Rest and relaxation (Open)

[Jade Alanon]

Fourth Cycle of Pontius, Season of Spring

In the city of Prime once again, Jade came not to find a target nor to unravel any sort of mystery, no, instead she came to do something she hadn't be able to do for a good long time, just sit back and relax. At her side as always was her Virkyn Nymira, a large pitch black dog like creature, much larger then that of a dog or even a wolf. Nymira disliked being in the city, mostly because it dulled her senses with all the disgusting scents that came from everywhere and the loud sounds that made her flinch every so often. Clutched tightly in her right hand was her staff, something she felt comfortable with anywhere she went, whether she had Nymira at her side or not.

She wore a hunter green dress that hugged her curves and brushed against the ground, hiding her brown boots. Her long brown hair was brushed and pulled over to the side to rest on her shoulder to keep her hair out of her face. Around her neck on a simple chain was a small gold ring that was her transportation from here to Coldlight. "What are we doing here? Came a familiar voice inside Jade's head, looking down at Nymira with a faint smile, she scratched her ear gently, her voice low. "Just came out to relax a bit, you do know what the word relax means, don't you?" Nymira made a noise that Jade could only percieve as a scoff and then heard nothing, Nymira was always a bit edgey when they visited the city.

She halted in front of the tavern and looked around carefully, she never knew what her enemies looked like and had to be very careful, also she didn't exactly fancy a run in with Cyrus at the moment, she was stronger then she was before, but she still didn't know if she wanted to see him, she didn't necessarily wish to kill him, but if it came down to it, she would. She slipped inside quietly and unnoticed for the moment, though Nymira didn't exactly have the same, people stared at her wide eyed, yet knew better then to approach. Jade could tell her bondmate enjoyed instilling fear in others, growling softly to make herself seem more intimidating.

Sliding herself into a booth, she smiled as Nymira disappeared beneath the table, resting comfortably against Jade's feet, keeping them nice and warm as Jade ordered an ale. She sighed as she leaned back against the booth, relaxing for the first time in such a long time, comfortable in her safety because she had her weapon and Virkyn with her. She smiled nicely at those around her, if someone chose to actually try to start a conversation with her. Nymira would behave unless she felt someone threatened hers or Jade's safety, then she would not hold back.

She waited for her ale to come, ignoring the drunks that often thought she was an easy target simply because she was a young woman, but she almost dared them to try and mess with her, they would be missing a limb or two when they got sober.

[Danerec]

Danerec entered the tavern weary from life in general. It had been an interesting few months since he had gotten on his feet in Prime, and he found the Crown was becoming a regular haunt for him to get away from it all. Scanning the crowd for any faces he knew, Danerec sounded off a list of no, no, no, whoa, what's that? Never seen someone with boils that bad before...no, no, no....Hmmm, now where do I know her from? Danerec's roving eyes had stopped on a girl in a green dress seated at a booth. Danerec didn't know why or from where but he thought for sure he had met her before. Although he was weary still from the day, his curiosity invigorated his drive to actually talk to someone knew today, and he made his way over to the booth.

"Allo," he said in greeting as he reached the table. "Forgive my intrusion on your thoughts, but my overtired mind is playing tricks on me and saying that I know you from somewhere. Might I ask your name?" He gave a wry half smile as he mentioned his brain, rolling his eyes slightly.

[Jade Alanon]

A soft growl alerted Jade to the man's presence before he actually came too close, it seemed Nymira remembered this man from a not to recent encounter, though whether this was the man who had held a crossbow on her great beast. Nymira repositioned herself so that if the man chose to take a seat near Jade, he wouldn't feel Nymira, it was perfect in case he got frisky with Jade or threatening in the least. He would be a lot less threatening when he was missing a leg or other part of his anatomy.

Jade slowly looked up, a nuetral look in her eyes as she looked Danerec over carefully weighing the options in case he tried to hurt her. He didn't seem like the type, he most likely was seeking friendly conversation with a young woman that he had possibly met before, but such thoughts only served to keep her and Nymira alive another day longer. She said nothing for a few moments, not because she was being rude but because she was trying to remember if she knew his name or not and whether she should engage him in a conversation. After taking a few moments of silence,

"No intrusion sir." She said softly, a faint smile on her face. "I believe I have seen you before as well, though I am not sure where exactly." That had been a lie for she remembered where she had seen him, but she'd rather him not recall Nymira, her existence was better left unknown if he couldn't remember well enough. "My name is Jade and you are exactly?" She didn't ask him to sit, if he wished to he could do it on his own accord.

[Danerec]

"A pleasure to meet you! I'm Danerec," he replied. "I really do have to apologize though, I'm usually quite good with remembering names for faces. I guess traveling kinda wore on that after awhile, always seeing new ones. Would you mind if I sat?" he asked, gesturing at the seat across the table from her. Wow, Dane, you really need to stop rambling... he thought to himself.

Danerec suddenly reallized that he was absentmindedly rubbing the hardly noticeable stubble on his chin, and that the motion had moved his cloak to reveal the knives strapped to his belt.
Dropping his arm back to his side, he awaited the answer as to his seat. He'd been doing acrobatics all day, and it would feel good to sit down again.

