The Wayfarer's Inn

[Rillewen]

@Ercassie

|
Trevadir | Cali Dringolben
More Reunions

Watching Iole move to inspect the empty glasses, Trev was briefly confused when she asked if he'd been 'self-medicating'. When he realized, a short little laugh burst out. "Unless lemonade and water have pain-killing properties, no." He couldn't help being slightly amused by that, and slightly marveled that she would have thought that of him. But then, he remembered, he hadn't been around any of them in five years. "I wouldn't be drinking much else," He assured them, quietly tucking his flute into his belt to free both hands. "A party," He nearly scoffed, but instead, shook his head with a small smile. The 'party' had just abruptly ended when he apparently upset Nal, he thought sadly, and felt reluctant to admit to the girls what had happened.

At Nal's sudden reappearance, speaking cheerily and not looking upset after all, Trev blinked in slight surprise before relaxing, and breathed out slowly in relief. His smile returned, and he gave a small nod back to his friend. They were alright as far as he was concerned, although he still wondered if he ought to offer some apology for dropping that news on him. Later though, maybe when the girls weren't around. He would probably need to explain that a little better, too. Because that was also something Nal ought to know about, even if he might not want to know about it.

"Of course, we were having a party." He replied with slightly more confidence as he turned back to the girls, mentally moving the weighty topics to a figurative 'back burner'. "Nal insisted. Said something about you two baking a cake in honor of my return?" He grinned. "Kidding, of course, I don't expect anything of the sort..." He added a bit hastily, hopefully before they might begin to feel any obligation to fulfil this imaginary demand.

After rolling her eyes at Nal's Nazgul comment, Cali laughed. "I'm sure we can manage something, and we will definitely be celebrating this! But you ought to have some proper food, first. Have you eaten, actually?" She wondered, unsure if she might be merely assuming, based on his somewhat underweight appearance, especially seeing him next to Nal.

"Not for hours," He answered, a little hesitant to admit, but smiled as Iole took his hand as if she meant to drag him away right then.

"Well, then it's definitely time for supper!" Cali declared. And it was actually getting toward that time, by this point. She nodded emphatically in agreement with Iole concerning Trev staying with them. "Absolutely, we have plenty of room at the house," She was actually rather excited for Trev to see the place where they were living now.

Trev smiled, somewhat relieved to think he had escaped from the topic of his injuries.

"And then we can see about tending to your wounds, whatever they might be." Cali added, almost as if she had guessed what he was thinking. "Which you still haven't told us about," She added, raising an eyebrow.

So much for escaping that topic. Trev smiled faintly though at the obvious concern behind the inquiries. "It's no big deal, really." He shrugged. "Dev sent a couple of his men to the tavern where I was working, and they tried to drag me back to him. I resisted." He explained as simply as he could, then paused. "He claimed he didn't send them after me, but.. I don't believe anything he says." Not anymore. "But don't worry, the other two were far worse off by the time we parted ways," He assured them with a small grin. "I'll tell you all about it, later. Now that we're all together."

Cali nodded slowly, realizing that must be what Macardil had been implying. "So that's what he meant about some trouble in Harlond," She mentioned softly. She moved in to hug him more gently, careful of his side, which had caused the wince before. "I'm glad you're safe. And you're here, now."

"Me too." He smiled, squeezing her lightly before letting go. He hesitated, glancing around at the three of them. "I.. owe all of you an apology for one thing or another, I guess. I just... I..."

"We forgive you, Trev," Cali assured him, before he had a chance to finish. But then, she realized maybe he felt a need to get some things off his chest. "Let's go home, and you can talk and tell us whatever you feel you have to tell us, while we're getting supper ready. How's that?"

A relieved grin spread onto his face. "Sure." It had been a long day, and rather emotionally taxing. The brunch he'd had with Macardil at the inn seemed like ages ago.

"I happen to know an excellent bakery where we can pick up a cake, by the way," Cali mentioned half-teasingly, as she reached down to grab the sack of Trev's belongings, and held it out to him. "Because you're right, a cake does seem like a necessity, don't you agree?" She glanced at Iole and Nal at that, smiling as Trev grabbed his hat from where he'd hung it off the back of a chair near where he'd been sitting.

[Ercassie]

Iole Ishen and Unalmis Raxëlilta. Successfully Reunion-ing. Finally.
with Trevadir (and Cali).. @Rillewen

Iole had been holding her breath when they all sort of discussed and decided where Trev would be staying, without any of his actual input. But he seemed willing, at least, this time and she knew that, if left to him, he would never have even asked them. He had always been far too stubborn for that sort of thing and would probably have slept on the street rather than express his need for assistance. No doubt Nal had been plotting this little intervention since he discovered his friend’s current homelessness. She was privately amazed that the pair hadn’t decided to sneak Trev into the barracks and was glad, for what was not the first time, that they could provide more suitable lodgings now at need. Cali had taken no time in approving of the decision, with furthermore talk of dinner and medical attention. Iole smiled to indicate her approval, and not only about them not getting rip-roaring drunk to ‘celebrate’ the return.

“He’s been cleaned, stitched and bandaged already, you know,” Unalmis put in, amused. But also to prove he had at least noticed and asked after this much himself. Before the women thought of such things.

“By you ?” Iole wanted to know, for she doubted it.

“By someone quite more qualified, than any of us,” he retaliated, unfazed.

“Well bandages need changing,” the young woman put to him, almost defensively, and as though the young man would not in fact have thought that far ahead. Realising that they might need to see for themselves that Trev was not worse off than he even looked, under his shirt, Unalmis did not bother arguing. That and the girls clearly needed to be able to ‘help’, just as much as their friend required looking after. It was a win win.

“I am glad you shan’t resist ‘our’ dragging you away,” Iole let Trev know, though quietly. She had not missed that Devedir had sent men into Harlond, to fetch his son. And she shivered, all too able to imagine the scene. She’d seen at least one version of that, and it was not pretty. “We’ll be gentle” she vowed. His admission that he ‘wouldn’t believe anything his father said .. any more’ was clearly indicative of some sort of breakthrough. And whatever had happened, she was glad it had.


Unalmis had taken his cue when the others began to gather up Trev’s things, and made over to take care of the bill. They’d not exactly gone wild with the drinking, but he appreciated the publican’s patience and the privacy he had afforded them, and thanked him all the same.

He finished up with his role in the responsibilities, round about the same time that Trevadir was admitting a need for apologies to the group. He was not alone there of course. Nal had tried, well, sort of, to apologise to Trevadir. At least twice. But .. then more had continually been heaped on top of the troubles they were already wading through .. and unconscious reactions stole from even the best laid plans. A few hours was not enough to properly get over all that had happened the last five years. It had hardly been long enough to even mention all that had changed in that time. But like the city had been rebuilt, and the Pelennor had recovered .. so too would they. They had the time now, and the promise of opportunity.


“You’re awfully quiet, all of a sudden,” Iole noted, tilting her head as she diligently helped Nal in the gathering of emptied glasses, which they took to the bar. Her friend’s silent reflection was atypical, and she wondered not too subtly how the two guys had passed the last several hours. They wouldn’t tell though, she knew that much, so didn’t waste her time asking. They didn’t appear to have fought at least. For only one was visibly bruised and the undercurrent of bad feeling which had shadowed both of them at Midsummer was gone now. “Glad he’s back ?”

It seemed such an understatement and ridiculous to ask, but the grin she received in response was honest enough for her to recognise, and read all that he’d never admit aloud.

“Bit talked out, is all,” was enough to be confessing, and he waited, patiently, at Iole’s mock surprise. “Splendid idea, about the cake by the way,” Nal agreed with Cali, suggesting by the shift in subject that it was as much 'serious' as the shopkeeper could hope to get out of him. Anything else important that was shared this evening, would come from Trevadir. Nal clearly needed some more practice in the ‘listening calmly’ department after all. But he was very glad he and the musician had had their chance, alone, before the others joined them. “Since you’re not baking it yourselves, I might just come along ..” he shrugged, nonchalant.

“As if we’d let you get away,” she laughed, feeling very satisfied. They had talked then; Iole took what she wanted from the brief but meaningful confession. It didn’t matter what the two idiot men had talked about. They’d gone too long not talking at all. She held out a hand for the nearest of them to take, which he grazed with a play of fingers and escaped before she could seize them in her palm.

“Someone’s got to protect him from all your fuss and .. fuss,” the Ranger teased, as he walked backwards and turned in perfect time to avoid walking into the door. Probably from practice, she supposed, with a slow shake of her head.

“Nice,” she rolled her eyes though at his remark. “Come on,” pressing softly against her friend’s back for just a moment then on the street, to urge him in pursuit of Cali and Trev. Home awaited, and the door of the inn swung shut behind the happy throng who strolled into the pleasant evening air. A testament to any other who might see and choose to hope the inn would provide them also, not just refreshment, but who knew what other surprises.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Kaylin
Third week of August

She'd been raving about his achievement basically all the way from the training grounds to the Second Circle. Once they got close to the Wayfarer's, she told Trastion she wanted to make an introduction that suited a recruit who managed to strike her on the torso. Upon his protests, she wouldn't hear any of it. "No, no - you stay outside and only come in on my cue!" Before Trastion could object any more than he already had, Kaylin burst into the inn and her voice boomed through the place:

"Attention, everyone! To the recruit who landed a hit: Trrrrrrrrrrastioooooooon Leithooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!" she rumbled, rolling her r's as if she was announcing the hero of some campaign. Throwing out her arms toward the door, making sure as much attention as possible was on him as he entered.

Kaylin started hooting and clapping. Most of the other patrons joined in, convinced by Kaylin's enthusiasm and amused at her theatrics. The Hyandaner gave the room a pleased and thankful smile before turning to the bar. "Alf! Some of your best booze! At least, for me." She turned to Trastion. "And as for my little brother..." She looked at him questioningly. "What'll it be today? Care to celebrate like an adult for a change?" She grinned unapologetically.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

He had been working hard all this month, and he felt as if he had been training constantly. With Arnyn, Kaylin, and all of the others that Arnyn had assigned him to train with, and others that he had trained with of his own accord. He had remembered much of what he had forgotten, and learned much that he had failed to learn, before. After his first training session with Kaylin, he had practiced a great deal, trying to improve his skills. He had also given some of his focus on controlling his swings so that he could more easily stop his sword if needed, so that he needn't fear as much about accidental injuries.

It was during the third training session with Kaylin, that he had actually managed to strike her, and it had honestly alarmed him somewhat when this happened, but thankfully, she had been wearing armor and he had tried not to let on, so she wouldn't be annoyed. Still, despite his protests (feeling a bit as if he had landed the blow only be chance) she insisted on keeping to her words from their first session; that she would buy him a drink.

He thought about that as they left the training grounds, and also he thought about what he and Arnyn had spoken about, at the beginning of the month. He had stopped at some point along the road, between leaving the training grounds, and reaching the main gate to the city. Hesitating, he made a somewhat odd request. "Kaylin? Would it be possible, I mean.. could I get you to help me with something?" He found it a bit awkward to ask, but did anyway, trying to think up a reasonable excuse for asking, "I um, well I'm still very adamant about the no alcohol thing, but I.. get tired of hearing certain people making rude comments about it," He hadn't actually heard any ridicule since parting from his stepbrother, but she needn't know that. "I wonder, could we make it seem like I am drinking something like that, without it actually being alcoholic?" And hoped very much that she would be willing to go along with this...

---

Waiting outside the inn's door, Trastion rolled his eyes, unsure how much attention he wanted to draw to himself, but Kaylin wouldn't hear of doing anything else. When he heard the boisterous ranger announcing his name, he shook his head with a little grin before stepping through the door, a bit embarrassed by all the attention. He could feel his ears going red as not just Kaylin applauded and cheered, but many others in the room had joined in. "Thank you," He tried to respond to their cheering, but he felt sure that the noise had drowned out his voice.

As Kaylin then turned to the barkeeper and declared her own order, he felt a little nervousness return to his stomach. If she could pull it off, then this would surely go a good way toward convincing people that he did drink alcohol, with all these witnesses with their attention on him. He drew in a slow breath, giving Kaylin a small nod, and smiled. "My fate is in your hands, Big Sis," He remarked in a light, casual tone, with a teasing grin. Still, despite the grin he wore on the outside, inside, he couldn't help feeling extremely anxious.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Kaylin
Third week of August

She laughed when he said his fate was in her hands, as if the remark was nothing more than it sounded. Of course, Kaylin had no idea of the ramifications should Trastion actually have any alcohol. On the way here, she had nodded. "Leave it up to me," she had promised him. And what better way than to first draw as many eyes to him as she could, before loudly declaring he would have something strong, followed by the recruit actually imbibing it?

