DUCK AND COVER!

[Christine]

Deneira looked around as she and Aran stood in front of a door. “The Gold Duck†was the name of the tavern. She looked at Aran, and he gave her a wink, then walked in. She quickly followed behind. It was a large tavern, no rooms attached, just a restaurant and bar, more of sorts. There was musicians at the front of the room, and it was already about halfway full. She saw soldiers and merchants, along with a few important look people and a few townsfolk. This was the type of place she liked- it didn’t matter who you were, everyone was welcome in this tavern.

 

A large man with a white apron on bustled up to them, and asked, â€Table or bar?†They both glanced at the bar. It was almost completely full, with a load of drunks and a few soldiers standing around it. She didn’t know which to say, as there was a table in the back corner available, but Aran spoke for her. â€How about that table back there?†He pointed to the back table, and the man nodded, taking them to it.

 

They got a few looks from people, and Deneira didn’t know anyone. This was obviously not somewhere that the warders or tower guards went to drink. That was a good thing- maybe this way they wouldn’t get caught. Aran had taken her out that day to teach her about bar fights. She wasn’t nervous about the fight itself- just the fact that they could get caught by someone, and their lives would be over.

 

They sat down to the table, and Deneira looked around. There was a table of merchants to their left, no guards around them. Soldiers were in front of them, but they looked so drunk, they couldn’t fight. The bar was filled with locals, and two tables ahead were most certainly some nobles. Beside them was another table of merchants, these with only one guard. Now who would they pick on this time?

[Wayfarer]

"Thanks, wait up a moment."

 

Getting the serving wench, who was incidentally quite attractive in a way that other women would describe as 'obvious', Aran took both the drinks and handed one of them to Deneira. "We're going to start off with finishing these drinks, right now. One hit, you do not stop regardless."

 

Deniera sat there and waited while he talked to the girl, and took a drink quickly. They sat there for a while, and before she knew it, her drink was gone. The musicians were taking a break, and she glanced at Aran, who was just sitting there smiling. "What? Arent you gonna teach me anything?"

 

Raising an eyebrow at her, Aran's smile broke into a grin. "I could teach you alot of things, but you're a little young for most of that. You will learn something today, just let me get another round."

 

A couple of more drinks sitting infront of them, Aran threw back the second drink with equal ease and sent for a third while Dene was free to nurse hers. "Whenever you travel, you'll end up staying in a variety of inns and taverns. Barfights, while not frequent, aren't uncommon either. So, today you're going to learn the finer points of a bar brawl."

 

Deniera was finishing the last gulp of her ale when he uttered the last sentence. She almost spit it out, and started laughing. He looked at her questioning, and she gasped out, "There is finer points to bar brawls? Please, Aran dear, you have to be joking me. And most of what you could teach me, I already know!" She gave him a wink.

 

Out of all of her male friends, Aran was the only one she wouldn't try anything with. He had a crazy mind, just like her, so if she even attempted to be sly around him, he would turn out to be five steps and two pranks ahead of her. Light, if he was getting her into a brawl fight, she hoped he remembered his way out!

 

Aran chuckled "ah, the confidence of youth. You're truly lucky to have me as your guide." Taking the third drink as it was handed to him, Aran gave his thanks to the serving wench before turning back to Dene.

 

"First thing you need to do is learn to evaluate a bar. Look around and see who is who. Of course you're looking at who's drunk and not. At the same time there are other things to look at. Who is grouped with who, and where they are. People who keep to the walls are worth watching for example, they know to have something to keep their back against."

 

Deniera looked around the room as she sipped at her drink. She had already identified who was in the room, but not what was going on. The merchants also had their table against the wall, but there was drunks behind them. Perhaps they didnt find the drunks competition.

 

There were guards to the front, watching over the room and the table of nobles. So, there were men that would not fight, and were protected by others. The soldiers were all pretty large, but were all pretty drunk. She didnt want to get into a fight with one of them, because one blow could knock her out. The last table with anyone at it looked pretty calm, as they were eating and talking. Even the guard was drinking. Perhaps they felt safe, because a drunken guard wasnt always the best idea.

 

She looked at Aran, then spoke. "Well, the nobles I won't mess with because of their guards. These tables to our left look like they are pretty comfortable, as is those merchants up there. And the soldiers, i would avoid, merely because they are almost ten times bigger than me. That what you wanted?" She took the last sip of her drink, and waited for another one.

 

"Its a start." Taking a swig of his drink, Aran was starting to get that nice buzz which came after downing a couple. "There are also commonly accepted rules for this sort of thing. Never pull a knife out during a bar brawl unless you absolutely have to in order to save yourself. Brawls are meant to be that, brawls, when you pull out blades it becomes a whole different matter, and no one will like you for it."

