This is how you say "thank you?" (Attn Kyn)

[U4ea]

Edana sank into her favorite spot at the end of the bar with a grateful sigh. This last trip had been a rough one, but she was back. She was still breathing. She was even in a good mood, having finally rid herself of the far too self-assured Master Kynwric earlier this evening. She wouldn’t have training again until perhaps tomorrow, so she’d invited herself to her favorite down time spot for a nice tall…

 

She groaned, turning in her chair to face away from the door as the familiar form of the warder she’d only just gotten away from pushed through the door. If he was looking for her, she was sunk. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed her, though. That was enough to hope for, right?

 

Wrong.

 

He settled into the chair next to her and she sighed, reaching for her mug of ale. “It’s a lovely evening, Master Kynwric. I thought you’d be spending it with your Aes Sedai…?” OK, so she couldn’t just tell him to leave her be. Perhaps a subtle reminder that he had better places to be would be a better service?

 

~Edana

 

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn was off to enjoy an evening simply swilling ale away in an attempt to drive the splitting headache Loraine was working on away. Instead he found the cause of some his own trials and tribulations was present. Great... I guess it would be rude to just ignore her. He thought for a moment about pretending he hadn't noticed Edana, but a quick look around the room and he was quickly out of options as the tables were full. He reluctantly headed for the bar and the girl and settled down onto a stool beside her, gesturing to the barman to bring him a cup.

 

“It’s a lovely evening, Master Kynwric. I thought you’d be spending it with your Aes Sedai…?”

 

"She's in council, will be most of the night from what I can tell. So I'm here to drink away the headache she's giving me. Assuming Jordan there has enough ale in the place to do that." He said with a smile for the bartender as a mug was set in front of him. He took a long drink from the cup and then actually looked at Edana. "No duty tonight I assume?"

[U4ea]

"No duty tonight I assume?" The urge to say something sarcastic was overwhelming but she tamped it down. It was more difficult than she thought. She'd done nothing but learn when to curb her tongue around this one, though.

 

"No, the schedule was set by the time we'd returned to the Tower this afternoon. Unless something befalls one of the guardsmen, I shouldn't have a rotation until the day after tomorrow." She took a drink, purposefully not looking at Kynwric, but at the wall behind the bar. Her mind raced, hunting for something to say. What could they possibly have to talk about that they hadn't already discussed coming back to the Tower? She settled for companionable silence that wasn't really companionable. At least until a table holding up a game of stones was tossed into the air and an argument turned into a little more. She sighed and turned, eying the combatants. "Do you sit and watch, Master Kynwric?"

 

~Edana

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn had heard the disturbance start, he was deliberately ignoring it until Edana drew his attention to it fully.

 

"Do you sit and watch, Master Kynwric?"

 

He looked at the beginning of a brawl. "On occasion I have been known to engage in a brawl or two. Usually when the antagonist is entirely too full of himself and broadcasts it for all to hear. I dislike braggarts." It was at that moment a tankard flew across the room and Kyn ducked it, letting the pottery and ale crash into the wall behind the bar. Kyn then drained his mug, pushed his sleeves up and slid off the stool. He looked at Edana with a light in his eyes. "I also am not enamored with having things thrown at me..." he paused a moment before adding, "...for no reason." the brawl was coming closer, and Kyn was watching. At this point there were no sides and it was truly a brawl, every man for himself with a few exceptions. "I bet we can end this before the City Guard get here."

[U4ea]

Edana ducked as the tankard sailed past her and shook her head. She took another drink of her ale, watching the pair of combatants and unable to stop herself from picking their fighting styles apart. A stance too wide here, left an opening for a badly thrown punch there.

 

"I bet we can end this before the City Guard get here." Kynwric said, drawing her attention to him. She took in his rolled up sleeves and the forward set of his jaw and sighed as she took another long swig of her ale before sitting it on the bar.

 

"Aye, that I don't doubt. You take the big one. I don't want him falling on me and forcing me to be laid up on the only day off I'm likely to have for a while." She pushed herself off the stool and grabbed the smaller of the two. He was heavier than he looked, but he swung around easily enough. With his arm pinned behind his back, it was easy to swing her fist and knock him out. She did manage to dance out of the way before he fell, though. Her toes would be grateful, she was sure of it. She dusted imaginary dirt off her hands and looked up at Kynwric, waiting on him to catch up with her.

