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Post by strixx-variaa on Mar 9, 2016 18:23:22 GMT -6
The ships were out today. Væna stood in the open doorway of her family's restaurant, taking just a moment's respite to look out across the sloping mountainside and the sickle-shaped bay at the tall white sails which seemed from this angle to touch the low-hanging clouds of mist still lingering over the water. It was good to see them, for they were a sign of healthy commerce flowing to and from Inaria, the little port towns (one of which she lived on the outskirts of), and the rest of the world. They were a sign of hungry customers and good business. Her father would be in a good mood today, she just knew it. Or, well, she hoped she knew it. It was a bit early for the lunchtime crowd, so Væna found herself in a restaurant with one customer, a merchant by the looks of her and certainly not a regular, and she was already munching away and so the tawny-cream restauranteur had a moment to herself. Indeed, her lone early diner had rather surprised Væna; she hadn't even written the daily special on the blackboard outside the front door yet. It was what she ought to be doing now, but her hold had slipped writing the second "c" in "coconut" (the first word of the special, no less) because the ships were out today. They hadn't been yesterday, and potentially may not be out tomorrow, if the weather was as bad then as it had been lately. Today they were blessed with a reprieve from the rains, and Væna was glad for it. Rain was good for her father's crops, and bad for her business. With a little shake of her head the mare forced her focus from the bay back onto her blackboard. The storefront was glassy with many windows, and a large wooden sign hung just over the door, jutting out into the lane a little. It was in the shape of an apple, and painted in shades of red, pink, yellow, and green like the particular strain the restaurant was named for. The words The Pink Lady were carved into the sign and painted over in a rich, dark brown. The chalk in her hold glowed softly pink, not unlike the color of her eyes, as she wrote. Today's Special:
Coconut curry soup with lions' mane mushroom and baked bean curd. Served with salad featuring local winter greens, sunflower sprouts, tomato, cucumber, croutons, and choice of dressing.
5cs Finished, the little mare admired her work and blew a strand of flyaway hair out of her face. She'd have to pack it back into her working braid before the lunch rush hit. Perfect.words: 447 tags: dayzea notes: closed thread for sal and væna's first meeting! set about a year ago (so either late 1698 or early 1699?) at the pink lady. ♥ (also i absolutely have a full menu planned for this meeting, so feel free to have him ask about it!) |
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Post by dayzea on Mar 9, 2016 20:58:07 GMT -6
Famished. Salvatore and his comrades had been in Aquore hardly an hour and all he could think about was how absolutely starving he was. It had been a long journey, indeed, and it was the young Iron Hoof's first time in the Land of the Sea. In all honesty, it was exactly as he predicted it to be. Incredibly hot, just like his home on Sedo, but not the dry sort of hot he was used to. It was fucking tropical and humid and the red stallion was sweating like a banshee. He was in absolute heaven.
The business the group of Seroran warriors had initially traveled to Aquore for in the first place was abruptly put on the back burner. Salvatore was so hungry he couldn't even think straight, and who dares do business on an empty stomach? The tall stallion stuck his nose in the air and deeply inhaled the humidity... with a hint of - wait, what is that? It was something sweet, something delicious that he had never smelled before. Salvatore's colleagues selected a restaurant on the main street to stop in at, yet the Iron Hoof wanted to do more adventuring, and he was already craving whatever the hell it was he was smelling. Perhaps it wasn't wise to leave his group on a continent so unfamiliar, and Sal's friends reminded him of that, but he assured them he would meet them back at that particular location within a few hours' time. With a nod from his friends he turned on his hoof and followed his strong sense of smell to the coast, where a small family restaurant sat on its perch.
He was beaming. He had never seen a building so precious in his life. Is that even a thing? Precious buildings? Well, this one sure was. He admired the foreign architecture as he approached the front door where a short tawny mare was writing on a blackboard. The breeze coming in from the bay was a refreshing cool from the humidity, and Salvatore's long black locks happily danced along with it.
He stopped just as the mare dropped her piece of chalk. How charming, he chuckled with a soft smile. He began his approach once more, trying to make his footsteps apparent on the wet stone walkway so not to startle the unicorn again.
Another inhale. Yes, this is the place that beautiful smell was coming from. "Good afternoon milady," the stallion said cheerfully with a grin, trying to get her attention. "Lovely place you got here. Smells divine too."
