Fast Fingers for Unfeathered Friends

Jaqueline walked into the tavern and surveyed the room. She was dressed for the road - dusty pants, a shirt that probably once was white, and a cloak hiding as much of her as she could without attracting attention.

She chose a booth where she could sit with her back to the wall and have a decent view of the room.  The trip had been long and she wasn't quite ready for the next stage of this visit.  Instead, she sought solace at the bottom of a glass, a distraction from the feeling that something wasn't quite the way it was supposed to be.

She signaled for a drink and glanced at the door.  She suspected her brother would be along shortly.  Until then, she'd do her best to drown her worries.

Julian and his sister were tasked with delivering a personal message from their father to some noble. If it was just him traveling, he could have made it a bit faster but he asked his sister to come along. While he was out in about, he had a contact he needed to talk to. A job that was needed to take out the leader of a bard group. He told his sister he would meet her shortly. He had some business he needed to take care of. A female hooded figure stood before him. He took out a pouch that was obviously filled with coins and hid it within his grasp. Julian went for a handshake with the women. [color=#c10300]"Your looking beautiful as always, my lady." [/color]The woman smirked as she took the handshake, the switch was instant. She was good at her job and he truly enjoyed having her on his contacts list. [color=#005dc2]"Charming as always. Give me a few days and I'll have an update."[/color] He nodded toward the female figure and turned his heels. A few moments later, Julian was on his way to meet his sister in a tavern.


Julian wore traveling clothes so it wasn't out of the normal. Brown dusty leather, with cloth white shirt and a black cloak that hung around his neck. As he entered the tavern, he scanned the tavern and noticed instantly where his sister was at. Of course, she found the best spot in the tavern to watch everyone in the room. A booth that allowed her to have her back covered by a wall. He went to the barkeep and ordered a plain ale. He took his drink and slid into the booth next to his sister. [color=#c10300]"Enjoying the view? See anything exciting yet?"[/color] Julian's words were soft as he took a sip from his cold drink. It was a game they usually played when around others. Who could point out the most interesting thing around them? Whether that was a drunken idiot or a complete design failure in the establishment.

Silas hopped onto the little stage in the tavern for another song. He had only stepped down for a moment to get a drink and he had everyone's attention quiet quickly as he strummed his instrument to be able to get it. The band behind him was ready to go. He had only joined with them for the moment, simple as that. They were the regulars and he was the guest. Still, they jammed together quite well and if Silas was seriously in love with man in particular then his old habits of sleeping with one or two of them would have hit, no doubt about that.

Thank you everyone for having me here join you tonight, I have one more song for you all now that we've got things going! He laughed and nodded to the band. The song started with his singing voice, sending a wink to the first pair of eyes his own catch. Silas is feeling a lot like his old self. The one before he fell in love. The one that was filled to the brim with chaos and little sense. However, he still has sense this time. He's got a good man and he doesn't plan on ruining one of the only good things to ever come into his life. That's for certain.

Soon the tavern is clapping and stomping their feet along to the beat and Silas grins ever wider. Sliding his instrument onto his back, he grabs the barmaid's hand and pulls her into a dance as they sing and perform. It lightens his heart and he laughs genuinely, knowing that his love wouldn't be one for this kind of scene, but enjoying himself nonetheless. It's just... fun and sometimes that's exactly what you need.

Jaqueline watched the performance, tilting her chin to her brother.  The song was lighthearted and fun, but there was something else about him that sparked her interest.  Her head nodded in time with the music, and she smiled broadly as he danced with the barmaid.

"That one is interesting, obviously.  We should buy him a drink, dear brother."

She kept her eyes trained on the bard.  There was something familiar about him - not familiar in the sense that she had met him before.  No, it was something about the reckless abandon with which he performed, the way his hands flourished at all the right times.  The way his eyes tracked the people around him secretly.  She may not know him...but she recognized something inherent about him.

Well, that and he had a strong resemblance to someone her father knew.  That was interesting.

