RP:A Doubly Disasterous Date

Summary: Talyara and Zahrani invite Lanara and Largakh on a double date, and the all meet up at The Dancing Destrier. The evening is off to an unusual start with the waiter, Nick, takes a serious liking to Lana, and literally attempts to woo her throughout the night. He goes to such extremes to win her affections, though, despite his boyish good looks and his beautiful singing voice, the witch clearly only has eyes for Larz, her date. Meanwhile, Taly tells the group of her plans to leave Lithrydel for an extensive period of time, and she has a heart-to-heart with Rani, and the couple agrees that they are supportive of each others endeavors but that the feline isn't expected to wait for Taly's return, and that it's alright for her heart to seek the company of another, should romance enter her life. The double date ends with a group hug.

The Dancing Destrier Built against the rocky mountains behind it, The Dancing Destrier is a large inn. Double doors open to a massive dining area, often filled with magelings, villagers and visitors to the town, and even a few errant hobbits who have braved leaving the Burrows to live amongst the 'Big People'. Many wondrous smells come from the kitchen, where the barkeep's wife prepares exotic foods with ingredients given to her by mages, and recipes gained over a lifetime of meeting the strange patrons who come from all around to study within the Mage Tower or pay their respects to the Xalious Tree. The owner is a friendly man, with eyes that betray a fierce intelligence. Thin of arm and quiet of voice, he nevertheless emits the confidence which comes from those who have studied the arcane. A small fire burns without wood in the corner, but it is more a source of light than heat; kept alive by young pyromancers in the Guild as an exercise in control. There is always a student or two sitting in one of the high chairs which surround it, their features fierce in concentration. The entire building is made like the rest of Xalious Village: simple and sturdy, yet clearly built with the love and attention which can only come from the villagers themselves.

Talyara :: Now that Talyara and Lanara had made up it only seemed appropriate that they spend more time together, and seeing as her sister had finally admitted to being with Largakh, it seemed a ripe time for them all (as well at Zahrani!) to hang out. Taly had sent a letter to her sister, inviting her and Larz out to dinner with her and Rani at the Dancing Destrier in Xalious. Taly’s descent into depression meant that besides from personal care she didn’t do much for herself, but she at least made an attempt this evening (more for everyone else than anything). She wears a simple empire waist dress in a light shade of lavender; the cut of the dress made it so that it was impossible to see her thinning figure underneath. She paired her dress with simple flat shoes and kept her unruly locks down and wavy. As usual, the witch didn’t wear any makeup which made the shadows under her eyes seem more prominent. Taly sits at the table, legs crossed and foot bouncing anxiously due to conversation she was going to have to have later in the evening, and sips a glass of ice water. Every time the door opened, emerald hued eyes would flick towards the entrance. There were several false alarms until -finally- Larz and Lana arrive. Taly stands, smoothing down the skirt of her dress before drawing her sister in for an embrace and awkwardly trying to determine whether she should give the half-orc a hug or a handshake. The waiter, a handsome man with spiky blond hair and piercing blue eyes makes his way over to the table. He begins to pour water for the two new customers but quite literally does a double take when he spies Lanara. Always gorgeous, the elder witch looked especially beautiful tonight since she was gussied up for her date. He flashes a brilliant smile her way before bowing his head. “My name is Nicholas and I’ll be your server this evening. And if I may, Miss, you look simply breathtaking.” His eyes never leaving Lanara’s face, he continues. "Would you like anything to drink besides the water?” Taly arches her brow curiously. Did this waiter not realize there were three other people seated at this table?

Zahrani sits next to Taly, the feline dressed in black slacks, a gray shirt, and a deep violet vest. The look suits her, and she sort of matches her date in color scheme. The panther appears more elven than feline, with only black fur on her pointed ears and a tail swishing behind her as indicators that she is a feline. Her skin is a warm chestnut brown, contrasting with cyan eyes. Her nose is slightly wider set and her lips are slightly larger than most paler humans and elves, and her curly hair is diligently pulled back into small tight braids that ultimately unify into one. Her striking features seem to be drawing the attention of both men and women alike in the establishment. Alas, the paladin sips her water and occasionally looks to Taly's face. The anxiety and restlessness in the witch is palpable, and Rani would occasionally offer a reassuring smile. Her tail swishes as she sees Lana and Largakh enter, offering a hug to Lana. She turns to Largakh, extending a warm hand in greeting, "I don't know if we've met. My name is Zahrani, but my friends and loved ones can call me Rani." Her voice is a mid tenor, and beneath her clothing she's built like a woman who lifts and climbs in full plate armor.

