Completed A cold companion

[Shiress]

25th of Winter
513

The Stallion had long been empty. All the tables wiped had been wiped down, floor swept and bar cleared. A single wall lamp gave the Stallion a dim, scarce light and a weak fire against the far wall begged for a fresh log. The air about the tavern had gained a chill in the Winter night, but Shiress paid no mind to the cold that slowly crept in around her.

She sat alone atop the bar, legs perched in a stool, crossed arms resting over bent knees. Hair pulled free of its bindings now flowed freely down her back and around her sides. She looked to be in deep thought, staring blankly passed the tables and chairs perhaps to a less lonely place, less lonely as she was.

Her one true friend had far more important doing's to attend to, a new born baby boy and a life to build for mom and baby. It couldn't be easy to accept the challenges that came along with being a single parent and Shiress was more than happy for her friend and more than willing to step aside as Hadyn explored motherhood for the first time, but the girl refused to admit to anyone, especially herself, that she was jealous of the blacksmith's new life and the instant love that came with it. She wanted that piece of happiness, that little piece of acceptance and unconditional love. She deserved it, right? Hadn't she been through enough for such a blessing? Didn't she warrant a little mercy from the God's? Shiress thought so.

"Aaargh!" she grumbled piercing the quiet of the room and cutting off the green wave of envy that swelled deep within her chest "I'm thinking like a petching selfish vagik! What's the matter with me?"

Shiress slid her fingers through her long hair and leapt down from the bar with a sigh. "This sucks she grumbled shaking her head "I got to get over this nonsense. Hadyn wouldn't be jealous, she would be ecstatic and overcome with joy for me - wouldn't she?"

The girl leaned against the back of a chair and covered her face with her hands, annoyed at her own emotions. After a chime, she glanced around the darkened tavern as her fingertips slid hard down her cheeks "I need to sleep, I need to just go home and I'll be alright in the morning. I hope" She decided aloud and leaned across the worn counter and pulled her bag from under the bar and slung it around her shoulder. With a quick glance to the dwindling fire, she stepped quickly for the exit, pulled the door open and stepped right onto a soft mound of something that squealed, hissed and bolted for the shadows.

Completely caught off guard, the bartender twisted her weight and reached for the door, but missed and lost her balance. It took the poor girl a solid chime to finally fall, twisting, stepping and clawing at the brisk air for nothing that would reclaim her stance.

She sat in a mound of snow, wet and cold and rubbing at her ankle, eyes narrowed in a forward gaze searching the shadows for the creature, but none she could see. With eyes darting and scanning about she came to her feet "Was that a...cat or a dog? Oh god's, I hope it wasn't someone" she questioned herself into the cold, night air, her breaths escaping her lips in wisps of thin smoke as she spoke and took a cautious step forward. It was the second step that sent her back into the snow. She had hurt her ankle far worse than she thought and the injured and swelling joint was unable to support her weight.

"God's all mighty, shyke, petch me!" She growled attempting to rub the pain away "Well, I sure hope you fared better than me ya piece of - what ever you are!"

[Shiress]

Still consoling her ankle with her fingertips, Shiress glanced up again. The Stallion door still swung open, the light flooding through the door did little more than cast more shadow around her. She pulled herself up, holding her weight on the uninjured foot, and hopped as best and as carefully as she could back through the tavern door. "Gods" she hissed, shaking her head "How am I supposed to get home like this?"

She pulled herself up to the bar and took a seat in one stool as she stretched out the swelling ankle in another and pulled off her slipper. Her fingers rubbed gently around the joint, it didn't hurt when she pressed against it and she didn't feel any bones sticking out where they shouldn't be, but it was swelling and painful all the same "Must just be a sprain" she mumbled "or, at least, that's what Mom would always say"

A blast of cold air blew through the open door, the girl shivered and cursed herself for forgetting to close it as she hobbled through. She pulled herself up again and after limping from chair to chair she made it across the floor and grabbed for the door. As it swung back toward her, a tiny shadow raced passed her leg and into the tavern, the girl jumped back with a squeal and planted herself roughly into a chair.

