Closed So We Meet Again (Tatiam)

[Orion Michaels]

Orion, 47th Day of Winter, 512 AV The Rearing Stallion was particularly rambunctious this day. Loud, boisterous laugher filled the room as denizens of Syliras and travelers from afar both began to unwind from the stressors of the work they had completed. Laborers, shop owners, traders, and even the occasional knight all sat around the spacious tavern, telling embellished stories of their successes, their adventures, and their travels. A vocalist sang stories of some great adventurer, slaying Yukmen by the dozen, accompanied by the strumming of a stringed instrument, all adding to the volume which encompassed the entire building. It was shaping up to be a good evening, and for that Orion was thankful. Barmaids ran back and forth as Orion’s eyes and mind chased them. For once he really wasn’t here for any immoral or impure. Just a relaxing drink, some conversations with some strangers and acquaintances, an impaired walk home, and a good evening of sleep. The best laid plans never did seem to go off without a hitch, though, but Orion could hope, right? He slowly nursed a mug of ale, losing himself in his own thoughts. Things had been crazy this season, and really he just needed to let some steam out and not deal with any serious injuries, but more importantly, he hoped to avoid any angry, crazy women trying to kick him, beat him, punch his face in, or do anything not pleasurable to him. Drunken former patients, cool Myrian coworkers. For living in the most civilized place on Mizahar, he dealt with more adventure than any doctor should ever have to. He could only hope that nothing would happen, but another chance encounter seemed want to ruin any of his hopes for an uneventful evening.

[Tatiam]

Tatiam was feeling sociable that evening, chatting with a few patrons by the bar, cheering with them and forgetting to feel offended as some mentioned her myriad moods and the stupid things that her drunk self had done before. The young woman had become a regular by then, despite showing up sporadically. Regardless of all that she could say against Syliras, it was slowly becoming a city that she was getting accustomed to. Even the crowds in the streets didn't feel as obstructing and suffocating as they used to be, so she began to pay attention and look outside of her own personal bubble a lot more often. Tatiam lifted and gently hit her third mug of dark beer against a couple of others from the patrons around without any definite reason for a toast, laughing heartily. There was no plan for the evening, just as she liked them. Whatever comes, no expectation. What crossed Tatiam's sight not a chime later was the stare of a man with ill intentions, the kind that she would avoid for the sake of not getting caught in a load of hassle. Also for her immediate safety, obviously. But what about the young lady he was leaving the Rearing Stallion with? Pale amber eyes fell on the golden curls of innocence following the lion into his den, perplexed. The troublemaker didn't hesitate for long, swiftly jumping down her stool and exiting in her turn. A few moments later, the blonde followed her savior inside, right by the door, emotions welling up in her eyes as she took a laced handkerchief and wrapped it around Tatiam's bloody knuckles. The foreigner obviously didn't mind; She was used to punching the stone wall of her apartment often enough that most of the wound was merely an old one that she wouldn't let heal in peace. "I'm fine miss..." Tatiam tried to sound comforting, a smile gracing her exotic features. The damsel wiped her tears and thanked her, then placed an impulsive kiss on the side of the painter's cheek, her voice fading with untold suggestions that if her rescuer would have been of the other gender, well... Tatiam had already stepped back from the closeness, glancing away uneasily as she was strangely praised. She had that usual complicity with girls, but couldn't tolerate feminine affection, to a point where it would still recurrently scare her. Shivers ran up her spine and she fought the embarrassment, hoping that it didn't show when she asked the lady to go home and stay safe. Once the missy was gone, Tatiam's proud smile returned as she raised her hand for the patrons she sat with earlier to see the cute, white and feminine handkerchief delicately wrapped around her hand. "Even the girls like me," she joked while she headed towards them. The young woman gave a generous handful of coins to one of the maids and took one of the mugs she held, destined for someone else. Tatiam placed the cold mug against the side of her face, where her cheekbone hurt, and searched for a vacant spot. Among the unruly patrons and the disorder of tables and chairs scattered in the room was a lone soul that had been left to himself, likely lost in his own musings. His slender back was turned to her as she walked forward, tall frame clad in plain clothes and short dark hair. Well, if I'm interrupting something, I'll just take the chair, she thought, still rather curious to meet someone new and see what opinions and stories they could share. Her foot banged clumsily in the leg of the man's chair as she sidled to avoid customers and a maid. The young woman placed down her mug before she sat swiftly in front of him. "Sorry," she voiced simply before her eyes finally raised to meet with... Orion. What crazy twist of fate had lead her exactly here? After a surprised expression, the woman sported a roguish smile at the sight of those familiar blue eyes. She was nowhere close to making any decent decision about this, especially not in her half-drunk state, after the boasting display of gratefulness she just received, and the good fight she just had. Well,... good was a disputable word, but she could tell the story however she wanted. Part of her wanted to leave without a word, another wished to see Orion angry and miserable as he had been the first moments that she met him. Just, you know, for payback purposes. Yet she was in the good numbing kind of tipsiness, and those feelings were distant memories. "I almost got myself invited into a lady's bed," she claimed, finding that fact way too funny and weird not to share. Her fingers played with a tip of the laced fabric around her hand. "You wouldn't be here all alone if you too saved a few helpless ladies once in a while. Knights can't always be around, you know?" The palm of her hand fell flat on the table and tapped it, sarcasm starting to sound in her voice. "Well of course! You know everything about the laws here, right? And with those irresistible charms of yours, who knows what happens after a few beers... Maybe it's you that I'm gonna have to punch in an alley next time." And to that, she lifted her mug and drank, a stubborn smile still present. Okay... Maybe I should go now. How Tatiam managed to feel, think, and then do something completely divergent was an enigma that she wouldn't try to crack now.

[Orion Michaels]

Orion You had to be kidding. You just had to be petching kidding. How unbelievable. Of all the people to meet. With everything he didn't want tonight, the one woman in all of Syliras he knew would provide everything he didn't desire had plopped down in front of her. There was really nothing he could do at this point. There was really no way for him to escape. The table was positioned in such a way that those behind him blocked him in, and well, through Tatiam was the only other way out. What to do, what to do? She went into some ridiculous tale, like they were old friends or something. How absurd. Orion resisted the urge to tell her off, to show any annoyance as she boasted about nearly going with a woman. If it's so amazing, why don't you go petch her, then?! Gods know that if Orion had an offer like that, he'd have been out of the tavern quicker than you could blink. Instead, he was forced to sit there, listening to her trying to goad him into reacting, into spitting back words, into engaging her. He'd offer no such thing. He looked up from his mug, over at the boisterous, loud mouthed, inebriated woman. He gave her no words, for to do so would only invite more of her absurdity. Instead, a disinterested look graced his face, as his eyes rolled with her every word. Tatiam, this bronze skinned woman, was nothing but trouble. While normally he'd welcome something like that, her unevenness was far too much for him to consider. She was too wild, and her emotions changed more frequently than Syna did move in the sky. Was that really what he wanted to deal with? Could that really be worth it? The more he drank, the more likely he was to have a change of heart. Besides, with feathers that easy to ruffle, could he pass up an opportunity to rustle her up a bit? "Forget the beer and I'm sure I could find something more enjoyable for us to do in an alley." With that he returned to his ale, going on with his life as though she wasn't even there. She was nothing to him, after all.