Words: 427
Tags: strixx-variaa
Etc: SO GLAD to finally get to RP with you strixx! Hope our children get along well <3 |
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Post by strixx-variaa on Mar 9, 2016 21:47:55 GMT -6
Once he got her attention, she almost had to crane her neck to look him in the eye, and it was this more than anything else that told Væna she'd never met him before. Sometimes an infrequent patron got offended when she forgot a name or a trade, but this one couldn't possibly be one of those -- she'd have remembered the effort it took just to see him. What's that thing people say when they want to be flippant? Flattery will get you everywhere? With his shining black-glass horn and his easy words, this newcomer was well on his way to getting everywhere with Væna. She didn't recognize him, but that didn't surprise her; for every regular patron she had ten she never saw more than once in her life, and most of them were merchants (or rogues) and knew their way around a person, socially speaking. He seemed no different from these in that respect, and so she neither suspected him to be different nor felt intimidated by his strangeness, and indeed allowed herself to be thoroughly charmed by his praise. And, too, it was refreshing to be thrust into an unexpected smile. After last year, after her father's sudden descent into bitter misery, Væna appreciated the banter more than either of them might ever know. The little mare couldn't help but laugh with pure, unadulterated cheer. " Tastes divine, if you come inside for a bite," she replied, a bright smile wide on her lips and light in her eyes. She gives as good as she gets, when she's happy. words: 261 tags: dayzea notes: i love the way you write! also like oh god i think i'm making her southern. :'D |
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Post by dayzea on Mar 9, 2016 22:12:55 GMT -6
With a glimmer in his blue eyes he silently accepted her invitation before glancing back at the blackboard she had just finished writing on. Coconut curry. Yes. He had had curry before, but coconut? Was that the sweetness he had been smelling? Salvatore hadn't ever tried coconut before so he wasn't certain. All he knew was that it definitely wasn't the salad. Regardless, he knew he was going to love whatever it was he'd choose to eat. That's just how hungry he was.
He motioned for the mare to lead the way inside. It was a quiet place, only one other mare in sight, but oh gods the decor. "How remarkable," he uttered, partially to himself as he turned his head to admire all the delightful nick nacks scattered around the restaurant. "They sure don't have restaurants like this where I'm from." Apparently Salvatore didn't mind being abrupt when it came to hinting the fact that he was foreign. One could say he was proud of where he came from, but it didn't mean he didn't appreciate Hireath's diversity. In fact, he was rather fascinated by it and the mare could likely already tell. He just hoped she wouldn't mind, and he couldn't help but think of how much his lady Io would adore it. She did love blue, and Aquore was definitely very blue. He smiled to himself at the thought of her.
"So, what's on the menu?" He asked with the same warm grin. "Special sounds stellar, but what are your favourites?" He shook his head. That's not how you introduce yourself you absolute mongrel. Gracious Savvy where are your manners? "Forgive me ma'am, I've failed to introduce myself. I'm Salvatore, I hail from the desert sands of Serora, and it is my utmost pleasure to make your acquaintance." The unicorn finished with a bow of his head before seating himself at the nearest table. Words: 317 Tags: strixx-variaaEtc: Oh lord Sal is so vain sometimes. He sits on his own high horse of pride I tell ya :'D |
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Post by strixx-variaa on Mar 9, 2016 23:37:25 GMT -6
"Well, Mister Salvatore from Serora," she said, thoroughly enjoying the highborn mannerisms they were both playing at (he was, playing, wasn't he?), "my name is Væna, and it is my very good pleasure to welcome you to The Pink Lady." The grin on her face threatened to split her cheeks. This was her kind of customer. Seemed good-natured, seemed entertaining, seemed hungry. Væna stood beside his table like a good little waitress (because it's true, she staffs every position at this restaurant except bookkeeper, because that's Ikran's lot and she doesn't need more conflict with her father right now) and looked conspicuously at the chalkboard above the bar, nailed down fast against the far wall so that all could see its proclamations. Which included the menu. "On our lunch menu today you'll find: a sautéed bean cake sandwich with housemade ruby sauerkraut, million island dressing, and melted mozzarella cheese on toasted rye bread; a black bean quinoa burger, made with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and stoneground mustard on toasted wheat bread; a sandwich of crispy panko fried bean curd dipped in spicy buffalo sauce, with lettuce and tomato on toasted oat bread; a falafel sandwich, with cucumbers, tomato, red onion, lettuce, and lemon tahini dressing in a whole wheat wrap; a sandwich of house-ground peanut butter, hot sauce, cucumbers, bell peppers, and cilantro on toasted multigrain bread; sharp yellow cheese in a whole wheat or a corn tortilla, topped with salsa, and sour cream, served with beans and rice on the side (which might be close to your home tastes); a salad of winter greens topped with house made croutons and seasonal vegetables (which at present include beets, butternut, and acorn squash), topped with bean cake or curd, and choice of house dressing; and blackened bean curd, lettuce, tomato, and spicy cream sauce on toasted wheat bread (my personal favorite)." And if she'd done it all in one breath it'd be a fucking miracle, but she didn't, even though it may have sounded like she did. She'd never been more tickled to state her menu. "Any of that pique your interest, sir?" words: 352 tags: dayzea notes: haha it's all good, i love him already! (also i'll be away lots of tomorrow at the beach, but i'll be back tomorrow night to post. just so you're not wondering where i am!) ♥ |