Kaylin grinned and slapped her hand down at the bar. "Yes, finally got you to break your healthy ways! Then I know just the thing. It's strong but it won't floor you - at least not right away." Her gaze lazily travelled toward Alfric and her voice grew less loud and more conversational. "An Eowyn's Gambit for him, Alf."

The innkeeper let out a low hum. "And you? Something strong could still be many things, K."

She shrugged. "What I had last time was pretty solid."

Alf nodded and disappeared into the back. Upon his return he placed one glass in front of Kaylin and another in front of Trastion. Kaylin's was a darker amber, Trastion's a lighter amber color. The cost of both drinks was the same, and Kaylin paid smoothly, not allowing Tras the opportunity to ask or protest about it. "Thanks, Alf."

The Hyandaner turned to her friend. The grin on her face spelled 'let's have some fun', and her blue-grey eyes gleamed. "To that hit, little brother!" she exclaimed loudly, before putting her own glass to her lips.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

"Leave it up to me," Kaylin had answered.

Whatever she had in mind, Trastion couldn't guess. He really didn't know how such a thing could be managed, but hopefully Kaylin had some sort of clever plan. He tried to convince himself that all would be fine. But when she mentioned 'something strong', he tilted his head questioningly. What did that mean? He glanced briefly around the room, slightly nervous as he heard the redhead ordering something for him. Eowyn's Gambit? What in Middle Earth was that?

Taking a slow breath, he thought of the tales he had heard of the battle upon the Pelennor, and the brave Rohirrim princess facing off against one of the most dreadful foes anyone could face. Quite a gambit, indeed. And this drink was named after that? He tried to reassure himself that Kaylin would remember that he said NO alcohol, but he couldn't think of what else might be in it. He slowly slid onto the bar stool in front of the drink and looked at it a bit dubiously before tentatively picking it up.

He took a cautious sniff of the contents, trying to gain some sort of insight to what might be in it. All he could detect was a sort of sweet, almost fruit-like smell, but he couldn't tell much else. He glanced at Kaylin, slightly nervous as she grinned at him before toasting his earlier success in the training grounds. He hesitated, looking uncertainly down at the liquid in his glass, then leaned a bit closer to her, lowering his voice to a nearly inaudible whisper that only she should be able to hear. "What's in this?"

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Kaylin
Third week of August

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, you said you wanted an adult drink for once, right? Booze, Tras. There's booze in it," she replied as loudly as before, making it seem like her previous excitement was still making her a little less aware of her voice's volume. "Come oooooooon, don't be a spoil sport. You'll be fiiiiine!"

"Trust me," she added, in a tone that most would see as her trying to convince him. But which she hoped would make him realize she wasn't trying to push anything onto him that he did not want.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

Trastion stared at her for a moment, wondering if she had forgotten his 'mithril-clad' determination about no alcohol. But he'd just said, just a little while ago. She couldn't have forgotten already. His eyes strayed toward a few of the patrons in the inn, wondering if anyone was paying attention. He took a slow breath as his gaze returned to Kaylin, as she requested that he trust her. Trust her... he had only trusted one person in the last few years, and it had taken him quite a while to come around to that. Still, he felt sure that Kaylin would not purposely do anything that would harm him. But, of course, she didn't know what was at stake for him...

But she had to remember that brief discussion before they reached the gates. Trying not to feel too apprehensive, Trastion gave a small nod in reply and lifted the glass. Still feeling a tiny bit torn inside, he hesitated only briefly, then tilted the glass back so that it would appear that he had taken a drink. But actually, the liquid came up against his upper lip, which he kept pressed closed against the inside of the glass. If there was really any 'booze' in there, he would know soon enough, but it was better to have a blistered lip than the alternative. Of course, he also realized, he wasn't entirely sure how he ought to act, for someone who had just tasted some alcoholic drink for the first time.

It turned out he didn't need to, for he misjudged how much he had tilted his glass, and some of it went up his nose. Which immediately triggered a choke-cough reaction and he swiftly set the glass down, trying not to panic as he continued to cough for a moment before taking a slightly hoarse breath as he recovered from accidentally inhaling a little of the.. whatever it was in the glass. But the good news was, he didn't feel any burning sensation on his lip, nose, or his respiratory system.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Kaylin
Third week of August

The stare he gave her was kind of exciting - because Kaylin wasn't sure whether he actually would go along with the ploy or not, and she was REALLY curious to see what Trastion would end up doing. Would he choose to drink it? Would he choose not to?

She chuckled when he put the glass to his lips and downright laughed when he had to cough. Good-naturedly, she slapped his back. "Your first time can be a bit rough," she agreed. "But don't worry. That doesn't mean it can't end up great." More than somewhat amused at her own words, for more than one reason, Kaylin took another sip of her own drink. Which, unlike Trastion's, was in fact very alcoholic. "Now. It's very important that you commit," she told him in a teaching tone, as if she were still instructing him back at the training grounds. And in a way... she was. It would be much better for him to fully commit to this if he wanted people to believe he drank alcohol. One story about a drunk escapade would work wonders to that end. How could anyone believe he never drank, after all, when a good story was circling the barracks? And... she threw a glance back over her shoulder at the room behind her. Not only in the barracks.

"So, what we talked about earlier," she started, as if she wasn't talking about something very important. "Just how far do you want to take it?"

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

Recovering from his coughing fit, Trastion rubbed his nose and upper lip, partly because it still felt tickly, but partly also, to hide the upper lip area. In case it might begin to turn red, swell, or blister. But after a moment of waiting, he felt no weird tingling or burning sensation, which was very good. He lowered his hand and wrapped it around the mug, glancing back at Kaylin as she spoke about 'committing'. And he realized what she was talking about. The fake alcohol thing. So, she did remember. And whatever was in the mug, it didn't have anything alcoholic, or his lip and nose would be burning very unpleasantly by now. "Right," He answered, then took a small, cautious sip, trying to identify the flavor.

He glanced up from his mug when she asked him 'how far do you want to take it', considering. Obviously, she must mean this little ruse. He hesitated, taking a moment to think about what he and Arnyn had spoken about, and also wondered whether there was even any need for it. Maybe there wasn't, but maybe there was. "Far as necessary." he answered quietly, perhaps even a little grimly.

But then he considered the problem of figuring out how to convince people, beyond just sipping something that they would think was alcoholic. He'd mostly avoided places where alcohol tended to be served, and where drunkards tended to be. But he knew enough to know people often said and did stupid things, acted stupidly, and differently, when they were drunk. Loud and obnoxious, sometimes. Or ridiculous and silly. Or.. moody and melancholy, depending on the person and their circumstances. Right? And that was about the limit of his knowledge on the matter. He recalled too, that Mourgan had assumed he was drunk that time he found him suffering from a concussion. As he tried another sip of the drink, he considered these various factors, and then considered the potential danger in carrying out this plan. What if Mourgan heard about it and decided they should go drinking together or something? Or... anything could happen. He held back a sigh, and decided he would just have to deal with that problem if and when it arose.

In the meanwhile, for right now, he decided he'd go with acting silly and fun. And maybe he could draw from his experience with having had a concussion and do the whole.. walking unsteadily thing. And.. what else? Maybe not talk so clearly. Right, that was one of the things he remembered from when his stepbrother was drunk. Which had happened frequently once they got into their teens. Feeling a little less nervous now that he had a plan in mind, he grinned and held up the mug. "This is really good!" He declared, as if having just made up his mind.

He gave a little laugh. "How many d'you think I could drink?" He wondered, as if he was just being curious, but hoped she might guess he was unsure how many mugs of alcoholic stuff he should be able to handle, or something like that. He wished he'd thought to ask some things before they got in here, like how long until he should act like it was effecting him, and how much should it effect him, things like that.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Kaylin
Third week of August

Despite Trastion's motivation, doing something so certain people wouldn't make fun of him, not exactly being 'high stakes', Kaylin was determined to make the most of this. And regardless of the why - wouldn't this be an excellent story? Even if it was one they would have to keep to themselves? Even if she could never retell it to anyone, she figured they could still make a heck of an experience out of the whole thing.

"I know it is," she laughed, when Trastion declared the drink was to his liking. At his question, she slanted her head. "I'd say the first one will just make you feel like one of the big boys," she grinned at him. "The second might make you say some things you will possibly regret later. And I'd say you would need good sea legs after your third." That would give him some indication, right? "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have them. Plus, best to start drinking with a friend you trust and who can see you back to the barracks safely. Not to mention someone with loads of personal experience in the matter." Kaylin almost sounded proud. "I can have more than three of these without blurting out things I probably shouldn't say."

Behind the bar, Alf snorted. "You don't need any drinks to blurt out things you probably shouldn't say," he mumbled, loud enough for them to hear. Kaylin knew that was quite intentional.

"I know," she smiled brightly. "It's why people like me. What they hear is what they get. No back talk. Just honesty."

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

Trastion laughed at the interjection from the bartender, about Kaylin blurting stuff out. He took another slow sip, grinning at the way Kaylin embraced it so enthusiastically. He could well believe it, too. Keeping the smile on his face, Trastion thought carefully about the different levels she had mentioned, while glancing around the room as if merely curious. But inside, his mind was racing with all that Kaylin had said.

One, feeling like the big boys? He was not entirely sure what that meant, but it seemed the more 'intoxicated' he was supposed to be, the more thinking it was going to involve, in order to make it convincing. Saying things he wouldn't normally say? Of course, that could be very dangerous if he truly did that. Thankfully, there was no danger of him actually blurting out anything secretive that would endanger him. But still.. he'd have to put some thought into this to figure out what he could say to make it seem convincing.

Or, maybe he shouldn't overthink it, he decided after a moment. He lifted his glass and smiled. "Well, you're a good big sis, whatever else you are." he grinned teasingly and took a bigger drink. It had a nice apple-y taste, with a hint of honey, and he imagined that it was mostly to give it a similar color to the sort of stuff that Kaylin was drinking, but whatever it was, it did taste quite good. "But why would I need sea legs?" He asked, pretending not to understand, when he actually had a suspicion what she meant. "We're on solid ground here, it's a long walk to the sea. You're not planning any pranks, are you?" he asked with a little laugh.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Kaylin
Third week of August

"Thank you," she proclaimed, easily accepting Trastion's compliment about being a good big sis. Having to laugh at his question, she shrugged. "When am I not planning any pranks? Really, y'all are lucky I no longer live in the barracks. With the men and the women on the same side of the building... Seriously, it would be like a playground. Brian should count his lucky stars."

Eying Trastion, she twirled her glass around slowly on the wooden bar. "The sea comes and find you easily enough once you've had a few," she explained. Her right eyebrow lifted. "Before you know it, you get up from your bar stool and the whole floor seems to be swaying as if you're on a boat, or a ship on rougher waters." Kaylin let go of her glass and spread out her arms to either side, slanting first left then right. "Like this. Then the challenge is to still try and walk straight." She threw him a grin. "It's quite fun, really. As long as you're not the type to throw up too easily." A shrug.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

"What sort of pranks?" Trastion asked, glancing at Kaylin with curiosity. "You know who's gonna be back soon, we could maybe organize a nice welcome back party for him?" He laughed, amused at the thought of doing some sort of prank in 'honor' of the barrack's master's return to duty. Definitely not while Arnyn was handling his duties. He didn't want to make her look bad or anything, but it would definitely be fun to come up with something for him.

He nodded as she explained about 'the sea' finding him. Yeah, he had a feeling he knew what she meant, and had experienced a similar sensation when struggling with the concussion. He definitely had not found it 'fun' in any way, but he just shook his head with a little smile when Kaylin said that. "Hmm, well I dunno if it'd be fun or not. I've never been on a ship." He shrugged, which was almost true. He'd never been on a ship at sea, more specifically, although he had traveled up and down the river by boat plenty of times.

Taking another drink, he soon finished off what was left in his mug. "Mmm, very good." He declared, setting the empty mug down on the bar, and began wondering whether he should start acting different already, or not. And also, he wasn't sure whether to ask for another, since Kaylin had only said she was buying him A drink, and he hadn't brought his money, since he'd only been planning to go to the training grounds today.

[Isolde Alarion]

Mourgan Alarion

Third week in August

Finally freed from the Healers!!

@Arnyn @Rillewen

Mourgan walked the familiar stones to the Wayfarers, he breathed in the fresh-ish air and let it out in one breath as he stretched his arms to take in his freedom. He'd been under the care of the healers for quite awhile now, and he appreciated their time to get him back on his feet but now he had an all clear from them and was shown the door.

