Eileen relinquished a sigh of relief to be out of the waning sun, the tavern door swinging shut behind her. Nary a glance was spared her way by the regulars, despite being not strictly human that seemed to be a mild footnote of interest amidst this bizarre land of miracle and magic.
The air wafted with that unmistakable scent of ale and mead, a smell that whet her throat for a stiff drink. Cordially Eileen escorted herself to some wayside table, unoccupied as she would hate to intrude on other peoples' afternoon unduly. The bar-maiden was quick to approach her even as Eileen fetched a journal from her saddle-bag.
"Will you be having anything, dear?" The maiden spoke gently through her curled red bob of hair, a voice that seemed to come naturally to her in her middle age.
The Elf offered her own smile in return, "A pint of Ale, if you would, would be lovely." Eileen widened her smile at the barmaid's kindly nod. A nice woman, that. Well, while she awaited her drink (not a long wait she should hope) she may as well write her first entry in her journal. Maybe someone will be curious enough to ask her about what she's writing? Probably not. She could still hope it would be that easy.
A good day was not how Faelis would describe this one. A fun day, now that's what he was having. Usually he associated 'good' with 'success' and while he was not being very successful right now, he was having a hell of a good time.
Deciding to steal from someone in this peaceful town would most likely be called unmoral, and even Faelis wasn't going to steal someone's fortune here, but he wasn't above snagging a few coins from someone's purse.
Only this time, despite Faelis's admirable skills, his victim-to-be was an elf, and a very alert one at that. He had felt Faelis's attempt at pickpocketing and Faelis had had to make a run for it, empty-handed.
Now he was sprinting down the street, a black clad blur as he darted between market-goers and livestock as his pursuer made chase, shouting after him.
Faelis's eyes scanned the street in an instant, and his sharp golden eyes landed on a tavern. He made for it, stopping just outside the door before stepping inside.
It was market day, so there was quite a crowd in the street, so hopefully his pursuer hadn't seen him. Just in case he had, Faelis went to the side of the tavern and sat down at a table there that was already occupied by a young elven woman who was writing in a book. Faelis would have put on his cloak to further hide himself, but he decided that that would be to suspicious. After all, the elf chasing him hadn't gotten a really good look at him, so Faleis thought he should be safe.
Only slightly out of breath, Faelis looked over at the elven woman sitting across from him. "Hello," he said, smiling roguishly. "What're you writing?"
"Ah!" said elven woman gasped out. 'Twas good fortune that Eileen had closed her journal when she had, else her jump would have torn a hole through the thing! The voice that addressed her, however, was quite a charming thing. Such that perhaps a smile came to her face more naturally than it should have.
"O-oh." her emerald eyes shook uncertainly betwixt her beneficent accoster and her journal. It wasn't supposed to work!
Thinking quickly (or trying to) the elf brushed a stray blonde lock back behind her ear, clearing her throat in that authoritative way her mother oft did, "I was transcribing my first and present thoughts unto a journal." Eileen hesitated, quite flummoxed as to what she may follow up with. Spoken conversation seemed to prove more difficult than she had planned.
"Though, Sir, may I inquire as to what you are doing here?" that's right, small talk, should help, "Waiting on friends perhaps? Or mayhap you had sought a respite from the daily drudgery?"
"Interesting," Faleis's smile grew as she told him she she had been writing. And he shook his head when she asked what he was doing here.
"No, I just decided to have a drink, and though that this looked like a nice table," he said unapologetically, then he looked the elven woman in the eye. "Though the presence of a fine lady such as you has made the spot all the more pleasant."
No harm in a few flowery words, he thought, after all, it never hurt to get an ally, especially one who was such a beautiful young woman.
A pleased hum came to her bosom, Eileen shook her head with a growing grin, "A fine lady, I may well be; but a finer man, I deem thee." she tried to be sultry with that bit of rhyme. She really did. However her composure lasted for naught a moment before it crumbled to giggles more fitting for one of her youth.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Eileen rasped in good nature before sparing a moment to sip a drop of ale and still her thoughts, "I've read far too much bad poetry as a child and wouldn't you know it? Just won't let me be."
Faelis almost chuckled at her words, but he just smiled. "No need to apologize," he said. "I read poetry as a child as well."
Though he hadn't wanted to. In his years as a prince, his tutors had forced him to take lessons in 'things all princes need to know'. And while Faelis managed to sneak out of the castle and miss most of the lessons, there had been a few he had been forced to attend.
"By the way, the name's Faelis," he held out a slender hand for her to shake, the charming smile still on his face.
"Eileen," She took his hand gingerly, her hand so drastically soft and feeble compared to his, she almost felt a pang of shame at that, "Eileen Whittaker." She affirmed cheerily with a shake of their hands.
"If I may be so bold, might I inquire as to what you do, Faelis?" Eileen thought to ask. Mayhap he could be a local or a traveler that would pay for a magical green thumb, something she could do with her meager talent? Coin wasn't a present concern. But the future remain scarily uncertain at the moment.
She gave her last name. Faelis made note of that. In general, the world-wise people he had met usually only gave a first name, if they gave a real name at all. It was harder to track someone across countries if you only knew a first name.