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Post by dayzea on Mar 10, 2016 9:20:47 GMT -6
To Salvatore, it was refreshing to receive such a warm welcome from Væna, despite having been warned prior to his departure of how unwelcoming the Talori were of Serorans. Even after introducing himself as a child of Alya the mare didn't even flinch and it made his smile slowly grow wider. And even if she had suddenly grown cold after his introduction, his attitude would not have changed. He was here on important business and he would not have it ruined by confrontation only to be promptly thrown out of Aquore. Regardless, Væna didn't seem the judgmental type and he could tell right off the bat. He was just well prepared. The Iron Hoof listened quietly and nodded along as she spoke the words of her menu. Everything sounded so exotic and delicious, he honestly wanted to try a little bit of it all. His eyes wandered around the restaurant trying to find where she was pulling all of this information from. It seemed as though she had it memorized. His eyes finally found everything written down above the bar, but no matter - he would have rather heard it from her anyway. It was keeping the conversation going. To be frank he hadn't even heard of a number of things she was listing and it fascinated him all the more. Aquore wasn't all that far from Sedo - only a few days' ship ride away - yet everything was just so wonderfully different. He had already decided what he would have before she even finished stating her menu, but he allowed her to recite it in its entirety anyway. "Excellent. I'd love to try out that falafel sandwich. Oh, and just a water to drink. Perhaps I will come by later this evening with my mates for something a little stronger." He winked, followed by a brief pause as he glanced back up at the chalkboard. "All your ingredients are harvested locally, yes?" He inquired, even though he assumed so, but was curious anyway. The Talori really seemed to thrive, definitely not like it was back home where some of the simplest greens were hard to come by at times. His eyes fell back onto hers before glancing up at her intricately carved horn; just another of the millions of things to be captivated by. Not to mention how amused he was at the fact that he was still taller than her, even when seated. Words: 406 Tags: strixx-variaa Etc: Gosh, hope you have fun at the beach! It's still so chilly up here in Canada, I envy you! |
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Post by strixx-variaa on Mar 10, 2016 21:51:26 GMT -6
"Yes, sir!" Væna replied over her shoulder as she made her way back behind the bar. With a glow of soft pink telekinesis the slim-ankled chef found a frosted glass from the imbued coolers and filled it with pure, cold Aquorian mountain spring-water from a fount. "My father grows and gathers most of everything I use here," she continued, making her way back across the room to place the glass on his table. "We trade for the rest, like some of the import brews and spices." And now she was on her way back behind the bar again, and through another set of low half-doors to the kitchen on the other side of that wall. "You want something to munch on while you wait?" called Væna, feeling quite at her leisure with only two customers to cater to and only one order up. "It'll take me a minute to fry these up, but -- hey, you said you have friends in town?" It was in this moment that Væna utterly failed her herd, and her father (thank goodness he was neither in the room nor likely on the homestead): it did not occur to her for even a moment that Mister Salvatore-from-Serora's friends might likely not be Talorian at all, or might very likely not be the sort of Talorian a good citizen such as herself ought to be associating with, or might very very likely be even more Serorans (come to Aquore for some reason she could never fathom outside children's storybooks and political news). Popping her head through a large, flat-bottomed oval opening in the wall between the kitchen and the bar which had been used as a pass when The Pink Lady had employed more than one person, Væna addressed her newest acquaintance with a look of mock reproach on her face. "You wouldn't happen to be here alone because your friends happen to be regulars who owe me a bar tab, would you?" words: 327 tags: dayzea notes: it was awesome. a bit too windy to be really perfect, but we had a good time. reminds me why i like aquore. xD |
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Post by dayzea on Mar 11, 2016 8:10:56 GMT -6
"Quite the contrary ma'am," he chuckled; his friends definitely did seem the type to do such a thing. Salvatore, though? It was preposterous to him. "My associates and I are all here on business for the sultan. Only one out of the group has actually been to Aquore before, so you'll have to ask him," he said while giving her a playful smile. "They aren't far from here. They wanted to stick to the restaurants a few miles back at the harbour... it's been a long journey for us and they wanted food as quick as possible. There's still a day-or-so before we reach Inaria. I know, I know... I should probably be with them. Who knows what could happen. Your food just smelled too good for me to say no. And I've a good sense of direction, so there's no getting lost. My training demands it."" He wasn't bragging, no. He was being far too honest.
