Completed Stomping Ground

[Shiress]

65th Day of Winter 513

Shiress moved through her tiny apartment snuffing out candles and wall lamps. Her morning of leisure was over and her evening shift at The Stallion awaited. Pausing by the door, she scooped up her long hair and tied it tightly to the back of her head and flung the pony tail around her shoulder to sway freely down the length of her back. "Shadow, come on kitty" she called, reaching for the handle. A small kitten bounded passed her feet and into the corridor beyond the door, stopping to lick a paw as Shiress pulled closed and locked the door.

Shiress made her way down the long hallway with kitty in tow. Shadow had been a welcomed addition into the bartenders life and a well needed companion. The small, black feline had made his crippling debut a fortnight past and Shiress had fell head over heels for her new companion and the pet lived up to his name - Shadow. He went everywhere with her and work, after a lot of arguing and bargaining with Kevith, was no exception.

A cool breeze wafted up through the street, stirring the long ringlets around the girl's face. She shivered and pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head and quickened her steps, bringing shadow up to a gallop by her feet. It was a familiar, short path to the tavern and it didn't take long for her to reach her destination.

Stepping up to the entrance she pushed it open and held it for her companion to pass through and stepped in behind him. The Stallion had began to fill with the evening crowd, but the bar was nearly empty as she stepped in behind it, pulling her apron strap over her head. Shadow jumped into a bar stool, circled a couple times and drew himself down, wrapping his tail around his paws. Leaning across the bar, Shiress smiled and patted the kittens head "lets see what kind of trouble comes our way tonight"

[Orion Michaels]

Things had been going well.

Too well.

It didn't sit right with the squire, and it had left him feeling unnerved. It had been a full season since he melted down in an alleyway near the Spinning Coin, and it had been a full season since anything bad had happened to him. Orion couldn't accept, even though he should have. Anticipation of something undoing all of his hard work hovered over his every move, leaving him uncertain and cautious. It was strange how good things could ruin a person.

His training had completed for the day, a more capable and confident warrior he had become. Though he still had his struggles, if called upon to defend himself or someone else, Orion finally had the flickers of belief that he would be able to do so adequately. If not for him, for Emily and Liam.

While he should have been spending this time with one or both of the aforementioned, sometimes a squire just needed to unwind. He paid a nanny good money to care for his daughter, though a moment's guilt at not seeing to Hadyn as well peeked it's head. That guilt was snuffed out when he entered his old stomping grounds.

The Rearing Stallion.

Orion wore a simple white cotton shirt, brown pants, and brown boots. His broadsword was strapped at his left hip, a dagger at his right, as they always were these days. Though he wasn’t ‘on duty’ per say, he did have to be ready to step in should circumstances dictate it be so. He hoped none of that would dare rear its ugly head. He only wanted a drink, some good food, and some time himself. All of those desires had been in short quantity in recent times.

The former doctor strode across the floor, leaving the door to shut behind him and leave the cold where it belonged. Outside. Winter had been particularly rough this year. Snow unlike anything he’d ever seen, and bitter, frigid temperatures that left him gasping for breath when he stepped outside. Some of Chef Vustakoff’s soup sounded like the best thing in the world that evening.

Slowly he made his way towards an empty table, hoping to grab one before it got too terribly busy. Crystalline blue eyes shifted back and forth, what was once a predatory search was now just the curiosity of a tired man searching for familiar faces. How things had changed in just one short year.

The wooden chair scraped across the floor of the tavern as Orion pulled it out and took a seat. The sound of laughter, tall tales, music, and joy were already starting to make their presence felt. It was refreshing to know that the Rearing Stallion hadn’t changed a bit, despite his near abandonment of the facility.

The blue eyed squire hid those very eyes from the world, closing them and leaning his head back against the chair to take in the sounds and smells of a world left behind.