"I'm a treasure-hunter," Faelis said as he withdrew his hand. That was not a lie, he was a treasure-hunter, of sorts, and sometimes he even did go adventuring for treasure in old ruins and decimated castles. Once he had even traveled across the Moraki Desert after treasure.
"What's your profession?" he asked.
For all that her image was worth anymore Eileen managed to quell that reminder of her impotence into merely a blush.
"Uh-" she stalled, grace flat-footed with anxiety, "I am, most unfortunately, lacking in paying work." Eileen admitted, as much as she was reluctant to do so, "What skills I have, and what few there are, are ill-required in a this town thus far as I have seen it."
Now, rather than with a smile, it is with pursed lips that she moves the ale to her lips for another drink.
"La'marri is a very open town, I'm sure someone would be in need of your skills, whatever they may be."
Just then the barmaid walked up again, and she smiled at Faelis. "Is there anything I can get for you?" she asked, and while Faelis hadn't come in her looking for a drink, he knew it would be rude if he didn't buy something, so he nodded.
"I'll just have an ale, thank you," he said, and the woman nodded before walking off. Faelis looked back to Eileen. "Are you from around here?"
"Maybe. Maybe." Eileen mutters, half a world away in thought.
Only after a moment what she was sure had been awkward silence did she catch the question, "Huh- Oh! Oh." She tries to hide her sheepishness behind another sip of ale. With a hum she answers, "No. No. From the. . . a? forest, actually." Eileen politely coughed before offering a sidelong remark, "I'd, well, rather not talk about it. If that's acceptable, Sir."
"How about you?" she is quick to inquire, "Must hail from someplace exciting to learn the trade of a treasure-hunter."
Faelis nodded as she seemed to become uncomfortable at the question. "I don't mean to pressure you, or make you uncomfortable," he said, then smiled as she asked about where he had come from.
"I'm actually from an elven kingdom far from here," he said. "I used to be a prince, but since my older brother was the heir to the throne, I was mostly ignored, other than being made to do studies and such. I was so bored of this that I ran away at fifteen, and I've bee living like this ever since."
The barmaid came back with the ale, and Faelis took it, thanking her, before she left again.
"Must have been quite a scandal, after you left. A king's son is still a king's son regardless of relative seniority over his siblings."
Only after a moment had Eileen realized the potential offence to be taken from her speculation, "Not that I wish to make light of your own troubles." she was quick to amend. "I've always read and heard stories of the drama and intrigue of court. It's a fascinating thing to ponder, I suppose. Much scarier in implication when one considers the realities that inspire it, however."
Eileen idly circled her pint of ale, noticeably calmer in her parlance, "Mayhap, Faelis, you have some hobbies? A man's life is oft more than that which his job requires of him, as I understand it." she offered genially, smiling gently. Today was going well, she decided.
Faelis shrugged. "I'm not offended," he said, taking a sip of his ale. "I'm sure some drama happened, but to tell the truth, I don't really care." It was the truth. When she asked about his hobbies he frowned, thinking. "My job is quite demanding, and I'm almost always traveling, so I don't have too much time for hobbies, though it's not bad, because things are always happening on my journeys. Though, if I think about it, I do sometimes draw, well, sketch, really, and I guess knife-throwing constitutes as a hobby."
He took another drink of his ale and looked up at Eileen. "What are your hobbies?" he asked.
"I read a lot of books, actually, I enjoy a well-crafted mystery with plenty of intrigue, as you may have guessed." Eileen giggled with a grin cracking wide, "And well, poetry of all sorts and curio, has oft been my lifetime's study when for want of anything else to do."
Her eyes turned distant for a moment, however the grin remained the same, "I used to help plants grow." she laughs, perhaps in nostalgia, "Not that a forest would need that, you know?" Eileen chances another drop of ale, "Maybe I should start doing that again. I'm sure the townsfolk would love a blooming flower, a picturesque tree just over yonder hill if they prefer, grown practically overnight to grace them."
"Bah," Eileen waves away her musings, "I'm sorry. I seem to be getting lost quite often today. Any songs or poetry, good ones I hope, strike your inner sensitive side's fancy, Ser Prince?"
So some sort of plant or earth magic then, Faelis thought, but he shrugged at her question. "It's not that I don't enjoy music or poetry," he said. "I often hear bards playing or musicians on the street, and I'm glad for it, but I generally don't seek out music or poetry, though I do read occasionally. Mostly I read fiction, though sometimes history and spellbooks. I have no magic myself, but knowing about it doesn't hurt, you never know when you'll need to defend yourself against a mage, though mostly I learn about that just from getting around. So, you have plant magic of some sort?"
She felt a sincere hope that the treasure-hunter's remark on defence was meant solely as a commentary on the danger to him and his and not people in general here.
"Yes," Eileen nodded in simply matter-of-fact, "indeed that seems the most apt name for the nature of it. Though I must state the certainty that my skill in that realm is hardly extraordinary." 'twas not a shame to admit, she could reason most easily, "With concentration and time, of which I had plenty of both, I grew plants just to see what would happen." her smile turned satirical, "I tried to make art with gnarling trees and overly large flowers a few times." Eileen laughed as her face scrunched in distaste, "Never quite turned out as I would have liked."
"However, if I may drag the conversation back a step, is such danger; mages, bandits, and the like I mean; common on the roads?"
