[The Rearing Stallion] Thirst Quenching

by **Fallon** on June 1st, 2013, 5:15 pm

4th Summer 513AV
17th Bell

It was hot, the summer heat having crept its way into the citadel and along the corridors. Or at least that was the case for Fallon. She had found the entire structure turning hot and sticky within, the air growing still and dry and her throat parched. And as far as Fallon was concerned the best way quench her thirst was in the direction she was quickly heading. Fallon was never a fan of heat, or more correctly a summer within the stone box called Syliras. It made her grouchy, uncomfortable and most importantly - to her at least - it had a strong tendency to make her ill.

In the late afternoon, the Rearing Stallion was yet to be filled by the usual bubble of patrons, but the ale had yet to be poured and would remain fresh for a while. Sliding through the door way, the squire entered her armour and coat having been discarded at the squire dormitories, leaving only the gentle clatter of her sword within its scabbard marking her entrance.

Careful steps led her up to the bar, and leaning against it Fallon peered at the spirits and drinks that were on show there. For a moment she stood, fingers drumming against the surface as she weighed up possible options. A hand stretched out and pulled one of the barstools over, whilst her mind continued to work. Leaning right over she tried to grab the attention of one of the barmaids.
"Can you get me an ale?" Fallon tugged at her shirt collar, and undone the top button to allow the cooler air in. She gave a heavy sigh and played with the chain that held her pendant in place for a moment, before letting it dangle before her "Can you get me a bite to? Petching starved."

Whether or not anyone heard her was unknown, but the squire was in no immediate rush. The Stallion after all was fractionally cooler than the world within the corridor and beyond. Her hand rubbed at her brow as she remembered the last season's worth of training, and thought through the necessities she would have to do in order to reach her end goal. A seemingly impossible task at present, but one that she knew she would reach with hard work and perseverance.
Petch me it's warm.
x

by **Shiress** on June 6th, 2013, 2:35 pm

Gods it's hot! Four days into the season and Shiress already hated Summer in Syliras, but not as much as the sultry days she spent slaving, literally, in the fields of Sunberth with temperatures hovering around 100 degrees almost daily. What she wouldn't give to have a good strong bonesnapper come wafting through the Stallion right about now.

The tavern door was propped open with a stool and every window was held open with various size sticks, the forlorn fireplace was cold and pathetic looking and quite unappealing in the summer heat. The tables were mostly empty with the lunch crowd long returned to work. It was the calm before the storm that would soon bring the wave of supper time patrons.

Shiress was sitting behind the bar, one hand holding carrot to her mouth, the other held a book. Her long, auburn hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a few shorter strands curling around and framing her face perfectly. The top of her blouse was pulled open and plunged down behind her apron, her pants legs rolled up to the knee and she'd be barefoot had the owner not been there.

The barmaid, nose down and completely lost in the story of her book, didn't hear or see the newest patron enter the tavern. Her call for ale nearly startled the book right out of the girls hands, but she recovered, saving her reading adventure from plummeting to the floor and placed it on the bar and stood, hoping for gods sake ale was all she wanted. the kitchen was hot and she tried hard not to hate the patron who asked for food. Poor Aidan.

She glanced up with a smile and a nod of her head, doing an obvious double take at the woman having recognized her face, but shyke, what was her name?
Favion? No. Falcon? No. Faline... "Fallon!" She said as she turned, ale in hand."Your name is Fallon, right? It's nice to see you again. It's been a while."

She placed the mug down in front of the squire and smiled, leaning over the bar looking toward the floor of the tavern. "No Orvil...Orvin today I see?" As she straightened herself her sight was drawn to Fallon's chest as a slit of sunlight caught the chain around Fallon's neck. "That's a pretty jewel there you have, sets off your eyes." She smiled again as her eyes lifted. "So, how have you been? Busy training, I'd guess?"

by **Fallon** on June 9th, 2013, 8:42 am

Fallon gave a yawn as the woman came over and hovered there, with a firm smile upon her lips. It took the squire a moment to register who was addressing her by name, but when she did finally realise she gave a nod and spoke “It is Fallon. And it is Shiress, no? It has been a while.” She released the necklace properly and let it dangle there before her hand rubbed at her brow. It was still too hot, the air sticky and clinging. Placing down the coin for the mug, Fallon stared over the top of it and into the pale depths of it as if contemplating where to start. Fingers wrapped around the edge of it before she leaned in and took a sip.

