3. Dilemma dance.

Dilemma dance.


  • 1.0

    _-Problems

    Varen marched his way to the fire, rubbing his chin with his gloved hand. He had to do something, but what? He sighed and trudged past the commons of Norwick, a glum look on his face. His heels stopped digging into the grass and dirt as he looked at the people hunched over the fire. One after another he analysed to see if she was there.

    She wasn't, with a sigh he began to ease himself on the tree stump, folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes.

    -So Called Problem Solvers.

    "I telsh you I am a warwizshards!" Varen blinked and looked to the direction of the voice. It was sarp. That drunken Cormyrian Wizard always was wise, at least when he wasn't drunk. Varen grinned faintly and hopped to his feet, marching over to the old wizard who was clutching a familiar bottle of wine in his hand.

    "Sarp, my friend!" Varen grabbed his robe collar and dragged him off to talk in private behind the tower. The old man winced and groaned. "Heeeey! Oh, it'sh you Jacob!" Varen sighed and let go of his collar when they were safely away from common ears. "It's Varen. You know my name, Sarp."

    He sighed and disregarded the wizard's familiar foolishness. "Look…" Varen pressed forth. "Remember that problem I approached you with back in Jiyyd?" Sarp nodded breifly and sipped his bottle of wine. "Aboutsh the women, rightsh? Trish and Natshania?" He blurted out after sipping his wine.

    "Tris and Natanya." He replied bluntly with narrow, slightly annoyed eyes. He shook the snide expression off his face and cleared his throat to re-adress the matter. "Walk and talk with me, my friend."

    -Natanya.

    Varen walked forward casually into the center of Norwick, standing straight up and folding his arms as the wizard stumbled and staggered behind him, clutching the bottle of wine. "Look, Sarp. Tris is innocent and cute, but remind me why I like Natanya again?" It was like Varen was completely ignoring the fact that the comyrian was almost drunk out of his mind. "It'sh becaushe, In Jiyyd, you said she was perfectsh, Jacob." Varen nodded as they approached the well, ignoring the fact that Sarp once again mistook his name.

    "Well, Natanya is classy…" he blinked and almost staggered and fell off his feet. The golden black set of armor coupled with the flowing blonde hair that was approaching him cought him off guard. "Ack!" He stumbled and quickly re-addressed himself. She walked by and winked followed by a few people. Sarp stood next to Varen with a blank look on his face. "Shhe wantsh you my friend." Varen stood, watching her walk past with a slight confused and blank expression on his face. She winked at him, he couldn't believe it. Had she heard his comment?

    "Urhhmm..." Sarp lofted a grey brow and leaned a bit towards Varen. "It musth be a sign from lady firehair hershelf." Varen blinked and managed to clear his throat and gather his bearings when the blonde woman was out of his site range. "Nah..." He replied in a musing tone. The wizard took a swig from his bottle and nodded intently. "Oh i shink she doesh."

    "Look, I need help. Sure, she winks at me. But, I mean, Come on..." Varen looked in the general direction to where she was standing. She was talking with two people, he cleared his throat and turned back to his would-be adviser who had a near vacuous look on his face. Varen continued. "Look, she's a law girl. What can I do to impress a law girl? I'm not your typical militia buff." Sarp nodded in agreement. "I've gotsh a plan for ya, Jacob."

    -So called Solutions.

    "Varen, the name's Varen." He sighed the words. "That'sh what I shaid." The wizard gave Varen a confused look before shaking his head. "Y'shee… She's a holy Warriorsh." He stumbled a bit on the first words. "Girlsh like that like heroesh." Varen blinked and nodded, giving himself time to consider his drunken adviser's plan. "Alright... Fair enough. What's your plan?"

    "Y'shee... Whatsha got ta do ish thish: Get someone ta play a pickpocketsh and you catch him. I shink i shaw a holy symbol around her neck. Dsh'ya recognise it, Jacob?" Varen nodded, his eyes narrow. He was obviously in deep thought, he had his head tilted forward slightly, his back arched, his gloved finger tapping his chin idly. "It was the symbol of Tyr."

    The wizard continued with his plot. "Sho, ya catsch the pickpocketsh and ya sho him mershy. And in tha end y'shay the words -Tyr'sh Justice has been sherved-, gotsh it?" Varen lofted a brow and glanced over to the trio one last time before answering. He had a doubtful look on his face for a moment, but after watching her for a moment he turned back to sarp and patted his shoulder. "Sarp, my friend. You're a genious!" He grinned faintly as the wizard asked his question. "Sho... Who'sh going to play the pickpocketsh?"

    Varen narrowed his eyes over a small, coy grin. "Why... Sarp, ol' buddy, ol' pal... you are!" He smiled wide. Sarp blinked and took a small swig of wine. "Welsh… I'll do it for some rum." Varen's coy grin just broadened at his price. "Sure thing."

    -Action.

    "Alright. Look. She's standing right there, talking with some friends. Act casual and follow my lead." Varen cleared his throat and started to walk by as casually as he could. Sarp followed behind him, sipping his wine idly. Not a worried look on his drunken expression. "So then I tell him, that's not my rapier, that's my arm!" Varen looked over his shoulder to Sarp as they passed Natanya and her friends, who blurted out some nonsense before finally forming a few words. "Oh yesh yesh, Jacob."

    Varen sighed and smacked his forhead when they were both safely away. "Real smooth, Sarp." Sarp chuckled heartily. "She doesn't shuspect a thing." Varen sighed once more and rubbed his forhead with his gloved hand. "You'de think fencing alone would be enough to impress her. Too bad I'm mediocre at that too, heh."

    A young girl with dark red hair appraoched them from behind, grinning widely. "Varen!" He jumped up and looked back, it was Kalina. "Oh, hey red." She smirked and leaned forward slightly. "Who were you two talking about? Huh? Who do you like so much?" She had a small taunting tone, which he hated. "None of your business."

    The blonde, golden armored woman past by, Varen saw her and cleared his throat. "Excuse me." He stumbled the first few steps and stopped in front of her. "Hi Lady Natanya." He smiled and twisted the dirt under his feet nervously, holding his arms behind his back. Kalina smirked and watched along with Sarp. "How have you been?" She looked to him and paused a moment. "Oh… Fine, and you?" He smiled nervously. She then turned to a man who had his shield strapped to his arm in town walk past and narrowed her eyes.

    "Sir, Shield off in town." Varen blinked, this was his chance. He stepped in front of the man, remembering Sarp's advice about how she was a law woman. "Sir, listen to the lady and take your shield off." The man obeyed and packed it away. Varen nodded slightly and turned back to Natanya. "Excuse me." She walked off with a rather large group of people, Varen turned back to Kalina and Sarp. Kalina was laughing hystericly.

    "HER!? YOU LIKE HER?" She managed to muffle out through her constant bursts of laughter. Varen squinted and looked rather annoyed. "What's wrong with her? Nothing, that's what." Kalina's eyes widened throughout the laughter, sarp looked to the ground a bit confused.

    "I can't…" She laughed a moment. "I can't believe..." She laughed some more. "You like her." She wiped a tear from her eye and managed to stop her laughing. Varen frowned and held his hands on his hips. She pressed the subject. "What's so special about her?" Varen lofted a brow, obviously a bit taken back.

    "Like I have to tell you why." Varen waved her off dismisevely._


  • 3.3 Finale _"The difference between Queens and Vagabonds."

    -Queens and Vagabonds, Part I. "Speak to me, breathe."

    She had lured him at the south tower. She had brought him there because she said they needed to talk. Talk about the future, their future. The rogue was clueless – the paladin girl? Troubled. She took his hand and lead him up the stairs, outside. The stairs lead them to a private place, staring off towards the giantspire, away from the common rabble Valen was used to. "What's this about, Nat?" His voice as baffled as ever.

    -Queens and Vagabonds, part II. "A fitting picture…"

    There was something in her eyes that night, and he knew it. She had lost that innocence, she had lost that purity, that sparkle in her eyes. The rogue shifted his toolbelt, the paladin girl leaned on the railing and stared out into the giantspire mountains. There was no wind. There were no clouds. Just the moonlight, the vagabond and the noble knight. She answered his earlier question, "We need to talk." Her voice was distant, low, troubled. A wet drop hit him below his right eye. Then another as she pulled her blue hood up to protect that soft face of her's from the upcoming storm.

    It started raining. There was no wind, just the perpetual sound of gentle drops against the pavement below them. "About us. About our future." She continued. If the rogue's witt hadn't of been so dull, so slow; her tone would of been as clear as the rain drops pecking at his cheeks. She continued, "Valen, do you love me?"

    -Queens and Vagabonds, part III. "A fitting end."

    Her eyes. Her eyes, if there was a look in those deep blue eyes of hers he hadn't seen before, it was this one. There was no sparkle, there was no glitter nor hope. This couldn't of been a gaze, her eyes, somehow piercing into his soul.

    He chuckled distantly, uneasily, clearing his throat, wondering why she'd posed such a query. He answered, "Of course I love you, not a doubt in my heart, … y- ... you doubt that?" His response ended with the slightest palpitation in his heart. He wasn't so sure himself, did he love her?

    The rain kept pounding against the pavement softly.

    He promised himself the day he returned from Cormyr he wouldn't attach himself to anyone. Love gets you hurt. A vow that he wouldn't truly love anyone. 'He promised himself he wouldn't attach himself to anyone.' Had he?

    Her eyes lowered, so did her voice. "Valen, I tried being with you, I thought I'de learn to love you... but..."

    -"That's alright, Nat." He cleared his throat, replying. The quiver in his voice somehow answered the question he had just posed himself on the inside. "You don't need to say another word." He forced a coy grin on his face, patting her on the back as if she were one of his fencing chums. She continued regardless, "I like you, Valen. Your a good friend, you make me laugh..."

    He chuckled half-heartedly, finally pulling his hood up. The gentle sound of water drops around the rogue still didn't halt. The paladin girl smiled one of those delicate, sorry smiles. He faced her for another moment, before she brushed past, her head low. He didn't turn to watch her leave. "Plenty of fish in the sea..." He whispered depletedly to himself as she slowly made her way down the steps. The rogue did not feel much at that moment. In fact, the rogue felt nothing at all. Better to feel nothing then to feel unhappy, the rogue reckons...

    ...and the sound of those gentle rain drops still refuse to fall silent.

    The End.

    ((Hope you enjoyed reading the little mellow drama as much as I enjoyed writing it. Had fun RPing with Yith on this one. Very, very funny OOC. Much thanks to Sarp et the rest of the cast. I myself think it made for excelent writing and an excelent story. 🙂 ))_


  • 3.2
    _-Green light spite.

    "There has got to be something to do around here…" He yawned wide before sniffing the air. His eyes were half-open while he glanced at the passing commoners in the Peltarch Civic District. His steps dragging along the pavement, he turned a corner and walked towards the docks. "Where the hells are Nathea and Westan?" He sighed slumping his shoulders, mumbling to himself. A low growl was heard deep within the confines of his stomach, he sighed. Casually and discretely, he reached at his side and snatching a handfull of strawberries from a farmer's market. He looked down at his dinner and popped one into his mouth it, stopping in his steps. "Havent had a nice berry in a wh-"

    Crash!