Faelis listened as she spoke about her magic. "I'm sure they looked fine," he commented when she mentioned art.
He shrugged when she asked about bandits and mages on his travels. "As for dangers, there's mostly bandits and monsters, though sometimes I'll come across a dark mage or a more powerful being."
He spoke as if it were an everyday thing, and not something to get worried about, and it wasn't, at least not to him.
"A-ah" it was a jarring, frightening epiphany, to hear of such mortal danger to the common man spoken of indifferently, boredly, even. In an effort to quell the rising anxiety Eileen sipped another drop of her ale, cleared her throat, and rested her hand firmly in her lap.
"A-and," damnable stuttering, "would there, perhaps, be some manner or route to safely traverse the distances betwixt townships, steads, and hamlets?"
There simply had to be something, she'd even hire a mercenary if she had to, if there was no opportunity in this village for literature, mathematics, or mediocre plant magic she'd need to move on immediately.
Faelis, seeing he had, in some way frightened her, was confused until he realized that not everyone was in such a dangerous profession as he, and most people went their whole lives without having an attempt on their life. To Faelis, that seemed very strange, almost absurd, considering there had been probably hundreds of people who had tried to kill him in his lifetime.
"The large, well-traveled roads are the safest," Faelis said. "But no road is ever completely safe, especially those traveling through forests. It is always much safer to travel with a caravan too, if you can. There's safety in numbers, but hiring a mercenary is also helpful, though that costs money, and there aren't too many mercenaries here, at least as far as I've seen."
Eileen pursed her lips in thought, her emerald eyes having become distant as they aimlessly looked churlishly at the nothing beside her.
After a minute she sighed and propped her elbow on the table to support her slouching head, "I'll, I'll work something to the tune of progress another day." she sent a small glance to what was still left of her pint, "The ale, as it stands, has relaxed me enough to be quite disinclined to embrace the stress of planning so readily at present." Oh dear, she was getting 'wordy' again, wasn't she?
"Faelis? Perchance you have some repertoire of song, poem, or ballad amidst your memory?" Eileen inquires with a decidedly intellectual drawl, seeming to have forsook the previous gamut of anxiety in favor of a defence of enforced ennui, "Something dirty or silly, I would hazard to guess, would be most definitely called for. Though, if you'd prefer to not play the part of impromptu jester, no offence intended of course, I can easily understand a wont to leave me to find my own amusement for the eve."
She was quite unskilled at handling stress, Eileen could note with confidence.
Faelis smiled crookedly at her request, goodness she was interesting. "I'm sure I could think of something," he said, glancing around the barroom as he thought. Then his golden eyes lit up as he remembered a certain tune. "Ah, I've got one," he said, leaning back in his chair. "A song."
It had been a long time since Faelis had sung, and even longer that he'd really tried. Often it was along to a familiar tune of a street side bard or in a tavern with a group of musicians.
He cleared his throat.
"Down in the valley of the oak trees,
A dwarf, he brewed his ale,
His name was Lincoln and he always was drinking,
The concoction he made by the pail,
Everyone traveled to buy it,
Everyone wanted a try,
Everyone wanted it yet they all couldn't handle it,
It was so strong that it made one want to cry,"
Faelis laughed as he finished, it was a silly song, not one to win any competition, but Faelis's voice was actually quite good, if a bit out of practice.
"Nothing special," he said. "I actually think I heard it in Cerenis."
Swiftly gone was what blank steel shield Eileen had hidden behind. In it's place a gentile gaze and warming smile. She'd not heard anyone but her family sing before now, 'twas a sort of small miracle to hear it in the voice of someone new.
She was genial in rising from her slouch, "'Twas a rendition worth the notice of any music hall, I am certain." Eileen offered a crooked, joking grin, however much her eyes softened, "And I would be, most assuredly, remiss were I not to attempt to exceed you in good nature."
She closed her eyes and cleared her throat. Though she could not sing (her brother assured that she knew that) poetry was well within the elegance of her voice,
As I e'ermore seek the quandary of wondering as I wander;
I cannot help but to ponder why I wander as I wonder;
And as gallantly I saunter, my quandary I ponder;
But alas! As I consider, an answer with my saunter;
I find, it's all the stranger, this idea I oft consider;
to, all alone, on my own, wonder with vigor, so come and be no stranger;
for I've a spot of cider for us two, to e'er wonder as we wander, and ponder why we wonder.
Eileen felt her cheeks heat as she edged out a sheepish smile, "An old, old favorite of mine. Only one like it, as far as I know."
Faelis saw her relax. Good, a relaxed person was less likely to suspect someone of, say, attempted pickpocketing?
He laughed as she mentioned a music hall. "Hardly, thou there's never harm in trying!" he chuckled, and then smiled when she finished her poem, nodding. "I've never heard it before," he said. "Though it's not as if I'm very well-versed in poetry. But I like it. Where did you hear it?"
"Only heard my own rendition of the piece, unfortunately." Eileen admits with a calm smile, "'Twas most unceremoniously placed amidst the pages of an aged poetry tome." her smile reaches her eyes as she adjusted in her seat, "A unique story behind it: purportedly twas a piece found the journal of a now assuredly forgotten common bandit."