[Shiress]

With her feline companion content and snoozing in his favorite stool, the bartender commenced to taking care of the monotonous tasks behind the bar. Drying mugs and lining them up beneath the bar was one such task that Shiress hated most, but it was one for her doing, so she done it. One by one, she drove the hand towel deep into the vessel, scrubbing the remnants of water from each. She swore her co-workers deliberately left them for her to do, knowing she hated it, but she would plaster a pleasant smile across her face as she scrubbed. Playing nice was better than getting fired.

She slung the towel across her shoulder just as a yell for ale came from the far end stool. Dragging out the last mug she had just replaced she quickly filled it with the amber colored liquid ordered and made her way down to the end where a man, whose face was more beard than skin, sat sideways in a stool, his back against the stoned wall, his long, thick legs propped in a neighboring stool. "Here you go, anything else?" she asked, placing the mug down. "Naw" the man replied, his brown teeth peeking out between stained lips "I'll take a bit of yer company, though" he added as he played a gold coin between the knuckles of his meaty fingers. Shiress dropped her weight to a hip and canted her head "You put that coin on this here counter top and I'll see that you have all the ale that you can drink" she gathered up several empty mugs by the handles and turned, glancing back over her shoulder to the stranger " but I fear that's all the company I can offer." She walked away shaking her head with a grin.

The entrance door swung open and half the tavern erupted with greetings for the one coming in. Shiress waved a fist full of dirty mugs toward the new comer "Bout time, Chuck. I was get'n worried" The over sized weaponsmith shot Shiress a wink with a wave of his massive arm "Don't ya go worry'n dat pretty head on me, Hun" he called, peeling his gloves from his hands as he made his way to his nightly table. Shiress knew the mans order and began preparing it before his gloves it the table top.

"Here's your ale and your supper is on the way" she said, grinning "don't be getting used to being late. I'll likely have the knights out looking for you." "Aye" he replied, tipping the mug forward "that'll be the day" Shiress turned for the kitchen, weaving around and circling tables, when something, or rather someone, caught her eye.

It wasn't often the familiar face was seen about the tavern these days, but it was him, Orion Michaels, and there was no mistaking it, despite not seeing those brilliant blue eyes he possessed. A sly smile parted the girls lips as she moved quietly behind the unaware squire. Placing her hands softly on his shoulders she leaned down close to his ear, dropping her voice to a whisper, her lips within a hair of brushing against him "Shall I get you a pillow?"

[Ryia Brock]

Ryia stood outside the entrance to the Rearing stallion waiting patiently for another. The teenager didn't have duties at the moment, and after a good training session that morning she had been left to enjoy the rest of her day. The young squire had gotten pretty roughed up and Helena, her elder sister/patron had assumed that she would use the time to rest up. But Dimia had a different plan and it included Ryia. The mischievous blonde claimed to need to disappear into the city to meet a friend that she hadn't seen in a long time.

She had just happened to leave out the part about the friend being a guy, and that he worked at the Herald's Arms. This was left out on purpose because she didn't want a lecture from her baby sister. All Dimia wanted was for the younger teen to follow her into the city as if they were shopping, then they would go their own way and meet back at the tavern before heading home. Ryia didn't like the idea, mostly because she didn't know what to do with herself while she waited for her sister's promised return.

The young squire ended up wandering around aimlessly for a while before she visited the indoor market for a window shopping session and headed back out again. It was something of wonder, the city of Syliras and only those that lived there understood it, even if they didn't fully appreciate it. Still, the large castle with connecting hall ways and levels made it so that one could travel far without even going outside. It was a luxury and Ryia was glad for it during one of the coldest winters in her memory. But there were some places like the tavern where she had to venture out into the icy weather and trek across the ground.

It was cold out and her breath hissed visibly into the air in front of her. The snow continued to fall, lite flakes covering her already pale hair, and the collection under her feet gathered on the bottom of her boots. Ryia pulled her red scarf tighter around her neck and hugged her shoulders through her cloak. Dimia was late, surely she should have been around by now. It was possible that she had gone on the inside to get warm while she waited, but Ryia didn't want to go in because she wasn't allowed to.