He reached the door and gave it a hearty swing, stepping in and inhaling deeply. Ah yes, how he missed the smell of ale, mystery stew and of course the laughter brought on my too much of the first. He took a glance around the room as he scratched at his thick chest. He nodded a hello to some old faces and gave a few a flick of the brows. "Nice to see you!" his deep voice carried over to an old acquaintance but then his grin widened at seeing two of his favorite faces.

He stepped off the landing and b-lined it toward them. With his hands out wide to welcome them, he grabbed them both by a shoulder and shook then with a wide scruffy grin on his face. "Trastion! Kaylin! Wonderful to see you!" With a final shake he released them. "I've just been set free of the healers and come to celebrate! Care to join me? " He asked through his grin as his dark brow qwerked upwards in question. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a coin, slapped it on the bar counter. "This should get us started. " Moving his large hand revealed the glint of a gold coin. He looked at his friends and winked. "Don't ask."

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

Before another word could be said, a familiar voice was raised over the low noise of the inn. Surprised, Trastion glanced up just about the time his shoulder was taken. He let out a laugh of joy to see Mourgan there, up and about and free from the houses of healing! "Mourgan!" He exclaimed happily. "You escaped huh?" He asked teasingly, but then an even better explanation came as his roommate declared he'd been released at long last.

"Ohh! Good for you!" He grinned. He definitely remembered how miserably dull it could be, stuck in the houses of healing for a long period of time. He had come by the houses of healing now and then to visit with Mourgan, and had often brought him a book or something when he came, remembering how boring it was, and how nice it was to have a visit. But now, he was finally free!

"Well! This is a day for celebrations, isn't it?!" He asked with a grin, and glanced with an eyebrow raised curiously at the gold coin Mourgan had put on the counter. But he didn't ask, as requested. Instead, he moved down to the next stool at the bar, so Mourgan could take the one between him and Kaylin, and that way the three of them could all talk together. "It's really good to see you on your feet again, finally." He added cheerfully.

Regardless, he couldn't help feeling a bit nervous about Mourgan's appearance here, just when he and Kaylin were trying to do this fake alcohol thing. What if he might say something to give away the act? Or, if he believed it, what could happen as a result? And Trastion couldn't think of any way of bringing him into the know without risking all of the other people in here also finding out... he cast a brief glance at Kaylin, trying not to let his worry show on his face. But he was wondering if she might have some sort of solution for this potential problem.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion

Kaylin
Third week of August

"Oh yeah, he has been out for a while, right?' References to Lieutenant Brian always brought an eye roll with them as well as wild amusement, thinking of both the things that had and had not gotten past him - way back when. "Why haven't I heard about anything outrageous yet?" Kaylin wondered out loud. "With the cat away from home, I'd think the mice would want to play?"

At Mourgan's voice booming through the inn, Kaylin cast a look over her shoulder. "Aaahhhh," she grinned, as she saw her buddy making his way over to them. "Mourgan!" she returned his greeting heartily, almost in unison with Trastion. "Yes," she laughed, "it's really good to see you back on your feet... so sit down." She thought that juxtaposition was pretty funny.

"We were already celebrating Trastion here finally managing to hit me with his sword in training, and we will gladly add your release from the healers' grasp to the reasons for a party," she declared. "Alf, good man!" Her hand slapped the bar. "Another round of the same for me and Tras, and for Mourgan..." She glanced at him, not wanting to order for him since the gold coin he'd produced clearly said he would be paying. And you NEVER ordered a man's drink for him when he was paying.

She caught Trastion's glance and figured it was about their little ruse and how to approach it now Mourgan had joined them. The question was, of course, whether Mourgan was one of the people poking fun at Trastion for not drinking. If so, then Mourgan needed to believe Trastion was drinking alcohol, too. And this, Kaylin did not know. She drummed her fingers on the bar's surface. But she supposed she could just ask.

"So Tras here has been telling me there are people who bug him about not touching any booze," she said lightly. "And while I'll never understand why anyone would refuse a good buzz from time to time - it seems unnecessary to make fun of those who don't need any alcohol to get in trouble." Her grin was wide as she looked at Mourgan. "What do you think about all that?"

[Isolde Alarion]

Mourgan Alarion

Third week in August

@Arnyn @Rillewen

"A day for celebrations indeed my good friends." Just then Trastion moved to the next seat as Kaylin told him to sit down. He obliged her with a smile and gave his roomie a appreciative wink about his kind words. Just then Kaylin explained what they were already celebrating. Hearing Tras had hit her with his sword in practice caused an amused smile to slide over his lips, his brows rose also. "That is certainly something to celebrate my good man." He clapped his left shoulder. "Congratulations!"

Kaylin was ordering their drinks then it was his turn to order his. He looked at Alf and winked. "Firebrand." Alf was familiar with this order and nodded in understanding. He busied himself with filling their orders, and digging a little deeper for the whiskey kept under and in the darker recesses of the counter.
Satisfied with his order and rather looking forward to it he shifted slightly on his stool causing it to creak a little. He wiped at his stubbled chin before looking at Kaylin as she caught his attention. Hearing people were giving is friend a hard time about not touching booze caused a dark brow to furrow but Kaylin caused it to go away as she referred to having a good buzz from time to time. He pondered her question, running his hand over his chin in thought although he really wasn't thinking about it because he already knew his answer.

"Well." He started then crossed his arms across his chest." I figure any man that can hit you can decide his own kind of fun." His brown eyes turned to Tras. " Just means more for me." He grinned and chuckled as their drinks arrived. He took his up and encouraged the other two to do the same. "A toast!" He raised his glass higher. " To good hits!" He clinked Tras glass. " Good friends!" He clinked Kaylins glass. "....and being alive to enjoy both!" With the last he put the shot glass to his lips and threw it back.

They didn't call it Firebrand for nothing. It left a fiery brand all the way down. He had to close his eyes as he let the alcohol have it's way. It settled like a viper in his gut, curled up and hissing. He hissed through his grit teeth for a moment as he blindly set the glass down. When he could talk as the burn faded he opened his eyes and turned to Kaylin. "Aahh...I needed that." He spoke through a lope sided grin.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

Trastion smiled when Kaylin wondered that no one was going crazy with Lt. Brian away. "Well," he shrugged. "I think there's just a sort of.. unspoken agreement among us barracks-dwellers that we don't want Lt. Arnyn to look bad while she's running things. And.. well, I guess it takes all the fun and risk out of it, without him there to potentially catch you at doing something you're not supposed to do, right?" He smirked. "Anyway, for myself, I'd rather Brian came back to find that surprise! Arnyn did a better job handling us miscreants than he ever has." He grinned mischievously. "And that way we can all save up the pranks for when he's back." He added in a mock-innocent tone.

As Kaylin announced his 'victory', Trastion couldn't help feeling a bit self-conscious about that, despite Kaylin acting all proud and excited. Though, before he could mutter anything about his own feelings about it, he remembered he was supposed to be acting as if he'd had a mug of something alcoholic. So, maybe he should say something boastful? But before he could think of what sort of thing would sound good to say in such circumstances, Mourgan had jumped in to make a toast. Trastion put on a grin and raised his glass, though when Mourgan moved to clink his drink against it, Trastion watched very carefully with a sudden surge of anxiety in his stomach, worried it might splash over into his mug. But nothing of the sort happened, and he nodded with a small grin to the toast. "Yeah, to all that." He laughed, before moving his mug up to his mouth.

After a careful sniff, to make sure it still had the apple-y scent, he took a small drink. Then wondered how he ought to react, and quickly cleared his throat, as if the drink had been difficult to swallow or something. Watching Mourgan drink whatever he had in his little glass, Trastion was briefly concerned when he seemed almost in pain. He didn't know much about this alcohol stuff, personally, but he did know that they usually only put super strong stuff in those little, tiny glasses. "That didn't last you long." He mentioned, making it sound a bit amused. Second glass, he remembered, was when you start saying stuff you might not normally say... he tried to keep that in mind as he took another drink.

"Soooo, Mourgan," He snickered as he thought of something to say that might be a bit funny. "She's been pestering me for weeks to try and get a hit in," He informed Mourgan, just a bit louder than was necessary. "Said she'd buy me a drink if I did it, but do you know how hard that is? I mean she's like... really good!" He stated the obvious, since Mourgan surely knew how skilled Kaylin was with a blade. Dropping his voice to a theatrical whisper that was meant to be heard by all of them and probably a few nearby patrons as well, he added, "I think she let me do it, so she'd have an excuse to get some drinks." He looked past Mourgan with a teasing grin at Kaylin. "Probably thought it'd be funny to get me drunk. Right?" He asked her with a little laugh.

[Pele Alarion]

@Rillewen , @Arnyn , @Isolde Alarion
Cadil - looking for some company
Third week of August

He had been spending lots of time at home, but there was only that much one could do - and eventually he ran out of options to busy himself with. Cadil longed for good company, one which was not his annoying parents, and perhaps he might also learn how things stood with all those dangers Nal had warned him about. So it was that he finally ventured out and made a beeline for the Wayfarer's.

Even though his steps were eager, the young man made sure to look around now and then to see that he would not be followed by anyone suspicious, and then all but sprang through the door of the pub, closing it securely behind him.

Cadil let his eyes get used to the interior of the establishment and observed the people present to see if there was someone he could join. His gaze settled on Kaylin, and Mourgan, and someone whom he did not know. Doubt reflected on his face - he had angered both at various times and had not built what could be called fast friendships, but at least he knew them, and they were not strangers.

"Hello," he said, having approached the group and standing a respectful couple steps to allow for retreat should his presence be rejected. "Might I join you, unless I am messing up some private party?" he asked, his brown eyes reflecting silent hope.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion

Kaylin
Third week of August

Kaylin watched Mourgan with no small amount of interest as he ordered something called 'firebrand'. Did Alf have that on hand just for Mourgan? Or for anyone who wanted to give it a try - and was it simply a matter of most people being wise enough not to want to touch it, or at least not more than once?

She grinned when Mourgan stamped his own seal of approval on Trastion's preferred choice of beverages. Well, good. Then Mourgan wasn't one of the people giving Trastion any trouble over this. "Yessss!" she agreed whole-heartedly to Mourgan's toast. She drank from her own glass when Mourgan threw back his shot, although she couldn't down it as fast as her fellow ranger could - since her drink was considerably larger. "And to good drinks," she added, nodding at Mourgan's now empty glass. "Firebrand?" she asked, admittedly rather curious.

The notion of taking things easy on Lieutenant Arnyn honestly surprised her. "Take it easy on her? Why in Varda's name would you do that?" she mumbled. "Unless, of course, you've heard the stories and you're afraid of how she'll retaliate if you make a mess of things," Kaylin added, pondering aloud. She could imagine Arnyn not being the kind of person to make people perform uninspired and boring punishments like copying a rulebook or some of Brian's other classics.

Rolling her eyes at Trastion's claim that she'd been bugging him for weeks and might just be looking for a chance to get him drunk, Kaylin took the opportunity to pound down the rest of her second drink. "You," she said emphatically, addressing Mourgan, "are one drink behind." Then she focused on Trastion. "And you clearly think I spend much more time thinking about you than I actually do," she dissed, not missing so much as a beat as her fiery temperament took over for a moment. "I do not let anyone hit me." She pointed her finger at Tras. "You got that hit in fair and square. And I will not suffer you calling me a liar again. Got it?"

It was at that point in time that a familiar voice made her look over. She had not seen Cadil in a while, and he was looking a bit leaner than the last time they'd crossed paths - which had, unsurprisingly, also been in a pub. "You might, as far as I'm concerned." Kaylin raised an eyebrow. "I'm on two drinks. These two here are on one, although Trastion -" she pointed him out to Cadil, thus taking care of one introduction already, "has his second already in hand." With a smug expression that called out a challenge, she shrugged. "You boys all have some catching up to do."

[Pele Alarion]

@Rillewen , @Arnyn , @Isolde Alarion

Cadil
Third week of August

Seeing that perhaps he would not be sent packing, Cadil cleared his throat and attended to polite introductions first.

"Trastion," he repeated the name Kaylin had provided for the guy he was unfamiliar with. "Nice to meet you. I'm called Cadil." He stretched out his hand for a handshake, should the other young man accepted this sign of greeting.

"Wait. So, Kaylin... Are you suggesting I should join the challenge so you could beat me and see me fall under the table?" he teased, turning his attention back to the red-head.