Across the room, under a bar stool, sat a small kitten. His fur was black as night, smooth and long. His fluffy tail was curled about his legs, the tip flipping gently against his paw.

Shiress stared curiously at the thing. It was odd to see a cat sitting in The Rearing Stallion, but she was more curious of his size, he was tiny, only a baby. "Kitty?" she called, leaning over and rubbing her fingers together. The kittens head flicked up and he took a hesitant step, Shiress smiled. But he stopped, licked his paw, swiped it across his face and returned to his spot beneath the stool. Shiress frowned "Well, this isn't gonna work" She said, lifting herself to her feet and closing the door. "It's too cold to be messing around like this kitty. Come on now"

The kitten just glared at her, quite content to remain where he sat and not out in the cold. "Kitty, kitty?" she called. The cat didn't budge, save a swipe to an ear with a paw. "Please don't make me chase you all over this place!" Shiress hobbled up to the stool where the kitten hid and gently pulled it away from the bar. The cat immediately bolted over and behind the bar. Shiress rubbed her fingertips across her forehead "This is going to be a long night" she sighed, looking down at her aching foot.

[Markus Andres]

A shudder went through Markus as he straightened his back for the hundredth time in as many seconds. Guard duty was always a wonderful experience. Standing by the harbour, occasionally moving about looking for something out of the ordinary or some thief trying to get into either a warehouse or a ship anchored in the harbour. His green eyes found nothing that warranted his attention and his mind often went to the prospect of a single lonely, yet undeniably warm bed. It would be wonderful when his shift once ended to climb into the bed and rest his weary head and body. But mostly it was getting out of the open areas and into a more sheltered place, out of the howling wind. He heard squeaking armour. Plates scrapping against one another. Heavy footsteps against the ground and Markus turned to look at the knight as he approached. Markus could not recall being so glad to see a colleague. For this meant Markus' shift was over and he could get into the bed he had been dreaming about for the past bell or two. He exchanged a couple of words, explained the lay of the land - which was basically an uneventful night. Bid the knight a good night and then went on his merry way. But he did not go straight home. He knew he could not sleep, not until he had gotten a strong drink to ease his slumber. As he neared the destination he was certain he heard a woman squeal and it had Markus' heart thudding faster as he picked up the pace. Right hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. It had sounded like it came from the Stallion, but he was not certain. He neared the entrance and saw it get closed. He moved closer and his armoured knuckles rapped twice on the door before he opened it and stepped into the tavern. He spent a second or two looking around for any trouble before spotting the bartender by the bar holding a stool. "Sorry miss, I heard a woman squeal around here and... well, is everything alright here?" Markus looked around the empty tavern and back to the bartender. Must have been about to close shop for the night. Seemed that he would not be getting his drink tonight. At least not until he made sure that the woman who had squealed were okay.

[Shiress]

An unexpected knock on the tavern door spun the girl around, her abrupt movements sending long hair flowing across her shoulder and into her face "The Stallion's closed" she called as the door creaked open. "I said we are clo-" Shiress paused, not expecting to see a knight, as an armored figure appeared in the doorway. She brushed back the hair from her face, securing it behind an ear as the knight spoke "Oh, yes" she began, her cheeks growing hot "that would have been me and yes, yes everything is fine. Except" she added, a grin touching her lips "I am being attacked by a savage beast!" she pointed down the length of the bar to where the tiny, black kitten had just jumped up and now sat innocently with his long tail pulled around himself. The beast let out a small 'mew' to further prove his innocence. The girl shook her head with a chuckle "looks can be deceiving"

Shiress hopped to a table closer to the entrance, drug out a chair and planted herself unceremoniously down in front of the armored stranger. "we had a little run in as I left work this evening" she said, stretching her leg forward and hiking up the hem of her skirt over her swollen ankle "seems he won." she sighed heavily "as I sat injured in the snow he bounded past me and into the tavern, eluding me ever since." she let her skirt fall back into place and situated herself properly in the chair. "If I don't catch this kitten, well" she paused arching a brow "lets just say Kevith, the tavern's owner, does not like cats"

Green eyes slid up to meet the knight's like colored gaze. He was handsome, more so than the earlier dim light had revealed. She caught herself staring and looked away bashfully, smoothing out the creases of her skirt. After a tick, she returned her gaze batting her lashes with a feigned pout "Can such a valiant knight risk life and limb to aid a distressed and gravely injured damsel in capturing such a ferocious beast?"

