People Watching (Open to all-please join)

[Roisin Beauvais]

Early evening: Aslanica, 20th Brightening:The Month of Ponutis.
Era I of the Pax Imperialis.



It was another strange city, with strange faces, but at least the half elf had found an Inn with relative ease. Roisin was glad to step in from the cold and be embraced by the warmth and babble of the Crown . She removed her travelling cloak and draped it over her arm, running a hand through her slightly damp hair and teasing out the tangles as she went. A room would need to be found for later, but first she had a desire for a drink, travelling was not often pleasant, and her journey from Medonia had been no different, chilly and tiring. She craved a bath and a bed, and hoped that she would find one here that would not be too dreadful, but for now she made her way towards the bar and ordered a glass of warm mead to chase the chill from her bones.

As she paid the barman, Roisin took a moment to glance around at the other patrons, a strange mix as was usual in a bar. Still, she thought for a moment, it was nice just to be around people. Although she was loathe to admit it, since she had moved away from her mother she had been a little lonely. Her home was barely that, and she had forged no true friendships in Medonia as of yet. But, she did not linger on those thoughts for long, for here she was in Prime, a place she had not been since she was a very small child. Tomorrow, she would spend some time exploring, to see if her visit was worth prolonging, but for now she was content just to take the weight from her feet and do some people watching.

[Odyleon]

The Senator of Sherian had entered Prime earlier on that very brightening, and he was feeling positively overwhelmed. Nothing could have prepared the former pauper to the luxury and grandeur of the Imperial Forum, and in many ways he had felt more comfortable in his dilapidated shack on the outskirts of Vers. He just knew he would not be able to sleep in that oppressive canopy bed, decorated with the coat of arms of his province; not tonight, at least. So he had come to the Crown Inn. The place that had started it all. In many ways, Odyleon Q. Meiers was on a pilgrimage.

He had left even his bodyguard Rouel at the palace, coming alone just like the average citizen of Prime. Sure, the Human looked nothing like the patched, scruffy youth he had been back then. No, thanks to the Governess du'Galle Ody had discovered the pleasures of dandy-ness, learning his lesson remarkably well. While nothing denoted his political status in Prime, the man was garbed in a fine cream-colored silken cloak emblazoned with a strange symbol, very much like a figure of eight. Wearing a dark shirt and matching trousers and gloves, the tall Human's pitch black hair had been brushed into submission. His eyes, too, were black and curious, contrasting sharply with his pale complexion.

So curious, in fact, that they were looking everywhere but where they should have, namely right in front of him. Simply put, he was bound to (gently) bump into someone eventually. And this time the victim happened to be a pretty Half-elf who looked just as out of place as he did.

"Oops, excuse me, Miss" he hastily apologized. "I seem to have a talent for embarrassing myself wherever I go." There was a certain confidence, though, in those words spoken with a smile, a newborn confidence which had not existed before his appointment to political office. "Are you all right?" Rhetorical question, but one that was never inappropriate.

[Roisin Beauvais]

Roisin had just raised her glass to her lips when a jolt from behind caused her to knock her teeth on the rim and dribble much of the contents down her chin. Marvellous, she thought, crossly wiping the liquid away with her hand before turning to see her assailant. As she faced him, the half elf ran cool blue eyes up and down the figure who stood before her, raising an eyebrow as he offered an apology. Suspicious of men in general, and now a little flustered she could not help a little anoyance slipping into her voice as she retorted

"Perhaps you should pay a little more attention to where you are walking"

Still, even as she said it, her expression had softened slightly, at least this man had apologised and there had been no attempt at an ill disguised grope, which was what often lay behind these little 'accidents'. She took in his general appearance, he didn’t seem as dirty as some others in here, in fact he had a quiet assurance in his voice that she found interesting. Roisin had no time for wallflowers. Pondering on her now half empty glass, she met his eyes as she responded to his question.

“I’m not hurt, if that’s what you mean, but I appear to have lost most of my drink...”

It wasn’t loaded with meaning, more a little suggestion as to how this man could go on to redeem himself, and Roisin was not adverse to some conversation and company, even though her demeanour sometimes suggested otherwise.
She held her gaze level upon the mans face, awaiting his response.

