Open It's time...

[Ruza]

Spring 513, 16th day.

As the sun began to set to yet another tiring day, Ruza found herself setting up camp in the most secluded place possible right outside the town. After feeding her horse Tako, and cat Boyga she began making her way into the city she has not yet visited. This meant there could potentially be very interesting new people, or whole lot of bastards...It's half the fun to find out. Ruza had herself wrapped up in her cloak, it was getting a little chilly as night quickly approached. Her hair draped messily about, the length adding to her warmth. She made her way into town, the streets still busy, she carefully made her way through the crowd before realizing she had no idea where she was going.

"Excuse me? Does anyone know where the nearest bar is?" She asks raising her voice a little bit to be heard. Her eyes darting about searching for a face that might have been looking back in acknowledgement. And there had been no such luck, people seemed to be busy with their own lives or whatever it was they were all focusing on at that moment. With a sigh she made her way up the street and tried again. "I am LOOKING for a BAR!" she nearly demanded, getting slightly irritated at being ignored.

~"Down that street and to the right"~ said random stranger, who was only heard and not seen. So that meant that she knew where to go, just not exactly which direction. "I will just follow the sailor folk!" she exclaims to herself with a determined look about her face. Ruza looked around again and found a large sailor looking chap heading down the street. "If you see a stranger...follow him!" she replied to her last statement, who cared if people heard her or not, its not like she was tall enough to be seen right away.

Following the strange sailor, she finally found her way to the bar...although it seemed the man she followed had no business there and passed on by. "I have been fortunate tonight, we must celebrate!" once again talking to herself as she entered the bar, within the first step she could tell that tonight will be as uneventful as the past few days. Nobody seemed to care that a small sized woman entered. Walking up to the bar she smiles at the bartender with the sweetest smile she could muster "I would like your kelp beer kind sir!" she asked him, and was answered with a strange look before he filled up a glass and she of course paid him before lifting up the mug and making her way to an empty corner.

Sitting down and making herself comfortable, she brings the mug to her full lips and takes a small sip. Her eyes widened and with a forced gulp she scrunches up her nose in distaste. "Oh my...it seems to be a beer that must be gulped down before you taste it...this will be interesting." she mumbles as she takes a deep breath, readying herself for a nasty chugging experience.

[Khal'iah]

It had been a long, aggravating day, and the Akalak born to the name Khal'iah Vojak was ready to take a load off his mind. From the rising of the sun till the going down of the same, the warrior diligently strode about the Denvali Quarter, dealing with fellow recruits and attempting to show the inexperienced how to pick up a sword; even though he was no expert by himself. The collective inability of some of those presented to him for introductory training was an agitation to the one who literally spent the entirety of his life training. As such, the warrior desperately needed to wind down before retiring for the evening, and that need brought him into the midst of Zeltiva's own bustling bar. Due to the hour, the bar was filled to the brim with fisherman whom had just returned from the sea for a drink before they collectively stumbled back to their homes, reeking of alcohol. As expected, a sordid odor hung in the air; a culmination of the gaggle's sweat mingled with poor oral hygiene. The smell alone almost brought the Akalak to his knees, however, he muscled through it and trudged forward to the counter, carefully squeezing past the sordid patrons. "Good evening," he said warmly, offering the barkeep a smile. "might I trouble you for a tankard of ale?" Perhaps it was the sheer magnitude of being address with manners, but the barkeep essentially ignored the barked orders for beer and served the Akalak first. Khal'iah smiled once more and left the coins upon the counter, including a generous tip, before taking his tankard in hand and striding forth within the bar. He sought a moderately empty space so that he may sit and relax in peace. There was a nearly-empty corner, occupied by only a single woman, so Khal'iah approached and raised his tankard in greeting. "Good evening miss, is this seat taken?"

