[Open Topic] Getting Acquainted

[Conor]

65 Winter of 509 AV

It seemed like she was fighting the same inner battle like he was; whether or not they trusted each other. In some strange way, it reassured Conor, he didn’t know why, but it did. Until he could fully grasp her complex personality, he would be careful around her, but he would treat her like a friend. “Of course, I’d love to,” she replied when he asked her if she wanted to grab a drink. Excellent, Conor thought. Hopefully she liked liquor like he did, for he was known to drink a bit too much from time to time. He really craved for a drink now; already tasting the liquor, he grabbed Rai’s hand politely, but decisive, and he pulled her gently towards the nearest inn. One of the first things Conor had sorted out when he arrived was to find the inn with the best price-quality ratio. He had succeeded, and now they entered a small cosy tavern.

The furniture was simple, as were the decorations; some simple flower garlands decorated the doors. A few locals were already enjoying their daily ale, and the waitresses were hurrying themselves from table one to table two. Conor led Rai to the nearest table – a nice and cosy one in the corner, near the fireplace – and he called a waitress. For a while, it was silent... Not the odd one that tends to make people feel uncomfortable, no, it was a more pleasant silence. But it wasn’t half as appealing as conversation, so Conor started their conversation again. While he asked her why she had left the wilds, a waitress appeared and asked their drinks. Annoyed by her bad timing, Conor shrugged, and was tempted to make a harsh remark. But then again, he had called for her, so he had himself to blame.

“A bottle of gin please,” he asked. He waited for Rai to order her drink, and then he asked for the third time: “So where are you heading?” He smiled at her. The conversation was going to be even more amusing now that they were inside a warm inn. And with the help of a drink, they could have a good time together. Conor was still curious to find out all about her, and about her experiences concerning travelling. Perhaps she had could share her wisdom? Or perhaps she was a greenhorn in travelling, just like him. Only time would tell, but of that, they had plenty.

[Laeraix Cerys]

Laeraix didn’t really know what do when Gray grabbed her hand and dragged her into the nearest inn. She had never been to a bar, so she didn’t stop him. When they arrived inside she was pleasantly surprised that the inn was nothing like those she had heard about in Avari’s stories. The barkeep wasn’t gnarled and cleaning the bar with a dirty rag, and all the waitresses were dressed in real clothes, not just strips of cloth. The best feature of the inn was its warmth. A huge fireplace stood in the middle of the back wall, and it was adorned with red stone. Flames billowed out of the pit and radiated warmth to every inch of the room. The décor was sunny and it added to the luxurious feel of the inn.
When they sat down at the table she laughed at Gray’s attempts at asking questions. When he finally ordered gin, she decided to have the same. As she had never had alcohol before, she didn’t know the names of anything else. She smiled brightly and hoped that he didn’t notice.
“So, where are you heading?”
She laughed lightly before responding.
“I don’t know really. I was just wandering around until I found something. I’m game to go anywhere.”
She couldn’t wait to try the gin. She wondered how she would fair flying if she got drunk; she would have to try that later. Gray seemed more relaxed here than he had on the street. It had been a long day, thus far and Laeraix couldn’t wait till she could fly to her tent and sleep. She wondered where Gray would stay tonight. Probably in an inn like this, or some other upscale place. Maybe he had a home here. She would truly like to find out more about him.

[Conor]

65 Winter of 509 AV

She laughed when his futile attempt to ask her something failed due to the bad timing of the waitress. He grinned, and nodded approvingly when she ordered the same drink. A woman who was capable of holding a few ales without passing out was pretty rare these days. Most civilian woman didn’t go to public drinking establishments, and the ones that did go there were usually addicted or they had other problems. Girls hanging out at bars usually weren’t that attractive but they were easy to get. And that was the main problem Conor had with them; he enjoyed the flirting, the hunt for women always was one of his favorite pass-times. Another thing that bugged him about them was that they were so shallow, that they just lived to flaunt their beauty – if indeed they had any – and that they had no well formed personality at all.

