Venturing Out (Artos)

[Airil]

If Airil's curiosity hadn't already been in full overdrive then the way he seemed to not lump himself in with other humans would certainly have pushed her there. She actually wanted to ask him what he meant by his comment but since he pointedly avoided continuing with it she supposed she should as well. When he pulled a chair for her she bashfully had a seat, unused to being treated in such a way. She couldn't help but think of Markus now that she was seated. She'd met him here and the only other time she'd been here was to have lunch with him, right before she went and pushed him away. The thought made her sad, but she did her best to push it away, hoping that she wouldn't keep thinking about him. Airil ordered her lunch without meat. The barmaid gave her a grin after Artos ordered, “I'll just give your meat to him, eh love?” With that comment she walked off to fill their order. Airil had to admit to herself that she felt like a child again, sitting next to such a big man. On the other hand, she had to admit to herself that no one was likely to approach them. Though the few people who were present had been watching them curiously since they entered, a fact that Airil was rather uncomfortable with, none of the tavern's patrons seemed inclined to indulge their curiosity and soon they all turned back to their own business, much to Airil's relief. Then she noticed Artos's smile and shrank a little, looking like a rabbit that was about to be caught by a fox. Had he been showing that many teeth before? Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to stay for lunch. She shifted uncomfortably, “You just arrived in Syliras?” She hoped he'd put his teeth away to answer the question.

[Artos]

Though Artos hadn't caught the notion of her curiosity in her motions he did notice the bashful response to the chair. There was then a flash of something she was trying to keep from surfacing. It wasn't his nature to pry and he let it slip from his mind. When the barmaid made the suggestion he found it rather fitting. It would seem like nothing else was important enough for his attention to be diverted from the table. Though in reality he left knowing if anyone would approach to his ears, a task they were much more suited for than his eyes. When she turned her attention to him the recoil was rather easy to spot. His mouth would come closer though a curve remained. At the same time his left eye brow would raise in a questioning manner. Though it was a little sad the reality was this reaction was closer to what he'd originally come to expect from Konti. When she shifted and asked a question that seemed far from her mind he would use the hand his chin rested on to rub his cheek. "If something is bothering you, you can ask or tell me of what it is. I'm not bashful, I've heard most of my kind aren't." Though it was very blunt he would still answer her question in any case figuring it would be a step toward putting her at ease. "I arrived yesterday, roughly mid day. Was directed toward the inn we met in front of and slept all of the day and most of this morning away. I guess the days in the woods on the travel here were rougher on me than I'd originally thought." It took him a minute to summon up what little he remembered of learning to count from days long gone. In truth he'd only retained a small amount due to lack of use. "If I had to put a time to how long it took me to get here. At least 18 days. What about you, are you local to the area?"

[Airil]

Airil looked completely bewildered when he used the phrase, 'most of my kind'. As far as she knew, there were very few generalities that could be applied to humans like that. She realized her reaction had been on the rude side, even if it had been an automatic response, but she'd been taken aback by the smile. She'd been on the receiving end of sneers, smirks, stares, sly and simpering smiles and of course she'd even occasionally received genuinely warm smiles in the past, but none had that strange mix of friendly and predatory. He went on to answer her question even though she was still stuck on his statement. “No, I'm from... further north.” She didn't really want to go into further detail about that and unconsciously rubbed the back of her left hand through her glove. “I'm sorry, if I offended you. I just... you were...” She made a vague gesture around her mouth but couldn't exactly figure out what to say so she launched into the question that had popped into her mind with his earlier comment, “what did you mean, most of your kind? That's an awfully general statement.” Their food arrived at that moment, the barmaid giving them both a strange grin and a wink. Airil tried to ignore her without being rude about it.

[Artos]

In a dense moment he hadn't really noticed her level of bewilderment at his statement. In truth it hadn't much crossed his mind to mention to her what he was. When she answered his own question it was clearly very limited, and seemingly very uncomfortable for her to say. "No worries, we all have troubled pasts dear." Artos would give the barmaid his complete attention for a brief moment. "Thank you a great deal miss, if we need anything I'll be sure to get your attention." He would finish off the last word with a little wink that rested in an area of playful and affectionate. Taking in a deep breath of the food's smell he would look to the girl in front of him as he answered. "As well, offense isn't something brought on very easily in words alone for me," this was the beginning of the response to her question. "My kind, the Kelvic are from what I hear a generally not very modest or as I pointed out bashful people, though I can only attest its truth for myself. I apologize if you would have liked to know that earlier, it just didn't seem important. Actually come to think of it we haven't really introduced ourselves either." Artos would make a rather odd face showing he considered this a bit unusual. Then he would stretch out his hand palm up in order to take her own. "My name is Artos." If she would place her hand in his own he would put his height to use and lean over to place a kiss on the back of her fingers. Once the formality was through he would look over the spread of food. The plates in front of him were swarming with food and he was taking much concentration to keep up from it until they came to a more settled scenario. Though there would be a slight disappointment in finding only water in front of himself to drink. He would take a moment to drink from the cup while assessing where the situation now sat. Especially to see if what he told her had helped in her understanding.

