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[Vakhanor]

Arc 716, Ymiden 13

Shock had befallen Vakhanor as he wandered toward the familiar pub he frequented, the Blacksmith Arms side by side with the stranger who had save him. Quiet in the tracks the smith's eyes had stayed themselves upon the dirt pathway the entire way as he mindlessly dodged the people coming from the opposite direction. There had been no sense to what had transpired at the arena unless the king intended to murder his wife for her crime? If that were the case then why did she hold a tournament. Did marriage really mean that little in Rynmere now? After everything that transpired Vakhanor felt compelled to do something for the woman, upon asking her she had replied that she wanted nothing but would consider a drink, and so a drink it was.

As they opened the door the strong, odorous smell of armpits, booze and food permeated the air, instantly hitting them. The place was packed with people, Enough to make even Vakhanor reluctant to stay. All of the village people must have had the same idea as them and stopped here to celebrate after a day of panic. Reluctant to stay near the more crowded areas of the pub Vakhanor took Nivasi's hand as he lead her through the crowd, worried he might lose her.

Everywhere the shouts of loud drunken men and women, laughter and shaded mutters of debauchery followed them in their steps. There were so many people that even the waiters were having a hard time. After at least ten bits of adamantly searching for a table, Vakhanor had found a private corner out of the way of people. It was one of those corners where you would usually find some kind of shady dealer or someone who was looking for bad news. "Immortals almighty took long enough, save the seat. I'll grab the drinks, what do you want?"

[Nivasi Zyq'Dariav]

Nivasi, never the best at small talk to begin with, walked beside the red haired man in silence, mind racing a hundred miles a minute. While normally it would be unheard of for her to go anywhere, let alone to a bar with an unknown man, and not even a Biqaj at that, after the events of the day this seemed like nothing. Or possibly it was the only conclusion of the night. The madness couldn't end that quickly and easily, it had to be drawn out and continued. It was alternatively unreal and brutally authentic and immediate.

And it was all connected. Cassander sending his guard abroad... Brices lost men... The perversion and unfairness of the already distasteful arena... The blue cloaks...

She'd thought of it as a storm before, and that was still apt, but another comparison would be the dark shadow beneath a boat. You knew it was big, it was probably dangerous, and the only question was how far away, how big and how dangerous it truly was. And the right thing to do was to leave. But could she? Did she want to? She'd done the stupidest thing in her life, and she'd walked away unscathed. She did not for a moment think that this meant she always would, particularly if she was not careful and did not calculate her actions and their outcomes.

This musing was interrupted as the door opened and the wave of humanity hit her, assaulting all her senses. She should have known it would be busy here. Of course it would. This was exactly the sort of place people would retreat to after the events of the day. If she'd been on her own Nivasi would have turned around then and there. But she wasn't, and seeing as he'd insisted on thanking her somehow and this was the best she'd been able to come up with, she couldn't really back out now. Sorry, I don't actually like people and am going to hide on my boat now, glad you're not dead was not good manners.

Besides, the option was soon taken away when he took her hand and drew her through the crowd. On the plus side, this meant she got to follow behind him, taking advantage of the space his more imposing figure earned him. She caught bits and pieces of conversation from people as they moved through, searching for an unoccupied space.

"Did you see?" "The Queen was shot!" "Did anyone die?" "Who were they?" "That match!" "Have you heard of Poga?" "I made fifty nel on that fight!" "I think it was rigged." "She doesn't even wear yellow." "Fuck it, let's get drunk."

Eventually, against all odds, he managed to find them a corner, even if they were likely to have people come up soliciting them for mind altering substances.

"I'm impressed you found anywhere. And Cider, please."

She replied. She'd found the beer here could be hit or miss. A shot of vodka would also not have gone amiss, but she figured she'd done enough stupid things for one night, and her drinking had never ended well in the past.

