Tavern's Delights [Kayleth]

[Oliver]

The Sil'Norai's wisdom and studiousness appealed to Oliver as well as his brash attitude towards his need to apologise too much, perhaps that came from the darkness of his family core that that he was willing to spend some time for a moment as he shrug "Well, I can understand why you don't want to deal with Eric's shenanigans, although he wasn't always like this... I don't know what's gotten into him lately." He said with a sigh as he shrugged, as he made his way to the window the other male began to talk about Ebon Knights; as if he had seen his Mark of Control.

The Black Sigil.

He gulped as he appeared to be worried about being discovered as a mage in Radenor, knowing the consequences in this situation are dire, which may absolve in branding and political indoctrination Eric, the things I do for you, you little shit; you better thank me later... Oliver began to think negatively, as if he was caught, he blinked in confusion for a moment as he didn't know exactly what the man had been talking about "Wait? Send who? What are you talking about..." He said as he was equally worried and guarded about his mark of control, he looked around to find if anyone was around.

"Ahh... Shit..." He said already appearing to be cornered "Let's just say my thing was... A little strange accident, a zeitgeist if you will... Now, I'd discuss more but... I know Radenor isn't fond of some folk entering their cities. It's filled with mass paranoia, because of war against Daravin..." He said with a shrug "Mind if we go somewhere private?"

[kayleth]

Kayleth looked at Oiver with contempt. He would not allow the logic of an ‘accident’ to coincide with that of having your very soul marked. “Look. I do not care much at all how you came to be affiliated with Them but, my question still stands. Are you telling me that you were not sent here from Sil’Elain to remove my free will and ability to think, feel, and for that matter love?” His tone was calm but firm as if he interrogated Oliver with every bit of prejudice thirty years of oppression could muster.

Kayleth waited in awkward silence. Seconds turned to minutes and before long he found himself wanting to leave. He began to stack his things in an organized pile making sure to keep the pages in their order. He got up from the table he had turned into his makeshift study and began to walk by Oliver and stopped at the bottom of the steps.

“Oliver, the issues you have with Eric and the other issues you have going on in your life are not created out of nowhere. You treat your existence and the impact that it has on those around it with entirely too much frivolity. One day, you will get everyone around you killed and you will only have yourself to blame.”

In the dimly lit tavern area, he began his ascent upstairs misplacing his footing, and slowly began to tumble forward. His papers and charcoal pencils erupted from his hands as he attempted to catch himself.

[Oliver]

Oliver furrows his eyebrows for a moment as his face hardened with a stern and yet discerning look, he did not like to have his reputation questioned, nor anything that would discredit him in anyway "What do you mean? I would take that back if I were you, throwing accusations like that so blatantly won't make you any friends here, especially not me." He spoke with a much darker and more threatening tone. He looked over his shoulder at one point to see if anyone was around, but it appeared the innkeeper was asleep, so was Eric and so was Giselle. It would be tragedic if someone found out his magical history and forced him to become branded for the state.

When Kayleth began to attack him based on his relationship with Eric and other things that appeared to be more personally, he took it to heart. He had been beaten down by people in his past from his family to the leader of the Golden Eagles, there was no question he wasn't going to let someone else take his spot "Who are you to judge, you barely know me, nor you only just seen the horrors of whatever past might be you've come from a simple mark and you think this is any better?" He asked as he watched him stumble up the stairs "Oi... Where do you think you're going, I haven't quiet finished yet..."

Oliver heaved before chasing him up the stairs, noticing the papers being flung in, he knew the perfect way to manipulate the situation. A fine act of chivalry before helping him pick up his papers "Here..." He said seemingly agitated as he proceeded to hand the papers, thats until he proceeds to grab Kayleth by the throat, squeezing it slightly as a sign of warning "Listen here, you little shit... You're lucky noone was here, because I would've absolutely crucified you... Any mention of my mark in public again and I will make your life hell..." He pushed the papers onto the man's chest before letting go, storming off to his room.

[kayleth]

In the flash between being off balance and his papers flying he was instantly pressed against the wall. Oliver’s primal rage concentrated in the fingers around his neck. For a moment Kayleth was caught off guard. Many things ran through his mind. Perhaps he had been too harsh with his tongue or had been too right. More often than not people's reactions are a reflection of themselves and being the intellectual type he was the fragmenter was betting he had hit some deep never of insecurity or shame.

He felt the hardwood against his back expelling the wind from his lungs. Oliver’s face was so close he could smell the miasma of toxic masculinity ooze out of him with every word. Kayleth struggled to speak but, he would not be quieted by a mere man’s inability to control his rage. “I see your true…. Nature has finally come to the surface..” He took several shallow breaths as he felt the grip of the giant man grow stronger.

“Confused or not, all of you are the same. Knights or Dranoch, you are all the….” he was quickly ejected a few feet back and his kneck released. Papers shoved into his chest as he clamored to get them.

Oliver stormed up the stairs leaving Kayleth on his knees to tend to what was left of the mess. Before he was out of sight the young elf issued a threat of his own.

“If you want to learn who you are you will leave the derelict and make your own way. Oh, and if I ever see you again, Oliver, you had better bring an army for I will kill you. Not quickly, but, slowly, and have you sent to slavery in the same way you subjugate my people..” Kayleth’s voice was calm, cold, and matter-of-fact. If Oliver ever put the people of this town in jeopardy he would regret the day.

Oliver continued to walk out of sight. Once the aspiring artificer collected everything he dropped he paused taking in the gravity of the moment.

Shame… I liked how simple and stoic he was. Maybe too simple to understand the world through… That solemn thought echoed in his mind as he quietly made his way to the adjacent room of Oliver and Eric.