The all-black clothed form of a young Uordeq woman lay along the railing outside of the tavern. Starling relaxed with her eyes shut, occasionally the red ribbon tied into her hair would brush against her arm in the brief stirring of a breeze. She enjoyed the break from all the heavy and consistent rains. She had never seen so much water in her life, as she had since she came to Jastrey. In the warmth of the mid-year daystar, she could close her eyes and almost imagine she was home. How she missed the desert. The open sky. Even the heat. The trees of Jastrey seemed almost clostrophobic, despite the forest's own unique beauty and (quite valuable, in her opinion) cover. When would she be able to go home? She could hear her mother scolding her now, Be patient. You must learn to be patient. It is important for those in our profession. Contain your emotions outwardly, and use them inwardly to drive you for your mission, but above all else BE PATIENT. She chuckled to herself. Oh, she could certainly wait a bit before laying eyes on Enye Wraith again. Still, home had definitively been on her mind since the talent show. She should have sang something else. She had foolishly made herself homesick. Oh well.
She was surprised at how she had been able to sit undisturbed so far, really. The tavern had, thus far, seemed strangely quiet for a hot day. Though, quite honestly, she had been zoned out rather completely. It was entirely possible that several residents of the town had passed by her without her knowledge. Not a terribly intelligent thing for an assassin to do, loose touch with her surroundings, but Jastrey's citizens seemed all too content with anyone that chose to waltz in to their town and for all the big talk, she had yet to be hunted or killed. So she remained happy to bask in the daylight and heat, dreaming of home.
From above, perched, stood the horned ruffian. He had just gone for a run through the trees and landed atop his new favorite vantage point. He looks down upon the uordeq and the wilf elf, talking about their homeland, his land of captivity, before swiftly shifting off to the edge of the roof away from them. He catches himself with both hands and hangs before landing on a bench silently.
Taking note to watch his footing, he approachs quietly. Then it dawned on him that this would not matter with Starling, so he casually walks by before taking a seat at the staircase before the tavern door.
"I miss it, things just aren't the same here in Jastrey. I'll never be able to return." Knowing she has spoken to much the elf quickly turns her head and nods back to Cail. Returning her attention back to Starling she ask "How long have you been away from home, why have you come to Jastrey?" In hopes of getting to know one of the newer people of Jastrey. Syra thinks to herself "Maybe I can make a new friend, besides she does look quite familiar."
"Nasher no misses his old homes. No, Nasher does not," the goblin proclaimed as he approached the group, originally going in for a large drink and to pass out in the tavern floor. "Snowy place? Too cold. Sandy deserts? Too hot. Island homes? Too wet. Nasher's rock hills?" the goblin stopped briefly, thinking back to his orginal home in the mountains of a far off land. A look of longing poked itself on his face, but only briefly for it was quickly over run with a look of intense anger. "Rock hills to backstabby and betrayaly and bad!" Nasher ranted before spitting on the ground angrily. He pulled his fox from his hip and took a long drink, draining its contents. It seemed t calm his nerves.
Starling looked at the tall Empyrean as if he had lost his mind, before giving a short nod to Desiderio as a way of greeting, or at least acknowledging his presence. She returned her attion to Syra when the Corsair begain speaking again. "You can always go back; it just may take time and being an elf, I can assuredly say you have plenty of that."
Starling stretched and sat up, tucking one knee to her chest and letting the other dangle from the side of the rail. "I've been away for just a few mestrun. This time, anyway. As for why I am here, I was sent by my guild leader to check up on some... former guild mates he was concerned about. What of you?" She shot Nasher a dirty look briefly, but acted as if he hadn't said anything and maintained her conversation with the pirate.
Desiderio just glances back with his usual scowl at Starling. He lurches forward from his sitting position and listens to the conversation. His eyes look back and forth between everyone speaking up until Starling mentions her 'guild mates.' Then his eyes dart straight at hers.
