Future Planning

[Draconian]

The rain was a gentle sound on the window when Reinier walked past it, squinting at the sign for the tavern the meeting was to take place. It'd been a while now that he'd had two fully functioning eyes again, and while he could speak the common language of the people of this land... It had been a very long time since he'd had to read. He shifted his hood slightly, tilting his head at the sign again before pressing the door open, glancing over his shoulder at an obscured individual across the street. The happy chime of a guest entering the establishment got a call from the owner in the back of welcome.

It was almost dusk, people were arriving to either drink away the days woes, have a hot meal or find a place to sleep. Reinier, however, was here for a meeting. One he'd been anticipating since he'd learned about the individual. Making a web of connections was difficult when all you had was charm and honeyed words on your side. Reiner removed his cloak, and placed it on the back of his chair before sitting and closing his eyes for a moment.

As directed, he wore a red tie of sorts, hopefully easily discerned among the people here. He could be considered a handsome man, tall and broad shouldered with a sharp jaw and large bright eyes. Thick dark lashes made the golden-green of his eyes brighter and he pushed his short wavy hair away from his face. A hand went up and a coin went onto the table, a petite young woman wandered over, eyes bright and hair pulled back in a tight bun, ready for the evening. "Sir?" She said, reaching for the coin and putting it into an apron pocket, "two of whatever your freshest meal is and two meads, please." His voice was soft and gentle, a slight accent from who knew where lilting his words.

A little curtsey and she was off, Reinier leaned back in the chair, arms crossed over his chest, watching the door for his dark elf guest. The shadowy figure outside remained, standing under the eaves of a tailor shop.  He made no real attempt to blend in or hide, in fact, he nodded and smiled at everyone that glanced his way when they entered, relaxed further into his chair, legs crossed at the ankle and sticking out from under his chair. The woman was back quickly with the mead, but Reinier left both containers untouched on the tablet. Waiting.

Reinier Rose was very patient.

[wandering_giraffe]

Kasolin drew the hood over his head. He did not like the rain, it ruined his beautiful hair.
He searched the cobblestone street for the particular tavern he was needing.
Ah. There it is. There was a lot torch on either side of the beautifully carved door, giving the place a welcoming ambiance.
Kasolin opened the door and walked in, deftly slipping out of his soaked cloak and hanging it on the coat rack. As he searched for the individual he was supposed to meet with, he gave a wink and a smirk to the bartender.
He glanced around the room, searching for a red tie. A red tie should be easy to find. It should stand out. He looked around the room once more, before his eyes finally found the red tie, and the individual wearing it. Said individual was attractive himself.
Kasolin walked over to the table, and bowed slightly.
"I hope the day finds you well."
What was he here for? Oh yes, the meeting...Kasolin got lost in the individual's beautiful eyes for a second.
He cleared his throat.
"Kasolin, crown prince to the throne at your service," he bowed once more and then sat down.

[Draconian]

Ah. There was the guest.

Reinier waited patiently, relaxed in his seat while the dark elf's gaze darted around the room. A polite nod, a smirk and Reinier sat up in his chair when he was finally noticed. He brushed his hair behind his rounded ear and most of the dark locks fell back to obscure half his face.

He pushed one if the containers of mead towards Kasolin with a nod at the introduction. "Reinier Rose, Keeper of Daggers," a small smile and he took a drink of the mead, trying not to make a face. All the tastes and smells were still something he had to get used to, having not had the senses for so long. Unfortunately, while it was technically good meas, Reinier wasn't fond of the taste.

"Gracious of you to join me, Highness," Reinier said, inclining his head forward instead of bowing. Not exactly wanting to attract attention, it was private business that he wanted to attend to. "I was looking for a loan," Reinier said, pressing his index finger to his lower lip, "I've found a few... Gems of underutlized trade routes and find myself woefully ill equipped to take advantage of them." 

The woman that had brought Reinier their drinks came back with some warm hearty stew, placing them on the table before scurrying off. Reinier smiled, "I got food, incase you were hungry," He gave a sharp smile before having a spoonful, wrinkling his nose again and placing the utensil back down.

