Closed Beware of Thorns (Avinasai)

[Neras Frostfawn]

Timestamp: 35th of Spring, 518AV
Location: Pigsfoot Tavern
Who: Avinasai and Neras

“Jinx...my poor stupid boy. Why in all of Mizahar would you run into a petching DEAD END? I mean shyte biscuits if you wanted to met Dira, so bad, you could have just bitched slapped the Priest of Dira and declared to him that Dira is a little bitch compared to the goddess Kihala. You would be dining at Dira dinner table right quick. You stupid little Duster!”

Neras seriously hated the white haired bastard as he chuckled to himself at his anticlimactic failures on the Island. Jinx responded with shrug, “Well I thought it was a good idea at the time, I figu...”

Darvin took another swig out his mug and slammed the mug on the table and said a hearty laugh, “No excuses! Just admit, boy! You petched up!” Finishing his mug, Darvin shook his head and said with snort, “By Morwen's frozen nipples, you are petching entertaining, Jinx. I am glad the good doctor saved you because who am I going to entertain me if you decided a dust nap!”

Neras took a drink of his ale and said with a chuckle, “First of all, Petch you! At least I had the balls to strike out on my own. It might not of been the brightest decision in the world, but It was mine, and I will own the petching consequences...”

Darvin poured another glass and said with a snort, “Yep. You sure own it all right! Seriously Jinx why are you using a shield? You are not a up front bruiser. You are built for speed not for wading in shyte with the rest of the bruisers. Don't tell me you still believe in the bullshyte that we are knights?”

Neras leaned back in his chair and said sarcastically with another drink out of his mug, “My mother always wanted to be a maiden in one of those Knights of Syliras romantic tales, so I might joined for the wrong reasons...” Toasting the air, Neras said with smile, “Thanks Mom!” Looking at Darvin, he asked, “Besides if I am not supposed to use it, why the petch did they issue it to me in the first place?”

Darvin said with a another chuckle, “Simply because their taking up space. We have enough of those over sized dinner plates lying around, but do you think anyone ever uses them? Petch, half the serving trays in the galley are just a bunch of polished up shields...”

Neras laughed out loud, “That explains why the food tastes rust and arm sweat...”

Darvin slammed the mug on the table and said with a nod, “Honestly, I lose one of those shields every season, and the dumb petchers still issue me them. The best thing to do is throw them at brats when they go after the trash. If you split on skull open, it ten points.”

Neras finished his ale and said with smile, “I will have to start a brat discus league with the rest of recruits..could be fun!”

Darvin stood up and said with a nod, “Boy, who do you think started the sport. Thank for the ale. Now I have to take a monster piss...”

Neras looked up at the white haired man and asked, “So about your favor? Are you going to let me know soon?

Darvin leaned on the table and said with a nod, “Be patient. Favors take time to develop besides you will know when your ready, and I want something.” Darvin said with smirk, “Don't worry about it Jinx. Find a girl to petch because with your track record, you might be called by Dira any time now...!”

Neras took another drink of his ale and said with smirk, “Petch you old man! I'll wear these scars with pride. Do you think any warrior worth his salt would not have battle scars?”

Walking away, Darvin always had to have the last words, “Yes, but a warrior worth his salt would no better and run into a PETCHING DEAD END!” The old thug turned, waved goodbye to the younger peer, and said with a chuckle, “Good, you can entice your next lay with all the stories of your heroics...”

Neras was surprised that Darvin barely touched the pitcher of ale that he bought for the old man. He figured the white haired coot had harder stuff in his flask that he was sneaking during their conversation. The young gang member leaned back, and he could felt much better in his lighter normal leather armor. Since the injury the studded leather was getting repaired, so he was sporting his old mercenary gear in the mean time. With the short sword and scabbard on his side, he learned from a early age as a mercenary that a duster should never leave his back open even in a place like the Pigsfoot Tavern. Leaning his head against the wooden wall of the building, he watched the rest of the tavern for any source of entertainment. It was five days since he was aloud back on the streets by his superiors, and he had much time to make up in his absence. However, for tonight and maybe tomorrow, he was going to just enjoy that he was alive.

[Avinasai]

She couldn't help but continue to think about that Inarta all this time. The man that stole her purse earlier this season, then traded it for sex. It pissed her off. She prayed to any good God out that she won't run into him again. What she needed was someone to believe in. Someone that will help her along her journey. One that hopefully won't cause her to have a baby. She's not ready for one yet, she's just so young. She wouldn't know how to handle a baby. Especially if it meant that she was going to raise it in Sunberth. She could be exposed to many threats and she wouldn't like it. So she had to be careful.

She was damn sure she didn't want a child. She was cautious. However sex was good, it just didn't feel right to her when she did just for her coin purse. Although she did manage to nab a handful of coins that the Inarta left laying around his home.