Lanara steps through the double doors and immediately proceeds to hang her sweater on a hook, before she smiles at Larz and takes his hand. Her chocolate eyes sparkle, their beauty only magnified by the light make-up on her pretty face, and the coal liner on her lids. Her long locks have been pinned back with a barrette on each side of her head, showing her lightly tapered ears, and dewdrop earrings. She looks up at the half-orc beneath those impossibly long, curled, lashes, and gives his hand a gentle squeeze. It was their first time outside of Sage Forest or Gualon, in several weeks, and it was their first ‘public’ outing as an established couple. The elf wears a dark purple, single-shoulder cocktail dress, which tightly hugs her curves, and shows off her shapely legs. Her black high heels making clicking noises along the floorboards, as they make their way to the designated table, where Talyara and Zahrani are already waiting for their arrival. Whispering to her date, she takes in his attire, “Why are you wearing purple? We look like we’re twinning!” The Dancing Destrier wasn’t all that crowded at this hour, and she’s thankful, as this wasn’t the most intimate of settings, though it was local and the food was delicious. Let’s not forget the dance floor, which Lana eyes on her way to their table, before lifting her gaze to eye the small group of bards setting up their instruments. She’d be sure to drag Larz onto the dance floor, and her shy sister, as well! The handsome waiter does a double take as she’s approaching, obviously eyeing her dancers body, and she merely gives him a grin. At least they’d all have excellent service, and if he found her ravishing, her date likely would, too! Arriving at the table, Lana first greets Zahrani with a chaste kiss to her cheek, and then she pulls Taly in for a long hug, giving her a gentle squeeze around the middle. Both of them would smell the sweet fragnance of her peony and plum perfume, a rather expensive blend that she only wore on special occassions. “Rani, I’m not sure if you’ve met my significant other? Zahrani, meet Largakh. Largakh, meet Zahrani, a dear friend of mine.” Pausing, she looks at her sister, and motions to Larz. “You two have met, already.” Once the introductions have been met, she’d lower herself onto a chair between her sister and her warrior, placing her directly across from the feline. “Thank you both for inviting us! We had a long day at the sanctuary and this will be the perfect ending to our day, and really help us all to unwind. Do either of you have any fun weekend plans?” Lana pulls a menu onto her lap, prepared to scan it, after the couple responds to her inquiry. If they were to return the question, she’d give Larz a slow smile, letting him answer for the both of them, as weekends were always spent with the man. And then, the waiter, who seems somewhat fixated on her, leans in and introduces himself and asks her if she’d like anything else to drink. He meant for the table, right? Giving Nicholas a warm smile in regards to the compliment, she motions with her hand to the others, “I think a bottle of wine or two for the table, right, everyone? I prefer a nice blush, if you have anything like that? Something light and sweet.”

Largakh arrived with Lanara on his arm, he was grinning that crooked way he does down at her with a look in his eye as if to say ‘aren’t I just the luckiest half-orc right now?’ Then she is commenting on their attire and it dawns on him they are dressed in the same shade and he let out a short chuckle before whispering back, “well. Not many colors compliment green and I thought purple was our favorite color?” He shook Taly’s hand, but pulled her into a nice hug for he does consider the elf a friend and then slid out Lanara’s chair for her to sit after drinking in how she looks tonight. Larz was dressed in a pair of cream colored dress slacks and a deep purple V neck sweater which is very soft to the touch (like cashmere) while his hair is slicked to the side and then back (a gentleman's cut). Once they were close enough the other couple may pick up notes of his cologne; sandalwood and vanilla. A nod to Zahrani while taking her hand to shake before his harsh orcish timbre greeted, “nice to meet you, Rani. I’m Largakh, but I just go by Larz.” He didn’t play the ‘dumb orc’ ploy on Rani since they are being introduced by mutual means and took his place next to Lanara while stealing glances at her every now and then. The waiter arrives, blatantly flirting with his take to which he only grins - yeah, his date is a looker and he knows, but she's a strong independent woman and can handle herself. Larz grins after Taly’s and Rani’s reply to their weekend while patiently waiting to fill them in on their weekend, “well… Our weekend started off early when Lanara, Dellia and some twins crashed poker night with the guys.” The silverware set that is on the table for everyone is noted and Larz picks up the spoon and slyly slides it towards Lana on the table, but if she caught his gaze he would grin at her. “The next morning is breakfast at the Rolafir’s, my grandparents. Then Seldanna picked out a puppy - she’s so in love with the thing I think Theoduin may have competition for her attention now,” a short chuckle at his light joke. Larz doesn’t mind that this waiter keeps hitting on his only for the simple fact he knows he’s taking Lanara home, but “ale for me, please.” He continues the story, “tomorrow is dance lessons for the orphans in Gualon and we are going to take some of the puppies for them to play with.” He pointedly catches Taly’s gaze with those tuscan sun tinted eyes, “that was such a kind gesture you did for Lana… How have you been, Taly?” The last time he saw her she was in a rough spot.

Talyara full on rolls her eyes as the waiter continues to stare, almost longingly, at Lanara as she requests sweet wine for the table. “Of course, I’ll bring it right over. And you can call me Nick,” he says quietly, perhaps so only the woodland witch can hear, before he moves towards the back to get the bottles as well as some glasses. Taly is still anxious, unconsciously drumming her fingers along the tabletop while still maintaining the bounce of her foot under the table. The younger witch seems lost in thought so she doesn’t answer the question about weekend plans, although she is saved the trouble by the arrival of Nicholas with their beverage—well the wine, he had completely forgotten to bring Larz his requested ale. Taly eagerly takes a glass and brings it to her lips. “Thank you, Nick,” she says with a small smile although it is met with a bit of a frown from the waiter. “Nicholas,” he corrects the petite witch whose eyes go wide. His focus goes back to Lanara. “How is the wine? Is it what you wanted? Our bartender said it was a rose, but if it’s not the right one I would gladly go to a neighboring bar to see if they have a better selection.” At Lanara’s assurance that the wine was perfect and -exactly- what she wanted, he releases a sigh of relief before uttering that he’d give them time to look over their menus before heading back to the bar area and whispering animatedly with a male coworker. Taly peruses the menu and nips at her bottom lip. She wasn’t exactly planning on eating anything but she had a feeling that this particular group of friends wasn’t going to allow that. Very well, she’d order a small appetizer or salad. “Hmm?” She asks, suddenly coming out of her thoughts to see Larz looking at her. She merely shrugs in response to his comment on the sanctuary being a kind gesture. “I’m fine,” she says a little -too- quickly to be believable. “I don’t need you to tell me you’ve been well,” she says with a small smile and a pointed look at her sister. Taly waits for the others to decide but it’s not until Nicholas is sure that Lanara is ready does he come bustling over once more. “Are you ready, Miss? What can I get for you?” He asks Lana eagerly.

