blood and booze [open]

[Anonymous]

Avellander beat his mug on the table angrily.

Ignoring a startled glare from the bartender, he put his index and middle fingers to the newly gouged cut above his left eyebrow. He winced slightly at the sting but glanced indifferently at the drop of scarlet at his fingertips. It was only a scratch, although he tended to dismiss most battle wounds as scratches. Glancing down at his arm, tan skin crisscrossed with pink lines, he decided that some scratches were worse than others.

"Vell, I think you've had too many drinks."

The bartender had recovered from his jumpiness and now leaned forward, a smile on his sickly pale face, attempting to smooth over the situation. Other patrons had noticed the aggressive aura exuding from the muscular warrior and were casting worried glances over at him. Ever since he had stepped angrily into the tavern, demanding beer, people had been trickling out, slowly but surely, to escape the threat.

"Fuck off, Renold."

The man turned and stood up. He cast the mug off to one side and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Impulsively he ran his fingers through his messy hair and wiped a thin trickle of blood off his cheek. The soldier knew—without some damn server telling him—that he should have better things to do than sit around and drink liquor. However, that wasn't the case; he wasn't under any orders. And Vell without orders was prone to random acts of violence.

Like his latest victim had realized. He forgot the name, just the aggravating face curled into a sneer, before it was red with blood. One nosebleed and a black eye later, the unruly citizen learned his place. He'd simply left a small gift with his knife during the struggle before Vell could turn it on the man and make him give up.

Not knowing whether to smirk or grimace at the thought, Avellander stepped across the wood floors of the tavern to reach for the door handle. He jumped with a curse when it opened inward, nearly striking him, and glared at the newcomer.

[Anonymous]

Angel broke past the door, the large man, and the patrons before walking up to the bartender with a pleasant smile. Dressed in her regular uniform, She struck some fear and admiration in the bar patrons as a Knight such as her didn't normally step into a...place like this. She had come for a specific reason today and that was reason...was by the door unbeknownst to Angel.

"Bartender, Please forgive my abrupt entrance here but I had word a soldier was causing trouble in this part of town and was last seen entering this establishment.", Angel said removing a sheet of paper from her armor and looked at it for reference.

"His name, as I am told, is Avellander and he a large brutish type man and I need to speak with him about his conduct immediately.", Angel finished with a slight hint of anger in her voice.

Angel hated this part of her job. She shouldn't have to baby grown men no matter if they were on duty or not and when she heard that a soldier was angrily stomping about Ketra and beating people while being a belligerent drunk...it got her quite peeved. How dare someone make the order look so low with such antics? Adults should know how to control their emotions but ESPECIALLY soldiers.

"......", The crowd was silently staring at Angel with shocked expressions and she couldn't understand why...until she turned around and saw her big brute...with door nearly in his face.

"Oh...There you are. I am Angel Anasari, Dragon Knight for Adela, and we have some things to discuss Sir Avellander.", She said with a little laugh at this situation.

[Anonymous]

Ah, damn.

Vell stood in shock when the familiar woman marched past him. He narrowed his eyes at the knight, somewhat amused, but not in a brighter mood by any means. So, he was news today? And this purple-haired woman, whose name escaped him, took it upon herself to police his actions? The frustration sobered him up, and he smiled coldly, leaning against the door, watching her as she attempted to gather information on him.

Large and brutish? His grin widened slightly. The hilarity was beginning to surpass the anger, and the look on the faces of the other patrons, including Renald's pale lips turning faintly upward, did him in. He emitted a dry chuckle when the knight finally noticed him.

Angel Anasari, Dragon Knight for Adela, introduced herself without missing a beat. He continued smiling, in a polite but frigid way, mocking but nothing she could call him out on. It was his favorite tactic, for when he wanted to be rude, he did it in the most polite way possible. He glanced at the door and tapped his fingers on it before glancing at her again.

"Would you like to sit down, then, Miss Knight?" Avellander's voice, though as gruff as ever, was polite with a hint of laughter. Without waiting for her reply, he strode over to the nearest table and drew a seat out for her before taking his own. He leaned his scarred cheek on his fist, propped up by his elbow on the tabletop.