Cadil then ordered a tankard of dark ale to start with. He preferred to sip his drink slowly and with relish, but if the challenge was called for, he might have to resort to some sort of cheating not to lose first. His brown eyes reflected a fair amount of mischief, as he made himself comfortable pulling up one of the free nearby stools.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion

Kaylin
Third week of August

"Yes," she replied without hesitation, as if it was the logical assumption - and really, the only thing that could be done. "Do you think you will fall quickly?" she teased, with a half grin. "Have you become a lightweight?"

"In any case, if you're still at the same address, we can make sure you get home in one piece. Regardless of your degree of inebriation." She grinned lazily. "Of course, we might take a bit longer to get you there. Depending on our own condition. Odds are that Mourgan is the one who will beat all of us, even with his recent stint at the Houses of Healing." Kaylin's eyes gleamed with admiration. "Mourgan's a beast." Her blue-grey eyes turned to the recently released ranger. "Almost like a bottomless well. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was cheating." A laugh escaped her. "But Mourgan doesn't cheat. Not when it comes to drinking, anyway."

She tapped the bar. "A refill for the beast, good man," she asked Alf. "He still needs to catch up with drink number two."

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

Trastion couldn't help grinning as Kaylin scolded him. While him saying that had really only been a bit of teasing, she had no idea how happy it made him when she insisted that she did not let him have the hit. That he'd earned it and all that. "Got it, sorry." He said with a little laugh, and put up his hands in mock surrender. "Just kidding anyway," He added with a smile.

Just then, a stranger walked up and asked to join them. Trying not to feel any more nervous about this, Trastion glanced toward him with a smile, but Kaylin spoke first, welcoming him to join their group. "Hello," He nodded, still smiling as he joined them, and grinned as he shook his offered hand. "Pleased to meet you, Cadil." He said cheerfully, then glanced over at Kaylin. "I didn't know it was a competition," He laughed, a bit amused by how swiftly she had declared that she intended to see Cadil fall under the table or something. "I thought we were just celebrating and stuff, enjoying some drinks."

And, he couldn't help thinking about the talk about how Mourgan would 'beat them all' in such a contest. He'd have to fake that, of course, because it would look rather suspicious, otherwise. Hopefully, he could manage that well enough, but tried not to think too hard about it. He took another drink from his mug, finishing it off. Apparently, he was a drink behind, although he hadn't really realized he was supposed to drink it as quickly as everyone else did. "There, now I'm even with you." He declared with a little smirk.

[Pele Alarion]

@Arnyn , @Isolde Alarion , @Rillewen

Cadil
Third week of August

He was glad that the other young man accepted his little sign of good will - it could not be termed friendship just yet since they had only now met.

However, it was clear that he had walked right into the midst of competition, even if it was not so at the beginning - though judging by the number of drinks the celebration had just started.

"I have never been a heavyweight, Kaylin," Cadil laughed and sipped from his tankard when Alf provided it. "Mostly just enjoying a pint here and there. But if you don't drag me to jail instead of home once you've won fair and square, I might take up that challenge."

He glanced at Mourgan with some curiosity then and said: "Well, I don't doubt Mourgan's strength in one way or another. But what is it all about Houses of Healing? Is there a story behind it worth hearing?" He'd heard rumours around the city, but it was difficult to sift truth from lie as each teller added other twist and details to the story told.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion

Kaylin
Third week of August

"Drinking is always a competition," she informed Trastion with a shrug. "For even if no one declares it as such, everyone knows who put away the most - especially if they are not as affected by it as you would usually expect." She raised a finger up in front of her face. "So yes, we are celebrating - but not 'just' celebrating!" she emphasized, a bit louder than she usually talked. The difference was subtle, but it was there. Unlike Trastion, her own drinks were far from duds. While not as strong as Mourgan's shot, her serving had been bigger.

She looked pleased when Trastion finished his second serving as well. "Yes, even," she grinned. "So just the beast and the lightweight then," she laughed, looking at Mourgan and Cadil for a moment before glancing back at Trastion. "We'll wait with the next round until these two have caught up. Otherwise it's no fair. And it's way too early to start running ahead of anyone."

A frown settled on her face, though, at something Cadil had said. "Why on Middle-Earth would we drag you off to jail?" And when the guy asked about the story behind Mourgan's stay at the Houses of Healing, Kaylin grinned broadly. "Oh myyyyy," she drawled, looking at Trastion. "Here's another excellent chance to practice your story-telling, recruit," she laughed.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

When the newcomer asked about Mourgan being in the houses of healing, Trastion was mildly surprised he had not heard something about the events. But then, he realized, maybe people who weren't associated with the rangers wouldn't have heard much. He wasn't really sure, but when he asked whether there was a story worth telling, Trastion couldn't help a grin. "Oh, is there!" He laughed, sharing Kaylin's enthusiasm in that subject.

"Oh, come on, you were there too, you totally help with telling it." He insisted, to Kaylin. "We could tell it together, sorta like at headquarters that one day!" He suggested excitedly. "Although," He added with a little tilt of his head, thinking. "I wasn't there for the part when Mourgan got hurt. Cali would be the one to ask about that, I guess.."

"OH!" Trastion suddenly thought of something exciting and sat up a little. "We could ask Cali's friend, Trev, to sing the ode he wrote!" He turned to Cadil as he said this, and proceeded to explain, "He's a musician, and he's a friend of one of my roommates. And with our smith, up at Headquarters. Anyway, my roommate, Nal, got him to work on getting the story written into verses and putting music to it, and I think he's got it done, or nearly done.. and he's talked to different people, like me and Cali, who were there and saw it all happen. If we could find Trev, maybe we could talk him into singing it for us." He grinned, quite taken with this idea, since it seemed far more exciting than just telling a story.

[Pele Alarion]

@Arnyn , @Isolde Alarion , @Rillewen

Cadil
Third week of August

"I came late, so just the first for me," Cadil said in defence of his not having any drinks yet, then quickly downed the rest of the ale. He felt like he should not quite lag behind too far, but his body protested such quick drinking, and a loud burp escaped him. "Oy, sorry," he grinned sheepishly. "But that is one for me." Turning to Alf he requested a refill.

Glancing at Kaylin sideways he then said: "Why, never know what silly pranks can be pulled by people in the right state of mind. Though perhaps the jail might be too much even for that state. Anyway..."

"Aha!" Cadil was satisfied to learn that there was indeed the story, and he much preferred to hear it from those much more closely involved rather than overhearing it from ladies visiting his mother. "Do tell! And what's this about an ode? Are you saying you would go off in search of this Trev? Does he live nearby? If he is not easily found you might lose the drinking contest, you know..."

[Dungeon Delver]

A Third Week in August

Well, well, well. Here she was. Some people called this place a paradise city. The grass was certainly green, and the girls were certainly pretty (Cael paid special attention to that of course), but there was nothing here that really shouted “Take me home!” to the elf. She’d been wondering about the city’s many streets, hoping a derivé might somehow point her in a direction, but alas she was out of luck. She looked at the inn from across the street. The street itself was boisterous and loud, filled with all sorts of riff-raffs and ne’er-do-wells, her kinds of people in other words. They were moving to and fro with a sort of apian efficiency. It was impressive to watch. She clocked a young lad dressed in less than finery and watched as he managed to pick pocket three different doffers before disappearing down an alley. He glanced at her as he disappeared. She nodded to him and waved. Impressed. She remembered being that bold, though she stood out a little more than a young teenager in the Second Circle of Minas Tirith. Still, the feat was worthy of praise. Surely the City Guard would be on the look out for him within the hour though. Rich people did not like being separated from their minor trinkets. She drew one last drag on her cigarillo, held her breath, then let the fragrant smoke slowly stream out of her lungs like a dragon.

Cael needed a break. She slipped her hand into her pocket and found her coin purse. It was frustratingly light. Travelling from Dale to Minas Tirith was not cheap, even if she had been relatively frugal. She’d figure something out. Surely there were people here that she could depend on, someone who might put her up for a night or two while she figured out what she was going to do. What the hell was she going to do? Cael had no idea what she was doing, hadn’t for months now. The last troupe she’d been with wanted to go west, but she’d admittedly refused. The parting of ways had not be a kind or pleasant one. It was going to be their own damned faults when they couldn’t find a decent crossing over the Misty Mountains though. They’d freeze their asses off while she was… doing something else not freezing her ass off. Of that, at least, she was sure. Should she go south again? East? Stay here? Lots of possibilities, not a lot of coin in which to accomplish any of them.

The inn was a first step. She’d fill her belly, find a decent tobacconist, then find a place to sleep. She examined the roof of the inn with the appraising look of a woman who has slept on more roofs than most of slept in beds. It didn’t look uncomfortable and there was an overhang she could sneak under if the weather decided to shift at the last moment.

She ran a less than clean hand through her teal hair, fluffed it, roughly combing out tangles. Her stomach gurgled needily. “Alright, alright,” she muttered breathlessly. She was hungry, even if she didn’t want to admit it.

The inn was relatively quiet. It smelled of food, food, and more food. City inns were always bursting with that smell. There was no sawdust mixed in here, that was plain to see. There were a few folks shunted off to the side looking mightily important and well to do. She sniffed the air and had a sudden urge for a bacon sandwich. None of them were bad looking, if a little too done up. She winked at the red head but wasn’t sure if she’d caught the woman’s eye. She shrugged and sat in a heap in a corner at the far wall. Cael didn’t realize just how tired she was. Her feet, as soon as she was off them, screamed in protest to any movement. She pulled out the final cigarillo from its hiding place in her breast pocket. It was a plump one, stuffed with her own special blend of hemp, hops, lavender, and rose petals. A stroke match later and the end was glowing red, nearly as red as the rims of her eyes. How long had it been since she’d had a proper night’s sleep? Too, too long. A short exchange with whom Cael assumed was the proprietress, and a bacon sandwich, a bowl of broth, and a mug of cloudy pale ale sat in front of her. She ate slowly, despite her intense desire to gobble it all down. The bacon was greasy and dripped fat down her fingers, which of course she slurped with unelven grace.

She pulled the oud off her back and began to strum it. She winced. It was terribly out of tune. Hadn’t she just played it the other night? It had been in tune then. She was going to need a few replacement parts soon. She grimaced. The tobacconist might have to wait, horror of horrors. She took another drag on her cigarillo. The aromatic smoke soon formed a sort of aureole around her, a haze that could hide her from the world. She tuned the strings of her oud, wincing as she plucked at each one. How had it gone this bad, this fast? It was a concern. Cael cared little for most things around her, but her oud? She’d beat Fëanor to death all over again if it would get her new strings. She tuned up, shook her head, tuned down, sighed, up a little, then down, then down a little more, then up a tiny bit and, there. Elves didn’t have mystically attuned ears, no matter what the minstrels in Rivendell said. It was a load of horse dung, a way to feel smug and superior over human or dwarven troubadours that had to work at their tuning with careful ears. Elves just had better equipment and much, much, much more practice.

Cael mulled the idea of singing a song. But decided against it. The only songs she liked playing were the bawdy, inappropriate ones and this crowd, such as it was, didn’t seem the sort to go for songs like “The Lady and the Tramp” or “Two Red-Heads in a Snowdrift” much less something as vulgar as “The Pigeon King”. So naturally, it was time to eavesdrop.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @King Otis

Kaylin
Third week of August

She rolled her eyes emphatically at Trastion, disbelief and dismay dripping from her voice when she spoke. "How are you ever going to get any better at storytelling if you keep passing the proverbial baton to those more experienced at the craft?" Kaylin's eyes widened when the recruit continued to speak of a so-called ode that had been written, and to possibly go and find this Trev who had thought of the words and the tune to sing it.

"'Kaylin could help tell it', 'you should ask Cali', 'Trev can sing about it' - but what about Trastion?" she poked at him. He should be glad Mourgan was sitting in between the two of them, or she would have given Tras a nudge with her elbow. "If you want to go and find this Trev - because I don't know where he'd be and I have no inclination to leave this place anytime soon," Kaylin said with a shrug, "You can feel free. The door," she continued, stretching out her arm toward the entrance, "would be right there." Her grey-blue eyes followed the motion of her hand, and she caught an unusual individual's entrance. If people thought Kaylin's red hair drew attention, then what could be said about teal? The wink was noted, though Kaylin couldn't be entirely sure whether it was aimed at her. Or could she? Curiosity had always been part of her personality, but she could not exactly ditch Trastion in the middle of her attempt to convince everyone he was a drinker. Not unless, of course, he ditched her first - say, in some quest for this Trev.