“Orvin. And no, he’s hiding in the shade and cool somewhere,” she paused for a moment “Can’t say I blame him in this heat. And trust me, you’d know if he was here,” her fingers gestured to the bar top “You wouldn’t need to lean over this to see him.” The wolf had indeed grown large from the last time she had seen Shiress, though he still maintained a large amount of his puppy mentality and energy. That and he had grown a lot more vocal, which was only a slight annoyance when the squire was contemplating sleep. She made no comment about the necklace, instead she only straightened herself and kept a careful gaze on the hands of Shiress.

“Training is training, and I’m always busy doing it. Making no progress you see?” Fallon sighed. In honesty it left her feeling slightly bitter, after all there seemed to be next to no progress at present. Of course there was always the fact she was blind to it. Her finger traced around the top, a small frown having formed itself there before she finally addressed Shiress “I guess it’s the same for you here then? Even with that blasted break out brawl.” The squire drunk once more from the mug, the glug of liquid filling her momentary silence whilst her mind worked through things and the events that had long passed. It had indeed been a strange spring “You keeping well?”
x

by **Shiress** on June 12th, 2013, 5:44 pm

The barmaid nodded her head when the squire guessed her name, feeling oddly complimented knowing Fallon had actually remembered her by name. Her eyes lowered to the chain and the pendent that swung about around the squires neck, her head canted curiously, the pendent looked strangely familiar, but before she could inquire, her attention was snatched away by the mention of a cute wolf pup, Orvin. Shiress adored wolves, she was truly intrigued by them.

"I guess he's hardly a wolf cub anymore." She said, raising her eyebrows as she imagined the size wolf Orvin must be. "I'd love to see him. You must bring him with you one day or let me tag along on a walk."

The girl frowned slightly, noticing Fallon's frustrations riding on her voice when she spoke of training. For a future knight, training must be a dedicated world of hard training, stress and abuse. Shiress had no desire to be such a thing, a barmaid title was just fine and if she parted this life having never wielded a sword, she'd be fine with that too.

"Oh gods...that brawl." Shiress rolled her eyes and shifted her weight hard to one leg. "That's one memory I'll not mourn when it has long been forgotten." She lingered in thought a tick, her eyes staring off past the squire, before she shook her head and smirked. "Lets hope that never happens again."

The girl straightened herself, having come alive with Fallon's voice again, and placed both palms on the bar before replying. "I'm keeping well, feeling a bit put under the weather, but well enough I think." The girl tapped the bar, and turned to leave. "Well, I'll be off in a bit, better get things done. It's wonderful to see you again and let me know if you have another round, oh, and give Orvin a pat for me, will you?" She glanced back at the necklace, shook her head and stepped away.

by **Fallon** on June 14th, 2013, 3:58 pm

“Yeah sure, you can come out with us one day if you want to brave the Bronze Woods.”

Fallon nursed her drink for a while, gloved fingers flexing around the mug whilst her eyes peered almost dreamily into its depths. She felt the loose hold of alcohol begin to grip on her and settle in, a once bothered mind slowly lifting. She tried to relax, to calm her nerves and strains, but once more she felt them burn within her mind. She had to get better, she had to get stronger. But how was the question. She drank again, the gloves rubbing against her neck. Getting cool was quickly becoming a struggle, even with her drink in front of her.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Fallon managed to tilt her eyes up and along the bar. A few more patrons had gathered around now, seeing drinks in the heat. The squire rested her jaw in her hand and felt a drop of sweat run down her jaw line. She gave a shake, rubbing it away before once more she leaned herself across the bar “Hey, uh… Shiress, do you have anything that isn’t ale to drink? Or won’t get me intoxicated?” she could feel herself almost gasping for it.

Draining the rest of her mug, Fallon placed it down with a mighty clunk. She tugged at her collar again, and then fought with the top button to let the air circulate better. What was this horrible feeling? The squire felt herself slump slightly before she ripped off her gloves and pushed back the sweat once more “You have something I could… you know… wipe this shyke away with too?”
x

by **Shiress** on June 20th, 2013, 4:49 pm

"Shiress?" Called Seth, stepping up close to the barmaid, giving the girl quite a start. "You're going to bore a hole in the bar if you clean that spot much more. You OK?" Shiress smiled through a sigh, staring at her towel, as she shifted her weight. "Im OK." She answered. "Just tired and lost in thought." "Well." He said smiling, placing a hand on the barmaids shoulder. "You better get a move on then, your shift is over and Dad will put you to work again if you're not careful."

