four coins. Not as much as he'd usually pay, but then this was a much nicer establishment than the taverns he usually frequented. As he rummaged through his pockets though, he was stopped when the newcomer beside him offered to put the drink on her tab. "Really?" the lad exclaimed in surprise, beaming from ear to ear. Well, he certainly wasn't going to turn down a free drink. "Wow, thanks lady! Yer a peach!" he complimented her before taking the shot and downing it in rum. "Ah, good stuff that!" When the drunkard roughly knocked into the nice young woman that had kindly bought him a drink, the urchin shot the man a scowl. "Oi, watch where ya goin', there's ladies 'ere!" He scolded the man before promptly kicking him in the ass and sending him sprawling across the floor, causing all his drunken friends to roar with laughter. "There, that oughtta teach 'im ta mind 'is manners." The boy said to himself, rather pleased with what he considered a dashing act of chivalry on his part.


Leaning back against the bar and putting his hands behind his head, the lad decided to strike up a conversation with his generous new friend. "So, what's yer name Miss Lady? I ain't seen ya 'round 'ere before. Ya new in town?" That said, it was unlikely that Urchin would've seen her around before, considering he kept mostly to The Shallows, and only ventured out in search of pockets to pick.

Speaking of which, even with the woman paying for his drink, the boy was still a few coppers short of his due. As such, his eyes scanned the room for potential new marks. Drunks always made such easy targets, and even on the rare occasions that he got caught, it was hilarious watching them trip over themselves as they tried to catch them. Unfortunately, most of the inn's patrons congregated in large, rowdy groups, meaning it would be difficult to rob from one of them without their friend noticing.

Suddenly, a newcomer caught his eye. A rather striking figure, with silver white hair and an extremely interesting outfit. And she was alone, too! Perfect! ... That said, the bird skull at her forehead forced the lad to consider that this probably wasn't a woman he'd want to be caught by... Maybe after she'd had a couple of drinks?

 

[Sersean]

LaVaya couldn't help but smile even bigger as the tiny urchin kicked the man who had knocked into her, sending him sprawling.

"My name is LaVaya; I'm not new so much as I leave and return often. What might your name be my...young...friend?" she asked, her amazing green eyes twinkling.

Her accent was that of someone who had grown up nearby, although she did seem a bit uncomfortable and even out of place among the other Allirians filling the tavern.

She winked at the urchin. He was the type of person she understood and respected, more so than any noble or or wealthy merchant. She also kept a close eye on her coin purse and jewelry, quickly slipping her impressive emerald pendant beneath her black leather jerkin.

She continued to look around the room, noting the impressive sight of the white-haired warrior-woman who had come in. LaVaya found her quite exotic and not a little attractive, since she appreciated the company of both men and women. She also recognize that she was someone she definitely would never want to cross.

She waited patiently until the elven woman could give her a price on the anklet, sipping her ale and continuing to observe the tavern's varied and entertaining patrons.

 

[Urchin]

Ah, so the lady was from around here after all. Maybe a towner. Well, Urchin certainly wasn't as prejudiced as most of the folk from The Shallows were... Half of his mother's clients had been towners, after all. "Ah, nobody's called me by my name in years. Folks 'round 'ere call me Urchin." ... Well, the people who knew him called him 'Urchin' at least. Most people referred to him as, 'The whore's bastard' or 'Gutter trash' or 'Snot-nosed brat' or 'You little shit! Come back with my wallet!' "So, yer out an' about of the city a lot, huh?" he asked, intrigued. "Ya what, a merchant or summin'? Envoy? Sailor?" Oh, he hoped she was a sailor! Sailors always had the best stories! Not that she looked like one, of course. Sailors were usually scruffy and sunburned and unkempt. This lady was way too pretty.

The lad noticed as the woman slipped her pendant beneath her jerkin. Looked like the lady was on to her. Well, he supposed he couldn't blame her. What with his scruffy hair, and baggy rags that clearly weren't his own size, along with his bare, dirty feet and the rope he was using for a belt, he certainly didn't look like a respectable young gentleman. Still, he had no intention of slipping anything from her pockets. Not after she'd kindly brought him that drink. The lad didn't have many morals, but there were a handful of lines he didn't cross... Besides, if he minded his manners, maybe she'd buy him another drink!

