Commander of the Immortal Army
Bisexual, Prefers Women.
Single.
Immortal
Authored by Rhys.
Offline.
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Post by Connor Lachesis on Jul 31, 2017 2:56:58 GMT
The Sakari Wildes: it was one destination which the Immortal had scarcely explored even in his two and a half millennia of life. Perhaps it was curiosity which had drawn him to this place, so richly steeped in lore, and which housed the Mage School. Or perhaps it was something else… A need for a change of pace after so recently dealing with so much. Granted, his desire to seek out an inn and sample ale and wine from a different region was not exactly the biggest change of scenery. But the ride out atop his spirited paint, coupled with the seclusion, felt like a good way to spend time right then regardless.
So many events… A rough (nearly failed) dragon hunt, which had prompted several members of the Court to express distress with his decision in dealing with the beast rather than returning to defend their capital. Regardless of if the King was in place, with apt skill to briefly direct the army while he sought to extinguish the threat. That of course was not mentioning the fact that a lover had been injured, and had been forced to put down one of her prized breeding horses – something he’d assisted with, with a cool resolve. Then there had been a chance encounter with a young Werebeast, who had since expressed that she was bonded to him as her mate (something he couldn’t imagine feeling), who had then fled for fear of causing him injury after he narrowly saved her from the gallows. Another encounter, with a respected acquaintance of long past who loathed him. Dealings with court. Trainings of men. Scouting locations for the benefit of his King. Aversion to spending any time with his family. The stress of maintaining the secret of his powers, as the voices seemed to be gaining small footholds in his consciousness, month after month…
Needless to say, his skeletons were a lot to deal with.
Drinking helped at least. For that fact, the small vacation to this new place would not have been complete without yet another dimly lit tavern, where he sat near the counter with a hearty pint, this time with a small book resting at the table. Every now and again, he might’ve ventured to turn a page with a gloved finger, though his eyes hardly seemed to linger for long. Pages of text were hardly his style, even if he was trying to understand some of the implications with a one-sided bond with a Werebeast.
Exhaling heavily, brushing a hand through his hair, he finally closed the cover in favor of drawing the pint again to his lips.
Karawan Hecate
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Post by Karawan Hecate on Jul 31, 2017 16:46:45 GMT
Every now and then, the walls of the school closed around her. She had been born there, and lived there her entire life. She even liked it most of the time. Every now and then though she had to get away. Restlessness had moved her. She left as though she had business to attend and it was a common enough sight that no one had even thought to question her. Not like she could go far without a horse or supplies. Still, she had heard other students and some of the teachers talk about an inn on the edge of the wilds, the closest one to the school. Mages were not an uncommon sight there though someone had mentioned they typically went as plain humans. Normal laborers and travelers also frequented the place and it would never due to be noticed by someone who had ill intent.
So she had chosen a shawl to throw over her shoulders, coming up high enough on her neck to cover the black ring on her nape. It was well dark by the time she arrived but she didn't really give a thought to how a single young woman appearing from the woods would look. She ignored the looks she got as she entered, making her way to the bar. Her eyes wandered the patrons with curiosity touched with haughtiness. Until her eyes landed on a particular gentleman with a small book before him. He seemed a bit out of place- not that she was any judge. So she ordered a drink and approached his table.
"Mind if I join you?" There wasn't any suggestion in her voice, nothing to color the question with ambiguous meaning. But she didn't take a seat uninvited, one hand resting on a chair back as she waited for his response. Her body and face were youthful, waifish, giving away the innocence of her age. Her eyes, however, were guarded. Flinty grey-blue, her eyes watched him like a wary hawk, occasionally flicking up to take in the rest of the room. Her hair, slicked back tight, didn't gentle the severity of her expression.
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Commander of the Immortal Army
Bisexual, Prefers Women.
Single.
Immortal
Authored by Rhys.
Offline.
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Post by Connor Lachesis on Aug 6, 2017 23:23:47 GMT
At first, he paid little mind to the woman who seemed to drift forward, simply assuming she was going to seek out another table. When she actually approached his table, however, his hand settled absently on the book, pulling it to settle in his lab as his other gestured openly. “If you’d like.” Ambiguity colored his own response. He was not necessarily unfamiliar with women approaching him in such a way, but Connor had been alive long enough to know that intentions were not always all they appeared. He had not had enough whisky yet to numb that suspicion, regardless of if he was not dressed in his uniform or doing anything that would’ve overtly drawn attention.
Knowing this, and that testing the waters with conversation might be the best indicator, he reached for his pint and slowly drew it to his lips. After a hearty sip, he placed the container back on the wooden surface of the table. His own dark eyes met her flinty ones, as he absently took in her features. Young. She was young. And the air around her was not one which set his blood-alight with the tension of threat. Her gaze flicked away, watchful, wary, as she regarded the room. Perhaps uncomfortable? As she gripped the shawl around her shoulders, he wasn’t so sure. She seemed more out of place than truly uncomfortable.
