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Mirian gets an opportunity to lighten a newcomer's pockets.
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by Deltan Colari on October 16th, 2014, 1:32 am
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by Mirian Jade on October 16th, 2014, 4:28 am
Night was a curious time in Sunberth. In some ways, it was when the city came most alive; alleyways became dens of Dira, shadows flickered teasingly at the corner of the eye and every man and woman was out for a reason. For Mirian, it was a time of labor, or perhaps a time of pleasure, or perhaps a mixture of the two. She had forsaken the simple pants for a long black skirt, patched here and there with strips of maroon cloth meant to catch the eye. Her long sleeved shirt had been traded for a loose and flowing red blouse with a plunging neckline and a collar that only just managed to keep on her shoulders. There was a nip in the air, and so tonight she’d decided to bring along her shawl as well––a plain brown garment woven of fine wool, a bit worn here and there but well able to ward off the dropping temperature. Winter was coming. She could feel it in her bones. The snake business had settled somewhat––well, settled as much as anything could in Sunberth––enough to make her want to feel comfortable going back to the sea, even if just for a small while, but there were other whispers now. Whispers of the Svefra that had slipped into the docks. Whispers of pirates. As it was, she had found herself in the Pig’s Foot Tavern as the sun inched towards the western horizon, as it was far enough away from the sea for her to feel somewhat safe but close enough that she could at least pretend to hear the waves. She’d arrived on the tail end of the pre-evening crowd, when day and night mingled in a chaotic blend of no demographic in particular. She didn’t order anything, instead drawing her shawl closer about her and taking a seat in the corner where she would be able to best see the tavern at large. The daytime crowd began to trickle away, one by one, and every now and then one of the nightlighters would slide in, pick their way around the crowd and find a corner of their own. Mirian herself had never really stayed in the tavern more than an hour or so after the sun descended, but she knew well enough that they were not to be bothered––it was never wise to gamble with nighttime Sunberthians. More and more people made their exit, and as they did Mirian was allowed to comb over who had chosen to remain––the oddest of whom seemed to be a young man sitting stiffly at the bar. He was lean and somewhat rugged-looking, with hair that looked like a brand of fire in the candlelight, but that wasn’t what caught her eye––it was the way he held himself. Wary. Posturing. Cautious. Uncomfortable. Unfamiliar. He was a stranger to the Pig’s Foot Tavern. Mirian smiled to herself, then straightened her face and stood. She allowed her shawl to fall off her shoulders until it was held only around her elbows and back, while one side of her collar almost did the same. She rode her skirt down a few inches for good measure, exposing a strip of skin across her stomach, and pulled on a smile. She approached him with purposeful steps, fully intending to make her presence known. When she slid onto the stool next to him, draping herself over the bar far deeper into his personal space than was proper, there could be no doubt of who exactly her attention was focused on. “What’re you drinking?” she asked, although her eyes never once wavered from his face to the tankard in his hand. The drink was not at all what she was interested in. |
by Deltan Colari on October 16th, 2014, 4:25 pm
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by Mirian Jade on October 16th, 2014, 5:24 pm
He stared at her as she approached, offering an unhelpful “What?” in response to her question. After a moment, though, he managed to gather his thoughts, and he informed her of his drink of choice. Ale. The passing thought of he’s not so bad flickered across her consciousness, a thought with which she easily agreed. He was almost… cute, in his own way, in how he reacted to her. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say she he was flustered. He smiled at her, and she rested her chin on her hand to level a playful look at him. “It’s pretty good,” he said. “Can I buy you a drink?” Not so bad at all. The bartender, who had ears like a fox when it came to the potential for coin, took a step towards them to indicate that he was listening. Mirian shifted a tad towards the older man, as her words were meant for him, but her eyes remained trained on the younger one’s face. “I’ll have what he’s having,” she purred. He shifted in his seat, moving his cloak and exposing what lay at his belt––something that Mirian found immensely irritating since she wasn’t in any position to actually look at what he had there without making it blatantly obvious. She needed to wait. If he did have something, she didn’t want to ruin her chances by making a move too early. “Oh,” he said, as if suddenly remembering something. “I’m Deltan.” That would be enough. “Deltan,” Mirian repeated, letting the name curl over her tongue. She leaned back, not in avoidance, but in perspective––with an extra foot of space between them, she dragged her eyes down his neck, over his shoulders, his chest, his stomach––there. A shortsword and… a coinpurse? He had to be a foreigner. She didn’t linger on his belt, gleaning what she needed in less than a second of examination, but she did linger rather obviously on his crotch before letting her gaze crawl back up to his face. The bartender returned, order in hand and set the ale in front of Mirian. She bit her lip and let her gaze flicker to it for a moment, hooking a finger through the handle and drawing it closer. Another moment, though, and her eyes were back on her companion. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before, Deltan,” she said, draping her elbow back onto the counter and settling her chin on her hand. She didn’t offer her name in return for his, but took care to appear as if it simply hadn’t occurred to her; if he outright asked for her name then that would be a different matter, but until then she would let it lay as it was. If he truly was a foreigner, and one new enough to Sunberth to actually carry his coinpurse around in plain sight, it would pay to take her time. |