Once inside the Pigsfoot Tavern, she made sure that the Inarta wasn't around. She hated that man. He stole her money out of the blue. Avinasai was relieved that he wasn't here, however. A somewhat loud conversation between Darvin and another young boy who probably looked oddly familiar to Avinasai was at the bar. Chatting away. Avinasai hid in the shadows of other burly men as Darvin announced that he was going to take a large piss and headed outside. She didn't want any conflict with the older man, and she was glad that Darvin hadn't noticed her right away. She was really glad. Not like she wanted him in his pants again, she really didn't. She thanked the burly men sitting at their wooden round table busy playing poker. Avinasai wouldn't mind a game of poker, but she didn't have much money on her this season and she hoped that her next poison deal will get her through mid season at least.

However, the younger boy who was talking to Darvin seemed familiar. She could've sworn she had seen him somewhere before. It's not hard to forget a face. Or two. Especially Darvins and his annoying urge to be intimate really annoyed Avinasai. So she made a risk and had chosen to sit next to the young boy (Neras).

"Hey." She said to the boy. She leaned forward onto the counter and cocked her head to him. "I've seen you somewhere haven't I?" Avinasai hoped that if he hadn't heard about the crew throwing her off the boat that one day during winter when she went to help find some treasure. Maybe that's where she had seen him last, but she wasn't too sure. "Man I'm parched, I could really use something to drink, eh love?" She looked at Neras. "However, the name's Thorne. Pleased to meet your acquaintance and you are?" She asked the young man. Hoping that her good looks will get her an ale. She blushed a little.

She just hoped Darvin doesn't return soon. She hated that man. She hated a lot of men, but she wanted to meet more people. She needed more people so that she could make some more coin. Poisoncrafting was a good and fun job, but the only downside was that she had trouble finding customers. Quiet customers. This boy was quiet, maybe he was thinking about something...

[Neras Frostfawn]

Neras sat watching the crowd with a occasional sip of his ale. He wasn't particular interested in company, but he wasn't going to turn down the pretty blond walking over to him. The seventeen year old looked at the woman who was older than him by a few years. The rogue watched as she leaned on the bar a looked over him. She claimed that she met him before, and the young man looked at her for a moment. She did seem familiar. Was she the woman who gotten thrown off the boat? He wasn't going to mention it if she was the one. It might be a sore spot for her, so he tilted his head, looked at her for a few ticks, and said with sweet smile, “You do look familiar, but I tend not forget a pretty face especially a face as beautiful as yours...”

Inwardly, Neras chuckled to himself when she mentioned that she was thirsty. Normally, the youth wasn't to keen with sharing drinks with strangers because she could be a agent of another gang. Paranoia kept him alive for a long time in the city of thieves, so a pretty face wasn't going to deter him from self preservation. However, he wasn't going to finish the other half of the pitcher by himself, so at least, she was a step up in the right direction from his last drinking partner. Darvin and him were waiting for another companion from the gang to join them, but he never showed, so he still had a clean empty mug in front of him. Still feeling a bit paranoid, Neras picked up the clean mug and pitcher, poured her a mug of ale and placed the mug in front of her. Neras took another drink of his ale and said, My mother always told me that it much more fulfilling to drink with good company.” The youth decided to answer her question, “ My name is Jinx. It is nice to meet you Thorne.”

Jinx leaned forward to get a better look at Thorne face, and he said with nod, “Now I do remember you. Weren't you the woman who got tossed overboard last winter? I was going to help you out of the water, but the grizzled mercenary seemed quick to jump to your aid. Also I remember you were pretty chummy with Darvin and Kelski. Are you friends with Darvin or Kelski?” He figured that he could get some information out her if he asked some harmless questions. Taking a sip of his ale, the young man looked at the woman and asked curious grin, “What you do for a living. If I have to make a guess with a alias like Thorne, you must be a florist. Or I could be completely wrong?”

Neras was quite happy to share a pitcher of ale with a woman as pretty as Thorne. He hoped Darvin would have just left, so he could spend some quality time without the old drunkard ruining the night. Suddenly, he heard a loud discussion start up on the other side of the Tavern. It was loud enough that he could make out the conversation. The pair was arguing over the last throw of dice. To the young gang member, it was pointless to argue over a game, but he knew the men must have bet money on the throw. Regardless, he just game the older woman a smile and finished off his remaining ale in his mug.

[Avinasai]

Avinasai was glad that Jinx was more than generous enough to pour her a mug from the pitcher of ale. She clasped it gingerly with both her hands. She took a sip of the room temperature ale, and smiled with a sigh of relief. "This ale, I can never grow old of, love." Avinasai said with a smile and turned to face the young Jinx. The teen said that she looked familiar, and tried really hard to remember who this boy was. Did she see him on the quest with Cladius? Or was it another faint memory that she hadn't recalled correctly? Or was she just confusing Jinx with another boy that looked oddly familiar to her? Whatever the case was it wasn't too important right now. She was at least getting to know the teen.

"Yeah, a face like mine ain't hard to forget sweets." She smiled again. Jinx mentioned something about his mother telling him that it was always good to drink with company. "Aye, it is. Better with the good kind too." Avinasai said with a nod. "You don't want those sour cats as xompany. I hear they don't like the dogs who are gentle on the outside." Avinasai said with a light smirk, she was merely referencing Neras as a boy with a gentle soul, fragile maybe; but loyal at the same time. The way he was sitting beside Darvin made it seem like Jinx was at par with the man.

