Closed A hunter and a Drykas

[Roderick]

52nd of Summer, 513 AV Roderick made his way into the Stallion from his apartment, hoping to find something to occupy some of his time. Silently, without talking, he walked up and sat at the bar, waving the bar keep off when he was offered a drink. Instead he took to watching the other patrons, seeing them mill around the table and chatter noisily with one another. He could see that two of the people of to his right were gamblers, given they were playing cards, while the third member of the group wasn't - he had his face buried in his mug all through their game. Roderick glanced around the room and sighed heavily; there were still several hours until the sun went down, but he had already hunted several times that day and wanted something else to do. That was why he often found himself in here, lingering around the place, moving around quietly, looking for someone to talk with. Almost all of his previous encounters had happened because he had met someone here, and he was sure that it would continue to happen like that. The hunter willed for someone to walk through the door; someone, anyone, so long as they could kill the nagging boredom that was beginning to creep into him and burrow itself down to his bones. Then it happened.

[Lirin]

Lirin grinned as she took in the room. She hadn't been in the city for long and probably did have more important things to be doing, such as finding a place to stay.

That said, she couldn't resist when she saw the name of the tavern. Really, there was no way she was passing this up, regardless of what 'common sense' would dictate. Besides, sometimes intuition worked best in cases like this.

-It certainly makes life more interesting.-

No more than a few seconds after completing that thought, a figure at the bar caught her eye. Complete and utter glee welled up in her as she recognised him.

-Guess my intuition payed off after all.- she sniggered -Common sense is definitely overrated.-

The only thing left to consider was how to exploit this situation. She approached the bar and leant on counter next to him. It took a few moments -Really, he should be more alert for this sort of thing, this could only help- but eventually he felt her stare and turned to face her.

The look of dawning horror on his face was everything she could have asked for.

She grinned "Hey Roddy."

[Roderick]

Roderick felt someone's eyes on him and at first assumed he was being edgy. Before long though he could feel a hole being burned into his face, so he turned and look at the person next to him; a woman. A woman with long hair tied in an elaborate braid stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to say something. His brow furrowed a bit as he tried to figure out where he'd seen her. She was a Drykas, he decided, a Drykas with long braided hair. Slowly who she was dawned on him and he stared in surprise - and no small amount of horror - as she grinned broadly at him and said, "Hey Roddy." Oh shyke. Seeing Lirin here had been the last thing he'd imagined. Given they'd met before while out riding, and that she was here again in the Stallion, his luck with horses was awful. "Lirin?" he said quizzically, "What're you doing here? I thought you were riding with the other Drykas?" that she was here didn't appeal to him at all. The hunter knew what she was like, and when she was around he usually ended up with bruises. "I have no luck around horses, huh?" he raised a brow and half-smirked, half grimaced at her; whatever happened next, he was sure she would do her best to cause him - and anyone nearby - a lot of pain.

[Lirin]

"Really? I've always had the best luck around them." Lirin was using what little self control she had not to descend into hysterics, Rod always had the best facial expressions. He was currently trying to hide the fact that he was looking for an escape route or at least someone to aid him. Which was slightly insulting to be honest. While she would admit to being a little rough at times, it really was for his benefit.

Though he did seem to be less of a pipsqueak than before. She did give credit where it was due after all. Still, no reason to act like he was getting ready to run from a glassbeak. Wasn't like he could outrun her anyway. Or could he? Something to keep in mind, she supposed.

Realizing that he was still staring warily at her, though without the initial panic, she forced her mind back on the moment at hand.
"So Roddy, how's life? No, don't tell me, it probably involves hunting and possibly whatever passes for training in your mind, well to be fair you actually are rather good about training which can be surprising all things considered and I really do mean that in the best possible way, still what have you been up to?"

Rods expression had gradually changed from apprehension to exasperation at the mini-rant. It was a face she knew well, considering it was usually his default when dealing with her. She had forgotten how funny it was to mess with him.

[Roderick]

"Really? I've always had the best luck around them." Lirin semed to be finding the entire situation really funny, "So Roddy, how's life? No, don't tell me, it probably involves hunting and possibly whatever passes for training in your mind. Well to be fair you actually are rather good about training which can be surprising all things considered - and I really do mean that in the best possible way - still what have you been up to?" Slowly Roderick's apprehension slipped away and he was left sighing inside as the Drykas unleashed a tidal wave of words at him in her usual break-neck speed. "I've been hunting," he wiggled his fingers at her, "Surprise," he said dryly. He scratched his neck, "Hunting to make money, and most of my spare time to train with people that want to." he considered ordering an ale from the bartender; making everything dull and fuzzy also made Lirin's voice noticeably quieter, "Before you suggest it - no, I'm not interested in practicing with you right now. I've been busy all this week with one training session after the other," he still had the bruises to prove it, "Ever been punched by a Kelvic wearing studded gauntlets? It's an interesting time - I think you should try it. I can send you to the fellow now, if you like," he scratched his neck again. Getting Lirin away from him was one of the top things on his mind right now, if only to give his body some time to rest before she pressed him into a sparring session and smacked him around with a wooden sword. If he could, he would practice on his own, hopefully with a gentler instructor, and spar against her when he was sure he could hold his own.

