Closed Another misunderstanding, Another offended patron(Dmitri)

[Aliara Cantrell]

6th of Fall 514AV

Sunberth, the home of chaos and sailors in the eyes of many it was a place of danger, but not to its people. When you grow up in a city you see the light of it, the happy parts and the safe side, Aliara Cantrell was one of these people. She saw a sense of family in the sailors that frequented the Drunken Fish; she felt a sense of pride when she completed jobs. This was her home no matter how unruly it was.

It was a fine Fall Evening as Aliara walked the streets; she was on her way from a meeting with a potential client. It hadn’t gone so well, however Aliara didn’t let that get her down, she would walk into the Drunken Fish; wave hello to whichever of her favourite sailors were seated around the room then settle down at the bar and order something to eat. It was her favourite tradition and it had been since her first day living alone.

Aliara had eaten in the same seat for the last couple of nights and had decided it was her favourite seat in the entire building, that and she was a creature of habit. To see that someone was hunched over the bar, in her seat was an outrage. Inhaling deeply Aliara puffed out her chest and stood tall, she might not have been the biggest woman in this room, but she certainly had the confidence of one and whoever was in her seat was going to get an earful. Pushing past Patrons, that smiled at her and belched, they were happy though and the through it made Aliara smile internally, She cracked her knuckles.

Standing behind the hunched figure Aliara could smell how much he had been drinking, would probably use that as an excuse to why he was in her seat, but she could also tell that he was a fairly built man, the broad shoulders were a dead giveaway. Scoffing under her breath she smiled, No man would take her down, crossing her arms Aliara shifted her weight onto her left leg.

“Oi!”

She waited a moment or two for a response, of which one wasn’t given, how rude of him! First he sat in her seat, Second he didn’t reply. The nerve of the some people, Aliara rolled her eyes and began to think she would just have to do it the hard way. Grabbing his shoulder she yanked him around and gave him her darkest glare. Aliara perched her lips and growled the words at him

“Oi! Guy! Your sweaty ass is in my favourite bar stool!”
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[Dmitri Saratov]

Dmitri had such an eventful night the last time he had gone out, which was yesterday basicly, that he had broken the promise to himself to never drink again. Like any good drinker would, damn it! Anyway, he decided to try out another bar than the last one, where he ended up sleeping on a cemetary and playing a battle of wits with the creepiest ghost-girl he'd ever met. A battle he lost, faaaabulously, but still had a blast when looking back. So, he found himself in the Drunken Fish, the most original name ever for a sailor bar. He decided upon a better name all by himself though, Fish Pish! Because that's the taste of the petching beer here. Not that he was a conaisseur of the fine arts of brewery, but he figured he could do better by squeezing out a soaked drape he just used to clean with...But, he was enjoying himself by talking with some of the other oh-so-fine patrons. That was until the moment she entered, a gorgeous woman, nobody could deny that, only to be matched by her boldness. Dmitri had just finished slapping the counter for another mug of undoubtedly the finest sea swill available in the majestic land of Sunberth. While waiting he had turned on the stool and faced the room. Which was when he laid eyes upon this beautiful fury, but she didn't even notice him as her eyes was drilling a hole in the poor lad's back that was seated just next to him. Intrigued as to why, he didn't move away but simply waited for the face-off. Which would probably end up in the drunken sod's face being slapped right off if her aura of confidence wasn't a bluff. But then the woman spoke up, commanding the man to get off her 'favorite seat'. The reason for picking a fight was so ludicrous that Dmitri couldn't help but let out a laugh as he stared at the woman, not easily intimidated by anyone. As mighty as they get, everyone is made of flesh and blood, something easily dealt with, by a few pokes of his black crux 'sidekick'. Not that he wanted to use it tonight, he didn't even wanted to pick a fight. But the laugh escaped him regardless and he doubted this warmaiden would let it fly by. As his eys locked onto hers, he kept them there as he downed the mug next to him in one go. Not even caring if it was his or not, there were more interesting matters going on right now. Meanwhile the lad in her chair had already slipped away, maybe because this woman was infamous around these parts...He didn't know, but the world was bigger than a pub...