Zahrani takes a seat next to Taly, taking in the way Lanara and Largakh were dressed, their body language, and the way they looked at each other. They are both beautiful, individually and together. She decides to stick with water as her drink; with the way Nick is behaving around the elder witch, the panther doubts she'd successfully receive anything else. She would probably order something simple and nutritious. There's lemon-tarragon chicken as an entree option; that would go well with a side of rice and beans. She puts her menu down momentarily to listen to Larz explain what their weekend plans, smiling warmly at how busy they were going to keep themselves. In response to Lana's query about her own weekend, the paladin responds, "I usually travel east to Cenril on the weekends. The feline colony there is where I grew up until my foster father adopted me and started my paladin training. That was over 20 years ago, but I visit every so often to help them with whatever they need." Rani has an aura of divinity about her; it makes her feel warm and approachable. She turns to the waiter, raising a hand and placing her order. Whether or not she was aesthetically appealing enough to tear his eyes from Lana, of course, remains to be seen.

Lanara takes a sip of her water, and gives Larz a sidelong glance, admiring how handsome he looked this evening. The band starts to play a lively tune, the hearth is lit and emits a faint glow on their table, and Taly and Larz are deep in conversation. Zahrani looks lovely in her elven form, and it’s now that Lana takes in the fact that all of them are wearing a shade of purple. What were the chances?! She smiles softly, and nudges him when there’s a break in the conversation, muttering, “My favorite color is –green- not purple!” Opening the menu, she eyes the entrée’s and hmm’s, as several things sound rather tasty and she was famished from their long day and the walk through Kelay. Chicken or steak? The options are honestly endless, and she lifts her head to read the ‘specials’ for this evening, when she spies a silver spoon being slid her way, her eyes narrowing on the half-orc. Plucking the object from his hand, she shakes her head, hiding her shocked expression behind the menu. She mouths ‘BEHAVE’ and stifles a giggle, before returning the utensil, just as the waiter returns, breathless, and wielding the bottle of wine as though it were the holy grail. He pours her a glass, and his boyish good looks seem to melt with worry as she takes a tentative sip. She could feel his blue eyes intently staring at her lush lips wrapped around the glass, and she pulls back, giving him a small smile. “It’s perfect!” Her hand gives Larz’s bicep a gentle squeeze as she lowers the glass to the table. “It’s –exactly- what I wanted. Thank you, Nick.” Her gaze returns to the menu, and she’s debating on an entrée along with an appetizer, as unlike her emaciated sibling, she had a rather voracious appetite. Softly, she inquires to the others, “What are you all ordering? I’m eyeing the pork medallions in white wine with mushrooms… Though, I’m not sure how far our waiter will travel if I’m not pleased with the food…” She smirks, finding it adorable that someone had taken a fancy to her, and the fact that this one wasn’t a drunken sailor. Lana often attracted the wrong sort of crowd, though this man didn’t seem unhinged like the others, at least not at the moment. Speaking of the devil, the male returns with a piece of parchment and a quill pen, fully prepared to take down their order, though he seems to address Lana, first. She lifts her gaze, her eyes lingering on his face for a moment. Something about this man reminded her of Bjorn, her direwolf, as he was so eager to please, beyond obedient, and often at her heels. She flushes slightly, realizing that she had been staring, and didn’t want to send the wrong message to the waiter, or her date. “Sorry. I just spaced out. Long day! Um… I think I’m going to have the pork medallion dish, with the roasted potatoes? And can I have a side salad of field greens with cranberries and almonds? Very light on the dressing, please. That should be all for me… Thanks!” Closing the menu, she hands it to the male, and fixes Zahrani with a stare, giving the feline her full attention. “Cenril, huh? I –love- Cenril. I worked there for years… At a clothing boutique. I love any job where you can wear a bikini all day!” She laughs, exchanging a look with her sister, who swears up and down that bathing suits are all that Lana ever wears! “So Rani… I didn’t know that you were adopted. Is your father a feline, as well?”

Largakh strategically placed his arm on the back of his dates chair to mark Lana as his, but the guy was harmless for now and Larz mumbled back to Lanara, “what? Since when?” He thought this outfit would be perfect and totally passing up the fact his skin is green! How do you forget these things, Larz? Maybe he really is a dumb orc, folks. Taly seems closed off and short with him, but he didn't want to push it so he just gives her a reassuring grin and drops it. He finds he was gently caressing the back of his fingertips up and down Lanaras arm and stops himself when she mouthed for him to behave, to which she gets a wink. Then it was time to order, “that sounds really good, My Only. I'll have what she's having, Nick,” a sneer to test the boy to correct him, too. “OH, and that ale you forgot… -Nick-”

