You Remind Me of Someone... (Coltyn)

[Nydryn]

25 of Spring of 512 A.V. Her boot clad feet made soft sounds against the Ravok street. She had been wandering aimlessly all day, and was still restless. Her boots were worn down, not only from today’s pointless pacing, but from many days of travel and work and wear. Her tight black dress helped her blend with the evening shadows as the heat of the day started to subside. Nydryn’s short blond hair blew across her eyes, as her head tilted downward, avoiding the breeze that seemed to want to play with her hair even more. It danced around her legs, making her dress swirl out around her and her mouth formed a slight smile even though her eyes still seemed lost in thought. The entire day had been wasted. The entire season had been wasted. For the past days and days, Ny had not done anything except stick to the shadows and drown her sorrows in ale. Her life before this streak of not doing anything had been harsh, but she had enjoyed it… the life of a criminal. By no means was Ny a good little girl, as she sometimes seemed like one, with her pale, angelic face, her soft blond hair, and her deep blue eyes that men would often drown themselves in. But she knew her way around the bad side of Ravok, the one that few wanted to be a part of. It had been a long time since having a job, but Ny still carried her trusty daggers with her everywhere she went, at least one in her boot at all times. Her feet followed in that familiar path, and before she knew it, Ny was standing before the place where she had spent most of the past season- the Silver Sliver Tavern. Wasting away in alcohol had been Ny’s pastime for a while, and she felt the need to drown all of her current concerns in ale right about now. Stepping into the tavern, Ny took a seat in a corner and waved over a barmaid. The barmaid slightly smiled/smirked at her, for most employees of the Ravokian tavern knew Ny, as she was a regular customer. “A sliver sliver” Ny’s voice came out soft as she spoke to the young girl who was tending the tables. The barmaid nodded and whisked away to the back of the Silver Sliver. A menagerie of people always inhabited the tavern, and today’s crowd was no exception. Ny didn’t notice anyone she knew, and sighed in relief when her eyes came to rest upon a man. The tall handsome stranger was a face that Ny had not seen before, but she was not in the habit of conversing with strangers, so she remained in her seat, waiting for her drink.

[Coltyn]

The Silver Sliver was exactly as Coltyn remembered it: small, common, and full of life! Everything from the massive bar at the rear of the room to the serving girls in their silver embroidered dresses remained the same. Even the tiny, wooden stage that he and his brother had performed on, so many seasons ago, was just as they had left it. Smiling, the young Ravokian made his way to the end of the bar and ordered himself the house special, "a sliver," as he slid into place upon one of the many stools that lined the long counter. It felt good to be back here, which came as a slight surprise to Coltyn, considering the last time he was here it was with his brother. Sometimes returning to places that reminded him of his missing sibling caused him unnecessary grief. However, for some reason, that wasn't happening here. Well, not just yet it wasn't, and he was thankful for that small blessing. Upon the arrival of his drink, Coltyn took a few quick swigs and then proceeded to make himself a bit more comfortable at the bar. Clearly, a couple of hours of people watching was in order. Yep. He would spend the evening here, watching patrons come and go, playing a game he and his brother liked to play, which consisted of attempting to guess if someone was here on business or for pleasure, as well as a good time or to simply drown their sorrows. There was also the options of determining their social status, marital status, and sexual preference, but Coltyn wasn't sure he was up for that level of play. Hmm, whom should I start with? he thought as he scanned the room once, then twice, pausing for just a moment at a table with an attractive female occupant in a dark dress and short blonde hair. Perhaps I'll start with her. She looks like the sort of girl who has an interesting story to tell.

[Nydryn]

The man whom Ny had noticed had been scanning the room when his gaze fell upon her lithe form. He seemed to know the bar scene, as well as this particular tavern but Ny hadn’t seen him here before. His long glance hadn’t gone unnoticed, and even though she had not been in the mood for some casual conversation, she had become interested. The stranger’s tall form was muscular, but not so much so that it was unnatural. He was taller than Ny, that much she could tell, but there weren’t many men shorter than her five foot, five form. As to the man’s eyes, they were a bluish color that emphasized his attractive, angular face. His hair, a darker, dirtier blond gave the man even more appeal. His drink had come, and so had Ny’s which she had hardly noticed due to her observation of the man. He had been looking at her, but when the barmaid returned, she engaged him in some mild flirting as apparently she found him attractive as well. Holding the mug in her small, pale hand, Ny drank her sliver as if her life depended on it. Taking the time to assess her physical condition, Ny realized she hadn’t cleaned up in a while, and headed to the restroom where she could wash some of the grime of the streets away. The stranger probably would leave, or take no note of Ny’s absence, but she pushed it out of her mind. Of course, the man always could notice, and try to find her, but that was hardly likely as the pretty barmaid still had her full attention on him.