[Vakhanor]

Vakhanor took Nivasi's order and shuffled through the constantly shifting horde of bodies. In all of his arcs Vakhanor had never been to the Blacksmith Arms when it was this packed, it was an odd experience, not one he was sure he wanted to indulge in too often.

" 'ello handsome," the voice of a two timed hooker called in an attempt to attach herself to him.

"Goodbye," he returned bluntly, still trying to find his way toward the bar. The most tedious half an Arc of his life, Vakhanor stood in the queue waiting for one immortal damned drink for himself and Nivasi, if it was going to take this long for him to be served then he'd just go all out.

Waiting was not his strong suit and it gave him time to think about things. The events of the day had been strange, his employers wife was on her death bed and more importantly their attacker had been of the Burhan line. Was that why Elyna had travelled to and from Burhan? Was the noble that he had grown to care about as a friend a conspirator against the thrown? She had been so lovely to him in the time that he'd known her, a little strange for sure but the smith had grown to have a soft spot for the girl. After all, she was the only one who shared the pain of his brother's death.

Darkness plagued his thoughts up until the moment he reached the counter, "Two ciders, a beer, a bottle of wine, a bottle of clear akdov, two glasses of whiskey on the rocks and some cooked food please," he requested, knowing that all of that alcohol was probably going to do them in if they didn't eat. Whether or not Nivasi wanted it or not, the smith wanted to drink, there had been too much going on in his life and he wanted forget the faces of the dead and the dying. There was a chance that Nivasi didn't want to drink at all, willing to take the consequences the halfblood decided he'd just give the drinks away to some other poor wretch if she didn't want it.

"What kind of food?" the barman asked with a half smile. Sweat dripped from the man's brow, it was clear the sheer number of patrons was waning on the staff.

"Salted mutton, beef and salmon if you have any," Vakh replied, not entirely sure what foods Nivasi was partial to eating.

"Ah, fresh out of mutton and beef, we do have some lamb and salmon left over. Not as popular cause of the price on 'em," the barman shrugged with a guilty looking smile "I'll give you the beer and cider now and get one of the waitresses to bring the rest over."

"Yeah alright lamb and salmon will do, cheers. Table in the corner. Number six," Vakh said, patiently waiting for the drinks to arrive. Albeit an odd mix of food choice, what did they have to loose? if Nivasi didn't like one he could have the other.

Forty bits later Vakhanor had finally managed to find his way back through the crowd to Nivasi who had been more than patient with him. In the smith's absence it appeared that unwanted company had weaselled its way into his seat and started flirting with the poor woman. A small man with pale skin, slicked back hair and a fine leather tunic, he didn't look like he had worked a day in his life.

"Come, let me have the pleasure-"

"Let you have the pleasure of what?" Vakhanor's furious voice emerged from behind half a dozen patrons as he stepped forward, towering over the small pale man with an intense, angered stare.

"Pardon me. My name is Ambrosio, I was just talking to your friend here," the stranger offered with a nervous smile, signalling a hand toward Nivasi.

"I can see that, no disrespect mate. Get out. I would like a night with my girl to myself," the smith requested, softening his expression. This man was just a rich fool hoping to get lucky and nobody else needed to get hurt today.

"Absolutely. My apologies," Ambrosio bowed his head and quickly removed himself from Nivasi's side to return to mingling.

"Sorry I took so long," Vakh muttered "Wait was longer than I had hoped, that was probably a bit selfish but two is company, three is a crowd. I'm not fond of crowds."

[Nivasi Zyq'Dariav]

Saving his seat had turned out to be harder than expected. Any further ruminations on the events of the day were forestalled by the need to repeatedly assure people that no she was no alone, no she would not like company and no she was certainly not for sale thank you very much. In fairness, the majority of those who tried to plunk their arses down took the polite refusal fairly well and removed themselves with a minimum of fuss.

Unlike the current challenger.

"I'm not looking for any company thank you."

