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Angel and Liri make their way across town to the caravan square, then to the Blue Bolt, located behind the eastern inn.

Although it is still before noon, the door stands open. The interior is cool and dark, and it takes a moment for the newcomers' eyes to adjust. Probably by design. Inside are a dozen or so mercenaries, seated at various tables, enjoying (well, eating, anyway) their morning meals. At another table, half a dozen women in varying stages of undress are eating and chatting merrily.

A small man sits at the bar, a plate of boiled eggs and empty eggshells before him. He looks across at the adventurers, sizes them up and goes back to his meal.

As they enter the bar, Liri whispers into Angel's ear: "I'll follow your lead, you go ahead", her lips brushing Angel's hair.

(ooc: are lesbian couples a scandal in this world?)

"Stick close by me." Angel says stroking Liri's hair, almost marking her as her property in front of the other Mercs.

She nods to Papa, the man was obviously in need of something, he scared her sometimes, she'd followed him for a short distance before, but he always vanished.

"Walk with me." She smiles, taking Liri's hand, her other on her sword hilt, "Ale and a wine." She announces as she reaches the bar, her hand still holding Liri's. "Please." She adds after a few moments.

"Tell me, have there been any rumors or strange sightings?" She asks jovially, watching the barman closely.

(Ooc: Sexuality is not much of an issue, not here, and the "property" more symbolic, letting the other Mercs know not to touch her.)

Liri follows Angel and smiles fondly at her. Suddenly she is no longer the self-assured elven Imperial messenger, but a young elven maid taken into an unfamiliar surrounding by a friend and possible lover, out on a great adventure. Wide-eyed, she looks around, sticking close to Angel, looking quite innocent.

(OOC: disguise NWP, maybe someone wants to boast to impress the elf maiden and her companion, might garner useful information)

Breila wrote:(ooc: are lesbian couples a scandal in this world?)

[OOC]In much of the world, they would be. But this is the Aerdy Empire, and even in the provinces, people tend to be less uptight about a wide variety of behaviors than in other nations.[/OOC]

There's nobody behind the bar for Angel to place an order with. She looks around and finally settles down at the bar to wait.

The small man with the plate of eggs looks over at Angel, then looks back down at his plate and says: "This place is for guild members and guests only. You look like guild. She doesn’t. If she’s your guest, fine. If she’s your employee, you should both move on.”

A few of the mercs look up from their food, but nobody else speaks.

"Employee?" Liri's voice sounds puzzled. "What would she employ me for?" she is genuinely interested at what the man may have thought.

"She is my guest." Angel responds flatly, giving the man an appraising glance. "Or do you want to argue about it?" she asks her hand on Liris leg.

If the man says nothing she carries on. "I would think an Elf Maiden would because nice change, especially one as beautiful." she flashes her guild symbol in case there is any confusion.

The man looks up at Liri, then looks away again. "There's maybe three kinds of women that come in here: badge-carrying women warriors, who belong here, angry wives looking for their drunken husbands, who we tolerate for the entertainment value, and women of negotiable affection. I don't see a sword or a rolling pin, so that rules out the first two."

He glances at Angel, looks away, and says: "Honestly, Stretch, I don't care enough to argue. I'm just trying to maintain the tranquil nature of this establishment." He sprinkles red powder from a shaker onto the egg he's been shelling and takes a bite, then says, around a mouthful of egg: "As to sightings," chew...swallow..."we heard that rotted corpse got up off its catafalicum and killed a wizard in the forest. Sounds like a tall tale to me, though."

"How about a forth option? The Partner of said Warrior Woman?" Angel grins, slapping Liri on the backside. "But as you say, I don't want to upset the Apple Cart here."

"As for the sightings, yes there was a body, a very strange body the type I have never seen.." She reaches into her pocket to find a coin. "We mean no harm to your establishment, just a drink, and a catch up on some news." She smiles, squeezing Liri's hand.

"And the Wizard is alive and well.." Angel drifts off on that statement, thinking for a moment. "I wonder, have there been stories of strange Elves?" She gives him a curious look. "A glass of wine for the Lady please?"

As Angel slaps her on the backside, Liri says "hey!" and hops a little to the side. She definitely was not used to be put on display like this, but for the sake of gathering information, sticks by the role Angel just assigned to her. For the time being, she will listen and memorise what is being said and done.

Liri can feel Angels hand shake slightly, the whole situation was no doubt making her uncomfortable.

Liri stands close to Angel and flashes a sweet smile at the man they had been talking to.

“You were there?” the man asks. “Well, that tale will get you a drink or two, in the right environment, and if you deal it right.” The man still makes no move to fill Angel’s order. He merely sits and eats his eggs.

“He’s not the bartender. He’s the bouncer,” says a voice from nearby. Angel and Liri look over to see the speaker. He’s big enough to look imposing, even though he’s seated on a low chair. His reddish-blonde hair marks him as a northerner, and is touched with grey, as is his neatly trimmed beard. His clothes are plain, and cut in the northern style, but the material is expensive, and he’s wearing rings on several fingers, and a heavy necklace of silver and gold. “Matteo, stop messing with the ladies.”

"This is the first time a man treats me as undesirable when I am in an outfit like this" Liri whispers in Angel's ear.

"Is this how you treat strangers? Can a Member not be treated with respect?" Angel asks, spinning around to face the man. "Angel." She says simply, not offering her hand.

"I could comment, but..." Angel blushes, whispering back.