 

[Sersean]

"No my little friend, I am no merchant or sailor. I am a...troubleshooter. I fix problems for people, for a price. I often have to travel out of the city" LaVaya said with a smile.

She finished her ale, and debated a third one. She decided she was not yet ready to leave the tavern.

"Another round please. Ale for me and your best rum for my friend Urchin here" LaVaya said politely to the bartender

"Perhaps we should move to a table?" she asked after the drinks were poured.

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

Tzuriel Alanthis was in Alliria once again. Another successful trade agreement was made and he was in the mood to celebrate. And what better place to go to celebrate than The Elven Arrow Tavern. he had been to this particular tavern on multiple occasions for much the same reason. It had good food and drink for a good price and a good reputation to boot. The elf proprietor was the good sort and certainly trustworthy in his book.

Tzuriel walked down the street to the tavern with a few of his employees just before seeing an exotic white haired warrior beauty enter the tavern. He smiled to himself, but entertained no illusions about bedding her type. In his experience, beautiful women soldiers and warriors were best appreciated from afar. While there were exceptions, the warrior type were not gentle or soft to the touch unless they were an elf.
Tonight he was more interested in drink and celebration, but there was always a possibility of some rebellious genteel women that would frequent this higher end establishment.

He and his lads walked into the tavern, their light conversation halting to enjoy the revelry of the tavern. Everyone was in a jolly mood and the hostess even hired a bard to entertain her guests.
He could see the elven proprietor and gave her a quick smile and a wave before him and his men edged their way to a table that could easily fit their party after shooing away a few solo drinkers from taking up the copious space.
While his friends took their seats he made his way to the bar and came up beside the two at the counter.
His keen eye detected the young man there, on those hands were the nimble fingers of a pickpocket. And come to think of it, the woman sitting with him had similar traits. He didn't give any sign, but he was now aware and would be ready if either of them made a pass at his wallet.
He placed a pile of coppers on the counter, "Ale for six please, Rysa dear. Center table."
Then, since he was feeling generous, he placed two gold on the counter, "And a round for everyone on me."

 

[Urchin]

"Troubleshooter?" The lad asked, intrigued. Now, what could that mean, exactly? A mechanic? A diplomat? Something a bit more sinister? The possibilities were endless, and it got the boy's imagination flowing. Perhaps this lady was more interesting than a sailor after all. "That sounds like fun. I bet ya get ta go ta all kinds o' interestin' places? Ever been ta Fal'Addas? I 'eard they all live in trees over there," the lad asked with a child-like infatuation for the magical and mysterious. Still, his attention was quickly snapped back to the here and now when LaVaya was kind enough to buy him another drink. "Tryin' ta get me drunk so ya can take advantage o' me? Ya oughtta be ashamed!" The boy joked before taking the rum and gulping down a sip, savoring the taste. "Ah, that's sweet. They sell the good stuff in 'ere. Not that watered down piss they're passin' fer rum down at the Crimson Tap. I should come 'ere more often."

When the woman suggested that they move to another table, the lad couldn't hold back a grin of malice as his eyes scanned the room. Moving from one table to another gave him ample opportunity to rummage through a couple of pockets along the way. "Sure thing, Miss LaVaya. Next round's on me!" ... Or at least, whichever poor soul he managed to rob blind along the way. How 'bout we go sit..." his eyes scanned the room looking for potential targets. "There! With that pretty lady with the white 'air. She looks interestin'. Wonder what the bird skull's about. Some kinda tribal thing maybe? Let's go ask!" the lad suggested, with a complete and utter lack of tact and discretion.

As he made his way over to the table though, it wasn't the white haired warrior woman that his eyes lingered on. The lad had a less intimidating target in mind. The young merchant man who just entered the tavern had caught his eye. Now this was the kind of man who made the perfect mark. Coming here for a casual night of drinking with friends. Laid back without a care in the world. In Urchin's experience, people like this rarely kept their guard up. His companions were an inconvenience, of course, but since they'd just arrived, most of the men's eyes seemed occupied in seeking out the most attractive pieces of skirt in the tavern, leaving their friend's wallet ripe for the picking. Better still, he looked like the kind of man with a few coins to spare. No doubt, if a few coppers went missing from his purse, the poor bugger wouldn't even notice.