"They tell me Biqaj got so much saltwater in 'em it even tastes salty do-"

"This is not a mystery you will be solving any time soon, and certainly not with me. Sir, I have been more than polite. I am not interested, I will not be interested, there is no interest and never will be. Ever. That seat is taken, please remove yourself."

"Didjoo bring a friend with you? I'm more'n man enough for th'both of ye. She Biqaj too? I c'n rock both yer boats."

"Look, there are prostitutes right over there who would be happy for your patronage. Right there."

"Pfaaah, dun't want no whore. Last time I were with a whore I thought me little jacadon were going to rot off, and then where would you and your friend be?"

"Relieved."

"Wut?"

Nivasi was just about fed up with this. Annoying though it was, it was time to play the man card.

"And my friend is not Biqaj, nor female. And his Jacadon is not little. He will not be pleased to see you speaking with me. See the redhead over there? The one you can see because of how he towers over the rest? Yes. Go away please, for your own sake."

With no more argument, proverbial tail between his legs, the drunk removed himself. And how exceptionally frustrating was that? You could tell men you weren't interested until you were blue in the face and likely by the time you'd run out of breathe they'd finished assaulting you anyway, but tell them you were with another man and they were gone in a flash. They did not respect women, but they respected other mens claims of ownership. Ownership. Property. Bad enough, and now to be killed so they could be cast aside more easily? Unfair. Wrong.

She did not have long to reflect on this, because rather like nature and a vacuum, men at bars abhorred an empty seat near a reasonably attractive woman. Lets be honest though, this was the Arms, if you weren't hideous that was enough, and even then likely someone had been drinking for long enough. Another man sidled in, and this one looked like he had nels behind him, which meant he'd have to be handled carefully. Nivasi sighed internally, patience rapidly fraying and even her legendary calm taking some damage.

She was saved from more polite excuses and half refusals by Vakhanors return. When he first emerged from the crowd he looked and sounded rather like Nivasi had imagined Faldrun himself would. Red hair and wrath. Luckily the little likely-merchant had the sense not to push it, and Vakhanor did not pursue needless violence. A fact that she was glad for. As much as she herself was about ready to bop someone in the nose, she'd rather not come to the guards attention tonight. She had the feeling given all that had gone on, they would not be gentle to anyone who landed in their custody.

"Not your fault, thank you for standing in line for so long. And please, on that front be as selfish as you like. I am not given to.. entertaining. Most nights it is simply me and my boat so this is.. Feel free to keep it at company, and not crowd."

She offered him a slightly strained smile. Even that speech was carefully chosen. Granting permission to keep others away while subtly hinting that she was perfectly happy and preferred her own company, not one of those women who spent their time flitting from tavern to bed, rarely alone. He'd done absolutely nothing to make her doubt his honour, but experience had taught her caution and wariness. No one offered anything for free. Only the aid she'd rendered him earlier which you could argue put him in her debts, which would then make this simple balancing kept her present instead of fleeing now that her heart had had time to slow and the crowd had reminded her how little she wanted anything to do with anyone.

She accepted the cider from him gratefully, and took a long slow sip, savouring the crisp taste. There was nothing complicated or trying about cider. She liked cider.

"Well. This has been a rather exciting day. I'm sorry, all of this and I do not believe we've had the chance to be properly introduced. I'm Nivasi Zyq'Dariav, of the Bravios. I fish."

And that, in her mind was all there was to say as far as who and what she was went. Others may have had lists of titles and accolades. She fished.

[Vakhanor]

Settling down beside her the smith relaxed back into the chair and closed his eyes for but a moment. Nivasi was right, it had been a long day, terrorist attacks, the Burhan family, the fact that he probably needed to interrogate the shit out of Elyna to see if she knew a thing about what was going on, he hated life right now.

