{Flashback} I know something you don't know (Coltyn)

[Khalanssmiasook]

Season of Summer, Day 45, Year 510AV She always enjoyed the weather in Ravok and though most would disagree she enjoyed the people as well, sometimes a little too much. Considering her last fiasco, while fun, it had been a much too hazardous to her health for her to try again anytime soon. Besides you didn’t need to eat people to have fun with them. Which brought her up to her most current activates. Word in Ravok traveled fast but whether or not it was a load of shyke was up to the listener and listen she had. Tales of different people, each with interesting bits of history and none had struck her fancy until this one. Though her hunger played a large role as well. Keeping to sides of the rows of swiftly moving people Sook maneuvered towards the smaller bakery, a name singing in her mind. Baker. And she nearly went in, her hand brushing the handle but as the saying goes, ‘speak of the Voice and she shall appear’. Sure enough one of the lads she had heard of stood not twenty feet from her, most likely going somewhere important, though not if she had anything to say about it. Her mind worked quickly to form a simple idea that grew more elaborate with each step she took toward him, what was his name anyhow? Something that reminded her of horses…which she hadn’t eaten as of the late. Frowning slightly she realized she was probably hungrier than she had originally thought but maybe she could work that in too. At the very least she wanted someone to cry. Preferably this boy. Sook was originally going to call his name but decided she would make it all the more entertaining. Speeding up her pace to match his and all but stalking him while he walked, the more suspicious he was the less likely he was too believe which would make convincing all the more fun because then she could shatter his hopes. Unless, of course, he was the reason for his brother’s disappearance, it was one of the other whispers floating around. But she had spent enough time deliberating, it was time to move. Clasping her hands behind her back she let loose the words carefully, nearly bursting out into laughter at the absurdity of it all. “I know what you are looking for.”

[Coltyn]

"Ex...Excuse me?" Coltyn snapped as he whirled around to face the individual who dare offer him sweet answers to his current situation that was far more akin to a living nightmare, than a whimsical game of twenty questions. "What do you know? Huh? WHAT DO YOU KNOW?" he found himself immediately yelling at this perfectly good stranger as he swiftly closed the gap between them, using every last bit of restraint he had left in him to refrain from grabbing the female and shaking her. "You don't know me! You don't know anything about me! If ya did, you'd know if was a who, not a what, that I'm looking for!" he raged at her as his face began to turn red and a wad of spit flew from his lips, barely missing her. "Toss off!" he suddenly yelled. "TOSS OFF!" he continued to bellow, just inches from her face. What the...? What was wrong with him? Why was he acting this way? Why was he shouting...no...screaming in this public place at this...this woman...this woman with a knowing smile set firmly in place upon her ruby lips? Clearly the stress of the situation had taken hold of him, causing him to react like some sort of insane monster, and...for what? Huh? For a brother who had recently vanished without a trace? Derik, my sweet brother, where are you? Perhaps he was dead. Huh? How about that as an option? Perhaps he was dead and gone and there was nothing anyone could do about it. But...no...something...something deep down inside tugged at Coltyn's heart and told him his missing sibling was very much alive and well, which only made the situation all that more difficult to handle. Dead he could deal with, but this...this was different. This was like having a part of himself chopped off and carelessly tossed away for no good reason. "Ha!" he found himself uncontrollably laughing, which only seemed to add a fresh layer of madness to his already wild behavior. Perhaps the grief would just consume him and it wouldn't matter what happened today or tomorrow. He could simply give in to the sadness and regret and long, empty days he was certain to face without his dear brother. Derik was gone and Coltyn needed to find a way to deal with the foreign concept. "I...oh gods...I'm sorry," the young man now offered as he caught the questioning gazes of those who passed by, as well as, more importantly, the new expression that consumed the woman's face that read as...confusion? No. Utter disgust? Perhaps. Pity? Probably. "I don't...I don't know what to say. That was...not like me...not like me at all. I swear. I'm not usually this...emotional or...or rude," he admitted as his eyes began to shine with the threat of tears, both for his situation and his behavior. "I'm just..." Just what? Just insane with grief? Just itching for a fight? Just looking to get his teeth kicked in because it would give him something new to focus on, instead of spending countless hours wondering where his little lost brother was? What exactly could he say to this stranger that would make the situation any better? ... Honestly, there was nothing else he could say. So, instead, he simply waited for her retort. He had a feeling it was going to be...colorful...to say the least.

[Khalanssmiasook]

The shouting was unexpected. Such a disgraceful move, such an obvious move. Though many would probably pass it off for a lovers quarrel. It both shocked and amused her and although she loathed to admit there was a twinge of instant fear as well. Would this man-child hit her? She found herself glowering slightly at the thought. Ignoring any other words coming out of his mouth for a moment. Sook’s sudden anger dissipated quickly though. The baker boy wearing such a look of despair and helpless rage she felt the soothing of a fish ready to be lured in. Looking over the pitiful excuse for a man she smiled softly, her eyes taking a genuine melted quality. Reaching out she gently and patted his shoulder and spoke, “I’m sure that was the stupidest petching thing you could have done—recently.” Her words were light and airy followed closely by her straightening him up. Keeping her hands on his shoulders she non-too-gently spun him around before stepping beside him and linking their arms. Nodding she began to walk, urging him to follow. “But I could have spoken softer words.” No, she really couldn’t have, in fact, she would love to see him cry and was a bit disappointed that his tears did not fall. She would have to see them before their lightly meeting ended. “Information I truly have though. I doubt you would want to miss it. Though your lack of control makes me wary of risking myself to give you information.” Another lie but also a veiled threat. It he proved too difficult to handle or struck out at her…Sook would have to mar his pretty face. Halting abruptly she pulled them to a step, not having gone far from their previous location. It was an odd move but while onlookers were still curious they had much better things to do. And she had done nothing foolhardy—yet. Taking his face in her hands, she searched it. One might think she was looking to comfort him but her slightly malicious smile said otherwise. She was seeing how far she could push him before things spiraled out of control. A delicate shiver going down her spine at the thoughts. “You care for your brother,” she spoke finally, “the things I know may help. This is not a place for idle chatter though, where would you have us go?” Sook would let him make the final decision. Trust her and allow her to dole out her false good news or send her away and risk the thought of never knowing. That would most likely eat away at him, if such a simple entering phrase such as hers could rile him like that. She had no doubts he would make a choice favorable to her.