[Markus Andres]

The bar seemed quiet, no women in overwhelming danger in there. But the bartender continued, she had been the origin of the squeal and she were okay. She had been about to close the place down and now Markus was just hindering her in doing her job. Markus had little more reason to stay, did not want to bother her with serving him a drink while he was the only patron. But that last word... except. Had him perk his ears. His brows furrowed when she continued, not catching the playfulness in her tone. His eyes followed the direction she pointed and a little black feline appearing on the bar. From deep within the blackness of the beast's fur came forth the fear-inspiring howl of a creature of the night. Mew. For several seconds Markus eyes passed between the kitten and the dark haired woman. Markus' smile grew wide as he laughed cheerfully at the kitten. A dangerous beast indeed. It felt good to laugh again. "Certainly looks savage." Markus quipped. The woman started hobbling closer to him and Markus raised a brow as she plopped down into a chair before him. Markus looked to her ankle as she spoke of it being injured. He was about to kneel down when she covered it up again. It had looked swollen, but that was just about the amount of details he got to see before her skirt fell down to cover the ankle again. Markus' green eyes looked into hers and the first thing he noticed was the green eyes. A matching colour staring right back at him. She broke their contact by looking away and a shy smile appeared on his lips when looked back to the misbehaving kitten who was deviously licking its fur. Undoubtedly plotting further mischief. He looked to the dark haired woman again, who asked for his help catching the kitten. Albeit in a humorous way that had Markus' lips twirl up. "Me, alone? Take on such a mighty creature of the night? Pfft, keep dreaming, I'm out of here before it takes notice of me!" He feigned fear before the smile returned. "I think I might just be capable of handling this one." He continued in a more serious tone of voice finished with a little chuckle. Markus looked to the creature on the table who looked right back at him disinterested. Markus looked to the seated lady before moving forward. The cat looked wary all of a sudden. Including the armour, there was a man weighing close to 300 pounds approaching him, Markus would also be wary if he had been the kitten. Markus reached out with his left hand, moved the fingers gently together, trying to lure the kitten closer to him. But it just tilted its head and looked at him curiously with only a mew in response to his actions. Markus inched closer, barely a foot away from reaching the kitten. Right foot slid forward, almost closing the distance. The kitten noticed this, as Markus hand reached out to grab the kitten, it sprang away. Markus arm catching nothing but air as the kitten leapt for freedom. Landing on the ground and scampered across the floor and hid under a stool. "... Perhaps we could tame the wild beast with an offering of food or drink?" Although he had said he would help the injured woman, he was not certain he enjoyed the concept of diving underneath tabled in chase of a frightened kitten. Nor did he want to scare the living shyke out of the poor creature. "And we should probably get you to a healer once we're done here. Get that leg looked at." Markus continued, tone a little more serious as he closed in on the chair the kitten hid under. Keeping several feets of distance with an outstretched hand. Once more trying to lure it closer. "Come here, kittie. I won't hurt you, just want to get you some place warm and safe."

[Shiress]

Shiress smiled, securing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, watching as her brave knight marched into battle, a grin settling on her lips.

To see a fully armored knight of the city moving so gentle and delicate made it hard for the girl not to laugh out loud and when the cat bolted from its approaching, would-be conqueror she swallowed hard slapping the palm of her hand across her lips to smother an escaping laugh "I told you the beast was an evil little thing" she called out, watching the feline settle beneath his new sanctuary,his wide, slitted eyes watching the mans every movement as his tail twitched cautiously behind him.

Shiress lifted herself from the chair, brow wrinkling with frustration of her own stupidity "I'd not thought of that" she admitted, limping forward to the bar "food may just work." Using the edge of the warn counter top for support, she hobbled into the kitchen, reappearing a tick later unwrapping a small mound of cloth. "Dried pork" she noted happily, holding her hand out for Markus to see, then placed it on the bar top "I'll leave this to the professionals" she added, lips curling up as she moved away.