The young squire was barely fifteen, and if Helena, or even her parents learned that she was in a dirty bar, she'd be in for real trouble. Ryia didn't want to go in, but it was so cold, and her knees were already knocking against each other and her tights were doing little to warm her now. Emerald green eyes looked about first, before she lifted her hands and pushed into the door. On the inside a rush of heat cuddled her, warming her and pulling a smile from her lips within ticks.

She looked around, but she didn't see Dimia anywhere, or anyone with blonde hair. However, she did spot someone she knew and it caused her eyes to widen and her cheeks to redden. Ryia didn't know him by name, but she did know that he was a knight. He knew her sisters well enough, and she also realized that he would remember her. If this man told where he had found her, she was done for. She needed to leave, go back outside and wait for her sister there. But just as she had the thought, the knight turned in her direction, and the teenager freaked. Ryia turned and hurried across the floor quickly and sat at the bar. "Goddess above..this isn't going well. Now I'm stuck in here."

[Orion Michaels]

Well that was unexpected. He'd come in for a drink, free of the drama of unwanted meetings, of pretentious know-it-alls, of any sort of conflict, but it seemed that something always found him. When someone invaded his personal space, touching him and whispering on his neck, the squire's hand shot to his blade, beginning to draw it as he whipped his head around to see who was harassing him.

"What are you doing?" He spat out his words, cold and annoyed. A scowl covered his features as his eyes fell on an all too familiar face. Of course it was her. That dark hair. Those green eyes. Shiress, the woman who always brought something surprising into the squire's life. It had hardly been a season since he'd seen her last, a moment in this very bar when he sought out information for Peyton, sleaziest man he'd ever met. A lot had changed in such a short time. He was a different man, but the words that would come from his mouth would do nothing to suggest that fact.

His expression softened slightly as he let his weapon fall back into it's sheathe. It was only a few days back that he'd been drunk off his ass with Hadyn at a very different establishment. The memories were blurry, though few did remain at the forefront of his thoughts, and many of them were quite frustrating indeed. "Little hen, little gossiping hen," he began, almost singing his words as they flowed from his mouth. "May I request a drink? Or do you need something to go running off and telling people before I can receive service here without whatever it was you were doing?"

The corners of his lips curled into that all too common smirk as he regarded the bartender with an almost malicious gaze. "I prefer wine over beer, but keep it dry. None of that sweet stuff. My favorite color is blue, like my eyes, though I doubt you could blame me, right?" Mocking tones accompanied each word, each sentence, each phrase. To spread his past because some loudmouthed Drykas couldn't keep something to himself, well, Orion wondered how long it took her to talk after she found out.

"Her name was Lyla. Lovely woman. Simply lovely." He motioned to the bar with a grin, his words and body language stark in contrast to how he actually felt inside. A spectre from his past, meant to remain there had been summoned unwilingly, and he wasn't sure what to do. "I'll take that wine now."

While he was being a smart ass, Orion thought he caught a familiar flash of blonde enter the tavern, but he was too preoccupied with Shiress, her decision to share his tales, and her strange actions. Piercing blue eyes never faltered from their lock on the bartender's face.

[Shiress]

The squires abrupt reaction caused Shiress to jump back, grinning "Sorry" she said, stepping around the blue eyed man to stand by his side. "I was only.. Her reply was cut short, grin fading, as Orion spoke. It was apparent that his question wasn't meant to be answered. She frowned, drawing down her eyebrows curiously as she listened to him speak. She hadn't seen him in almost a season and even then he did most of the talking. What could he possibly be mad at her for? Gossiping?

She was thoroughly confused, that is, until he mentioned a name. Lyla. It had to be the name of his wife that Tourmal mentioned, but she hadn't told anyone, she hadn't talked to anyone about Orion Michaels except - Her expression straightened as her eyes dropped to the worn surface of the table, head bobbing back and forth with new found understanding.

Hadyn. Hadyn told him. Why would she do that? To be so uninterested in discussing the man with me, but not so much as to bring it up to him?

