11-21-05 1

Characters involved: Aralc, Keita, & Lily.

Halyard Tavern: Main Room

Aralc is crouched behind the bar with a soft padded mallet - pressing her face to the side of a keg as she taps it here and there, narrowing her eye thoughtfully. The burly doe leans away and stands up, dusting off her paws with a satisfied look. Early this morning, she pulled the shipment into the storage, bringing up a couple to start selling to the patrons. At least they could start drawing more interest with the exotic brews. Arly, for the most part, looks pretty grungy from all the unloading she's done today.

Looks like she could probably use something to drink, too. The first thing Keita does when she limps in from the back room - the clump-clump of her crutches announcing her presence - is fix a glass of water. It is then set on the counter above where Aralc is crouched. Counter-lean. "Looks like ya could use a break."

Aralc stands up, brushing the grit off that's settled over her brow. Aralc looks at Keita, then at the glass. Connection. "Oh! .. Thanks Keita." The good'ol joe routine is turned down, now that it is just the two of them. She picks up the glass, eagerly gulping down half before she wipes her mouth. " .. Yeah, uh' .. damn, Missy. I'm real lost, I feel awful bad about bein' gone so long."

With a silent laugh, Keita shakes her head and finds the nearest stool to sit down upon. "Yeah, 'm sorry about that Arly... If Lil' hadn't been around, but." She shrugs, smiling wryly. "An' don't feel bad about bein' gone. We can't all be s'lucky as t' be tied to a bar our whole lives, eh?"

Aralc leans against the bar, "Y' know I'd manage th' place if it meant y' gettin out for 'while, darlin." the burly doe murmurs, folding her arms on the bartop as she watches the doe sit herself on the other side. "An' dun' worry about Lils, she popped some brekkers int' me this mornin'. Right fine doe, ah'm always amazed at your taste." she grins.

Keita's lips quirk upwards in a grin, and she inclines her head in agreement. "Aye, well..." She bites back a sigh, turning it into a laugh. "Guess yer wonderin' where I stashed the body."

Aralc clicks her finger towards Keita, "Y' ain' kidding. Ah' got a whole -load- o' questions, but I s'pose y' already know th' wants I wanna ask.. so.. I uh.. I was jus' gonna let you tell."

Keita looks around briefly. "Mind gettin' me a drink? Think we'll... both need more'n watah for this." Ahem. Keita takes a deep breath, resting her forearm on the counter. "Guess I'll start from where you left off. Rory had a - healthy lev'ret gel. Alex. She was a lovely beautiful little thing, Arly, wish ya could've seen 'er." Pause. Deep breath. "She fell sick not too long aftah she was born, some awful wastin' thing, 'n' she nevah fully recovahed. Rory took her to m'aunt - we were hopin' maybe she could do somethin', but..." She looks down at her lap, where she picks fidgetingly at a loose bit of thread. There's no need to say it, is there? Either way, she's not going to. "Rory came back by 'erself, actin' as if nothin' had happened. She took it real hard - wouldn't talk about 'er, even respond t' questions about it." Shrug.

Aralc hurriedly taps one of the newer kegs - filling two mugs with a very light amber liquid. It's a light tasting beer, with a distinct orange aftertaste. The doe sets it down in front of Keita, holding her own near her chest as she listens. At first - her face softens at the mention of the birth, something about it comforting her. However, when the story takes a darker tone - Arly struggles to keep her expression from falling. "Oh .." Carefully, she blows a bit of foam aside and takes a good sized swallow, licking her upper lip. She does not interrupt, she just listens with an intense expression.