He waited until the man was engaged with conversation with the lovely eleven proprietor, and even managed to catch a glimpse of which pocket he kept his wallet in after he'd paid for his drinks. Perfect! Getting to his feet, he made his way towards the warrior woman's table. As he passed by the merchant, the lad's hand stealthily slid their way into the man's pocket, looking to see what they found there.

 

[Sersean]

"I do a wide variety of things from collecting debts to negotiating business deals" LaVaya said with a chuckle.

She found Urchin to be an entertaining and refreshing change from the scum and thugs she was often in the company of. As she moved from the bar to follow him to a table, she felt a hand on her arm. She instantly slapped it away and turned to see a tall, obviously somewhat into his cups dockworker-type, grinning idiotically at her.
LaVaya's other had wend subtly to the hilt of her large plain but well-used knife.

"Why 'ello there missy. My name's Gopher. Howza 'bout ya buy me a drink like ya did the kid there?" he said, spittle flying from his lips.

"Apologies my friend, but I only have so much coin. It appears as if you have had several already, in any case" LaVaya said politely

She turned to continue on her way, but Gopher made a grab for her.

"Aw, come on I was going to let ya warm me bed tonight" he said with a laugh.

She deftly side-stepped and grabbed his arm, twisting it painfully.

"Aah! Hey missy, I was trying' to be your friend here!" Gopher said, wrenching his arm away.

"I have a friend here already, thank you. Now go back to your friends...while you can" LaVaya replied, a subtle threat in her voice.

"How about I teach ya some manners?" Gopher said, face reddening.

The dockworker balled up his hands and took an awkward swing which LaVaya easily ducked. She snapped a kick into his groin, causing him to double over in pain. She quickly grabbed him by his filthy hair and pulled his head up so he could see her into her eyes.

"Ah! let me go ya crazy girl!" Gopher said, holding his groin.

"Gopher look me in the eye...this was all a misunderstanding, right? You don't want to fight or bother me anymore. You are tired and drunk, so you want to buy everyone a round then go home to sleep if off" LaVaya said firmly.

The nearby bar patrons were expecting the fight to continue, having gone quiet and watching the spectacle.
However, LaVaya's magnificent green eyes flashed with power for an instant, and hypnotic energy pulsed into Gopher's brown eyes and her suggestion was implanted into his mind, becoming like his own thought. Almost no one in the bar noticed the subtle use of hypnotism.

"Yes...a misunderstandin'. I think I'll go sleep it off" Gopher agreed, his expression slightly dazed.

"Wonderful. You feel so much better now, don't you? A little kick from a girl like me didn't hurt you that bad," LaVaya added with a smile.

Gopher nodded dumbly as the pain in his groin receded noticeably. LaVaya released his hair and turned away. The dockworker shook his head, the dazed expression gone. He yawned and then turned toward the bar.

"it's time fer me to be goin', but first a round on me!" Gopher said loudly to cheers and raised mugs and cups.

LaVaya caught up with Urchin, a slightly smug satisfied smile on her face.

 

[Aeyliea]

She didn't have a drink, and she was getting annoyed about that. Her second hadn't shown either, and she was getting annoyed about that as well. But most importantly, in her mind, was that she was not getting the attention she felt she warranted. No one had approached her with clumsy and generally terrible pick-up lines, no one had tried to lay a hand on her yet. Vexing didn't even begin to describe it.

Upon reflection, it probably had a lot to do with the class of the place. Her eyes scanned the crowd, sharp as an eagle and perhaps a bit more, considering she'd not even seen the wait staff yet. An elfin proprietress, if she was not mistaken, stood duty selling trinkets by the looks of things along with booze of a certainly finer quality than she was accustomed too. Wasn't beer she was interested in, anyway. An obvious thief with a lady - her usual haunts were The Shallows, and if she wasn't mistaken she had seen the boy there at some point, likely in The Mangled Rat or another dive like it.