“I don’t know really. I was just wandering around until I found something. I’m game to go anywhere,” she said. Conor grinned, perhaps they could meet again in another city? Or they could travel together for a while? As long as she wasn’t going to restrict his movement, he was happy with the company. But it was too early to make plans, right now, he just wanted to enjoy his gin in the comfort of the inn, accompanied by a pretty lass. Just as Conor was about to say something, the waitress arrived again. Silently, Conor cursed the young girl serving the drinks. They sure were skilled in interrupting conversations. But at the same time, he could not help but chuckle, was it just coincidence or were all citizens of Syliras actually trying to annoy him. “These people haven’t heard of timing yet, have they?” He grabbed his gin, and hit her glass softly with his.

“So tell me a bit more about you,” Conor said. “I’m not saying that you should entrust me with every detail of your life, but I’m dying to learn more about you... You’re really are quite an intriguing woman!” Conor’s voice sounded smooth and masculine, and as the gin heated up his body, he became more and more relaxed. Hopefully the drink at the same effect on her, she still seemed a bit tensed, or was that just his imagination? As he rocked back with his chair against the wall, he pondered about her possible answers. Hopefully they were as satisfying as he hoped for, or at least as intriguing as the person they belonged to.

[Laeraix Cerys]

Laeraix was liking the inn more and more. Maybe she could spend some of her miza’s on a room. She pondered it. It would be nice to sleep in a warm bed again, and she had the gold to spare.
“These people haven’t heard of timing yet, have they?”
She shook her head and chuckled.
“These Syliran’s haven’t heard of anything, they just live their lives like no one else is around. I hope that other cities are more hospitable.”
After a few minutes of drinking the gin, Laeraix felt lightheaded. She fought the urge to giggle. Everything seemed so funny all of a sudden. He wanted to know more about her. Where should she begin? Should she lie? She didn’t want to tell him about her Kelvic nature, at least not yet. She shuddered as she remembered the reaction of the last man she had told. He recoiled in horror and called her a great many things. After a few blows from her staff he apologized, but the damage had been done. Her nature was a curse, and she doubted she would ever find a bond mate.
“I never lived with my parents, and my tutor Avari taught me all I know I know. We focused a lot on stealth--”
Laeraix stopped short. Why would she tell him that? It must be the gin. She would have to make an excuse to leave, before she said anything else. She sighed, she had finally meant someone that was normal, and she had already blown it. Maybe it was better for her to stay in the skies after all.

[Conor]

65 Winter of 509 AV

As their conversation continued, and their glasses got empty, she became more and more cheerful. Conor had already sunken three glasses of gin, and he didn’t feel anything of it – safe for the warm embrace of the liquor. The fireplace contributed to the dense air and Conor laid back, listening to Rai’s response. “I never lived with my parents, and my tutor Avari taught me all I know I know. We focused a lot on stealth—“ Suddenly she just stopped talking, she was either embarrassed or maybe she thought that she had said to much? Perhaps he had asked something impossible from her? It looked like she was ready to run off... The alcohol had made her impulsive, or had she been planning on leaving all along?

Conor knew that he had to do something, he had to tell something similar to comfort her. But what could he tell? If he told her about his father then it was easier for that man to find him. He sighed. He drank another glass – the bottle was already half empty – and he started talking. “I hail from Taldera,” he started. He didn’t know what to tell, but he just jumped off a cliff, time would show where he would fall. Hopefully she recognised his gesture. “The winters there are... well to me, there all I know, but to outsiders the winters are hell...” He was struck by nostalgia for a while, but when he thought about his journey, that feeling left him quickly.

He reached into his pocket, and took his snowguards out. He put the goggles on the table and explained: “We use these to protect our eyes in snow blizzards. They’re the only link I have with Taldera...” He drank another glass of gin – and yet another. Soon, he had problems finding the right words to complete his sentences. “I could tell you tons of stories were I was in trouble... with blizzards and all...” He chuckled when he remembered that one time where he had tried to climb a mountain in the middle of a blizzard because another guy had dared him... Maybe he should’ve told her about that?

[Laeraix Cerys]

Laeraix was ready to bolt. She looked around the room and surveyed her possible exits. She had at least three exits, and four if she counted the broad window next to the door. It seemed brittle and of low quality, so a few blows at the edges of the panes would shatter it.