The thought irritated her, but not as much as Orion's familiar wrath irritated her, unwarranted, she felt, as always. Lifting her face again she returned Orion's hard stare, her emerald eyes studying him fiercely, darting from one blue eye to the other. He's enjoying this, she told herself, he's so proud of himself right now.

Shifting her weight, the bartender leaned a hip against the table, her mouth drawing up in contempt for the man she was about to address, "You have two bastard children from two different women, only one of which you play daddy to, or so I've heard, and probably have countless other blue eyed kids that you don't even know about" crossing her arms she blew a small, sarcastic chuckle through her nose "and you are put off because I shared with Hadyn something you probably, no, should have told her yourself?" she paused looking away, shaking her head disgusted.

Of all the things that gossip could en-tail about Orion Michaels, he was concerned about lost love from his past getting around? It didn't make sense to Shiress. "What are you afraid of?" She asked, finding the man's blue eyed gaze again "Of being human? Of the unfortunate event that someone, somewhere might mistake you for having feelings?" Not waiting for, or really wanting, an answer, Shiress pushed herself from the table and walked away, her heart thumping inside her chest from the altercation, if you can call it an altercation. Shiress called it Orion being the ass that Orion was.

The time it took to cross the floor to the bar gave the girl time to reflect on what she had just left. The way he spoke to her, that Gods be damned smirk made her blood boil. Why the man seemed to hate her was beyond her comprehension. Granted, every time the two had came in contact over the past several season's someones life was at stake or she pissed him off somehow, but it was not her choice. Although, she did say "thank you" that one time and it pissed him off, but the rest was not of her doing, nor was any of it her fault.

Stepping behind the bar she grabbed a mug and topped it off. Glancing around before she stepped away caused a double take at the blonde sitting at the bar "Ryia?" Throwing up her free hand she signaled that she would be right back and turned to make her way back to the squires table.

Moving up beside Orion, she all but slung the mug down in front of him, it's contents of warm, if not stale, amber liquid sloshing from the rim "Sorry" she smirked, doing her best to mimic his from earlier "fresh outta the blue stuff" She didn't offer him time to react or speak before she crossed her arms over her chest with a deep breath and began again "I have you know Tourmal only told me about your wife because I asked how you two met. I never once drilled him, nor did I press him for more detail. In fact, I dropped the subject soon after he told me." she shook her head "Have you never had a friend, Orion? A true friend? Friends share things with each other, they trust each other. I simply asked Hadyn if she knew. I didn't tell her anything, and it was only after I had asked how you were doing. I felt bad for you." she informed the man, green eyes staring at his blue.

Hearing her own words, though, made her skin crawl. How could she have been so stupid? Straightening her arms down by her side, her head tilted back with a quiet, self addressed scowl " I felt bad for Orion Michaels. A man that could care less about anyone else." Leveling her gaze again with Orion her eyes narrowed with a malicious grin "I did." she snorted mockingly "I felt bad for you, you selfish, self loving, smirking, evil, Son of a Bitch! What would lovely Lyla think about the man you are now, or did she love a mean, arrogant jerk back then, too?"

Straightening herself, she allowed the squire no time to spew his retort, and pulled the towel from her shoulder and tossed it on the puddle of ale beside the mug, leaving it for Orion to clean the mess himself if he so wished. Turning quickly on her heel, she stomped away, her stress level threatening to become a full on come apart with both present and past situations fueling her anger.

Stepping behind the bar, she slid trembling hands through her hair with a long, clarifying sigh. Glancing up she remembered her awaiting friend. Tucking hair behind her ears, she forced a smile across her lips and made her way down the length of the bar "Ryia" she said, clearing her throat in hopes she would sound more pleasant than she felt "what on earth brought you to The Stallion?"

[Ryia Brock]

It had been a mistake, the whole thing had been. Not just coming to the Rear Stallion, but coming out with Dimia to begin with. Nothing she had done was like her and none of it she felt ok with either. Dimia was a flirt, but she wasn't a whore of this Ryia was sure. So there was some other reason that her elder sis raced off and wouldn't allow her to follow. Something was going on and the teenager knew that she would have followed her sister and found out.