"So..." He drew the word out and paused as if in thought before looking at her. "It's my understanding that you have absolutely nothing to do today. Or do they make big bad knights do petty errands so that they earn the right to do real work? I'm afraid I don't know the process."

There was the smile, both debonair and aggravating as hell at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Angel looked on as the man disregarded rank and nobility foolishly like a child. She took no other interest in him once he decided to smart mouth her in front of others she took a seat and removed her guantlets before gently placed them on the table. She took in the last of his words uninterested before finally looking up to the smart-mouthed man in front of her.

"You wouldn't know the happenings of a Knight so there is no reason to explain why I came here to deal with your poor attitude. But if you must, It is really only because I decided to come down here and try to understand why you would act this way. You may find this a petty errand or a useless waste of time but I dont think that little of you.", Angel said actually sounded sympathatic.

"Please can we just stop the tongue-in-cheek and take this seriously. You injured a man, a civilian, for what seems to be of no reasoning. Soldier or not, you need to know that there are punishments for things such as this. I am willing to wave the penalties for such actions if you just explain why you are acting in such a way.", Angel said in a hush voice as to avoid others from hearing.

She didn't come there to belittle a man or make him angry. Angel came to the pub to help a soldier who seemed to need some guidance. No one just acts this way for no reason and every soldier counts on and off the battlefield. He seemed like a good man behind it all and everyone deserves a chance.

[Anonymous]

Shortly after his rounds, Theodore had gone and sat in a tavern. Trying to take the edge off his frayed nerves, the knight could only sit in a corner and drink himself into a slight stupor. He was off duty now, what did he care? Theodore also didn't care when someone tried to fight, off duty, no one was dying, the man scurried off. Of course he stood up incase anything bad happened, but this was Adela! A nation that prided its self on its... Fighting spirit.

Theodore had to cover his mouth and not giggle when another knight walked in, this one on duty, and call out for the large soldier. His brain was fuzzy, but his nerves felt better. Civilian clothes instead of armor, Theodore didn't look like a nobleman, let alone a high ranking knight.

It wasn't until they sat down that Theodore shifted closer, taking his half filled glass with him. Penalties? For a simple little bar fight? Theodore didn't think the man got killed, had he run so fast to press charges? He moved a hand up to his face to scratch his chin before he turned around and looked at them, that woman. Theodore stared at her for a moment, yup a knight.

Unable to help himself, Theodore chuckled quietly before looking at the woman. "You sound more like a politician than a knight of Adela!"

Theodore was very Adelan. The dark skin, dark hair and bright eyes of the race. His own hair was to the middle of his back, tied in a loose ponytail at the back of his head and his eyes were a light hazel-green. Theodore leaned in again before just moving to pull a chair to their table and prop his elbows on it.

Theodore looked at her again before eyeing the man. The man he knew. Well, he didn't know him, but he recognised him, a soldier. He recognised the woman too, unfortunately, he didn't recall any time he'd spoken to her. Theodore smirked slightly, maybe she was off doing errands like this all the time, something guards should be doing.

With the alcohol in his system, his tongue was loose and he took a breath before puffing out his cheeks. "Do they always make you do things like this?" Theo held a hand up to the man before turning his attention to him, "Don't mean to interrupt this young lady talking down to you like you're...a ... "Theodore hiccuped and covered his mouth before continuing, "New Guy, I'm on your side." A hand wave and he remained seated, having made himself part of the little meeting. "Nothing wrong with the occasional bar fight, you know." He pointed out calmly, giving a slow nod.

[Anonymous]

The woman took her seat without reacting much to his thinly veiled taunts. He didn't let her lack of reaction bother him but continued to smirk slightly. Her eyes flicked to him as she explained her motives, and he listened boredly. It was her tone that got him, almost sympathetic, kind, as if she pitied him and was trying to set him right. That made him more frustrated than any screaming accusations could ever make him. His hazel eyes smoldering slightly, he leaned toward her, shifting his posture just a fraction. She might not notice it, but subconsciously people tended to be intimidated.