And, interestingly, a young man that piqued her interest, if only in a carnal way. A pretty face, and clearly well-to-do. The mercenary captain adjusted her seating for optimal viewing so she could take in the lines of his body, ignoring the people that came in with him. Cocking an eyebrow at the one woman with the petty thief, who was making their way in her general direction, as she dealt with one of the more forward members of the crowd. She had to bite back a bitter surge of jealousy; someone had accosted her but clearly she was the better looking of the two of them. If she wasn't observing as fine a piece of meat as Tzuriel, she might have had to go and beat the oaf that had accosted the one as a lesson, abject or object or whatever. Didn't really matter.

"Do they serve alcohol in this place, or is it just a den of chattering grey-skins?" The words were low, and spoken in her native Norei, a primitive sounding language and unlikely to be recognized by anyone here. Not that she cared, obviously.

 

[Sersean]

LaVaya nods at the beautiful white-haired warrior woman as she looks for a table.
She frowns; the tavern is filling up and the table they were heading towards now has people at it.
She ponders leaving; the grabby dock worker annoyed her greatly, and she wanted to blow off some steam

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

The boy went for it and he was ready. When his hand disappeared inside his pocket Tzuriel captured the wrist and pulled it back out, catching the few coins the boy managed to grab. He turned his striking blue gaze down on the boy, released his wrist while purposely slipping a gold coin in his grasp and let the kid scurry off. He didn't look down or give any sign until the boy was gone before he looked at the wooden necklace he had slipped from the boy. The kid was a good pickpocket to be sure, but Tzuriel knew his way around thieves as much as thieves knew their way around a crowd.

The boy would be back for his possession. Every thief seemed to have one thing that was not for sale, and if he was right, this necklace was his. The whole encounter was to give the kid a little warning that there are bigger fish in the sea. And once that message is delivered he would give back the necklace.

He leaned against the bar for a moment examining the crowd. It was indeed a celebratory night. It wasn't long before his blue eyes met the stormy blueish grey of the warrior woman. She was watching him out of all the swarthy sailors, soldiers, and working men. Her eyes tracing him. Perhaps he had found one of the exceptions when it came to the warrior class. Oddly enough she had no drink yet. Tzuriel had intended to spend the evening celebrating with his drivers and guards, but a warrior woman in a tavern sitting alone without a drink seemed like a sin.

Placing another four copper on the table he ordered an ale for the white haired warrior.

 

[Urchin]

Just before he could make a move on his intended target, some sleazy drunk made the mistake of harassing his newest friend, offering to let her 'warm his bed tonight'. "Oh, 'ow very generous of ya," the lad muttered sarcastically. "Ain't nuthin' a beautiful woman loves more than havin' a drunk tub o' lard rollin' around on top of 'er as 'e desperately tries ta find 'is shrivelled up little Johnson under all 'is rolls of fat. Proper Prince Charmin', ain't ya?"

When the man started to get even more handy, that sparked the lad's temper. Having grown up in a brothel, there was nothing the boy hated more than a man who treated women like objects and refused to take no for an answer. "Oi, ya take yer hands off the lady right now, or I'll kick ya in the nuts so hard, yer next kid'll be born with six fingers an' his face inside out!" Luckily, Urchin didn't even need to carry out his threat, since La'Vaya had everything well under control. "Y'ouch!" He winced as she delivered a well deserved kick right to the drunk man's gonads. "Nice one, Miss La'Vaya," the boy congratulated her, slapping a friendly had on her shoulder in congratulations "Reckon 'es learned 'is lesson. From the looks of 'im the poor bugger wun be able ta walk fer the rest o' the week."

Well, she'd definitely put the man in his place. More than that, the drunk seemed so intimidated by the woman that he was actually obeying all the instructions he gave her, agreeing to leave her be and even buying a round of drinks for the whole tavern... He had know idea how La'Vaya was doing this, but it was great! ... He wanted to try! "An' ya wanna apologize ta the nice lady an' buy 'er a nice new necklace ta go with the anklet she just bought. Summin' with sparkly emeralds ta go with 'er pretty green eyes... An' after ya dun that, ya wanna take all the leftover coin ya got an' give it ta me!" Urchin certainly had no hypnotic powers himself, or any kind of affinity for magic at all. Still, it was worth a shot.