[Coltyn]

"Uh, yeah, it has been several seasons since my last visit," Coltyn informed the barmaid as she babbled on and on about how exciiiting her job was and how she simply loooved meeting new people and how the color of his hair reminded her of the corn silk in the fields back home and...and...and... Oh gods, would someone just stab me in the face already and end this torture! Coltyn inwardly screamed as he kept a smile locked in place upon his lips. "...and then I said to Laneese, 'Laneese, we meet interesting men nearly every single day we set foot in this place. Why would we ever need to go to Riverfall to meet a man?' and she said, 'Because the men around here are a little off.' But, honestly, you don't seem off. You seem like a nice enough man. Am I right or am I riiight?" "Uh, sure..." "Seeee, I knew it. I just knew it. The moment you walked through those doors right over there, I said, 'Laneese, now there's a man worth getting to know.' That's right. That's exactly what I said." "Well, I'm flattered, but..." "Oh, now, don't you go all bashful on me. I can tell you're a man who knows exaaactly what he has and how to use it. Am I right or am I riiight?" "Uh..." "Just looook at these arms! They're huge!" the barmaid squealed as she wrapped her hands around Coltyn's left bicep and squeezed. "Oh, by the gods, you've got the power of a bull wrapped up inside of ya! Am I right or am I..." "...riiight?" Coltyn was quick to cut her off as he attempted to slide off his stool. However, the barmaid was having none of that. Nope. None of that at all. Instead, she somehow managed to pin him against the bar as she pressed her body against his. "Seeee, darling, you already know what I'm thinking and we've only just met," she now purred in his ear and all he could think was... Please, someone, anyone, rescue me from this babbling beast!

[Nydryn]

Her eyes raised to look at her dirt covered face, as she stepped into the restroom. The blue depths of her eyes met those of her reflection as she noted the semi-lost look hidden within them. These days, after putting the search for her mother on hold had been filled with this deep longing for something more… something more than making do with the little she had… more than scraping by and then spending every last coin she had on alcohol, the drink that just added to this confusion which was her life at the moment. How did people do it, how did people find something to live for.. something they would die for? As of now, Ny couldn't think of one thing that was important to her other than her survival and that was debatable. Glancing back into the mirror, she filled her hands with water and splashed her face, clearing some of the dirt away revealing the lost expression on her face even more. The dirt on her face had finally disappeared after vigorous scrubbing, and looking more presentable, Ny journeyed back out into the tavern. The man that had caught her eye earlier was still enthralled in conversation with the barmaid, however his expression was like that of an animal caught in a trap. Her petty conversation seemed to bore him as he glanced anywhere else except the woman’s face. Perhaps out of pity for the trapped man, but perhaps just for another drink, Ny walked to the bar and called to the barmaid of which she knew the name, being a regular customer. “Srenda, would you be a doll and get me another drink please?” the words slipped out of Ny’s mouth as a small smirk appeared on her face. The woman glared at Ny, as she had upset her conversation with the man who seemed to be so interested in what she was saying. As the barmaid slipped away, Ny caught a look of relief on the man’s face. She knew she had rescued him from the blabbering woman, but surely this man received this kind of attention wherever he went. It shouldn’t be uncommon for him to receive attention from women, right? Glancing at him, and raising her eyebrow slightly to let him know she had seen the relief blatantly written on his face, she waited to see if the attractive stranger would introduce himself to the woman who had just spared him of the attention craving barmaid.

[Coltyn]

Coltyn didn't really believe in spirits scent from the heavens above, but, if he was forced to imagine what one would look like, he would venture to guess that they looked a lot like the woman sitting a few feet away from him. "You, uh, just saved me," he whispered to her, "and, for that, one Coltyn Baker is now in your debt, if not for life, for the rest of this evening." Amused with his own silly words, the Ravokian smiled to himself and then reached for what was left of his drink. Downing it, he placed the empty glass on the counter and then pondered his next move. Should he have another? Maybe he would strike up a conversation with his savior. He could even buy her a drink as a token of his appreciation. Yeah. That sounded like a good plan. As long as she didn't take it as a sign that he was hitting on her. Granted, for all he knew she was as clingy as the barmaid she had just rescued him from. Speaking of which... "Can I get you anything else?" Srenda purred as she leaned over the top of the bar, placing her ample bosom on the counter in just the right way, displaying her cleavage as if she were a professional on the street. "Uh, yeah, you can get us both another drink," Coltyn replied as he motioned toward the woman sitting a few spaces away, regardless of the fact that she had just been served. "I'll drink them both," he whispered as he moved a few stools closer. "Okay. Fine," Srenda snapped as she went off to fetch their order, clearly distraught by Coltyn's lack of interest in her. "It's the least I can do," Coltyn explained to his soon-to-be drinking partner. "She can be a bit much at times. Don't ya think?" he added with a bright smile.

[Nydryn]

After being released from the flirty attention of the barmaid, the man had displayed his thanks in the muttering of silly words. His amusement at the situation was entertaining, but Ny was glad she could help him out a little. While still in the middle of a drink, the handsome stranger had ordered two more drinks, relieving the two of the barmaid’s attention, if only for a little while. “A bit much indeed,” echoed Nydryn as she returned his smile with a slight twitch of her lip. As a fairly flight personality, Ny historically didn’t respond well to people prying into her personal life. However, the man didn’t seem to want to know her history and Ny didn’t feel particularly inclined to share it. Her past had been a mix of good and bad, of angels and demons, of joy and sorrow, all of which making Ny a complicated person to get to know. At this stage of her life, she didn’t know where she was going. She only knew where she came from, and the uncertainty of the future scared her. Realizing she had been spacing out whilst talking to the man she noticed he had given her his name, Coltyn. To be polite she realized that she should probably give him her name, especially if they were to become drinking partners as it seemed. “And I’m Nydryn but my friends call me Ny,” her big blue eyes glanced up from her mug to his face, “Oh and don’t worry, I can handle the second drink myself. I’m a big girl.” These words were said with no bitterness, and she slightly smiled at the startled look on his face due to her reaction.