The elven girl was clinging to the words Starling had just spoken "You can always go back" unfortunately this was not the case. The elf speaks "I fled Sirison to Rica and now I'm here, sadly when you become of age life becomes harder and your duties are not what you really want in life. I had to get away from the.." Syra's words drifted, her eyes become sketchy. Trowing a fake smile she speaks once more; "None of that matters now, I'm here, I'm well and with family. I am content" Syra nods and turns back to gaze once again at the sky.
Nasher looks back and forth between the two women, not really listening to what they are saying but knowing that whatever it was is incredibly boing and uninteresting. With a scoff at the group, the goblin stomps his way into the tavern, soon followed by a loud bellowing for a "Bottle of Drinks".
Starling met the Angori's gaze straight on breifly, sending him a smirk. She turned back to the Elf, listening to her words. "The only thing stopping you is you, but if you wish it to continue that way, by all means believe what you feel is necessary for your way of life. At least, that's what my parents told me once." Starling flashed an almost gentle looking smile, before her normal one returned. "It is good that you feel you are among family though. So what brings you to Jastrey? Seems everyone has a story, here."
Starling eyes the Goblin as he stomps inside, taking the opportunity to flash a mischevious grin at Desi and Syra. She slipped a stale bit of bread about the size of a gold piece out of her pocket and flicks it at the retreating green skinned menace's head, sticking with a thmp to his hat.
"Wary of the untrusted? You're not speaking of me again are you?" Cail then follows Desiderio's sightline to the Uordeq woman. "Oh," he said with a small laugh. "You mean her? What has she done to anyone to warrant such a reaction? She seems to be just enjoying the day like you should be."
A loud clatter as if a large brawl has started up could be heard from inside the tavern. Suddenly, a little green man darts out the door holding 2 large bottles of liquor in his hands as what sounds like a chair slams into the wall beside the door. "OUT OF NASHER'S WAY!" the goblin shrieked as he darted past the group, scurrying as fast as his little legs could carry him back to his cabin away rom the angry townsfolk within the tavern.
Starling breaks eye contact with Desi to stare at Cail incredulously. "I'm sorry, do you have a nasty tempered twin or something? I'm pretty sure the last time we spoke you were more than happy to be a raving asshat to me."
She glanced at the Angori, "I can't imagine what I've done now to get your knickers in a twist. I've been on my best behavior around you since our life debt was balanced out. Lianna isn't my doing, unfortunately. Though I won't say I'm unhappy about it. Good day, Leofrick. I think, my puppy-like friend, you are just mad because you miss me." Starling teased, sticking her tongue out at him in a child like manner.
Des watches as Cail phases off, "See, why do you have to offend him? You say YOU'VE been on YOUR good behavior. HE'S been on HIS too, and you don't know what he's been through. He wasn't himself. YOU on the other hand, I haven't seen for a very, very long time and I gave you the benefit of the doubt to which you spat in my face and made me a liar."
He stands up. "The only thing I miss about you is standing over you as blood streams from you." He readies a stance as if he is about to pull a gun from a holster in a western duel, but instead his hand hovers over his dagger handle. He's too riled up to even do his usual greeting to 'Le Frik.'
"You made yourself a liar, Desiderio Phearvorne!" Starling snapped without pause. "We could discuss things being given up on, but I'm afraid I'd make you look a fool and a hypocrite too! As for that Empyrean? I offered my kindness to him to have it thrown in my face and shoved away with all the kindness of you since you paired up with that Canary. I do not lightly suffer people who spurn my politeness in that manner. I was not raised to allow myself to be treated that way. Be happy I didn't try to shove a dagger between his ribs already, that should prove to you and Lia, at least, that I have been on QUITE good behavior."
She slipped her feet underneath her and stood upon the railing so she was around his same height and looked him in the eyes, "You couldn't hope to see such at thing again. Unless perhaps the demon that did it in the first place was in charge again, worthless pup."
Before she could get the last of her sentence out of her lips, Des lunges forth and punches the railing, causing a tremor with the intention of knocking her off balance. The wood splits from the connection of his tightened fist.
He speaks in a lower tone, "You dare not speak of me in that manner."