Talyara is perfectly okay with Lanara ordering first. In fact, she is content to go last so that the others can’t put up too much of a protest at her order before the waiter leaves. After the others order, Taly hands Nicholas her menu although he keeps darting glances to her sister. “I’ll just have a side salad. Dressing on the side, please.” Nick yups and Taly notices he didn’t even bother writing her order down before he hurries off to the kitchen to appease the older sister and her guests. Taly tents her elbow on the table and listens to Rani explain her own weekend plans. “I don’t much like Cenril anymore,” she says with a wrinkle of her nose. “I feel like all I do is get into bar brawls every time I’m there!” Although as Rani explains further she grimaces slightly. “I didn’t know that’s where you came from. I -like- Cenril,” she amends not wanting to offend the panther with her previous statement. “I just find trouble there,” she admits with a laugh. At Lana’s comment about bikinis she is met with a cold, but teasing stare. “If I never have to wear a bikini again, it will be too soon!” As if the mud wrestling match wasn’t enough, she had to wear a skimpy bathing suit while participating! “How are Seldanna and Theo?” Taly asks Larz, having met his grandparents previously. “I hope they are well. And I’m glad she likes the puppy.” Taly tilts her head towards her sister as she is suddenly reminded of a past memory. “Hey Lana…doesn’t our waiter remind you of Charlie? They guy you dated when we were young? I remember you bringing him home one holiday from the academy!” Talyara laughs. “And then you broke up with him because he ate all of the chocolate chip cookies and strawberry sauce that you loved so much.” Everyone continues to make idle chitchat as they wait for their dinner to arrive which is about fifteen minutes later (sorry Larz, still no ale for you!). Lana’s dish of pork medallions with roasted potatoes and a side of salad comes out first, perfectly made, and piping hot. Rani gets some sort of steak dish that was cooked until burnt and charred with some cold carrots. Larz is given a single chicken leg and thigh with a raw potato, and Taly’s salad is completely missing all together. “I hope you enjoy your meal, Miss,” Nicholas beams at Lanara. “I have a special surprise for you in just a moment. Just keep an eye on the musicians!” Without further explanation, the waiter scurries away. Taly isn’t too bummed that her salad is missing, frankly she’s relieved she doesn’t have to choke it down, but she looks around sadly at Zahrani and Larz’s dishes. “I’m sorry, their service isn’t usually like this,” she says apologetically having been the one to pick the establishment. “We can go somewhere el—“ Talyara is immediately cut off when the bards strike up a loud melody and a familiar voice begins to sing, somehow magically amplified. “Although loneliness has always been a friend of mine…” Nick continues his serenade, taking several steps across the dance floor until he reaches their table where Lanara is given a flower. “I don’t care who you arrrrreee…” he croons as Taly sinks in her seat and her cheeks color in embarrassment as everyone in the Destrier looks their way. Even though the song wasn’t aimed towards her she didn’t like everyone staring! Taly aims a kick at Larz’s shin under the table and as Lanara stares transfixed at Nick, and whispers to him hurriedly. “Do something! Show some jealousy! He’s trying to woo your woman!”

Zahrani pretends not to notice that her order didn't get taken. She'd rather focus on the company at the table, looking to Lana as the witch asks her about her family. "No. My foster father is a human. I bumped into him while I was running an errand. After I finished, we spent some time together, and eventually he offered to raise me, train me, and give me the knowledge and means to help those I care for. How could I refuse." To Taly, the paladin smile warmly; she's not offended. Placing her hand over her beloved's, she responds, "I know all too well, how dangerous Cenril can be. It wasn't too long ago that I had to rescue your sister while she was there." The feline woman turns her cyan gaze to Largakh and Lanara, before continuing, "My people here in Lithrydel do not have much, but we often come together to share what little we do have. Cenril's colony is one of the biggest, but that attracts trouble, and many see us as inherently troublesome, as a result." She would have gone on about her goal to help her people, but instead her attention is drawn to their would-be waiter, who is now serenading Lanara. Sighing, she offers a wry grin to Taly, "Never a dull moment with you two." She then turns to Largakh, curious as to what the male will do in response to this incursion.

Lanara looks at Larz and rolls her eyes, “Green has been my favorite color since yo-“ and naturally her words trail off, as she scoffs. Maybe his skin color was the reason she was suddenly fond of the shade, though she couldn’t exactly tell the half-orc that the pigment of his flesh gave her a sudden fondness of the shade! “Never mind you!” As if to emphasize that he should leave the matter alone, she lifts her spoon menacingly, and gives him a ‘look’ though she’s fighting not to burst into a fit of giggles. Lana feels his fingertips trailing up and down her upper arm, and she leans into his side, as much as their chairs allow, noting how he keeps referring to the waiter’s abbreviated name. Hadn’t he seen how her sister was corrected for that mishap? Was he… Jealous?! The thought that her warrior felt possessive brings a silken smile to her sangria stained lips, and she’s secretly delighted by this revelation. Her dark hues remain on Zahrani as the woman talks about her past, and she gives a sympathetic nod, as she had been spending the past few weekends giving dance lessons to the orphans in Gualon. Was that the sort of life that Rani had led, before she was adopted? “A human. He sounds like a wonderful man. You’re lucky to have led such a positive life, and you always give back to others… You’re an anomaly, Rani. And I mean that as a compliment in every way!” She sees how the hand is placed atop her sisters, and she gives Taly a wink, wondering if there was more than friendship between the two women. The food is delivered, piping hot, and done to perfection, causing Lana to squeal and happily lift her fork. She notices that her potatoes have been oddly sliced, to resemble heart shapes, though she doesn’t offer any comment, as she takes a bite of her pork. It melts in her mouth. “Ohmygoddess. This is incredible!” Her next forkful is halfway to her mouth, when the waiter rests his hand on the top of her head, as though she were a puppy, and tells her that a surprise is coming her way. What?! Lana lowers the fork, takes in Zahrani’s mystery meat, Larz’s raw potato, and Taly’s lack of a dish altogether, and quirks a brow. “Nick! Wait! They didn’t get what they ordered!” The waiter is out of earshot, hurriedly on his way, to likely mix up someone else’s order. “I’m sorry, guys; I’m not sure what’s going on. He seems so competent! He’s a really nice waiter and I think he deserves a hefty tip, but I think he’s just got a lot going on or something…” Speaking of a lot going on! The music blares through the room, and startled, the witch lifts her head, looking to the left and right, only for her gaze to be drawn to the handsome blonde sauntering her way. He sways to the left, glides a few feet, and extends a long-stemmed rose, offering it to Lanara. It was their waiter!? Not wanting to appear rude, and he actually had a really good voice, she leans forward and accepts the flower, giving it a dainty sniff, before resting it on the table. “Thank you.” Her words are soft, and he would have to read her lips, as the music blares, and for half a minute she thinks he’s going to ask her for a dance. However, dancing is not what’s in his mind, as he dramatically drops to his knees, and serenades her with a poetic melody. The woman had –never- been serenaded before, and she’s obviously melting at the words as he refers to her as his ‘fire’ and only ‘desire’ and she claps, enjoying the show. “This is so sweet! I love this! Awwwww.” Lana is fan-girling, now, though as the other diners turn to watch the show, her cheeks flood with color and she feels as though the room were ten degrees warmer. There is –nowhere- else to look, and she’s being sung to by this random waiter, and she finds herself drawn to look at those baby blue eyes, getting lost in the song. It was adorable, and she was such a romantic at heart, though in the back of her mind, she was hoping it was –Larz- and not Nick putting on this performance.