    He heard a noise coming from the docked ships. Dropping some of his berries on the ground and turning around, he squinted to get a decent view of the ruckas. "Come here you little wench!" Knocking the farmer's fruit stand over, the noble growled. Reaching out and lunging at the small light twirling around him, mumbling a stream of annoyed curses.

    A fain grin played across Valen's lips, slowly stepping over to the man and his twirling light. He watched the man lose his cool, his hair messed up, his face bulging red as he staggered about. The light giggled and spead off, flying into a familiar alleyway. The man muttered and cursed, Valen wondered what had happened. Giving Valen a desperate look, "Did you see where it went?" his voice was sharp, demanding. Valen smirked, standing there, popping another berry into his mouth and chewing through the smirk.

    "ANSWERE ME!" He blurted out. Valen shrugged, swallowing his berry. "What happened?" His voice was monotone, uncaring and distant. The man patted himself, his shirt, his pant pockets. "It took something…" He said lowly. The rogue popped another berry into his mouth and watched as the man searched himself. "Look buddy, I'm sorry I couldn't stop the light, okay? Tell the guards and I'll act as a witness or whatever... Enjoy the evening." His tone was still as monotone and casual as always. He turned and begun to walk off, clapping his hands off after slipping the last berry into his mouth for him to chew. "Yeah..." The noble grumbled.

    "Right... Now for Nathea and Westan. Or I could visit Natanya at the church, yeah..." He walked back into the commons, away from the docks and it's usual disturbances. "Whatever, I'll just hit the hay early tonight." He grumbled, walking into the mermaid and up into his room.

    -Lucky coins, Part II.

    He unstrapped the buckles to his leather armor, taking a breath as he lay down on his bed. His hands folded behind his pillow, his eyes closed. "Mmmm-mmm." He mumbled. The air blew his curtains gently, a familiar, small green light flying into the room with it. The pixie was struggling, holding a coin the same size as her body. She flew over and dropped the coin on Valen's face. His face twitched as he blinked his eyes open. "The hells..?" His grumbled voice barely above a whisper.

    The coin laying on the side of his cheek still. She smiled, flying slowly, closer to his face. He had to cross his eyes to get a better look at her._


  • 3.1
    _-Thin, dry and slumped.

    "Natanya!" He fidgeted with his leather for a moment, tugging at the torso. "Y-your back!" She kept smiling. Nathea smirked, seeing Valen's nervousness for the first time since she'd met him. She called, "Hey valen," he looked over. "I'm heading back to Norwick…" giving Natanya a glance, "See you in a bit." She turned and made her way through the commoners. "Uh-huh... See you later, Nathea." He glanced to her a moment, then looked back towards Natanya.

    ...

    "We've got so much to talk about, I mean, you know, you've been gone for so long. I thought you'd gone on a crusade or something." He mused for a moment, rubbing his neck. She was beaming, smiling brightly as they walked through the commons. "I went back to the dales... To see mother." She replied, turning her head to the side to face him as she spoke. He chuckled, pulling his hood back up as they passed the gateway, avoiding eye contact with the guard. "Everything went well I hope?" She swallowed lightly, looking down, stopping in her tracks. Exhaling slowly, as if out of desperation. He stopped, facing her, wondering what was wrong. Valen's eyes flickered with curiousity, or maybe concern. "We were ambushed... my caravan..." She said slowly, his lips grew thin. "Bandits..." His mouth turned dry. Listening still, he placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder as she spoke. "What sort of person would do such a thing?" She persisted. "Consumed by greed to take something that isn't yours, it's wrong, it just doesn't make sense."

    ...His shoulders slumped slightly, all he could do was force an agreeing nod. "Yeah well... Yeah..." She just shook it off, her hair flipping a moment. She took a breath and looked up to him smiling. "Forget it, it's over now, all that matters is that I made it back okay." She kept smiling.

    -Ignorance is bliss.

    "Gods she's innocent, this one…" Thoughts raced through that rogue mind of his, "Look at her. She just keeps smiling. Why does she do that?" There must be a fine line between stupid and naive, he figured. Not that he cared which it was, in fact he knew he didn't. "Come on." She grabbed his arm, tugging him further west. They made there way out into the Giantspire plains. The wind easily swept Valen's hood and hair back. Sighing slightly, seemingly relieved while peering into the distance, Natanya slowly lowered and sat down in the tall grass of the giantspire.

    "I'm sorry Valen." He sat down beside her, shifting his cloak in the wind. "What for?" He replied, giving her an odd look. "For leaving without giving you any notice..." That's funny, he thought, figuring earlier on that she had left because of him. He quirked a brow and stiffled a chuckle, "That's alright, eh... I missed y-" She extended her arm downward and plucked a dafodil. His eyes shifted downward to watch her remove it from the ground, then place it above his ear.

    "I uhh... Gotta go, actually, so... Yeah..." He cleared his throat, getting up and patting himself off. She got up, nodding understandingly.

    -Mauled by a rose bush.

    He trudged back into Peltarch, grinning as if he'd just stolen the entire Seafarer treasury. Flipping his lucky coin up and down, unknowing of the dafodil still between his ear and his hair. With the blink of an eye, his coin wouldn't fall down into his palm. Nathea's gloved hand reached out from the shadows and snatched it, she grinned stepping out completely. "What happened to you, get mauled by a rose bush?" She stiffled a snicker at the flower he had next to his face. He colored slightly, quickly grabbing it and tossing it, letting it float to the ground. Giving only a "Hmpf" in response. Still chuckling slightly, she shook her head. "Come on Valen, let's get back to Norwick already." She started walking off towards the southern gates, still trying to control her chuckles.

    "Yeah…" He nodded vaguely, rubbing his neck. ...Quickly, he leaned down to snatch the dafodil, slipping it away in his cloak before jogging lightly to catch up to his fencing partner._


  • 3.0
    _-Easy breezy.

    Valen trudged down the docks alleyway next to Nathea. Picking his teeth with his dagger, he casually started sizing up and assesing the various boxes and crates. Trying to figure out the complexity of the locks with simple glances, although unsuccesfully. "This is boring," Nathea covered a yawn, toying with the hilt of her rapier, "Let's find something fun to do." She gave Valen a glance, who had then stopped and crouched to further examin a crate that had cought his interest.

    "Like what?" He called back, narrowing his eyes at the crate's padlock. She shrugged, he shook his head. He got back up to his feet and stretched his arms out. Placing the dagger back between his cloak and his leathers, turning around with a grin. "Let's find Colt. He should be around here somwhere." She sighed, running a hand through her thick blond hair. "You know he's just going to want to ask me on a date again, Valen." She stated as they begun walking again.

    He threw his head back and chuckled, amused, "Aye I know, but he's still our chum! And besides, you said you were bored." He kept looking to her with the same sarcastic grin. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

    Westan wasn't a bad fellow, Valen figured. Sure he was a bit older, but he was a good fencer and great company. Maybe a bit off and a bit too daring, but that didn't matter, he thought. Westan Colt; The size of his ego matched only by the size of his mustache.

    Valen chuckled at the thought, turning the corner with Nathea and heading out of the docks and into the commerce district.

    -Lucky coins.

    "GAH!" Valen's eyes widened in alarm. The nars wind blowing his hood back, sweeping his long dark hair along with it. He patted his leathers hastily, then his belt, then the edges of his boots. "What is it?" Nathea glanced over curiously. He turned his head towards her, they had only stepped out into the nars and now they'd have to go back. "My lucky coin, you know, the silver one? It's gone. We have to go back. Now." He said flatly, waiting for a response. She sighed and mumbled. "Fine, let's go." He nodded, pulling his hood over his hair once more and trudging behind his companion into Peltarch.

    They made there way past the commoners, the crowded streets werent going to make the search any easier. Valen dropped to his knees, narrowing his eyes, glad his hood was hiding most of his face from the commoners. "Valen… I'm getting some wine while you..." She watched him crawl around, looking for his coin despite the passing commoners. "...Look for that coin... Be right back." She gave him a glance before walking off towards the mermaid, nodding to the black and gold armored and helmed woman who was making her way towards the desperate swashbuckler.

    Valen kept murmuring some nonsense to himself, shifting his weight, still on the ground searching for his lucky coin. The armored woman's blond hair extended downward below her helmit, she appraoched the crouched Valen slowly from behind. Taking her gauntlet off, holding it at her side, revealing her soft hand, she pulled his hood down slowly. He froze, his black hair revealed. Why was someone pulling his hood down in public, he wondered, biting his tongue a moment. Probobly Nathea, he figured.

    Still from behind, the golden black helmit's expressionless gaze locked onto him. She ran her fingers down and to the side, through his hair, only a few moments after pulling his hood down. "Nathea, that you?" He asked without turning his head, still on all fours with a baffled expression on his face.

    -Natanya's return.

    "NATHEA!?" Her words echoed from her helm into Valen's ears. A wave of tension more then filling him up. He quickly rose to his feet, back to the woman, hands down at his sides. Turning around slowly, his cloak being brushed by the passing commoners which had seeped and faded into the background of his mind by now. He saw Nathea walk towards him, looking past the armored woman for a split second before refocusing his attention to her. "Hey there Valen, got your c-?" She stopped, looking from Valen to the woman. Slowly the armored woman placed her gauntletted hand on the back of her helmit, pulling it off and shaking her thick blond hair loose, revealing her azure eyes and warm smile, despite her earlier raised voice._


  • 2.9
    _-Guardian Angel.

    "Tymora's probobly laughing in my face…" Murmured Valen in a semi-amused tone. He chuckled weakly, pushing his thumbs into the bleeding bite marks on his left leg. Chewing his lower lip, leaning his back against the storage room door. The rain splashing down on his face make him blink and squint, he reached for the dagger he had buckled in his left boot. "It's just a scratch." He gripped the hilt shakily, turning it right side up and pressing the edge into the wound. The haze was getting worse, "Bloody disease infected rats... Mngh."

    His vision becoming liquid, was it the rain? No, it was something else. Probobly the same thing making his head swirl. He figured whatever it was, he was having a hard time focusing on his dagger and his wound. "Nrgh..GAH!"

    ...

    -Guardian Angel, Part II.

    He blinked his eyes open, moving his tongue around in his mouth. "What…" He blinked his eyes open, once again trying to gather some sort of vision. Between the blurrs and waves, a blond woman stood over him. "Urgh..."

    ...

    "Wow that doesn't look too good." She stated in a blunt, semi-sarcastic tone. Resting a hand on the rapier's hilt which was buckled onto her belt. "Maybe I should get help." She stated with the same vague undertone.

    "Yeah maybe you should you stupid.. Wait.. Is that..?" His thoughts echoed and lingered one after another. "No.. Couldn't be."

    ...

    "I think it's infected." The woman's voice was back, his eyes were closed. The bloody dagger laying at his side. "Oh dear oh dear..." The man's voice sounded familiar. Old, scruffy, something humble about it. "This won't do, here, this should help." He heard the man's voice utter a prayer, murmured and low.

    -Guardian Angel, Part III.

    "GAH!" His leg warmed, a rush of fresh air chilled his lungs as he staggered his first few breaths. His eyes widened as he pulled himself to his feet. His hand quickly reached for his dagger's sheath. It was empty, where was it? He decided to ignor it and look between the two foggy figures standing in front of him. "Knew I shouldn't of came down here for honest work from some fat fark named Wald." He mumbled on the inside, the figures sharpening and gaining texture.

