Nice Night for a Walk

[Lion]

This was a half-decent place.  Those half-witted fools wouldn't find him in here.  They would search through the alleys around that tavern he'd performed at, but before they realized it, he'd  be on other side of town.  And thankfully, he had no performances in this nicer area.  Such obligations were always difficult to talk one's way out of.  Especially since, well, he needed the money.  Jobs weren't always easy to come by, even with one's voice as beautiful as his.

He couldn't blame the man for wanting to bash his head into a wall.  That being said, Taladan had no way of knowing Nattie had a beau!  She didn't seem to have any mind in telling him that when they were rolling around in his room.  Bah, this was why he didn't make a habit of sleeping with just any woman that threw herself at his feet after a performance.

"Give me a cold ale, MacDonald," Taladan said to the man behind the bar.  With a smirk,  Macrey Macdonald was all too happy to serve Taladan a drink, and he went about cleaning the cups.  Taladan observed the ale in his mug, noticing a severe lack of bubbles, but he said nothing and took a deep, much needed sip.

He didn't have any plans to stay in the city over the night, but he felt he could afford to take a breather for a few hours or so.  Naithan and his chumps wouldn't find him here.  This was a quiet inn in a nice neighborhood – or as nice as they went in Ketra – and the guards wouldn't take his kind lightly.

Well, that's what Taladan was betting on anyway.

[Akia]

Making a mental well wish to the person who had directed him the direction of this tavern, Leo was happy to head in. It was good to have a place to sit down and relax. The idea of a good drink was also a nice thought. The road to town had been...interesting. Enough so that Leo had to clean up before getting into town proper.

Now, though, he had directed to a relatively quiet place. So, with a pleased smile, he moved to find a seat and get a drink. There was the expected flicker of eyes looking to his hair, but the man was used to that. Hair the color of his just wasn't as common as some shades, though he'd seen plenty of colors just as bright as his own.

Taking the mug with a small thank you, and passing over payment, he took a deep drink, looking around.  It wasn't too crowded, which was a bit of a surprise, but a welcomed one. Leo nodded to his neighbor at the bar, giving the man a grin. "Evening."

[Lion]

Taladan wasn't going to lie.  That "Evening" remark made him jump a bit, thinking Naithan had one of his men waiting for him in here.  He choked on his ale mid-sip and sputtered, wiping his mouth and turning toward the speaker.  He wasn't usually so jumpy and silently cursed himself for letting it get to him.

"Oh, evening, mate," he laughed.  "Excuse that little spill MacDonald."  The old man just shot him a small glare before cleaning up the mess.  Taladan did a double take to the stranger beside him.  "Wow!  I haven't seen hair like that since my trek through Serendipity last month! "

[Akia]

The jump was a little unexpected and Leo just blinked a moment at that, head cocking slightly to the side. He was a little curious about that, but the man seemed to brush it off with a laugh, so Leo just chuckled a bit.

"I get that a lot," he said, sipping at his drink again. "Not spent a lot of time in Serendipity myself, though I keep meaning to get up that way." His meanderings had been a bit random, but Serendipity was on his list of places to go.

"Leo," he said finally, offering his hand as he introduced himself.

[Lion]

"Go!  Life's too short to put off things you want to do," Taladan said with a smile, taking another swig of his drink.  The ale was a bit stronger than expected, but it was a nice wash down of his worries.  Although a hot meal would be nicer.

He stared at the offered hand, not keen to touch a stranger, just in case.  "Taladan Ewing," he said, shaking hands with some hesitation.  "What brings you up this way, mate?  Ah...wait, let me guess.  The Randy Peach!  Oh, don't be shy.  Most people come to Ketra because of the Peach.  Can't blame them.  It's a very nice establishment, classy place.  I can drink to that sentiment."

[Akia]

Noting the hesitation, Leo moved his hand back to his personal space once Taladan had let go. Didn't want to offend anyone, and this place was something he wanted to enjoy before getting thrown out for a bar fight. Those could be fun as well, but not until after he had a few drinks.

"I go where my feet take me," was his cheerful response. "Though I might check out the Peach. I do keep hearing around it." He gave the other an amused look. "Sounds like you have enjoyed a visit or three there yourself."

Leo did offer his glass up in a toast to Taladan's words before taking another drink.

[Lion]

"Perhaps perhaps," Taladan cackled with laughter.  "I can be a gentleman and still admit to having been there.  But what stays at the Peach, happens at the Peach.  Or is that the other way around?  Oh, no matter."

"So your feet managed to take you into this bar?  Do they get drunk often?"

[Akia]

Leo laughed. "Perhaps they do. I tend to find taverns fairly often." He wobbled his mug back and forth a bit, grinning. "So, are you from around here, or do you do your own fair bit of roaming about?"

The man was cheerful, and Leo could admit he liked that. It was always enjoyable to find people who genuinely liked dealing with other people. That was what he loved best about his travels, finding people who he could really talk with. What they talked about didn't matter, as long as they talked.

[Lion]

"I think so.  Frankly I haven't thought about where I was from in a long time."  He could kick himself for such a stupid answer. "What I mean is yes, friend, I am from here.  Where are you from?"

[Akia]

"Sounds like you've been having an interesting time of things." Leo commented as he thought about that set of answers. Then he hummed, making a bit of an odd double tone of it. "I'm from  Kishahn. My clan has a small settlement in the jungle."

Finishing off his ale, Leo got a second, studying the mug that the drinks came in. Hmm, not bad construction. "So, may I ask what it is that you do?" His eyes focused on Taladan, curiosity bright in them.

[Lion]

"Interesting is putting it lightly," he said, thinking of his adventures of tonight alone.  Admittedly the rolling round with Nattie wasn't bad.  But still, if that was height of it, he didn't want to see it's nadir.

"Bard, mate."  Taladan swirled around, trying to find some suds in his ale.  He still hadn't finished, mainly because he wanted to enjoy it.  It had a nice taste to it.  "See that case on my back?  Mandolin.  I get around, make decent coin here and there.  Most bards have a court they stay in and play for their lords and ladies.  But I prefer the road.  Going where the music takes me."