Hold on. Trev? Hadn't she met a Trevadir - briefly - in this very inn just about a moon ago? And Unalmis had entered just when Trastion and herself had left, right? Could it have been the same guy? Turning back to Trastion, she frowned. "Trev as in Trevadir?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by Cadil's burp. She laughed lightly at the former soldier's apology. "Jail would be much too serious for a prank," she grinned. "Pranks need to be kept light! No?" Her eyes twinkled at Mourgan when Cadil said going off in search of this Trev could have Trastion losing the drinking contest. "Friend, I'm afraid Tras will lose the drinking contest regardless of any search he wishes to conduct," Kaylin said with feigned regret. "He couldn't reach Mourgan's heels even if he tried. Neither could you."

"However!" The word was loudly spoken, her inhibitions (few as they were even without the help of alcohol) lowering because of the strong drinks and good company. She slid off her stool and slapped an arm around Cadil's shoulder, causing his freshly refilled ale to slush - just a little - over the edge of his mug. "That doesn't mean the attempt doesn't make for good fun! Alf! Another round for me and the pup!" Momentarily, she'd forgotten not everyone would be able to follow why she had just called Tras that. "I mean, for me and my friend," she said with a smile at Trastion. "Another one of the same concoction for him, I think, yeah?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow, then slightly distracted by the teal-haired individual to the far wall tuning what looking like a lute or something of the sort (she was no expert). Turning her attention back to the bar with an interested gleam in her eyes, she leaned forward to Alf. "And for my third drink, I would like to try what Mourgan is having."

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

As both Cadil and Kaylin pointed out that having Trev sing his ode would require going to find him, Trastion shook his head. "Nooo," He laughed. "No, not going to look for him," He assured Kaylin. "I wouldn't know where to look, for one thing." He shrugged. "Maybe Nal would know, but.. I don't know where he is. So... yeah." He shook his head, then watched an unusually dressed person enter the establishment. Feeling somewhat satisfied that it did not seem like the sort of person who would be working for his stepfather, nor seeking for him, he disregarded them, and turned his attention back toward the others sitting with him at the bar.

"Trevadir, yes," he answered Kaylin with a nod. "He's a friend of Nal's. Unalmis, that is," He clarified. "Actually, I think we sorta vaguely almost met him that day we were here, playing that card game with Arnyn," He recalled suddenly. "Anyway," He paused, then laughed as Kaylin ordered another drink for 'the pup', grinning slightly as he recalled that adventure. He nodded when she seemed to check whether he'd have the same, and once Alf had gone off to get it, he replied to the comment about the drinking contest. "Yeaaah, I'm pretty sure Mourgan would beat us all, despite being fresh from the houses of healing." He smirked slightly toward his friend, and took a cautious sip of his fresh drink. Once assured that it was the same, safe drink, he wrapped his hand around the mug, as if to make sure it wouldn't get mistaken for any of the other drinks, as there were now four of them to keep track of.

"I can tell what I saw of the incident," He went on, returning to the story subject, "But I didn't see the part where Mourgan got hurt," he explained. "So, all I can tell about, is what I heard from others." He shrugged, then paused, and looked at Mourgan. "Although, one of us was actually there..." He added with a slightly raised eyebrow, curious whether Mourgan would remember enough to tell his side of what happened. "All I saw was the very, very end of it all, when Arnyn defeated the giant wolf..."

[Pele Alarion]

Cadil
Third week of August

"Oh, come on..." Cadil mumbled under his breath, eager for the story and not very amused by the slow start on it. Yet he was distracted from following up with more complaints by the look his friends gave to someone who had entered. Having settled with his back to the door, he could not see what they were seeing and reigned in his curiosity for some other more opportune moment that did not require a conspicuous turning around just to stare at the newcomer.

And then he had to save his drink from being spilled all over himself from Kaylin's mighty show of affection. "Oy! You want to make me look like I've been too late in responding to the call of nature?" he laughed, holding the tankard away from himself with one hand and brushing off the drops that had fallen on his lap with the other. "Well, I'm more than aware of being a loser in any competition like this..." And true to that statement, he returned to sipping his ale contentedly instead of downing it all at once. If anything, he wanted to have his mind clear enough to hear that story - if they ever came to it.

"Ah, stop those trivialities of who saw what and speak already!" he demanded impatiently, and laughed some more. "It would be much better to hear it from Rangers rather than rely on tales of old women telling in hushed tones that a fire-breathing dragon had attacked the Citadel with intentions of eating the King alive, and that the Rangers had bravely fought it off and hacked it to pieces." Cadil's voice gained a dramatic tone as he spoke though he did not say if he had actually heard it or had come up with it himself on the spot. "A giant wolf, you say? And Arnyn dealt with it? But... how did it even get up there all the way through the city? You can't just have giant wild beasts roaming the streets without being duly noticed."

[Dungeon Delver]

A Third Week in August

Cael smirked as she took another drag of her cigarillo. This blend really was something. Where had she found the hemp again? It wasn’t one of the Shire strains, she knew that. But where? She only gave it a moment’s thought, though. She’d trained her mind, for better or for worse, to not try to think to hard about things in past. They say the past hurts, but they have no idea. Cael had tried too many times to remember her own and had come too close to an aneurysm. Dying wasn’t worth it. Like a runner who’s fractured their ankle, the elf was apprehensive (to say the least) to remember even the most mundane things that could lead to pain. Maybe she was afraid. No, she was definitely afraid. Gods only knew what sorts of reprobative horrors and twisted fae deals littered her faded pathways.

There was a chill in the air, rare for the depths of summer, and her exploded in horripilation. Cael felt like someone walked over her grave. She took another drag of the cigarillo, held the smoke in as long as she could. She counted to twenty then slowly began exhaling, her mind wandering as best it could. She frowned though. Enough drags like that and the last of her cigarillos would be gone and she’d barely been able to enjoy it. Silently, she prayed the tobacconist wasn’t exorbitantly expensive.

That, though, was a thought for another time. Future Cael’s problem.

Present Cael had no problems. None whatsoever.

In fact, she smiled slowly and languidly. Her wink had not gone unnoticed, her perhaps the red-head’s momentarily hesitation was due to something else. Cael knew herself though. She might be an arrogant ass at time (or all the time and worse if you listened to her old troupe mates), but that didn’t mean she was wrong.

Eavesdropping on the conversation was fun. One of the young men was apparently of two minds about alcohol, beer in particular. And a debate, or maybe it was more a parley than a debate, a tractation even, was waging between the four Rangers (Cael had no idea if they were Rangers or not, but they all certainly held themselves aloft as if they were). Could the youngster hold his liquor or not. Cael wondered what sort of conversation had led to that as the main source of topic, but this was an inn after all.

Cael nearly spoke up, nearly challenged the lad to a drinking contest but, well firstly she didn’t have to coin to cover how much it would take to drink him under the table (it would only a few full rounds but that’s how light she was), secondly she didn’t know any of these people and didn’t want to that person in a bar. She’d gotten into enough brawls with that type to know how not to be that, and thirdly, well she wanted to see where this little skit went.

However, it was not like Cael not to stir the pot a little. Surreptitiously (or not she wasn’t really trying that hard), she called the proprietress over and ordered the foursome a round of thick, heavy-alcoholed drinks: the imperial stout. They wouldn’t be cheap, but they’d be a test of the mettle. Maybe, Cael looked again at the redhead, maybe it would be worth it in the end too.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @King Otis

Kaylin
Third week of August

"Right, yeah," she recalled, "the card game." First Kaylin narrowed her eyes slightly at the memory, but then she got distracted. Alf put a shot glass in front of her, and the redhead glanced at Mourgan, as if to check whether he would dare warn her against the burn or something. She put the tiny glass to her lips and took a small sip. The liquor tingled on her lips and all the way down her throat. With a raised eyebrow, she looked at Mourgan once more. Kaylin was no stranger to the strong stuff. But this wasn't simply strong. It reminded her of what Trastion had wanted to replace - although it wasn't quite the same. Just how many different kinds of crazy strong drinks did Mourgan tend to imbibe?

When Cadil demanded Trastion stop saying who saw or didn't see all the details, Kaylin grinned. Cadil clearly wanted the story - no matter he'd get it from someone who hadn't seen the whole thing with their own eyes. Twisting the shot glass around and around between her fingers, she leaned toward her friend as if she were going to tell him a secret. "A wolf did not roam the streets of the City, my friend! A young woman did." And with that cryptic elaboration, she gestured at Trastion. "This one is all yours, Tras," she insisted. "Practice! It's the only way you'll learn." And with that, she threw back the shot. Drink number three.

Blinking and touching her throat without really wanting to, she tried to resist the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "Damn, Mourgan," she said, her voice a bit hoarse for a moment. "You don't play around, do you? I think I'll just leave that be for now - one drink was enough."

But before she knew it, she was served a new drink. By Hildy. With a confused frown, she looked at the inkeeper. "What's this, Hildy?" Before long, Mourgan Cadil and Trastion were also served a mug.

"Courtesy of the... lady, by the wall," Hildy explained with a smile.

Looking back again, following Hildy's gaze, Kaylin was intrigued. Curiouser and curiouser, that individual!

Now, Kaylin was no idiot. In relative short order, she'd had three drinks, two rather strong ones and one that was way too strong altogether. By rights, she should be slowing down. Besides, Trastion was the only one who'd already consumed two drinks - Mourgan and Cadil were still working on their second ones.

However, she also wasn't one to be deliberately impolite. And you never declined a gifted drink.

Moreover, she was now faced with the added difficulty of needing to bail out Trastion. There was no way he was going to drink the stout. And while he now had two drinks in front of him, and could hold off a little while on downing the stout while he worked on the drink Kaylin had already ordered... he wouldn't be able to ignore it, unless he wanted to deliberately snub the buyer of said drink.

Kaylin's fingers curled around the mug. She knew what she had to do. Turning on the barstool toward their benefactor, she lifted the drink into the air in a gesture of thanks. "An unexpected pleasure!" she called out. "Interested in a story in return? This one is about to share." Kaylin's gaze moved to rest on Trastion. She hoped he would take the hint already. Someone who was talking could also be forgiven for forgetting to get started on a drink... And while Kaylin was set on helping him complete his ruse, she still couldn't simply pound back two of those mugs in short order right now. Not after the three drinks she'd already had. Yet, she had to start somewhere.

And so she got started on drink number four. Imperial stout!

[Dungeon Delver]

A Third Week in August

“Never, ever turn down an invitation from a pretty lady.” It was advice Cael had been given half a dozen times in half a dozen inns by half a dozen men in various stages of inebriation. It was solid advice. Perhaps, the elf mused, the best advice and one idiot had given her over the years.

She was up and moving before any of the redhead’s (had Cael heard her name yet, she wasn’t sure) companions (she hadn’t caught any of their names either) could protest (bringing her own beer of course). Before any of them could awkwardly look over at her and not directly contradict their companion by trying to discourage the rough-looking elf from visiting their pretty table, Cael was already pulling up a chair. In some inn, in some world at a great distance from her own, the maneuver she used to sit in the chair might have been called “the Riker”. She moved up behind it, threw a leg over the back of the chair in a flashy, flamboyant motion, and sat with a grin.

“Thank you for the invitation, my lady,” she said with facetious humor. She took a small sip and looked around the table. She tried to hide her surprise. All those at the table excluding the redhead (what was her name?) looked exceedingly young. Pups.

“I couldn’t help but overhear, well I could but… anyway, you were all saying something about reports of a woman or a wolf wandering the streets? You know, in older days they used to refer to women of… a certain nature,” she stopped for dramatic effect and grinned, “as wolves. Not that you lad would know anything about those kinds of ladies, I’m sure. No, no, none of you have a lupercalic look about you. You’re too young by far. Now, I’m not sure what that little tidbit does for your… story or rumor or whatever you’d call it, but… well, it’s something to keep in mind at any rate.”

She took another drink of her beer, draining the last of it (sadly it was less than half full by the time she sat down with the Rangers, they all had to be Rangers, there was no other explanation). “Oh, how rude of me. I’m Cael.” She then looked directly at the redhead. “And I might have a story or two for you, what was your name again?”

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @King Otis

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

He couldn't help a snicker when Cadil expressed concern about his drink spilling in his lap. More in how he worded it, really, but he didn't hold back a grin of amusement, remembering he was pretending to be a bit drunk by now. His grin only grew as the other young man pointed out that the story would be better heard from rangers than from some gossiping old women telling of fire-breathing dragons. He laughed and nodded. "True," He agreed, wondering what sort of crazy tales had been circulating about the city.