[Aliara Cantrell]

Aliara smiled widely as the man slinked out of her chair, just as she thought, A coward. Pushing her hair out of her face Aliara considered getting a haircut for summer, a shorter cut. She had just washed her hair so it puffed out into full ringlets. It wasn’t the most ideal hair for a night out in the tavern but Aliara didn’t mind, she rarely ever made friends as she was out dancing and drinking, she couldn’t figure out why. Aliara had learnt to not let it bother her, sliding into her seat she smiled at her favourite server. He served her a plate with a chuck of steaming meat and nodded to her. Sliding a couple of mizas over the sticky bar and picked up her knife and fork. Aliara realised something, The man beside her was chuckling away to himself.

Trying to ignore it she began to cut her meat, slowly raising the fork to her mouth tying everything she could not to stare at the man beside her, let alone acknowleadge he was there, Pushing her fringe out of her face Aliara began to think. Aliara’s day kept circling in her mind. She had really upset her client, all she had said was;

‘Excuse me… I feel like you so wear a wig or a hat when you leave the house, your scalp might get sunburnt.’

What was so bad about that? She was concerned about the safety of her client! It was what her job was about. Shrugging to herself Aliara decided to stop dwelling over it, nothing good would come of it if she did. The man beside her was still sitting with his back against the bar, chuckling away to himself as he looked at her. Tonight was that sort of night apparently, Sighing she spun on her chair and faced him. He wasn’t much but she could tell he was older then her, considerably so.

“What you chuckling at old man?”

Her sea blue eyes studied his face and then all the possible places he could hide a weapon, but she came up with nothing. Her brain was tired and she needed food and sleep, more of her hair fell into her face but she left it that way, nothing was less intimidating the a girl caring and fiddling with her hair and her clothes. Aliara certainly didn’t care about her clothes; she was wearing a loose shirt with a pair of her work breeches. They were covered in mud but it didn’t bother her, maybe it even added to the effect of badass girl. Sitting up straight she attempted to make herself taller and more intimidating before raising her eyes brows and pulling a face.

“Well?!”
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[Dmitri Saratov]

Dmitri was annoyed with this girl, but realized he was being a hypocrite really. After all, his very persona was, whether or not artificial or otherwise, built around using and abusing others. So why did it bother him so much to witness someone else do the same? Was it because he could only dish it out, or was it because it was painful to witness seeing someone else do it? At first he chuckled to taunt and annoy the girl next to him, but after he finished taking in her features, the cute smile she was capable of flashing when not bluffing and strutting her badass'ness sort of made him feel sorry for her, as ridiculous at may sound. Somehow he was worried about this woman he never even met before. The whole train of thought was so fabulously ridunculous that he couldn't help but let out a light chuckle to himself, without ulterior motives this time. Unfortunately the girl seemed to think otherwise. Now it was her time to shine and taunt him, something that almost made him forget all about the 'caring' thoughts he had just moments before. Giving her a look that just screamed out not to test him any more, before he shook his face lightly and remembered he had been just like her, and the path it took them on, was not a rosy one... Moving his body and positioning himself so that he casually moved slightly closer to her while leaning on his arms and elbows, folding his hands as he turned his face to face her head-on, not even having said anything before he had looked into her eyes and facial features, trying to see telltale signs of a bad actress trying to cover for herself, before he finally spoke, softly enough for nobody else but them two to hear. "Wear too many masks and you'll forget who you really are. Built too many walls and you'll get trapped with no way out." Dmitri sighed before reaching out for his mug on his other side, taking a sip and staring at the mirror behind the counter, looking at himself before looking at the girl through the mirror. "All I'm trying to say is, there's more to life than being the alpha wolf of the pack..." Before raising his mug at the reflection of the girl in the mirror, turning his face to the side and moving his finger to point at her plate. "Your food's getting cold, my bad..."

[Aliara Cantrell]

Aliara was stunned after hearing the man’s words Aliara found herself frowning to herself. What did he know, he was just some bum in a pub smelling of disappointment and ale. Aliara frowned, she stayed like that for a while before her frown slipped into a glare. No one could tell her things like that, it was stepping out of line. The man didn't even know her.