As Seth stepped away, Shiress leaned a hip on the bar, her mind still wandering.

That pendant, I know I've seen it, but gods where?

She closed her eyes and thought hard on the winged pendent, but as hard as she tried, the memory wasn't there. Maybe Fallon wore it the day we met at The Stone Garden.

Her eyes opened and shifted to the squire just as she leaned across the bar and called her name. Shiress acknowledged the woman's request with a nod and turned for the kitchen. A short time later, the barmaid emerged with a mug of cool water and a cool, damp towel and headed for Fallon.

"This should help." She said, placing the mug down and handing the towel over the bar. As Fallon took the towel, her eyes lingered thoughtfully on the necklace swinging about her unbuttoned collar, offering the barmaid a better view. "Fallon." She said, her eyes still lingering on the necklace before upturning to the squires. "If I may, can I ask you where you got that beautiful jewel there." She asked, lifting her hand to motion toward the necklace.

by **Fallon** on June 24th, 2013, 8:37 am

Fallon took both, her eyes darting between the mug and the towel. She was weighing up which one to go for first, to quench her thirst or to wipe away what was clinging to her. Fingers wrapped tightly around the towel and she pushed away the grime that had accumulated there, and then let it hand across her shoulders with ease.
“Thanks,” she breathed as her hands too up the mug. There was a few strong glugs of the water, feeling the cool liquid slide down and fill her. A mighty sigh, followed by a gasp, and the clay was placed down with a clunk. She was released from the grip of heat. For now at least.

Her skin prickled as she looked at Shiress, before following the gaze down once more to the swinging necklace. She gave a blink at the question, and proceeded to give a shrug as the answer “I don’t know… or more, I don’t remember. I’ve always had it. Longer than I can remember. It’s always been there in reach since well…” her lips pursed, her brow creasing slightly with thought “Since before my first time in Syliras I guess. Always been there. Must be a lucky charm, kept me out of trouble whenever I wear it.” There was a brief smile as fingers played with the end of it, almost out of habit and then once more tucked it away out of sight. Fallon gave a nod, happy with the answer she had given despite the distinct fogginess of her youth. There were many questions she could have asked about herself, but she never did. The answers would come in due time.

“If it’s trinkets your after and you have the coin to do so, I heard the Bazaar has a little stall that sells them,” she wiped her eyes with the towel and stared into the mug of water “Might be gone now though. Who knows.”
x

by **Shiress** on July 2nd, 2013, 2:22 am

Several times, Shiress lifted her gaze from the necklace only to find her attention snatched away by it again. Paying no mind to the squire as she attempted to cool her skin, the barmaid mindlessly lifted her hand and without a word, grabbed the charm and held it thoughtfully between her fingers.

"No." She said thoughtlessly before dropping the charm to swing about again. "I don't fancy such things. Not really." She crossed her arms against the bar and smiled, looking up. "I just..it seems I have seen it before. The charm, I mean. The wing and the stone are familiar, or seems so." Shiress straightened herself and shook the thought from her mind. "Anyway, I'm off. If you need anything, Seth will see to it."

"It was good seeing you again, Fallon." She said, reaching under the bar and retrieving her bag. "Stay well and please remember our walk with Orvin. I'll look forward to it." With that, her fingers tapped the bar as she turned and made her way for the door. Stepping outside, she hesitated a tick, glancing back over her shoulder before stepping to the street and retracing the short path back to her apartment.

With downcast green eyes and an expression of one lost in thought, she walked slowly along the side of the street. Shiress knew she had seen the necklace before, but where? It was driving her crazy, she had to remember. It seemed important, like a mission in some way. Not paying attention to her steps, Shiress stumbled and dropped her bag, sending most, if not all, of its contents sliding across the stone in front of her. "Shyke." She hissed, kneeling to retrieve her scattered possessions. "I need my old bag. At least it closed and this woul...." Her eyes grew wide as she lifted her head. "My old bag!"

She quickly retrieved her things and shoved them in her bag as her steps became a slow run to Travelers Row. Coming up to the door, she slung it open, ignoring the man stepping out, and quickly passed through the corridor as her hand fumbled carelessly in the jumbled contents of her bag for her key and with a slide and twist of her wrist, the apartment door flung open and remained so as Shiress crossed the creaking floor and came to her knees in front of her chest.