Now, with that out of the way, it was time to get back to work. As he slipped his hand into the merchant's pocket though, it quickly became obvious that Urchin had seriously under estimated him. He expected the man to be naive, and too focused on enjoying himself, drinking with his friends and impressing the ladies to even consider the possibility of pick-pockets. Looks like he was wrong. "Uhh..." The lad mumbled nervously, caught red handed with the coins in his palm. How the hell was he going to talk his way out of this one? "... Ya dropped this?" Truly, he was ashamed of himself for the terrible excuse that came out of his lips, but it was all he could think of at the time.

He expected the man to either give him a nasty beating or call out for the city guards. Instead, he let the boy go without a word. Not only that, but he actually slipped a gold coin into his hand as he did so. "Huh?" Urchin asked, curious as he studied the coin. Damn! He didn't think he'd held a whole gold in his palm in months. "Ya... Fer me? ... Really?" The lad was practically beaming! He had enough to pay off his daily due and then some. Had the man actually believed him? Or did he just feel sorry for him? Either way, Urchin couldn't believe his luck. "Thanks Mr!" he exclaimed with joy before scampering off before the generous merchant could change his mind... Not even noticing that something extremely important was missing, he quickly headed over to sit at Aeyliea's table.

"Hey Miss, ya mind if we sit with ya?" He asked, sitting himself down at the table before the poor woman even had time to answer. "Sorry, all the other tables are full... So, what's yer story. I ain't seen ya 'round here before. I like yer hair, it's pretty... So, what's with all them bones an' stuff? They like trophies or summin'?" ... Poor woman. The lad really had no tact at all.

Suddenly, one of the barmaids arrived with an ale, setting it in front of the warrior woman. "From the gentleman in the corner," she told her with a smile, gesturing over to Tzuriel. When Urchin heard it, he shot the lady a cheeky grin. "Awh, looks like ya got an admirer," he noted before leaning in towards the lady and lowering his voice to a whisper. "I say go fer it. 'E's stinkin' rich!"

 

[Sersean]

LaVaya stepped up beside Urchin.

“My apologies ma’am. Urchin here is an enthusiastic fellow. We can move along” she says to the white-haired beauty.
“Urchin, stop bothering her” she adds sternly.

LaVaya can’t help but admire the warrior-woman, as a barmaid brings her ale. She is beautiful and exotic and obviously can take care of herself; LaVaya’s kind of woman.

 

[Aeyliea]

She had not missed the interplay between boy and merchant, especially given the intense interest she had given that particular worthy. When the boy set himself down at the table, she gave him a grin that was mostly bared teeth, little warmth in her eyes.

"These, they are protection against evil spirits," she said in thickly accented common. There was a dissonant cadence to her speech, perhaps some vestige of her native tongue carried into common. It made her seem even more exotic than the hair alone would have, perhaps more primitive and barbaric as well. "No trophies. Some of the men, they liked to take fingers or ears." She fixed him with that feral grin again, picking up the drink set before her - finally - and drained the entire thing in a single go. It was a fine taste, by her lights.

Another sat at the table, and she tsked in a vexed fashion. The newcomer - a woman with the touch of magic about her - was blocking her view. She belched, having the decency to at least cover her mouth with a hand even if she didn't look the least ashamed by it. She looked the woman up and down, lips pursed, as she lazily flagged a server down. Waiting, she grinned at the woman. "The boy, do not worry about him. A thief he is, but spoils here he shall not have. Around, I have seen him."

Her headquarters was in the low rent district of The Slums, an already seedy area. Not far from The Shallows, which was her usual haunt when it came to debauchery.

A server approached, and the Norei fished coins from her purse, dangling next to the heavy bladed knife. "Some of the water-that-burns, for me and my companions. And a double for that fine piece of meat over there," she said, tossing silver onto the table.