[Stephan Woulofen]

Having been in Prime for a very limited time so far Stephan had spent most of that time at one of two places, either at home or at the Crown Inn and Tavern. The drinks were the best he surely had tasted in a long while, plus he really needed to get out. He definately was not use to his new lifestyle of being a husband and father yet. Stephan had promised himself that he would change his lifestyle and revert it back to what it had once been, when the only responsibility was himself and the only thing that did the talking was his sword. Now he had become nothing but a noble politician, and he was even beginning to fail at that. One who knew him really well, before he had entered this life, would surely have to wonder how he hadn't lost it yet.

The fact was, Stephan was beginning to lose his sanity, not in the sense he was going to fall off his rocker, but just that he was surely acting more rash and bold than he had ever before. As he entered the tavern decked out in his full military outfit, with his highly expensive black obsidianite armor matching his dark attire only brightened by the whites and greens in it, Stephan had promised himself to dress like a noble as lilttle as possible from here on. His life as a noble had only brought grief, besides for his wife and son of course, they were the only good that had come from this lifestyle.

As he walked to the bar he noticed that his regular stool was taken by a woman who was seemingly having a confrontation with a man, what the confrontation was he didn't know, but by the time he had grown closer her demeanor turned much less hostile. Sitting down nearby, a few stools down, he ordered his normal mug of ale and relaxed. Though unarmed, as his sword had been deposited at the door as was rule in this tavern, he was still an intimidating sight, due to his size, obvious wealth, and the way he carried himself. A real warrior would know he was one simply by looking at him and how he carried himself at all times.

When the drink finally arrived Stephan raised it to his parched lips and drank slowly, taking his time because he expected to be here a long time.

[Odyleon]

It appeared that while times changed, Ody's penchant for disaster did not. He had probably bumped into more people than he cared to count, and had been bumped into quite a few times, as well. At least, he could now actually afford to fix the ill effects of his many blunders. Oh yes, becoming filthy rich all of a sudden had its perks.

"I definitely should pay more attention" he nodded sagely, knowing that it would never happen. "Please, allow this sinner to make amends for ruining your darkening." He called the barman and ordered a new drink just like the one whose destruction he had brought about. He also had the barman bring two glasses of Nuryondi Red, one the most expensive red wines the Crown had to offer. "This wasn't available when I was last here" he explained as he slid a 100-Crown note in the barman's direction. "Actually, all they had was water, tea and some locally brewed ale. Prime was being blockaded at the time. Nuryondi is usually well tolerated by the body, but if you aren't into wine, you can just tell me what you'd like so I can ease the burden of my sin." Alchemists were more familiar with wine than people usually gave them credit for. The beverage actually had quite a few properties worth studying.

"By the way, I am called Odyleon. Odyleon Q. Meiers. Funny little name, isn't it?" Roisin's apparent coldness was teasing his jovial side by contrast. But groping, alas, Ody was much too shy to even think of that.

OOC: Sorry, didn't notice Stephan posted. Will take into account for next round.

[Roisin Beauvais]

It appeared that Roisin would be compensated for the spillage, and she surveyed the stranger with new eyes. Perhaps he was a little different from the loose handed imbeciles she usually seemed to encounter in such venues. His demeanour seemed pleasant, and his humour slightly dry which was something she could appreciate, and as the bartender set down the glasses, she even allowed a small smile in the direction of her new found acquaintance.

“I’m not one to refuse a drink, sir, certainly not after spilling my own in such a dignified manner”

In truth, she had never been much of a wine drinker, it was often too expensive for her current means. Still, new city, new experiences and the suchlike. She began to relax a little, it was nice to be conversing with someone, and it made her feel less vulnerable in the crowded inn. Still, she would keep an eye on his hands to make sure they did not stray anywhere they shouldn’t. Curiosity peaked; she first rejected the fresh glass of mead in favour of taking a sip of the wine that was offered. It was not at all unpleasant taste, though a good deal sharper than the sweet honeyed mead. She gave a small nod of appreciation, before setting the glass back down, and returning her full attention to the man before her who was now offering his name, which indeed was a little odd. She paused for a few seconds before responding with her own name

“Roisin Beauvais, glad to make your acquaintance”

It was easy for Roisin to switch her manners on and off, particularly when it came to get something that she wanted, and she smiled pleasantly at Odyleon. It was only when she looked over his shoulder that she caught a glance of someone familiar. Stephan….W… Roisin grappled for the name, she was sure she still had the piece of parchment with his name and address on at home somewhere. For now, his surname eluded her, and a brief look of surprise crossed her face. She hadn’t been expecting to see him here in Prime. Not sure if he had noticed her, she returned her attention to Mr Meiers, a tiny frown upon her brow.