Though her eyes remain on Faelis it is clear that she is looking far and away through him without focus, "A fascinating idea, I will not deny my own ponderings on the implied intricacies at play there. A bandit capable of not only reading, but writing as well! What life might he have had? How did he turn to banditry? What other pieces are e'er forgotten because he could not put them to paper?" Eileen blinks and shakes from her minor stupor, smile falling into sheepishness, "But I'm rambling, it seems. Forgive me, Sir."
"I've met many, seemingly uneducated people who are quite brilliant, actually," Faelis said upon hearing her story. He had been about to say, 'I've met many criminals', but he decided that that would be a bit suspicious. "Though that piece was quite extraordinary in it's own right, some supposedly 'higher-class' bards and poets don't have anything that good."
He took another sip of his ale, which was almost gone. "So, what are you planning to do now? Look for work? Leave town?"
She should hope Faelis to be the exaggerative sort. To have been press-ganged into this wild multi-colored wander would be made all the grimmer given a lack of high-artistry to occupy the mind.
Eileen leaked out a weary sigh, the dreary uncertainty her future was now beholden to chilled her at the thought of it's precariousness, "The former, then, likely, the latter." she answered most succinctly.
A worried, hopeful smile quietly emerges, "If there is no work to be found here, then there is a beauteous world to explore out there." she spared herself a cynical chuckle, "However trepidaciously, I admit. But one full of marvels and miracles, I'm sure."
"I know this town somewhat," Faelis said. "Perhaps I could help you to find a job?"
Faelis wasn't offering just to be helpful, no, while that was in his mind somewhere, it definitely wasn't the most prominent cause for this offer. Whenever he met someone new he never passed up the opportunity for another adventure. Perhaps the young woman wouldn't be able to find work, and she'd need a guide? Faelis would be happy to help, even without pay, for it was sure to be an adventure, and despite his profession as a thief, it wasn't the money that kept him going, it was the thrill, the chance for a exciting experience.
"Well," Eileen began, "'twould be both remiss and unwise of me to reject any assistance offered unto me."
Thoughtfully, with a noticeable glint of focus in her emerald eyes, she rests her forearms atop the table, "Mayhap you indeed have pertinent information to assist me in my endeavor? Some individual in possession of both the coinage to compensate and the need of one of my minor skills?" It would most certainly be a boon, to be sure.
In some childish manner the idea of an 'adventure' ending just as it could begin rankled her inner naivete. However the indignation of her inner impishness was hardly a concern to contrast against survival.
"I might know of some places," Faelis said. "What kind of work are you looking for, exactly?"
Faelis didn't know Le'marri that well, but perhaps he could help Eileen to find a place to work, depending on what kind of work she was looking to do.
Eileen spared herself a moment, checking her ponderings before voicing them, "I do not know the trades of this town, indeed this culture, well. I must profess."
The elf genially samples another dip of the ale before speaking again, "An apprentice to a scribe, erupts firstly in my purview. Whilst I decidedly lack adequate training in perfect penmanship I believe an agreeable deal could be negotiated."
As afterthought Eileen hums, "Mayhap if someone, someplace here finds themselves requiring trees or a garden to grow and bear fruit within weeks rather than years even my meager magical potency may suffice, I would think."
"I don't know this town that well," Faelis replied. "But I do know of one or two libraries whose scribes may need some help." He thought some more about the second job option before continuing. "And while there aren't really any farmers around here, due to all the trees, there may be some people who could use your help with larger gardens, though I doubt you'd want that as a full-time profession."
At least, Faelis assumed she wouldn't, after all, he wouldn't be able to stand such a job.
"However, if you were to leave town, there would be plenty of farmers outside the woods that could probably use your assistance, as well as libraries all over the land looking for help, though that may require some traveling to find the right place."
"Perchance," the elf draws out, allowing her expeditious thoughts to coalesce, "'twould be most wise to probe these opportunities each, then." Eileen intones ponderously. In bare curiosity her emerald eyes drift to the door, her mind's eye ticking in thoughtful estimation.
A hum grows from her in the silence, "On the forthcoming morrow." Eileen states. Simply a mild acquiescence, she reasons, she'd been here for not but two days come this eve. Logically, she should not be so quick to rape the new realm of its mystique, lest her drive to pursue it all be burned to charcoal.
It is with a start that her thoughts and attention return to the here and now, "Tomorrow, yes." she spares a moment to clear her throat of ale's aftertaste, "Perhaps I may inquire as to what you, yourself, have planned for the coming days, Faelis?" her tone is curious, politely so even as she finds her head reclining into her hand and thoughts beginning to drift.
This rhythm of conversation, was she the one making it seem dull? Perhaps this is merely the 'small talk' she'd oft see referenced in a work? Always mentioned by some loner bint but ne'er shown. Those precarious and tedious steps to learn of a person before you've decided if you care? Huh, Eileen blinked in bemusement, had Faelis had those gold hairs this entire time? She mentally shrugged, to spare her opposite the confusion of a seemingly random gesture, perhaps he dyes it in soot. . . for whatever reason. . . She was drifting far, it seems.
Faelis nodded in agreement, and then thought for a moment about her question. However, he noticed as her mind seemed to wander, but he answered all the same.