"It's nice to meet you too, love. You had a mum- is she here with you till this day?" Avinasai was glad that he had some fruitful knowledge given to him by his mother. Stuff like that, it seemed like it was necessary to hold on to. However, Avinasai couldn't remember much about her mum when she was younger, and living in Lhavit still.

Everything seemed to be going fine while the rogues chatted together. Until Jinx was cruel enough to bring up the time when she was tossed over board that one night during winter... now she remembered the boy. The one that Kelski had helped to bring back.

"Yes..." Avinasai replied with a flustured red warming her cheeks. She looked down and pushed her hair aside, feeling uncomfortable. She was glad that Darvin hadn't returned. "...and weren't you the one who was nearly mutila by the dead?" Avinasai's voice cracked as she said the word, 'dead,' since they still haunted her dreams. Watching the lifeless bodies bounce around as they attacked; it freaked Avinasai out greatly. She was glad to be back home. Away from those things.

"Since you wanted to know what I do for a living- I guess it wouldn't hurt to give you an answer. I work at The Majestic, under Bashfuls advisement. My profession is with poison, and I make a good business with it." She took a drink of her ale. Then flared up at Jinx, "what about you Jinx?" She asked him, waiting patiently for an answer to come.

[Neras Frostfawn]

Pouring himself another mug of ale, Neras listened to Thorne talk about her love of cheap Sunberth ale. It was definitely acquired taste and being able to stomach it. Being able to drink the “dirty water” was a true testament to every born and bred Sunberther that they belong in the city. He smiled to himself as he took a sip of his mug and listened to her back handed complement about him being gentle on the outside. The teenager met her smirk with his own and challenged the pretty woman, “It is well known that people with compassion don't stay out of the dust for very long in this trash fire of a city, but I see it as strength especially in a city as unforgiving as Sunberth. With compassion, you gain allies and friends to watch your back. Besides would you really be talking to me if I was non compassionate arsehole? I really doubt it.”

When Thorne asked him about his mother, the expression on his face darken slightly. Neras could never forget his mother's pleading to the Priest of Sivah to spare her life. It was a bad day for him because it was raining, so her blood flowed into the muddy street like a red stream in the wet muddy ground. Since his mother's death, nobody ever asked about her until Thorne trying to make conversation brought it up by happenstance. He wasn't mad that she brought it up, but he was mad at himself for burying her death in the back of his mind. Putting down his mug, he looked at Thorne and said bluntly, “My mother is dead. Before you ask how. She was was murdered. I won't go into the details with you because I am neither drunk enough, or am I willing to share with someone that I just met.” Neras stopped for a moment thinking what he said was to harsh. He continued in a softer tone, “Maybe in the future if I get to know you better. I will tell you the story. I am sorry if I sound like a dick just now.”

Neras was surprised how open that he had been with Thorne. She seemed easy to talk too, and he was worried that he was sharing to much with her. This was the first time that he outwardly told anyone that she was murdered. Since he almost lost his life on the island, he had been more honest with himself and people around him. He realized that life was to short to act like a child. He wasn't one anymore. Before he joined the Sun Birth, he was a killer for hire at sixteen. Now at seventeen, he was a strong man for one of the most powerful gangs in the city. In any other city, he would be moving down in the world, but in Sunberth, he was living every street urchin's dream as he went up the food chain.

When Thorne admitted that she was the woman that was thrown into the water on the island, Neras started to feel guilty when the pretty woman's face turned red with embarrassment at the memories of it. When she brought up his short encounter with the undead on the island, he didn't do anything because it was all true. He did petch up on the island if he wasn't such a loner. He could have helped the group get through the island. Maybe Thorne wouldn't have been as uncomfortable talking about the island if he was there to help everyone get through it. Hearing her voice crack, Neras made a sympathetic face and apologized, “Hey, I wasn't trying to be in jerk by asking you. Sometimes, I can be arsehole too without knowing, so I am sorry.” Reaching over with the pitcher, he topped her mug off with more ale and said with nod, “If I wasn't such a loner, I might have been there to help you and Kelski with the undead. I regret it, and I paid a steep price for my mistake.” Giving her a warm smile, he said with a nod, “I am just happy you made it back alive to share a drink with me, Thorne.”

When Thorne admitted that she was a poisoner by trade, Neras jokingly moved the pitcher away from her and gave her a wink. When she said that she had a good business out of it, he smiled at her and said with a smirk, “With a city full of rats, I am sure a poisoner would make a killing.” Taking a sip of ale, he said wiping his mouth, “Remind me never to piss you off. I almost met Dira last winter, and I have no intention in meeting her in the near future.”

Looking at her, Neras showed her the Sun Birth brand on his hand and said with a shrug, “I am a member of the Sun Birth gang. When my mother died, I joined up with a mercenary band, but when the majority of them were wiped out on job, the rest disbanded. I needed to find a place that gave me regular meals, safety, and roof over my head, so I joined up with them. I should be prouder of my decision, but I seen some shyte that makes me wonder if it was all worth it...”