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[Foalan Faen]

The wind outside was strong and the heavy rain that it tossed around was enough to drive everyone on the street to run for the shelter of their homes or work places. But some were not so lucky as them, one such person had been wandering the streets for almost two hours, walking from inn to inn. He had been looking for lodgings, but few owners were willing to offer a room to someone that had little gold for which to pay for it. And so it was the Leaky Tankard that the young man made his way to, mainly because it was the only place he had yet to try that day.

The door slammed behind him from the force of the wind, and most of the patrons looked up at the newcomer. It was clear from his style of dress that he was a hunter from somewhere cold, somewhere up north, and his pale white skin made him seem a ghost as he made his way through the crowd and found a quiet table agains't the far wall of the room. Few of the men sitting around the room were still eyeing him as he set his bow and quiver next to his pack, but the rest had gone back to their idle chant and almost empty mugs.

It took some time for a serving girl to make her way over to him, asking if he wanted a meal and something warm to drink. He looked in his belt pouch and pulled out enough gold for one drink. When the girl went to the bar and returned with his wine, steam rising from the mug, he thanked her and said that would be all.

[Rue Ven'ci]

So much armor to make, so much and not enough time to do it. Rue realized, with a despairing sigh, that she had too much to do before the war came. Her boss wasn't helping her, and she was running out of good enough funds to keep making her armor and chain mail as well as she could. Even her boss was becoming a tightwad about her pay. But she supposed she was at a crossroads, It was either stick with this until the war was over, or go back to her less...noble roots.

She sighed, flustered, and made her way into the infamous Leaky Tankard. It was windy outside, and she realized she probably should've worn something other then her leather hide pants and top. Even her fur lined coat wasn't keeping her warm enough. She supposed she would have to suffer for now.

It wasn't that far, and as she pushed open the door the wind blew in behind her, and she abruptly leaned against the door to shut it, stopping the wind. Her long dark satin hair was about her face, and it took her a moment to clear it from her eyes, the Jade green peering out from dark lashes. She let a soft smile touch her face as she made her way to her favorite table- Wait a second. Someone was in her favorite spot.

Her brows lifted, and she let a dangerously smooth smile cross her lips as she made her way to the man in her spot. He was very pale and she took note of his unique attire. With her grin in place, she slid into the spot opposite him, and rose a fine dark brow, her hands folded onto each other on top of the table.

"You must be new around here stranger....for you're in my favorite location." Her voice was velvet, and she couldn't help the grin, before she extended a darkly tanned hand to him "Rue."

[Foalan Faen]

The door slamming shut once again had forced the partons to gaze up again to see who had entered, most of whom did not look away seconds later, like when Foalan had walked in. Foalan had been one of the few that did not look away, or rather could not look away, he was transfixed on the copper skin, green eyed beauty that was glancing about the room.

It was when she made her way to the table at which he sat, the look in her eyes a far different one then when she had first entered, that Foalan ripped his eyes from her overwhelming allure and forced his face into his mug. It wasn't hard for anyone watching to tell that this young stranger, though well traveled and far from home, was not very good with women.

He watched over the rim of his drink as she took a seat across from him, he found the grin that replaced her former smile was similar to that of a hunter when he has chosen his prey. He tried not to think about her appearance as her soft voice began to intice him, but he could not stop himself as he extended his own hand and took hers, kissing it lightly before releasing.

He was uneasy at first, but her captivating green orbs held his light blue eyes in a firm hold and it was impossible for him to be anything but polite. "I'm deeply sorry, at the time I arrived, the space was free. If you would like, I can find somewhere better suited then this." He was still intranced by her gaze and did not even notice her had failed to introduce himself.