"You don't think that little of one, pathetic soldier? Stop spitting lies. There's nothing to 'understand,' as you charmingly try to put it. I only find it a waste of time because it is a waste of time. You could be out there catching murderers and rapists."

Gods, Vell wished he had another beer, but he'd never admit to that. He clenched his fist on the table, though his expression cooled down when she continued. His clenched hand seemed, in fact, to be a separate entity from the calm demeanor of its owner. "Injured him? I broke nothing. The only part of that stupid man that's injured is his pride." He took a breath and dropped his own voice to a whisper, mimicking hers, smiling softly. "Now, can we please stop taking this seriously? I was under the influence, he antagonized me, and I reacted without judgment." He recited the words a little too easily then placed his hand to the cut above his eyebrow, which had finally stopped bleeding. "I think what little justice is needed to be enacted has already been done. I'm sorry to disappoint you, fair knight."

And just when Avellander was prepared to get up and walk away and do something productive with his time, another voice called out to the busybody woman.

The lean, muscular soldier smirked and turned to look at the other man, who had pulled up a chair. He'd seen the dark-skinned man before, and knew he was in the army—as what he did not know. He was younger than him by about ten years, so he probably wasn't that prominent.

All he knew for sure was that he was very drunk.

Vell wanted to laugh, but he collected himself with a small amused grunt and watched the hand gestures of the drunken young man. He really didn't know what to say. Normally he would be inclined to ignoring him entirely just to piss the man off and make him realize his place, but apparently they had both sided against the Dragon Knight, and he was longing to see her reaction. Casually, he looked at her.

[Anonymous]

Angel couldn't help but smile when Avellander answered her. He was a strong man, that much was clear and probably was a great soldier. She decided to indeed drop the situation as he insisted when he explained what happened. She knew the man who filed the complaint was a weakling and a loser who only wished to cause trouble. She let out a sigh as Avellander was about to leave until another man began so spoke.

"Perhaps you both are right...", Angel said standing up from the table with a smile.

"Bartender!...", Angel called to the bartender to get his attention, "...A round of drinks for everyone on me!"

The roar of the bar showed that the awkward situation Angel created with her confrontation had passed. She sat back down and faced the other man who just joined them with a shocked expression on her face. Maybe other Knights and soldiers wouldn't know who this man was by simply looking at him but Angel did her homework. She wasn't sure WHICH of the twin knights she was talking with but she knew it was one of them. Nathanial and Theodore Wynn if she could recall their names correctly...

"Well boys, Let's put my uptight entrance aside. We are all off duty for the evening I suppose so let us enjoy ourselves.", Angel said with a pleasant smile before removing her cape and placing it besides her as their round of drinks were brought to the table.

"Well?...", She asked holding up her drink.

[Anonymous]

Theodore watched the man get up. Hey! "Whaat, come back. Sit down. The night is young and you can still walk, which means you're not drunk enough!" When Theodore finished talking, he had a look of disbelief over his tanned face and his lip was raised off to one side. What. "Y...huh!?" he wanted to row! To have a verbal challenge and she just... Rolled over? That wasn't fun!

A slightly dissapointed look and he looked at the man. Well boo. Theodore pushed his hands through his hair, making a bigger mess than before and sighed. Tension. Theo wasn't sure how to get rid of tension besides having sex and fighting. Maybe he could... Nah... That was just be awkward. He accepted the drink with a pout before looking woefully at the other soldier. "Looks like Miss.Knight has a thing for you, SoldierMan."

Like Theo could remember their names. He wiggled his glass at the soldier before taking a swig and placing it back on the table. He wanted to have a battle of drunken wits! He supposed whining and complaining would do. Theodore looked over at the woman before placing his head on his hand. "If that was me who was ordered to take someone in, I'd do it with them kicking and screamin'." His words slurred and he pressed his hand on the table before jerking a thumb towards Avellander. "Sure he'd do it that way too. As it is, I'm much too sloshed to do anything but want to have sex or fight."

