RP:A Real Casanova

Summary Joshua meets Sabrina for the first time. A would be suitor is passed off to him quite suddenly.

Sabrina pushes her way through the doubled doors. She only stood around five foot even, the heeled boots surrendered some time ago due to a change in attire to fit the summer heat of Rynvale. She wore a white button down top, black cotton pants and simple elven boots. The only accessory being a moonstone pendant gifted to her in a time of need that she never took off. Hip-length heair is pulled back into a series of intricate braids and her demeanor was one more of professionalism than a need to find the bottom of a bottle of anything. It had been a few weeks since she had been to the mainland and this was usually the first stop in a short series to catch up on recent events. The Tavern was sparse this early in the day, not so much as to stop the regular drunkards that seemed to never leave but she gives Mesthak a short nod in passing toward the board. Minty green eyes scan as she looks up and over what ever she considers ‘bitchy complaints’ and finds nothing of interest here. She takes up a seat at the bar, tip toes allowing her the height she needs to gracefully take up a chair and she spins to face Mesthak with a concerned look. “When is the last time you slept?” He pushes himself from the place where he leaned and pours a cup of questionably old coffee in a mug. It wasn’t like she was going to drink it anyway. Stuck with his duties the barkeep pours a stranger his requested poison and tucks the coin in his pocket. Sabrina turns in her chair, legs crossed neatly and with that smug posture of excellent breeding that no amount of color in one’s life could shake. Facing Joshua she just stares, a little rude of course but it didn’t seem to bother her.

Joshua runs the tip of his tongue over his teeth absent-mindedly as the drink he holds and nurses is not the drink of his kind. With eyes keen to find a source of refreshment he might prefer, he re-scans the room. The sounds of Sabrina's steps easily blend into the other noises of the room so no attention is turned there until she decides to stare at him. Having lived many years, too many years, time is a luxury to him, he might have the ability to move fast but pleasure is in taking time slowly. Stare returned without a blink, stretching past the time frames of normal and far into the realms of awkward and uncomfortable. Then finally some movement comes to him with a subtle lift of a brow in a questioning manner, his voice quiet but firm "Is there something I can help you with Ma'am?"

Sabrina shakes her head. “Unlikely.” In what few words he may have picked up it was obvious that Common was not her first language, more of a courtesy in public places such as these. She didn’t stop staring though, just twisted the hot mug of old coffee in circles on the counter. “You are new here, in this town. Yes?” She looks him up and down, gives a short approving nod to his attire and shifts her gaze momentarily to the poor choice of garments fitting the local ‘Ye Ol’ Cesspool.’ “You don’t fit.” She was cheerful in her outward opinion of him, well, as much as she could be given her complete lack of social intercourse as a standard practice. And that was all, she slid from her chair, coffee in hand and moves to a table where her feet, at very least, wouldn’t dangle. She seems to have studied all she needed to from him and lost interest. She didn’t even wait for an answer, making her appear even more smug in assuming she was automatically right. She takes out a small roll of parchment, a list of some sort, and mumbles to herself different routes while beginning to calculate times and distance in her head for efficiencies sake.

Joshua responds briefly and quietly to her first question, or perhaps more accurately assessment to him being new to the parts with an agreeing "Mhmm.". The vampire is quite well versed and practiced in the art conversation but yet he has learnt many times over that it is not something that always needs to be employed in all situations. Though a flash of a grin slips through at her later words, hidden by raising his glass and taking a sip. A quick once over of the bar is done and he leans over to pull at an abandoned newspaper, quite having forgotten the name of the town he is in. Luckily as he hoped, the newspaper gives it away and and response can be formed even though the elf's attention seems to have fallen elsewhere "It is true, I am not from the Kelay jigsaw box so no I don't fit with the other pieces here." Now for his rudeness, he doesn't know this woman, where she is from or sentimental attachments to or where her loved ones resides so offence perhaps might brew "I hardly think that is an issue though. From what I have seen of the people here, it is better not to be one of them." Cue a quick nod to a table not far off where a balding man sits with probably only only a trio of yellowing teeth jutting out of his gums.

Sabrina didn’t get offended as most people did, and she wasn’t really from here anyway. She looks up from her list toward the gestured bald man, he catches her glance and smiles wide and proud. She looks confused, surprised, maybe a little grossed out. Shaking her head she actually adjusts her seat so she is not facing him, which forces her deeper into conversation with the vamperic male. “They are not all the same, but not so pretty as you either. This is a working town.” Which helped less to explain her being here dressed simply but her garments obviously tailored to fit her form. And clean, impeccably so.

Joshua seems to wince at being called such from the elf, she might have had a better reaction from him if she had served him an insult. It is only now he takes a seat on the stool at the bar, the buttons of his jacket undone and slid off his shoulders, time taken to fold it and drape it over one knee. Then attention becomes divided as it is split between removing his cufflinks and folding up his sleeves to the elbow and the elf. "A working town indeed." He echoes as if saying the words himself would help the concept sink in. "So then Miss, seeing as you have decided you know me so well, where would you think I would fit in then as you feel Kelay is an ill fit for me?"