[Coltyn]

There were so many things Coltyn didn't like about this strange woman and the all-too-familiar way she was handling him that his initial response was to not only pull away, but walk away without another word spoken. Whatever she had to say was going to be a lie. He could feel it. But...but what if even in her lie there was a degree of truth to be found? From Coltyn's experience, most lies, once boiled down to their very core, usually had their origins in reality. She did, after all, seem to know that it was his brother that he was looking for, not someone else. Granted, that information was given only after he corrected her. But still... "We...we can go there," he directed her as he tilted his head toward a nearby establishment. "The Silver Sliver should be pretty quiet this time of the day," he informed her as he finally managed to free himself of her hold. As he made his way toward the tavern - one he and his brother had spent many an hour in - his mind whirled with the thoughts of finding out something that could help bring his brother back. His heart wasn't too far behind, either, as it filled with the hope of a brighter life that included his sibling once again. "After you," he announced to the young woman as he held the door open for her, "oh, and, drinks will be on me," he continued as he followed her inside. "It's the least I can do for the way I overreacted." They found a table in the rear, not too far from the main bar, but secluded enough to afford them the privacy that she seemed to desire. As he proceeded to sit across from her, a barmaid approached, swiftly took their order, and then departed to fill it, giving them a moment alone. "I must admit, I have my doubts. I mean, how is it that you know of my brother, as well as his current whereabouts?" he was able to question her before the server returned with their drinks. "Well?" he prompted her once more as he lifted his mug to take a long draw on the amber liquid found within.

[Khalanssmiasook]

She watched his indecision with no small amount of amusement. His face was an open book, giving away many little secrets without his permission. Or so it seemed to Sook. She had heard the rumors of the Baker boys all kinds of rumors. Trying to not grin as he gestured towards a the Silver Sliver she nodded in assent and trailed after him, noting with some wariness that he was a bit of a loose cannon. He seemed to say one thing but his body showed the tension of someone waiting to lash out. Much as he had earlier. She would tread carefully and get some interesting responses out of this one. And with that thought her wariness was gone replaced but a unique sense of glee, a minute smile curving on her lips as they entered the building. “You apologize too much. Might make one think you aren’t really sorry.” She gingerly sat at the table they had found and carefully crossed both her arms and legs, “But I would never turn down a drink.” His impatience was made known as he questioned her but she only smiled wider, her teeth glinting showing and making it look more like a razor stuck to her face. “I understand your need to know. After all I would not be here and neither would you if it were any other way. Of course I have questions of my own as well.” These words were said carefully and slowly but without tact. And still not answering the question she proclaimed to know the answer to Sook too her own large swing of the warm liquid. A slightly true smile alighting on her face as she felt it soothe her insides, coiling pleasantly. Setting it down she leaned forward slightly, motioning for him to do the same. For a few moments she sat there silently, her eyes scanning his face before speaking. “You and your brother are odd.” She finally announced before leaning back once more and taking another sip and shrugging slightly, “Odd things are attracted to me.” Not exactly a lie but she did have a way of finding strange things then again Ravok was full of strange things, strange and wonderful things that held all sort of fun in them. Taking yet another swig she finally slammed the now empty mug down and finally proceeded to answer his question. “I know because I met your brother once not too long ago.” It was said airily but with such confidence she almost believed it herself for a moment. And it was not entirely a lie. She had seen him. In a portrait but small details could be left out here and there.

[Coltyn]

"Odd? How so?" Coltyn questioned, knowing all too well what she probably meant, but he wanted to hear the words form on her lips. Sure, he'd heard the rumors, far too many of them to keep track of to be perfectly honest, so he wanted to know which one she'd embraced. He also wanted to hear more about this meeting with his brother. "Not too long ago, you say," he remarked, allowing the statement to hang in the air as he took a gulp of his drink. "When exactly did this meeting happen...," he continued to question her, "...and, while you're at it, where? I need you to be pretty specific or I'm leaving." And he would, too. He sat back in his seat now and waited for her to reply. He had a bad feeling about this woman, but he couldn't put his finger on exactly why that was. Maybe it was the curl of her lip that bothered him or the way her eyes darted around the room, like she was guilty of something. Whatever it was, something was off about her and, more than likely, her story, but he was willing to see how things unfolded...for a little while longer. If nothing else was achieved here, at least his feet would be rested and his stomach filled. Speaking of which... "Excuse me," he called to the serving girl, "I think I'd like to place an order. Would you care for anything?" he asked the woman sitting across from him, still unaware of her name.