The girl considered the knights suggestion of a healer as she lowered herself into the chair again "I..no" she said, shaking her head "if it's all the same, I'll see to my own injury at my own home" she slid her leg across the other to examine her ankle "it's not so bad, only a sprain maybe a bruise. I'll wrap it up tight, it'll mend" She lifted her eyes with a reassuring smile and nod toward the knight.

Shiress didn't take well to healers or doctors or the like. She'd just assume tend herself if she had the choice, as rare as it was that her choice was an option. Seems every time the girl was injured it resulted in a life or death struggle, but she felt confident she chose wisely this time.

"I think, if you can catch that eluding foe," she motioned toward the hidden kitten "I can see myself home and you'll have my thanks and a free drink" she grinned.

[Markus Andres]

Markus looked intently at the kitten who only mewed back at him in defiance. Seemingly uninterested in moving closer to the huge man and his deceptively open hand. His eyes strayed from the kitten to the barkeep as she hobbled into the kitchen, feeling a stab of guilt for getting her to move when she had injured her foot. When she left the room and got out of sight, he looked back at the kitten. Making small noises at it, trying to lure it closer. After several long moments of inaction, Markus grew annoyed as nothing happened, he stared at the kitten, it stared at him and only mewed every couple of seconds. Markus got up on his feet again and looked to the barkeep as she returned with some dried pork. He nodded and gave her a warm smile in response. "Professional kitten catcher at your service, miss." He moved to the counter and removed his gauntlets and placed them next to the dried pork. Feeling a bit silly that he had tried to lure a kitten closer with cold metal gauntlets. No wonder it did not get attracted by his cute sounds when all it saw was cold uncomfortable metal. He nodded to the barkeep when she refused his offer of taking her to a healer. He found it silly she didn't go to a healer, but he had other things to do than argue, but the idea of a free drink did sound enticing. Now equipped with the perfect weapon, Markus moved back into the fray. His resolve firm. The beast that had inadvertently injured the innocent barkeep had to be captured. His movement slow and deliberate as he knelt before the lair of the beast. With a righteous fury, he extended the weapon into the lair. The kitten stared at the hand holding the dried pork. It seemed wary of the knight and his intentions. It mewed at him once more and Markus felt sorry for the poor animal. Scared and in unknown surroundings, and a knight roughly a hundred times larger kept pestering him. Markus could understand why it didn't come out to play. But it seemed that the kitten let hunger win over reason and it neared the pork. Sniffing the meat. Licking it and gently nibbed at the meat. Then more ferociously it started tearing at the meat. Markus remained still. Only slowly moving his arm back to himself, slowly luring the kitten out from the hiding place. It was a bit tedious to lure it out and he bet the barkeep was having her fun watching a knight of Markus' size lure a kitten out from under a chair. Markus' right hand suddenly shot forth as the kitten had almost crawled into his hand to better eat the dried meat and caught the kitten in his hand. He pulled the kitten in closer as it mewed desperately and now started to bite his fingers and scratch at them. Fortunately, the kitten was a bit too small for it to be more than a minor nuisance. "Victory!" He exclaimed as he stood up again. "Worry not, the reign of terror is over and you can breathe easy again." Markus stood with the kitten and dried pork in his right hand, the left hand held over as a sort of lid to keep the kitten from escaping once more. He walked over to the barkeep. "So, what will happen to this grand beast?" To cement its status as a beast a petty mew came from between his hands. "And I was promised a drink?" He added with a warm smile.

[Shiress]

Shiress lifted herself to her feet as soon as the knight had captured the eluding beast and moved toward them, her arms out stretched to examine the ferocious thing that had caused so must trouble. "Aww, he's so tiny" she noted, flashing the man a smile as she took the kitten from him and curled it into her chest. "have you ever seen something so little and so precious?"