[Ruza]

Her eyes raise up to the man before her, hair tucked back behind her ears revealing her two-toned eyes. (aquamarine/gold) The bar was quite loud so at first she really couldn't understand what he said at first. By the movement of his lips accompanied by his slightly muffled voice she figured he asked politely to sit with her. She was more than happy to welcome the distraction from herself.

"Oh, well a good evening to you too sir!" she smiled with her reply, he seemed friendly enough already. "Please, take a load off. You look tired, well at least mentally." she continued extending her arm to gesture towards the chair in front of her. "My name is Ruza Stormryder! Great to meet you..." she finished nodding in greeting finally. Her other small hand wrapped half-way around the mug, she of course was relived that someone had come up to interrupt her potentially nasty experience with the local brew.

"That's the last time I will ever try the local brew." she cursed in thought. Who the *bleep* is this bastard? a slightly deeper voice echoed in the back of her mind. "not now you...shut up can't you see I've met someone new?" she argued with herself within her thoughts. One of her eyes twitched slightly once, she figured he had not seen this and kept her cheerful expression.

[Khal'iah]

"Many thanks," began the Akalak, sliding into the seat in front of her. He set his tankard of ale upon the table for a moment, his gaze briefly being focused upon his beverage and not the twitching eye of his newfound acquaintance, before turning his attention to the woman before him. The warrior offered a warm smile before introducing himself. "My name is Khal'iah Vojak. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Ruza Stormryder." As was his habit, the male folded his arms across his chest and leaned back comfortably within his seat, letting out a content sigh. He had to admit, her initial observation of him was spot on: he was mentally, and physically, exhausted. "So tell me Ruza, how has your day been thus far?" he inquired; making a simple and honest attempt at starting conversation with the woman of two-toned eyes. Though Khal'iah made no remark of it, this was the first he had ever seen a person with dual-colored hues, a feature he had never thought possible.

[Darvus]

Eyes never blinking, always watching. Even the two not so regulars. How would one know this? They weren't sailors, and they didn't seem like residents. Though the girl seemed of interest for "business", the Akalak was of personal interest. He seemed hardy as most Akalaks, they always put up good fights. The woman seemed nimble in movement, but he couldn't tell in what way. Either way, she was young. She could fetch a few hundred in gold rimmed coin.

But, aside from these two, many men in the bar could easily be abducted for hard labor in various mines. Anywhere from fifty to a hundred at most. Various problems in dental hygiene would only make it harder to sell them. Who wants to buy a slave that can't eat for long? The only thing of worth being their backs, overshadowed by near brink of starvation.

Darvus then resolved in his head he would catch one of the drunken sods staggering home and kill or rob them in privacy.

With this, his gaze fixed on the travelers and shivers went down his spine. He wanted to kill or corrupt the warrior and steal the woman. But as he sat in silence, he realized he was noticeable, being the only one in the room with no mug in front of him as he flagged the barmaid down.

[Ruza]

Completely oblivious to the fact that she was being watched, she figured being in the company of a man was enough to discourage any foul play. Although she did not know the man before her, he seemed to be the honest type. He just had this 'aura' about him that just allowed her to relax. (ooc: not literally of course, she cannot see a person's aura.) Yet now a days she has felt confident in herself, it seemed as if it was going to be a good month for her. They can see you...they all see you...they're all going to laugh at you... whispered the slightly deep voice rang in the back of her head.

Ignoring the voice, she takes her mug into both hands and fondles it with her short fingers. Her hands were just as tiny as she, yet looked toughened from living on the road, her fingernails short yet slightly uneven as if they have been chewed. "My name is Khal'iah Vojak. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Ruza Stormryder." she nodded in acknowledgement, there was just something about him that told her to read his palm, yet she can never remember what everything meant so tarot reading would be more easily understood.