 

[Sersean]

LaVaya smiles at the warrior-woman’s description of the admittedly handsome man she indicated.

“Thank you for the drink, and the seat. I am LaVaya. This is Urchin” she says, letting her local accent come through.

She admires the woman’s knife, her own sturdy fighting knife resting on her hip.

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

She got the drink. That was good. His duty done he made his way back to his table with his friends and employees just as their drinks arrived. He sat down in a seat facing the Amazonian woman from across his table to hers. He offered one of his slight smiles when one of his workers proposed a toast at their table and lifted his mug.
"To the most successful man this side of the spine! To the Merchant King! Sir Tzuriel Alanthis!"
His men gave up a cheer and they all tilted their mugs to drink. When Tzuriel set down his mug the tavern boy, Silvan, brought him another drink.
"From the white haired lady." He whispered, but of course those sitting close to him heard and grinned at their boss.
"Just like Sir Alanthis ta leave his lads for a lady!" One said in jest. Though Tzuriel could see a few of them had their eyes on some of the other wenches in the tavern as well.

Tzuriel looked at the white haired woman. She was older than him by a few years, but she certainly didn't look older than a teenage girl who grew up in the wilderness. Non but Tzuriel would have guessed that she were about four years his elder but that mattered to no one, least of all Tzuriel. She was beautiful and confident in that fact. He generally made it a point to not bother the warrior class. He was a scoundrel, but he had boundaries. Yet she seemed to be the exception to his expectations, and she certainly seemed interested.

He finished his first mug and began on the second one when the bard struck up a lively tune. There was no singing, this was a contradance melody for couples.
A few couples had already stood up and were dancing together in the cleared out area. Tzuriel was there to celebrate, and dancing seemed to pique his interests. He swallowed the dredges of his second ale and stood up. He doubted the tribal warrior girl knew much about dancing, so he thought it best not to embarrass her. Instead he selected a young lady standing patiently off to the side and politely invited her to the dance floor, "Would you like to dance, miss?"
She accepted his offered hand with a smile.

They stepped onto the dance floor and immediately Tzuriel picked up on the dance everyone else was doing. This wasn't a slow couples dance, but one with lively steps and spins with a partner. This is how he enjoyed himself. Dancing in a well to do tavern with a pretty girl, good ale and good food would come later. He wasn't a lightweight, with two full mugs of ale in him he could still dance flawlessly and soon him and his partner found themselves dancing in the middle of the floor with the others making room for them. He didn't know this girl, but she knew how to dance and he gave another one of his slight smiles while she beamed from ear to ear.

 

[Urchin]

Urchin looked slightly offended when LaVaya accused him of bothering the strange, white haired-woman. "'Ey, I ain't botherin' 'er, I was just askin'," he objected sulkily. This was followed by a smile when Aeyleia told La'Vaya not to worry about him. "There, see, she dun mind... Oi, wait, what?" he asked with a raised eyebrow when he realized that the woman had referred to him as a thief. "Wait? Thief? What thief? Who's a thief? I ain't no thief. Who told ya that?" he mumbled as he nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Ha... Yer funny lady," the lad tried to pass the woman's comment off a joke... Nobody looked very convinced. "... Oh look, ale!" he happily changed the subject when the drinks arrived, taking a large swig of his before wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Thanks Miss! Ya know, you ain't half as scary as ya look," he told Aeyleia with a broad grin... And yes, this was the boy's idea of a complement. "So, ya say the protect ya from evil spirits? What ya need 'em for? ... Oh! Are you a monster hunter or summin'?" the lad asked with a gleam in his eye. If she were, he'd be highly impressed and no doubt spend the rest of the night annoying her with his persistent questions.

Eventually, across the room, Urchin caught a glimpse of the handsome merchant dancing a lively tune with a pretty young wench he didn't recognize. "Well how do ya like that?" he asked Aeyleia, leaning back in his chair and resting his bare feet on the table. "The man spends all night makin' eyes at ya, then goes off an' dances with some other girl. The nerve of it. I say ya teach 'im a lesson," he suggested before turning to LaVaya. "Hey, why dun the two of ya dance instead! That aught ta make 'im jealous. Or ya could go over there an' dance with 'is friends. That'd prolly make 'im even more jealous... I'd offer, but I got two left feet an' not a shoe between 'em."