 

"Thats for a place like this though, you'll come across others, especially hells, where its standard practice. Still, if you can avoid it, do so. A chair leg is usually better anyway. Also, try to keep away from the centre of a fight unless you have to help someone out. Too many fists and people, you can't keep track of them all. Along the walls is best, though don't get in a corner, you can be left with nowhere to go real quick."

 

Deniera felt another drink land in her hand, and she took another sip. She glanced around the room, and saw the bar. Glancing at him, she winked and laughed, saying, "I have a feeling the only way we are getting out of this corner is jumping over tables and running over the bar."

 

She took another look around, and sighed. “We really are in the back corner, aren’t we. Well, next time, how about we sit somewhere closer to a door?†He laughed, and she glanced back around the room. A few of the drunks at the bar had left, leaving the room a little less loud. “So, what now?â€

 

"Hah! Now thats a good example of what not to do. Going over tables and bars during a barfight is plain stupidity. You're a target above everyone else, invitation to have a bottle thrown your way." Finishing his drink, Aran grinned at her. "Now that we've covered some basics, you ready to learn the most foolproof way to start a barfight?"

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

 

Deniera

Trainee (And annoying wench who makes me edit posts :D)

[Christine]

She looked at him and around the tilted room, then looked back at him. Why did she have to drink so much already? Couldnt he have let her be sober for this one... "Alright, fine, start a fight then."

 

Grinning at Dene, Aran stood from the table. "Watch and learn."

 

Wandering over to a table of soldiers he'd already picked out, Aran tapped the man on the shoulder with one of his more impudent grins and a silver in hand which he flicked to the soldier whose attention he'd claimed. "For your mother, I didn't have any coin on me last night, give it to her for me will you?"

 

He'd prepared himself to take the blow as the man decided to restore his mother's honour. Reeling from the punch, Aran crashed into a nearby table, sending food and drink everywhere. Not that there was any need for fear, the people at the table he'd just wrecked decided the soldier who punched him was at fault. Even as the guards of the inn began to make their way, more people were drawn in to help their friends, and soon enough, the brawl had begun.

 

Appearing out of the crowd with a shiner that'd take a bit to heal, Aran grinned at Dene. "Well, here's your test. Survive this until order is restored, speaking of which." Grabbing her, he gave her a good shove into the nearest person who wasn't occupied.

 

Deniera watched in horror as Aran tossed a coin at a soldier, and talked about his mother. She gasped as he flew across the room, and next thing she knew, people were throwing punches. Some how, Aran ended up beside her, and she was pushed into the fight. She ducked the first punch, then returned with a punch, and half crawled her way back to the wall, then over to Aran, who was laughing. "That wasn't nice!" she said, then ducked as someone came flying at them.

 

She pointed over to a side door, presumably to the kitchen, and yelled, "Over there!" Someone else came at him, the original soldier, and he was pushed into Deneira. She merely punched him hard once, and he fell to the ground. She looked at him, then at the crowd, and ran to the door.

 

 

Deniera l'Spada

Trainee

 

Aran

Tower Guard

 

*objects to that, because Aran is an annoying idiot that cannot get posts right the first time!*

[Christine]

She looked at him and around the tilted room, then looked back at him. Why did she have to drink so much already? Couldnt he have let her be sober for this one... "Alright, fine, start a fight then."

 

Grinning at Dene, Aran stood from the table. "Watch and learn." Wandering over to a table of soldiers he'd already picked out, Aran tapped the man on the shoulder with one of his more impudent grins and a silver in hand which he flicked to the soldier whose attention he'd claimed. "For your mother, I didn't have any coin on me last night, give it to her for me will you?"

 

He'd prepared himself to take the blow as the man decided to restore his mother's honour. Reeling from the punch, Aran crashed into a nearby table, sending food and drink everywhere. Not that there was any need for fear, the people at the table he'd just wrecked decided the soldier who punched him was at fault. Even as the guards of the inn began to make their way, more people were drawn in to help their friends, and soon enough, the brawl had begun.

 

Appearing out of the crowd with a shiner that'd take a bit to heal, Aran grinned at Dene. "Well, here's your test. Survive this until order is restored, speaking of which." Grabbing her, he gave her a good shove into the nearest person who wasn't occupied.

 

Deneira watched in horror as Aran tossed a coin at a soldier, and talked about his mother. She gasped as he flew across the room, and next thing she knew, people were throwing punches. Some how, Aran ended up beside her, and she was pushed into the fight.