[Rue Ven'ci]

Oh this one was a charmer. Rue smiled as he took her hand, pulling it towards him and pressing a kiss unto the back of it. IT wasn't often that was a greeting. She was used to rough handshakes, possibly rough hugs, depending on the person, or a threatening stare with a wicked grin. She wouldn't' deny that she liked the change of pace. But her thoughts wouldn't linger on such a thing. Such a thing as men and the way they greeted women were trivial. Plus, he was looking down, shy so it seemed. She half wondered if the man knew anything of a women's warmth in the bed.

Was that Rue's old profession coming out?

She returned her hand to the table before her, and watched him, when she noted a barmaid coming up to her she motioned to what he had and held two fingers up. The maid nodded, and turned and left before even reaching the table. Turning her emerald eyes back on the man, she noted he was looking at her, and she held his gaze. Her dark hair fell into her eyes a bit, and she let a fine brow raise, with a smile lingering on her ruby lips. His eyes were icy blue almost, and she couldn't help but watch them, even as he spoke.

However after he spoke, she couldn't help but laugh.

It wasn't a loud laugh, more melodious, calm, a simple chuckle. She held her hand up waving it briefly before flopping it back upon the other, her head tilting a little, her smile fading to a genuine smile, and it dazzled on Rue's face. "No dear, You don't have to leave. You don't have to apologize either. It's not often I have such gentlemanly company join me at the table." She smiled at him, lifting her hand and folding her fingers to her palm, resting the side of her chin on it, her head tilted as she watched him, her gaze changing from a coy look, to one of sheer interest.

"Where you from? And your name, less you want me to start calling you stranger all night?" She smiled at him. "You don't look like your from around here, considering all the gear. Unless your a soldier?"

[Foalan Faen]

Foalan nearly choked on his drink as he realized how rude he had been by not introducing himself to Rue, who had been nothing but polite to him. He quickly wiped away the trickle of warm spiced wine that had been running down his chin and cleared his throat before giving his name. "Sorry, my name is Foalan, Foalan Faen. And no, I'm not from around here, I'm from far up north."

It was then that he was bombarded with visions of the past... the long lonely days spent in the woods hunting while trying not to think about how the others would avoid him, or refuse to see him as one of their own tribe.... All to soon the thoughts and memories were pushed to the back of his mind, so they could be forgotten once again... this time, maybe he would forget forever.

When he came back to his senses he was looking at the bottom of his mug, which was now raised to his lips and empty of is former contents. He set the mug down onto the table and once more said sorry. "My past is something I try to forget, bad memories that bring on worst nightmares." He paused for a minute in order to take a swig from the mug the barmaid had just set down in place of his empty. It was with another wipe of his mouth and a slight lick of his lips that he continued with his brief introduction.

"I'm no soldier" He said with a light chuckle, "just a hunter who traveled for three long years before reaching the gates of this city, this gear is all I have left from my old life." His hand moved to rest lightly a top his sword hilt, but the young man seem to not notice he had done so.

[Rue Ven'ci]

This cat had an interesting name. Foalan, Faen was the last name. It was and could end up quite a tongue twister after enough drinks, but Rue wasn't quite set on getting intoxicated anytime too soon. It was just for a drink before going back to work, it only happened upon this fellow when he was in her usual spot. "All the way from up north eh?" She nodded her head, taking another long drink of her own tankard. "Must be rough up there, but you look pretty well geared." She smiled, glancing at his weapon that he so fondly touched. He must've used that blade many a times, and to save his life no less. She'd only seen soldiers, warriors or hunters so fond of a weapon that had done them so proud.

"Everyone tries to forget their past darling. Force of habit when it comes down to it." She shrugged, her finger trailing the rim of her tankard. "Mine's no better I can assure you, which is why we build a new future. Though I must ask you, what in all the gods names brought you to Myridia? Or is she just a stopping point?" She tilted her head at him, taking another drink of her ale. Then Rue shrugged. "Ack, enough about the past and old times. What about your future? You moving to Ashar? Kalen? Heading in those directions or are you going to linger here?"