[Airil]

All the little puzzle pieces began falling into place. Even with the information she'd cataloged, she couldn't help but feel surprised and a little silly for not figuring it out sooner. She hadn't met very many Kelvics though, so it was understandable. The few she had met, she'd liked very much. His odd expression brought her back for a moment as she realized that the introductions had completely slipped her mind. “Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Airil,” she laid her much smaller hand in his, her gaze thoughtful. “Kelvic...” Her cheeks warmed slightly with the kiss and for once she wasn't too quick in retrieving her hand. He hadn't struck her as human, even if her mind had made the assumption. The very fact that he wasn't put her at ease and his somewhat jovial nature seemed far more genuine to her. Humans hid their faults behind all sorts of personae but Kelvics took after their animal sides and animals were much more true. She offered him a soft smile before looking down to her own plate of food though she was still lost in her thoughts. She wanted to ask him all sorts of questions and especially wanted to find out what sort of animal he was, but she also didn't want to keep him from eating. Instead she started re-evaluating his appearance to see if she could guess. His very size ruled a lot of possibilities out. She started to tear up her bread, but didn't actually begin to eat until he did.

[Artos]

"No need to be sorry, it was a simple mistake. One I was guilty of also. That is a lovely name, it rolls of the tongue in a very nice manner." Feeling the air more settled and seeing her preparing her bread he would take the hint by bringing up a bite of meat to his mouth. It was tender yet had enough strength to it that he was glad his species of bear had teeth designed to chew. Taking an other bite and giving himself ample time to chew he would glance at her while attempting to wonder what she was thinking after the revelation. Swallowing that particular bite he would reach for the water again and take a sip. "You're a very curious little Konti aren't you? Though I don't see why you deter from your curiosity. I'm sure if you have a question I'd be willing to answer it simply enough." It seemed he couldn't fight his own nature of cutting to the point. To him the other trivialities beyond formality seemed somewhat wasteful, especially with a friend, which he was hoping the girl could become. "I like the north, at least I think I recall that I do. It's not always easy to filter between those places I've been since I had no real say in going there. It's generally a bit colder that way, yes?"

[Airil]

She liked him, liked his up front manner. She'd lived with politely back-stabbing humans for so long, had practically been raised by one, that she couldn't begin to explain how nice it was to be around someone who didn't restrain himself to human thoughts or behaviors. On the other hand, she'd been raised by a politely back-stabbing human and couldn't so easily drop the behaviors that had been ground into her. Asking questions had definitely been discouraged. She had begun to nibble on her food, though she hadn't removed her fingerless gloves, and remained thoughtfully silent until his question about the north being colder. She nervously glanced around them before answering “It is colder, though it does depend on where you go.” Airil couldn't bring herself to be more specific than that, afraid that someone would overhear and somehow jump to the true conclusion of where she was from. Despite how open and accepting this city appeared on the surface, she couldn't quite believe that they would accept someone from their enemy's city. It was a belief that had only been reinforced by her conversation with Markus, in the very room they were sitting in, the day before. “But I do understand what you mean,” she continued, “the places my mother use to take me have only blurred together in my mind.” And despite all the traveling she did as a youth, Airil still felt that she didn't understand the world. She bit her lip and finally moved to the question she'd been wanting to ask. “What are you... I mean, what kind of animal...” She felt like she was being rude, though he'd probably disagree. With the given clues, she was still having a hard time guessing. There was his large stature, his strange eyes, the predatory gleam of his teeth, some visible scars. Her hand went to the scar on her own cheek, a mirror of his, though hers was older and she doubted they had similar sources. The only thing she felt sure of was that he was a large predator of some sort.