 

[Aeyliea]

She stared at the ale set before her with a blank expression, and grabbed the serving wench by the sleeve before she could leave. "This, it is not what I wanted. Whiskey is the thing I desire, and you will bring it to me," she said. The wench took the beer with her, and the captain dropped her feet to the floor, leaning forward. The blade on her back was out of place here, but she clearly did not care.

She gave a throaty laugh that was as much a vocal caress as the physical act would have been, fixing LaVaya with a lazy smile, eyes lidded. "The boy, he is a fool. Fools no one, do he?" The thick accenting of her words made it difficult, sometimes, to parse all the nuance within them. She might have been a savage from the savannah, but she was not a stupid woman. In fact, she was probably smarter than most of the people in this room.

She laughed again, and this time there was a smoldering heat to it. "Making eyes at me, was he? Was I making them at him, I am pretty sure. A roll in the sack with that one, that would be just the thing to while away the night." She laughed again, and then continued in her own language, a coarse tongue with a melodic cadence to it. "Fuck the blue right out of those eyes, I would." She tossed her head back and laughed, slapping her thighs as she did it. "That harlot he dances with, in knots I could tie her."

The servant arrived with the proper drink, and set two shot glasses on the tabletop. The liquid was a fine amber, and the scent that wafted off of it was enough to curl paint. The mercenary worked on the clasps that held the harness that her great two-handed blade hung on her back in, and slipped the whole affair off her back. With a warning look to the boy, she rested it against the table. Took one of the shots and casually down the whole thing, and for a moment her face reddened. She sputtered with a fit of coughing for a moment, the smell of raw liquor washing over her companions, then took the other and downed it before slamming the empty glass into the table, then slapped the table hard enough to spill some of their beer.

"For now, have his fun he can. Let him go, I shall not...if I have to beat that wench with my own two hands," she said a lot more clearly than one would have expected her to.

 

[Sersean]

"I Would like to watch that" LaVaya says with a twinkle in her eye.

A trained dancer herself and used to performing solo in front of crowds, she was quite interested in the proceedings. Heeding Urchin's advice, she finished her ale and gracefully approached Tzuriel's group, making eye contact with one of his younger, more handsome men who appeared interested in the dancing.

LaVaya made a polite curtsy to the gentleman as a way of offering herself as a partner. Smiling, the young man took her hand and they went into the space. LaVaya was in her element, moving to the music in a mesmerizing fashion. She complemented and even improved her parter's moves with her skill.

It didn't take long before she and her partner were clearly competing with Tzuriel and his...

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

Tzuriel smiled when he saw one of his friends dancing with the nimble fingered lady, who was obvious nimble in other ways. He knew his friends and knew that they couldn't dance this good. But Tzuriel didn't hog the dance floor, he shared it with his friend and the lady as they danced with their partners.

With a glint in his eye and a mood for mischievousness he winked to his friend as a signal to trade partners. His friend grinned and nodded. When the step came in the music they made the partner switch. Twirling their partners and switching hands with the opposite couples. Tzuriel instantly had to adjust to this girls dancing, she was far more skilled than his previous partner, but they both soon found that they could keep up with each other rather easily.

While they skipped to the music Tzuriel spoke, "If I were to compliment your skill as a dancer would that be sufficient? Or may I buy you a drink to show my admiration?"
He kept his intense blue eyes on her green. He had seen her encounter with the belligerent drunk and recognized what she did. But he maintained eye contact anyways. As a merchant he was well aware of magic that dealt with the mind, including hypnotism. And he wouldn't be the Merchant King if he hadn't built up some defenses against them. So he wasn't worried too much. And couldn't think of any reason she might try it on him anyways.

He twirled her for a moment. She was a beautiful girl, maybe about his age. Definitely not hard on the eyes, even if she showed signs of a hard life in the city. He didn't have the most complimentary life either, in spite of where he was now. The hardest part of an evening like this is deciding who to spend it with... Or if it would be better to spend it alone with a drink for company.