    The female was blond, an able build. With a sarcastic smirk and a cocky glint in her eye, she was far from who he thought she was. The other figure was the town friar, who was standing humbly.

    …

    "Fifty Gold." The friar stated smiling. "Yeah, that's right old man, so much for being charitable." He thought to himself, smirking on the inside.

    "It was just a scratch you know." Valen stated to the friar. He stiffle a chuckle in response. "Young man, those rat bites were infected. You could of lost your leg." Whatever, he figured. He'd give the gold if only to get the preist off his back. "Fifty eh? Fine. Here."

    -Nathea, Prelude.

    Valen picked his bloody dagger up, sheathing it back at his boot, walking side by side with the woman who'd found him earlier. He chuckled for a moment. She quirked a brow curiously, "Why the laugh?" He shook his head, pulling his hood up over his shoulders. "I just thought you were someone else. Thanks for your help, I'll be seeing you around, I hope." He grinned chummily over his shoulder as he turned sharp and went his own path. She watched him leave, "Hmph", resting a hand on her rapier's hilt._


  • 2.8
    _-"Thankfull."

    "I guess I should be thankfull…" He mused to himself as he shifted the pair of tweasers which he was holding in his mouth. Valen was crouched behind a few crates in the docks district, the imported merchandise had only just arrived. He took a glance towards the commoners before shaking his hooded head and leaning down.

    "No more distractions." Grunting slightly as he pushed the prog forward, hearing a small click in the crate's lock. A victorious grin spread across his face as he shifted his weight lightly, on the tip-toes of his boots. Sliding the top off, pocketing his tweasers and progs, examining the contents inside. "No more paladin girl to distract me. No more nothing." Pushing a strand of long, black hair back inside his hood and reaching into the crate.

    -Numb.

    Humming to himself, Valen turned a corner, biting down on his clean apple. He adjusted his cloak along with his rapier, patting the new pouch of pipeweed attached to his belt. "Fruit always tastes sweeter after a day's work." He grinned sly, pulling his hood down to let the sun beam down on his face. A content smile played his lips, chewing the bite of apple quietly as his feet carried him off to whatever random direction in town. He would wander, he supposed, he had nothing better to do that day.

    …

    He stopped his humming as he passed the church of Tyr. Haulting his steps and turning to take a casual glance towards the church. How long had it been? He gazed at the symbol of Tyr above the church doors. Three months? "No." He shook it off, chuckling to himself. "Longer then that." Whatever, he figured. His cloak twisted slightly as he turned sharp, pulling his hood back up and making his way towards the mermaid.

    ...

    "I hate her." He shoved his toolbelt into the corner of his room with a sigh. "Leaving like this. Damn it." Pinching the area between his brow, eyes closed. After a few moments he shook it off and opened his pack over his bed and layed out the plunder. "Let's see..." His cloak hung, his leathers layed out and the tool-belt in the corner. He stood there, in his formal white shirt. No hood, no cloak, no camouflaged clothing to help him walk unseen and unheard. He started sizing the amount of pipeweed he had managed to snatch in the docks earlier that day. He murmured to himself, rubbing his forhead, cursing the numbness between his ears._


  • 2.7
    _-Bittersweet Symphony, Part III.

    "Valen Rivera. Better then Snide, I guess. Catchier then Silverwood. Glad I never told anyone my last name." He chuckled slightly, adjusting the sheath buckled to his belt at his side with his left hand as he turned a corner in the docks. Toying with a gold coin with the other, Valen made his way towards the temple after a rough night at the ferret. "Tymora's smile wasn't with me I suppose, losing all all your chink in the slots doesn't exactly help a guy's morale…" He smirked at his rotten luck, walking up the white paved stairs.

    He inclined his hood upward, sizing up the enormous church entrance door. Shaking his head, he pushed his way inside. A calm feeling suddenly came over him as he sniffed the air, looking around, assesing and dismissing the preists and silent worshippers of Tyr. Probobly because the thick walls prevented the busy ruckas of the commons outside, he figured.

    Walking up to daisy with a chummy smile. "Seen Natanya 'round, Preistess?"

    -Bittersweet Symphony, Part IV.

    "Where is she?" His smile gone. He fidgeted with a random buckle of his leather as he stormed out of the church sourly. "Why didn't she tell me she was leaving?" He murmured to himself, accidentally running into a commoner who was carrying a small mandoline case. "Oof!" The man dropped the case to the floor, staggering back slightly. Valen took a step back himself, blinking and gathering himself. "Hey buddy, real sorry…" He knelt down to pick up the case and hand it back. Giving him an odd look, the commoner nodded and brushed past on his way.

    -Bittersweet Symphony, Part V.

    "Two months. She's been gone two months without any notice whatsoever it's just not like her and - gah!" He threw his arms up. His inn room seemed to close down and dawn upon him, becoming smaller and smaller. He sat down, leaning his elbows against his desk and rubbing his temples after pushing his hood back. "Gods damn it…" he murmured, just above a whisper. What if she was hurt? What if something happened?_


  • 2.6
    _-Bittersweet Symphony, Part II.

    Varen buckled the gold piece of the dark cloak at his neck, adbsent mindedly prodding his toes around his new padded boots in the meanwhile. Tris folded her arms, looking him over. He was wearing darkrened studded leather, with a dark hood and cloak hanging down at his sides. "Looking good!" She smiled. He grinned under his hood, then inclined his head taking a quick look around camp. "Alright… Thanks a ton Tris, I owe you."

    They made there way back into the nars. Varen fidgeted with his belt, which contained various new tools. Progs, knives, wires, cogs... His new hobby wasn't much harder then fencing, he figured. He was glad he studied the basics of traps instead of going back to fencing when he'd made his way back to cormyr. After all, he thought, a prog and a trap is much easier then a rapier and a dagger. He chuckled a moment, side-glancing his rapier's sheath under his cloak. "Something up?" Tris glanced over as they arrived in front of the Norwick gates. He shook his head slightly. "No, nothing... Nevermind."

    -Memories, Part I.

    As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
    I take a look at my life
    And realise that there's nothing left.

    ~Coolio~

    His trip back to cormyr was far from a pleasant one at first. He remembered why he had left in the first place, cought up with a needless drama that he had to get away from. His emotions he felt for Natanya had gotten the best of him, in the end he was nothing more then a sour fool, slipping deeper into the bottle.

    "Hey blueboy! Get your arse out here, you didn't pay for this trip so ye gonna work for it." Varen blinked his eyes open, gazing into the mixed black and white fog above him. The sting of the cold ocean air pressed against his face as he pulled himself into a sitting position, losing his grip on the wine bottle he'd drank himself to sleep with.

    With a bit more squinting and blinking the black and white fog turned into the night sky and stars. "Uurhm… Oh... Yeah." He rolled his shoulder, his golden and light-blue chain armor tainted and dirty. His rapier remained sheathed at his side as it had been for so long. He staggered to his feet, accidently kicking the empty wine bottle aside.

    He took a slow glance around the ship's deck, the wind blowing his long, dark hair roughly to the left. "HEY! You listening? Get swapping!" The intimidating, well-built sailor shoved a mop into Varen's gut and rolled his eyes, brushing past. "Erhmph." Varen gathered himself, sighed and murmured under his breath as he began to mop the deck sourly._


  • 2.5
    _-Funny.

    He stood tall as the sea breeze pushed his long, dark hair backward. In the year he had spent away he'd let it grow down to his waist, he hadn't even noticed nor cared. A small, confident smile showed itself as his icy blue eyes scanned the upcoming horizon.

    The ship docked and the sailor lowered the plank for Varen to step off. His leather boot heels clicked against the wood, he glanced around resting a hand on his rapier's sheath. "This place hasn't changed a bit."

    He made his way past the commons, stepping aside to let a lady with her newly baught vegetables pass with a polite nod and smile. He adjusted the bracer on his cloak a moment as he turned a corner, seeing a little boy performing on his home-made mandoline. He smiled a tiny bit and tossed two gold coins into his tip bag as he brushed past.

    "It's funny the way things turn out…" He thought as his mind raced through memories of the past year. "It's funny because as you look back you realise what a kid you've been." He chuckled lightly as he opened the gates to the town, unsheathing his rapier smoothly and trudging out into the nars without another thought. He had to get to Norwick and see his brother, after all.

    -Bittersweet Symphony.

    As his boots pressed into the morning dew of the nars grass, digging into the dirt and pushing him forward lightly with each step, he couldn't help but wonder. He wondered how she's been, what she was doing all these years.

    He wondered, just for a few moments, but quickly managed to push these old thoughts into the back of his mind with a slight smirk. "You remember what she said, you idiot." He thought to himself as he continued down the nars.

    He let his boots slide against the dirt as he skidded down the last path over the cliff that led to Norwick, creating a tiny cloud of dust behind him as he gathered himself and pressed forward. He tilted his head forward in anticipation as to who he would find, grinning at how he thought everyone would look after the year of his absence.

    He trudged forward, seeing a faint torch-light in the distance. Golden black plated armor reflected it the fire's burning glaze, "It couldn't be" he thought. As Varen approached the figure his confident half-grin fell flat, his eyes narrowed, just a bit.

    "VAREN!" Natanya said happily as she lowered her torch, eyes wide with a bright smile on her face. He looked to her blankly, not saying anything.

    …

    She looked up to him, always smiling, he looked back and paused a moment. "...Natanya." He grew a slight smile on his face with a warm glint in his eye. He felt no malice or envy towards her whatsoever, quite the oposite. He had missed her the whole trip and he knew it, and he was happy to see her. He smiled, his eyes flickered over her face. She hadn't changed a bit. She was still that teenage paladin in training he'd left behind so many months ago. They stood like this for a moment, just smiling. He pushed a strand of his now long, black hair back behind his ear. "You..." She kept smiling slightly. "Let your hair grow... I like it."

    He chuckled lightly through a modest smile and nodded slowly. "Yeah... I hadn't even noticed. Thanks..." He sighed slightly and looked around. "We have to talk later." She said in a sharp tone, they begun to walk north towards Peltarch. He forgot about his brother in Norwick and decided to stroll along with her, like he'd care if his brother pulled a fit anyway.

    "What did you want to talk about?" He'd changed, his voice was cool and calm, somewhat distant. She stopped, he continued a step then turned to face her curiously. "About our last talk..." He laughed lightly and gave her a disregarding wave. "That's behind us, I'm fine with it, really." She shook her head. "I... I'm not." He blinked. "Nevermind." She continued, brushing past him. He quirked a brow and let her have her way, following behind her up to Peltarch._


  • _2.4

    -Snide's Last Hurrah

    He shoved his bags into the little boy's arms, murmuring to himself. The kid staggered back a few steps before turning on his heels and slowly marching up the plank to the ship. Varen took one last glance around the Peltarch docks. "Hey blue-boy." He turned around the face the restless sailor. "We're leavin' in an hour. Ya got time t' burn." Varen gave him a mocking look before turning around to face the docks once more, resting his hand on his rapier's hilt.