 

~Edana

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn waited a moment, just to see the surprise on the face of the big man when a woman took control of his fight and won it for him. It was just as he was about to protest that Kyn grabbed him by the collar and hair at the back of the head and slammed the man's face, nose first into one of the supports. then letting go Kyn simply let go and let the man slump to the ground. Kyn smirked and then looked at Edana, "That could have been more fun..." and he returned to the bar stool where his drink was waiting.

[U4ea]

Edana shook her head and settled back in her seat, taking a drink. "Yes, but you didn't say 'let's have some fun with it,' you said 'I bet we can have this handled before the guard gets here.' I merely agreed and helped make it happen. If you wanted fun, we'd still be at it by the time those clowns got here. We'd likely be arrested right along with those two for our trouble, too." She let the corner of her mouth lift as Tom opened his mouth, then closed it and moved away. That was experience talking and Tom knew it. The only reason she hadn't been arrested is because Tom hid her behind the bar.

 

"Besides, there's more fun to be had than banging up the natives, Master Kynwric," she turned and grinned. Sure it was something he'd probably never seen her do, but she had just enough ale in her that she didn't care that it was him she was grinning at. Tomorrow it would bother her. The old feeling of comraderie was creeping back into her; a feeling she'd shoved aside roughly after taking her blade to half the men in her regiment. "A game of stones? A round of good liquor? Finding a smiling face somewhere in this muck and learning something new? There are many other options that don't usually end up with having to explain myself to Mistress Thera afterwards..."

[_Kynwric_]

The grin set Kyn off for a moment, but he just let the feeling slide on by as he took another long pull from his tankard. "Hmmm... Mistress Thera. that is one woman I'd rather not be on the bad side of. Of course when Matalina was Mistress of Trainees." He shuddered at the thought. "Thera's a sweet lady compared to Mat." He raised a finger to get another drink as he finished off the last of his first. "So, stones I don't have the patience for tonight and finding a smiling face. Well, feel free, but not for me. So I guess I'm left with drinking." He smirked and traded the old cup for a the new as a fresh ale was set in front of him.

[U4ea]

Edana watched the ale settle in front of him and a terrible idea appeared in her head. Her smile widened again and she waved to the bartender for another mug. "Are you a wagering man, Master Kynwric?" She asked, tilting her head and putting the best Aes Sedai expression she had on her face. She was relaxed, thanks to the ale, but she wasn't anywhere near drunk. She eyed him a moment, wondering how much he could take before he stumbled off. "I have no head for stones and smiling faces around here... I can create them, so I don't need to find them. However, I'm willing to bet that farmboy turned soldier routine you've got going for you can't stand up to a woman who was raised as a soldier. Sure you can dance circles around me with a blade, but..." she paused and grinned, raising her mug. "... can you drink me under the table?"

 

~Edana

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn glanced at her sidelong. "Do you have any idea how long I've been a Warder? I think a mere slip of a girl like you is going to find drinking me under the table a rough chore." Kyn smiled and nodded. "What do you propose?"

[U4ea]

"There's nothing slip about this girl, Master Kynwric. Never has been. Besides, do you have any idea how long I've been drinking ale? While I'm sure you've been drinking longer than I've been breathing, let's face it, you're getting old." She grinned broadly. "I propose that we have a little contest, just the two of us. The first one to toss up loses. If I win, you lose some of that 'I've been around forever and I know everything,' attitude you've been sporting."

 

~Edana

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn shook his head at her seriousness, but he had set aside his mug and was waiting to seal this bet before he drank again. "And if I win Edana, what then?"

[U4ea]

Edana shrugged. "That would depend on whether there's something that bugs you or just something you want to tease me about, wouldn't it?" She traced her fingertip around the rim of her mug. "Extra training? Fetch and carry? What would make it worth it for you?"

 

She arched her eyebrow, waiting on his reply. Jordan stood nearby, eying them both. "I'm not sure I've enough ale for the pair of you," he said gruffly. It earned him a grin from Edana. "I'll see about my stock," he muttered before leaving them again. She'd known better, anyway. The man always had a cellar full of the stuff. Who was he trying to fool?

 

"So, what's it going to be, Master Kynwric?" She turned her grin back to him, raising her eyebrows questioningly. "Going to teach me a lesson or just hold the stool down?"

 

~Edana

 

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn laughed at Joran's remark, there was enough ale in that tavern to float the Amyrlin's barge.