"That depends," he stated. "I'll help you find a place here to work, and then probably continue on out of town. But if you can't find a job, perhaps I could be your guide? instead of hiring one or finding a mercenary. Since I'll be leaving anyway, I won't have to charge you at all."
One blink, two, three and Eileen's drifting mind mustered a smattering of comprehension upon her. To traipse in step with a treasure hunter? Her head bowed in thought. Dare she even spare it that though?
If anything has been thoroughly elucidated by her last day's experience, 'twas the visceral reality of danger. What slurking predatory beasts lurk just beyond town's sight? The tribal hordes of banditry? Cabals of bush-wizards? Skulking cadres of goblins?
"Your assistance would be most welcome, if unexpected." Decent conversationalists don't oft make way to help a stranger so. Perhaps 'twas a consequence of her naivete, her willingness to be helped by this man she, in truth, barely knew. "If- If I am to journey, with you, outwards- to forest, plain, and beyond -how am I to know I can trust you?" Eileen bit her lip, eating down her anxiety as her finger impatiently tapped the table.
"I do not intend offence upon your character, Faelis." her eyes glanced away, it felt wrong to look directly ahead, to look at Faelis, as she spoke now, "But though I trust you with drink, my history, and my opinions, I cannot yet say I could trust you with my life."
"No offence taken," Faelis said, holding up both his hands. "But I can't really give you anything proving that I'm trustworthy, only my word that I won't harm you, if you'll take that. But if you are going to end up leaving here, any guide you find will be hard to trust as well, most of the time they're independent mercenaries or rangers, and even if they are working with a guide company, they still are usually just independent contractors working for the company." The elf shrugged. "It's not like that's any proof that I'm trustworthy, it's just that anybody else you hire will be just as unknown to you."
Faelis thought for a moment before continuing. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable at all, you don't have to take me up on my offer it you don't want to."
The man, Faelis, made a point Eileen couldn't quite manage a rebuttal to. He was the person she yet knew best in this town, in this world even. Eileen clenched her jaw, shutting away any rising anxiety she held. but this was her life. She could not permit impatience to endanger her like that. "I. . ." she began, too timidly for her liking, "I apologize, Faelis." Eileen paused, regaining her more confident cadence, "I will not, can not, risk a journey afoot of the wild out over yonder yet. I will be most glad to have your assistance tomorrow, but after that it seems we will part ways."
'Twas not cowardice to deny adventure's call, Eileen affirmed in her mind, 'twas simply sense.
"No need," Faelis said as she apologized. "I completely understand."
The barmaid came to their table. "Anything else for you two?" she asked, and Faelis shook his head, not for me." He pulled a few coins out of his pocket, but glanced over at Eileen. "Have you paid? If you haven't, I'd be happy to, it's nice having someone to talk to every now and then."
Swallowing away the seriousness came surprisingly simply, Eileen noted, a genial smile having emerged.
"Ah," she started, hand waved in dismissal, "I am not of the need to accept charity as of yet, Faelis." that she hoped she never would be need not be said. Promptly she matched his presented coinage, "But yes," she easily admitted, "educated conversation is, lightly put, something I may very well be lacking in future. Best to foster an appreciation for it now, I'd best suppose."
Faelis shook his head, "It's not charity," he said. "It's a friendly gesture." He handed the barmaid enough money for both of their drinks and she walked away. Faleis turned back to Eileen.
He considered asking her if she had a place to say, but he decided that may come off as a little creepy, so he said nothing on the subject.
For a moment Eileen felt her response intangible, obstinate in refusal to form. After a spare moment's though, however, she felt secure in settling on a gentile smile, "Though not sought I shall readily admit the gesture appreciated, Faelis."
The Elf secured her meager leather bags and rose from the table, "I should be returning to the Inn soon." she admits somewhat apologetically, "'Tis proper to offer help there 'fore I start to take up space for the night."
As evening was turning to dusk, and the bustle of the day was coming to a close, the work-force outside the tavern was beginning to wrap up. Those at the market were packing their wares, livestock, and other goods away, while the lamps were beginning to be lit, the encroaching forest still darkening the area despite the clearing above.
In the midst of the slow movement of the day toward its dark end, Melmac, the old human clad in his usual, 'unfitting' attire for a wizard, preferring comfort and lacking a desire to stand out, mostly due to not having a reason to. Either way, after an exciting day of aiding two people almost-consecutively with refining their casting of particular spells they had trouble with (And helping people become proficient in magic actually was exciting!), he decided to relish in the company of relatively-recent friends in the tavern.
He pushed the door open, walking in, a few friendly faces noticing him and raising mugs, to which he responded with his own gentle gesture. He wasn't shy, but saw no reason to provoke overt amounts excitement at his own arrival. As he walked to the bar, he noticed two unfamiliar elves at a table. Never wanting to miss the chance to learn about those who had traveled, with their own life experiences, he approached the table and spoke. "Ah, hello. May I sit?"
Once more were the doors of the tavern opened. Through them entered a tall man covered in a rather weathered brown cloak. Though the strength and confidence of an experienced traveller emitted by the very presence was missing from him right now. Shaky were his steps on the way to the bar. Accompanied by a slight groan and a facial expression that sang of the worst headache in the history of headaches did he finally reach his goal: A free bar stool. "Don't mess with spatial magic. Basic rule number 1..." Did he murmur more to himself than anybody else, mainly because he didn't really seem to notice much of his surroundings. Thus he also did not notice the guests closest to him moving a bit away with worried looks after those words. Basic rule for non-mages: Close proximity to seemingly failed experiments is generally detrimental to ones health.
