20th Day of Spring, 516 AV
She should've seen it coming. Just a chime ago she'd parted from her bar stool at nature's demand to use the privy far in the back of the Blue Bull. It was as clean as one might expect from a tavern. The construction of the women's was obviously an after thought, which the Myrian deduced while wandering back into the dark, stubby hall to reach it at the opposite side of the room. A strange sensation had started to pry at her from the moment she left the eye of the public, but it was the sound of the erroneous step of a foot just behind her that alerted her to the presence of her follower. Kaie turned with a furrowed brow just in time to catch the sight of a knife beginning to cut the air in search of her throat. Her forearms shot up to bring the vicious attack to a forceful halt. Her left hand, situated closest to the knife, wrapped the arm down against her hip with a secure grip around the wrist to immobilize the weapon. At the same time her right hand formed a fist that slammed against the side of the man's throat. She used her inner leg to reap behind his closest leg's knee, bringing him down upon the ale-sodden floor.
"Rynos? You petchin' prick!" the savage snarled with a knee applying dangerous pressure behind the elbow of the hand she kept control of. The familiar green Akalak grunted beneath her with an embarrassed, averted gaze. He tried to tug his arm back, but Kaie deterred him with agonizing pressure that threatened to break his limb. "What were you trying to do? Stab me because you're still bitter I found out your girl isn't into what's between your legs?" He continued to avoid her stare and ground his teeth. Her expression of disbelief changed into one of hot anger. She drove her knee into the elbow joint and cranked his wrist back toward her chest. A sickening snap rang out and Rynos' howls quickly followed. The knife was swiftly stripped from his grip and his useless arm dropped. Kaie knelt down beside him as he cradled his arm. She shook her head in disgust and planted the knife deep into the floor beside his head. "You hired me, jackass."
The jungle-born let out another growl as she turned and opened the door of the privy. It was stopped by Rynos' head where he laid. She closed the door and tried again, yanking it with the might she could muster. It smashed into the Akalak's head far harder this time, and his recoil left her with enough room to enter. Within a few ticks she had made more room for ale. The giant green Akalak was gone by the time she emerged along with his knife. The agitated Myrian hoped he hadn't retreated to lick his wounds for another day. Already she had spared his life twice when she had the opportunity to end it. A small part of her feared she'd have the restraint to observe Riverfall's laws no longer. Time for another drink, she suggested to herself as she wandered back from the dark little hall and into the greater tavern room. The patrons present turned in their chairs to watch her. Her amber eyes looked only at her awaiting stool. Whether it be for being involved in some sort of public scene or just her undeniably savage image, they always stared anyway no matter where she was.
"Another ale." The bartender nodded and went to turn, but another voice caught her. "This one's on me, Ann. Make it two." Kaie's eyes moved to peer to her right. Where there was once an empty stool beside her now sat a tanned human-looking man. His dark hair was shorn on the sides and the top was pulled back in a short pony-tail. Even at a quick glance one might notice he was practically perfectly manicured.
"Thank you...?"
"Call me Kesser," the mysterious man said with a wink. Ann returned to place the ale before the both of them. The Mizas she was owed were already seated neatly on the counter for her taking. "The Bull thinks you're trouble, but I quite enjoyed your show." Kaie took a long drink of her ale before she addressed his comment. "It's The Bull's tavern. If he thinks I'm trouble he can kick me out." A crooked grin spread wide across Kesser's face. He tasted his ale and leaned back a bit from the counter, eyeing her with a gleam in his dark eyes she couldn't identify. "Nah. Lucky for you The Bull thinks Rynos is a prick, too. Would it surprise you he doesn't make too many friends?"
"Not in the slightest." Kesser let out a chuckle and returned to nurse his ale. Kaie went to do the same, but found there was something about the man that was just...off.
"You don't have a Riverfall accent," she pointed out without accusation. "I take it you haven't been here long?" Kesser's brow rose and his shoulders gave a passive shrug. "Do you like parties, Kaie?" Her jaw dropped a bit and she tried to cover up the reaction with the gesture of simply lining her lower lip with her tongue. Did I ever mention my name? Did someone talk about me while I was gone from my seat? She scratched the back of her head. "Depends on the type of party."
"How about the type where you can spike the punch bowl?" Her head snapped to gaze at him with wide eyes. Her lips parted and then pressed back together a couple times, but nothing came out. Kesser threw his head back and laughed. "I mean, I thought the punch I bought for my guests was excellent but, I have to say, your touch was game changing." The Myrian blinked dumbly. This is the guy I was laughing about and mocking with that Akalak at the ball? Now she really was at a loss for words. "You were the one that threw that party?" Kesser hummed his confirmation as he drank from his tankard. Her cheeks felt hot. "Yes. I remembered you the moment you walked this way. That was a sick thing you did. I distinctly remember children filling their cups from that bowl."
"I don't suppose you'd believe me if I told you that was honestly a mistake?"