Largakh just now puts together her favorite color changed because of his own skin tone and he gave a teasing grin, but when she threatened him with a spoon he pretended to gasp. chuckles at their dishes and trades Rani their meals since his was closer to what she ordered while also sliding Lanara’s side salad to Taly if she wanted to pretend to eat it. “It’s fine,” Larz said seeming very relaxed for he's a patient man and poured himself some wine when his sip was interrupted by blaring music. The guy was putting on a show for his woman and Larz grinned wider before glancing to Rani in hopes she would be N’SYNC with him, giving a nod to Taly. Larz took up the rose that Lanara had put down and stood up with the stem between his teeth while grabbing Lanaras hand. After standing her up be proceeds to do a simple ballroom dance and hopefully by now Rani was lightening Taly’s spirits with at least simply swaying with her. At one point he dipped Lana and trades the rose through a kiss as she was the only thing he was seeing right now, being lost in those chocolate eyes could give one diabetes for its so addicting. The dancing performance was gathering a small crowd because for a tall sort of muscly he had some decent moves. The song ends and Larz gently took the rose from Lanaras lips to tuck behind her tapered ear with another wink. He tossed a good coin to Nick and smiled warmly, “thank you. That was nice.” The small crowd clapped for both performance and Larz held up Lanara’s hand as if to say ‘nah, it's all her.’ For it always is … He pulls the chair out for Lana again and sits down to his Mystery meat dinner and jokes with Lana, “too bad it's not frozen and where's my side of rocks?” A short chuckle before he sips deeply from his goblet and let's all hope we get a different waiter or he at least cools down.

Talyara gives Lanara a disbelieving look when she states that the server will be receiving a hefty tip from the group. “Are…are you insane? He is the most inattentive waiter I have ever seen! Poor Larz is -still- waiting for his ale. Rani got steak…I think…when she ordered chicken. Larz got a raw potato and I didn’t get anything!” But her protests are interrupted by the song. Nick continues to serenade the beautiful witch, getting down on his knee and reaching up to grab her hand and stroke his thumb along her knuckles. It is clear that this blond haired, blue eyed stud only has eyes for Lanara! Taly shifts her gaze towards Zahrani and gives her another apologetic look and mouths the word “sorry” before looking at Larz expectantly. He moves quickly on his feet and takes Lanara’s hand before leading her to the dance floor and performing a flawless ballroom step. Suddenly, Rani is standing as well and offering her hand to the lithe witch. She hesitates only for a moment before accepting and going to the dance floor with her sister and her beau. This pair only really sways to the beat as the tone of song suddenly becomes angry and almost emotional as Nick watches Lana and Larz dance, seething. When the song ends and people clap, Taly quickly scurries back to the table with the others. Rani and Larz work on their mismatched meals and Lana devours her perfect one, while Taly merely pushes her lettuce leaves on her plate. Eventually, a waiter, the one Nick had been talking to near the bar, comes over to collect their plates and take a dessert order. Once again, Taly waits for the others to go before ordering herself a hot tea. When he moves away back towards the kitchen, Talyara gives Lana a knowing look and begins to wring her hands together nervously. “I…actually wanted to talk to you guys,” she blurts out, unsure of how else to get the conversation rolling. “I’ve, um, been doing a lot of thinking lately. About my life, about me, about my struggles…” Talyara momentarily looks at Rani and then Larz before looking down at the table. She didn’t know how to say her next words and she’s silent for several minutes. ‘C’mon, Taly, just say it. It’s like pulling off a bandage,’ she silently tells herself before just spitting out the words. “I’m leaving Lithrydel."

Zahrani holds Taly close as they dance, glancing at the other two as Nick's music become more frustrated. If she seems weirded out or bothered by this scenario, she doesn't show it. Faint lines of amber occasionally play across her hair and the skin beneath her clothes; the important thing is Taly was here. Once the song ends, she and the elf return to the table with Lana and Larz. The panther looks down at her meal, wearing the mother of all poker faces as she sips her water. When the other waiter returns, Rani gently clarifies that this is not the meal she ordered, and if they could bring the lemon-tarragon chicken and rice/beans in a to-go container, that would be just wonderful. The waiter seems to flush slightly upon making eye contact with the cat, nodding politely and attending to the others. The paladin turns back to Talyara as she speaks, her face going from warm and smiling to neutral again upon hearing that the witch would be leaving Lithrydel. Rani opens her mouth for a second, closes it, then finally asks, "When...would I see you again?"