    "I wonder…" He gripped the neck of his hooded cloak and brought over his head, tossing it aside next to the rest of his baggages. Revealing his familiar golden-blue chain as he begun his last march into Peltarch. He walked fast, tilting his head forward, staring at what he couldn't see. But he knew it was there, and he stared at it despite the fact he couldn't see it. Past the people, through the crowded commons and through the buildings. He kept walking, shoving a woman aside along the way, disregarding the fact she dropped her basket of freshly bought fruit.

    He turned the corner and stopped shorted, leaning his neck towards the left. As he peered over to the Tyran temple he saw the blonde haired woman open the tall doors and walk out. She squinted at the sky a moment, Varen pushed himself back slightly, pressing his back against the wall but leaning his head around the corner just to take a look. She was smiling, happy as she took a breath of fresh air and walked back inside.

    Perfect. Just perfect, he thought.

    He turned his back and made his way back towards the docks, keeping his head low, running his hand through his dark hair. He leaned down and grabbed his cloak, throwing it over his shoulders, lifting his chin and buckling it at his neck. He looked up at the dockworker who was now slumped over the side of the ship, folding his arms on the rim and looking down at him with a small grin. "What's got you so worked up, blue-boy?" Varen gave him a flat look. "When are we leaving?"

    The dockworker sighed and rubbed his brow. "S'pose we could lift anchor right 'bout now. You got everything?" He nodded and stepped his metalic boots on the plank, shifting his now icey-blue eyes back to give the city he once called his home one last glance._


  • 2.3

    Never made it as a poor man stealing,
    Couldn't cut it as a good man trying.

    Tired of living like a blind man,
    Sick of living without a sense of feeling.

    So this is how you remind me
    What I really am.

    _-The begining of the end.

    A woman who'll steal your heart when your heart's all you have left isn't much of a woman, he thought. The man in the dark cloak trudged down the nars, his metallic boots digging into the dirt with large clanks. A shift in his gaze revealed his long, dark hair hidden underneath his hood. A reflection on the rapier's hilt as his right leg stepped forward towards the edge of the cliff, the hood's inclinement lowered to face the scene below.

    "Gimme yer money n' no one gets 'urt, lady." The man in the leather armor flashed his club towards the old merchant woman. She shook and reached a shivering hand towards her purse, extending it towards the mugger. On the cliff, a small in-expressive set of lips were portayed beneath the shadow cast upon his face, the figure stood watching.

    "H-here! Just take it! Take it all just don't hurt me!" The mugger grabbed it with a grunt then approacher, brandishing his club outward, chuckling lightly. The figure on the cliff turned his back and walked off with a small "Hmph."

    -The begining of the end, Part II.

    A gust of snowy wind flew past the figure's cloak as he opened the door to the Regal Whore Inn. His hood shifted, scanning the room slowly before he closed the door with a small thud. His boots clanked against the floor as he slowly made his way to a table, pushing the chair back and carefully sitting down. He hunched his back over the table before slowly pulling his hood down.

    Varen ran his hand through his hair and turned to face the waitress. "Heya, Varen. Long time no see, wha' brings ya to Jiyyd?" Mary smiled and stopped her rounds, looking to him. He smirked slightly and gave her a disregarding wave. "You got any wine…?" His voice was glum and somewhat cold. His dark green eyes were casual, yet weary and impassive. She flashed a small smirk of her own and nodded. "Give me three bottles." She blinked. "Ya sure 'boute tha'?" He frowned and gave her a look. "What's wrong with ya, Varen. Just the other day you were all cheery. Hmnh." She shrugged and eyed him as she walked over to the storage room to fetch his wine. He gave her a ticked look and turned to face the other direction.

    A dwarf bellowed over at the bar, Varen looked over with an annoyed glint in his eye. "I tellsya Drudo... I'm'da best dern barbaron this side'a Nerfall." Varen lifted his upper right lip in disgust, the dwarf was bragging, not to mention drunk.

    "Here ya go, Varen." She sounded unsure as she struggled with the bottles in her arms, she layed them down on the table with a bit of trouble. "Great. I'll pay you after I'm done drinking." She nodded slightly, always eyeing him as she continued her rounds. He uncorked the first bottle, wrapped his lips around the opening and brought the bottom up.

    -The begining of the end, Part III.

    He layed the second bottle down after shifting his eyes towards the dwarf barbarian at the bar. He had just finished the first, the room starting spinning long ago. All he could see was the stupid dwarf's white beard, tainted yellow because of his spilt ale. He sipped his wine sourly, always staring towards the dwarf. "Sooo den I says to'im tha' well ya kno heheh." The stubby drunkard had been rambling on like this for a few minutes now, Varen's right eye twitched as he took another sip of wine.

    The floor started to shift upward to the right, then downward to the left. He didn't care, he knew he was drunk. He did, however, feel the sudden urge to shut the dwarf up. The chubby dwarf chuckled and slapped his knee. He dropped his mug of ale, falling off his stool to the ground, rolling around in his own mess of alcohal.

    "That's it." Varen didn't know why, but right then at that moment, he hated that dwarf more then anything in the world. He shoved his chair back and marched over to the dwarf, applying his heavy metallic boot heel onto his chest to hold him still. Heck, he even forced his foot into the dwarf's gut a bit, just for fun. He then arched his back, his cloak hanging to the sides of his shoulders, leaning his face down to get a better face on the dwarf. The dwarf's eyes widened a moment, before bursting into tears.

    The room kept swirling around Varen, he narrowed his eyes to focus the dwarf's face, trying to get a read on him.

    "VAREN!" Mary's voice echoed throughout the inn. He turned to face her, realising that everyone was staring at him. He swallowed lightly, what was he doing? The dwarf just wanted a friendly drink, he didn't deserve to be threatened or humiliated. "What are you doing!? Get out! Your obviously too drunk to stay here." A small strand of sweat slid down the side of his face as he finally realised what he had done, he nodded breifly to the waitress Mary and pulled his hood back up, hiding his shame. He hastily stepped over the dwarf and pushed the door open, walking into the snow storm and away from the prying eyes of the inn._


  • 2.2

    _It starts with one thing,
    I don't know why.

    It doesn't even matter how hard I try,
    Keep that in mind.
    I designed this rhyme,
    To explain this one time.

    All I know:

    Time is a valuable thing,

    Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings,
    Watch it count down to the end of my day,

    The clock ticks life away,
    It's so unreal.

    I didn't look out below,
    Watched the time flow
    Right out the window.

    Trying to hold on,
    I didn't even know.

    I kept everything inside,
    Even though I tried,
    It all fell apart.

    What it meant to me,
    Will eventually,
    Be a memory,

    Of the time I tried so hard.

    But in the end,
    It doesn't even matter.

    -Broken, Part II. (1)

    The halfling nodded and smiled politely to him. The dark haired, young man looked to him a moment. Varen's usual warm, welcoming gaze was at a lack. It was replaced by a momentary, wide eyed, chilling glare. The look of a man with nothing left to lose. The halfling swallowed lightly and continued along his way. Varen didn't care. He staggered his way back in town, towards the inn. The whole commons was swirling around him, his steps were sloppy and uncalculated. "Heya Varen!" The mermaid inn waitress greeted him as he pushed the door open. He looked her way, his shoulders were barely supporting themselves, his knees felt liquid. "Varen…? Can... I get you something...?" Her voice held a concerned undertone. He kept looking her way with his passive, almost emotionless face. He shook his head slowly, closing his eyes and clearing his throat. He gave her a disregarding wave and made his way up towards his usual room. "She doesn't love me." He murmured as he fidgeted with the key to his room. A few moments and a facial twitches later, he managed to work the skakey hand into placing the key to it's hole and turning it. "She just... Doesn't." He didn't even bother to close the door, he dropped his pack in the middle of the room. A familiar clinking sound echoed it's way from the bag into his ears. The gyspie wine. "Hells with it." He reached down, blinking the tears back, his gloved hand uncorking the bottle. He brought the welcoming glass to his lips and raised the bottom high, drowning the sobs underneath the liquor. He pushed his weight and ended up on his back, drowning the wine, and his emotions, down his throat. But he didn't care. Because he was

    -Broken, Part I. (2)

    Varen hoped she would like his present. He had been saving up for the best one for two tendays now. He chose it, it matched her hair. The dark blue, mysterious, yet classy, woman's tunic. And even though he was nervous beyond compair, he was so proud when he presented it to her. She smiled and accepted it gracefully. "Dark blue…"

    Varen and Natanya made there way towards the edge of the cliff, outside of Peltarch. They had a nice view of the sea. "This is my favorite place to come think." Said Natanya over her shoulder, smiling to him. Despite being so nervous, Varen's smile never left his face. They sat down, she brought her knees to her chin and hugged them tight. He couldn't help but steal a few glances towards her before he turned to gaze out into the sea. They stayed like whis a few moments, Natanya broke the silence. "Tris likes you, you know..." The tone in her voice was a forshadowing of things to come. "What makes you think that..?" He was in denial for a moment, he blinked and rubbed his brow. "I mean... I know she does, but, I don't think I can return it because I love someone else and..." He trailed off. She swallowed lightly. "Natanya, I think... I love y-" She cut him off. "Varen I don't love you. I'm still in training, but, maybe, when I... When I graduate I can commit to a relationship." He blinked and choked on his words. His eyes widened in awe, his lower lip began to tremble ever so slightly. "B-but..." His breathes became staggered and short. "I thought... B-but..." He pulled himself to his feet. She looked up to him with a sorry expression. "I can only love one man, and I must chose him carefully. In time I... I might grow to love you, but for now... I'm sorry..." He shook his head. "That's... Alright... I... I understand. Excuse me" He started off towards town, he fought to hold back the tears but one couldn't help but escape and fall down to her side as he turned to make his hasty exit. But he didn't care, because of her now he was

    -Broken, Part III (3)

    "It's because I don't love you Varen." He blinked his eyes open, his vision was shakey and cut in two for a moment. "Huh.. Wha..?" He managed to focus on the waitress from last night, she was towering over him with a concerned expression. "I said why did you drink so much, Varen?" He mumbled and pulled himself to his feet, looking sour and annoyed by the woman's intrusion. "Since when do you barge into people's rooms and wake them up?" He said bluntly, he was being rude and he knew it, but he didn't care. She frowned slightly and begun to pick up the numerous gypsie wine bottles which he'd left on the floor. "You left the door open you jerk." She murmured under her breath. He had slept in his chain armor, his equipment was all ready for him. He started towards the door, picked his pack up and gave her no more regard. He started down the stairs and walked out the front door, accidently shoving a child aside. He stopped a moment, turning his head to the left and inclining it downward the face the boy. He got up to his feet and gave Varen a small smile. "S'ok mister! Happens all tha time. Hey, uhm, could ya buy me some juice! My tummy kinda hurts and…" Varen narrowed his eyes and turned to face the boy. He looked down his nose to his face and wondered, why should he care? What business of his was it if the boy was starving. He gave the boy a flat expression for a moment but then shook his head. He closed his eyes, cleared his throat and reached into his coin purse, flipping the kid two coins. "Thanks mister!" The kid gave a wide smile and ran off towards the bartender for some apple juice. Varen murmured something through a small grunt and walked out the front door. "That's it," he thought, "She's just like a Sharessian. She kisses me for no reason. She doesn't feel anything. It's not fair... Why do I..." He paused, biting his tongue. "...Did..." He shook his head and cleared his throat, continuing his thoughts. "...Did I love her so much." He sighed on the inside and walked out towards the nars, knowing all the time he'd wasted trying to win Natanya over._


  • 2.1

    _-Wild child, Ryal Everhart.