Salvatore converted his gaze from Væna to the other lone customer in the restaurant, who was now looking up from her plate and directly at him with hooded eyes. What...? Was it something I said? He kept the question to himself and instead gave the woman an awkward half-smirk. A hazy black glow of telekinesis picked up the glass of water in front of him and he raised it to his mouth to take a sip. "Damn, that's crisp," he uttered mostly to himself. The water tasted as if it had been filtered by Cascade herself. He could have downed the entire glass right there, but he decided he'd better savour it. Not like there wasn't more where it came from, more-so the fact that he wanted to seem like a conservative gentleman.
"So, does your father happen to be around? Is he the 'official' owner or might that be you? Regardless, it's a fantastic place. Would love to come by more often; unfortunately it's complicated. Still, surprised it's not busier."
Words: 328 Etc: I totally thought I had derped in my first post by saying Salvatore walked all the way from Sedo to Aquore LOL. That really would have been an adventure but thankfully I didn't specify. I totally forgot about the Barrier Mountains, it would have been one heck of time trying to navigate those. :'D We'll just stick with the concept of sailing across the Southern Gulf (perhaps from the coast to the east of Osuals down to that little bay directly below the wilds on the west coast of Aquore. Then a loooong hike up to Inaria. Poor Serorans). <3 |
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Post by strixx-variaa on Mar 17, 2016 19:27:54 GMT -6
Væna laughed as she cooked, dropping balls of chickpeas minced and mashed together with onion, garlic, and about six different spices into a pot of hot oil. The sizzle of the frying falafel punctuated her reply. "Well, you are early in my day, and most folk around here stay out working until supper anyways." This was almost like having Farsight over for lunch, except she hadn't known this fellow for six minutes (let alone six years) and she felt confident that he could never, in any sense of the word, feel like a 'little' brother to her. Still, it was thanks to Farsight's friendship that Væna had more or less mastered the useful dual occupations of cooking and conversing at the same time, and she didn't feel particularly pressured by the ever-browning crust on her falafel or the stranger in the other room. This was what she did best, after all, and if there were anyplace she'd prefer to be, any job she'd prefer to do, this was it on both counts. With a flash of silver and a rosy hint of her unique hold, one of Væna's sharp cutting knives flew from the ranks of its fellows and to her side. With a speed which comes only with long years of practice, and a degree of care which comes only from loving one's work, the little mare cut generous slices of tomato, thin, crunchy slices of cucumber, and a crisp section of red onion to add to Mister Salvatore's sandwich. With an eye on the bobbing, sizzling falafel Væna whipped together the ingredients for the dressing. "You guys ambassadors, then?" she called through the partition as she worked. Her own Emperor was a just leader and did not hesitate to mingle with the common folk when the right opportunity presented itself, but meeting him (or even seeing his face in the flesh) was still such a rare occurrence for someone of Væna's social stature that hearing Salvatore drop the title of the Seroran leader so casually in conversation piqued her interest. words: 342 tags: dayzea notes: i am SO sorry for the abhorrent lateness of this reply! not having a word-friendly week i'm afraid :( edited to correct a grammar fault! |
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Post by dayzea on Mar 22, 2016 7:49:57 GMT -6
"Not quite, ma'am," the bay stallion replied with a slight squeak in his voice that didn't want to have to correct her. "Iron Hooves. The Sultan's personal guard, if you will." Salvatore shrugged. He was indeed proud of his rank, it was more so the fact that he didn't like to make himself sound too high and mighty. With a raised brow he chuckled slightly to himself, and when he spoke once again his voice was slightly raised so Væna could hear him over the sizzling falafel. "Indeed we are doing quite the opposite of what our occupation demands by being on Talorian land." He let out a sigh in assumption that the tiny Arabian mare would understand that the sultan would send only his most trusted guardians to travel to lest-trusted territories to do his dirty work, so to speak. With his hazy grip he picked up a piece of silverware