"My name's Vakhanor, I'm a smith here in Andaris. I create swords, horseshoes and other mundane household appliances using steel," he returned, opening his eyes as he offered her a smile. Vakhanor tried masking his confusion about his selfishness, uncertain of whether the woman was inviting him to have a romantic evening with her or if she was just not fond of being around a ton of people. He figured if the latter were the case she probably would have run by now, other than the hordes of men that dropped like flies at her feet she had not stated discomfort of any kind.

Either way it was of little consequence to him, he wasn't particularly interested in following the crowd of the Blacksmith Arms and jumping on the first female he saw, the thought made him sick. "Drink up by the way, there's more coming. I got us a meal alongside it, In my experience alcohol without food does not lead to a good night."

"Oi you fuck! that 'ore i mine!" a large burly man shouted toward another.

"She'd be yours if your sword wasn't the size of a pen knife!" one of the men laughed "What'd he call it, his little Jacadon!"

Drinking his beer Vakhanor watched the others intently, somewhat amused by the conversation that transpired between the two. Their behaviour was not unusual for a pair of drunks fighting over a whore, he couldn't fault them but if there was one thing he swore on, it was that he would never give his dick a nickname.

Returning his attention to Nivasi, a smile lit his downcast features "Cheers for everything today, I might have lost my cool there." In truth, the man was about to fight. He was about to fight and use their own strength against them. That was until Nivasi had come along and put her life into the mix as well, a danger he didn't want to risk.

A break went past before the food and drinks were served to them, chatting back and forth Vakhanor told Nivasi about his life as a smith and how he'd come into the trade, a little about Sirothelle when he lived there and he'd asked about her. He had asked her about the challenges of her job and what it was like to live out on the sea, alongside how much he'd learned he'd hated it on his trip to Burhan with Elyna.

Slightly more drunk, a little more ambitious and a little more daft the smith decided journeying outside would be a great idea "Let's go to the beach! you can show me! The" he gave brief pause "the sea, things..." Bright eyed with half a bottle of wine in his hand the half-blood Aukari had forgotten his sadness entirely and aside from the occasional cheer to other passing patrons, had become almost fully focused upon the feminine form in front of him, mesmerised by the lilac hue of her exotic looking eyes.

[Nivasi Zyq'Dariav]

"Ah? That was,"

A brief pause, barely perceptible as she sorted through what descriptor would be acceptable.

"kind of you."

It was nice of him, and she supposed given the wait he'd had to go through to get the order in in the first place it would not really have been worth it for a drink. Still, habitually introvert and borderline shut in that she was, an internal part of Nivasi had pretty well just thrown up its hands and given up. Everything about this day seemed designed to put her where she would not put herself. Still, as a brief spat broke out, one side of which had recently been seated near her, at least she could say she'd dodged one probably diseased arrow.

"Of course. The odds were a little stacked. I've never been in favour of those in any colours ganging up on individuals."

And there was about as much dissension as the ever-cautious Biqaj had ever shown. It was true though. To her, uniforms and the like just spelled trouble. Work somewhere where half of your guard was as crooked as they came and probably more likely to slit your throat than the criminals they were in theory there to protect you from and see how quickly you started to dislike men in matching colours. At least this lot had backed off when spoken to respectfully. That was something. So perhaps slightly better than those currently in power. Or was that just for show while they were gaining momentum? As far as she knew this was the first time they'd acted publicly. Even the men taken from Brice hadn't gotten much attention. Was it worth being cautiously optimistic, or even assuming success which would have to be hard-won was this just going to be another case of here comes the new King, same as the old King?

Again her thoughts were drawn away from this more serious matter not only be the arrival of food and more drinks, the Biqaj opting for the salmon, but by the fairly pleasant company of Vakhanor as he talked about what he did and where he'd come from. Interesting to Nivasi, who'd never been to Sirothelle. Nor, given its reputation did she particularly want to go, but it was interesting all the same. If ever there were two races who looked similar but were disparate, it was the Biqaj and the Aukari. Fire and water, inhibition and freedom.