[Odyleon]

The Senator himself had only recently converted to wine, his reason being very much the same as Roisin's – budget. Ever since getting drunk on Demios and carelessly unleashing his magic on the waiting staff, he had crossed the stronger beverages out of his life. The man was all about control, after all. Control and knowledge, that was the theory anyway. He had never been very good at upholding his own values in practice. He smiled at Roisin, relieved that she had accepted the Nuryondi as a token of good will. He took a short sip from his own glass.

"Beauvais... it has a nice Jaedaxian ring to it" he commented, his attention momentarily diverted by a soft noise, barely above the threshold of his perception amidst the general confusion, but definitely originating from someone moving behind his back, and possibly wearing armor (a habit he would never understand, truth be told). But Ody was unable to turn his head without looking rude and did not intend to cast any spells tonight, so he merely refocused his mind on his newfound acquaintance.

"How do you like Prime, Miss Beauvais? Myself, I'm not yet that comfortable living in a metropolis. In fact, I wouldn't be here if my job did not require my presence in the capitol." From her looks, the man assumed she had not lived in Prime for a long time. People soon learned to filter out the crowd when they were immersed in it all the time, and that allowed a keen observer to tell a resident apart from a visitor. He offered her an encouraging smile but added nothing more, most girls liked it better when they were given plenty of room in a conversation and he had made a point of refining his manners.

[Roisin Beauvais]

*ack sorry, double post*

[Roisin Beauvais]

As she took another sip of the wine so graciously given by Odyleon, Roisin sighed, she could certainly become accustomed to such things. In time, she thought to herself. She spent a moment to regard Odyleon again, noticing his eyes, which were dark and animated. Realising she had probably held his gaze too long she looked away again, nodding at what he was saying, more out of politeness than of anything else. He was right, Roisin was easily distracted by the noise and bustle around them, but she returned her attention to him as she realised he was asking a question. She hadn't quite made up her mind about Prime yet, in fact she had paid little heed to the place other than to look for somewhere to get some refreshment and a room. Tomorrow she would dedicate more time to exploring its busy streets but for now she answered with a non commital shrug

"I haven't really been here long enough to make a judgement" she said, taking a quick look around the room "Although, judging from the group in here it certainly seems a diverse kind of place"

She listened to his response, wondering what kind of job had brought him to the city. He was certainly not dressed like a soldier or labourer..perhaps he was some kind of businessman or the like. Whatever it was, on first impressions, he seemed like a genuine character, and Roisin was happy to spend a little more time chatting with him. Perhaps he would impart some of his own knowledge of the city as the night went on.

"And you? You must know the place well, even if it's not quite to your liking?"

Roisin herself enjoyed the fascinations of city life, but the vast sprawl of Prime had seemed a little daunting as she made her way to the Inn.Really she had no plans for her visit, but was rather hoping that she might find some reason to stay for a while, as it was a long journey back to Medonia and nothing really waited for her their. As she waited for Odyleon's reply, her eyes wandered again to her acquaintace from Medonia, she could not understand why he insisted on poncing around in full military regalia, it really only drew attention to himself in a bad way. Still, she thought, he looked a little...lost. Perhaps she would go over and say hello in a while.

[Odyleon]

He was trying his best to be the impeccable gentleman he really wanted to be. Now that he had clothing, wealth, and status to play that role to perfection, the quirky Senator felt it was his duty to behave properly so that he would bring no shame upon his province. He owed it to the Governess who had taken the proverbial leap of faith hiring a total greenhorn for such a delicate position.

But Aeternia, she was teasing him, what with her gaze flying past his shoulder several times and always in the same direction. Cold blue eyes - his favorite color - which attracted Ody's already inflated curiosity. He had laid out some rules for tonight and any later visit to the Crown Inn, first of which being no magic whatsoever. But rules did admit exceptions in his book. This was one, because he said so.

"Me? Not really, I lived here for some time but that was three eras ago, before the Allerians came and rebuilt the city." he replied, in a slightly amused tone, as if already basking in the anticipation of what was to come while he slowly relaxed himself to pave the road for a state of Clara. "My knowledge of Prime is quite outdated, and since I reside in the Imperial Forum now, I haven't even checked out my old hovel in the Domicilium. I'm going there tomorrow, assuming I can even find the place again." If he was lucky, there would be squatters to kick out. He intended to do so personally. Fun times indeed. "You are more than welcome to join me, though I guess you'll have much more interesting things to do..."