by Deltan Colari on October 16th, 2014, 10:34 pm
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by Mirian Jade on October 16th, 2014, 11:09 pm
The poor man was blushing, and Mirian’d be damned if it didn’t look adorable on him. It was almost enough for her to feel a tiny twinge of guilt over what it was she intended to do. Almost. Her eyes lit up when he confirmed that he wasn’t a native, and this time it wasn’t an act. “I knew it! Where are you from?” she asked breathlessly before she could stop herself. “Are you passing through? How long have you been travelling? Do you––” She pulled herself short, smile disappearing as she realized that she’d been rambling. Shyke. “Oh, uh, I’m sorry, love. Deltan, was it?” She laughed nervously, and the nervousness, at least, was genuine. “I don’t often speak to people from outside. It’s uh… I suppose you could say it’s a fascination of mine. I’ve always wondered about what’s outside this city.” She couldn’t deny that she was uncomfortable with exposing such a personal truth to him––it was a secret of hers, and she never shared secrets casually––but it had sprung from her mouth before she could rein herself in, and now she had to cover. He had retreated again, pushing his tankard away and letting his cloak cover him back up. Dammit, he was pulling away! “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” she said. “What do you say you and I just pretend that didn’t happen, and we can start over?” She bit her lip and chuckled anxiously. “So, Deltan, welcome to Sunberth. I hope my… titillation hasn’t dissuaded you?” |
by Deltan Colari on October 16th, 2014, 11:37 pm
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by Mirian Jade on October 17th, 2014, 12:39 am
He didn’t respond to her second question, although he seemed more than happy to address the first. She found herself being drawn in against her will, trying to imagine how far away Syliras must be for him to spend so long on the road. Was it dangerous? She’d heard it always was. Had he come across monsters or bandits? Was Syliras really made behind a wall that was so high it could touch the clouds? A thousand questions raced behind her mind, and she was only barely able to keep ahold of her facade enough to process his own query. And he even called her “miss.” How sweet. “Mirian,” she said. “My name is Mirian. And if you aren’t dissuaded…” she let her finger trace a line in the wood of the bar, wandering casually over to Deltan’s hand and hovering just shy of his skin. “How about you and I head down to the docks…” two fingers landed on his knuckles and began to slowly walk themselves up his forearm, “... find ourselves a room…” they came to curl playfully into the cloth around his bicep, and she leaned close enough to whisper, “... and you can tell me all about your journey.” The Drunken Fish certainly wasn’t the most stellar of sleeping establishments, but it was either that or the Aquillar Hot Springs––and Mirian had no desire whatsoever to walk all the way to the south hills after dark, especially not with bandits about. The Fish was rowdy and chaotic, to be sure, but that could be an advantage if used the right way. And the fact that most of the patrons were transient and wouldn’t recognize her was a definite perk. Add that to the fact that it was essentially neutral territory, even after dark, and it wasn’t really all that bad of an option. “What do you say, stranger?” Mirian murmured. “You tell me all about your travels, and I’ll give you a proper welcome to Sunberth.” |
by Deltan Colari on October 17th, 2014, 1:51 am
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by Mirian Jade on October 17th, 2014, 2:51 am
He swallowed audibly and gave her a smile that teetered on the edge of fear. Mirian didn’t raise her eyebrow, but that took an immense amount of effort. An effort that she abandoned completely when he stiffly took her hand in his and gently but firmly brought it back to the counter; her brows shot up in curiosity, although that curiosity was tinted by amusement; was the man married? A glance to the left side of his neck said not. Her interest rose like a wave, and she turned her eyes back to his as he continued, putting a degree of emphasis on the word talk. It suddenly occurred to her that perhaps he liked men. That set her into a bit of a panic; how was she supposed to seduce him if he didn’t play for her team? Calm, she told herself. Breathe. She could play this off. She could make it work. She just had to be creative. She just needed to gather her thoughts, and then gather information. Smiling just as broadly as before, Mirian chose to play his game and turned her palm up, lacing her fingers through his and standing. “Come with me,” she said, tugging on his hand to indicate that she wanted him to follow. “I think I know just the place.” Should he opt to follow her, she would lead him out of the Pig’s Foot Tavern and into the rapidly descending night. |
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