[Silver Sliver Tavern] Far From Home (Assilsa)

[Irriari]

6th Day of Summer, 512 AV

Irriari walked along the docks until she spotted the familiar hanging sign that marked the entrance to the Silver Sliver Tavern. Jeb was busy as usual and she found herself impressed by the speed with which he was pouring drinks for the thirsty patrons of his establishment. Most of the tables were packed with men that just gotten off a hard day at work. A few of the men clung to the bar, and it was obvious that they had drank one too many mugs of silver sliver. Satisfied with her appraisal of the tavern, Irriari moved forward, searching for an empty table to sit at. Seeing no empty tables, Irriari began searching for tables with one or two patrons that could be ‘coaxed’ to leave. The zith snarled at the overly full establishment. As she moved between tables and glared at the obnoxious humans, she spotted a shadowed table far in the back that was empty.

As she approached, Irriari cursed her luck. While the table was only being used by one person, it still wasn’t empty. Past the point of caring, Irriari pulled up a chair and sat down. She stared at the woman who sat across from her, and was surprised to see a Symenestra in the seat across from her. The woman’s black hair framed her face well, and accented the ruby eyes that marked her as a child of Kalinor. Irriari was far more intrigues at why a Symenestra woman would be so far away from her home.

“I never expected to see a Symenstra here. What caused you to leave Kalinor?”

The zith moved her head to the right, attempting to catch sight of any weapons the woman was hiding under her clothing. A Symenestra that had survived the trip from Kalinor to Ravok was not one to be taken lightly.

[Assilsa Curare]

Assilsa had spent many a day walking, she had no idea where she was heading and she just continued to wander. She was taking a break at a tavern called Silver Silver tavern, Assilsa enjoyed watching the drunken make fools of themselves. It shocked her when a Zith approached her. As a child she had been told stories of the Zith, about how vicious they were, cruel even.
“I…um… adventure, I wanted to explore…”
Assilsa stuttered, She had been sitting in this spot for a while now, yet no one had approached her, why would a Zith woman? Out of nervous habit Assilsa rubbed the silver chain, that hung from her ear, between her fingers.
“I actually came from Falyndar… Not from Kalinor"

[Irriari]

Many of the drunken fools at the tavern shot glances toward Irriari and the Symenestra, and for the most part, she ignored them all. What interested her more were the patrons themselves. Their attitudes toward zith were set in stone, and Irriari wouldn’t have it any other way. Few of the men and woman that were drinking carried weapons into the bar. Her eyes drifted over the mass of bodies, searching for the faint lines under the linen and cotton shirts that would mark a concealed blade. So far, none of the drunken fools were hostile, and Irriari could spot no weapons. Sweat rolled down her brow and dripped across her cheekbone before falling to the table below. Though she gave few signs outwardly, the zith was anxious. The Silver Sliver had no room for her to fly, and the longer she stayed the bolder the Ravokians would get.

The Symenestra spoke of her urge to adventure and Irriari found herself nodding absent-mindedly. Such thoughts occurred to all youth, regardless of race or location. Still, the Symenestra were far from the hardiest of races. Irriari found herself wondering how the girl had survived the journey. The girl fidgeted, clearly uneasy at the sudden appearance of her new tablemate. Irriari chuckled internally, wondering why the girl would stop in Ravok if such simple things could unnerve her. At the mention of the girls home, Irriari spoke up:

“I don’t know where or what Falyndar is.”

She continued speaking, not caring about the mysterious place. The zith didn’t plan to leave Ravok anytime soon, and geography bored her.

“Why did you choose Ravok, of all places? They aren’t hospitable to nonhumans here.”

[Assilsa Curare]

"I like the water, its very peaceful,"
she remarks quietly, Assilsa looked around the Inn. Some of the patrons had become somewhat of a nuisance, she gulped, they were all so huge... She could hear her bones snapping like twigs already. She wasnt very comfortable with the way some of the men were looking at her and the Zith, Assilsa hoped that it wouldn't be a problem if they stayed, she quite liked the town that floated.
Assilsa spun her ring a few times before looking back at the woman in front of her
"What about yourself? i didn't know Zith took up residence in towns."

[Irriari]

Irriari nodded. The water of Lake Ravok was peaceful, and it could even be called beautiful at times, though the zith rarely surveyed the lake surface. She ignored the patrons of the Silver Sliver, hoping that they would do the same. If that failed, she was confident in her ability to protect herself, but she was unsure how the weak boned Symenestra woman would fare in a brawl.