He made a comment about her dinner but Aliara couldn't turn her eyes away from the man, it was odd. She didn't even know his name or anything about him and yet she was stuck staying at his ugly mug. Finally she pushed her hair out of her face not caring what the man thought anymore. Aliara was a beautiful girl, with a bright future and if she could help it, nothing would bring that down.

“I don’t know what you talking about!”

Although the moment the words left her lips Aliara knew that it was wrong. She knew exactly what the old man was talking about. Aliara managed to offend to everyone within three barstools without even realising it. Aliara said exactly what came to her mind everyday and even she admitted it pushed people away, turned them off of her. So to protect her heart and mind Aliara had decided why not just seem like a strong person who didn’t give a petch about anybody.

“I don’t do it on purpose...”

Her voice turned small and she looked away. Turn back towards her plate she stared at the pile of meat and bread with no urge to eat. Her stomach churned with emotion and the feeling of sadness, Aliara regretted sitting next to this man. She couldn’t read anything about him but he still gave her the creeps. Though that was probably because he seemed like her, an older more annoying version of herself. That was enough to scare Aliara into muttering her problems to complete stranger.



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[Dmitri Saratov]

Dmitri had expected for the girl to answer with a blatant lie like that, not knowing what he was talking about, not able to confront her own demons head-on, it was only normal after all. But it seemed like the girl wasn't all a charade after all, she did have the guts to admit what was for what is. Dmitri's cynical grin faded the moment her words hit him. He wasn't going to make fun of this girl, neither was he going to abuse her moment of weakness. He knew all too well how those moments felt, if anything, he wanted to help her somehow.

Dmitri wasn't the kindest man on the face of the earth, far from it, and it showed in how he approached situations even when attempting to be nice. Straightening his spine, he figured best way to handle this situation, as tough as it may be for the girl, is to talk about it rather than put a lid on it again. So Dmitri took the lead of the conversation and spoke with truth in his words, for once.

"...They say life makes a person, which is sort of true. But the main sculping comes from how you treat life rather than how life treats you. Obstacles come and go, but it's how you jump or climb over them, that eventually builds you the way you become. I can only presume you've been through your fair share of hurdles, and that you overcame most of them all by yourself, like a strong girl...Eventally leading you to believe you were strong enough not to need anyone else?"

Dmitri paused, he guessed he was right but he was not a mindreader, either way, the conclusion needed to be said, in order to crack open the safe instead of letting it slide back shut.

"There's no shame in leaning on others from time to time, even if only to gain a better foothold to jump over the hurdle...Don't be scared, you'll probably never meet me again, so share what you want to share and no need worry about people using it as ammunition against you..."

[Aliara Cantrell]

Aliara blinked and a blank look passed across her face, Half of what was said went over her head, she wasn’t very good at riddles and what man was murmuring about. They all seemed to be questions with no answers, questions designed to make one question themselves. Looking over the man once again, with a mouth full of bread, she took in more of his appearance, he looked well weathered and-

“Your Unfit and hairy,”

Her mouth dropped open, mouth full of chewed bread and eyes as wide as the plate it had come one. Closing her mouth she swallowed, leaning casually on the bar she ran her tongue along her teeth. Aliara chaste herself she shouldn’t have said that, it might not have even been true… maybe it was just that shadow and maybe he had been sick. She regretted it immediately and deciding to make up for it by opening up to him. He was just some random in a tavern, she would probably never see again.

“I am a bar brawling mercenary.”

It was the truth but it wasn’t the truth at the same time, It was how Aliara was not who Aliara wanted to be. She wanted to be a delicate, ladylike dancer from the sky’s with beautiful clothes and well-kept hair. Aliara was a dreamer and she dreamt of what she wanted to be. Cutting a chunk of her meat Aliara stuffed it in her mouth hoping that with a mouth full of food she wouldn’t be able to say anything else stupid.

Silently she turned back to the man and offered him a bite of her bread, it was the least she could do after practically calling him fat and hairy. Sending a silent, well apart from the loud chewing noises coming from her mouth, apology. Maybe if she was lucky Aliara could make up for it.
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[Dmitri Saratov]

Dmitr grinnicked, this girl was bluntly honest in how she talked to others, as long as it didn't revolve around herself it seemed. There were worse type of people to hang out with, that was for sure. You might have to have a thick skin when dealing with people like her, but at least you know what kind of 'brute' you're dealing with. It was a trait that Dmitri appreciated, as weird as it may sound after being insulted like that. Especially since he had a buzzcut and underfed, the hairy part was probably about his facial hair though, with a grin he retorted.