That was the mark of a Knight to be, that was the mark of a strong sister. But Ryia hadn't done those things because she didn't want to upset Dimia. Maybe everyone was right and she was too sensitive to be a Knight. She sighed and glanced over her shoulder, the knight was still there and it didn't look like he was getting ready to leave either. Sighing, the girl stared blankly at the table until she heard someone call her name.

Ryia jerked her head up quickly and looked around, hoping, praying it was Dimia and they could go home already. It wasn't, but she did see a familiar and friendly face. "Good day Shiress." she answered though she wasn't sure if the woman heard her so she waved back, then dropped her head again. "Come on Dimia, please don't do this now. Just show up so we can go." Turning her head back again, she glanced over her shoulder to look and see if the Knight had left, and he hadn't. The squire had been sitting by herself for a while before an idea came to her.

Shiress seemed to worked there, maybe she could help her and sneak her out the back door. If the place even had a back door, Ryia never thought about it before. When Shiress finally returned, Ryia sighed in relief. She started to speak but paused as she looked at the woman. She wasn't sure, but it did seemed as if the woman had troubles. Ryia didn't ask however and figured that she must have been putting her own troubled expression upon the barmaid. After all, she didn't know her well at all, so to say what her mood was just wasn't possible.

"Shiress I, that is to say that... I need you to hide me." It wasn't the best way to ask for help, but the teen wasn't sure how to ask someone to help her hide from a knight. It was as if she had committed a crime and was trying to skip town. "I'm not supposed to be here my patron will be so angry with me. I'm supposed to be meeting my sister, but she's not here and I think someone spotted me already. Can you help?"

[Orion Michaels]

Orion's smirk grew into an incredulous grin as the woman babbled on. She held much resentment towards him, she was making that clear with her display. He'd helped save her life twice, nearly losing his own in one case. She was a thorn in his side, an annoyance that just wouldn't go away. On top of it all, she just had to work at his favorite bar.

"Petty insults," he said in the middle of her speech about his children. His head bobbed with her ranting as though he was agreeing with each point she made. It wasn't the first time that a woman had blown up on Orion, though it had been a good bit of time. "Answers to all my problems," he continued, licking his index finger and beginning to act as though he were marking off a list as she shifted from topic to topic. It was simple enough to minimize or negate her attack.

"And I love a good attack on my fears. Gods has it been awhile there." With another check of his imaginary list, Orion's blue eyes rested again on the agitated bartender. He wondered, for a moment, how long she'd been holding this in. Something so explosive, so biting and venomous, it didn't come from the surface. An anger was bubbling he hadn't seen a long, long, year prior. "Don't forget, dry wine. That's dry wine!" Chuckling, Orion folded his arms as he waited, not expecting her to return. Shrugging his shoulders, Orion gave a sheepish grin to the various patrons who had declared this spectacle their entertainment for the evening. "Don't be disappointed, ladies and gents. Maybe we'll get another round."

It didn't take long before his prediction came true. Shiress was back on the warpath, but lacking the wine he'd asked for. Orion raised his eyebrows at the ale, and then at her when she tore back into him regarding her gossip. It wasn't her fault. Tourmal told her. She told Hadyn, but only a little bit. Do you have any friends. This is how things are supposed to be. I felt sorry for you.

Blah.

Blah.

Blah.

Orion sat silently, grinning the entire time she spoke. When she turned to put distance from her and the squire, he made no move into interrupt her, instead he took the mug, set it on the ground, wiped the spilt drink, and after tossing the rag aside, began to make his way on top of the table. She wanted to play rough?