Julian took his glass and swept it toward his lips. The ale here wasn't the best but it was something. As a teenager, he would find ways to sneak decent types of alcohol with his best friend. He was more the harder alcohol type of drinker. This light ale tasted like water to him. His smile turned into a grin as his eyes looked forward into the tavern. Watching the people. A bard began to speak to the crowd. Then his movements and voice echoed through the busy establishment with song and dance. The movements of this man seemed familiar. Something about this singing bard caused Jilian to tilt his head slightly. The man was older than him but his features seemed familiar. He looked like someone his father would do business with. Julian had been doing quite a bit with the talons and overseeing meetings with his father. The tip of uncertainty plagued Jilian. He wanted to know more about this bard. Who was he? And why did he look like someone his father would know? [color=#c10300]"I was just thinking the same thing. He seems indeed interesting....he looks awfully familiar though...my head can't think of why he looks familiar. I've never seen him before."[/color] His words word a soft whisper, that drifted toward his sister's ear. 

Julian raised his hand to grab the attention of a waiter that was passing by. He asked the waiter for another drink but for the bard that was obviously giving a grand performance for the customers. He also mentioned that he would love a conversation with the man. Julian didn't want to interrupt the man dancing and finishing his song. But with the potential of having a waiter pass the message, it would allow his sister and himself to watch from afar. With a sweet smile, Julian winked at the waiter as he gave a few extra coins to thank the waiter for passing along the message and drink to the bard. 

[color=#c10300]"You think he will come?"[/color] Julian asked his sister softly as he took another sip from his glass and watched the crowd clap, sing, and dance with the bard. Occasionally, Julian nodded to the music. 

Jaqueline smiled mischievously at her brother, lifting one eyebrow.  In a voice barely audible above the music, she advised,   "It's the eyes, the way the nose is angled.  You've seen it before, though never so full of mirth.  Picture him with a scowl."

She slipped her hand to the small pouch affixed to her belt, the one holding the funds she was willing to spend on the road.  She lifted it slightly, feeling the weight of the coins inside, and smiled again.  

"I hope so.  That is clearly a man I want to know." 

Soon, the song ends and Silas lets the barmaid go. Glad that he could put such a smile on her face. It's as he's chatting with the band members and wiping sweat from his brow that the drink gets delivered to him with the message. The waiter gestures to the right table and Silas nods at them before raising his cup and turning to take a drink of it when one of the band members says something. What nobody sees is Silas not actually drinking it, suspicious beneath everything as he was trained to be. There's a few moments that pass before Silas gives up his drink and heads over to the table.

He slides into on the seats with incredible grace, but it reads as the grace of a dancer rather than someone who would kill. It's purposeful because Silas is suspicious of everyone he meets the first time. That's what his father has done to him. A man never likely to let him escape forever. Despite how long he's been free, Silas is all too aware that it's borrowed time. His father will come for him eventually. Or one of his underlings will.

All his thoughts don't show on his face as he grins. How nice to have someone give me a drink for my efforts. To who do I thank?

Jaqueline smiled at their new companion, carefully ensuring her face was painted in carefree enjoyment.  She lifted her glass to the bard. 

"My name is Jaq and your generous patron is my brother, Julian, though I may have encouraged him a bit.  It seems you're ready for another drink - please, feel free to order something - our treat.  It is the least we can do after such a wonderful performance."    Though the man smiled enthusiastically, it somehow felt...trepidatious.  Not that she could blame him, after all, this whole scene wasn't at all what it appeared to be.  And, she noted, this guest seemed to notice more than most people they encountered.

"It seems a person of your talents should hardly be playing in someplace like this.  Honestly, you seem so much more...vibrant than everyone else around. I couldn't let the opportunity to meet you slip away."

As she spoke, she considered picking up a coin and running it over her knuckles, but ultimately decided against it.  If this person was related to the man she suspected, that would probably prematurely end this encounter for one reason or another.  Instead, she kept her demeanor light while watching for the small tells that couldn't be completely erased - even among people trained to hide such things.  Growing up around crows had taught her a thing or two about seeing things that others worked to keep secret. She suspected, though, that the bard in front of her was quite adept at making sure those things were not noticed. 

[color=#c10300]"Your performance was wonderful. The way you performed...my eyes couldn't keep them off of you. Where did you learn a such skill? Might have to hire you myself for a dinner party with the families..."[/color] Julian smiled devilishly. His face not leaving the site of the bard. He gripped his drink and brought it for a taste. The man in front of him, now up close, seemed to be more and more familiar than he realized. The undertones of his jawline and the way his mannerisms resembled someone of importance. At least an importance to his father in a way. Julian lowered the mug of watered-down ale and watched the man carefully. [color=#c10300]"We must know your name..." [/color]