Watch Carefully.

[Alexander Faircroft]

30th Summer 516AV
8:03PM
Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Sat in the corner of the tavern a hunched over figure nursed a slowly draining mug of ale. Instead of his usual foreboding armour-clad self. Even Kevith almost didn’t recognize him, the thinner blonde beard laced across his chin and shoulder length golden hair. Peering out from behind this dark curtain was a par of shocking green eyes. In front of him a deck of cards. One he normally used with his patron, often losing to the more experienced knight. In the darkened corner he sat at a table rather than his usual spot along the bar. Lifting the mug he took a long drink and with his free hand set to splitting and shuffling the cards.

Just something to do to keep his fingers nimble and ready for delicate motions. A dark cloud seemed to hang over his shoulders as the weight of his mind pushing down on him. The tankard clipped the table gently as he placed it his hand snow both going to shuffle the cards between them Some clumsiness flicking through but only enough for the more experienced people to see. Fanning the cards before him he took a glance through. A single look enough for him to memorize the entire positioning of every card. And now he started to shuffle again his mind keeping track of the cards location in his head. Still thought lost in trying to keep track of things he failed to notice when someone familiar walked up to his table. Only snapping his eyes up and away when he heard the voice.

[Imellion]

Timestamp: 30th of Summer
Location: Rearing Stallion

Imellion took a deep breath, feeling her chest rise and fall. It was a steady rhythm, this breathing, and it soothed her. That was a good thing, as she never felt at ease in taverns. The young woman picked her away through the tables and crowds, stepping between the other patrons. Most hardly gave her a glance. She wasn't in her armor this time. At least, not the plate. She still wore the brigandine over her dress, but that was all, and her hair tied up in a braid before being pinned into a bun. It was easier to take care of that way.

Somebody jostled her and she froze suddenly, hands clasped shut, but nothing happened. Her hands unfolded and she kept walking. Then she stopped. That face in the back, with the green eyes looked familiar. She had met him before and not terribly long beforehand. Not years ago, certainly, and not when she had first arrived in the city. No, she had met him sometime rather recently. Within the past year, certainly.

She frowned, and reached up to tug at her hair. It shifted as she stepped aside for a serving girl to pass carrying a tray. What was his name again? Ferrin? Garland? No, not Garland. She remembered him. Al? No! Alex! That was right! Imellion beamed. That was his name, definitely, and she repeated it to herself as she walked over.

Then she faltered for a moment. He looked different, even behind the beard. Something in his eyes and posture that she couldn't tell. What had happened to the man who carried around far too many swords? The warrior? Now he looked like one of the many unkempt drunks around the taverns, like the ones she remembered from slave auctions too. She shuddered and watched the cards. No idea what he was doing, but perhaps she could talk to him.

"Greetings" Imellion said softly, "Alex, right? May I join you at your table this evening? You seem.." She stopped there, not sure how to continue. Different, but they hardly met the last time. "You seem like you're waiting."

That worked, probably. Her insides ringed, but she kept the smile on her face, hoping it didn't seem strange.

Textbox by Aydel

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The moment the voice hit his ears light almost nervous in it’s approach yet somehow held a slight glee to itself. As he looked up he spotted the smile, somewhat larger and more relaxed than the last time he’d seen it. He could see her studying him trying to take in what exactly had changed about him. Despite the obvious rather unkempt or at least less than regulated appearance he just smiled. A Soft smirk yet practiced and well-worn to the point where it almost seemed like it was genuine.

“The Pleasure would be mine, Imellion.” He didn’t even have to recall that far back nor for even a second. Her name was already in the fore front of his mind. His hand outstretched and offering the chair opposite him as he placed the deck on the table. “I’m not exactly waiting.” He said with a small punctuated chuckle glancing off lightly through the open door. “I was reflecting. I was just honestly thinking back to the days before I joined the knights. The… Bad days.” He curled his hand into a fist pressing his fingernails into his palm to focus him. Throughout all of his speech his words seemed weighted and heavier, yet still kept that airy lightness of his soft voice. Almost like he was trying to rationalize it and wish it all away into being a dream.

“As for the difference in appearance, yes I know everyone has mentioned it… I’ve just been working too hard haven’t really had a chance to shave nor get to a barber.” As he spoke he brushed his left hand now clearly dotted with small crescents along his beard. The thicker but still light coloured hair slipped easily between them. “How have things been for you since we last spoke?” He lifted the cards again as he spoke moving them around in his hands trying to keep track of where the ace of trees lie.

[Imellion]

The Rearing Stallion

Imellion's smile broadened slightly as he gestured to an open chair and she sat down, smoothing down the front of her dress as she did. It was good to not be alone here anymore. The constantly milling crowd and unending chatter drove at her skull, someone was pounding spikes into her temples.

But then she frowned as he kept speaking, with only slight touches of a bitter smile at certain points. The bad times before the knighthood. Yes, she knew what that felt like. Cold nights in an iron cage, days of aching hunger, and the threat of violence that draped over her like a cloud.

She blinked to push the memories away, noting his clenched fist. His voice seemed the same, but the fist. She knew what drove that fist and it meant something. But when he came to speak of his hair, she gave a lopsided smile, trying to think of what to say that did not neglect the weight of his first part.