    Varen and Ryal walked into Peltarch that night, Ryal looked around grinning. "Tell me why were here again? Maybe we'll find your lover-girl." Varen smirked and folded his arms back behind his neck, walking tall with a faint grin. "She hardly even notices you." Varen's grin only widened. "We kissed, you know." Ryal blinked, and gave an impressed look a moment as they made there way towards the kobold gates. "You sly dog you." He chuckled lightly in response. "I don't know how the hells I muckered up that kinda courage though, heheh." He trailed off as they stood at the western foothills gate, territory of the kobolds. "I hope your not going to use those stupid sticks." Ryal looked over. Varen had been using sticks for fighting ever since his last training session with Nico. He remembered what he had been told:_ "Alright, you can stop lugging the dummy around, but here, use these until you learn how to wield a rapier properly." _He sighed as they opened the gate made there way into the kobold territory. Ryal immediatly gripped his axe and charged, chuckling grimly. Varen clutched his sticks and ran right next to him, lightfooted. "Here we come you little bastards!" Varen could only grin at Ryal's confidence. Ryal gripped his axe, chopping one lizard's head right off, Varen hopped onto Ryal's shoulders just for a moment, pressing his boots and kicking himself up and off, landing on a kobold, ramming the sharp end of the stick through his throat. Ryal chuckled, Varen didn't weight much so he was able to shrug it off. "Come on!" Ryal barked through his grin and charged the next set of kobolds as he spotted them. "Right behind you!"

    He ran right next to Ryal, ever since he didn't have to carry the fifty pound dummy he felt light as air. That must be why Nico made him lug it around, he thought, grinning. "Oh, fark this." He slipped the sticks under his belt and unsheathed his rapier and dagger, Ryal grinned. Varen lept back from a kobold strike, reposting and lunging the rapier through it's neck. Ryal jammed the blunt end of his axe into one lizard's gut, forcing it to bend down. He then raised his axe high, eyes flashing with bloodlust as he cut it's head straight off. "YEAAAHAHAAHAH!" He was covered in blood, so was Varen, who just pulled his blade out from a lizard.

    They decided to go in the cave, Ryal's lunacy must have been rubbing off onto Varen because he looked like he was enjoying it just as much as he was. They wandered into the deepest regions, only to encounter the biggest kobold yet. "Oh, crap…" Varen stepped back, the kobold hissed. Ryal grinned and charged. The kobold pushed him aside and struck Varen clean across the torso. He staggered back holding his chest from bleeding. "HERE, FIGHT ME! COME ON!" Ryal smacked the giant kobold from behind, it growled and faced him. He grinned. "Come on you slimey, smelly, no good piece of trash." Varen crawled towards the exit, leaving a stream of blood behind him, wincing.

    "Nnnghh.. Damn it, not like this. Not now." Varen mumbled as he struggled to get away. Ryal held the kobold back, but he couldn't much longer. He had taken many hits and he was losing focus. "Just keep crawling out, man!" He called, parrying an attack with his axe. The kobold hissed and jammed it's sickle into Ryal's shoulder. "Aargh!" Varen turned around, still crawling, he reached for his crossbow which was still on his belt. He took careful aim, trying to make sure he didn't hit the now bleeding Ryal. He shot the crossbow, pulling the trigger tightly, hitting the lizard's armor, but not doing much else.

    "Argh, just... DIE!" Ryal gripped his axe and cut it's neck clean off with one mighty swing. He then walked over to Varen he was on the floor with a faint grin, battered, bruised, and covered in blood. Ryal was a mess as well, but he managed to stand on his own two feet, for now. He helped him to his feet and they made there way slowly towards the exit. "Let's thank our lucky stars and get the fark outta here."

    (OOC We both walked out at 1 HP. Phew. )_


  • 2.0
    _-Aftermath.

    "She kissed me." He said, now making his way back into Jiyyd from the silver valley with one heck of a wide smile on his face. "She kissed me!" A commoner gave him a strange look, he was walking past down into the center of the town, not really looking where he was going. "She kis-!" His foot found itself hitting a bench, he tripped over it and fell face flat on the floor, his pack soon followed and landed on top of him. He muffled out from underneath the bagage:

    "Mmmph, she kished mm!" He threw his pack to the side and got up to his feet, the whole town was looking to him. He blinked, patted himself off and looked around with a nervous chuckle. "Heheheh… Nothing to see here!" He smiled once again and waved them off. They shrugged and went about there business. He gathered his things and made his way back to the gypsie camp, always smiling.

    -Aftermath, Part II.

    He marched into the gypsie camp, he couldn't help but wonder where Natanya had ran off to, or why. But he smiled nonetheless, nodded politely to the gypsies as he made his way towards the communal shack. He entered, laying his pack near his cot and hopping on to it, hugging his pillow tightly, burrying his face into it. "Mmshe kished mmne." He sighed dreamily and eventually, his breathing would slow and he would drift away to sleep.

    He woke the next morning, still hugging his pillow. "Urgh!" He lifted his face, it had the pillow's lining imprinted in it. He yawned and looked to the female gypsie who slept in the cot beside him, she lofted a brow and giggled, seeing the marks the pillow had made on his face. He blinked and touched his face. "Oh, damn it. Not again." He hated it when he fell asleep on his stomach, his pillow always left marks on his face.

    "So, Varen, who kissed ya?" She smirked slightly, giving him a coy look. He blinked. "Err?" He must have waken her up last night when he snuck into the shack so late. "Erhm, … None of your business!" He gave her a defensive look before folding his arms and distinctivly turning his head the other way and closing his eyes. She just laughed and walked out the front door. "Uh-huh, good morning, I'm off." He sighed and pakced his things. He then walked out the front door, noticing the birds singing, the sun shining through the trees above and a nice, welcoming breeze that swept his dark hair back. "And once again, Varen Silverwood, your blessed with a beautifull day." He smiled and walked tall towards the fires._


  • 1.9
    _-Not quite right, Finale.

    "Do you know your way around?" She asked as they entered the silver valley. Varen had been here once before, but he had a hard time remembering how to find his way around. "Erhm, Yeah I'm pretty sure it's this way." He lead her up a cliff and a few stairs, straight into a dead end. "A dead end." They both said at the same time. He rubbed his brow nervously, she just giggled.

    "Right… Well, I'm pretty sure it was this way." He led her back towards the cliff, she heard the sounds of splashing. "Oh, a waterfall!" He looked towards her as she walked to it and peered into the distance from the top. She listened to the perpetual splash of the water down below. Standing at the top of a waterfall would give anyone a nice view, he thought. He stood next to her, looking out towards the small, halfling houses underneath. "Beautifull view, isn't it?" She said as she stared into the distance smiling. He turned his attention towards her and ended up gazing upon her. "Sure is." He sighed the words. She turned towards him and he quickly shifted his attention elsewhere, trying to act busy. He opened his pack and started to rumage through it. She looked to him curiously, as if considering something.

    She walked over, standing extremely close. He got up and closed his pack, he blinked a bit startled as she stood just inches away. She looked up into his eyes, smiling. He looked down and returned the smile, despite that fact that his temporary confidence had begun to wear off. They stayed like this a moment, just looking to eachother. A few more moments, Natanya brushed past him and swallowed lightly, looking in the oposite direction. Varen had begun to lean forward and close his eyes, he leaned a bit too far and ended up falling face first on the ground.

    "Oh! Are you okay?" She turned around and peered to him as he quickly got up to pat himself off. "Oh, erhm, just fine. Just fine." He chuckled nervously. "Come on, I erhm, I think I remember where it is."

    -Fancy dressings and high cielings.

    For a hin restaurant, it sure had high ceilings. He thought as they walked in, having finally found the place. "Wow…" Natanya must have been impressed, he thought. He marched over to the hin while Natanya looked around at the fancy table cloths, expensive dishes and well-dressed halfling waiters and waitresses. This was the first fancy place Varen would eat at in over four years, he was used to eating fancy food before, now he wasn't too sure.

    "Uhm, can we get a table?" Varen asked the halfling greeter. "Well, chum, you can pick any table ya want. Just remember that the table in the candle-lit corner is for love-couples only." Varen glanced back to Natanya who was still peering around curiously, he then turned back to the halfling. "We'll take the corner table." The hin nodded with a small half-grin, Varen turned back towards Natanya and walked over. "That table there in the corner?" He pointed it out. She nodded and smiled. "Perfect." They walked over, the waitress soon came. "What'll ya have?"

    -Perfect.

    They had ordered crab, the priciest thing on the menu. Varen didn't care, although he usually would, he didn't mind this time. Considering the aspects of his current situation, he would put his pride before his coin purse. She snuck a few hidden glances between her curtain of blonde hair that elegantly draped itself before her face as she ate. He took a long sip from his goblet of water, his eyes shifted a few times towards her. "Tell me, Varen." He swallowed the rest of his water and layed his goblet back on the table.

    "Erhm, yes?" With a cunning glint in her eye and a sly grin on her face, she asked her question. "Why is it your so nervous around me lately?" He almost choked on the water which was now halfway down his throat. "Erhm, well, you know…" He trailed off, she took the opertunity to follow up on her question. "You should just be honest with me, Varen." He swallowed lightly, he remember the night he had pulled his stunt on her, gaining her false respect.

    "Natanya, I..." He trailed off and looked down to his hand, fidgeting with a fingernail. "What is it?" She leaned forward, looking to him curiously, yet never losing her grin. "Well... Remember that night that I caught that pick-pocket?" He swallowed lightly and lowered his head.

    "It was a stunt, -but let me explain before you run off, please!" Her grin faded, she replaced it with a stern frown and glare. "A stunt!?" He lowered his head more and slumped his shoulders in shame. "Explain." She said in her sternest voice possible. "Well... You see, back after I had just met you I had a few problems..." He remained vague on the subject of the problems, knowing all too well what they were but continued his explanation nonetheless. She folded her arms and leaned back on her chair, always glaring to him with a stern expression. He continued. "Well, I wanted to impress you and my wizard friend, Sarp, well, thought he knew how." He swallowed lightly, a sorry look on his face.

    "He played the roll of the pick-pocket and, well, erhm, we basicly did it to impress you. Please, just, don't be angry." He kept his head low and closed his eyes. She kept glaring. "So, you lied to me." She stated. She got up and pushed her chair back. "No, wait..!" Varen opened his eyes and noticed that instead of walking away, she had came right beside him, looking down to him. He stumbled out of his chair and looked to her nervously. "You lied to me... That's... That's..." Her voice became more and more filled with supressed anger and rage. He closed his eyes and lowered his head wincing slightly, preparing for a hit. "That's... That's..." She bit her lower lip.

    "The nicest thing anyone's ever done for me." He opened an eye to see her smiling, she was standing closer to him now, just like before. "Y-your not angry?" He squeeked out. "It was a nice thing to do, sure it was wrong, but..." She trailed off, he put his hands on her shoulders.