off of the table in front of him and tapped it on the wooden surface. The impulse was equally out of impatience and the discomfort he felt beneath the unpleasant of the other mare in the restaurant. Seriously, it'd been a good five minutes and she hadn't stopped staring. He had hoped Væna would come out of the kitchen soon and block the path of her piercing eyes. As he waited, he paid the mare another sweet smile and gave her an awkward wave. At the back of his mind, he had to convince himself that she thought he was so utterly goodlooking that she simply did not have the capacity to return her gaze to her own pate. His tapping grew faster to match the timing of Væna's immaculate chopping skills, and he reverted his eyes back through the window where she stood and he focused on the blur of the knife's rapid movements. "Heavens, where'd you learn to do that?" The stallion laughed, assuming that many years in her trade would have taught her well enough. He had to say something to break the tension. Words: 339 Tags: strixx-variaaEtc: Don't worry, I feel you! I'm having the same problem this week. My pup managed to crack open the incision from his surgery and my eyes have been on him 24/7 these past few days. |
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Post by strixx-variaa on Mar 22, 2016 9:24:53 GMT -6
"Oh, just practice," said Væna lightly, bustling out of the kitchen with his plate in her hold. There was that easy smile on her face now, but it had faltered for a moment behind the partition. She wasn't well-versed in global affairs, and never really had need to be, but she'd heard of the Seroran Iron Hooves -- and even if she hadn't, he'd just flat-out told her that he was part of an elite military unit. Ambassadors were one thing, you know; sending diplomats around the world was a way to sort of peacefully negotiate potential conflicts and send messages without having to resort to war. Talorians didn't have to trust Serorans, but there was no reason not to at least try to trust a Seroran ambassador, if you catch my meaning. Everyone's trying for the best outcome, you know? And the Talori are a peace-loving people, so much so that their aversion to international conflict is what sparked their schism with the Serorans in the first place. But the military scares her. Oh, Væna loves her own Talori Guardians, and looks up to them, and respects them, but they're lawmen. They're peacekeeping troops. They're different, aren't they? And so it was as she carefully fished the cooked falafel out of the deep-fryer, laid them gently upon their bed of veggies, ladled a bit of tangy lemon tahini dressing over top of it, and folded all of it into a dark, hearty-colored wrap that Væna for the first time experienced mistrust of an outsider. It was slow in coming, because he was just so darned nice, but now she couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said. What kind of elite military mission forced the Sultan to send his own personal guard abroad, and into territory where his god's blood-people were actively disliked by the state? Quite the opposite.But now he was here and his food was cooked, and she wasn't about to refuse service to a member of a special operations taskforce, if for no other reason than her own personal safety. She normally wouldn't bother her father with accounts of her out-of-the-norm customers, and in this case she'd resolved upon first hearing he was Seroran to not tell Ikran about Mister Salvatore, but maybe... maybe it would be wiser in this case to give her father the heads-up. Or maybe she was being a stupid cow and there was a perfectly legitimate reason why the Seroran Iron Hooves were in her little port town for lunch. So, with her heart beating rather faster than it had been before, and that easy smile held rather uneasily on her face, Væna slid Mister Salvatore's plate onto his table and stood back. "Now you let me know how you like that. The fried potatoes on the side were only dug up this morning!" words: 472 tags: dayzea notes: oh my god is he okay?? that's so worrisome :( |
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Post by dayzea on Mar 27, 2016 17:25:55 GMT -6