The metal latch clanged against the stone wall as the lid was slung open. The barmaid wasted no time rummaging around within it, an occasional shirt and undergarment sent flying, landing against the floor with a soft thud. "Ugghh!" Protested an annoyed Shiress, slamming down the lid and glancing around the tiny space. "Where- is- it?"

She slid herself over to her bed, her long brown locks spread across the floor as she leaned down to check under it, but it wasn't there either. Again, she glanced around the room, there weren't many spots it could be hidden in or stowed, there weren't many spots at all in her tiny room. With frustration peaking the girl's face lit up as her eyes shifted to her chest. This time she didn't look in it, she moved it and looked behind it. It was there, half behind the wooden box, the other half under it.

Slowly, she pulled the bag away and sat on her bed. It was ripped and torn and a thin trail of crimson stained the outside, near the hook. She ran her fingertips along the front, tracing the remnants of her own blood. Her face softened into a doleful expression. She had forgotten that the bag was by her side as she lay helpless and injured in the Bronze Woods. It was a harsh reminder of the pain she felt there. She sighed, chasing the memory back and pulled open the latch.

She placed the bag thoughtfully in her lap and slowly withdrew a thin, silver chain from inside a hidden pocket and in the palm of her hand, she cradled a charm, the same charm that Fallon Skylar wore around her neck. Holding her breath, her fingers closed around the winged shape in her hand and she closed her eyes.

"Here, take this. You'll know her if you see the same." Whispered a weak, feminine voice. A thin arm stretched out and a dangling chain slipped down between thin fingers. "Syliras, I think, is where she may be, or so, I was told many a season ago." Shiress gently slid the chain from the woman's weak grip and held her hand as it fell back to her side. Tears rolled down the girl's cheeks as she touched the woman's pale, thin face. "I give you my word." Shiress said with a soft, compassionate smile breaking through tears. "I will find her."

Shiress opened her eyes and drew in a long, steady breath. So many broken and splintered memories of her past she wished to never mend, but the memory of a bonded friendship of one caught also in the evil web of Elijah Jordan was a welcomed one, at last. "How could I have forgotten you?" She whispered to herself, looking down at her hand thoughtfully.

She hastily slipped the necklace into her shift pocket as she stood, turning on her heel. She exited the apartment, made her way back through the corridor and onto the street. With heavy and deliberate steps, she made her way back to the tavern.

Fallon

OOCThe two can meet up again either in the tavern or the street or they can miss each other all together and you can take your exit, your choice

by **Fallon** on July 7th, 2013, 8:14 am

Fallon gave the barmaid a regarding look as careless fingers studied the pendant with thought. She would have pulled away out of reflex had her mind not been weighed down with heat along with the notion that the chain may have snapped otherwise. So instead she went ridged, and stared in silence. Far from impressed, the squire pursed her lips waiting patiently whilst Shiress continued to mull the thought over. It seemed like she had no sense of personal space, or care when she let the pendant drop and swing. Looping her fingers around the chain she tucked it away out of sight and out of reach from fingers that may have found an interest in it. She was not fond of other people touching her things, then again she could also blame herself for leaving it open and available for touching.

What a strange one. Touching everything.

There was little time for farewells though, and so Fallon just gave a simple wave. Her lips were preoccupied with the drinking at present to talk. She drained the last of her mug, and gave a hearty yawn. It was a sure sign she should retreat back to the dormitories for an early night and prepare herself for the next day of training. Lowering the cloth she gave her thanks to Seth. There was no reason to wait around anymore, and so she set herself easing out of her chair and away from the Stallion. A brief stagger, a wavering step as her feet became certain on the floor, before she slipped out onto the corridor.

Best to make time and head back before the busy evening came. She did not fancy being shoulder to shoulder with people. Not in this growing heat. Slightly dizzy headed the squire went onwards and towards her destination. Another long day had passed by, a day of training and working. Releasing a sigh, Fallon quit the immediate area around the Stallion with slow heavy steps marking her foot fall, “Same again tomorrow.”

oocFallon has escaped the scene!
x

by **Radiant** on July 23rd, 2013, 8:21 am

Fallon :

Shiress :

Notes :

My radiance is not bright enough?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, beam me a PM and we can work it out.

Skill	XP Earned
Socialization	+2 XP

Skill	XP Earned
Observation	+1 XP
Socialization	+2 XP
Running	+1 XP

Completed [The Rearing Stallion] Thirst Quenching