"After so many years, I thought at least the idea of stew would change." He commented idly, "who knew." Reinier sighed and pushed a hand through his hair, "Of course, I would owe you. Your loan and a percent back. Or a part of the trade. Or anything else you may desire that I can provide you," Reinier smiled again, leaning back in his chair, "you need but only tell me."

[wandering_giraffe]

Kasolin took the mead that was offered, slightly raising his mug in gratitude. He ate a bit of the stew as well.

Kasolin listened to Reinier.
So Reinier wanted money...for trade routes?
"So what are you needing in terms of a loan? Soldiers? Weapons? Or just money? Because I have a proposition myself."
He lowered his voice, not wanting anyone else to hear.
"My father is old...he wants to expand his reach. In the inevitable short amount of time that I will be taking over, I plan to expand as well. A lot of the river lands and areas without towns are lawless, and overrun with bandits. Here's the idea. Charge the travelers tolls, in exchange for their safety. Under that guise, we take over the smaller villages and let them see us as heroes." His eyes glinted with ambition.
"What do you think about that proposition?"

[Draconian]

Reinier tilted his head, tapping at his lip and leaned back in his chair. Expanding seemed logical, being heroes not so much but Reinier was getting bored with paperwork and while he's been able to see the world, he hadn't done it on his own in a longer time.

"I just need money, but," Reinier leaned in, arms on the table, head down slightly so he could look up through his eyelashes at Kasolin, "your price sounds fair." He tapped at his lip again and took a drink of the mean, licking his lips and glancing off to the side while he did do.

"Now when you say us," Reinier began, voice soft and curious, "Do you mean us be heroes? As in you and me?" He glanced kasolin up and down, noticing the long legs and pondering just how much taller he was. "I've never been much for heroics, but I suppose that could be fun, if I'm understanding correctly."

[wandering_giraffe]

"I feel the word 'hero' isn't ambiguous enough...maybe a vigilante? I'm not much for 'heroics' either...but I'll never turn down a bit of adventure...especially where there's money involved. But yes, it would be us two. Maybe for the bigger villages I'd supply some soldiers too."
Kasolin grinned and took another drink of his mead.
"This is amazing mead, actually. Thank you for this. Do I need to pay you?"

[Draconian]

Traveling. Reinier looked to a window, wrinkling his nose a bit at the rain but doing his best to keep a neutral expression.

A thought drifted through his mind and Reinier tapped at his chin, testing his arms across his chest. "Yes, I suppose there may be some benefit in adventure." Maybe his brothers? Reinier closed his eyes for a moment, picturing locations and places seemingly forever away. There was still so much to learn.

His green-gold eyes popped open when Kasolin spoke of the made, eyebrows going up. "Not at all, I arrived first and didn't even give you a chance to choose if you'd ever want that. It's my..." Reinier paused, "treat." It wasnt a gift at least. Perhaps later. Clearing his throat he sat up politely, shoulders square.

"Tell me, dear kasolin, do you do anything interesting as a crown prince?" Reinier leaned in, elbows on the tablet, "I imagine you have many people chasing after you for your title. I promise this is just a business venture, I plan on making an ally, not a conquest." Reinier smiled politely, nodding his head forward.

[wandering_giraffe]

"There's always benefit in adventure, my friend," Kasolin said, appreciatively finishing off his mug of mead, closing his eyes to savor the drink.
Kasolin kept his guard up, for he was all too used to people buying him things. Everybody wants something, with him being the crown prince and all.
"You didn't have to do that, but I appreciate it," Kasolin said quietly, leaning back in his chair.

"Do I do anything as a crown prince?" He furrowed his brows in thought.
"Clean up my father's messes, I suppose. There's a lot of things he does that aren't...in the best interests of current affairs." He sighed, tapping his fingers on the table.
"Which is exactly why I'm taking over. And soon."
He smiled in quiet amusement, leaning forward closer to Reinier.
"I have tons of people chasing after my, title, as you say. Some of them get alittle too ambitious," his eyes darkened with something...a warning perhaps?
"Well. Business venture or not, I do hope you enjoy yourself."
Kasolin smiled and held out his hand.
"So, do we have a deal?"