"Ladies and gentlemen! I do have an announcement, and it is of the upmost importance. I beg, I plead, I supplicate to you all, lend me your ears." Shooting a sideways glance to Shiress, Orion addressed the crowd's attention that he'd gathered so quickly. "It seems we have a very powerful woman in our midst. Do you struggle to find answers to questions that plague you daily? Is it a constant burden to understand yourself? Do you not know how you're supposed to act around friends? Well do I have some great news for you." Motioning over to where Shiress and Ryia spoke, Orion gave a flourish of his hand before letting the aim of his index finger rest on the dark haired woman.

"Woman of wonder, Shiress, has all the answers! Yes, I see amongst you the doubters stare, the unbeliever's gaze. But you must believe me, she speaks nothing but the truth." Nodding, Orion brought his finger back, rotating it to poke himself in the chest a few times. "Everything she uttered about me was surely true. I am a wicked, wicked soul. Evil, selfish, and most certainly a son of a bitch. I thought I was a bit more discrete about the self loving, but what's a guy to do when he's not got a room to himself?" He received a few groans for his lame humor, but it only spurred the squire on more. "She did leave off the ruggedly handsome part, so remember good citizens, while she's good, she's not infallible, and you shan't be receiving refunds for incorrect answers."

Orion hopped off the table, making his way over to Shiress, a predator with its prey in sight. Blinded by his desire to retaliate, to one up, and to put her in his place, he didn't even register that Ryia was just on the other side. The attention focused on him would do little to aid the young squire in her goals. "Did that feel good, Shiress? How long have you been waiting to have at me? I didn't think I could pleasure you in so many ways..." His grin faded quickly, brow furrowing as his voice dropped into a low growl. "So do you have any further wisdom for me, you arrogant bitch?" In Orion's view, the bartender shared a trait with him she'd be loathe to admit, even if it were hidden under a veil of humility. While all eyes were still on them, he wasn't going to let these words be so freely given to the masses.

"You really think you have all the answers? That you understand what me and Hadyn are trying to deal with? We'd found some semblance of trust, but now I don't fucking know what she knows and is holding back. You ruined that. So don't tell me what I should do with her, because we were figuring it out. But gods, it seems everyone knows what we are supposed to do, sometimes I wish I could just let someone else take control. T'would be easier that way, don't you think?"

He scoffed, seething at the absurdity of everything she'd spewed forth. To talk of his and Hadyn's relationship, to try and use Lyla as a weapon against him, she wasn't the sweet woman she seemed to try and outwardly portray. "You honestly expect me to believe this shyke? I can't imagine for a minute that Hadyn was terribly eager to discuss me, or my history. Acting all noble like you were being a beacon of goodness." His lip furled as he snapped next. "And as for Lyla. I was letting. A. Dead. Woman. Lay. Neither you, nor Tourmal had ANY right to speak on her, you stupid fu-"

Orion's rage disappated as he finally realized just who else could hear his every bitter word. Ryia, the little squire he'd trained with earlier this season, was standing well within earshot. His head canted to the side as the words involuntarily came out, not knowing the question had already been asked. "Ryia? What are you doing here?" Most of the tavern was intently watching the battle between Shiress and Orion. Orion's loud mouth had led the gaze of the crowd to the worst place it could be, right to Ryia.

[Shiress]

"Hide you?" Shiress' face gained a puzzled expression as she listened to the young blonde speak. At first, she was tempted to wave over the knight sitting in the corner to hear the girls story too, thinking she was being followed or maybe harassed, but it soon became apparent with her explanation that it was, in fact, the knight's spying eye that she wanted to be hid from.

Shiress smiled knowingly at the girl "I see. I think I can help you" she glanced over her shoulder toward the kitchen "there's a backdoor through the kitchen that leads out into an alleyway, I'll give you a loud enough dismissal for those to hear that may cause you issue" Shiress turned, then, to raise her voice and offer the young girl a way out, but just as her mouth opened, a loud, yet familiar voice, called out to gather the taverns attention. The bartender turned slowly to see Orion atop his table, the shocked look on her face turning quickly to a disdainful stare as the man started to speak. She could only shake her head at his words as her face grew brighter.