[Artos]

Artos would note the renewal of her agitation as the talk leaned toward where she was from. What ever the reason it would seem that it was not a pleasant subject for her to discuss. "Yes, it's hard to remember things you had no active role in making happen, or locations you had no choice but to go to." With that he would take an other bite of food and let the words settle the subject. Though he was happy to know she had done some traveling giving them something slightly in common. When he saw her bite her lip in reservation he prepared himself for the question she had been skirting, expecting something strange. When she finally got the words out all the tension faded and his eyes showed signs of silent laughter. "Is that all you wanted to know, you really are a bit reserved. As well, of all the questions you could ask I would think that would be the easiest for you to answer yourself. In any case, in my true form I am a bear." Taking an other bite he would use the pause to try to remember something, though his face showed the answer wasn't coming to him. "Someone once told me the species of bear yet it has escaped me. The only thing I really remember him saying was that it is one that has some flat teeth designed to chew food. Something I am grateful of, how difficult would it be to eat human cooking with only teeth designed to rip." Taking yet an other bite then washing it down with a hearty gulp of water he would show a frown that quickly turned to a smile. "Any more questions you have? Perhaps something difficult?"

[Airil]

A bear certainly fit, though she knew very little about the differences between bears and couldn't offer any help in that respect. She wanted to see him in his other form, but knew that was probably not wise while in the walls of Syliras, indeed, she didn't know if that might be too personal a request to make. Besides that there were a million things she could ask, and yet she didn't feel as though any of them would be appropriate. It wasn't exactly polite to go around prying into other people's lives, especially since she didn't want to share her own. He was asking her to ask something difficult but she couldn't. She didn't think it was right to do so. She did want to know more about him but there was no reason that she had to know all of it right this moment. So she tried to think of something that wouldn't be so difficult, though she was having a hard time. From her own past, she knew that the most innocuous question could bring up the most unpleasant memories. She ended up shaking her head. “I don't know what else to ask right now.” She picked at a piece of bread. The sad fact was that Airil had never been much of a socializer, nor had she ever had a chance to make any long lasting friendships. Here was someone who was being friendly and open, and she was still having a hard time figuring out what she was supposed to do. The only thing working in her favor at the moment was that a Kelvic didn't really fall into her master's lessons of distrust. In fact, her master had been quite dismissive of Kelvics, which had only made her more curious about them. When he'd finally offered her a Kelvic pet though, she'd refused. She hadn't wanted a pet, she had wanted a friend. “Wait.. I do know." the question had come to her suddenly, someething she'd wanted to ask a Kelvic for quite some time, "What's it like to be a bear?”

[Artos]

Artos furrowed his brow whens he said she didn't know what to ask. With his mind on other things he would raise an other bite and begin chewing. It was while he was chewing she had changed her mind. With his mouth still moving he would perk lightly at hearing that she did in fact have a question for him. Though when the question hit, the food in his mouth seemed forgotten. His eyes lifted slowly from her face to over her left shoulder. Those eyes seemed to be staring into nothingness for a decently timed pause. While his face would seem rather relaxed it would also have the tiniest twinges of emotions ranging from excitement to pain. Finally swallowing the food his eyes coming back to focus they would set on her once more. The face still being blank would seem grave for just a pause before a genuine grin spread to his lips and eyes. "I like you, you ask a good question. A difficult one that is not so easy to answer, though I shall try my best." With an other bite lifted to his mouth he would lean his head back slightly in a manner that showed he was clearly thinking. When it lowered he would still be smiling though there was a tiny bit of sorrow hanging in the corner of his eyes. The food now seemed somewhat forgotten as he helped it to the side so he could lean forward. His left elbow would sit on the table, about half way across and support his head with one finger to his cheek and his hand curled slightly under his chin. "The last, and only time that was asked of me I couldn't give a great answer and I am afraid the beginning of it this time remains the same. I can't much explain what it is to be a bear. Though in a sense I can only explain what it is to be me, I am in the most part no more a wild bear than a stable raised horse is a wild stallion. I have lived very much as any caged animal, domesticated and tamed." "As well even though I believe myself to be a bear, I know it is true that I am a Kelvic first. That is much more yet much less than being one of those with which I identify myself. So while I can't tell you precisely what it is to be a bear there is some things I can speak of. If you desire I can tell you what it is to live as a bear even if it was only a smaller set of experiences in my 3 years of life." Lifting his head he would fold his hands and lay his chin now across the back of them. His eyes would still stare at her with seemingly all the fondness one would ask of a close friend. This was accurate as her question wanted him to make her his friend more than he had felt before. The eyes on her would be waiting and wanting, he greatly wanted her to ask about those experiences. Telling those stories had been something he had only had one person to share with in his life. Yet that one person had born into him a love of the telling and bringing emotion to life through words. Though he would not bring himself to speak of it if she did not wish to hear. So quietly he sat and watched and waited to know what she thought of both his answer and his posed offer.