    -Perfect, Part II.

    "Natanya, I…" He said softly. She smiled up to him and whispered lowly. "Yes, Varen...?" He smiled a moment before pulling back slightly, resting his arms back to his sides. She noticed this and looked to him, she channeled the same confidence from Tyr that she had used before. She focused it all onto Varen, trying to rid him of his nervousness. She then whispered softly, repeating herself in the same soft tone. "Yes, Varen...?" He slowly put his hands back on her shoulders and leaned forward slightly, always smiling. She smiled back, but tried to remain focused on the confidence she was giving him through Tyr.

    He hesitated. She focused harder. He leaned his head close with a small glitter in his eyes, tilting his head to the side slightly and smiling gently as his face approached her's. He pressed his lips lightly onto hers, closing his eyes and giving her a soft, yet long kiss. She leaned her head forward, into the kiss, closing her eyes. She kissed back and lost focus on the courage she had been channeling into him. He slowly guided his hands across her shoulders and up her neck to rest each one gently on her cheeks.

    He blinked and opened his eyes, they widened. The courage she had given him had worn off, he stepped back blushing furiously. "I..." She spoke up, bringing her head back into it's normal position. "I... Really... I really... I gotta go now!" She glanced around a few times and hurriedly walked out of the diner. He gathered his things and begu to start after her.

    "Natanya, wait!" He couldn't run, his pack was too heavy. He cursed the day he went to see Nico Black for training, that was the day he made Varen carry around the fifty pound dummy everywhere he went. He couldn't catch up, and was a bit confused at what just happened. "How did I mucker up the confidence to actually kiss her?" He thought to himself as he walked out from the diner, looking around the valley.

    No Natanya. Where had she ran off to and why?_


  • 1.8
    _I never really feel quite right.
    And I don't know why.
    All I know is something's wrong.

    Everytime I look at you,
    I feel so alive.

    Tell me how do you do it,
    Walk me through it.
    I'll follow in every footstep.

    You always take a cautious step,
    Till your about to give up.

    All I want for you
    Is to shine.

    So shine.

    -Natanya, part VI. Not quite right.

    He walked through Norwick, casually glancing around with a small yawn. He sighed as he watched the people gathered around the fire. There was a young, pale, dark haired man sitting by the fire, preaching about his beliefs. "I, Darkspells, truly do believe…" Varen stopped listening to him and marched out the gate, only to see Natanya talking with the man he knew as Elor. He had seen what this man could do, watched him attack an elf in town, he watched him lash out to Tris from a prison cell after he had been dragged off to jail by Varen himself.

    Varen growled lowly. What was Natanya doing, assosiating with this blood-sucking maniac. He noticed the pale young man had followed him outside. "Oh, hey Darkspills." Varen said, looking over his shoulder and turning around, keeping an eye on Natanya and Elor.

    "It's Darkspells." He sounded a touch annoyed. Varen shrugged it off. "Whatever, Darkspills." The pale mage frowned and murmured a few soft words, Varen then dropped to the floor, eyes closed, groaning.

    ...

    He blinked his eyes open, seeing Natanya's face hovering over his. "Are you alright?" He blinked, her face was only inches away. He swallowed lightly as she stood up straight again, he pulled himself to his feet and cleared his throat. "Erhm, y-yes Natanya." He smiled nervously and patted himself off. "Did you see what happened?" He murmured something and looked around, The pale mage was standing next to Elor.

    "Why am I not suprised those two are friends." He thought. "Miss Natanya, erhm, I'm going for a walk towards Jiyyd. Ehm, would you like to come with me?" He managed to squeek out, always clearing his throat or fumbling on a word, staggering a sentance or trailing off. He hated being so nervous but he couldn't help it. She smiled. "Sure." As they walked through the town, Varen muckered up every last bit of confidence and managed to ask her:

    "So, erhm, what would you like to do, lady Natanya? Visit Jiyyd, I know this diner and, well, erhm, we could always go to Peltarch or..." He trailed off rambling a bit. "Oh, what was that you said?" She looked over curiously. "Oh, Peltarch." She shook her head. "Nevermind, I thought you said something about Dinner." He blinked and stumbled a few steps in front of her. "Yes! Yes." He cleared his throat. "I did." She smiled. "Dinner it is."

    -Not quite right, Part II. First date.

    Varen and Natanya were walking down the nars. He couldn't help but steal a few glances, at least before she put on her helm, hiding that pretty little face of hers. They saw a grey armored, brown haired woman walking slowly in there direction. It was Tris. "Hey Tris." Varen smiled. "Oh, good evening miss." Natanya's voice sounded metalic as it echoed from underneath the helmit. Tris smiled to both.

    "Uhm, I really should be going." Natanya's emotionless helmit shook from side to side slightly. "Oh, no, please, join us." Her voice held kindness even if it was being masked by the echo effect of the helmit. Varen rubbed his brow nervously with a gloved finger. He had thought he had a thing for Tris in the past, and now he was with Natanya. "This is trouble waiting to happen." He thought. Tris noticed Varen's reaction and hesitated a bit.

    "Oh… Uhm... Sure." The three begun walking towards Jiyyd. Varen was edgy the whole time, what if they got to talking? Or worse, what if they started talking about him when he wasn't listening? "This isn't good at all." He thought to himself wistfully.

    As they arrived in Jiyyd, Varen was still 'safe' per say. They hadn't really got to talking. He still didn't think either knew he felt or had felt emotions for them, so he was in the clear, he thought. Outside the gates, a tall, silvery grey armored man with a helmit approached. Natanya looked over with a curious smile, her helmit off now. "Is that…" Her smile widened. The man took off his helmit, shaking off his thick, blond hair, showing a smile beaming with confidence.

    "Bah..." Varen thought to himself. He noticed Natanya's reaction, smiling and giggling as she ran over to hug him. "It's been too long, Thierulf!" Her voice was full of glee, then it hit him. If this man was able to provide her with such happiness, they must have been something more then just good friends. "Well, this guy must be her long-lost lover, come back to win her over... or... something." He sighed and trudged his way inside the Jiyyd gates, giving them some time alone to talk about there hapenings.

    "I'll be inside." Tris looked to the downhearted Varen with concern in her eye, she followed him inside. He walked up the cliff near the graveyard and paused, rubbing his temples and giving his brain some time to process the current situation. "I know you like her..." Tris appraoched from behind, slowly, with a sad look on her face. He opened his eyes and turned to face her, she looked like she was about to cry. Only question was: "Why?" He thought.

    "Tris..." He walked over slowly, pushing the pain he'd felt from earlier back behind his head and wrapping his arms around her, resting his chin in her full brown hair. "Tris, don't-" His whisper was interrupted by a woman in passing. "Hi hi!" She said in a cheery tone, Varen stepped back and patted himself off. Tris looked to the woman a moment, then towards the ground. "...Come on." He sighed the words as they made there way back towards the center of the town.

    "I know this must be hard for you, Varen..." Tris was being supportive, at least. She was trying to make the young fencer feel better using words. He sighed and stopped near the road. He paused a moment, then noticed Natanya coming through the gates, smiling wide. "At least your happy." He thought, forcing a small smile of his own in response to hers. Tris just looked to Varen with either pitty, concern, or something else. "That's a very good friend of mine." Said Natanya, smiling. Varen nodded knowingly.

    "He's about to get married." Varen blinked, shocked. "Erhm!" It was all too obvious, this pretty boy blonde, who was probobly rich beyond compair, was going to ask Natanya to marry him. "Great, I don't stand a chance." Varen told himself on the inside. He sighed and forced another smile. "Congratulations."

    -Not quite right, Part III.

    Natanya giggled. "Not me you silly goose." She smiled wide, in light of Varen's foolishness. Varen blinked and looked to her, barely holding back his glee. "Oh! Oh! Of course not!" He managed a small laugh, he couldn't believe he thought she was going to marry the knight. She smiled and gave Varen an odd look for a moment. Tris seemed to become just as downhearted as Varen was, just a few moments back. "Excuse me a moment." Said Natanya, nodding to both and walking off to the general shop. Varen sighed in slight relief, dropping down to the ground and laying his back across the grass, looking up towards the sky with a small smile.

    "I…" Tris managed to squeek out. He glanced to her, she hadn't moved since they had begun talking. "I have to go wash up." He nodded as she walked off, then returned to gazing to the sky and smile. The blonde, armored man made his way into town just as Natanya returned from the shop. Varen hopped to his feet and looked in between them, slightly less nervous now. "Varen, I'de like you to meet Thierulf." He smiled and extended his hand. Varen returned the smile and shook his hand firmly.

    "Nice to meet you, Varen." Said the tall, blond haired, armored man. His posture and confident attitude gave way to his knightly nature. "Likewise, friend." Said Varen with a small nod and smile. "Congratulations, I hear your getting married. Who's the lucky girl?" Varen asked as he let go of the knight's hand. The knight just chuckled lightly and humbly. "Oh, it would seem Natanya's the lucky woman tonight, however my wife-to-be is Elena Nightsbrooke." Varen never heard of her, and what did he mean by Natanya being the lucky girl? Did he know Varen had asked her out to dinner? He thought.

    "Erhm, w-what does that mean?" Varen chuckled nervously, before Natanya spoke up. "I'm going to go get out of my armor." She smiled to both and walked off. Varen looked to Thierulf who was standing casually, looking around the town. "She's got some nice armor, huh?" He said, showing a small grin.

    "Matches her hair." Varen replied. "And such beautifull hair it is." Varen nodded agreeingly as Natanya returned, now in her white-on-black formal outfit. "Who're you two talking about?" She mused, obviously she must have heard one or two comments while changing. Varen shifted his weight around a bit, twisting the dirt beneath his boot. Thierulf just stepped back, giving Varen the responsibility to explain. He cleared his throat.

    "Well... Erhm. You see, Thierulf mentioned your armor and..." He trailed off a moment, rubbing his brow. "Well then I mentioned your hair and well, heh, you know how that goes and..." He adjusted a glove idly as he spoke, taking his time and rambling a bit, he knew he was, he just couldn't help it.

    "Well your hair being the way it is I sort of well, you know, I sort of..." He glanced around a moment, clearing his throat and adjusting his belt. The gate burst open, a bunch of blue armored men that Varen recognised from norwick walked through, breaking up the conversation. "Oh, thank the gods..." Varen said under his breath, nodding to the passers.

    As they made there way past and faded away from view, Varen cleared his throat and spoke up. "Well, ahhh, I think there's a rock in my boot. I'm just going to ahh... go... over here now." He took a step away from the two before the blond knight, Thierulf, put a hand on his shoulder. As his steel gauntlet touched Varen's chain he felt a small surge of confidence. A comforting feeling of well-being.

    "Don't leave just yet, friend." Said the knight. "On second thought..." Varen turned around, now flowing with the knight's temporary confidence. "I don't even think I have a rock in my boot." He patted himself off and smiled to both, mainly Natanya. He stood straight up, no longer stumbling on his feet or staggering forward while he spoke. "Why, thank you for such a compliment, sir Thierulf." The knight chuckled lightly. "You should also give young Varen here a bit of recognition, no?" She blushed slightly, looking over to the fencer who was looking to her back with a lofted brow.