His theatrics went on and on, all the while Shiress grew more and more annoyed. Shifting her weight, the girl went to take a step, having decided it was time to knock the fool from his pedestal with a hard flip of the table, when the fool himself dismounted and began stepping toward her. She watched him approach, green eyes never faltering in their locked stare with his blue. For all the times that she had looked at him, desired him, stared into those beautiful blue eyes of his, it was only now that she thought she could see the man for who he truly was.

A loathsome vagik!

She let him speak without a word of retort. The only movement of her face were her eyebrows shooting up as she was called an arrogant bitch. That amused her, though she didn't show it. Every motion he made, every expression he adorned was noted and every venomous word that slid through the man's teeth, she heard and it drained into her anger, topping it off while rekindling the animosity that she took upon herself to extinguish. But she wouldn't speak of it, she wouldn't dare speak of the night that he stole from her, then left her slumped in a pile of tears. She had no desire to see the smirk cross his lips, nor watch him grow proud of the memory. No, she had other plans.

You stupid fucking- what, Orion? Gods, she so wanted him to finish that. Just a little more fuel makes the fire that much hotter.

When he turned to address Ryia, Shiress lifted herself sideways up on the bar and spun around and dropped to her feet in front of Orion, giving him a hateful glance before turning to the young girl "She's making a delivery for me" she announced, her tone far more harsh than she intended it to be. She tugged on the girl's arm, coaxing her from the stool, and motioned her head toward the back "It's in the kitchen and be quick about it."

She didn't waste time turning her attention back to the squire. Studying his features, she gave herself pause, attempting to level the anger brewing inside her so that she might speak with half a mind, but it didn't work and only made her more angry to look at him. Her chest rose and fell with every rapid breath that she pulled in and blew out through her nose, her expression remained frozen, hard as stone, as she studied him, making no attempt to hide the contempt for the man before her. She wanted him to know that she was pissed. She wanted him to see her green eyes, wide open and tearless, staring into his blue as anger raged. He owed her that.

"Am I supposed to sob and turn away from you now?" she questioned, stepping closer, her tone saturated with bitterness "Who the fuck do you think you are, coming in here with a chip on your shoulder and a sword by your side? Who here has false nobility while Hadyn cares for your child alone? Better yet," with a slight tilt to her head, her brow furrowed "Who do you think I am? A push over? Someone that you think you can talk to any way you please? Someone you can spew insults and accusations at without a second thought?" She shook her head "I'm not, Orion, but you did get one thing right, though." Closing the distance between them, her chest pressed against him as she lifted herself to the tips of her toes, her tone lowering to a vile whisper. "I-AM-A-BITCH."

Giving the squire a quick wink, she turned and climbed onto a stool and stepped over to stand on the bar. "Since my friend here has already employed your attention, I would like to share a bit about Orion Michaels since he so diligently, and honestly, shared a bit about me." Glancing down at Orion the girl bowed "One good deed deserves another, right?" Just as she was to begin again the tavern door swung open and, through the doorway, walked three knights. Shiress only hoped one, if not all of them, knew Orion and would be enlightened in what she was about to say. "Welcome protectors of Syliras! You are just in time for my introductions. Please, have a seat." called Shiress, motioning them in. The knights glared curiously at the bartender a chime before meandering slowly to an empty table.

Shooting a wicked grin Orion's way she began again, her tone thick with sarcasm "As I was saying, Orion Michaels has good intentions, I assure you. You see, he was once married, but his lovely wife, Lyla, died. Most of you know that Orion is doctor turned squire." Glancing down, she frowned sympathetically. "Kinda makes you wonder if the loss of his wife, joined with the failure of saving her life as a skilled doctor, pushed him to lay down his scalpel for the sword." She paused shaking her head with a sigh "But! We shouldn't feel bad for him. Not for an instant, for he has two beautiful children waiting for their daddy to come home to them, and both by two beautiful women. Yet, the squire can still find the time to drink and fellowship with us, here at the Stallion." Leaning down she scooped up a mug full of warm, amber liquid and held it high above her head. "I for one would like to toast the noble and brave Orion Michaels" Turning, she met Orion's eyes with a scornful grin and held the mug out "May life give you back three fold the same kindness that you have given." And with a flick of her wrist, the warm ale slid from the mug's rim as it hovered directly over the squires head.

