RP:A Witch and a Warlock Walk Into a Bar...

Part of the And it Harm None Do What Ye Will Arc

Summary: Talyara decides to take advantage of some alone time by grabbing a drink at the Destrier. Little does she know that she will meet a kind stranger by the name of Thronnel who not only shares some physical similarities with the witch, but magical ones as well.

The Dancing Destrier

Thronnel had been in Hollow for a few weeks now, and was no closer to finding what he was searching for than when he got there. He had the distinct feeling that whenever he was getting close to finding a clue, it would slip through his fingers, or pass by just out of his sight. When the search grew too frustrating, he would close himself off in his room, crack open a dusty old tome, and research ancient spells. There was much potential yet to be tapped. Tonight, however, he had decided to neither read nor search. Instead, he decided to treat himself to a piece of a local favorite, this odd "cakelog" confection. And so it was that he was in the closest thing to a social setting that he had been for weeks.

Linn was out doing...whatever it was that Linn usually did. Bachias was out playing with Pinky and Stitch and Taly felt she deserved a little break. As of late, she hadn’t exactly felt herself and it was wearing on her as well as her relationship. Since her home was now in Xalious and she didn’t want to travel too far from Bachias, she had opted to go to the Dancing Destrier for a bit of a refreshment. Taly saunters into the tavern and offers a smile to the bartender before sliding into a vacant barstool. Her hair hung in loose chestnut curls down to her midback and she wore her usual leggings and long sleeved, v-necked shirt, as well as worn boots. “I’ll have an ale.”

Thronnel glanced up reflexively as someone wandered in, fork halfway to his mouth. He froze the moment he laid eyes on the girl. The shape of her face, the curl of her hair, the power she exuded... She was the spitting image of Kuruni! He put the fork down and rubbed his tired eyes. It couldn't be. After all this time? He looked again. No, it wasn't a trick of the light. It seemed his search was at an end. Slowly, he abandoned his sweet treat. He had dreamt of his moment for so long, had prepared for a million and one different scenarios. He would not waste this chance. He approached Talyara. "Excuse me, miss," he said smoothly, calmly, "Could I bother you for just a moment?"

Talyara was just lifting the glass of ale to her lips when the middle-aged man approached. She lowered it to the counter and turned her body to face him. She started slightly, something about him reminded her of that mean witch she had encountered several times up in Frostmaw. And his eyes...his eye eerily reminded Taly of her own. She reaches up her left hand, the one where part of her ring finger was missing, and tucks an errant lock of hair behind her tapered ear. When she does so, her sleeve falls down a bit and exposes half of the rune tattoo on the inside of her wrist. “Yes, sir?” She asks with a gentle smile.

Thronnel's eye caught the missing finger, and the tattoo. Was that the mark of Kuruni's coven? He wasn't so presumptuous as to take a seat next to her, though he did give her a disarming smile. "Upon my arrival here, I was told this village was the place to be for masters of magic. But I find that the guild stationed here is not quite what I'm looking for, in terms of fellow practitioners. I'm a warlock, er, a male witch, you see. I'm searching for others of a similar persuasion. My name is Thronnel."

Talyara bobs her head in understanding and chuckles softly. "Aye the guild in this town is not focused on natural magic." A look of surprise etches itself in her features when he speaks of being a male witch. "Oh!" she says, her smile a bit wider. "I'm a natural witch myself, my focus is on elemental magic." She extends a small hand out to the man. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Talyara, but everyone calls me Taly."

Whoop, there it is. All the confirmation Thronnel needed. His smile growing even wider, he shook her hand almost enthusiastically. "It seems today has been my lucky day. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Taly. Do tell me, are there many others like ourselves here? A young man informed me the other day that witches are not a common sight here, but perhaps you would know better. Is it too much to hope this young man was misinformed?"

Talyara chuckles. "Please, just Taly. And feel free to sit," she offers inclining her chin to the stool beside her. She chances a few gulps of her ale as he asks his questions. "Well there are a few of us. There is a witch out in Larket. There is me and there is my sister. But I don't know where that girl has gone now."

Thronnel thanked Taly lightly before taking a seat. He did a stupendous job of keeping the disappointment from his face when she said she didn't know where her sister was. Well, one out of two wasn't so bad. The other would come, in time. "I see. Perhaps I will journey to Larket, provided I can find it. I will need to check my maps." Another witch could come in handy, especially if Taly's sister remained missing.

Taly wrinkles her nose and quickly shakes her head. "You want to stay out of Larket right now. There is a fight with the fermin going on, I can't imagine it's safe. Definitely not something I want to get involved in," she adds as an afterthought. She drums her fingers on the counter before turning her emerald eyes up into the man's face. "So what brings you to Hollow?"

Thronnel hummed. Fermin, eh? He couldn't say he'd heard of them before. But, he was always looking to learn something new! "In that case, maybe I will stay here, at least until this nasty business is taken care of." Or maybe he'd go over and set some fermin on fire. Who could say! And then Taly asked the million dollar question. "My research," he answered. "I've heard a great many things about this land, and I hoped to study and learn its secrets. I may make my home here, actually. Despite some of the troubles I've been hearing about, Hollow has proven itself a lovely place."

Talyara bobs her head in understanding. "Yeah it's a pretty nice place." A beat, "I used to live up in Frostmaw with my boyfriend but we were run out by some xenophobic giants. They don't take too kindly to elves. They didn't care that I was only half-elf of course, or that my boyfriend is human." The witch sighs sadly. "Well, we're down here now and trying to make a home since ours was destroyed. Are you staying here in Xalious?"

Thronnel's eyes narrowed. Giants. Such savage brutes. "I see. I will be sure to avoid Frostmaw as well, then. I'm very sorry that happened to you." He would have rather heard about how she laid waste to the beasts who'd wronged her, but he would take 'homeless but unharmed' over 'dead' any day. "I am, actually. Here in the Destrier, in fact."

Talyara lifts her eyes to the ceiling above as if observing the rooms before lowering her gaze once more. She tents her elbow on the counter and cups her cheek in her palm. "Ah, well nothing wrong with that. I lived in Frostmaw tavern for quite a while. I've never stayed here though. Are the accommodations comfortable, at least?"

Thronnel nodded. "They are, though I would not call them luxurious. Homey is a better word, I feel. I have certainly lived in worse conditions, in my travels. A bedroll is no substitute for an actual bed."

Taly chuckles and lifts her glass to her full lips once more. "Indeed that is true. I have been sleeping in a makeshift bed for some time now. It's not bad, but I cannot wait to have a real bed once more."

Thronnel considered asking where she was living now, but feared that would scare her off. It was much too soon to ask such a thing, much too soon. "I do hope things turn around for you and your boyfriend." He'd have to meet this boyfriend of hers. Was he another mage, or perhaps a warrior? Would he be useful? Time would tell, he supposed.

Talyara turns to face the man again and smiles, bowing her head slightly. "Thank you. Hopefully things will get more normal soon." Taly chuckles at the thought--her and Linn were anything but normal. She would settle for normal for them. "He is a pretty positive guy and very determined. We'll figure it out."

Thronnel smiled softly. "I wish you the best of luck." Reluctantly, he stood. "I'm afraid I must return to my studies. I have been away from my books longer than intended. I do hope to meet you again, Taly."

Taly lifts her hand in a departing wave. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Thronnel," she counters with a smile. Tilting her head back, she downs the remainder of her ale and drops a few coins on the counter before she moves to leave the establishment.

Thronnel returned to his table to find that his cakelog had been pilfered. With a huff, he stalked off. It was probably too sweet anyway.