 

She ducked the first punch, then returned with a punch, and half crawled her way back to the wall, then over to Aran, who was laughing. "That wasn't nice!" she said, then ducked as someone came flying at them. She pointed over to a side door, presumably to the kitchen, and yelled, "Over there!" Someone else came at him, the original soldier, and he was pushed into Deneira. She merely punched him hard once, and he fell to the ground. She looked at him, then at the crowd, and ran to the door.

 

 

Aran

Nasty Tower Guard (that is a dumba$$)

 

Deneira

Scared Trainee (that isnt a wench)

[Wayfarer]

She had the right idea, Aran gave her that much. Instead of trying to be a bit of a hero she was making a beeline for that door. He flirted with the idea of catching her and throwing her back into the fight again, but she was already demonstrating a good deal of common sense. The sort of common sense that most people who trained on the yards seemed to possess, which would be the sense to avoid a fight when its unecessary.

 

Meeting her outside, as she had managed to successfully avoid any contact with other brawlers, Aran grinned at her. "You've done well, cept there is one problem."

 

She looked a little puzzled, then whirled as she heard footsteps behind her. Laughing as she saw a young lad running away from her, Aran pointed to her belt. "Looks like you're missing something, you'd better go get it."

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

[Christine]

Deneira was glad to be out of the mess, and even Aran seemed pleased. She felt a little dazed with the alcohol in her and the roar of the fight, but at least she was fine and hadn’t broken anything. Aran looked like he might have been punched once, but if she knew him, he had gotten in a few more punches. The stood out front, and Aran had to stop her happiness. "You've done well, cept there is one problem."

 

A problem? She didn’t know what it was. She heard footsteps behind her, then someone brushed by. A lad, couldn’t have been older than ten. She didn’t understand, and when she looked at Aran, he pointed at her belt. LIGHT! her belt purse was gone! "Looks like you're missing something, you'd better go get it."

 

She glared at Aran, furious. He had to have planned this, she knew it, but what was she to do? Glaring at him, she turned and chased after the boy. “You, boy, stop right now and give that back!†Why did this have to happen to her? It was a hot day, and she ran as fast as she could. There wasn’t many people around, but they still watched her go, some laughing, some shaking their heads. They all knew a tower trainee when they saw one.

 

She kept running, and the boy disappeared around a corner She followed after him, his laughter fueling her anger. She kept running until she thought she would fall from lack of water and drunkeness. Eventually, she caught up to the boy, and he was stuck in an alley. He grinned up at her, and showed her his hands… empty.

 

She put her hands on her hips, and asked, “Did that man tell you to run by me, then run off?†he nodded his head, and she bent down to him. “I’ll give you a silver if you go up to him and steal his belt purse.†The boy nodded his head, then ran past her. She chased after him, and they ran back to Aran.

 

She almost stopped dead when they got there, and she watched the boy take Aran’s belt purse. “Give me my belt purse, and you will get yours back.†He glared at her, then tossed her the belt purse that was rightfully hers. She nodded to the boy that had Aran’s, and he hadn’t it back, then receiving two silver marks. “That is for actually returning the belt purse.†She kissed the boys cheek, then stood up and glared at Aran.

 

â€So what was that about? Trying to lose my belt purse? First you get me drunk, then you get me in a fight, and then you take my money! Very nice, what’s next, jumping off a waterfall?â€

[Christine]

Deneira heard a commotion behind her. Aran was still standing across the road from the tavern they had wrecked, and it seemed like some order was coming to the place… well, it did seem like it. She turned and saw the innkeeper, yelling at them, telling everyone to stay out. The soldiers fell out the doorway, and one in particular pointed at them. He yelled something about his mother, and Deneira turned and looked at Aran.

 

He gave her a cheeky grin, then winked. All of a sudden, he turned and yelled, “Now we RUN!†Deneira ran after him, and the soldier seemed bent on chasing them. She knew she was going to lose at least ten pounds that day, but gain it all back as soon as she drank all the water she could get her hands on. Aran was laughing and hooting and hollering, but she was afraid what the soldier might do when they caught up to them.

 

They ran inside a different tavern, and the solider didn’t notice, because he and his… crew, ran right on past. The got in there, laughing, and sat down, and both ordered a water. Deneira got her hands on it, and started drinking. Light, was she thirsty. Aran seemed to be thinking the same thing.

 

He turned to her, about to open his mouth, and she put her hand over it. â€I have learnt something today. The best way to get out of a fight is not to start one. So, don’t ask me to start another. I also learnt not to trust you. ok?†He grinned and nodded, then turned back to his drink. Ah, what a day it was.

 

 

Aran

Naughty Tower Guard

 

Deneira

Tired Drunken Trainee

 

ooc: thread done!