Keita takes up her mug but doesn't sip from it, cupping her paws around it for the - what? Not exactly warmth. Physical contact. "Well... we kinda managed along fer a while, but then, uh. She disappeared. She'd done it before, so I wasn't too worried, but a coupla days latah the village was attacked. This was 'bout half a season ago, I s'pose. We fought, sure 'nough, but the horde took ovah. Me 'n' a bunch of othah folks ended up captives in this very room, seemed like fer months. Nevah thought I'd be so happy s'to leave this place, y'know? We finally managed to escape, an'..." Deep breath. "I expected to find her stayin' at the mountain or somethin, what with the village bein' the way it was, but. She just nevah came back. I haven't seen 'er since." Squint. "We took back the village. As ya c'n see. With the Patrol's help. 'Tis how I lost m'leg." There's where Lily came into the picture in all this, but. That can wait. Deeeeep breath, and a long drink.

Aralc's expression settles into something a little more rare - she looks horrified, and then deeply, deeply guilty. The doe leans up against the bar, looking down to the dying foam of her ale. " .. Hellsteeth, Keita." she breathes, "You've been through hell n' high waters." the doe's lips draw into a tight line, and she struggles to keep herself from scowling. "B..but you're alright now .. right?"

Keita grins, then pats the stump of her leg. "Yeah. I'm a'right. Things've been hard, but..." Ah well. She grins and jerks her shoulders up in a shrug. "I bounce back. And don't-" She takes a drink, peering over the rim. "Even think about feelin' guilty. You were out doin' us good. Not your fault things went a little... t'hell, in the meantime." She tries a grin.

Aralc blows out her cheeks irritatedly, her eyes dropping down to the stump of Keita's leg before she looks back upward. "Ah' know you bounce back, but you'll still bounce even when yer miserable. Tha's the problem." she waggles a finger, but is adruptly chided herself. Arly huffs, crouching until she rests her chin on the counter, peering up at Keita. "Lils ain' much like Rory, none at 'tall, she's awful insecure. Makes me more nervous then a cat tail near ah' rockin' chair."

Keita's eyes narrow with a flash of guilt, and she nods. "That's my fault." Aaaa... nother long drink. She sets the near-empty mug down, then quirks a brow at it. "Good stuff, by the way. Ya done good." Then, without much of a pause. "She was a Patrolah. I met her 'bout the same way I met Rory, actually... She came t' stay in Halyard. This was all while Rory was gone, with Alex... 'n' I know, I know, what th'ell, right?" More guilt. "It's just... it felt like bein' with Rory all ovah again, before everythin' went to hell. But." Sigh. "In the end, I told 'er about Rory 'n' everything. An'..." Squint. Head-shake. "An' y'know what? I think I want anothah drink, 'n' maybe anothah season or so before I talk that much again. Ask Lil' about what happened. I'm sure she'll be glad t'fill ya in on how I screwed things up. Eithah that or go on about how wondahful I am. It's kind of hit or miss." Snort.

Aralc smiles at the compliment, but doesn't probe further - as Lily's background is explained, the burly doe listens intently. She reaches across, setting her own drink down as she dips Keita's glass beneath the tapper, filling it up once more before settling it in front of the other doe. "Ey, thank y' for tellin' me anyhow, Keita. S'right kind o' ye." she lifts her own mug to nurse it, and after a moment she speaks - licking the foam from her mouth. "She proper loves yeh. From th' lil' I've seen, jus' seems like ye just need ah' bit more time t' know eachother." Arly grimace-smiles. It is, not a unknown fact of her almost permenate state of singleness since she lost her first doe many seasons ago. "Damn patrol 'ares and the business of stealin' hearts." she teases.

Keita drinks. Mm. She tips the glass to Aralc in thanks, then considers the other doe thoughtfully for a few seconds. "... Yeah. But how've you been? It's been a.... really long time." Ear-scratch. Heh?

Aralc flushes slightly under Keita's gaze and looks upwards, "Ahm .. M' alrih'! Haha, Y' know me, Keets. I'm proper boring."

Keita rolls her eyes, giving Arly a dry look. "Don't give me that... I know ya bettah." She reaches across, to punch Aralc's shoulder lightly. "Really. You been a'right? Any tales t' tell?"