Smiling, Shiress knelt and tossed the empty mug to the floor by the man's feet and licked her lips "How's that for bitch, you fucker?"

[Orion Michaels]

Orion chose not to inquire more into Ryia’s reason for being there. It didn’t really matter, and honestly, it was a distraction. Shiress seemed primed to ignore it, and so he would follow suit.

”And here come all the answers again,” he said plainly as she began her reply. He knew she was working hard in their verbal spat, trying to one up him, refusing to back down. But as she had since the first time they spoke, she had him wrong. Orion didn’t care about anything Shiress did, as long as it didn’t affect his life. While he didn’t pray that she find fortune, he neither wished ill upon her. He simply wished that she stay out of his, well, everything.

It didn’t seem that his wish was ever to come true.

Orion watched her, disinterested as she spouted off question after question that was completely off mark. He was a customer, seeking a drink before he went on his way, when she’d harassed him, escalated it when he’d poked her, and was unwilling to back down now that he’d fired back. They weren’t accusations, they were facts, one’s he’d experienced or learned himself.

The squire took a seat at the bar when she made a show of copying his act. The woman had some fire in her, and he could see it in her eyes, that she blamed him for unleashing it. If only she’d been the first woman to do such a thing. If only it weren’t all so petching predictable.

A momentary annoyance touched the squire’s face as she again brought up Lyla, this time to the crowd. His expression was quickly replaced with one of amusement, however, as she’d picked, in his opinion, the wrong venue to use Lyla as a weapon. Both he and Lyla had worked within this establishment long before Shiress had come to be in the city. Orion was merely tolerated, but Lyla, she was loved, by both employees and patrons alike. The sting of her words would be lessened within these walls, at least somewhat. Time had healed wounds, and the loud bartender had seen fit to reopen scars meant left where they were.

When she concluded her speech, and set to pour the ale upon his head, Orion didn’t budge from his seat. The squire had dodged more slaps, kicks, bites, scratches, and beer pours than most people would see in a lifetime. She may as well have been screaming ‘I am going to pour this drink on your head,’ for as subtle as she was.

When the ale came, Orion’s eyes closed, his head face turned upward, and his mouth opened, catching a small portion of the bitter drink. With a swallow and a refreshing ‘Aaaah’, Orion wiped the amber liquid from his eyes and opened them again, immediately making his way back to standing. His fingers began working the buttons of his white – and now wet – shirt, working from top to bottom.

The entire time the squire kept his gaze on the bartender. For the moment, an often animated face was vacant of the emotions that had been so prevalent ticks before. She knew everything did she?

Once the buttons were undone, he shrugged his shoulders and let the shirt fall from his body. He caught the cotton garment in one hand, puffing out his chest for all to see. A muscular frame was there. Scars from events in his past still remained. Yet, noticeably lacking, was a Lacun mark. When two or more made a vow of devotion, love, and commitment, Cheva blessed them with her famed Cheva marks.

When those vows were broken, a shadowy version of those marks – the Lacun mark – would appear over the hearts of those involved.

”You’ve got it all figured out, Shiress. No wonder everything works out so smoothly for you.”

It wasn't so terribly difficult to discredit her little game, but it was increasingly strenous to push his love, his Lyla, from his thoughts.

He reached into the coin purse at his side and dropped a few silver on the ground, more than enough to cover the drinks. ”A little extra, for the show.” The squire turned to make his way for the door, but paused, shifting back to face the brown haired woman.

Balling up the shirt, Orion tossed it at Shiress, sneering all the while. ”Here, maybe this will get you started. At least part of you can be warm at night.” With that, the blue eyed man made his way from the tavern, refusing to look back at the woman who wouldn’t leave his life be.