    "Erhm..." Varen looked to her, she could notice that Thierulf's confidence booster was wearing off. She walked over and touched his face with her hand, smiling kindly and looking into his eyes. Once again he felt a warm embrace, he was able to take every single detail of his surroundings in without a second thought. She took her palm away from his face, his head begun to lean in the direction where she had placed her hand, just for a moment. He stopped, however and looked to her.

    "Right, well, Lady Natanya, shall we get going to the diner?" He smiled, still beaming with confidence. She smiled back. "Sure, bye Thierulf." The knight nodded then turned to Varen. "Listen, if you've got something to tell her, just... Tell her." He smiled. Varen gave him a small, thankfull nod. "Thanks, friend. I'll keep that in mind."_


  • 1.7

    _-Varen Silverwood.

    Varen woke up, the events of the last tenday still lingering in his mind. He remembered how he couldn't sleep in Norwick, and traveled north through the nars towards the place that he could come anywhere near calling home. It was near midnight. He remembered stopping in front of his father's villa, staring straight at it with a stern face. He had refused to go inside and talk with his familey, he decided to stay at the inn. He was getting used to it by now.

    He got up, rubbing his forhead and squinting at the sunlight which peered through his window onto his bed. He forced a smile as he buckled his boots. "Stop being so damn sad." He told himself, tightening the strap on his left boot and going for the right. "Everything will work out." He buckled his right boot and tightened his belt, making sure his rapier along with his off-hand weapons were all secure. "I just know it will." That's it, he told himself on the inside.

    Just like you used to be, smile, be bright, be charming, be you. Even if he was an ex-con artist, he was still Varen Silverwood. And then there's her. She who haunts his thoughts, he can't escape the vision of her taking off her helm that time in the Nars. Her hair blew back gracefully, she even smiled, perfecting the image. He sighed to himself on the inside, but not of sorrow. For now, he thought, he would admire her from afar. Just like everyone was telling him to.

    Mister Attentus, Ryal, Lina, everyone. Even the magistrate Barrim told him that Natanya wasn't exactly the easiest of women to fall for, he didn't really mind it at first. Sarp had helped him pull his stunt, but even he had his doubts. Now he was convinced, he would take things real slow, he would befriend her before doing anything rash. He would stop reaching for the stars, he thought.

    He nodded politely to the waitress as he walked through the Inn's first floor, opening the door letting the wind hit his face, letting the sun warm his skin. "What a beautifull day."

    -Innocent as Human, Part II.

    He walked outside, meeting Ryal in the town center. "Hey buddy, morning." Varen grinned. "Hey Ryal, how's the fiance?" He smirked and adjusted the greataxe which was strapped to his back. "Not too bad." Varen sat down beside him, leaning his weight back on the ledge and sighing through his smile.

    "You know you really should reconsider with the Natanya lady, Varen." Said Ryal as Varen nodded, having heard this too many times before. "I know, I'm thinking about it." He heard footsteps coming from behind, he glanced over his shoulder. It was Tris. He smiled as she walked up to them. "Hey Tris."

    Ryal nodded to her, he and Varen both got up. "Hey, your hurt." Her arm was badly bruised, Varen peered to it. "Hey, Tris, is your arm alright?" She nodded slowly, but was obviously in some pain. "Come on, I'm taking you to an Inn room and bandaging that up." Said Ryal, easing his shoulder underneath hers and helping her walk towards the inn. Varen followed close behind, obviously concerned.

    Ryal carried her up the stairs to the second floor while Varen pulled himself a chair, watching them from the table with a sorry look on his face. Ryal walked back down a few minutes later, alone. "How is she?" Varen asked as he pulled a chair and sat down. "She'll be fine, I bandaged her up and now she's sleeping."

    Moments later, Tris open the door and slowly made her way down the stairs and appraoched the table. "Hey Tris, feeling better?" They both asked as she sat down in between them. "Yeah, a bit." Varen left a coin for the waitress and they all got up, heading for the door. "Alright you two, I'm going to get some shut-eye myself." Said Ryal as he opened the door, letting them both walk outside. "Alright, rest well."

    -Innocent as Human, Part III.

    It was late, Varen looked up. He could see the stars perfectly as he walked towards the town center, next to Tris. She sat down on a bench, Varen lied on the ground. He folded his arms behind his head and gazed up to the stars. She peered down at him curiously. "Err, What are you doing?" He sighed dreamily. "Gazing up at the stars, come on, lie down. It's a nice view." She slowly got up from the bench and lay down beside him, looking up curiously.

    "Wow… It is a nice view." He smirked and nudged her with his elbow. "Yeah, your telling me." She smiled and nudged him back. "Never seen the stars this well before." He blinked at the nudge and couldn't help but grin slightly. "Yeah Peltarch Commons offers a nice view." He said, giving her another light jab in the ribs. "Don't nudge me like that again, I'm warning you." He said in a playfull tone. She grinned and nudged him again. "Oh that's it." He said reaching over and tickling her ribs. "Eh? How's that? Going to nudge me again?" He smirked. She laughed and rolled over on top of him laughing.

    Her face was inches away from his. She stopped laughing and looked into his eyes, her hair hanging down the sides of her face. He smiled slightly a moment before blinking and realising his position. Her eyes widened, she obviously didn't expect to end up on top of him. "Errr..." He eased her off and layed her beside him, she turned her head and blushed furiously. There was a small awkward moment of silence before Varen spoke up. "Erhm, I think I'll go to bed now, I need my rest after all, heheh." He had a small, uncertain undertone to his voice. She nodded understandingly a few times. "Yeah, erhm, sleep well."

    -Problems reborn.

    He turned the key to his Inn room with thoughts raging through his mind. "Great, what was that all about?" He threw his pack near the door after closing it and walked towards the bed. "She ended up on top of me." He pulled the chain off his chest over his head, laying it gently beside the mantle. "Wierd." Varen then unbuckled his belt, laying the four sheathes carefully next to his chain. He shrugged his leathery chain pants off and slowly crawled into bed, staying on top of the sheets and folding his arms back behind his head, staring to the cieling._


  • 1.6
    _Your different.

    I keep on falling in and out with you.

    Your different.

    Sometimes I love you.
    Sometimes you make me blue.

    Sometimes I feel good.
    Sometimes I feel used.

    I'll be your darling,
    Even if it makes me so confused.

    I keep on falling,
    In and out,

    Of love,

    With you.

    ~AK~_

    _-Natanya, Part IV. Strolling the woods.

    "I'm going for a walk." Said Natanya, getting up to her feet and brushing herself off. Varen hopped up. "Oh, lady Natanya." He swallowed lightly and adjusted a strap on his loose gloves. "Can I come with you?" She pondered a moment. Why did she have to think about it, he thought. He quickly reminded himself of the fact that besides the polite pleasantries, he was nothing more then a friend to her. He sighed slightly at the thought.

    "Oh, well, sure." He smiled nonetheless and gathered his things to prepare for the stroll. "Excuse me while I take off my armor." Natanya said over her shoulder as the walked out the Norwick gate. She sat down and unbuckled the various plates that were attached to the cloth underquilting. She then peeled off the cloth, revealing a very simple brown outfit underneath. Varen peered over, this was the first time he saw her without big metallic plates covering her body.

    …

    They sat down in a secluded area near the lake, the chilling breeze refreshed Varen as he plopped down next to her, resting his pack at his side. "This is my favorite spot to come think." She paused a moment, probobly waiting an answere. He just stared out into the lake for a few moments. She picked up some small pebbles and threw one into the lake. Varen blinked, thanks to his aspe he hadn't even noticed they had stopped talking. He cleared his throat and forced his mind to focus, despite the eastlander shortsword which was sheathed to his side that was making his mind wander.

    "Nice shot, Lady Natanya." She sighed through a smile. "Oh, yes, I aimed the lake, and I hit the lake." She said in a small amused tone. He blinked and rubbed his brow with a gloved hand. "Think of something cunning to say, damn it." He thought to himself. The aspe buckled to his belt seemed to grow heavier. "Well, erhm… The lake isn't that hard to..."

    He trailed off and blinked. "It isn't that hard to hit." He sighed to himself on the inside. "Real smooth" He thought.
    She smirked ever so slightly and threw another pebble in. "You know... It feels so good to be out of my armor." Varen looked over to her curiously. She continued. "While I'm wearing my armor, I'm Natanya. Devout servant and Paladin of Tyr." He sighed to himself once more on the inside, this was her way of reminding him who he was, he thought to himself.

    On one end he was Varen. Pathetic drop-out Cormyrian fencer.

    On another he was Varen Snide. 'Cunning' swashbuckler who faked fencing matches and rigged the bets to make money.

    And finally, so long ago, he was Varen Silverwood. Runaway Peltarch noble who couldn't face his father. Nor his illgotten, spoiled older brother.

    He is Varen "Snide" Silverwood, a con-artist and coward in all forms, he thought.

    He huddled his knees close to his chin, wrapping his arms around them with a small pondering look. "But..." She continued, he peered over to her once again. "Outside my armor, I'm Natanya Summers. The little girl who's at her mother's pottery shop back home." He smiled slightly at her words. Maybe she wasn't like the others, he thought. Maybe she wasn't some fanatic zealot who let her order cloud her judgement. "And even if she is..." He thought to himself.

    "I'll just change." He cleared his throat and shook his thoughts away, sending them to the back of his mind as he smiled to her. "So, tell me about your mother?" She smirked a moment. "Oh? My mother? Well she's old, like long walks near the lake..." She trailed off grinning. He sighed and rubbed his forhead with a faint smirk of his own. "I meant how is she holding up, her and her shop. You know, back at your home? Besides it's not her I'm int-" He cut himself short and cleared his throat. Her grin faded into a smile and she looked out over the lake. "She's fine."

    -Natanya, Part V. Snide's Plan.

    As Natanya and Varen made there way back into town, he noticed a familiar grey haired man sipping a bottle of wine near the gates. "Sarp, my friend!" The old wizard blinked and looked up to Varen, looking more focused then usual. "Oh, hey Varen." He said in a very normal, very sober voice. "Havent been drinking much, have you?" He smirked slightly. "This, my friend…" He gestured to Natanya as they both arrived.

    "Is Lady Natanya Summers." Sarp nodded and bowed formally. "Varen speaks very highly of you, milady." Varen frowned and jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow. Natanya turned to him and lofted a brow. "Does he...?" Varen gave Sarp a look before turning back to Natanya and smiling nervously.

    "Natanya, could you wait here a moment?" She gave him a puzzled look before nodding. "Sure." He sighed, relieved he didn't have to explain as to why he was making her wait. He nudged Sarp and motioned him to follow inside the gates to Norwick. "Alright, time to go with the plan. Here's what's going to happen..." Varen leaned in close and whispered how his plan was going to go down.

    ...

    Moments later, Varen walked back out the south gates, alone. Soon after, came a dark clothed man wearing a mask. "Well, Sarp had to go to bed..." Varen explained as he walked over to Natanya. She blinked, obviously a bit confused. "Anyway..." He continued, unfolding the Combat Dummy which he kept in his pack. He planted it securely into the ground and peered over to the puzzled Natanya. "I was hoping you'de comment on my fencing technique." She smiled. "I'm not a fencer, but sure." Varen unsheathed his blades smoothly, making a note as to not use the Asp for this training session. He would need every single percentage of his witt that he could gather.