She shared a few lighter stories of the sea, not ones that would truly add to his aversion. His own experience on the sea elicited a laugh from her, possibly helped along by the alcohol that was slowly and almost without notice being consumed. In all honesty this was probably the first friendly, adult conversation she'd had in a long time with someone near her own age. She loved Ferlin and Elsie, and without the two of them she likely would have been very nearly entirely a recluse beyond what her job demanded of her, but they were closer to grandparents than anything else.

"Aye? And you can practice avoiding them?"

She teased, teeth flashing in a grin, purples were increasingly giving way to warm golden hues within her eyes. Possibly from the company, possibly from the akdov, which was nearly half gone. Either way, Nivasi was in a fine mood and well on her way to less than sober.

"Lets! Cannot breath in here! All of the air has been through too many lungs already!"

This decided, and dead set on good clean air rather than the stuffy variety that was all the still packed Arms had to offer, the Biqaj rose. He was taking the wine, it was only fair she got the akdov, a bottle each, made perfect sense. Where before she'd followed in his lee, letting his bulk cut a path, now she took him by the hand and forged her own path, helped with the occasional use of a heel or elbow and once or twice by some rather heated Rakahi curses.

"Oi, watch it!"

"Go fuck a sack of scorbons in Ashan you incontinent ass-licker."

There really wasn't much in the way of replies to that, besides, it was well known that unless you wanted to really get into it, fighting a drunk female Biqaj was not wise, and with the rather intimidating Smith in tow, no one rose to the occassion.

Soon enough they were free of the press and climbing the steps to release them out into the night. The cool air was a welcome change, though in town as it was, it still wasn't what Nivasi would call clean.

"Come on!"

Like a homing pigeon, Nivasi always knew which way the ocean was, no amount of alcohol would change that. Dead drunk she could likely still stagger her way to the nearest beach. The farther they got from Andaris and the Bay, and the light pollution they created, the more obvious the faint silver shimmer of her dark skin under moonlight would become.

[Vakhanor]

A stranger to Nivasi's lips he watched her laugh and smiled, he had a feeling she didn't do that often. He looked to the stars and among the grey haze smoke and cloud, the shone bright against the midnight painted canvas of the sky. The stars told stories and stories were the way that people shared, the way they learned. Stories of immortals and myths, where every fifth of the human condition was paired with their malice, their love, hatred and adoration. They were forever to walk the earth bound to the regret their creation. His father had never elected to stop reminding him why he was only half a person and half a man had to be better than the world around him, he imagined the immortals were no less different.

The pangs of old pain that danced around his emotions were immediately expelled by Nivasi's excitement for the sea, he laughed. With lamb in his belly and a bottle of wine at his side he was a cheerful man at least for a little while. "I try to avoid it. Then a bunch of Biqai decide to they want to flock around me and I cant get away from them," he paused, looking out onto the ocean "You know my mother told me a story once about the reason why fire and water hated each other so much. She told me that the Immortal Faldrun once created a fish in the heart of the volcano. It was said to be able to roam across fire and ocean, free to roam wherever it went. But it was lonely. So the pair decided to make another, a molten creature of orange and blue rippled across its scales. Both majestic, both wild. She said that for a little while these fish swam together in the sea, roaming the oceans like the world was at their doorstep. Something like... it was until the higher being died and Faldrun's wrought his fury upon the world. Since that day fire never met water again."

He'd forgotten the point he was making and it was a long story, there were a lot details and he was drunk "I forgot the reasons why but the fish was said to be trapped under the earth, doomed to die a painful and sad death without its mate that got away somehow. She'd said to me as boy 'if you listen carefully enough you can sometimes hear its lonely cry on the wind.' I dunno man," he took a swig of his drink "Stories."

Opening his palm slowly the smith looked up at Nivasi and invited her to sit with him, his thoughts had distracted him from her until now. Mesmerised by Nivasi's beauty under the moonlight, the smith became void of caution to impulse and reached out to touch her skin, underling the glowing parts of her. She was smooth like marble underneath his rough palms, his intention had been innocent but he'd probably regret it in the morning.