“I’m here for the Ebonstryfe, and for Rhysol. I travelled a lot before I came to Ravok, and while Ravok isn’t my colony, it’s still far better than most places I’ve seen. When I arrived to the city, I learned a bit about Rhysol and the Black Sun. I no longer had a colony to dedicate myself to, so I’ve decided to side with the Ebonstryfe.”

Irriari paused and thought about her lodgings at Tarsin’s Boarding House. The small room was affordable, but it was a far cry from her expansive cave room in the colony.

“I don’t particularly like living around so many humans… but I’ve found some that are tolerable. They aren’t weak like the majority of the fools that reside here.”

[Assilsa Curare]

Assilsa nodded absently. Then met the Zith in the eyes with all the courage she could muster she stopped fidgeting.
“When you first approached, I had assumed you had sat down because I’m in the most secluded booth… however… I’m a tad curious, why have you stayed?”
A waitress came over with Assilsa’s ale that she had ordered when she first came in. After taking a small sip, her stomach growled loudly. She hasn’t been eating so if need be, she was dangerous… Assilsa ignored her stomach and took of another sip of ale, the ale helped calm her stomach so she didn’t notice her hunger as much.

[Irriari]

The zith stared at the table idly as the Symenestra spoke, noting that it had few of the gashes and marks of the tables that were bunched in the middle of the room. The Symenstra’s question wasn’t all that surprising, though she was shocked that the girl was bold enough to inquire why a zith would remain in her presence. In the past, many who had received an answer to the same question had been less than pleased with the results.

“Are you not afraid, Symenstra? I could have come here to kill you. After all, your race isn’t known to have the strongest of bones.”

With that, Irriari stood up, and stretched her arms outward, while expanding her wings slightly, knowing that the Symenestra was cornered.

“I could kill you here, easily. I’m sure the Ebonstryfe would come to your aid… eventually. But would they be quick enough to save all of your bones from snapping?”

Irriari paused, and stared at the woman before continuing.

“I don’t trust you. I don’t trust a Symenestra away from Kalinor, so I would suggest that you tell me more about why you’re here before I decide to start snapping your rib bones like kindling.”

Muscled tense, Irriari clenched and unclenched her hands quickly, as her left foot moved the chair to the side to allow her a wider range of motion.

[Assilsa Curare]

Assilsa head snapped up at the sudden threat, frowning she relived some memories she wish she didn’t have to.
“I was disowned by my father… after he had another child, that child attempted to kill me.. The arrow only just missed my head, lodging in my ear instead…” Assilsa muttered touching her ear. She looked into the eyes of the Zith, no longer feeling the fear she had felt before. In the background two patrons had begun an argument about which waitress was more ‘easier’.
“I ran away from home… I came to live in falyndar until this spring… getting tired of the non-adventure, I packed up and left, I play to stay a summer in each city… Or is that so unbelievable."
.

[Irriari]

Irriari listened to the woman’s story carefully, knowing that each detail could easily conceal a lie or threat of danger. As the Symenestra told her brief story, the zith couldn’t find anything openly wrong with her story. Peering at the girl, she saw the scarring that marked an old wound. The Symenestra’s eyes flicked to a group of men towards the middle of the room. As per usual, the men were hoping that they could convince a barmaid would go home with them for a night. Surely, they’d have more luck at the House of Immortal Pleasures. The woman finished her story quickly. It wasn’t the most detailed of adventures, but Irriari understood not wanting to talk to strangers at length.

“Why? I mean… why would you want to go to every city? Don’t you know that humans hate Symenestra? They can kill you. They want to, just like they want to kill me. And Ravokians are no different.”

[Assilsa Curare]

Assilsa sipped absently at her ale as she considered the Ziths question, She didn’t know why she was running or why she want to travel, She had of course considered staying in Ravok if this summer went well.
“They have tried, however I don’t mind I enjoy the running away from evil, as I call it…”
Assilsa was referring to the third time the slave traders had run into her and tried to make her a slave again.
“However there is kindess in the darkest of times, the Kelvic I met who sheltered me in Falyndar, The few kind people I have managed to meet in this town.”
Assilsa looked back up at the Zith attempting to see if her words made a difference, she could not see so she looked into her mug.
“I will travel to each city until I find the one that feels most like home…”