"I might...but that's not nearly so fun."
She should've seen it coming. Just a chime ago she'd parted from her bar stool at nature's demand to use the privy far in the back of the Blue Bull. It was as clean as one might expect from a tavern. The construction of the women's was obviously an after thought, which the Myrian deduced while wandering back into the dark, stubby hall to reach it at the opposite side of the room. A strange sensation had started to pry at her from the moment she left the eye of the public, but it was the sound of the erroneous step of a foot just behind her that alerted her to the presence of her follower. Kaie turned with a furrowed brow just in time to catch the sight of a knife beginning to cut the air in search of her throat. Her forearms shot up to bring the vicious attack to a forceful halt. Her left hand, situated closest to the knife, wrapped the arm down against her hip with a secure grip around the wrist to immobilize the weapon. At the same time her right hand formed a fist that slammed against the side of the man's throat. She used her inner leg to reap behind his closest leg's knee, bringing him down upon the ale-sodden floor.
"Rynos? You petchin' prick!" the savage snarled with a knee applying dangerous pressure behind the elbow of the hand she kept control of. The familiar green Akalak grunted beneath her with an embarrassed, averted gaze. He tried to tug his arm back, but Kaie deterred him with agonizing pressure that threatened to break his limb. "What were you trying to do? Stab me because you're still bitter I found out your girl isn't into what's between your legs?" He continued to avoid her stare and ground his teeth. Her expression of disbelief changed into one of hot anger. She drove her knee into the elbow joint and cranked his wrist back toward her chest. A sickening snap rang out and Rynos' howls quickly followed. The knife was swiftly stripped from his grip and his useless arm dropped. Kaie knelt down beside him as he cradled his arm. She shook her head in disgust and planted the knife deep into the floor beside his head. "You hired me, jackass."
The jungle-born let out another growl as she turned and opened the door of the privy. It was stopped by Rynos' head where he laid. She closed the door and tried again, yanking it with the might she could muster. It smashed into the Akalak's head far harder this time, and his recoil left her with enough room to enter. Within a few ticks she had made more room for ale. The giant green Akalak was gone by the time she emerged along with his knife. The agitated Myrian hoped he hadn't retreated to lick his wounds for another day. Already she had spared his life twice when she had the opportunity to end it. A small part of her feared she'd have the restraint to observe Riverfall's laws no longer. Time for another drink, she suggested to herself as she wandered back from the dark little hall and into the greater tavern room. The patrons present turned in their chairs to watch her. Her amber eyes looked only at her awaiting stool. Whether it be for being involved in some sort of public scene or just her undeniably savage image, they always stared anyway no matter where she was.
"Another ale." The bartender nodded and went to turn, but another voice caught her. "This one's on me, Ann. Make it two." Kaie's eyes moved to peer to her right. Where there was once an empty stool beside her now sat a tanned human-looking man. His dark hair was shorn on the sides and the top was pulled back in a short pony-tail. Even at a quick glance one might notice he was practically perfectly manicured.
"Thank you...?"
"Call me Kesser," the mysterious man said with a wink. Ann returned to place the ale before the both of them. The Mizas she was owed were already seated neatly on the counter for her taking. "The Bull thinks you're trouble, but I quite enjoyed your show." Kaie took a long drink of her ale before she addressed his comment. "It's The Bull's tavern. If he thinks I'm trouble he can kick me out." A crooked grin spread wide across Kesser's face. He tasted his ale and leaned back a bit from the counter, eyeing her with a gleam in his dark eyes she couldn't identify. "Nah. Lucky for you The Bull thinks Rynos is a prick, too. Would it surprise you he doesn't make too many friends?"
"Not in the slightest." Kesser let out a chuckle and returned to nurse his ale. Kaie went to do the same, but found there was something about the man that was just...off.
"You don't have a Riverfall accent," she pointed out without accusation. "I take it you haven't been here long?" Kesser's brow rose and his shoulders gave a passive shrug. "Do you like parties, Kaie?" Her jaw dropped a bit and she tried to cover up the reaction with the gesture of simply lining her lower lip with her tongue. Did I ever mention my name? Did someone talk about me while I was gone from my seat? She scratched the back of her head. "Depends on the type of party."
"How about the type where you can spike the punch bowl?" Her head snapped to gaze at him with wide eyes. Her lips parted and then pressed back together a couple times, but nothing came out. Kesser threw his head back and laughed. "I mean, I thought the punch I bought for my guests was excellent but, I have to say, your touch was game changing." The Myrian blinked dumbly. This is the guy I was laughing about and mocking with that Akalak at the ball? Now she really was at a loss for words. "You were the one that threw that party?" Kesser hummed his confirmation as he drank from his tankard. Her cheeks felt hot. "Yes. I remembered you the moment you walked this way. That was a sick thing you did. I distinctly remember children filling their cups from that bowl."
"I don't suppose you'd believe me if I told you that was honestly a mistake?"
"I might...but that's not nearly so fun."