His voice trailed off, Roisin might perhaps interpret it as a signal that he was politely giving her a chance to answer or even ignore the offer. But in truth, he was casting a spell. There were many, many odd sides to the Senator of Sherian. For one, the red wine in his glass was no longer red. No, it was a solid, opaque grey, reminding of mercury or aluminium, nothing like the stunning copper streaks that made Nuryondi so coveted. As a result, the glass was now a round, distorted mirror and Ody could finally get to see Stephan's form, even though his facial features were hard to tell on the improvised, curved surface.

"It is a law of nature" he shook his head in what was supposed to be a sad face but was actually barely refraining from grinning "Always someone more handsome than yours truly in a ten meter radius at any given time."

[Roisin Beauvais]

The female half elf was not in fact, in any hurry to leave this conversation. Instead she listened to what her new friend had to say whilst merely keeping an eye on what was going on about them. It was a trick she had learnt as a result of spending too much time in the taverns of Medonia where she had soon learnt to keep her wits about her. As Odyleon spoke, she picked up on his comment about living in the Imperial quarter and raised her eyebrows. Politicians. She didn't have a great amount of trust for them, but on the other hand, she respected a man with ambition. Just be wary of a silvered tongue, her mother used to say, and Roisin was. She often found that it was exactly this kind of man who was the worst for catching you off guard.

But still, she was still fascinated by the man before her, and thought for a moment before deciding that yes, perhaps she would like to accompany him to his home tomorrow, it would pass some of the day and allow her to wander around feeling slightly less vulnerable, though she wasn't sure quite how handy Odyleon would be in a fight. He didn’t seem the brawling kind, perhaps more the thinking kind, which was fine by her.

“That sounds nice” she said simply, looking at him carefully as he seemed a little hesitant. She hoped it wasn’t a pity offer. Unaccustomed as she was to the ways of the arcane, Roisin didn’t really notice what her new friend was up to, and looked a little confused at his remark about Stephan. After following his eyes however she realised what he was referring to and blushed slightly, she hadn’t meant to be rude.

“That’s not the case” she said hurriedly, not wishing to make more of her acquaintance with Stephan than was actually real “Just a face I wasn’t expecting to see here is all”

She smiled at Odyleon, but was a little unnerved by this new side to him, another thing you could not trust was a man who knew magic that you did not understand.

[Odyleon]

There was something intriguing about Roisin beyond her undeniable physical beauty, the Mystic felt, though he could not put his finger on it. Mystery, she was mysterious in more ways than one and Ody was eternally attracted to the unknown, the uncertain. Before his appointment, he had been a private investigator of sorts - and he still was one, in parallel with his activity in the government, though he could not let the girl know that one secret, for her own safety. Not yet.

Her embarrassment filled him with a mix of amusement, guilt and silent appreciation of her blushing. "You owe me no explanation, I assure you!" he replied genuinely "I'm sometimes too curious for my own good, I know it's going to get me killed some day." It nearly had in the past. Still, Roisin the newcomer had recognized a familiar face in the crowd of the Crown Inn? One more 'coincidence' adding up to the total; the conundrum of her veiled, very well veiled mistrust, though he could not say if it was directed at him in particular or people in general; and the reason why she was there in the first place.

But first thing first, he needed to clarify a thing or two about his Arcana. "This is good magic" he tried to reassure the Half-elf, pointing at the mutated glass "Even if it's a lie, it helps people to see the Truth. But I'll make it go away right now, don't worry." He touched the top of the glass with one finger, and all of a sudden the mercury-like substance turned back into wine, as if nothing had ever happened.

"My offer, on the other hand, is very real, Miss Beauvais; I will be honored to take you on a tour of Prime tomorrow. I have to re-acquaint myself with the city, as well, and I don't really know anyone here." Ever the shy type, which made an odd contrast with the rest of his personality, Ody was still waiting for Roisin's permission to address her in a less formal way.

All thoughts of Stephan cast aside for the time being, he realized he was monopolizing the conversation and still knew next to nothing about her. "But why don't you tell me a little about yourself?" He was too curious for his own good.

[Roisin Beauvais]

Whilst Odyleon was pondering the mysteries of Rosin, she was thinking the very same about him. A strange mixture of confidence and apology, the two not seeming to sit well together. His explanations of magic were observed, but Roisin had desires of her own in this respect. She hated not being to hold her own where others were proficient, and nothing created that feeling quite as well as knowing that a person had infinite powers that she could not even imagine. Still, her time would come to learn of those things, perhaps even here in Prime if she deigned to stay.