Piping hot. That was just how he liked... well, everything. As Salvatore's hazy black grasp raised the falafel sandwich from the ceramic plate in front of him to his watery maw, he knew he was in heaven. As soon as the crispy chickpea patty hit his taste buds his eyes rolled back into his head as if he hadn't tasted the likes of food in a month. It surely felt like it, anyway - he hadn't had a proper meal in over a week to say the least. He munched away with his eyelids pressed shut whilst embracing the zesty kick of the lemon dressing it was coated in. Not overpowering, but just a hint of juicy flavour. Without even taking a peek to aim, Salvatore raised his fork to pick up a few of the potatoes on the side that she had mentioned and sliding them into his mouth before even giving himself the opportunity to swallow. Absolutely divine.It was easy to say that while the Iron Hoof had consumed plenty hearty meals in his lifetime, it was often the same stuff due in part to Sedo's short and rather limited supply being in the sandy desert. But in an honest matter, this was one of the most delicious plates he had ever tried, and it was just a simple lunch. Finally, Salvatore came back down to Earth and opened his delighted eyes. He glanced over at Væna and gave her an assuring smile. "I must say, Master Væna," he finally spoke up. "You've got some mighty fine culinary skills if I've ever seen some," and he looked back to his plate to take another hefty bite out of his wrap. With a quick glance back in her direction, he pricked an ear and couldn't help but make note of how much more... tense she looked since going into the kitchen. She was smiling, but there was something amiss. He gave her another reassuring smile as he swallowed his second bite. "Assure your father I said the same."Words: 341 Tags: strixx-variaaEtc: He's doing much better now, the antibiotics definitely helped him through the week it took for the wound to heal. And sorry, I feel like I'm not progressing much, but I fee that Salvatore, being on a territory that he knows isn't too fond of his nationality as it is, wouldn't want to provoke too much :'D |
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Post by strixx-variaa on Mar 30, 2016 12:39:07 GMT -6
So was this a subtle warning? Some cryptic assurance that he -- that he what, exactly? That he knew any Talorian with half a brain would tell her herdmates about his unit's visit? That he knew word would get out, that he didn't mind word would get out, and that he was utterly unfazed by the prospect of word getting out? Was assure your father the diplomatic wordplay-swordplay way of telling her our objective is no secret? And if it was, what was she supposed to make of it? Væna didn't walk in the same circles she imagined he might; she was utterly inexperienced with this sort of thing, and felt very acutely the astronomical margin by which she was outclassed. If he wanted to, she was certain he could spin a web of words so complex she'd be trapped like the analogous fly. If he was giving her permission (or an order?) to spread news of his unit's arrival, then was he doing it out of malice or out of goodwill? Was it the threat of an oncoming storm, or the promise to further international relations? Væna was lost, but only for a moment. All implications of the scenario flashed through her brain in the span of a moment, and granted, that may have been because she was so lost and therefore could not comprehend all true possible implications, but nevertheless her analysis was instantaneous. Give him the benefit of the doubt.Because Væna knew him first as Mister Salvatore from Serora, a charming, friendly sort of person, and the way he spoke now was free of the film of grease one could often hear coating the words of an insidious speaker. In her vast naivete, Væna decided she must trust this intuition. She must trust him, at least until given evidence that she oughtn't. So she swallowed those bitter worries, and everyone knows equine throats don't let what's been swallowed be regurgitated. "Well thank you, sir; I will!" she replied with a laugh in her voice. "I make desserts, too." And it was as she winked at him ( a sale is a sale) and made her way back to the bar that the first of her normal lunch crowd began to trickle in, and for a few minutes she was occupied by their business. words: 385 tags: dayzea notes: oh yeah dude that's absolutely fine, i totally get it! i'd want to keep a low profile too if i were in his place. ^^; and i'm glad the puppy's feeling better! those poor little babes ♥ btw if you wanna make a ruckus with the mare who's overheard their convo, go right ahead! i'm up for whatever :D |
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Post by dayzea on Jun 8, 2016 14:37:02 GMT -6
"Well thank you, sir; I will! I make desserts, too."
The Iron Hoof gave the tiny unicorn a friendly wink just as she turned on her hoof to greet her other customers, and took advantage of his lonesome by woofing back another bite of his crispy sandwich and washing it down with a slightly more graceful sip of his water.