"Well aren't you just a dollface...Haha, bar brawler my ass, you look as delicate as a flower. Granted, a poisonous one covered in thorns, but still."

He laughed hearthily at the girl stuffing her face at a rapid pace before she offered him a coverted treaty offer in the form of bread. Again he had to grin his teeth bare at the girl's clumsy behaviour when out of her comfort zone.

"Silly brat, so how's mercenary life treating you?"

He asked before ripping a piece of the bread with his teeth and chewing the rockhard bread, almost breaking his teeth on it. Before pulling a face as he looked at the bread in his hand and putting it back on the girl's plate.

"Thanks, but no thanks...I might look like one, but I'm not an all-eating monster..."

"I'm Dmitri by the way, what's your name princess?"

He asked teasingly.

[Aliara Cantrell]

The longer she was faced with this man the more she found herself questioning the way she was, Aliara hadn't done much of it before, just dreamt of the future. Aliara watched him take the bread before putting it back, she had already bitten her lip though him calling her delicate and a doll face. All while her mind was telling her to tell the rude man that he had a face that a nuit would pity.

Aliara felt as though she would have to learn to hold her tongue if she was going to continue talking to the man however she felt as though the man was purposely trying to get a response out of her. She managed to breath through the insults and replied to the question about her work.

“It is petching Shyke, that’s what it is you smartass old man!”

Rolling her eyes Aliara cursed herself for being so stupid to fall into his trap, his carefully maneuvered word trap.Cursing herself, she pulled a face and sat up straight, no man would intimidate her.

His next words made her wonder about whether he was accusing her of being fat, she wasn't of course, just extremely ffit. Well she liked to think so, pushing her hair up into a messy knotted bun and raised her eyebrows as if she was listening to him still. Nodding at every word Aliara pushed her small bangs into the bun as well and used her bracelet to hold it all together.

She was only half paying attention when he mentioned his name, Derry? Aliara laughed in her head, who in their right mind would call their child Derry? Maybe it was Dmitri but Aliara decided she would call him Bear face.

Bear face had mentioned princess in the sentence so Aliara just smiled politely and slid carefully of her stool and picked up his drink. Taking a smell whiff, Aliara tipped the contents on Bearface’s head and bent over to smile widely in his face.

“My name is Aliara Cantrell, i am a great swordswoman and i do not take to being called a flower. I may smell like one, however when you get close enough to smell me you're as good as dead.”

This act got some attention from the sailors around the tavern but Aliara continued smiling politely even as she put her feet up on his stool and gave it a small push. It titeried and began to wobble, maybe if she pushed again it would fall over, giving one more push, she waited to see the results.

“I am no Princess…”
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[Dmitri Saratov]

The answer was nothing surprising, but the sudden event where he got soaked in his own drink by this taunting brat was though. He was aiming for something like this, taunting her enough to get her to snap. But still, regardless of that fact, he wasn't about to let this girl get away with this. The angelic smile, silky smooth, was just another slap in the face and while he didn't retalliate immediatly. The moment she started pushing against his chair to make it topple over, Dmitri was the one to snap right back after taking hold of the counter and stabilizing his stool. With one swift and hard push against the woman's shoulder, she fell off the stool and with a smack fell on her princess'y ass on the hardwood floor.

"Found yourself a new favorite seat, did ya, princess Aliara?"

"Don't get it twisted, dollface, you're no princess. But you can be damned sure I'm no knight in shining armor either."

He grinned, still soaked in his own beer as he turned his attention to the bartender who was looking at the bizarre scene playing out with a stupid look on his face, trying to make some sense of it all.

"Hit me with two of your fine ales, for me and Princess Dollface over here."

Before turning his face back to the floor ornament and laughed at the taunting dolly. He was having fun, in a weird way, but something in the back of his mind told him tonight would end for both of them in one of two ways. Good terms, or deadly terms...