And yet, she was still interested in Odyleon even knowing that he had this advantage over her. It was one of the drawbacks of being attracted to powerful men, one always felt inferior. In the long term. Roisin had plans to remedy this though. For now, she took another sip of wine, allowing the moment to provide some relief from the strange intensity of this man.
It certainly hadn't been in her plans to spend time dallying around with strange men, but it was only a day, she supposed and she had nothing definite arranged per se...so she flashed Odyleon another smile.

"Well then, you shall show me the sights of Prime.." She paused for a second before adding "...and please, it's Roisin".

His next remark was not, shall we say, unexpected. He seemed very adept at directing the flow of the concersation, and asking questions. Usually this would annoy her, but at the moment, Roisin went along with the routine, giving answers that she hoped would be incosiquential and even throwing in a few of her own for good measure.

"Well, Mr Meires, what would you like to know? I just travelled here from Medonia, where I have a home, and then i came into this pub and a rude man bumped into me.." She was teasing slightly, avoiding giving away too much information whilst still being polite. "And what of you, you don't seem the type for drinking, so what brought you in here this evening"

[Odyleon]

This was strange, definitely unlike the behavior pattern he had come to expect in his brief stint as a politician. Usually, when confronted with power, people would try their best to advertise themselves and be remembered. But not this time. Roisin was doing nothing out of the ordinary to draw his attention despite his hints. No flirting, the bare minimum of words to stay on the polite side, no attempts at impressing him. Excellent. If anything, he realized, she might be perceiving him as the one trying to impress her. Which could even have some truth to it, all things considered.

"I visited Medonia last spring, before the Pox was cured" he nodded, wondering if her aura of detached balance had something to do with having lived in the Pox-ravaged city of horrors. His memories of the place were anything but fond. "I remember exchanging a few words with the PonderTree and playing a couple rounds of PonderBall. Hopefully the city is faring a little better now, isn't it?"

Enough beating around the bush. He could not expect Roisin to reveal more without telling her about himself and his job. Not one to flaunt a position he had done nothing to deserve as of yet, he decided not to put too much emphasis on it, though. "This place... it is full of memories" he said, his tone betraying more seriousness - he was perhaps being serious for the first time since he had met her "I left Prime because of a rumor I heard from a waiter here. Looking back at it, maybe I shouldn't have. But to cut a long story short, I ended up in Sherian, and Sherian is the province I still serve."

His eyes narrowed slightly, a smile carrying a slight undertone of sadness, there was no way to know how his life would have been if he had stayed. "In the Imperial Senate, Roisin." And then, regaining his usual brightness: "And it's Odyleon, or even better, Ody. My parents often called me Number Seven, though. A big family we were!"

[Roisin Beauvais]

If Odyleon could not recognise the subtleties of Roisin's flirtation then he was obviously of the school of men that 'did not understand women'. True, this did encompass most of them, a fact that she had come to understand quite some time ago. She didn't admire power enough to worship it,but rather she was appreciative of any person with enough ambition to carry them there.
She herself was still learning much, a childhood in a small village had left a lot of life knowledge unlearned, and she found it much more beneficial to allow others to divulge information than to dominate conversation with her own stories. Besides, most of a woman's power lay in her little mysteries...

So it seemed both of them were trying to figure the other out, and neither seemed willing to relinquish any ground. She because she really had little to tell, and him...well Roisin supposed she might eventually find out. His talk of the pox did not stir any repressed feelings in the half elf, she had arrived in Medonia after the pox, and had seen little but the slow recovery of a city ravaged by disease. She did have a distant cousin who had perished, but they had not been close since he had tried to look down her blouse when she was 16.

"I'm glad to say I only arrived after the pox, but it does seem that the city is regaining it's feet a little, yes."

She believed there had been a carnival of some description as well, although she had not partaken in it. It seemed her new friend had become a little more serious as he went on, and Roisin looked at him carefully, there were obviously stories behind his words that for she could not yet fathom, but she nodded as he spoke.
Almost as soon as the man had spoken though, the cload of joviality descended again, and the female half elf surveyed him through slightly narrowed eyes for a moment. Then, leeting the moment pass, she smiled and took his hand briefly.

"Well then, Ody. It's nice to meet you. And this wine, is even nicer!"

She raised her glass and took another sip, first clinking it merrily with his. It was nice to meet someone, especially on a first night in a new city. She supposed she really had better see about a room before this wine began to go to her head, on an empty stomach she didn't suppose it would take long. But perhaps just for a little while longer she would stay and chat with Ody...