A sideways look to either of them, a wink at Angel. He wouldn't actually do anything, but he sure as heck could say it! "Though my face is much too pretty for fi– Oh." Theodore smiled, "I'm Theo."

[Anonymous]

The woman sighed and then spoke words that Vell didn't expect her to say.

But admitting that they were right without a fight wasn't the end. No, she instead rose and called for more drinks. Both soldiers were shocked, and it took Avellander a moment longer to react when a mug was set in front of him. He glanced at Angel when she made her invitation to drink and uttered a small sigh, covering up his confusion with a broad smirk.

The drunk man's comment about the knight having a thing for him made him laugh, and he winked at her jokingly. "I don't think 'large, brutish men' are quite her type." Now that he thought about it, she was reasonably pretty, if a bit young. It didn't matter. He never went for women except in certain situations with certain people, and if she "had a thing" for him, which he doubted, he'd react however he felt like. Time alone gave Vell the experience he'd had with the fairer sex.

The younger soldier drank and commented that he'd refuse the errand that Angel Anasari had been sent on, gesturing and slurring. His last comment made Vell laugh. "Do you want a fight? Honestly?" He'd rough up this stranger a little in play. What was roughhousing other than careful fighting? Perhaps if he was slightly more drunk. Staring into his cup, he scowled before taking a drink.

"Theo—sounds familiar." He didn't associate with many knights and had not recognized the twin. He shrugged and smiled slightly. "Call me Vell."

[Anonymous]

"Don't jump to conclusions now Avellander, I never said I didn't like large brutish men.", She said with a playful smile and obviously suggestive wink.

"And you ARE far to beautiful to get hurt Theo, I agree. No wonder you are a knight, we after all have such errands to run between our usually training and crushing raiders.", Angel finished with a sarcastic tone to her voice, thrusting a gently punch into his arm at his wink.

She was joking...or WAS she. Neither man would know at least not tonight and this was just pleasant conversation under the dim lights of a bar. Drinking always brought out the "regular" woman her age. No uptight nobility, no fancy words and full sentences, and she always knew where to stop before she did something stupid. It was a talent...

"Theodore Wynn...Do you know that many of the woman back at the Academy think ill-thoughts of you and your brother? I think its the twin thing...", She said with a smile, taking another shot and downing a full drink in a few seconds.

"...Some woman don't have any self-control it seems...", She said, not really throwing out the possibility that she thought the same...

"This is fun.", Angel finished before waving down the bartender once more.

It's been a long time since Angel had a night out like this. She normally didn't even have a day off...or a vacation...or a personal day. She hadn't missed a single shift in her entire career and she was starting her first...forced vacation tomorrow. Commander thought everyone needed at least one day off and Angel disagreed but an order is an order and she had no choice. What was she going to do tomorrow...

[Anonymous]

Theodore stared at the larger man, his mouth hanging opening closing just in time to keep the drool from escaping. "No!" Theo shook the air in front of Vell and smiled, "S'nice to meetcha, Vells." A polite incline of his head and he took another drink of the free booze. Things tasted so much better when they were free. A smirk was on his lips when Angel spoke up again and he nodded towards Vell, wiggling his eyebrows. "Didja hear that? She's flirtin' with ya. She even winked!"

He felt proud of his observation skills and he puffed out his chest before deflating and looking at her wide eyed. People thought badly of him and his twin? Really? His mouth dropped open slightly and he moved a hand to cover his mouth before pausing and frowning, "Heeey, women can't hate Nathaniel. He's ga-ppy. Happy. Nathaniel is too happy." He tilted his head amused when she mentioned some women having no self control after swigging back a whole drink.

"That'll just make you drunk faster, Missy. A'course it's fun, s'why we do it." Theodore pressed a hand to his face and squeezed the bridge of his nose. It was also a way to shove things back that you didn't want to think of. Hey, there was a man there! Theo stared at Vell for a moment, "You look like a worldly man! Have you ever gotten anyone pregnants?" His eyebrows went up and he looked at him, expectant. The tiny sadistic Theo that lived behind his devilish smiles hoped he had so he wouldn't be alone with this situation. Surely someone could understand his plight.