"A fine squire you are," She paused again, scrambling for words, "Not able to take care of your appearance like that." Another pause and she wrinkled her nose, "No maidens will look for you to be their champion." She blushed as the implications of what she said finally reached her mind. Then other implications hit her mind and she bit her tongue, face burning. She moved on, hoping he wouldn't think about that too much.

"As for reflecting..." Her voice faded away, and her fingers entwined themselves in her hair. Some distraction was better than none, especially as the memories crowded around even closer than the crowd around her. "Well, I have never found it to be a benefit, certainly not on my own bad days."

She sat back in the chair again, tapping her foot on the floor. It was steady and comforting, like the stone walls of the city. Not everything was as chaotic as her life had been. "But I have been well. Working on..."

Imellion stopped again and tilted her head. What had she been working on? What would that have been described as?

"Working on healing," She said finally. That should cover it well enough.

Textbox by Aydel

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The silence between his words and her sitting hung in the air like a raincloud. Threatening to burst any moment as opposed to pass. Though eventually she spoke and instead of the torrent Alex expected it almost seemed to float on by. She was right, a fine squire he was to neglect the basics. Well the very basics of keeping himself in a respectable manner. Though he couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle as she mentioned “maidens” and flushes a good shade of red across her cheeks.

“Perhaps Imellion you had someone in mind in need of a champion?” At this exact moment he was more having a little fun at her expense though not in a mean way. Though she continued as her words spoke of the reflection he was doing and how she never found it to be useful. Alex could see some sense in her words however it was often hard to agree when all he could see was where he failed in the past. A difficult thing to turn a blind eye too. He still caught her nervous twitch. The fingers through the hair was somewhat of a classic one but still hard to not entirely notice.

Though it was good to hear that she’d found something to work on herself. Healing of some description as she put it. He couldn’t quite allow a moment to break without him slightly commenting on it. “Are we talking internal or external healing?” A calm and open question for her to answer or not up to her discretion. Though now that that part of the conversation was over it felt like that pause was returning. As such Alex made a small smile and offered something lightly.

“How about a small game between us?” He spread the cards out on the table and took a quick scan of them before scooping them back up into a pile. “Simple rules if you know “Knights bluff” (essentially poker) a game my patron and myself play to learn about the other. How about it, we usually play with a small amount of coin to make things interesting however since were both friends here how about the loser of each hand has to drink a mug worth of Ale each round they lose?” An honest even toned smile parsed his face as he shuffled the cards, keeping a careful eye on the positions as they shifted amongst the deck. “You up for it?”

[Imellion]

[indent]"Perhaps Imellion you had someone in mind in need of a champion?" Alexander seemed to speak with a hint of a tease, especially as she blushed, but she bit her lip and cleared her throat. Now how to come back to that? It was a rather difficult situation to find one's self in, but she forced herself to lean forward and tap her finger to her lips.

"Well," She spoke in a whisper now, almost conspiratorially. "I might, but looking like that, no woman would want you as her champion." Then she leaned back, face more serious now. That was an interesting question, one she wasn't entirely sure how to answer.

In a way, it was both, because one seemed to impact the other. A healthy mind seemed to help with a healthy body and her mind seemed to get sicker when her body was not as healthy. She appreciated his smile though and the distraction the card game offered, especially as she considered this.

"Well," Imellion said after a moment, "Both for healing, and..." She trailed off for a few moments as she counted her money, "I'm not sure I have quite enough Mizas for too many rounds, but I might have enough for one."

She adjusted herself in her seat and leaned forward on the table, watching the cards carefully. Not that she really knew what she was looking for, but it seemed important to look at the cards.

"Can you explain how it works? It's been a long time since I was around cards."

Not since she left the caravan, in fact. Even then, she had never played. Only served drinks and food, or evaded their drunken outreaches. Normally they were better than that, but between cards and drink, well, they tended to deteriorate in their treatment of her. That gave her some feelings of discomfort, but they were far from terrible, at least. Maybe this was something that could help her. Only trying it would find out.

Textbox by Aydel

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The ease of the situation washed past him. He’d spoken to try and lighten the mood around the two of them a little. After all what was the point of taking time out to relax if one couldn’t relax? Though the words stung a little it was something Alex had resolved himself too a long time ago.
“That’s fine. I’m no champion, no hero.” There was a resigned sadness and acceptance in his eyes, but one that seemed to fall away within a flash. The smallest glance into what kind of man he was behind the veneer he tried to uphold. The upstanding noble, honourable man. Not the scared and upset little kid that he knew he was still.

“Well I know a few herbs for external injuries. Vyfox would be one and the other is belltor. Ground into a fine paste they help speed up healing cuts and other such injuries, though not ones that are too deep.” It was at least something to show that he hung onto a little of what Lynn; another friend of his who’d gone missing, had taught him.
“Even ones good enough. It’s just something to take the mind off of work, and other things…” He spoke his eyes never leaving the card pile. Even whilst explaining to her the rules and dishing out a hand two cards each Keeping a mental tally of what he’d seen whilst slipping the cards about he asked her peering down at his hand an Ace-ten off suit.

“Just one thing you should know about this game.” He spoke setting them back down and calling over a waitress ordering two mugs of ale. “It’s not my first time playing, and even if I manage to loose, I win. Mostly as I’ve managed to knock you off balance with nothing more than words.”