Laeraix didn’t want to leave, as she truly enjoyed Gray’s company, but she had already said too much. No wonder Avari hadn’t let her drink any alcohol before; she was a mess as a drunk. Learning the ways of the city was proving harder than she had originally thought. It was a difficult dance to learn, and even harder to master. She studied Gray intently. He seemed at home here, content and still quite in control of himself, even after three glasses of gin. Men were like that. They could drink gallons of alcohol and still be perfectly fine, and here she was, making a complete and utter fool out of herself.

Gray began speaking and Laeraix listened intently.
“The winters there are... well to me, there all I know, but to outsiders the winters are hell...”
She watched him as he smiled, it seemed he was lost in the memories of his frozen homeland. She knew the feeling quite well, and often found herself running through the wilds, oblivious to the noise and cobblestone of Syliras. Gray took out a contraption she had never seen before. They resembled the glasses some merchants used for reading, but they were much thicker.
“We use these to protect our eyes in snow blizzards. They’re the only link I have with Taldera...”

She shivered. Laeraix had never liked the cold, and she could only imagine what a blizzard would be like. She felt bad for Gray. For whatever reason, he had left home, and that was sometimes the hardest step to take. It was easy to talk about venturing out into the unknown, but few people could leave all they knew.
“I could tell you tons of stories were I was in trouble... with blizzards and all...” He said.
She laughed aloud, for what seemed the millionth time tonight. For some reason she had imagined him trying to use his sword in that weather. He probably knew how, and in her opinion, if you could use a weapon with your fingers frozen solid, you could do just about anything.

She sighed. Laeraix had already told Gray about her training in stealth, and he seemed open enough, so she decided to tell him more, even if it meant he would see her as an abomination.
“Do you know of the Kelvic? I happen to be one. A eagle, as chance has it.”

She was ready to bolt again, and had half a mind to grab her quarter staff, in case things got ugly between them. She looked down at the gnarled oak table and studied it as she awaited his response. Her hands were underneath the table, and clenched, already prepared for the ineveitable rejection she would surely face.

[Conor]

65 Winter of 509 AV

She relaxed again as he continued to tell her about Taldera, and the cold climate there. Whilst he was telling her about the cold, she shivered, and Conor couldn’t help but smile. He tried to imagine her, trying to withstand a snow blizzard, but he failed. She was more of the southern type, who enjoyed hot weather and sunshine. When she laughed out loud, Conor couldn’t help but laugh with her. That one time, when he had climbed that mountain in the blizzard, he had been in hypothermia, and it had taken him several days to heat up again. His sword trainer hadn’t been charmed by the idea of missing three days of practice, and when Conor finally returned, he had learned a harsh lesson. The old trainer was very severe, and he had given Conor a beating he would never forget. But now, years later, that was a memory Conor could laugh about… That same trainer had been caught in a blizzard as well, two weeks later, and he had been ill for almost half a month!

“Do you know of the Kelvic? I happen to be one. An eagle, as chance has it,” she suddenly said. Kelvic? Eagle? What the hell was she talking about? She couldn’t be an eagle, she was a female human. But then, Conor suddenly remembered the old tales of shapeshifters who turned themselves into animals. Could she be one of them? Impossible, Conor thought, but then again, it would explain her mystical part. “Are you really a shapeshifter?” Conor asked. He sounded exited. What if she was one after all! He really wanted to know more about other races, and here, in Syliras, he was lucky enough to stumble upon one! If she was a shapeshifter, then she was able to fly, like a real eagle!

Conor tried to imagine himself, flying over the lush fields of Syliras, seeing the mountains of Taldera at the horizon, and little dots beneath him, dots who were humans in fact. Flying like that must be priceless, he thought. And now, he finally knew why she was so cautious. Most humans thought of other races as abominations, mutants, pariahs, and the list went on and on. But Conor was open to new experiences, he wanted to meet new people, he wanted to learn more things. That was one of the many goals he had for his travels. He smiled at her to comfort her once again. It looked like she was ready to bail out once more, but Conor wasn’t going to let her leave just yet...

[Laeraix Cerys]

Laeraix stared at him. Were there no Kelvic’s where he lived? She blinked and settled back into her chair. She thought that everyone has heard of her kind, and she knew that most loathed anything that wasn’t human. It angered her that most people were so narrow minded, that they couldn’t see past themselves for an instant, even if it made the world a better place.