The young black kitten seemed to settle once caught, as if he knew no one meant any harm to him. He cuddled contently against Shiress' chest, his wide green eyes scanning the area around him as the girl softly rubbed the soft fur between his ears. "What will become of him?" Shiress repeated, contemplating the knights question "you know" she said, sliding herself into a bar stool "I may take him home with me. Would you like that?" she lifted the kitten by the scruff of his neck and turned him around to look at her, his green eyes still wide as they met with her's. He mewed and drew down his ears "Awwwwww" she pulled him into her chest again "I have to take him home, he's just a baby!"

"You have my thanks, Ser Kitten Wrangler" she said glancing up with a toothy grin "and help yourself to a drink, your choice as you've earned it" Shiress slid around to face the bar and placed a couple of the smaller pieces of pork down for the kitten to enjoy. "So" she began again, her hand still gliding up and down the feline's back "will you help me name" she paused lifting the kittens tail and peeked under it "him?"

[Markus Andres]

Markus handed over the dangerous beast when the barkeep extended her hands for him. Naturally, the second the beast was in the hands of an attractive woman it stopped biting the person. Markus shook his head gently and just smiled warmly at the sight of the barkeep nuzzling and petting the kitten that had caused so much trouble. Markus looked around the place and when she asked if he would like her to take the kitten home with her, he looked at her curiously. Before realizing it had not been directed at him. She had been talking to the kitten. Markus made no comment. When she dubbed him ser kitten wrangler he grinned widely at the silly nick name. Between that and Kreig occasionally calling him Dear Senior, he had some dubious names attached to him. That was when he realized that he had not introduced himself. But he could not well ignore her thanks and his mind came off of it again when she said he could go behind the bar and get a drink for himself. - She did not have to say that twice. "It was the least I could do, can't let such dangerous creatures roam the night and scaring our citizens." He said as he looked for something to drink. Was he in the mood for beer or ale. Dark or pale. Looking at the gallons and Markus honestly had not clue what was what and when push came to shove he didn't really care either. He would enjoy any of them. Markus looked up when she spoke and suddenly paused. Seeing her check out the gender of the kitten he grinned and shook his head again. Bending over he get a mug and started pouring a liquid into it. It was telling that this was the first time he was serving himself as the foam rose quickly. As he poured the beer he answered the barkeep. "Hmm? oh of course, it will have to be a good strong name fitting to such a fierce animal... Would you like me to get you something while I am back here?" Markus briefly thought about the absurdity of him offering her some of the alcohol. "I am thinking..." He looked right at the black kitten and the name was obvious. Almost too obvious. "Shadow?" Markus took a gulp of the liquid he had poured into the mug and found out it was pale beer. Not his favourite of the three, but he still enjoyed the warm beer. "Now we are on the subject of names, I'm Markus Andres, yellow company of the first regiment silver quadron."

[Shiress]

"Shadow...Shadow" Shiress repeated the name to herself a couple times. It was a good name and seemed to fit in perfectly with the way woman and beast had met. "yes" she said, smiling down at her new pet "Shadow. I like it."

The little, black feline lifted it's head from the meal before him and sat back on his haunches, it's little pink tongue licking the remainder of the pork from it's mouth "Are you satisfied now, Shadow?" The kitten stopped suddenly, glaring at Shiress with big green eyes as she spoke "I guess he likes his name too" she laughed.

Shadow stretched out along the bar, curling his front legs into his chest, and began purring. "Just an ale, please" she replied, twisting her now stiff ankle around and around, becoming aware that it still ached, as the knight began his introduction. His name was the only thing the girl understood, the rest rang out like gibberish.

Silver company of the yellow regiment first quadrant

Shiress shook her head as if she understood every word the man spoke "Well, I'm glad to meet you Ser Markus, knight of the--of Syliras" she extended her hand across the bar, her emerald gaze studying him as she spoke "I'm Shiress, bartender of the one Rearing Stallion of Syliras and you can imagine the company" she flashed her teeth with a grin. "know how to wrap a lady's ankle, Ser Markus?"

She kinda hoped that he didn't. Upon studying the man's features a bit closer, she didn't mind lingering around the tavern for a long while as he learned. With such a handsome knight for company she wasn't in a hurry.