Lanara is all red-faced and smiling, swaying from side to side in her chair, as Nick continues his song, aiming to grasp her hand. Feeling compelled to oblige, she extends her hand, only for it to be palmed by her warrior! Larz leads her away from their table with a rose in his mouth, and she’s caught so immeasurably off guard, that she stumbles on their way to the dance floor. Thankfully, her ‘trip’ occurs as soon as he turns to take her in his arms, and their bodies collide, the couple getting lost for a moment in each other’s eyes. Everything else fades from Lana’s line of sight, everything but that intense tuscan gaze and her body responds to his lead, as they glide across the floor, mirroring the beat of the music. Her slender hips sway from side to side, she leaves his arms and twirls away, only to be brought back against his form, and he bends her back, into a flawless dip. Lana half-smiles, forgetting that they are in the center of an establishment, on a double date, and that the boyish waiter was probably in the BACKSTREET’s crying as she left him in the middle of his song. Her leg lifts, slowly inching up Larz’s to come and rest against his thigh, as their lips meet in a passionate kiss, and she snatches the rose from his mouth. Their dance continues for a moment, a mixture of ballroom moves that mirror the tango and the waltz, before the song ends, and Larz plucks the flower from her mouth and rests it behind her tapered ear. The elf’s eyes still do not deviate from her dates, as she remains smiling; looking into his eyes, and seems ‘lost’ in this stolen moment. The applause of the audience snaps her out of her little trance, and she laughs, hugging the half-orc close for a moment, and standing on her toes to whisper, “Thanks for the dance, handsome.” A kiss is placed on his cheek, as she’d led back to their table, and she gives Taly and Rani an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I didn’t know any of that was going to happen…” A quick glance around tells her that Nick has seemingly vanished, likely irritated that his moment was stolen from an orc. Their plates had all been rearranged, though she doesn’t mind, and she nearly chokes on a pork medallion as Larz mentions he wanted a side of ‘rocks’ with his frozen steak. That smirk is wiped off the elf’s face by her sister’s next line of words, and she drops her fork, tears springing to her eyes, though none manage to spill onto her cheeks. She had heard those three words a week before from her sister, though each time she heard ‘leaving Lithrydel’ she felt her heart break a little more. Lana remains silent, unable to meet Rani or Larz’s gaze, as she grabs her wine glass and downs it in three gulps. The elf feels sad and angry, all at once, though she refuses to have another one of her outbursts, as deep down she knew it was best to let her little sister go off on this adventure to find herself, and heal. She respected her decision, despite the pain it was causing. Nick’s replacement waiter returns with their desserts, and Lana idly fidgets with her fork, not quite dipping into her strawberry shortcake with her usual enthusiasm. She was going to miss Talyara, her sister, her best friend, her other half, and she had no idea how to cope, or get through this sense of loss.

Largakh didn’t even try the whatever meat on his plate and just focused on his wine until all their attention was now on Taly, but Larz’s attention was on Rani, then to Lanara. She was sad, how couldn’t she be and his hand gently comforts Lana by rubbing a hand along her shoulders…. Larz doesn’t say anything a moment and only gives a reassuring grin to Taly, “only you know what is right for your own well being. Do stop by the Rolafir’s if there is anything at all you need and as your friend I support you in this, I am sure they will only have kind words for you.” Another long look at Lanara as he puts together he realizes she must already know, but poor Rani didn’t. He leans into Lanara and whispers something before grinning in that crooked way he does, “Lanara and I are going for some fresh air, why don’t you two join us in a bit?” This was a move to subtly give the couple some alone time to figure things out without ending the double date. As the table stands he comes around to give Taly a tight hug, “you just take care of yourself… Who am I talking to?” He chuckles shortly, “you two sisters are a couple of spitfires.” He tilts his head down to look to Taly, “Lana and I will be right back, okay?” He glances to Rani, respectively giving her a moment with Taly before taking his date by the hand and leading her outside for a short walk.

Talyara can’t bring herself to look at Zahrani when she utters those words, hearing that question that she didn’t know how to answer. Like Lanara, she reaches out for her wine glass and downs the remainder of it without coming up for breath. She reaches for the bottle and refills both her glass and her sister’s—it seems like the witches needed it. “I don’t know…” she says in an apologetic voice barely above a whisper. “I hope sooner rather than later. But I really don’t have a definitive answer.” Things at the table are heavy as Taly knew they would be, and she feels extremely guilty for it. She never meant to hurt anyone, least of all the people seated here with her today. And while she would shoulder that pain for a long time to come, she knew at this moment in time, she needed to put herself first, as foreign of a concept as that was to the witch—her health and her life depended on it. Larz’s kind smile and support means a lot to the witch and she eventually looks up to give him a sad smile in return. Truthfully, it was knowing that he would be there to take care of Lanara while Taly was gone that gave her the boost she needed to make the decision to leave. She stands when Largakh approaches, giving him a hug in return and quickly whispering in his ear before relinquishing her grip and falling back into her seat, nodding as he says they are going to step outside. Unfortunately for the half-orc and witch duo, they only make it half way before smoke begins to billow from under the front door. People begin to notice and panic issues from their voices. Was there a fire? Where they under attack?! Even Taly’s eyes go wide with worry. Suddenly, the door is kicked open and there stands Nick—clad in a black, leather jacket and tousled hair. “Not so fast, buddy,” he sneers at Larz before approaching Lanara with such confidence. “If you want it to be good girl get yourself a…” He would extend his hand to Lana waiting for her to take it. “Bad boy.” He gives this little chuckle that makes the other women in the bar swoon, and the bards strike up a fast tempo beat. Nick takes advantage of Lana’s half raised hand to pull her towards him and back to the main “stage” area. He begins to sway his hips as he grins at the pretty witch and continues his singing. “If you want it to be wild, gotta know just who to call, baby.” He leans down to whisper in Lana’s tapered ear. “That’s me.” He lifts his linked hands with her and spins the witch underneath them. “If you really like it hot, find someone who hits the spot, honeyyyyy.” Once more he leans towards Lanara’s ear and whispers, “Oh yes.” Taly quite literally smacks her hand over her face and draws it down. “This guy just doesn’t quit…” she mumbles.

Zahrani agrees with Largakh on a conscious level that Taly should do whatever she needs to do in order heal. The feline moves to gently wrap her arms around the elf, resting her head against the side of Taly's head. "Please don't ever feel bad for attending to your own needs. I don't...want...to see you leave. But if you must, then I shall wait for you to return. I have plenty here to keep me busy..." She plants a kiss on the witch's cheek, then offers a warm grin through slightly teary eyes, "...so don't worry about me pining for you." At the smell of smoke, the paladin stands, instinctively preparing the area for evacuation, only to turn around and roll her eyes at Nick's latest attempt at wooing Lana. "What is in this try-hard's head? He can't even serve tables..." Rani gives a slightly concerned look towards Taly. "Does this happen often to your sister, or is it just this one fool?"