[Lirin]

Lirin rolled her eyes as Rod tensed and scratched his neck -and really, he's still doing that? bet he sucks at cards- during his little speech.

"Relax Roddy, I promise not to beat you up." -yet- "That said can I meet this Kelvic? Sounds like a real character, and hey! If you want I could help, you know, bring a new slant on things, change it up a little." She paused for a moment, taking in his reaction before deciding to take pity on him. "Seriously though, I just arrived in the city so if you could point me in the direction of somewhere to stay I would be eternally grateful. So come on, for old times sake?"

[Roderick]

Roderick saw Lirin roll her eyes at him while he spoke. There was a time when the gesture would have rubbed him the wrong way, but by now he couldn't care less. He'd go gray and feeble within the year if he let every slight ruffle him. "Relax Roddy, I promise I'm not to beat you up. That said can I meet this Kelvic? Sounds like a real character, and hey! If you want I could help, you know, bring a new slant on things, change it up a little." she paused long enough to take a breath, "Seriously though, I just arrived in the city so if you could point me in the direction of somewhere to stay I would be eternally grateful. So come on for old times sake?" If it had been when he had first met her, Roderick would have denied her and walked away - no, he'd most likely have run as fast as he could. The way she acted had aggravated him a lot - and the sparring lessons she'd given had left him sore and tired for days on end. But despite that he couldn't blame her for all the pain - he'd just been weak. Her training had been unkind, that was true, but it had also helped strengthen him. As much as he hated to admit it, she'd proven a valuable companion on the road from Zeltiva, and for that he owed her a touch of advice, at the very least. "Traveler's Row." he said simply, "A simple room there costs a silver miza a day; you should be able to afford it. The employment office is near the main gate - you'll find work there, obviously. Other than that you're going to be about as lost as the next man." hopefully she would pick a room as far away from him as was possible.

[Lirin]

"That settles it then." she nodded "Next on the list, food, preferably of decent quality though I won't hold out much hope." Rod was clearly reluctant to stay around her, the best thing would be to set him at ease somehow.
-food's good for that sort of thing right?- After all, it was always best to have someone you knew around especially in unfamiliar places, and she was fond of Rod - when he wasn't acting terrified of her.
-And sometimes when he is.-

"Tell you what i'll even pay as a gesture of good will. What do you say?" She could see him start to waver at the promise of free food and pressed on, "Come on like I said I'm new and you probably have a good idea of where the best grub is. Don't make beg now Roddy, I'd be terrible at it."

[Roderick]

"That settles it then," Lirin nodded, "Next on the list, food, preferably of decent quality though I won't hold out much hope," she paused for a moment before going on, "Tell you what I'll even pay as a gesture of good will. What do you say?" Tempting. Very tempting."Come on, like I said I'm new and you probably have a good idea of where the best grub is. Don't make me beg now Roddy, I'd be terrible at it." "We're in a tavern." Roderick told her flatly, staring at her with a straight face, "You can buy food here." he struck his fist lightly against the counter, "Barkeep!" the man made his way over to them, "Dinner for two - she's paying. A mug of pale beer for me and whatever she wants to drink." Roderick turned back towards Lirin as the barkeep left, "Food's no longer a problem. What now?"

[Lirin]

"We're in a tavern." he told her, "You can buy food here." as Rod got the barkeep's attention and ordered she did an inner dance of victory and ordered a mug of dark beer.
Rod looked at her again, "Food's no longer a problem. What now?"

"We eat it."
The look of exasperation was back. -i should keep score- So was the grin on her face. It was his fault though, she could only do so much to carry the conversation and if a little goading was needed to encourage him -and he really did make it almost too easy- so be it.

She blinked, her eyes drawn to the corner of the tavern where a slight scuffle had broken out. Scuffle was an overstatement really. One man had another in a headlock, who was doing a poor job of breaking free. The surrounding group where in fits of laughter as they all headed towards the exit. She smiled as she remembered her own tavern stories. Stories? -now there's an idea-

Turning abruptly, she faced Rod and with an almost manic air, put her plan into action.
"Roddy! Tell me a story. Come on, something about what you've been up to. It doesn't even have to be true, since I'm feeling generous."
And again, the look. -definitely keeping score-