"So tell me Ruza, how has your day been thus far?" Khal inquired, a harmless question, someone had to break the ice somehow, at least he did not choose to talk about the weather. "I just got to town not to long ago, this was the first place I just had to stop by before finding a place to board Tako my horse." she briefly informed him, looking down at her beer with slight distaste before raising her eyes up to meet with Khal's. "If it's alright with you I've decided that I will be calling you Khal if its ok." she said with a small sized smile. Before he could answer she just continued, "You look like the kind of man with good morals, but I can sense a certain...darkness." she began to see if she could intrigue him into a reading.

"Just give me a moment please, I need to open up my mind." she ended with raising her mug to her lips once again but this time, she began to gulp down the contents of the smelly alcoholic beverage. Within a few moments she drank down the last few drops and gently placed down her mug. Her eyebrows and nose scrunched up slightly with distaste. "This beer...its..." she began and looked off towards nothing in particular thoughtfully. "odd." she finished with a sigh, shaking her head slightly.

[Khal'iah]

Though the dark, violet-skinned Akalak was unaware that there was one keeping close watch upon both he and the woman before him, Khal'iah was the type of person whom never fully let down their guard. Years of experience and training had taught him to do so was suicide, especially in a densely populated, public area such as a tavern. As such, although Khal'iah's arms were folded across his chest, they were mere inches away from the grip of his Lakan; an easy draw should the situation require it. At this very moment in time, despite his guard being up, his attention was upon the woman whom chugged down the tankard of beer before her. Needless to say, he was impressed, though it was due to his own inability to hold more than two tankards of ale without being utterly intoxicated. "It's...perfectly alright to refer to me as Khal. That's been my nickname since I was young." He spoke softly, still surprised that such a petite woman could chug down a nearly-full tankard of beer so easily, with seemingly minimal affects. The Akalak had yet to respond to the rest of her statements until immediately after his dumbfoundedness passed, for he suddenly realized he was gaping. "Ahem! Ah, erm...I do pride myself on morals and integrity, but I'm uncertain of this darkness of which you speak." This was a deflection. The woman was touching upon a subject that Akalaks did not openly speak about to those outside of their immediate family or their circle of close friends. He did not feel comfortable being "sized up" as having a dark side either. 'What's the matter Khal-Khal? Are you scared that she's going to find out about little old me?' cackled an all-too familiar voice in the rear of the Akalak's psyche. Khal'iah ignored it, concentrating now solely upon his tankard of ale. He reached out and elevated the cool, metal cup to his lips, taking a hearty swig of the sweet liquid. It had a nice kick as it washed down his throat and left his insides all...tingly. Once more, he set the tankard upon the table and awaited a response, but not before addressing his "darker" persona. 'Ha'lik.' he snarled, 'silence yourself.'

[Ruza]

The beer was as strong as she expected, she almost wanted to have another but 1 was enough for now. "This so called, what was it again? Kelp? Something like that. This disgusting beer I cannot even imagine having another one of these...I should have what he's having." she thought to herself as she glared slightly at her mug. Her stomach just beginning to have that "warm feelings" sensation, Ruza's thoughts began to slow down. A relief considering her mind is constantly thinking, usually she has no time to worry about anything but what she currently was doing. Now that she's been 'slowed down' mentally she is open to any form of clues she could hear.

"Ahem! Ah, erm...I do pride myself on morals and integrity, but I'm uncertain of this darkness of which you speak."

He sounds like he's trying to hide something, or maybe just offended? Did not matter to her really what his secrets are. If only she couldn't sense them upon meeting someone. "Did I hit a soft spot?" she asked gently raising her eyebrows, "I'm sorry if I did, I must have formed a habit of reading people because its my job to." she informed him as simply as she could without sounding proud of herself as she did. Alcohol seemed to be silencing the voice for now, she might need to have a second beer before she plans to.

There was a faint uncomfortable burning sensation on her forehead, and with her right hand she reached up and rubbed her forehead slightly. "What in the world is that? It makes me feel all... weird." She thought to herself before taking a grip once again upon her empty mug. Her eyes gazing upon the crowded bar for a moment. As if she had heard her name being called, she attempted to shrug the feeling off, yet found it futile. Something was watching her, Ruza just never had the chance to find out what this sensation meant.