Before he had much more chance to try and decline the telling of the story, an unexpected round of drinks appeared. And it was not the drinks they had ordered. Trastion blinked at the mug that was set before him, and he could tell it was not the stuff he was currently drinking. He almost subconsciously pulled his own mug a tiny bit closer to him, the one containing the safe drink, and then looked up at Hildy as Kaylin asked about the drinks, and was informed that someone had been generous enough to order these for them. While it was a nice enough gesture, he couldn't help an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach. This was not good. Maybe the others would be happy, but... this very much complicated things for him.

His blue gaze automatically strayed toward Kaylin, trying his best to hide his concern, but he was rather uncertain about what to do. He couldn't drink that stuff, but he was pretty sure it would be rude to reject it. Not only that, but it would sort of defeat the whole point of his trying to pretend that he was drinking alcohol, right? Still, he managed not to look nervous, somehow, but his expression would probably be interpreted as being skeptical about telling this story that she insisted he tell.

Which led him to try and think about how to do that. How on Arda could he begin a story that he didn't know the beginning of? He frowned a bit and took a small sip of his drink('Eowyn's gambit'), before setting the mug on the bar counter and turned his stool so that he was facing the rest of the growing party, as well as he could. "Alright, alright," He laughed slightly, trying to cover up his unease by pretending that the drinks were getting to him. "You really want me to tell this, don't you sis?" He smirked slightly. It seemed he was not going to get out of telling the story, since now Kaylin had invited the drink-buying stranger over to join them and hear it too! He wasn't quite sure what to think of that.. it would seemed to him that would make it more difficult for him to get out of drinking the other drink, without just turning it down. He'd cross that bridge when he came to it, though.

As the stranger joined them at the bar, Trastion got a better look and was surprised to realize that she was an elf. In all his nineteen years, he'd never met any elves before, but this was definitely not what he would have expected. At the comment about 'certain kind of women' being called wolves, he had a suspicion what she meant, and couldn't help a sideways glance toward Mourgan, whom he thought most likely to be familiar with that term. But he also had no idea what lupercalic meant, and he also wasn't sure that he wanted to know.

"Hello, pleased to meet you Cael. I'm Trastion," He greeted the newcomer, though after that he wasn't quite sure what more to say. But it also didn't seem to matter, since her attention seemed to be, strangely, all focused on Kaylin. After waiting for any other forthcoming introductions to be done, he figured he ought not delay any more with telling the story.

"Sooo, this story.. uh," He paused, glancing questioningly at Kaylin. Swiftly, he went through everything he had been told, and could only really remember having been told she was an evil sorceress slaver from Umbar, and that she'd wanted to harm the rangers. "Alright. So, once upon a time, there was a very evil woman who was very cruel. She came from Umbar, and made people into slaves. She uh.. hated rangers, I guess? Probably because we wanted to stop her and put her out of business and take her slaves away. Anyway.." He cleared his throat, feeling like he was really not doing a good job telling this, but it was hard to tell something you know little about.

"She wasn't just any ordinary woman, though." he added, trying to sound mysterious. "She had strange and mysterious abilities. Sorcery, some would call it. She could transform herself into other forms. Take on the appearance of another person, or even animals." He explained, and paused to take a small sip from his drink. He still had at least half a mug, and still hadn't even made a move to reach for the one Cael had sent over. "She was called Relic, though I'm not really sure if that's her name or just what people call her." He actually sort of wondered about that, but went on with his tale. "Anyway. So, as I said, she had something against rangers, and so one day she came up with a plot to try and destroy us. She took the shape of an innocent young woman, and came to enlist as a recruit." He paused. "Just as a small point of interest.. she actually enlisted the same day as I did."

He doubted that small detail was really of that much interest to anyone, but it might. "I remember passing her when I left the captain's office, and she just seemed like any ordinary girl. I had no idea what sort of evil was lurking inside, beneath the innocent appearance. And for months, she lived among us, biding her time, probably plotting all sorts of evil schemes... she even stole some weapons from the armory once, and uh.. attacked the ranger on guard duty. Nearly killed him," He added, slightly awkward as he cleared his throat lightly. No need to mention who that was for those who didn't know. "And then, finally, one morning when everyone was just getting up and heading to breakfast.. she finally made her move." He explained, pausing for a dramatic effect as he glanced around to see if Cadil and the others were still interested, or if anyone (like Kaylin or Mourgan) had anything to add.


(reason for edit: making a few adjustments for clarification)

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @The Occultated

Kaylin
Third week of August

"Yeah, I really do want you to tell it," she confirmed with a half-grin at Trastion. "You've got this! It's a hard story to mess up," she declared with a confidence that you just couldn't fake. "There will always be room for improvement, of course, but it's just such a good story... I don't think even an unpracticed storyteller could ruin it." Once it looked like Trastion had finally caved, Kaylin smiled cheerily - almost putting down her drink to clap with anticipation.

"Le nathlam hí*," Kaylin smoothly replied to the newcomer's words of thanks. For those words were clearly tinged with humor, and Kaylin had no issues building on that with the - for her, at least - overly polite Sindarin greeting, not to mention her intentionally affected tone. Judging from the colourful way the Elf - for yes, the individual was clearly an Elf, Kaylin now saw - had pulled up a chair to throw a leg over it and sit down, surely she would not mind a mortal taking the cue and running with it? And even if the Elf would mind, it wouldn't be the worst loss. After all, the drinks were already paid for, weren't they?

She sipped steadily from the dark beer as she observed the Elf while she spoke of women called wolves and seemed to address the young men in their company about not knowing much about those kinds of women. A daring assumption - even if it was probably true. Trastion's glance at Mourgan proved Tras was thinking along the same lines as Kaylin. If one of the guys here knew anything about such women, it'd likely be Mourgan. Now, was the Elf also referring to Kaylin when she was making such assumptions? She took another sip. Well. She didn't know much of women-wolves either, Kaylin supposed.

When the Elf finished her own drink, she thought to introduce herself. The very direct look Cael then gave her Kaylin, made the redhead blink as she swallowed back a bigger gulp of the ale. Then the meaning of Cael's words seeped through, and Kaylin realized that she was being offered stories. Stories! From an Elf, no less! For a storyteller like Kaylin, the possibility of adding a few more, from an immortal, was... well, basically irresistible.

"Alf," Kaylin grinned broadly, looking over her shoulder at the proprietor. "Get my new friend Cael another one of what she was having, will you?" After a quick nod from the man, she turned her grey-blue eyes back to Cael. "If we're paying for these -" Kaylin lifted her drink slightly - "with a story, and you're sharing stories in return, then the least we can do is keep your thirst at bay, yeah?"

Trastion's own introduction reminded Kaylin that giving her own name was in order, as well. "Ah, right." The strong drinks must be getting to her, because she'd gotten so much better over the years at remembering her manners... "Kaylin. Would be me."

Finally, Trastion began his retelling of the story. As his self-appointed story-telling instructor, Kaylin focused as good and well as she could on the way he decided to spin the tale. His approach wasn't one that she herself would have chosen - it was very explanatory, almost like the start of an old fairy-tale. But perhaps it could turn out to have a charm of its own. She would give it the time it deserved - give Tras the limelight that he deserved, as well. She nodded every few sentences, to spur him on.

"Brown hair, amber eyes," she added, looking mostly at both Cadil and Cael, since the story would be new (or newest) to them. "The little thing looked like the epitome of wide-eyed innocence, a girl looking to be disillusioned and battered by the utter lack of glory in battle," she stated, her tone half sad and half mockingly wise. "And while the command strongly suspected she was not what she seemed... they refused to kill or provoke her outright." She couldn't help just the tiniest hint of an edge to her voice there, although she recovered swiftly. "Evil though... does not wait." Her serious expression returned to a half-grin as she motioned for Trastion to continue.

[*We welcome you here (reverential)]

[Dungeon Delver]

A Third Week in August

Stories were like coin for someone like Cael. She didn’t have an occupation, not something you could calculate taxes by (not that King Aragorn had much of a tax policy according to some). She made her way across the length and breadth of the world eating, sleeping, drinking, and smoking on the power and enrapturablitiy of her stories and their tellings. Stories, in fact, were far more valuable than coin. Stories were infinitely renewable, bound people together, and never lost their worth. Singing for one’s supper was a time honored tradition (well maybe not always and in all places) and Cael was one of the best damned story tellers outside of the stuffy halls of elvendom. There were stories for every occasion too: terrifying ghost stories for the dark times at new year, fond memorials at the passing of a friend, raunchy stories with drunk friends, and exotic, slightly overexaggerated tales for brand new acquaintances. Obviously, the later two kinds of stories would do well in an establishment such as this, and Cael had quite a few of them up her sleeve.

However, it was not her turn to tell a story. That honor (or responsibility) lay with one Trastion, a lad that, upon closer inspection looked almost too young to be sitting with the rest of them. Was she getting older? No, no definitely not that. Cael did not miss the looks both he and Kaylin gave to the other youth sitting at the table when she obliquely mentioned brothels and the ladies that excel there. She looked him over and gave him a thin ghost of a cheshire grin. Maybe not all Gondorians deserved the stuffy reputation they had further north. She took a deep, long drink of the newly arrived pale ale. She thanked the proprietress and wiped the excess foam with the back of her hand.

Trastion was young and looked at the beer in front of him as one might a feral cat, but he dutifully drank a few gulps. His story was all about a sorceress, maybe, and her magical powers to change form. Cael was intrigued. Sorceress got a bad rap much of the time, but there were a few out there that deserved the nasty repute. The conviction and clarity with which Trastion told his tale indicated that he, at least, believed it.

“So lad, Trastion, what do you think made her the way she was? Was she born wicked and spiteful; do you think? Or did she perhaps grow into it under the circumstances? Nature or nurture, if you will.”

She took another drink and glanced at the redhead, Kaylin. “Well met indeed, Kaylin. And thank you. Out east, past Erebor and Dale, they consider the purchase of drinks for strangers to be the highest compliment.” She snickered at the other’s formal use of Sindarin, the insinuation that neither of them held formality in such a high esteem. To further illustrate she made a stiff half-bow (then suppressed a burp before it erupted).

“I would be more than happy to share a few tales. Though I am more than passing curious about this ‘Relic’ character. I’ve known a few bog hags and hedge witches in my time, sorceresses though, a little outside my wheelhouse. Maybe we can compose a song about her after all the stories are told, something to take away her power to frighten?”

[Pele Alarion]

Cadil
Third week of August

Cadil had not even sipped off one third of his current drink when a fresh one arrived, for him and for others in their company. Apparently provided for by the same mysterious newcomer he had not managed to look at. However, when Kaylin invited her to join them, the opportunity came for him to sate his curiosity. An Elf, with the most curious appearance, and behaviour which seemed to suggest she was quite a trouble-maker - or at least that was how he perceived it.

"I be Cadil," he informed the Cael briefly with a polite nod, and then turned his attention to Kaylin, and Trastion, and back to Kaylin again as the story began to unfold.

"Wait...so no wolf but an Umbarian? A slaver with sorcery skills?" he repeated mostly to himself. He thought he could spy Kaylin's discontent that the woman was allowed to dwell among Rangers, and he could not blame her. He waited for the continuation of the story with certain eagerness while at the same time the mention of Umbar caused him discomfort.

His merriment subsided from his eyes while a smile still remained on his lips - he should certainly mind himself and not get carried away here for he had made a promise to avoid trouble, to watch his step until further notice - or so he had understood it, and he meant to keep it. He would soak up any and all stories, participate in conversations as much as he could, and laugh, though he would practice caution alongside it all.

"And?" he simply inquired, emerging from his thoughts.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @King Otis

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

Kaylin's addition to the description of 'Amber' made Trastion nod wholeheartedly. "Yeah, really. Doe-eyed and sorta shy like, all that." He agreed. He noticed Cadil seemed intrigued, even if it wasn't what he might have been expecting. Trastion was about to go on when the elf interrupted to ask him some questions, which he found a bit odd. He blinked and paused to try and figure out how to even answer that. It also caught him a bit off-guard to be called 'Trastion lad', but he tried to ignore that. "Uh. I wouldn't have any idea," He shrugged. "All I know is, she was evil, full of hatred, and spite." He considered taking another drink of his mug, but he didn't want to finish it too quickly and then have to worry about the other one that awaited. "But someone has already begun making a song about this tale, as I was telling them." He motioned to the others at the table. "A friend of a friend, who's a musician, has been writing it and I think he might be done or nearly done, but I don't know where to find him or I'd have asked him to sing it." He grinned.