The barmaid however did not hold that opinion, or maybe just didn't hear his words, and approached him a few moments later, coming from the table of the 2 elves. "You look like you need something strong." It was a simple statement and Adriel was very thankful for that. A slight nod and a smile send the request for something strong enough to kill the king-headache. After that, he finally took the time to observe the place he had gotten himself into. "Cozy..." Another murmur to himself. He had no plans of making any further contact before getting his painkiller, which was hopefully on the way right about now.
As Faelis stood with Eileen, another man approached, asking if he could sit. "Of course," Faelis said, stepping to the side. "I think we were just leaving."
He glanced over at Eileen as yet another person entered the bar. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked her.
Hmm, that human Faelis gave an answer was rather aged, that would imply a seniority and thus a place of business or at least a trade. There might be merit in starting her hunt for work now.
No, he was here likely after a day of work. Recruiting an unskilled laborer was likely the farthest from his mind. Ah, wait, Faelis had inquired after confirmation hadn't he?
"Yes," Eileen professed with a wide smile, "of course."
Her smile faded as she was overtook with thought, "Mayhap," she began, "we may meet outside this very tavern? Come the morn?" the Elf half-shrugged, "Seems as good a navigational landmark as any I'd be familiar with."
Melmac, hearing that they were about to leave, spoke up.
"Er, excuse me. Are you two both from around here? I don't believe I recognize either of you... Pardon my bluntness." He cleared his throat. "I simply like to learn about the lives of people from different lands; provides me new perspectives, you see."
Melmac watched the two, somewhat-nervous at this point. He didn't want to stop them from leaving, but he at least wanted to know if both were truly not of this area.
Adriels short observation of the room resulted in the classifaction of your run of the mill tavern slash bar room. Booze after hard work helped wherever one was. That is of course if you look past the rather diverse species present. Many of the common races where present, some beings even he couldn't identify at the first glance. A bit surprised did he finally realized that they actually got along seemingly well. Nothing to be taken for granted, given that most cities had a dominant species and more frictions than links between them. The mages thoughts were disrupted by the arrival of his ordered drink. "Ahh thanks a lot." With a short smile to the barmaid, who then proceded to other patrons, he finally got his painkiller. And of course took a deep swig out of it. Maybe it was his own regenerative abilities finally kicking in or the alcohol actually worked as a painkiller, but finally the headaches lessened. Which was evident on his face as well as a pleasant sigh after setting down the mug.
Now that his immidiate goal was achieved, it was time to plan a bit further ahead. He was in a knew, but at least pretty interesting, place and had nothing to do, no place to stay, basically nothing beyond what he had on his body. A mischievous smile appeared on his lips as once again his attention was drawn away from his thoughts, and his mug, towards one of the tables. 2 elves and an old man where having a conversation. The interesting fact, it seems the 2 elves where also new in the area. More so, the old man liked some new perspective. Adriel surely could add to that. You dont meet an ascended mage that just more or less accidentally fell through a destabilized spatial portal every day.
Getting off his chair, and of course not forgetting his priced mug, he made his way towards the small group. This time already a lot more vigorously than when he entered the tavern and pretty much stumbled to the bar. "A get together and exchange of travellers? I dont mind to... provide new perspectives as you put it. In exchange for some information about this place instead?" While Adriel spoke mainly to the old man, he by no means tried to exclude the 2 elves, although they seemed to be leaving. "Just arrived here today."
"Sure," Faelis answered Eileen's question, and glanced at the young woman as the other two people approached and started talking.
"I don't live here," Faelis said. "But I'm quite familiar with this place."
He wasn't really sure what these two men were after, so he said no more.
Eileen nodded as she turn her head to aged fellows, one whom she'd given cursory inspection not long prior.
"Unfortunately, as much as I'd appreciate the exchange, Sirs." She began apologetically, "The Inn, I imagine, will soon start efforts to prepare for the night and I intend to assist." as she explained she hoisted her small bag and compulsively checked its contents as she did so. She seemed to have everything she had entered with, at the least.
"I'd better get back to the inn I'm staying at as well," Faelis said. "It's getting a little late."
He left the inn and went to the place he was staying at. Tomorrow he would meet with Eileen and they would possibly find her a job.
Astutely, politely, Eileen bowed her head to each of the two aged gentlemen in turn.
"With fortune, we'll have a proper chance to converse, good Sirs. On the morrow, I wager." her incessant anxiety felt the need to provide, "I bid thee both a well-wished farewell." Erring on expedience Eileen most gracefully fled before her wordy goodbye could jitterishly ramble into a whole, one-sided conversation.
Her feet scrunched into the dirt outside with palpable uncertainty. Her blonde head echoed with 'Could have said's and 'Should have done's already. Eileen had yet to start courting employers and already she scrunched her nose at the rancid stench of second-guesses and paranoid delusion.
Hopefully- Well, hopefully, Faelis could provide some levity betwixt her rabid attempts at charisma. Tomorrow then.