She smiled at him, her emerald gaze keen on him. He was interesting. For a man so rugged looking, he didn't seem very, brash and coarse. In fact he seemed a little timid, shy even. She wondered how many times he exactly had conversations with women. Did he expect them to be harsh, or weak? Did he expect them to act like rue was, or would they be more girly, flirty, exposing their chest and offering their bodies to him? Did he even know what to expect when talking to a woman. Least to say, the thought was highly amusing, enough that she couldn't hold back the grin that was forming on the edge of her lips.

[Foalan Faen]

"Then to new future", he said with a raise of his drink, in toast. Not till his mug was once again resting on the table between them and his hand had cleaned the remains from his beard, did he continue the chat. "To be honest, I don;t know where I'll end up next. I've only been in town for one day and this is the only inn that hasn't thrown me out yet,. I must have walked to whole of this city today."

He thought this might seem odd to her, him having walked all over the city in the pouring rain, yet his clothing wasn't even damp. He glanced down at his coat, dry as a summer day, and a smile crossed his face as he remembered his home and the skill that went into crafting his clothing and gear. This thought quickly brought on another, more painful memory, and this caused the smile to vanish. He realized where he was and raised his gaze back to his new friend, Rue.

With a light blush on his pale cheeks, and the hope of saving himself some shreds of his manhood, plunged back into the conversation. "So, anyway, I've been through Kalen, I'm from the frozen wastes north of there, and its not my kind of place. Maybe one day I'll find myself in Ashar, but it won't be any time soon." Foalan could tell that she had more questions on her mind, maybe it was the wine but he knew something was going through her head and it wasn't gonna be good for him in the long run. "Anything else you want to ask?"

His eyes were probing the depths of his mug as he waited for more, but his keen hearing caught something from across the room. Whispers at first but when for someone like him it was loud and clear... "We wait for him to leave then we move". The origin of the whispers came from a group of men who sat by the door, six in total, all of which had a thugish look to them and all of them were trying very hard not to look directly at him.

[Rue Ven'ci]

“There’s not many places to end up around her darling.” Rue gave him a grin with a wink as she lifted her own mug, taking a long drink of the ale in it. She then set her mug down, watching him pass into oblivious silence. For a moment, she kept her gaze lingered on him, on his face, his gear, and then she rose a brow, a smile quirking the edge of her lips up. He was completely lost in his own world. She let him stay there for a while, and simply kept her same expression on her face until he looked up. He did, and she smiled wider. He blushed, and the color was almost cute on his cheeks as he went back to staring down his tankard.

He continued talking, and she remained quiet. From Kalen. Was he a spy for the war? Did he know about the war? Questions lingered on her mind as she took another drink of her ale, her emerald gaze on him as he spoke. When he finished, he looked at her, and asked if she had more questions. Oh she had tons of them, and she smiled, about to speak before she heard something, a tone in a voice across the room, his gaze moved, and she lifted her shoulders, turning her head a little, scoping the bar, emerald eyes flickering to a group of men near the door, before she looked back to the bar top, then back to him.

“First questions. You know them?” She rose a brow at him, her tone almost seemed, Predatory. Rue was a woman that could fit into a beautiful animal persona, that of a panther, she could be coy, playful when she wanted, and turn into a predator the next. It was an easy change for a woman who used to entertain men in any way they wanted. Rue was also very good and avoiding trouble when it came down to it…

at least, she was getting better at it.

“They look awfully ready to conduct a business that no one in this tavern would want to partake in.” She lowered her voice, leaning towards him over the table. “Make you a deal. I get you out of here, with as little disturbance as possible, AND avoiding them, and I’ll let you know what I ask from you.” She rose a brow playfully, but her tone was dead serious. She didn’t need a fight, least of all, from that many thugs probably waiting for him to leave.

Rue knew all sorts of routes out of the city. Avacere was good at giving her locations of underground tunnels.

“Deal?” Rue grinned, a vicious, predatory grin.