Sabrina didn’t mind his reaction either way, as far as she was concerned being considered lazy was a bit of an insult. “Didn’t decide.” She goes back to her list, tapping the end of her quill against the point of her brow. “Observed.” She looks up at him, minted gems squinting ever so slightly. “It’ll linger. Kelay has its way of seeping into people if you stay here long enough.” She was a prime example of it, Kelay is the building block of most if not all of her people skills. When considering the state she was in when she first arrived this was actually a great improvement. But that was years ago, and she never really talked about it- her memories were temporally fragmented beyond a certain point anyway. It seems like she reached some sort of decision and she stands, tucking the quill behind pointed ear and the parchment rolled and fit into her belt strap. She reclaims the now luke-warm vessel of putrid ‘coffee’ and returns it to Mesthak with many thanks and a rather large purse for a drink not consumed. He pours it back into the pot. She turns to face Joshua, minding his jacket so as not to disturb it. “I hope you enjoy your stay.” Well-rehearsed, executed in perfect tone. Damn, she was getting good at this whole peopling thing. One might have even considered her ‘pleasant’ but that would have been a stretch. In any case, she was getting very good at pretending to be interested. ‘Bed-side-manner’ Agoyoanye called it. Apparently Sabs needed some work.

Joshua narrows his eyes, the grey irises seeming to turn darker though that could be attributed to the shadows falling over them. A "Hmm." this time comes from him, throaty and contemplative as he watches the return of the drink. Muttering loud enough to hear but not a comment intended for a response from her "Strange one." Flipping open the newspaper to the mid sections, finding a suduko puzzle within and pulling out a fountain pen from his pocket. As he starts to fill in the numbers at varying speeds, another sliver of a grin as he issues her a response "Thanks for the warning, I shall attempt to find a new town to stay in before I become infected with Kelay-ness. I like my own teeth and value personal hygiene to highly to let myself adopt too many of it's...." Gaze lifts and he looks to the room for inspiration, the dirty patches on the floor, the worn patches on the wood work, the grime and dust being the decor of corners "...quirks."

Sabrina smiles a well practiced smile. “Humans in Larket, chaos in Cenril, your kind in Valkrin. Dwarves near the mines. It should get you started.” She leans in slightly close so Mesthak doesn’t hear. She smells like sandalwood and lavender, a hint of vanilla. “Don’t eat anything here.” The comment had nothing to do with the food served. Was it a warning for his safety, or others? Either way she was rather serious. It was her job after all to ensure the safety of the general public no matter what class of life they spawned from. She would wait for some acknowledgement before giving him back his space. If he cared enough to look her in the eye he would realize it was in fact a threat, polite, but present.

Joshua pauses his puzzle solving as the elf speaks, something she has said unsettles him the instant she utters it. Is it the threat? No, his reaction is before that, it is the moment she says 'your kind'. He normally passes off as a human quite well but to have his veil of disguise so easily seen through is an annoyance. Jaw tightening and he almost looks annoyances if he could growl but he remains silent. Gaze darts her way annoyances she leans in to threaten but those words are probably the least effective thing she could say to him, this is a man who likes games, enjoys risks and adores gambling. The pen in his hand drops, a splatter of ink spreading across the puzzle, ruining it. His words are traded in equal quietness "Give me one good reason why not."

Sabrina bites at her bottom lip, her manufactured smile turns into a real one. He wasn’t the first hidden bloodsucker she came across, and by now given her experience they were easier for her to pick up on than most. Something so unnatural about them, it stood out. She hums out and approving note but offers no words for him as the smell of armpits and unwashed teeth creep nearer. She turns to leave him. There is a short bald man blocking her path. “Oh, um.” She breathes out a nervous smile. “I’m with him.” She points to Joshua, and with the distraction slides past and begins making her way to the door. Toothy squares up to the Vampire, a not-too-happy look washing over his once prospective features. He straightens his wife-beater, situating a yellow stained hole over a dirty pink nipple that peaked his man-boob. Hoisting his britches at the tattered hem he puffs up his chest as a challenge to ownership of the parting lass. Sabrina just grins, itching so badly to watch the aftermath of what she just started and only feeling remotely guilty. She would stop just outside the entrance, after all, Mesthak insisted that no healing be performed inside the building. He was pretty adamant about that.

Joshua closes his eyes for a brief second and another sigh leaves him as Sabrina decides to burden him with the duty of warding off woukd be suitors. For the third day in this town, this is the second time he would have to play a faux hero to a situation. With his eyes closed, he seriously contemplates swindling the disgusting flesh sack of a human and offering to sell a night with the elf to the plaque ridden man. Eyes opening and refocusing on the man, he quickly comes to the realisation that the pockets andre probably quite empty on this man. Rising to a stand and draping his jacket upon the stool where he sat, the vampire then faces the unlikely Casanova, a darting glance over his shoulder to watch the departing Sabrina. The vampire then takes a casual stance, rarely one to take the first move on a situation he would not benefit from and simply sliding his hands into his pockets. He plays the part gifted to him as he warns the man in three simple words "She is mine." This is the moment he decides to let what he is show to those who watch, fangs sliding out and flashed as he grins to the man. In the inebriated state, the human believes himself a fair match for a monster who has watched generations be born and die, taking a clumsy swing for Joshua's jaw. It is caught in the suited man's hand before it's target is met, an inhumanly strong squeeze delivered to it and the snap of bones in poor 'Casanova's' hand is clearly heard. That is all the fight progresses to for the would-be-Romeo hangs up the metaphorical towel, heading outside to perhaps be healed by his Juliet, leaving Joshua with his drink and ruined newspaper.