The tavern stood not fifty paces from Eileen. She was to arrive in much the same garments as the day prior. Circumstance bid that she had little to adorn herself with. Little of it so infallibly practical as her satchel.
The morn was distinctly gelid, cast the waking world in pale hues of many sorts.
Eileen's ears twitched away the cold as her large emerald eyes swayed to and fro in a cursory search for Faelis. "Morn" without minutiae to profer unto it context made for a rather ambiguous time to meet, after she'd had time to reflect on the previous eve.
She spared her unintended vagueness a shrug as she now stood just a pace or two away from the Tavern wall. There was certainly only so ambiguous "Morn" could possibly be interpreted as, most assuredly. Faelis would be along either soon or simply sooner in whatever interpretation the word had.
Faelis came to to the tavern before the sun even rose, and took a seat by the window.
He stood when he saw Eileen approaching, and he went outside to meet her. "Good morning!" he said cheerily as he walked up to her. "Are you ready to go job hunting?"
Or he'd had her outmaneuvered most entirely.
Eileen pivoted in step to face her most recent and appreciatively enthusiastic acquaintance, "A fair morn unto you as well, Faelis." she crooned in cheerful retort.
Mayhap habitually she adjusted the strap of her meager satchel as she eyed the wakening yonder about them, "And I would be most glad to. However I am▬woefully▬lacking in appreciative knowledge of local businesses. Might I be able to rely on your knowledge of these tracts?" Eileen inquired somewhat reticently but she was most quick to qualify, "Much as I'd hate to be a greater bother."
"No bother at all," Faelis said, glancing around the street, his hands in his pockets. Then he looked back at Eileen. "You said you were looking fir a job as a scribe of some sort?"
He thought that was what he had said, but he assumed he'd better clarify if he was going to be helping her find a job. After all, it would be no use to lead her to a library if he was wrong about what she wanted to do.
"A scribe, yes. But whatever comes, comes." Eileen admitted with easy smile. 'Twas a boon to have so lackadaisical in manners an acquaintance in this venture.
She spared a glance askance the town abroad, and though her green eyes were sharp she'd not the critical knowledge to navigate even these spacious streets.
"Though I admit," she starts with familiar pause, "inexperience with wider society leaves me ill-suited to even this comparably rural navigation."
"We can start at the library," Faelis said. "And don't worry about finding you way around, I know this town well, and if we do happen to get lost, most of the citizens here are friendly and will be happy to point us the way."
He glanced down the street and pointed. "The library's that way. "It'll take us only a few minutes to get there."
He started down the street in the direction of the library after he made sure Eileen was following. The streets were fairly busy now, shoppers buying and merchants hawking their wares to the street.
With relative ease Eileen kept step aside her taller acquaintance.
"Perchance," she starts, "You might exhort some practical advisement unto me that I may hearken unto it in hopes of increasing my chances of employment?" Eileen inquired near breathlessly.
The jabber and jibber of the clangor about the thoroughfare (or very near such area at least) was as so much white noise to her at present. How convenient for the fickleness of fate that she only really think about necessary advice as they walked to the potential employment in question.
"I may not be the best one to ask about how to get employed!" Faelis said. "I've never been one to really hold a job for too long, that's why I travel, you see. I seem to have a little trouble with authority, I don't much like being told what to do."
He thought for a moment. "Though perhaps I can give a you a bit of advice, or at least what I've found from personal experience. I've never stuck with a job I didn't like. Of course, there are times when I needed money bad and I kept a job I hated for a short while, but as soon as I saved up even a bit of coin, I left. If there's one thing I hate is doing something with my life that I'm not enjoying. Life's only so long, I mean to make the best of mine."
He paused then, and looked over at Eileen. "You're an elf," he stated. "And so am I, but I'll only a live about ten or so years longer than a human, are you the immortal kind?"
Faelis wasn't sure if this was a rude question, but he usually wasn't bothered with being rude, and now, at least, he didn't mean to be.
"There's, ah," Eileen cringed away minutely, "more than one type of Elf?" she inquired with so small a voice. 'Tis horribly mortifying to be caught flatfoot on what is likely so common of knowledge.
Oh dear, if she'd not been privy to something of this sort mayhap she's less prepared for this venture than even her anxiety had whispered unto her just this morn.
"Pray tell," she started, just barely pushing beyond that mounting anxious cold in her bosom, "exactly what might the sub-species 'neath the label of "Elf" might there be? Faelis?" Eileen spared half a look to her acquaintance. He'd not be overly rude, probably. But 'twas hardly his mockery that most concerned her in light of this newest context.
"Where have you been?" Faelis laughed at her comment, but he was not intending to be mean, and he answered her next question without mockery. "There are lots of different kinds of elves, and not one 'main' elf species. There are elves like me, with lifespan's and features similar to a human, though with quicker and stronger reflexes and senses, and then there are the elves that are almost like gods in their power. They could be immortal, with amazing power in both magic and physical form. Then there are elves who are barely three feet tall, with green skin and large ears, kind of like imps, as well as elves who are almost fairies." Faelis shrugged. "Elves range so much, I couldn't begin to name them all. I don't even know them all myself. They could be ten feet tall or ten inches tall, have no magic, or be full to the brim with it, have lifespans shorter than a humans, or be impervious to death altogether."