He decided that for the time being it would be wisest to act like he didn't realize the damned mare sitting a few tables ahead of him wasn't still staring. By the gods, he knew he was an attractive, undoubtedly muscular man, and that most women simply couldn't help but gawk, but that's not what she was doing. She was utterly glaring. The sheer nerve. Salvatore recalled she hadn't taken her eyes off him for even a second, and he didn't have to hold a staring contest to understand it. If the Marwari was in her position he surely wouldn't be making it that obvious. Hell, he probably would have made his attention so low-key that they wouldn't have realized he looked over at all. That's when it finally clicked in his head that she likely wanted him to notice, and he was sure she knew he had seen her.
Remaining in silence, he picked up his fork and chowed down a few more potatoes. He felt eyes burning into his forehead as if that was their occupation, so he set his fork down and looked the mare straight in the eyes. He kept his expression gentle and welcoming, and spoke to her just loud enough to be heard over the crowd. "Something on my face, ma'am?" He gave her a smile. Jokingly, he raised his brows and brought forth an expression of shock. "Did I miss a spot shaving, again?" And just like that the women got up from her seat, put a pile of money on the table to pay for her meal and stormed out of the building so fast you'd think she'd gone into labour.
"Hmm. This ought to be good," he rolled his eyes and took a sip of his water, glancing at the door here and there, expecting law enforcement to bust in at any moment after him as if he were a wanted fugitive. Words: 381 Tags: strixx-variaa etc: Alas! I have returned! I feel bloody awful given the fact that I've continuously told you "I should have a reply up in a couple of days!" And here I am, over a month later. Forgive me! I should be rather punctual in my replies here on out. Glad to get back in the swing of things! And sorry for the shoddy reply, I hope it's sufficient. |
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Post by strixx-variaa on Jun 14, 2016 20:37:26 GMT -6
He didn't look stupid. Eyeing the way her remaining patrons were eyeing him, Væna sighed. She wanted to tell him that his trip in Aquore would be so much easier on him if he wasn't quite so loud about his origins or his friends in high places. I mean, he was a unicorn for gods' sakes -- it's not like they're rare in Aquore, and it's not like he'd arrived onto Talorian shores with wings a-blazin'. He could totally pass for a native if he just kept his mouth shut. Not a lot to lose in keeping your mouth shut, her Aunt Doll used to say. It's not like he was stupid; surely the Sultan of Serora herd didn't let idiots onto his personal guard. And it was clear that he didn't care who knew where he was from or what his profession was, so why should she think that he hadn't heard all this before? That he hadn't been told all this before he even left Sedo? That he wasn't thinking about this right now? But then maybe he was a bit like her little brother, or like Farsight, and didn't quite know where to draw the line when folks were looking at him. And why did she want to help him? Why did she want to give him any advice at all? If he was being so cavalier about his business on the peninsula, didn't that mean that he was confident in his own power here? Wasn't that something she ought to worry about, that Serorans felt like they had enough clout in Aquore to stir up trouble without blinking an eye? The conversation around the bar was more muted now, as confused patrons kept shooting furtive glances at the tall unicorn in the back, wondering what he'd done to piss off an old lady before lunchtime. Bustling around the dining room, Væna revisited Mister Salvatore's table under the pretext of refilling his water glass. (It was an unnecessary occupation.) "Look," she muttered under her breath, fighting the clawing feeling in the pit of her gut, "I don't want any trouble." She looked him dead in the eye, and though her own gaze conveyed her uncertainty, the unspoken question was clear. Are you going to give me any?words: 379 tags: dayzea notes: ♥ |
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Post by dayzea on Jun 15, 2016 12:13:10 GMT -6
And just like that, the Iron Hoof felt himself trembling with concern.
He and his colleagues were in territory that was not their own for serious work, and suddenly Salvatore realized he may have fucked it up royally.
Hiding his thoughts behind a cool expression, Salvatore shrugged and continued his meal. He decided that given the scene that just panned out, it would be best to ignore the rest of the restaurant patrons that were now staring at him as opposed to making a smartass remark. Unfortunately, he was the type who had a hard time holding back, especially when people provoked him, and it took all he had to eat his meal as if nothing just happened. Every few seconds, he glanced out the window to make sure the entire Talori guard weren't coming in after him. He could certainly be demoted if he and his coworkers were thrown out of the country without having even spoken with its council, which was what he was here to do. And if his coworkers were here, perhaps they would be the ones beating the shit out of him. He cringed at the thought, it was certainly a lesson learned, and there was a lot left to it.