"Anyway," He went on, "So it was very early in the morning. Some of the early-birds were already down to breakfast that day, but plenty were still waking up, or getting dressed, a few people coming in from night duties, that sort of thing. And then, the smell of smoke began to seep through the hallways of the barracks." He had not been there at breakfast to hear the confrontation with Pele and Relic. "I was coming from the washroom, and started down the stairs for breakfast, but the stairway was filled with smoke. At first, when I had smelled a bit of smoke from the dorm, I wondered if someone in the kitchen had left something on the stove a bit too long, but this was way too much smoke for that, and also.. it had a different sort of smell. It wasn't from cooking; it was from lamp oil. And it was coming from the North wing.. the girl's barracks," He added for clarification for those who were unfamiliar with the barracks building.

"As it happened, as I hastened toward the source of the smoke, I ran straight into the last person in the world that anyone would ever want to run into..." He paused for dramatic effect, holding back a grin, before revealing; "Our very own barracks master, Lieutenant Brian! Despite all the tales about him being a fire-breathing dragon.. he did not set the fire." He assured his audience with amusement. "However, he was screaming mad about the fact that someone did! Anyway, I went along with him up the stairs toward the North wing to investigate.. I'm surprised he didn't start in about it being against rules and regulations for me to be up there, but I guess the raging fire consuming the entire hallway made my presence in the girl's area quite less important." He shrugged. "So, anyway, a miracle happened then. He actually allowed me to help with putting it out." He widened his eyes in mock astonishment at this fact.

"Anyway," He carried on with a grin, "Several other rangers had come along to help. They had wet blankets and buckets of water, but Brian quickly came to the same conclusion I had; that it was a fire fueled by oil, and therefore, water would not help much. So we had to find another way to put it out. I happened to have helped with fighting fires before, so I knew a few things. So, I rushed down to the kitchen where I knew they had several barrels full of salt... that will smother a fire just as well as sand." He explained. "Only," he added with a slightly embarrassed smile, "I couldn't move the barrel very well. Luckily!" He smiled and clapped a hand on Mourgan's shoulder, "My friend and roommate Mourgan came along and saved the day!" He grinned at him before continuing, "With his strength, and my guidance, we got the barrel up the stairs and started throwing salt on the fire. We also brought along some napkins from the mess hall, got them damp, and used them to tie around our mouths, and brought enough for everyone else too. And Brian got everyone else to help with it and soon we had a nice, sorta almost orderly line of people flinging bowls full of salt onto the fire, and we began to make progress with getting things under control."

He paused to take a small sip of his 'Eowyn's Gambit' drink, and continued. "There were some other people, and I think Kaylin here was one of them? Who were bringing buckets of dirt up from the garden.." He shook his head in mock remorse. "Lieutenant Brian's beloved flower garden, I should say..." He added with a snicker. "Luckily, he was too worried about saving the barracks to worry about his precious flowers." He smirked.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @The Occultated

Kaylin
Third week of August

Born wicked and spiteful? Kaylin scoffed at such a question. "Like it matters," she mumbled. "Should have just taken out that 'girl' when the Captain's suspicions grew impossible to deny. After that incident at Midsummer." She glanced at Trastion, glad that he'd only been knocked unconscious - and not worse. That Arnyn had suffered Amber to walk around the Ranger grounds after that...
Annoyed, she drained most of her drink. "Relic? Definitely not a bog witch," she added, mixing up Cael's use of bog hag and hedge witch without realizing it. Then she nodded at Trastion to indicate she would not keep him from continuing the tale any longer. And returned to nursing her drink, well aware that as soon as her mug was empty, she'd have to be flamboyant enough to make it seem natural she'd steal Trastion's stout right from under his nose.

She grinned when Trastion praised Mourgan. "Who'd have thought you'd turn out to be such a powerhouse way back when we were heading to Cair Andros in those little boats," she reminisced. "Aye, little brother, I was there! While you two were being the stars of the show, I was try'na help out the Lieutenant - whose back was on fire at some point... Me putting a damp towel on him was all well and good, but me trying to tap out the flames..." she decidedly hit Cadil's back a few times to show everyone just what she meant, perhaps a bit harder than she'd intended - "... well, that didn't go over well."

She cringed slightly at the memory, but the next moment Kaylin gave everyone a rather unapologetic, broad smile. "See, I had no idea he had shards from an exploded oil lamp wedged into him," she explained, raising her free hand to convey she'd truly meant no harm. "So... I got thrown out." She grinned at Trastion. "Thankfully he seems to have forgotten about who had a part in taking apart his fancy-pants, artificial little patch of grass," she downplayed the area which Lieutenant Brian really kept looking rather pretty.

"You saw more than I did, Tras," she told him as she now put down her empty mug on the bar and slipped off her own stool to wavea around Mourgan and then drape an arm around Trastion's shoulder. "You were at the mess twice, right?" He'd told her, before. "I just got dragged there at the end by one of the medical rangers needing extra hands. So!" she stated the last word loudly, and her hand almost missed the mug of stout in front of her comrade-in-arms as she leaned down on him. Almost. But not quite. She corrected herself at the very last moment, and succeeded in energetically picking up the mug - her fifth drink in much too short a time - and putting it to her own lips. "Sorry," she shrugged at him with a little wink. "But mine was empty and you're still working on yours." Her tone was anything but apologetic, though.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @The Occultated

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

Trastion winced slightly when she mentioned the exploding lamps. "Oh yeah! Those were awful. I took a shard in the arm... that was pretty painful. I honestly did feel sorry for the lieutenant when he got a backful of them..." He may not like the guy, but he wouldn't wish him to suffer agonizing pain. Though, the mental image of Kaylin patting down his back was mildly amusing, if you didn't think about how much it must have hurt.

And then Kaylin was bringing up the mess hall, while leaning on him. He could smell the alcohol rather strongly, and was glad it was all inside her, and not on her where it could transfer onto him. When she grabbed the mug of alcoholic stuff that had been intended for him, it was all he could do not to grin in relief. Instead, he let out a little laugh when she apologized. "No worries, have at it." He assured her, "graciously". "I'm good with this," He raised his mug slightly to indicate the one he'd been working on, although he couldn't help watching to make sure that the mug she had claimed didn't slosh anything onto him, seeing how energetically she had claimed it. All was safe, thankfully. Back to the story.

"Right," He agreed with her comment about him being at the mess hall twice. "Well, thing is.. we ran out of salt, and there was still a lot of hallway burning. So Mourgan and a couple other guys went down to get more, and while he was gone, we kept working with what we had. Only, they didn't come back." He frowned and cast a brief glance at him before focusing on the others. "He can tell you what happened, if he will, but all I knew is, he was gone for a long time and we needed salt. So, seeing as Lieutenant Brian had actually put me in charge of the salt, I went down to see what was keeping them." He paused, growing more solemn here.

"When I reached the mess hall.." He sighed. "It was quite a different scene than when I had last been there. The two guys who went with Mourgan.. I didn't know them.. they were lying on the floor in blood, dead. A barrel of salt was nearby, where they'd dropped it.. Mourgan was a little ways off, bleeding, but not dead. Thankfully. Captain Alarion was there, calling for someone to get her medical supplies, and not far away..." He paused to glance around at the audience. "Lieutenant Arnyn, my mentor, was on the floor grappling with... ANOTHER Lieutenant Arnyn. And our smith, Cali, was there with her, helping." He cast a brief glance toward Mourgan, knowing his roommate had a thing for her, before he continued.

"I probably wouldn't have believed what I was seeing, if I hadn't been forewarned that there was a dangerous, shapeshifting sorceress on the loose. So, there was all that, and above me, was the fire. I was torn. Because, you know... I wanted to rush over and help the captain help Mourgan, but I've had no medical training yet whatsoever, so... would I really be of much help?" He shrugged. "On the other hand, Lieutenant Brian had put me in charge of getting salt on the fire, to put it out. And we needed that barrel upstairs, so we could continue putting out the fire." He took a breath. "Then again, I knew I couldn't get that barrel anywhere on my own. So, the best thing I could think to do, was run back up to where there were a lot of rangers upstairs helping with the fire, and send down a couple of medically-trained ones, and then grab a couple of strong guys to help with the barrel." He explained. He still hoped that was the right choice, but it seemed like things had worked out well enough. "I heard later that Kaylin's husband had come along after that, and helped the captain get Mourgan to the houses of healing. So I'm glad about that," He added. And had a side thought that he still had not really gotten to know him very well.

"So, anyway, after a short time, Lieutenant Brian decided I'd spent enough time up there fighting the fire. I guess I was coughing a bit too much from all the smoke, so he sent me away. But I didn't want to just sit around doing nothing, so I went back to the mess hall to see if I could be of any help there. I think that was when I ran into Kaylin and that other ranger lady, I forgot her name... but anyway, the three of us went in. And.." He paused. "The scene had again changed... Drastically."

[Isolde Alarion]

Mourgan

Third week in August

@Arnyn @Pele Alarion @Rillewen


Mourgan noted Kaylins question with the word Firebrand. He knew she was curious, and he flick a brow in answer. She then finished off her drink and addressed him, informing him he was now one drink behind. His brows rows to the challenge. "I'll have to fix that." He answered. When she told Traistion she didn't let anyone hit her he nodded in agreement as he set his glass down. "True, she doesn't." He injected.

Just then he turned at hearing another wishing to join their group. He swung his head around to find Cadil standing not far from them. He'd known of Cadil and even marched off to war beside him, but he's lost track of him over time. It was good to see he was still around. He didn't have a problem with him joining them and when Kaylin agreed he nodded his acceptance. She then said they had some catching up to do and he chuckled. He motioned for Cadil to join them. "Come on Cadil, we have to catch up before she out paces us." He watched him take a place and order a tankard.

It seemed he was the only one without a drink in hand and he couldn't have that. He pushed his empty shot glass away from him as Kaylin reassured Cadil they would get him home. "I'm sure we could find a wheelbarrow if need be." He joked with him and leaning with his elbow on the counter he looked back at Kaylin with a smile. He smiled with amusement as Kaylin referred to him as a beast. His brow quirked slightly as she momentarily suggested he was cheating but it lowered again as she confirmed he didn't cheat. Why cheat? Why not just drink them under the table? She then got him another drink and he gladly accepted it when Alf brought it. He motioned for Alf to keep them coming. There was catching up to do after all.

He put the tankard to his lips and drank deeply, only lowering it when he'd emptied it of its contents. He wiped the foam from his scruffy chin as he returned the mug to the counter. "Ahh! That evens it I believe." He spoke as Alf put another cup in his hand. Cadil then asked about the House of Healing and the story behind it. While Kaylin looked at Trastion and referred to his story telling abilities he made use of the time and downed his third mug of ale. Once more he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and motioned to Alf for another.

He was just about to press his third drink to his lips when Kaylin leaned forward on the bar after encouraging Trastion to spin his tale and asked Alf for what he'd drank. Alf looked over at him for confirmation to which he shrugged. "Two Firebrands Alf." He ordered lightly with the raising of his two finger and set the ale aside but just for the moment. He took up the small glass and watched as Kalin glanced at him. Perhaps she was waiting on a warning or to see his reaction to her drinking it. He was curious how she would take it. His brow rose in a silent salute to her as he waited to watch her reaction. She did not disappoint. Her comment and the welling of up of tears in her eyes caused him to let out a deep laugh before tossing back his own drink. It hit his stomach before the glass hit the counter. A hiss escaped his lips as he felt the fire flow downward. "I have to admit, you handled that better than some men I've known. " He chuckled again but stickled off as another drink made itself present. This one he didn't order. His brown eyes followed Kaylin as she looked over at their benefactor. He'd never seen the teal hair elf before, but he wouldn't be rude and refuse.

He also raised his mug in thanks and started to down it as Kaylin did hers. The mug landed on the counter next to his full untouched one and when he looked back at the group it had grown by one. She introduced herself after explaining the term wolf and who it referred to. He noted Tristion's suspicious glance and tried to hide his smirk in his mug. He really had no shame, and he fondly recalled a certain she wolf or two. He settled his arm on the bar counter and got comfortable as Trastion started his tale. "Mourgan." He raised his mug to Cael with a light introduction before returning to Trastions story.

It was interesting so far and was about to take a drink when his roommate clapped him on the shoulder. His drink sloshed slightly, and he quickly covered it with his lips to prevent wasting the drink. He had to chuckle at Trastions reference of him saving the day. He didn't feel like he had but he appreciated the words none the less. He smiled at the memory Kaylins words brought forth. It seemed a lifetime ago, but he certainly remembered their boat trip. He listened intently since he didn't know about some of the story, and it was interesting to hear it. Then Kaylin weaved around him after sliding off her stool and went to drape her arm over Trastions shoulder then took his drink, he didn't seem to mind. The story once more started and he was intrigued although hearing the part about him being injured brought forth a few flashbacks to which he buried his face in his mug to get rid of them.