Faelis had many questions to ask Eileen, considering she didn't even know there was more than one kind of elf, she must have been pretty secluded her whole life, but he could see that she was quite shocked already, se his questions could wait.
Her mounting paranoid anxiety aside Eileen found herself flatly astounded by the apparent and sheer ubiquitous-ness of her species. Would such great and varied a dichotomy betwixt fellows colloquially labelled 'neath the same breed inspire an all-inclusive attitude or mayhap a violent tribalism amidst cliques of the more similar against the less?
Questions for later. Questioning Faelis for now.
"'Tis certain that there exists some form of catalog of Elven sub-species, no?" seemed an obvious first question. Eileen brushed back hair that wasn't out place, a way of hiding her trepidation amid this tremulous new water.
Faelis shrugged at her question. "Maybe," he said. "I'm sure scholars and adventurers of all kinds have tried to compile a list, but there is no official catalog, as far as I know. Besides, it's unlikely that one or even a group of beings would be able to list all the different kinds of elves, and even if they could, it would be difficult. But I do know that there are books that have the most common types of elves, and you could find one of those in most large libraries."
He was itching to ask his own questions of her, but he first wanted to find out exactly how much she didn't know.
What scant little she seemed to know in this new world. What intellectual aplomb she'd ever thought of boasting seemed so humbled by a wayward inquiry.
Eileen's bosom was alight with frightful anxiety. Roiling, icy storms raged and raucously shook beneath her light skin. And what fitfuls of thought occurred were shaking and unwieldy from the chilling anxious gusts.
What did she even have going for her? A repertoire of inapplicable literature? The easily pricked skin of a fair-weather gardener? Of what use to her was the tale of Sir Gawain? What heart would she ever sway in her favor with a retelling of "The Maid and the Selkie"?!
Eileen felt as though she were collapsing, her legs felt as though nerveless struts rather than anything living, "Faelis." she started, traitorous voice warbling from worry and fear, "I-I can't do this. I-I," she breathed in some faint effort to quell the stutters, "don't know what I'm doing. I just need to-"
To what? Was the question. A damnably queer one at that.
"to rest." Eileen answered, to herself just as much as her other. Yes, yes, rest sounded good. Rest held hope to quiet the frightened mind.
She appeared to be having a panic attack.
"You'll be fine," he assured her as she nervously stuttered. "Just take a few deep breaths." He placed a comforting hand on her arm as he steered her towards a bench that was placed outside of a flower shop. "Let's just sit for a moment."
He looked over at her after a giving her a few moments to catch her breath and calm down. "I'm sure that your skills will be enough for any library here," he said. "And if for some strange reason things here don't work out, I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding work elsewhere."
Dropped unto the chair with gentle fwomp Eileen slowly drooped further from her unnatural stiffness until she slouched as though an ill-mannered vagabond. The anxiety had ran off as though some satisfied unseen specter. Plump and fat with her worry and excitement and fear.
Now she just felt heavy. Like that fattened specter had strewn atop her. The image of it snoring brought her some sort of distant amusement.
Thoughts frayed like old string and emotion splayed, gooey and messy, afore of her quivering eyes. She had sat and stayed with no controlled confidence nor cloistered ideals. She was taught so much. How grand a waste it seemed now, buried before the baptism.
"Faelis," she looked to her surprisingly patient acquaintance, his eyes served as better flavor than the scenery at the least, "do you know what it's like to work in a library? What the Scholars do, day-to-day?"
OOC: I'm sorry to make you wait so long for a response!
_____________________________________________________________________________
Faelis shrugged in response to her question, taking a moment to answer verbally. "I suppose research. Some of the libraries around here are so old most of the knowledge in them isn't even known about. I know some scribes translate books in old languages that not many people can read, or books that are worded in ways that are hard to understand. I've never really took the time to look into what a librarian does most of the time, I just knew that job was never for me."
He looked into her eyes, her emotions quite clear for him to read, like an open book of the scholars they spoke of.
"Why do you ask?"
Confidence?
Normalcy?
"No reason, really." Eileen offered with lame lilt and a small smile in mouth only. However her face swiftly fell as her eyes left his, left to trace along the arm steadying her own limp shoulder. 'Twas a small touch, truly, but one that most potently reminded the Elf of home. Of her father's distant love, always so paradoxically far in a home so small.
Small. That was her feeling in truest totality. She felt so small. So inadequate and meager at the first step of a world far more treacherously mundane than she'd ever fathomed. Mayhap like her lost home she'd be best off hidden from a world too great and terrible to know. . .
Hidden away much like a scribe would be. Yes. Eileen felt a spark of motivation, a distant promise of safety. Her chest lifted ever slightly still anchored even as it was. Still, it was enough to stand upon the feet that she could feel again.
"Faelis," she gently intoned and looked to catch his eyes once more, "just," Eileen almost bit her lip, almost looked away, "please still be outside for me if they don't take me in? If you would?"
"Sure," Faelis said when she asked him to wait.
He would have to ask her exactly where sh'ed been her whole life that she was so timid and wary of the outside world. Maybe she'd been a prisoner somewhere, or had lived in a village even smaller and more secluded than La'marri.
"I can come inside with you, if you like," he added.