[Anonymous]

Amkus opened the door casting a small shadow the light shone into the dimly lit tavern. He strided over to a  chair high off the ground that he almost had to jump to get his rump onto the seat. His gaze casted over the crowd who paid little mind to the lad he noticed that everyman and women was dark haired and dark fair skin. "Boy aren't you a tad young for a man's tavern like this." Bellowed a drunk sitting with his chuckleing friends. "Oi your right I forgot only men are allowed in here, thats why your sister was here all last night!" Snapped Amkus with a sharp grin.

"What can I get you son?" The bar keep chuckled out. "Oh no no sir no ale with the song." Amkus unhinged his vitos and began to play a happy song,As if to paint a picture of flight a common thing for the knights of Adela he knew. With the last few notes he cut off to polite applause.

"Such beautiful women I must admit." He gazed at eachone make sure there want some armed protective guard behind her. He saw a armored women and his gaze lingered she was taller then hm obiovouly not shocking him but still she seemed.... intresting. Her guard buddies not so much.

[Anonymous]

Avellander laughed at the soldier's refusal and watched him take another swig of his beer. He didn't know why he was enjoying himself so much now when he'd been angry earlier. People amused him, though, especially when they made fools out of themselves. He drank conservatively to make sure he didn't turn out to be the fool, though it was a little too late for his common sense. It didn't really matter. He'd be stopped before he did anything stupid, unethical, or illegal—as long as his drinking buddies didn't pass out first.

Angel's flirting caught him off guard, and he didn't have a witty response ready. Theo pointing this out only made him awkward, so he smirked and lifted his mug to the woman in acknowledgment. If she was that serious, she wouldn't stop, but otherwise he marked it down as joking.

When the woman made her remark, saying that Theo was a knight, Vell swallowed his beer the wrong way and sputtered into his mug. A knight? That guy? He turned to look at the man, wiping drink and spit from his mouth angrily. Knights were getting younger and less distinguishable from soldiers nowadays, and it pissed him off. While he managed to keep his composure at this new development, one hand remained curled in a fist. He didn't really listen to the rest of the conversation about twins and self-control, focusing on staring into his drink.

The male knight looked at him, and Vell met his eyes curiously when he started to ask a question. The question itself, however, was extremely unwelcome. Looking cold, a stark difference from even his relatively reserved smirking and laughing, he growled, "No."

[Anonymous]

Angel realized that Theo had the wrong idea of "ill-thoughts". The ladies didn't HATE either of them...The ladies LOVED them. Love meaning Lust of course and nothing far off then fantasies and the like. Twins...It was a stupid fantasy to be sure. Why would two siblings want to...Ugh the thought of it was just nauseating to Angel. Woman like that, and there male counterparts, just made the rest of the human race look like idiots.

Just then...Angel noticed that something had gotten Avellander a but angry. His response to Theo's pregnant woman question...which by the way was completely ridiculous, was a sharp no and he was more rigid and serious then before. She wouldn't bring it to attention though as that usually made a situation worse. Angel edged a bit closer to Avellander and took a drink to her mouth before leaning over to the man acting like nothing was the matter.

"Are you alright?, Angel mouthed the words so the others couldn't see, blocking their view from the crowd and Theo.

She was always one to care about others...even if they didn't wish for her sympathy or compassion. Angel joined the knights to defend others but also to make others feel that they were not alone, to feel that there was always someone they could turn to if they needed aid. Avellander seemed like the type to brush off Angel's compassion but that doesn't mean she wouldn't attempt to help.

"How about I buy you another drink?!", Angel said with a smile, waving the bartender down to signal another round of drinks...and there she noticed someone staring at her.

The man looked like some sort of bard and with smile waved to him politely before turning back to her company at the table. Angel was always a tad bit naive when it came to such things as men flirting with her and staring was never a problem in her eyes. She was a knight and woman so staring was natural...even some more rude then others. She decided to think nothing of it and continue enjoying her night.