[Jade Alanon]

Danerec, that name didn't sound familiar to her at all, but that didn't worry her, this man seemed like a geniunely nice man that wished for some company and being that she had come to the tavern to relax a bit, company may be nice. He had asked if he could sit, before answering she moved her feet around a bit to see where Nymira was at the moment, she doubted Danerec would be very happy if he bumped his foot against something furry and then looked down to see Nymira staring back at him, might give the man a heart attack. "I shall behave and not let him know I am here." Nymira said softly, putting Jade's fears to rest.

"Not at all, take a seat Danerec." He would undoubtedly noticed her rather direct nature, one that couldn't be helped. Her staff lay beside her and her gauntlets lay beneath the sleeves of her dress, she may not have looked dangerous, but foolish was the man that thought her a fragile innocent woman. Her eyes caught the flash of silver, the man either by mistake or a warning to her, had allowed his daggers to be seen. "He's armed Nymira, a set of daggers, be on alert." Nymira made no noise, but Jade could feel her tensing a bit at this knowledge. Looking back at Danerec with curiosity in her emerald eyes, she chose to inquire about the daggers. "Do you generally allow those you share company with to see your weapons or am I simply privileged?" It was almost sarcastic in the way she said it.

[Danerec]

Danerec laughed uncomfortably. "Erm, no, that was accidental. I came here straight from work, I didn't stop to drop them at home," he explained. Oh, wait...I hope she doesn't think I'm a bounty hunter or something by that statement! he thought after he realized what he had said. "I'm a knife thrower in the Prime Circus," he finished quickly.

Sliding into the chair Danerec motioned for a waitress and placed an order for a cup of elven tea. "Have you ordered already?" he asked. I'm not sure if I've really enough to be offering rounds, but it doesn't hurt to be polite Danerec thought. It'd been hard work saving up the crowns he had, especially after buying the equipment for his 'hike' earlier in the month.

Danerec fiddled with the ring on his index finger beneath the table as he waited for the tea. Taking it off, he placed it on the table and began spinning it, careful as to keep it from flying off across the room, or across the table and hitting Jade. "So have you always lived in Prime?" Danerec asked, still trying to figure out where he'd met her before.

[Jade Alanon]

Jade leaned back as though getting uncomfortable, but really it was a way of getting in some distance between him and her, she had made him uncomfortable which was fine in her book. Straight from work, who knew if he was some sort of bounty hunter after her, he had admitted just arriving from work, though his tools bore no blood on them. Perhaps she was just a bit too paranoid. He explained his profession and she visibly relaxed, though she was still taunt in case what he was saying was false, Nymira did the same. "A knife thrower at the Circus, now that does sound like an interesting profession." Her voice held genuine interesting, prodding him to proceed in telling her about it if he wished to.

She gestured towards her half finished ale, it was a nice offer but she preferred ale over tea on an evening such as this. Taking the time to order herself another since the waitress was there, she took another drink of her ale and sighed contently. No Sanguine duties that evening, no training or nightmares, just some time for Jade to rest and relax her mind, no killing or blood, unless Danerec wasn't who he seemed to be. Here he went trying to start the small talk, better him start then her, since she was not a good conversationlist. "Actually no I haven't, I only came to live here recently." She didn't really know what else to say, she couldn't very well say where she had lived cause really that was none of his business. Turning the conversation back towards him, she smiled. "How about you Danerec?"

[Tarfuss]

Tarfuss was tired and wanted an ale. Or maybe five. And a smoke too. And maybe some food. Food was always good. He walked over from the military district and entered the Crown. It was busy. It usually was. He stood for minute as his eyes adjusted to the light and then took a look around the tavern. He saw a man he knew sitting at a table with a woman he didn't know.

He walked over to the bar and put down his coins for a pint of Dwarven Ale and then wandered over to the table and smiled at Danerec and the woman. "Serale, Danerec! How are things? Would you mind much if I sat and had an ale here at your table? I don't want to be interrupting anything." He turned to the woman and nodded politely. "My name's Tarfuss ma'am. How are you?"

[Danerec]

"Same here...I used to travel with my family before I was left here on accident. Merchant caravan's have schedules to keep, you know." Danerec stopped spinning his ring and replaced it on his finger.

"But throwing at the circus has given me a place to stay since then, and a job..." his voice trailed off as he thought of something. Before I worked there I was sleeping in the gardens...That's where I know here from! Danerec thought of that night he had been disturbed by the half orc, and came upon a relequis being set upon by a wolfish creature and the girl before him. Actually, I've no clue what exactly was going on there, but now I remember!

Trying not to act overly excited by his revelation, Danerec nearly jumped when a familiar voice spoke next to him. Looking up, Danerec saw that it was his friend Tarfuss. "I've nothing against it, but this is her table," Danerec replied.

[Jade Alanon]

Nymira caught sight of the other man approaching before Jade and Danerec did, she didn't know if she liked this gathering of men around Jade, though her bondmate was fit to take care of herself and of course she had Nymira to help as well, so she said nothing nor did she move. She nudged her nose against Jade's foot gently before resting her head on her paws, behaving or not, anyone kicked her in the head and that person was losing a foot.