Des balls up another fist ready to strike, but then his expression grows a bit softer, and he takes a moment to reminisce for a second of when they met. He relaxes his stance and looks all around to see the other people watching the situation unfold. He just walks to the other side of the railing where the road is, and passes by Starling, mumbling, "We'll talk about this later..." under his voice, then continues walking.
"That angers needs to be dealt with accordingly I think." Leofrick still stood watching but with a book and pen in his hand writing down feverishly and returning the book to his pouch on his side. "You've caused quite a stir since you have arrived Madam Starling." Leofrick leaned back against the railing behind him looking at starling with a hint of mild curiousity.
She watched Desi from the corner of her eye as he passed, muttering in reply, "Yes, we will..." Starling looked over to Leofrick, who was speaking again. "There is a lot to deal with behind that anger. I believe, though, that was Lord Hyde's intent in sending me. There is only one other person that might have caused a bigger stir, but it wouldn't quite have been the same. There is a desireable distaste between the three of us; Lianna, Desi, and I."
Syra moved hastily to be sure she was not apart of the Angori's temper. She glanced at Starling and then to the Angori, her eyes then darted to her brother. The mention of Hyde had made the young elf nervous "I-I-I'm sorry but I really must get going." The Warlock gave a cautious look to her brother, and a nervous smile to the rest of the group. She turned and walked away quickly.
"Good bye, Syra." Starling nodded, a frown crossing her features for a moment, before smiling again at Leofrick. "Yes, we have, but no one really takes time to know much about me anywhere, so I am unsurprised. As for quite an impression, I daresay others have made it for me. All I've had to do is exist in your town for people to start spreading their 'impression' of me."
cheri rolls out from under the stairs and sits up holding a lizard by its tail with a gitty smile on her face "look what i found!" the lizard pops off its tail and skitters away, cheri looking as if she's about to burst into tears looks at the tail in her hand wiggle around crazily and starts to giggle and snort at it falling back to the ground rolling around in laughter. she then stands up looking like she floated in place with a look of forgetfullness and runs into the tavern
"Well, I like to get to know people as to better understand them." Leofrick looks to the little angori and her lizard theatrics shaking his head as she ran back into the tavern. "Anyways." Leofrick pulls out his black book and quickly scrolls notes in his book and slides it back into his pouch.
"Intriguing." Starling mused. "But possibly dangerous should someone find it. Too much insight into oneself in one thing that can be misplaced is a good way to find your weakness exploited and a dagger in your ribcage. Again, I only repeat the advice given me by my mother and father, but sound reasoning remains sound even when repeated."
She stretched her arms above her head momentarily. "At least, the reasoning is sound for an assassin. I'm not quite sure of it's use for a paladin."
"It seems little is secret within the confines of this place." She nodded. Starling shrugged, "As I said when I entered town and many times since, I have no intent of harming anyone or starting anything. It's not in my orders. It's not in my nature to do outside of my orders."
Leofrick let out a short sigh. "Yes, she's my sister. That explination is for our resident seer, Rasiri. I do not event know very much about it myself." Leofrick shrugs his shoulders and leans his head back and looks up at the sky. "One day hopefully, things will get better."
"The hopes of many... That sounds nice." Leofrick seems to touched by what she said. "The hopes of many differ from person to person in this place." Leofrick pulls out his black book and flips to the center of the book. "As I have written here, The people of this world have many hopes and dreams, but not all can be fulfilled. So in order to please someones hope, you may in turn crush another persons hopes and dreams of something better."
"Indeed." She nodded, noting his reaction. "I have all but abandoned the hopeful dreamer's outlook, if you'll pardon my cynicism. It is simply better for me to be and to follow my orders without looking back or examining the emotional side of things too entirely." Her remark might leave the impression that her previous statement was not quite a compliment. A touch of Star's nature shining through.
The young elf walked up towards the tavern and noticed the oh so relaxed uordeq woman. With out hesitation the elf spoke softly "How do you not miss it?" She propped herself up against the railing close to Starling and looked off into the sky.