His hand dismissed the book in his lap in favor of settling on the table, freeing his fingers to absently twist the mug between them before words rumbled up from his throat. Friendly, conversational, though his eyes were every bit as alert as her own. “What drew you into the Inn this fine day?”
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Post by Karawan Hecate on Aug 8, 2017 19:26:03 GMT
His response was good enough for her and she sank carefully into the chair her hand had rested on, hardly having to move it to sit. Checking to unsure that the shawl was well placed, she let both her hands curl around her drink, taking a small sip. She noted that he put the book away somewhere she couldn't see it and her curiosity was distinctly piqued. Even if it was just supposed to be a courtesy, the lack of knowledge made her want to pursue it. Something about the anonymity of the night emboldened her past her usual caution. Or perhaps it was simply the arrogance of youth. At his question, she raised one narrow shoulder in a shrug.
"Trying to find a break in the monotony, I suppose." That answer was truth, at least. No lies required. The young mage glanced around the tavern room again but with her taking a seat no one seemed to be paying her mind now. She attributed some of that to the man sitting across from her. Now she was 'with' someone. She relaxed a little back in her seat, cradling her drink between her hands. It kept them occupied. She was carefully keeping her magic well in hand- she'd chased everything but the dimmest shadows away from her vision. She was not tracking tonight. She didn't need to see the way magic colored the air and she didn't need to give herself away by jumping as sparks of it passed in the corners of her eyes. No, she could pretend to be normal tonight. As normal as she was capable of pretending to be.
"Do you come here often to read?" It was the least obtrusive way she could think of to pull the conversation around to what interested her. She was quickly coming to realize that she was out of practice at small talk. Karawan simply didn't have much use for it normally.
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Commander of the Immortal Army
Bisexual, Prefers Women.
Single.
Immortal
Authored by Rhys.
Offline.
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Post by Connor Lachesis on Aug 12, 2017 17:59:24 GMT
Connor watched her with a quiet attention in his dark gaze as she shrugged. Young, she was, or so she appeared. And bold, to not only approach but also to engage. “A break in the monotony. I see.” He nodded slowly, seemed to consider what that might mean exactly. Drawing his drink closer he raised the glass to his lips to take a sip before focusing on her next question.
“Oh, I’m just passing through this place.” The smile that followed from his face held an edge of charm and equal portion of sheepishness. Craning his face, he leaned forward as if offering her something of a secret. “To be honest, I don’t fancy the reading as much as the ale.” Nodding toward his mug, then to hers.
Shifting in his chair, he extended a gloved hand in offering. Despite any suspicions he might’ve had, his relaxed sense of charm carried him through the interaction with ease. “I’m Connor.” With another smile that seemed a bit joking, “I too like sampling fine drink to break the monotony.”
(Sorry its short!)
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Post by Karawan Hecate on Aug 17, 2017 18:57:09 GMT
Karawan gave a small laugh, peering into her own nearly untouched mug. She wasn't much of a drinker- she'd noticed that many of the mages in Lledrith weren't heavy drinkers. It made sense, in a way. Magic was dangerous if let run amuck and alcohol was renowned for helping you lose your self control. It would be nice, she thought, to be able to let go once in a while. She took an obligatory sip of the drink. It wasn't her first time drinking ale, though she didn't drink much of it.
He was charming. She liked how casual he seemed, very much a confident man. And he had a nice smile. She returned his smile with one that was somewhere between shy and mischievous. "Karawan." She grasped the offered hand briefly- perhaps too briefly, since it was generally her way to limit contact between herself and others. With non-magical beings it wasn't necessary but so many things in the world were some flavor of magical and it was always tempting. Like someone who lived on bread and water catching a whiff of a rich banquet. Still, when she had her magic-sight reined in she could mostly get away with passing through life as a normal person.
"If you always sample fine drink to break the monotony, doesn't that become monotony itself?"
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Commander of the Immortal Army
Bisexual, Prefers Women.
Single.
Immortal
Authored by Rhys.
Offline.
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Post by Connor Lachesis on Aug 21, 2017 3:35:50 GMT
Her quiet presence did not necessarily quiet the small, suspicious part of his mind. Fortunately, however, the quiet seemed to dissipate with her willingness for conversation. He inclined his head slightly at her brief – fleeting – grasping of his gloved hand, some part of him noting the brevity to the contact. With little else to go on, he chalked it up to shyness. After all, she was a woman who had approached him, a strange, looming man within a bar. It seemed reasonable that she might not push the contact terribly.
The quip that followed caused something of a mischievous glint to flicker in his eyes. With small decisive movements, his fingers twisted his cup in place, in a small circle. The soft sound of the cup on the wooden table top was lost to the background as the Immortal spoke, his lips twisting into a smirk. “I suppose that depends what you consider to be monotonous. I find that appreciating the small differences in drink, refining one’s palette to the taste, isn’t necessarily too bad. Then again, the drinks might’ve all gone to my brains.”