Lanara bows her head and stabs the cake with her fork, not desiring to even taste the dessert, which looked incredibly appetizing. Her sibling couldn’t be replaced with strawberry shortcake, or anything, for that matter. She lifts her sad eyes to rest on Larz and Taly as they embrace, and then shifts her gaze to Rani, who looks deeply saddened, and at a complete loss for words. “I’m sorry… Taly told me a few days ago. I-I thought she may reconsider, but she hasn’t… And it wasn’t my place to say her goodbyes… I didn’t mean to keep this from either of you. That’s why I’ve been spending every waking minute at the sanctuary… Losing my sister is –all- I think about. And…” Looking at Larz, she sighs as he returns to her side. “That’s why I showed up half-drunk on poker night… I needed to just –not- think.” She hopes they both accept her apology, and that Rani isn’t too hard on Taly. How could her sibling love another, when she was deeply struggling to love herself? And… She needed help in more ways than one, she thinks, as she eyes her sickly skinny form. This would be good for her sister. Lana is determined that this will ‘save’ the little girl she watched blossom into the beauty before their eyes. The myriad of emotions displayed on Lana’s face are more than visible to the naked eye, and fresh tears are welling in her eyes as Larz leans in to whisper. She hesitates before replying, ‘Yeah’ and rising to her feet, her steps slow but sure as they head for the doors. Smoke is billowing from beneath the double doors, disorienting their steps, and she drops Larz’s hand to stifle a cough, when the doors are kicked open, and… Was that their waiter?! Lana’s teary eyes widen, as she coughs into her hand, though she gives him an appraising look in that leather jacket. The man cleaned up nice, she’d give him that, and oddly, his coat reminded her of Larz’s, and she looks for her date, when her hand is snatched by Nick. She’s tugged onto the dance floor, and she aims to snatch her hand back, but there’s a freaking crowd of people forming a circle around them, thinking this was some sort of planned performance. Since when was –she- the entertainment?! The raunchy lyrics, the seductive beat, and his sexual dance moves, leave her standing there, with her mouth slightly agape. How, exactly, did a leather jacket and some sick dance moves make him a ‘bad’ boy? Her head cants to the side, and someone at her back gives her a shove, literally throwing her into Nick’s open arms, much to his delight. The elf helplessly looks around, as his hands are literally groping at every inch of her body, and as she turns around, he grabs her about the waist and grinds against her rear. She elbows him, though he catches her elbow at the last second and sends her into a twirl. What the hell?! “Stop it…” Where was Larz?! She hoped that Taly and Rani were at least having their conversation, because if they were to be witnessing all of THIS, she’d be mortified. The crowd is now –yelling- at Lana to move her feet, and she swallows hard, unsure of what to do. A second later, as the man advances, she breaks into a dance of avoiding his moves, always being a step out of reach. Expertly she dodges his hands, his pelvis, and any chance of him latching onto her form again, while putting on a show of graceful leaps and twists, with exquisite coordination. As the song ends, she leans in to Nick, as though it was a practiced ending move, and she clearly states, “I already got my bad boy. But, thanks for the dance.” He then sneers, and aims to place a kiss on the unsuspecting witch.

Largakh was getting quite tired of this guy and again his date is being stolen away. He watches as she looks rather uncomfortable and nearly stepped in there as people block his way around him, but thankfully Lanara had the upper hand and Larz grins as she expertly dodged every advance. Thankfully the song ended and he watched as she leaned in, he listened and grinned at her words, but the scant was going in for a kiss and just as he was clearing some of the distance of the ‘floor’ he witnessed Lanara place a very loud and sharp slap across the boy’s face… Gasps were heard all around and silence for a moment until cheering. Larz was now at Lanara’s side and took her by the hand to successfully make their way out the door, pulling her in to comfort her while asking, “are you alright? You were excellent.” He grabbed her sweater on the way out and draped it around her shoulders before holding the door open for her and whoever else wanted to leave as the waiter turned entertainer was having a full blown bitch fit now with a red welt stinging his cheek.

Talyara seems to relax slightly as Zahrani wraps her arms around the witch and it’s all she can do not to cry. These people didn’t hate her for wanting…no, needing to leave! And while this was still a very big and scary step for the witch to take, she had support. She looks on at the commotion with Nick and Lana and cannot help but chuckle. “Men try to woo her all the time, always have. But this guy is giving it his all. He’s an awful waiter but he sure has tenacity!” As Lana dodges the inappropriate dance moves expertly, Taly turns to face the panther. “Hey, I need you to promise me something, okay? I don’t want you to wait for me. I…I couldn’t live with myself or go away and try to get better knowing you’re here just waiting. You deserve love and happiness and I want you to find that.” Taly reaches forward and presses her lips to Rani’s forehead before hearing the echoing slap of Lana’s hand on Nick’s cheek and the “oohs” from the surrounding crowd. Larz finally gets to the witch and tugs her outside as the owner of the Destrier breaks up the crowd and grabs Nick by the scruff of his neck. “You're fired!” He roars, dragging the waiter towards the back door and throwing him outside. Everything begins to wind down, the patrons returning to their various tables, and the owner comes back to where they sit, handing Zahrani her to-go box. “So terribly sorry for the ruckus. Do apologize to the pretty one, for me, will ya?” He hands the extra bottle of unopened wine to Taly. “Everything’s on me,” he mutters before bustling away. Talyara grins and shakes her head before inclining her chin towards the double doors. “Shall we join the other two, then?"

Zahrani sighs, accepting her to-go box of food and rising to her feet with Taly. She had apparently not been clear with her feelings. As they head for the door, the panther offers a resigned smile and responds, "I did say that I wouldn't pine for you. I can promise you that I will find plenty of love and happiness here, and I will help others with the same." She then gently wraps an arm around Taly, nuzzling her nose against the witch's cheek before responding, "But I will still want to see you when you get back."