Salvatore shot his attention back on Væna, who was returning to his table with that graceful walk that was clearly natural for her, despite the obvious look of concern on her face.
"Look, I don't want any trouble."
The red stallion stared at her for a solid twenty seconds as he felt his throat sink into his stomach.
"Undoubtedly." Salvatore broke the eye contact and stared at his plate, which was only half empty. But suddenly, he wasn't hungry anymore. He looked back at the unicorn mare, keeping his voice low enough for only Væna to hear as all the other guests returned to their own conversations. "I'm sure you know it wasn't in my intentions to cause any. Given where I'm from I should be on my best behaviour as it is. Please, excuse that ridiculous comment." He shook his head as he paused again. Honestly, he couldn't resist, but he wasn't about to tell her that. "I understand completely if you're thinking of throwing me out; don't want to say anything much more stupid than that."
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Post by strixx-variaa on Jun 29, 2016 15:41:26 GMT -6
Væna relaxed a little, relieved by his response. "I couldn't throw you two inches if I tried," she told him, the joke apparent in her voice. Her tone made it clear that she had no intention of evicting him from her premises. One of her regulars, a sailor, shot the little tawny mare a questioning look from his place at the bar. What's the deal with that one? she could imagine him saying. Granted, he was the only person not trying to hide his sideways glances, but they were all doing it now -- and with no sign of her siblings, Væna had to figure out a way to manage the room by herself during the lunch rush. Avoiding the sailor's eyes, Væna swept up her water-pitcher and said to Mister Salvatore as she bustled away to cook, "Though maybe your friends are missing you." That was all she had time to say before her lunch patrons demanded her attention, and before long the little mare was occupied by seating her guests, fetching beverages, and taking orders. Days like this, where she needed to work The Pink Lady all by herself, were the reason why that big window between the kitchen and the dining room existed. Days like this, she needed to keep an eye on things. Big, tall, Seroran things. words: 220 tags: dayzea notes: d'you wanna end this here (or soon)? i have a couple ideas for future things, maybe, if you want to skype! :D |
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Post by dayzea on Jun 30, 2016 17:22:27 GMT -6
The red stallion couldn't help but laugh at his acquaintance's quirky joke. He gave her a nod as if to gesture "I'll give you that one," as he continued to ponder the hell that commence if he didn't get out of there immediately, even if the other mare hadn't run for authorities and simply couldn't handle Salvatore's existence any longer.
"Indeed, they surely are," he admitted as he quickly worked away to clean off his plate. Silently he wondered what the first impression he made was like in Væna's eyes. He was genuinely trying to be on his best behaviour for the mare, being in totally different country and all... but perhaps he got too comfortable too quickly, and the thought of her disliking him made the Iron Hoof cringe. Sure, it wasn't as if she were a member of the Talorian council, who he really needed to earn the likes (or at least a minor amount of trust) of, but he was smart enough to know that being a smartass, especially with people who might react opposite of how he envisioned, wasn't the wisest idea.
And besides, Salvatore was beginning to like the mushroom coloured mare, even if they hadn't known each other for long. He could only hope that all of the horses he were to meet on his journey were as warm-hearted and welcoming as Væna.
The tall stallion rose from his chair and from his satchel he pulled a crystal shard pouch. He returned to the bar where Væna poured her guests' drinks and handed payment for his meal directly to her.
"Alas," he uttered to her softly before draping his silk black cloak over his head. "I should be making my return about now, fair Væna. Perhaps I will pay another visit on my way home." Salvatore gave her a gentle smile and turned on his hoof toward the door. Over his shoulder he called to her once more, his hood blocked his view of the mare, though he could still see her in his mind.
"I do hope our story does not end here."
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Tags: strixx-variaa
Etc: Fin! I hope I ended it okay, though I couldn't imagine it any other way, lol. Feel free to shoot me a note over on DA and I'll add you on skype, whenever you wanna discuss another plot. I loved RPing with you strixx! |
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