 

"Neither of those things appeals to me... what would make it worthwhile to me? I've already seen you be meek." He said, not bothering to suppress the smirk. "I don't think I'd survive another such display of timidity." He pondered for a long moment. "What are you willing to sacrifice Edana? I mean I could ask you for service, but that is due anyway. I could set you to duty, but duty is not something to be wagered, it is duty and expected of you. Hmmm..." He noticed Jordan returning with two tankards full of ale and grinned. "Both, I plan on holding this stool down until you're fallen over."

 

[U4ea]

Edana smiled at Jordan, but her attention was still on Kynwric.  She had to admit she couldn't make any sense out of his wonderings. Was he asking for both tankards of ale? Or was he saying he'd take extra duty AND some kind of service in payment? She hadn't had enough ale to impair her ability to think. Light, she'd hadn't finished her first mug! "So, what do you think you'll get if you win?"

 

 

~Edana

[_Kynwric_]

"I think I'll get satisfaction, more than that is merely to teach you a lesson... and you need to catchup with me if this is going to be a drinking contest and not a patience one. You choose Edana, what do you think is fair compensation if you lose?"

[U4ea]

"Bah!" She laughed, shaking her head. "I named my terms, Master Kynwric! You must name your own!" She toasted him with her mug of ale, then took a drink. "And I've heard that patience is overrated, anyway."

 

She watched him, still waiting for him to name her terms. She finished her mug and set it aside, reaching for a tankard and raising it towards him. "To wagers, then?"

 

~Edana

[_Kynwric_]

He raised his mug and toasted "To Wagers." Then he came up with an idea, "Have you worn young Sandre's dress yet?"

 

 

[U4ea]

Edana toasted and put the ale to her lips. In mid sip, she heard, "Have you worn young Sandre's dress yet?"

 

She choked, clapping her hand to her mouth to keep from spewing ale across the bar. How did he know? She coughed, pounding her chest until her throat was free of ale. It gave her time to catch her breath, which was exactly what she needed to turn this around.

 

"I wasn't aware that Sandre wore dresses, Master Kynwric," she said, arching her eyebrow and lifting her mug again. She took a quick drink before he had a chance to put her off guard again.

 

~Edana

[_Kynwric_]

"You'd be suprised what a wizened old Master hears when trainees are sparring... they're worse than Novices for gossip." He grinned at her and took a long drink, "The question still stand Edana, have you worn the dress?"

[U4ea]

Edana looked away, staring down at the tankard of ale in front of her. She took another drink, a nice long one. Telling the truth would be admitting to something that would land both she and Sandre in quite a bit of trouble. It was forbidden, their relationship. At least until she made it to Tower Guard. Kynwric knowing that would be...

 

She looked over at him again. "Yes," she answered simply. He didn't have to know they had a relationship. It had been a bet. If Sandre wanted to keep it quiet, he wouldn't have sent that dress to her so publicly. If it lead to speculation, so be it. She wouldn't admit to the relationship until she was on guard duty. Nothing was worth that kind of penance...

 

~Edana

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn quirked an eyebrow at her and smirked. "I bet that was a sight... ah well, so much for public embarrassment." He didn't say a word about the relationship he suspected was there. He had put it together while they were out in the field the last time, the gossip about her in a dress and out with Sandre and then her comment about all the men in her life wanting her in a dress. It had all made sense somewhere a couple days later. It always amazed him what being in the saddle does for clarity of thought. "That still leaves me with your end of the bargain."

[U4ea]

"I bet that was a sight... ah well, so much for public embarrassment." She opened her mouth to tell him it was quite the opposite, then shut it again. She wasn't up for embarrassment, public or otherwise and the truth would only further complicate the penance she was trying to get out of. She shrugged, lifting her tankard for another drink. "I'm still not making that up for you, so I hope you're not waiting on me to hand you ideas..." She grinned.

 

A game of stones got loud behind them and she turned to watch, her elbows on the bar as she leaned back. Her long legs stretched out in front of her and a few people had to go around them to get past her. She just smiled at them without moving them out of the way. The bar was big enough for everyone... even with her legs!

 

~Edana

[_Kynwric_]

"The real question there is Edana, what do have that I want... and then answer appears to be nothing." He shrugged and looked over at the Stones game. "You really should learn to play. It's a good exercise in tactics, if a bit abstract."

[U4ea]

 

"I never had time for games when I was a child," she murmured. "I'm afraid that just didn't change the older I got. There wasn't time to stop and teach me games and even less time for me to go find someone else to play with. When I said I'd been raised to be a soldier, it wasn't an exaggeration." She shrugged. "And if I don't have anything you want, then perhaps you'll just have to settle for making me shut up." She grinned and took another drink. "That's a feat in itself some days."

 

~Edana