He lowered his mug slowly at hearing their storytellers voice change. This was the part he was mostly interested in. By then he'd been taken to the Houses of Healing, so he knew nothing of what happened next.

"And?.."He spoke up wanting Trastion to continue with his tale, he was engrossed in it now.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @The Occultated

Kaylin
Third week of August

"Drastically," she agreed. She let go of Trastion, but did not return to her seat. "I'll never forget what I saw. I don't think I'll ever see anything like it again. Blood - everywhere. A giant wolf in the middle of the whole mess. Red fur..." She curled a lock of her own hair around her finger, quite aware of their own flame. "As if it had dyed itself in the blood all over the floor." She made a hook of two fingers, keeping them next to her mouth as she showed her teeth in a snarl. "Yellow fangs, sharp as knives. The smithy behind the foul creature. Arnyn in front of it. Both of them had blood all over them - and who knew whether it was their own or not..."

Kaylin shook her head. "I wanted to run right in to help - but Elanor stopped me. The others were too close, she said. And that we needed a longer weapon than my short sword. But the Lieutenant..." Kaylin shook her head. "The wolf had blocked another short sword, so... Arnyn, she lunged for a dagger... just a dagger..." She nudged Trastion. She wasn't just going to take over the story altogether.

[Dungeon Delver]

A Third Week in August

Well done, Cael. You’ve done it again. What exactly she’d stepped into the middle of, the elf wasn’t sure. By their vehement (teetering on venomous) reaction to this “Relic”, Cael could tell this was more than just story time. It seemed almost like a mission debriefing, but shouldn’t that be done in the Ranger Headquarters or whatever they had? Why do it in a pub on the other side of the city? Cael had a dozen questions in this split-second reaction alone, but there was no way she was going to broach any of them. This Relic character, whoever she had been, apparently made fools of them and there is one thing law enforcement (and they were, adorably young as all of them were) truly hate it is being bamboozled. Cael wasn’t sure how much of the story itself to take without a least a tiny grain of salt, but again she was not going to broach that subject. She had accidently stirred up a mini hornet’s nest with her singular comment on how this Relic came into evil, she wasn’t doing that again. When she was younger, she poked at a hornet’s nest in Imladris twice and—what? Cael froze. What was that? For half a heartbeat, as the conversation nearly rolled over her, the image of herself as a child appeared, unbidden. She braced herself for the inevitable onslaught of pain that would wash over her and make her feel like her head was full of ants—but it never came. She was left, for a moment, flabbergasted. Elves, and Cael was an elf no matter what her attitude and appearance said, hate being flabbergasted.

The image lasted only a moment second and then it was gone. Cael’s blank-faced reaction to it, too, only lasted a moment. The conversation had mercifully continued without the need for Cael’s input so none of the Rangers likely caught anything. Or maybe they did, and they were less involved with the story being told than Cael thought. Either way…

She took a long, slow drink from her pale ale, letting the bitter, citrusy liquid wash over her and numb the back of her throat. Hiding in a drink was usually the sign of trouble, but Cael didn’t care right in that moment. She set the drink down and took a long drag from her cigarillo. There were only a few drags left on it. She grimaced in annoyance. Still, she managed to blow a perfect smoke right that expanded as it rose over the table then descended back down until it crashed to the ground behind them all. She smirked to herself, if there was one elven art she’d taken to, it was smoke ring art, no one could do it better than she.

Content now with listening to the story or debriefing or whatever one could call it, Cael pulled out her oud again and began to fiddle with it. She traced her fingers along the neck and fretboard, paying close attention still to the story, but her eyes were glued to instrument. Her eyes crawled over every nook and crank of it. It was an old instrument, even by the time she’d won it. The runes she’d carved into the body were still legible, reading “Hen gaud dag bauglir”*.

What story, when and if the task came round to her, would Cael tell? “The Orc and his Selkie Bride” and “Ten Spearmen, All in a Row” didn’t seem quite appropriate for this crowd, who seemed a tad more conservative than she’d initially thought (no asking if they’d all like to go to the Honeycomb later most likely). Maybe, a good spooky story would go over better at this juncture. “If” they asked of course. Cael found she was quite content simply listening and drinking at the moment.

[”This machine kills fascists” or close enough]

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @The Occultated

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

"Right," Trastion agreed with Kaylin's addition, after a little cough from the smoke starting to fill the air. He'd breathed enough smoke fighting the fire, and wasn't too eager to breathe in any more, but didn't comment. "Instead of the duplicate Arnyn, this tremendous wolf was there in place of Evil Arnyn. It was enormous!" He held his arms out wide, as if that could do it justice, which it did not. "Bigger than a horse, even! Its fur was like fire. The snarling teeth glistened red with blood... sharp as daggers, preparing to rip and tear and kill... in fact, it had already done some ripping and tearing... Arnyn's neck was bleeding from where it had attacked her while I was out of the room." He paused to take a drink while he tried to make sure he recalled a few of the details he had missed but heard about later.

"Cali, our smith, clung to the wolf's back. Apparently, instead of fleeing when she had the chance, she stuck around to try and help Arnyn even though it seemed like hopeless odds," he added this part mostly for Mourgan's benefit, knowing he had a thing for her. "Even after the monster had bitten her leg, and she must've been in tremendous pain, she stayed where she was. And it was thanks to her determination that Arnyn was able to do what she did," He paused with a little smile. "See, Arnyn didn't have her sword, though I'm not sure why." That was a detail he hadn't learned, yet. "And Cali... she was right on top of where those two other rangers had been slain," He explained. "As the two ladies fought the beast, I guess Arnyn commented that she needed a sword. So, Cali, in a moment of desperation, grabbed the one that had belonged to one of the fallen men, and slid it toward Arnyn!"

He glanced subtly toward Mourgan, wondering what he thought of the tale so far, before continuing, "Unfortunately... the wolf was too smart." He dropped his tone in dismay. "It actually stepped on the sword and prevented it from reaching the lieutenant, and held it down with a massive paw!" He still could hardly imagine that happening, but he had heard it from Cali herself, one day when he went to get some gear from the armory. "So," He took a deep breath as he prepared for the next part of the tale. "Arnyn was still without a sword. She had only her dagger, and this horrible beast had to be stopped. That.. is when I came back into the mess hall, and saw the next part with my own eyes." 

Trastion paused again for a slight dramatic effect. "When I arrived, Arnyn was running, as fast as she could... straight toward it!" That had been the first thing that he had seen when he reentered the mess hall, and he would never forget the sight. "Cali was covered in blood, but most of it wasn't hers. She had stabbed the wolf in the hindquarters and was clinging to it from behind, trying to distract it from Arnyn despite having her leg nearly bitten in two by then... but the wolf was ignoring her now." He went on, sticking with that same exaggeration he had used before concerning Cali's leg. As he reached the most epic part of the tale, he tried to make sure he had a good, intense sort of tone as he told this part, and widened his eyes a bit.

"Instead, it was turned toward Arnyn. It was snarling, waiting for her to get close enough for it to tear into her. One giant paw held a sword flat to the floor. It stared at the lieutenant, like it was daring her to come and get the sword. She kept running, undaunted." Leaving his now basically empty mug on the bar counter, he went to get up from his stool so he could add in a bit more active demonstrating for the next part... keeping in mind the fact he was pretending that he'd drunk three mugs of something alcoholic by now. Drawing on his memories of what he'd felt like when he had a concussion, he staggered as soon as he moved off of the stool, as if hit by a sudden wave of dizziness, and looked surprised when he nearly fell over. "Whoa.." He let out a laugh as he reached to catch himself on whatever was nearest to him. "The room is spinning." he commented, acting surprised and a bit amused as, for a moment, it seemed he was having a difficult time standing upright.


(Edit: Making a few corrections)

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @The Occultated

Kaylin
Third week of August

Whatever was nearest to Trastion... well, that happened to be Kaylin. She could see it coming and reacted on instinct, forgetting momentarily that he was pretending to drink, pretending to get drunk... And therefore did not really have any balancing problems at all. Yet, she grabbed onto him, trying to steady him.

But Kaylin also forgot that she was not pretending anything. She had pounded back 4.5 strong drinks in less than a bell. She... had actual balancing problems.

In trying to steady the young man, she lost her own center. She could feel her weight shifting to a dangerous place, but there was nothing she could do. With one hand - for the other was still holding Trastion's mug of stour - she grabbed on to what - who - she was already grabbing. Trastion. And tried to use him to regain her own footing. Because, left on her own, she was definitely falling down. Her eyes widened. "The muuuug!" she all but yelped, as if more concerned with the fate of the ale than her own (or Trastion's) fall.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn @Isolde Alarion @Pele Alarion @The Occultated

Recruit Trastion Leithor
Third Week of August

While he had not consciously meant to grab onto Kaylin, he most definitely did not expect what happened next. His fake-nearly falling act suddenly became a real, actually falling, without the acting. His eyes also widened; partly because of the sound of Kaylin's cry "my muuuug!" and also in surprise as they both toppled over!

If he'd had a bit more warning, he might have tried to do some agile twisting in midair to try and ensure that the mug landed far away from him. Or more like, its contents. He had no such time, however, and struggled not to panic. What if it spilled all over him? Thoughts flashed through his mind, of having to rush out before anyone could observe a rash appearing...

As he hit the floor (somewhat heavily), he was aware of Kaylin landing beside him. And.. her mug, where was it? He blinked as he glanced around, and saw it on the floor, resting in a puddle of the stuff that it had once contained. Relieved, and also remembering swiftly to keep up the 'drunk' act, he burst out laughing and lay for a moment without trying to get up. "You alright, sis?" He asked, genuinely amused by the fall, and he found it a bit difficult to calm his laughter for a little bit, even after he'd dragged himself up by holding onto an empty barstool. He grinned as he held a hand down to help her up.

[Arnyn]

Kaylin
Third week of August

"Uh!" she exhaled as the air left her lungs upon the meeting of her body and the floor. The contents of the mug had emptied onto the floor. Slightly defeated, she decided to drop her hand, and the mug, to the floor as well, into the puddle. Just to recover a little. The room was moving around her as if she was lying downdeck of a ship on unruly waters. She knew she had better take a beat to fight any uncoming nausea.

It made her laughter a bit less exuberant than it otherwise would have been. At least, at first. Once the room settled, it was much easier to see the ridiculousness of their fall.

"Yeah yeah," she laughed in reply. "This doesn't count as you drinking me under the table, right?" she asked Mourgan with a grin as she sat up and grabbed Trastion's hand, accepting all the help she could get to get back to her feet.

"Sorry," she told Cael, still grinning. "I swear my balance is usually... better." The Elf did not know them after all. And might get the wrong impression.

[Dungeon Delver]

A Third Week in August

She was right. This was a story that happened to them, recently too. Still, Cael was perplexed. Why were they telling the story at all? There wasn’t enough time for it to be a legendary or cautionary tale, nor was it overly formal and full of “official” details and observations. The elf absently ran a finger over the edge of her glass as she listened. It was an interesting tale to say the least. It was not often people ran into honest to earth skinchangers. As terrifying as it might have been, looking back on it now could be exhilarating.

Trastion, apparently, agreed with that. Or at least he looked like he did. Cael smirked as she took another long draft from her pale ale. He was clever, clearly, and he was handsome enough, still, he was not the best actor. Cael, having lived with far, far too many of that sort in the past, knew a trained one from an amateur and sadly, Trastion would not likely make it to audition in many of the troupes she rode with. That was not to say he was hopeless or he wasn’t amusing; he had some talent, it just needed to be shaped and hammered (and no Cael was not the one to do that sort of thing). He was acting drunk but Cael hadn’t seen him drink nearly enough for this amount of wobbling and goofery, not unless he were a true lightweight.

The elf managed to maneuver just out of the way to avoid being taken out by the semi-uncoordinated buffoonery that was Kaylin and Trastion stumbling about in that ever so familiar inebriation tango. It could have become a threesome but Cael had not had nearly enough alcohol for that yet.

“Oh, I’m sure you have the grace of a ballet dancer twirling on the head of a pin,” she answered Kaylin mirthily. “Perhaps the two of you need to practice your waltz so you can prance and drink at the same time.”

Taking her own invitation (because it was unlikely the other two might follow her lead), Cael down the rest of her drink, stole one of the semi-filled mugs from Trastion’s and downing it in a viper like motion, and began to dance.

(9)