“Are you really a shapeshifter?”
The excitement in Gray’s voice made her laugh.
“Yes, I really am. Do my eyes look normal to you?”
Her seemed to accept what she was, though she doubted he understood all the ramifications of what being a Kelvic meant. She thought of all she knew of Taldera, but she never remembered anyone mentioning Kelvic’s being there.

She continued, “I’ve been like this for as long as I can remember. Flying has it’s advantages, but I’m as easy to kill as any other bird in the sky. I’ve been shot at before, but I still wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

She poured more gin into her glass and drank it down in an instant. It was hard to judge Gray’s mood, and she was starting to feel the gin take a hold of her mind. Maybe she shouldn’t have drank that last glass. She grabbed her quarter staff and debated standing up. No, she couldn’t do that, no yet. She smiled at Gray.

“You don’t seem too put off by my nature. Why?”

[Conor]

65 Winter of 509 AV

She seemed to be surprised that he didn’t know anything about the Kelvic. How could he have know anything about them? He had spent most of his live in rural village – well, it had been a bit larger than an average village, by Talderan standards it was a small town – and he hadn’t exactly had the time to learn about other races. Day in day out he had practiced with his sword, he had chopped wood for the fireplace, he had searched for food, he had learned how to survive in the wilds, how to survive snowstorms and the like. It was a miracle that he had had time to learn how to read and write! His spare time had been limited, and the only travelers that ever visited his birth town looked like they were human… But then again, so did Rai.

When he asked her if she was truly a shapeshifter, she seemed even more surprised. “Yes, I really am. Do my eyes look normal to you?” she said. Conor shrugged, yes, he had gazed a couple of times into her eyes, and they were different than most people’s eyes, but judging by the eyes only, one could not recognise someone from another race? Or could one? “Your eyes look pretty to me,” Conor stated. Those yellow eyes suited Rai perfectly, they were as exotic and complex as her personality and race. “I’ve been like this for as long as I can remember. Flying has its advantages, but I’m as easy to kill as any other bird in the sky. I’ve been shot at before, but I still wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she continued. Of course it had its advantages! You could fly; that one magical word alone made Conor long for similar skills. But he was a human, nothing but a plain human.

So she had been shot at before; Conor suddenly felt a bit guilty. He had shot a number of birds out of the sky, and now, he heard that those made have been Kelvic as well. “Well, I’ll think twice before I’ll shoot a bird again,” Conor grinned. “How do you separate the normal animals from Kelvic ones?” There were lots and lots of questions Conor wanted to ask; like: have you met others?, or: do your people have their own culture? Conor was just dying to find out, but he awaited her response to his first question patiently. There was no sense in rushing things. “You don’t seem put off by my nature,” she said. “Why should I,” Conor responded. “I wish I could fly as well!”

[Laeraix Cerys]

Gray hadn’t ran from her yet. He hadn’t looked at her as if she had just sprouted new arms or appendages. Laeraix didn’t know whether to be surprised, or to drink more gin until she convinced herself it was true. When Gray looked at her eyes, he shrugged. Apparently he couldn’t tell the difference between her race, and that of other humans. But then again, most people couldn’t.

“Your eyes look pretty to me,”
She turned and blushed, hoping that Gray didn’t see. She wasn’t used to receiving compliments and when she got a compliment she didn’t really know how to react. Once she gained her composure she looked back at Gray and responded
“Thank you.”

She laughed at his next question, because many other people asked the same thing
“How do you separate the normal animals from Kelvic ones?”
“You don’t. We look exactly the same. Other Kelvic’s can normally tell when one of their kindred is near, but you’re not a Kelvic, so you’re out of luck.”

When he mentioned that he wanted to fly, she was even more surprised than she had been before. Many people accepted her nature, but very few wished to be as she was. Some didn’t know of the dangers, and others didn’t care that there were dangers. It was a fine line to walk. Gray was becoming more interesting by the second, and she realized that he was more complex that most warriors. He had many facets to his charming personality, but she wondered if he had secrets like she did. Surely, he must.

“You could fly, with training in the magic of morphing, but it’s complicated, and I’d doubt you’d want to go through such an ordeal.”

She wondered what his response would be. A morphing warrior. That would be something new in Mizahar.