His head tilted slightly, the smirk fading into a more reasonable smile as his eyes briefly surveyed the room around them. “Are you from around here, Miss Karawan?”
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Post by Karawan Hecate on Aug 22, 2017 15:07:59 GMT
Karawan watched his face intently, making little attempt to hide her observation. She studied his expressions, gaze only flicking occasionally to his hands as he moved the mug. She so rarely talked to people who weren't mages. What made him different from her? What made them different from anyone? Her whole attitude was one of attentive awareness, listening to each word with care despite the fact that it might only be casual conversation.
"That is a way to look at it," she acknowledge, lifting her cup to her lips but not really drinking, considering her own response. "My palette is not so refined yet. That may be why the subtleties are lost on me." She let the cup rest back on the table, not taking her eyes from him this time when he watched the rest of the room. Instead she took the opportunity to study his profile, fighting the urge to look with her mage sight to see if she could gather more information about his nature. Just a peek...
One of her narrow shoulders lifted in a slight shrug in response to his question, and the shawl slipped down off it. She took a moment to a fix it before answering the question. "I'm afraid so. I've haven't really set foot beyond Wildes. I hope to travel a bit more in the future though."
The last bit was more truth than she had really intended to let slip. She turned her gaze at last away from him, down towards her mug, hands clasped tightly around it. Bah, now she'd done it. She was sure she sounded like some foolish little girl playing at adulthood. Worse, she was afraid it made her sound ignorant and she knew her education was quite thorough.
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Commander of the Immortal Army
Bisexual, Prefers Women.
Single.
Immortal
Authored by Rhys.
Offline.
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Post by Connor Lachesis on Sept 2, 2017 18:44:45 GMT
Connor arched a brow subtly with her blatant observation, though nothing in his expression gave anything away. He was chalking up her look to intent curiosity, his finger tracing the rim of his mug absently before he raised the vessel to his lips again. “That’s a shame. The liquor of this region has a unique type of flavor, something like…” He trailed off a moment as he tried to decide on the best phrasing. “Golden smoke. Perhaps the mages in the area found a way to infuse it somehow.” His dark eyes lingered on her face, before flicking over to regard the rest of the room.
His lips twisted and he propped his hand against his cheek at her next acknowledgement. Not gone beyond the Wildes? So did that mean she was a native of this place? Amage then? He had hoped something in her expression might’ve given something away at his previous statement. If it hadn’t, then this statement certainly seemed to. “You should. It’s beautiful in other parts, even if they have their quirks.” Her knuckles were white as she clasped her mug, and he hoped his smile disarmed her a touch. There wasn’t a need to panic, even if there was a subtle game of cat and mouse on going.
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Post by Karawan Hecate on Sept 11, 2017 18:13:18 GMT
As he spoke, she took another sip, trying to distinguish the flavor he spoke about. Perhaps there, under the bite of alcohol. She took another drink and wondered if it was only in her head that she though she tasted it, willed to by his words. She also used the time to compose her response, wondering how much to offer. She glanced up at him from beneath her lashes. It was a coy sort of look, not shy but alight with mischief and secrets. "Perhaps it is simply their presence that breathed magic into the land here, and that's what you taste in your golden smoke."
She smiled then, in response to his own twist of lips. A knowing sort of smile. He was intriguing. Perhaps the knowledge that she was a mage might earn her favors with him rather than suspicion. Still, she was not inclined to say such blatantly. Better to let the secret hang between them, she thought. Her shoulders relaxed a touch as he seemed to take what had seemed to her a faux pas in stride. He didn't laugh at her, didn't mock her, just continued to draw her in conversation. One of her hands left the mug, thin fingers dragging lightly over the table top, tracing the wood grain idly. "I will." There wasn't a hint of doubt in her voice. "The Wildes have their own beauty though, if you have time to seek it. And aren't afraid of the dark."
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Commander of the Immortal Army
Bisexual, Prefers Women.
Single.
Immortal
Authored by Rhys.
Offline.
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Post by Connor Lachesis on Sept 14, 2017 3:44:29 GMT
The smile which Connor offered her was easily described as charming, as he briefly flicked a hand, outstretching his palm as though gesturing to their surroundings. “I like that thought better than mine.” Hand settling back over his mug, the smile did not waver even as something flickered in his eyes. Perhaps he would go out on a limb, to give this… new comer a hint of sorts. “It sounds very similar to the Immortal spring, in a way.” That was something which the other races knew of, though he could hardly see as commonly being mentioned, unless you were one.
Success, at least incrementally. With her own smile reflecting back at his own, she seemed somewhat put at ease, or maybe entertained. With the boldness that followed in her reply, he offered a small nod of consideration. "Perhaps I'll take a gallop through on my mount. The dark doesn't bother me much... Though I had heard it was easy to get lost. And, correct me if I'm wrong, aren't there all sorts of folks out there?” The dark, nor any creatures and unsavory sorts out in the Wildes, were of little concern. He had every confidence in his ability to handle them. This potential mage, young as she was, even if he had been and was suspicious, was another story.
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