Getting left behind by his family, that had to be rough, though surely he would have sought them out rather then staying behind. "Don't you miss your family at all?" It was the first time her voice took on any real emotion, such was the case when family came up, a touchy subject for the young Sanguine. She noticed his voice begin to trail off and then a sort of recognization came to his eyes, unsure of what exactly that mean, she wasn't about to ask when they were approached by yet another man, one that Danerec seemed to know.

Eyeing Tarfuss for a moment, she gestured for him to have a seat as the waitress that had taken Danerec's and Jade's orders came back with their drinks. Setting them down, she left quickly. Tarfuss gave him name rather quickly, a lot quicker then Danerec had. "You are not interrupting anyting Tarfuss." Once he sat down, Jade took a few sips of her new ale and sighed. "I am Jade, a pleasure to meet you." Again her voice took on that of a politeness, one she used when first meeting people.

[Tarfuss]

Tarfuss smiled at the woman's somewhat stiff response, she seemed a little nervous, but who wouldn't be with a big oaf suddenly looming over the table? He nodded again and took the offered seat, setting his ale down. He hadn't noticed Nymira in the shadow of the table, and his big feet were most likely crowding her. "If the uniform didn't give it away, I'm in the Legion. I just got off duty, and I'm glad to have done with it for the day." He took a drink of his ale and took out a leather roll out of which he took a pipe and some tobacco. "Do you mind if I load up my pipe?"

[Danerec]

Danerec nodded at Tarfuss as the man sat down. "Do I miss them, Jade?" he asked.

Well, do I? Danerec asked himself. I've been so busy trying to make it on my own I haven't really given it much thought... Realizing he had left his sentence hanging, he shook his head and finished it.

"I guess I've been too busy to really miss them. Life has sure gotten intense since I was left here. But if I ever hear of them passing back through Prime...I'd definitely find them, at least to reconnect after however long it would have been."

[Jade Alanon]

Tarfuss smiled, so he wasn't offended by Jade's abruptness, that was a relief at least, Jade had enough enemies without adding another to it. He took the offered seat without another word and settled in nicely, setting his ale in front of him, it would seem Danerec was the only tea drinker at this table. It was obvious that Nymira continued to go unnoticed beneath the table, but Jade could hear her grumbling at the lack of space beneath the table, another male would most likely be turned away, not because Jade wished to be unfriendly but because Nymira would get testy and possibly bite someone in irritation and that was a quick way to make an enemy.

She had taken brief notice of the uniform, knowing it marked him as a legionnare. That didn't much surprise her since the legionnares frequented the tavern after they were able to get off duty. She simply nodded when he mentioned it to show that she had indeed noticed, a small look of annoyance came over her face but not because of Danerec or Tarfuss but because of Nymira, who was making snide remarks about the two men and their feet. It would be hard to recover since they had no idea that Nyirma was beneath the table much less their telepathic bond. Recovering quickly, hopefully fast enough that they didn't notice, she smiled. "Not at all, go ahead." Though of course she was lying, she abhorred the smell of the pipe and the smoke that came from it, but it did no harm to her to allow him to do so.

She looked back to Danerec who had begun speaking, repeating her question before seemingly going into deep thought, something he did quite a bit as she noticed.

Too busy to miss your family, how was that even possible? Gods she did everything she could, trying her best to keep busy, anything to keep the hollow that her family's death created from consuming her completely and this man could so so easily. It was unfair to her really, his family was alive and whole and yet he did not seek them out. Deciding to change the subject before she said something she regretted, she turned the subject back to them and away from that of family. "So you two know each other..ow!" She winced as one of Nymira's claws dug into her leg by accident, at the sound of her yelp Nymira instantly withdrew her claw, it hadn't even broke the skin but it had hurt.

[Danerec]

Danerec was about to respond as to how he knew Tarfuss when Jade yelped in pain. Looking up alarmed Danerec wondered if she had hit her foot on something in the close booth. Raising an eyebrow and smiling slightly, he asked, "Are you ok?"

Danerec seemed to remember something else yelping the last time he had met her, and recalled the wolfish animal. Realizing that he had nearly dropped his smile as he thought of this, he tried to maintain it as he slowly pulled his legs flush up against the legs of his chair. I'm not sure where it is, but I've a baad feeling it's under the table right now. he thought. I'd like to keep my toes...

[Danerec]

Danerec waited patiently for Jade's answer as to whether she was alright or not. It seemed something was off, but he wasn't entirely sure if his thoughts of her creature's location were correct or not, but her silence made him think he was correct, and possibly that she was quickly trying to find some way to explain her exclamation away. Well, I didn't want to make her uncomfortable... he thought. Danerec decided it'd be a better idea to forget that she even made the exclamation, and continue on with the conversation. After all, I at least showed my concern.

"Yes, me and Tarfuss met a few months back in this bar. Kalendryas, right?" he said, looking at the legionnaire. "We did some traveling with some friends a bit ago; it's hard to remember anything before that, it was so interesting."