[Draconian]

"Of course I didn't," Reinier confirmed about the drink, "but I'm hardly a bad host." He sipped his own, still finding eating a terribly weird experience, the body being so physically young despite his stature meant that some things still had to be filtered out and he hated the way food felt in his system.

"I've been on many adventures, I suppose you could say," before being stuck in a glass case for almost a hundred years,"this would be my first one..." Rainier looked off to the side, a thoughtful expression in his eyes, "by myself in a manner of speaking." He reached out and took Kasolins hand, Reiniers was warm and soft, a telltale sign he wasn't used to physical hardship.

Reinier held onto Kasolins hand for an extra beat than was appropriate, before taking his hand back and lifting his glass of mead, "a toast to adventure I suppose," and he knocked it back, pondering on how his deal went so wrong. He didn't want to walk around in the wilderness... but he did want to make nice. He did need things, and if his well maintained skills could get him those things, the cost of wet boots and sleepless nights was fine. Originally Reinier was going to offer the investment back and then some.

"You travel often, I take it? Far off places? Exotic scenery?"

[wandering_giraffe]

Kasolin smiled, a very slight blush creeping onto his cheeks. 
"Oh don't worry, I'm coming with you, if you don't mind, of course."
"I will warn you. When we get to northern Serendipity—if we do—the country that borders us is Connlaoth. They're very anti magic. I only say that because your golden-green eyes are so beautiful you must be gifted with magic." The blush was more noticeable now, and Kasolin cursed inwardly. Since when did Kasolin get so flustered over a simple handshake?
He cleared his throat, and raised his empty glass and met Reinier's.
"To adventure," he agreed.

[Draconian]

"Ah, yes," Reinier placed his gladd down on the table while he was violently reminded - not really violent, but Connlaoths whole existence tasted like a bad dream to him - that the country was a thing. Pity. A far away look was on his face when he pondered on how he might react there, his body was flesh but... What of his mind?

No matter, either way would be fine. When Kasolin mentioned his eyes he turned his gaze to the man across the table and he looked down at himself. "You can tell just by my eyes?" He said softly, lifting a hand, palm up. His pointer finger was extended and the rest of his fingers were lazily curled in. Reinier didn't look away from Kasolin before he leaned in and slowly blew onto his index finger.

It was like a candle going out in reverse, the flame flickered before he spread across his palm, concentrated at the tip. Just as quickly, he shook his hand to set the fire away. "I am ... gifted... with magic, but I'm more than capable without it." At least he thought he was, for the first time since he'd had a body he had to think about if he was... Able. "Surely you'll protect me if I find myself weak in the knees around one of those Anti-Magic Connlaothian Beasts, hmm?" The word Mordecai escaped him.

[wandering_giraffe]

"Quite so," Kasolin agreed.
"I tend to avoid Connlaoth, but sometimes the border of Connlaoth and Serendipity get shady up in the mountains. But, I will make sure you don't run into them," Kasolin assured him.
Kasolin thoughtfully looked out the window into the pouring rain before returning his gaze to Reinier.
"I do have a question for you, though.
Why seek out me for this deal?"

[Draconian]

How sweet.

Reinier was pleasantly surprised by the assurance that the Connloathians would be kept away. When Kasolin looked out the window to the dark and rain, Reinier's gaze followed, though now he was very preoccupied about what would happen if he encountered a mordecai.

Perhaps he would have to test it.

The question about 'why' caught his attention and Reinier flicked his head back, eyes going to Kasolins. "Well," Reinier said, "you have a station of importance but you have a quiet reputation, which means that should people catch wind of any going ons they'd have to figure out who you were and subsequently figure out who I am." Reinier leaned back, "it seemed like a smart move." He pushed the bowl away, most of it full. He'd had his mouthful.

"When would you like to begin? I imagine the sooner the better," Reinier glanced at the window again, "hopefully the weather will be better."

[wandering_giraffe]

Kasolin leaned back in his chair and stretched.
"Well, I was thinking I'd stop by the palace first. Grab a few things, and then hit the road. You're welcome to come with me if you'd like."
The town where the castle was wasn't terribly far away, perhaps a half days journey.
"We can leave now, if you like."
Kasolin pushed back his chair and stood up, bowing again to Reinier.
"Thank you for the drink. And for the food, I enjoyed it."