    "Oh... This little coin purse is in the way." He said loudly and idly as he unbuckled the bag and tossed it towards the tree. The dark clothed man glanced at it. He heard the 'clink' of the coins inside the bag as it landed. "There we go..." Varen shifted his eyes around a bit before resuming his fencing stance, trying to act casual. Natanya kept on smiling. He made a few moves, idly slashing the dummy across the chest with his rapier, and stabbing it with his dagger.

    Varen paused a moment, giving the man a small hand gesture. The dark clothed man quickly reached for the bag and made a run for it, not running very fast. Varen caught up with him easily enough, tackling him to the ground and pressing his rapier's thin blade across his neck.

    "Pssst... Take it easy, will you?" Sarp's voice was hushed, coming from behind the mask. "Oh, damn, sorry." Varen whispered back before easing back, but keeping a grip on the would-be thief. "Explain yourself you... errr... Thief, you." Varen tried to sound like one of the militia men he'd seen arrest someone before. "Zis waz juzt for food for my famileyz!" Sarp disguised his voice, just as Varen told him to. Varen then valiantly let him go, and patted him off. The masked man pulled himself to his feet.

    "Waz diz. You not going to kill me for being dirty thief?" Varen shook his head and handed him yet another small bag of gold. "Here you go, S- ... Err, thief. Take this gold here and, erhm, feed your familey. You may be confused and hungry, but your actions were for a, Aherm, good cause." Varen tried his best not to slip up with any words or phrases. The man nodded quickly and begun to ramble a bit. "Yez, well, truly a good Tyrian-like act indeed, kind zir." Varen leaned in a bit and jabbed his stomach.

    "Hey hurry up, will you?" He hushed. "Oh, right." The man nodded and quickly ran off with the bags of gold. Varen then turned to Natanya who had her arms folded, not really knowing what to make of the chirade. "Poor fellow, only wanted to feed his familey." He explained, a bit sweaty and more then a little nervous. He hoped Natanya hadn't noticed that the man was in fact Varen's adviser and book keeper, Sarp of Suzail. She smiled. "A very noble deed of you, Varen." She bought it, he couldn't believe it. It worked, but why wasn't he happy? Something was missing, was he feeling guilty for his actions? He thought.

    -Snide's guilt.

    Varen walked back towards his combat dummy, pondering intensively. He had managed to convince her he was a Law-abiding citizen, and that he did so in the name of Tyr. But why wasn't he jumping for joy? Why wasn't he grinning cunningly, a few years back he would have just went with the lie without a second thought. He sighed and gathered his things. "Arent you going to finish your fencing, Varen?" Natanya asked as he was about to fold his combat dummy and pack it away. "Oh…!" He blinked, he had forgotten and gotten lost in the true purpose the dummy held for him. "Right."

    He practiced a bit more, this time using his favored, yet traitorous off-hand weapon. His asp shortsword. After a few moments he folded the dummy and packed it away. "I'm going to bed, Lady Natanya." He said rather glumly. She smiled and waved, he walked off, shoulders slumped slightly, gripping his heavy pack tightly.

    As he turned the key to his inn room he realised what he had done. "I basicly... Just... Stole her respect." He thought grimly as the idea hit him. And worst of all, he hated it. "I'm nothing but a thief. No better then a cutpurse or a pickpocket." He hated what he had done, only question was "Why?". He asked himself as he threw his pack near the door and closed it tight, walking over to his bed and not bothering to get out of his chain.

    "I'm just what I've always been..." He tried to talk himself out of the nerve racking guilt which was crawling up his spine. "A con artist." He spoke the words bluntly, with a hint of shame. He dropped himself unto the bed and folded his gloved hands back behind his head. He stared up at the cieling and took a deep breath.

    "What is this guilt? Gods I hate it." Why couldn't he have fallen for a less hard-to-get woman, someone more in his line of work. Someone a bit more open minded, or maybe someone who had a bit less responsibility. He let the thoughts linger in his mind a moment. He then sighed and turned to lie on his stomach, facing the pillow, burrying his face it in and hugging it tightly.

    "Damn it…"_


  • 1.5

    _-Fang.

    "Oh! You use rapiers!" The young, dark haired man smiled wide as he appraoched Varen from behind at the gypsie camp. Varen had his fingers on his chin, leaning his waist forward with a pondering look on his face. He looked behind and turned around. The young man smiled and nodded to his rapier's sheathe. "That's right." He replied looking the young man over. He was about his age, he thought. Maybe younger. "I've got one for sale, wanna see?"

    Varen grinned faintly. "Sure." He unbuckled the sheathe from his belt and handed it to Varen. The sheathe had a wolf's fang embeded onto it. His eyes narrowed as he examined the blade. It was sharp, and shiney. The moonlight reflected off of it with a beautifull glimmer. It was perfect. "How much?" Varen slid the blade back into it's place with a small 'shink'.

    "Five Hundred's the price, mister." He smiled wide. "Make it 450 and you got a deal, chum." He nodded and smiled, Varen handed the gold over and buckled his new sheathe next to his dagger, and eastlander aspe shortsword. He removed his old, dull rapier from his belt and packed it away. Varen looked to the young man who'd sold him his new blade. "Say, you fence?" The young man smiled wide. "I sure do." Varen grinned faintly. "You just found yourself a match." He never stopped smiling. "Sure!"

    -The duel.

    Varen stood lightfooted, his toes felt the ground as they keenly shifted his weight up and down. He placed one foot before the other, holding his rapier high and to the left, the blade curved downward. He decided to unsheathe his asp instead of his dagger for this match, he knew all too well what happened when he did. His free hand found it's fingers wrapped around the bandit blade.

    He drew it and instantly his focus dropped, as he knew it would. A small, cocky grin spread across his face. The aspe shortsword always did this to him, boosting his confidence to a dangerous high, making him forget basic tactics and sometimes common sense. He gripped it tight and brought it low and to the right. It's position, coupled with his rapier's, gave him a small edge over his oponent and he knew it.

    The young man stood before him, looking at him with all the confidence he needed. He drew his rapier from his long sheathe. He then quickly pulled out the small, shining dagger. Varen eyed the dagger, maintaining his fencing stance. The dagger itself would prove to be an obstacle for him, he thought. It was a main gauche - a fencer's best friend. He had yet to find one.

    The young man asssumed his casual stance, holding his rapier loosely, pointing it forward. He gripped his main gauche as he extended his arm outward, looking over to Varen. "Are you ready?" Varen grinned cockily, thanks to his aspe blade. "I was born ready." The young man appraoched slowly, keeping his eyes set on the stanced fencer. Varen counted his steps, keeping a calculated eye on them.

    Step, he swung his rapier downward only to have it interupted by Varen's aspe. Step, he quickly lunged his main gauche towards his ribs, Varen jerked his right arm back, quickly bringing his rapier close to the main gauche, but not close enough to deflect it. He felt the cold steel pierce his cloth shirt and enter into his ribs.

    With a wince, he gripped his aspe tightly and ignored the pain. Reposting the first attack, seeing an opening, Varen gripped his trusty, but not so trusty, Aspe and sent it forward it a quick jabbing thrust. His oponent would feel it's sting as it singed through his vest, landing a clean cut across his waist.

    He stepped back and clutched his waist tightly. It was a tie, for now. The young man quickly went on the offensive again, Varen gritted his teeth as the small 'shink' and 'click' made when there rapier's clashed. He drew his main gauche, this time finding an opening. Varen had used both his rapier and his aspe to deflect the first blow, he had a free shot. He took it, giving his chest an upward slash.

    "Nnnghhh!" Varen didn't feel a thing, only a few seconds after the hit did he start to feel the burning sensation the cold air brought to his open wound. Such is the effect of the eastlander "Aspe" shortsword. He staggerd back a few steps, falling to his knees.

    The young man sheathed his blades and offered him a hand up. "A good duel, mister." He then chanted a healing spell, closing up Varen's chest wound. "Heh… Not bad." Varen grinned despite the pain, he then picked up his aspe and sheathed it, along with his newly bought rapier. As the aspe re-entered it's sheathe, Varen's thoughts once again became clearer, he also felt the pain sting much worse. He hated having to use the aspe, but it was far better then his meager dagger as an offhand weapon, he thought.

    -Natanya, Part II. Ramblings of a fool.

    Varen walked back towards Norwick, aspe in one hand, rapier in the other. Trudging the nars and pondering his recent defeat. He noticed a familiar set of golden-black armor, an armored figure, most likely female walking towards Norwick. He peered over, not really recognising the figure at first. "Who goes there?" He aksed as he sheathed his rapier, then his aspe. With his mind-rotting blade sheathed, he could clearly remember the armor. It was Natanya's.

    "Natanya?" The emotionless helm glanced his way. He walked over with a curious look. She set her sword into the ground with one hand, placing the other on the back of her helm. She pulled it off, her flowing blonde hair easily being swept back in the nars wind. Her eyes glittered in the moonlight, she shook her hair loose and smiled over to Varen. "Varon, was it?" She had mispronounced his name, he didn't care. This wasn't Sarp he was dealing with, it was someone important. "Yes, well… Yes, you remembered!"

    He smiled shyly and shuffled his right foot over his left, holding his arms behind his back. "Well you, erhm, I'm the fellow with the rapier you healed in Peltarch, Lady Natanya." She smiled and nodded. "Oh, yes, I think I remember." He rambled on a bit, he knew he was, he couldn't stop himself he was so nervous. "And the guy who was with the red haired woman and mage in Norwick some tenday ago..." He remembered that day, she had ignored him and walked right past. He didn't care. "Oh and I believe we met at the Norwick well once..."

    She smiled and repeated herself. "Yes, I remember." She smiled once more, he was happy she wasn't ignoring him this time. He cleared his throat and traced a small line across the mud with his boot's toe, looking down at it nervously. "I believe I should be heading back to Norwick." He looked over. "Oh, Can I join you?" She smiled. "Company is always welcome."

    -Natanya, Part III. Cookies.

    Varen sat down next to Natanya at the Norwick south fire. He sighed and pulled off his brown, almost oversized gloves. He nodded to the armored, brown haired priest. Natanya smiled to the people around the fire and took out a small canister, opening the lid. "Cookie?" She offered the canister to the armored priest, smiling politely. He nodded and returned the smile, taking a cookie in his gauntletted hand. She then turned to the rather dull clothed man across from the fire, and extended the canister, always smiling. He smiled and took one with a thankfull nod.

    Varen peered over to the canister, wondering what kind of cookies they were. She then looked to the blue armored man who was dragging three sets of bandit armors. She dropped the canister next to Varen and got up, walking over to the man. "Dante!" Varen peered at the canister with a small sigh, reaching inside and taking a cookie, murmuring a small "Thank you."

    He took a bite and munched it, slightly bitter at the way he ended up with it. But he would ignor it, as always. It wasn't that he couldn't stay angry with her, it was that he couldn't get angry with her. "She still has no idea." He thought to himself glumly as he swallowed and finished chewing on his cookie.

    She talked with the man she called Dante for a few moments, walked back to the canister, pressed the lid on and sat down once again by the fire._