[Nivasi Zyq'Dariav]

"Mm, we do do that sometimes. Flocking. Like seagulls! Or Herring."

Of course herring spent all their time in schools. Exclusively. A long herring was one that was agitated and likely to die soon. Perhaps a better comparison would have been a pollock. They only shoaled sometimes. If Biqaj were herrings, and Nivasi was a herring alone, it didn't really give much hope for her survival let alone capability to thrive. What did that make Vakahnor then? Not a sea turtle. A ray? Maybe a Whitetip shark. Whitetips were dangerous though, more prone to frenzy than most, so perhaps not. That said, they never hurt the Pilot Fish who followed them.

"Fuck schooling."

She commented after a moment and another drink. She was just fine, thank you very much.

"Ah?"

She queried when he mentioned a story, and was rewarded when he began to tell it. Nivasi loved stories. For someone who always, or almost always, behaved in logical, rational manner, she had a soft spot for fantastic tales. Eyes stayed trained on Vakahnor as he spoke, her imagination bringing the scenes he described to life.

Faldrun was not an Immortal she'd given much thought, or at least not positive thought. If asked before tonight she'd have readily admitted to not liking him. Why should she? He was antagonistic towards most mortal races and half the Immortals besides, and he did not seem particularly nice to his own people, using them as weapons and guard dogs. U'frek on the other hand let his children do as they pleased, and asked nothing of them, for which they loved him. If this was so and his heart had been broken though, if fire had once loved water.. Well that was sad. He was still dangerous of course, but it was sad all the same.

"I wonder if it is true though. Many stories are, and the seas hold enough mysteries to last a hundred lifetimes."

she sat when he prompted, comforted by the sand beneath her.

"It is sad if it is. Even for the fish who escaped. Now it is alone."

It was at this moment that Vakhanor chose to reach out, rough, callused warm hand meeting cool, smooth skin. Warring responses immediately reared their head. Nivasi was well trained to shy away from touch. But had not this entire day been of her being pushed beyond where she was comfortable? Had she not just thought on her own solitary situation and how it ran contrary to the way she'd been raised, to what she was born to be? Was his story not heartbreaking because two who were meant to be together were seperated? She wanted him and she did not want him. He was a handsome man, there could be no debating this, and here on the beach bathed in moonlight..

"You are drunk. I am drunk, and too old to act with haste."

She commented finally, flashing him another smile, her own hand rising to catch his. She leaned against him in companionable silence for a moment.

"I think I will see if it is true. And if so, I will find the trapped fish. There are too many not good things in the world already. It does not need another. Fire and water will meet if they damn well please."

[Griffin]

Vakhanor

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure: 5/5
Basic Knowledge
Nivasi Zyq'Daraiav: A fisherwoman
Nivasi: A good companion
Nivasi: Drink of choice, cider
Ettiquette: Dealing with prostitutes
Blue Cloaks: Burhans
Specialized Knowledge
Blue Cloaks: Related to Elyna?
Nivasi: A beautiful woman
Fame
+1 good deed (saving Nivasi)
+1 timely delivery of needed goods (drinks)

Nivasi

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure: 5/5
Basic Knowledge
Etiquette: Social Graces
Etiquette: The art of saying no
Vakhanor: Protective
Vakhanor: Thoughtful
Vakhanor: A Smith in Andaris
Specialized Knowledge
Vakhanor: An impulsive drunk
Vakhanor: A handsome man
Men see you as property
Faldrun made a fish in a volcanoe
Fame
+1 Victory in verbal combat

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Notes
This was a really sweet thread. I enjoyed the details that were written in by both of you and especially the background snippets of tavern talk, hilarious! I'll look forward to seeing what they get up to next!

One small reminder to make sure your ledger is up to date Vakhanor - that's one expensive date!