Zahrani said to Talyara, "Don't worry about me. You just focus on getting better."

Lanara hears that echo over the roar of the crowd, as her palm makes contact with the left cheek of the male’s face. She could easily have dodged the kiss by turning her head, but she was –done- with being treated like some object. This man didn’t even know her name, yet he had literally pulled out all the stops in every attempt to earn her affections. She meets his gaze as she lowers her hand, and finds that she feels pity for the handsome waiter, as he was nothing more than a hopeful, looking for love. Though, he went about it so very wrong. His hand rises to cup the cheek she had just slapped, and he was likely feeling the sting, as her palm burned like fire. Perhaps he was going to mutter an apology, or try for some more flirtation, though the elf would never know, because Larz is there in an instant, leading her to safety and out of the establishment. Lana inhales the fresh air, clutches her sweater around her shoulders, and leans in to Larz, her head pressed against his chest. This night had started out so well, too! Catching her breath, she reflects on her sister’s choice to leave the lands, the forced dance by the obsessive waiter, and now is the moment she comes undone. Tears splash onto her cheeks, stinging her flesh, as though they had manifested in her heart and spewed from her eyes, filled with a burning fury of sheer heartache. Her arms wrap around the half-orcs middle and she allows herself to have this moment of weakness, to sob openly before a frequented locale. The man tries to give her comfort, and he holds her sweater in place, muttering what he assumes to be consoling words, but they do the exact opposite. Lana shrinks back from the embrace and shakes her head, tears streaming down her pretty face. “I was not –excellent- Larz… I was grabbed, and grinded, and –assaulted- by a stranger! That’s not okay… I wasn’t okay with any of it… I just… I went into my ‘safety’ zone. The show must go on. I-I danced, because that’s all I could do, without ruining my sister’s plans for this evening, or protecting myself, fully. There was nothing excellent about what happened, just now.” Taking a sharp inhale, Lana turns away to dry her tears, her moment of vulnerability at an end, as Taly and Rani exit the Destrier. The elf walks away, to the side of the building to catch her breath and to clear her thoughts, before she returns to the trio, giving them all a feigned smile. “So… That was some dinner, huh? I’m still starving. I feel like I danced more than I ate. And you three didn’t even get to eat, really.” She knows that Taly and Rani will likely converse, so she steals a second to whisper to Larz, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. It’s not your fault.”

Largakh takes in a breath of fresh air as she did and wrapped his arms around her shoulders to console her, but she turned it all around and lashed out… He allowed her to step back, only looked down at her with an understanding look and as she stepped away he said to her, “you’re right, I should have tried harder to stop the guy.” Even though he wasn’t worried the waiter would steal his woman from him and that Lanara was a strong woman who could hold her own - he watched her kill a thug for crying out loud, but ever patient - he lets her have this moment. Surely she remembers what he did to Dimidicus and what he thought of doing was entirely worse, on top of that he doesn’t want his future to be muddled by bad karma for he has so much more to fight for now. When the others came out he grinned at the pair, “what a night, yeah?” He watched as Lana stepped aside for a moment and looked up to the skies in hopes to distract them, “a pretty clear night. You can nearly see all the constellations.” When Lana pulled him down to her level in order to whisper to him all he does is give her that grin and a kiss on her cheek to reassure her that everything was all good.

Talyara gives Zahrani a small smile, thankful that it seemed they reached a mutual understanding (or so she hoped). She smiles as Rani nuzzles her cheek but the witch manages to hear the end of the conversation between Lanara and Larz and she frowns, pushing the bottle of unopened wine into her sister’s hands. She had missed the worst of the assault and she wasn’t about to let some awful-waiter-would-be-bard get away with it. “Hold this! I’m going to give -Nicholas- a piece of my mind. And maybe one of my left hooks!” Taly’s eyes narrow and a scowl tugs down on the corners of her lips as she moves to go towards the back of the tavern where the server had been thrown from the establishment. Only, she is suddenly grabbed by Lana who managed to snatch her wrist. “Let me at him, Lana!” She says with a huff but Lana keeps her grip and pulls Taly against her side and drapes her arm over her sister’s shoulders, tempering the anger that had welled inside the petite witch. “Hmph, you should have let me at him."

Zahrani is about to follow Taly to make sure she doesn't get hurt, but she stops when Lana grabs the smaller elf and pulls her into an embrace. If the cat were any more mischievous, she'd have that former waiter hanging up by the seat of his pants like a pinata. Unfortunately, as satisfying as that would be for her, Taly, Lana, and probably Larz, it would likely just appear as though one man were being attacked by 4 assailants. The paladin is not interested in giving that entitled asshat any opportunities to play the victim. The panther offers a half-smile to Larz's question, before walking over to the two sisters and wrapping her athletic arms around both of them. Rani gives nice hugs, and she also enjoys giving group hugs. That's just how she do.

Lanara manhandles her little sister into lowering that deadly left hook, and she tugs her back outside, holding her in a tight embrace. Talyara, who was a mere five foot three inches, and weighed less than a hundred pounds, wanted to duke it out with the waiter, in her honor! It’s both flattering and amusing, and Lana can’t help but shake her head at the image her mind conjures up. She’s giggling though, and this time her smile is genuine, as she nuzzles her cheek against her sister’s unruly locks. “Let him be. Nick won’t know what hit him if TKO Taly is on the loose! You better toughen up when you’re gone, in case I need protection in the future.” She winks, and slides her arm from Taly’s shoulders, only to find that Rani had snuck up from behind and pulled both witches in for a loving group hug. Lana beckons Larz to join in, by crooking her pointer finger from around Rani’s waist, so the whole group could ‘huddle’ before they all parted their separate ways for the evening. As they stand beneath the stars on this brisk night, Lana looks at Zahrani, Largakh, and finally, her sister, and her voice is filled with emotion as she says, “I love you all.”