"With my ability I help people avoid problems and reach life's fullest potential. The cards whisper secrets of people who have been lost in the past, and fill my mind with future occurrences both dark and shiny." She explained further as the cards seemed to materialize in her hand from underneath her cloak. Truthfully they had been strapped to her thigh, one of her hands slyly slipped in and out of her cloak. Pushing her mug aside gently, she takes her cards and looked down at them calmly.

"Tell me what kind of man Khal is..." she asked the cards aloud as she began to shuffle them, then raising her eyes up to Khal's she smiled. Then from the middle of the deck a card escapes and seemingly floats gently onto the table.



"I was right, the King of Wands. This card tells me you are a mature man of dark hair and blue eyes. You are athletic, strong, honorable, as well as just, kind...and passionate." she said the last part with a playfully flirtatious tone. "Is this you?" she asks him as she reaches over to pick up the card.

[Khal'iah]

The woman before the violet-skinned warrior had indeed his a soft spot...though Khal'iah would never ever admit to it. Instead, he calmly elevated his tankard to his lips and took a long sip, contemplating what to say to deflect the current train of conversation. Once done, he set the metal cup upon the tabletop once more and exhaled in that loud, satisfied manner that came with a delicious beverage. "No," he said simply, "there isn't a soft spot to be hit....in any case...." Then, the woman seemed to make a deck of card manifest out of her cloak in an almost mystical manner. The warrior was a tad impressed, though an eyebrow cocked itself in apprehension once she asked the inanimate objects to tell her what sort of man he was. He didn't know what to expect honestly. Would the cards start flapping about, yammering in a high-pitched voice? Or would their contents denote something similar to his character...from the midst of the deck came a card, as if it had been launched from the midst of its compatriots by an unseen force. It then gently descended upon the table, as graceful as a falling feather. The Akalak eyed the card, reading off the words that populated the bottom. 'King...of Wands?' he questioned mentally, uncertain what some monarch on a piece of paper had to do with him. He then looked to Ruza for some semblence of an explanation. She, in turn, set about naming off qualities, all of which the Akalak had to agree suited him, whilst picking up the card and holding it aloft. "Well, I'd have to admit that I am indeed of those characteristics....though I doubt that I am also doubling as a monarch on a paper card." he replied, obviously amused by the antics that were unfolding. "What else do these cards of yours have to say?"

[Ruza]

"Well, I'd have to admit that I am indeed of those characteristics....though I doubt that I am also doubling as a monarch on a paper card."

"One can share the traits yet not the title, one does not cease to be without it." Ruza replied simply with a sly grin, it seemed that she had his interest. Although something in the back of her mind was protesting the price for this one. Usually she has no problem over-charging men in general. The man before her seemed genuine, why not give him a free 3 card reading? Ruza shrugged slightly to herself, "Now if I did that, EVERYONE else is going to want a free reading." she thought to herself, raising up her right hand to brush hair out of her face that had not yet fallen. Looking down at her empty glass with slight disappointment before her attention is redirected to Khal.

"What else do these cards of yours have to say?"

"Here's the deal, I will give you a free three card reading. This is not a deal I extend to just anyone you know. A three card reading has very limited amount of information, it tells me about your past, present and future, it's more like getting a clue of what is to come. I'm afraid I will have to charge you for anything more than that. But for you I will offer my finest card spread for only 1 sm, or a great tasting ale." she offered as she places the deck down on the driest spot in-between them. "You need to shuffle them for this part, I can ask simple questions about a person but when it comes to a reading, the person in question must shuffle. Let me just tell you one thing before you do. You need to ask the cards for a reading as sincerely as you possibly can. No you do not have to do it out loud just concentrate on what exactly you want to know." she explained hoping she had included everything, sometimes people will foolishly insult the cards and receive insults from seemingly the cards themselves. Although not many would believe such an absurdity