As the early dark of night settled onto the town of Jastrey, the din and dim glow of the Shady Corner was a welcome sight for one Ixifar. Lia casually made her way into the familar tavern crossing over to the bar. She took a seat, threw off her hood, and adjusted her cloak before tapping the counter. The barkeep nodded and started to slide her a tall glass of water. Lia smiled a bit sheepishly while shaking her head. "An ale please." She asked, causing the barkeep to smile and promptly correct her order. With a mug in hand, the Ixifar took a long draft. She leaned back in her seat, seemingly relaxed.
Cail shuffle's through the tavern doors dragging his feet. He looks outright tired with dark circles uner his eyes and a slight limp to his walk, but upon seeing Jael and Lia, he nodded and gave them a slight smile before finding his own table and conjuring himself a glass of water.
He takes a sip and then lays his head gingerly onto the wooden surface.
Lia's gaze turned towards the towards at hearing them open. Seeing Cail walk in, haggard as he was, her brow piqued in curiousity. Looking to Jael she jerked her chin in their empryean friend's direction and got up from the bar with her mug. She crossed over to Cail's table and took a seat quietly. "You alright?"
Lia eyed him as he took a sip of his glass, then mirrored his action with her beverage. "Good thing you're sitting down for this. I'm doing alright, kind of in a half-way good mood actually." She let slip a short grin that seemed to be self-teasing in nature before taking another sip. "I hope good rest finds you, though."
"I see well I'm happy for you. Let's hope that this continues, eh?" Cail paused a moment and said, "Well, don't let me keep you from your merriment. I'm only here for a little while longer anyway. Oh and I saw Akon borrow Jael's moose a few days ago as she passed the farm. I wonder where she was headed?"
Lia took another draft of her ale, listening to Cail speak. She looked a bit surprised at the empyrean's news of their mutual friend. "Not a clue...first I've heard of her leaving too." The Ixifar's bright blue eyes turned to Jael who had lingered at the bar. "Jael would probably know." Turning her attention back to the human paladin she called for him, "Oi, Jael."
Jael watched their exchange with some amusement in his eyes. Finishing off his ale he ordered a second. "Bad dreams huh... You should tell us what they are about, it could help just to talk to others about it." He took a long drink from his ale, "I am not my lady's keeper." Jael said with a smirk, "Though I do know she borrowed Javor for some reason."
He put a hand on Lia's shoulder, "Good to see you drink a little, have some fun while you can. There will come a time for serious matters."
It wasn't long after Jael spoke that Akon walked into the tavern door, hood drawn up tight. In her hand was a solitary rose, and she strided in past all the tables straight to where the three sat. She glanced to Cail and set the rose beside him, then to Jael, leaning over to whisper in his ear. She gave a quick nod to Lia, then turned on heal without a word, and headed out of the tavern just as swiftly as she came.
“Eh, they’re just dreams. Nothing to worry about,” said Cail as Akon entered the tavern. He saw the rose in her hand and watched as she placed it beside him. His small smile faltered a little as he stared at it and as Akon left again he picked it up gently, holding it between three of his fingers right at the base of the petals. His face seemed to express a pensiveness that bordered on sadness, but not quite so.
Lia quietly observed the happenings, Jael's comments, Akon's sudden and brief appearance, and Cail's wavering mood. The Ixifar pinched the bridge of her nose as she gave a sigh. She downed the remainder of her ale, then pointed a finger at Cail calling out a definiative "No" in time. "None of that. Today is a good day." She added before getting up to get herself a refill of her drink. Coming back to the table she plopped down a round for the three of them. "Drink some, or one of us will for you." She explained at Cail with a wry smile.
Cail turned to Lia, raising his eyebrows and smiling as if he was saying “Really?” and at the same time “Do I have to?” But after a second, he sighed and said with a mild chuckle, “Okay, okay. But I’ll only have a sip. I’m not a real fan of alcohol, you know?”
He took one of the glasses in front of him and stared at the liquid inside for a second with a look of slight distaste. Then he raised the cup and said with a small smile, “How about a toast? A toast to newfou-… friends. A toast to friends and I’ll even include Madam Nivarian in this even though she’s left us. What do you say?”
Lia was mid-sip when Cail called Akon 'Madam'. She spat as a short burst of laughter overtook her, but quickly caught herself. "Yes. To friends, new and old. And to good days." She said and raised her glass to his. "Heh, I didn't like alcohol either at first. Still not what I usually turn to, but sometimes, it's nice to just cut loose a little."
Jael smiled at the insistance of Lia and it grew as Cail gave his toast. Polishing off his glass Jael picked up a new one sipping the top so the liquid would not rush over. "A great toast, to friends and joy filled days!", lifting his glass he clanked it with both of theirs. After briefly chugging some of the beverage Jael set the glass down loudly. "Well I can explain her short apperance. We are taking a trip soon and she is getting ready."
Cail was almost taken aback at Lia’s laughter and put a look of confusion on his face. “Have I said something funny,” he asked as he took a small sip of his beverage. Swallowing hard, he made a face of repugnance at the foul bitterness of the liquid, uttering a small “eeyuck” sound right after.
“A trip,” Cail asked in response to Jael, setting his glass down and pushing it away. “Where to?”
He chuckled as after Cail made a sound of disgust at the taste. "To a nearby body of water. Not to far really, just need some time to get away from Jastrey for a week or so." Jael explained. After taking another large drink he decided to add another comment, "Funny you two both drink water like camels. I was raised on this sort of thing. Had my first glass of wine when I was five, or at least first sips."
Lia only shook her head at Cail's asking about her seemingly random laughter. She listened to Jael's explaination of where they were off to. The Ixifar grinned and smiled. "Another trip, huh?" She shook her head and rolled her eyes humorously. At Jael's comment on Cail and her drinking so much water she gave him a rather dry look. "We can't all be drunkards like -you- Jael. And if you lived in the desert, you'd respect water a lot more too!"
The rattle of chainmail softly filled the night with each step as Jael made his way home. He walked slower than usual, compensating for his ankle which was still healing. He spotted Lia entering the tavern and remembered a recent conversation that they had. Following her inside he got there just as her Ale was served. With a smile he took the seat next to her, "An Ale." Jael said in a light tone, "Good evening Lia, perfect night for a drink."