Aralc wobbles from the punch, grinning as she eases back and shifts her ale to her other paw. "Jus' sea tales t' burn y'r ears, darlin'. Nuthin' grand like swashbucklin' .. jus' me learning t' count proper t' keep from gettin' swindled!" she grins, "I was 'opin' t' come home t' some eligible does, but ah'imagine they're all makin' eyes at yew!"

Keita rolls her eyes and grins. "Oh, aye, they love the crippled look." She chuckles, setting her mug down. "Don't know 'bout eligible does. Lots o' the villagahs cleared out aftah the takeovah, haven't been back. Cuttin' into business a bit, t' be honest."

Aralc pats her arm, wiggling her eyebrows. "Ah kin scare'em back! .. 'One two! march, y' buggers, y'r missed at the local pub!'"

Keita grins at Aralc, a little gratefully. It's good to have an old familiar face around, especially Aralc's. "T'you, I think they might listen." She winks, then leans forward. Arm-pat. "It really is great t' have you back."

Aralc's expression softens from a jovial attitude to a genuine smile, "Thanks, Keita." she murmurs, her tone soft as her arm is patted. She gives Keita such a warm expression that it causes her cheeks to flush red, "So, um! Ha.. I guess ah' better move me /one pair o' trousers/ back inta me room."

Keita's lips quirk upwards in a very small, but genuine smile, and she nods. "I guess you'd bettah. I cleaned some o' the dust bunnies out, earliah. So it should be livable. Put some fresh sheets 'n' all on the bed..." She trails off, thinking if there's anything else to add. "So yeah. Should be all right fer ya."

Aralc beams, "Thanks! If ya 'adn't, I m'agine I just would've moved in with th' bunnies and made pals." she stretches her arms up towards the ceiling, her shoulders creaking. "I s'pose we ought t' start thinkin o' ways t' liven up the town, neh?"

Keita bobs her head in a few nods. "Aye. I don't know how much longah we c'n stay afloat on the patronage of mountain hares." She laughs, then. "Actually, seems like the majority of our customahs are eithah hares or formah Bloodthirstahs - from the group that took ovah Halyard."

Aralc sips her ale, working to finish it before it goes flat on her. "Oi, that's gotta fluff y' tail t' see y'r former enemies poppin' in for a cuppa."

Keita smirks, picking up one of her crutches and thunking it on the ground. Thunk-thunk. "Yeah, I s'pose... Most of 'em that're still alive're mostly a'right, though. Really gets some o' the patrol hares' knickahs in a bunch that I serve 'em, though." Which, given that smirk, she doesn't seem to mind.

Lily scrambles in from the front door, her cloak wrapped tightly about her shoulders. She hop-skips, wiggling one foot at a time to clear them of the clinging snow. The doe makes a beeline for the fire, kneeling on the stones and leaning forward to gather up some warmth. "G-g-geeze. S-s'cold. Snowin'... a-an'... everythin'." The doe babbles through chattering teeth, and to no one in particular.

Aralc finishes off her ale in a good swig, setting it down on the bartop as she watches the last few suds drain down to the bottom. "Ah, ah' least I'll get a few good laughs 'round 'ere, watchin y' give'em the good ol' archer salute!" she flicks her forefinger and middle finger up, blinking as the snowy doe comes bounding in. "Port side, frozen doe!"

Keita grins at Aralc's antics, looking around at the arrival. Er? She blinks at the teeth-chattering doe, then shakes her head. Ha. "Lil', ya al'right?" Heh. She grabs both crutches, standing in preparation to go over there. "Ya want some tea or somethin'?"

Lily rubs at her arms, glancing over her shoulders. "Hmm? Oh! Tea... yeah, sure. Spot o' honey wi' it, could yah mah deah?" She asks, with a trembling smile. She scoots closer to the fire and returns her eyes to the dancing flames. "Not t'be rude... I'd join yah if I could... but there h'aint /nothin'/ gettin' me ah'way from this fire."

Aralc waves at Keita, "Ah'll get th' cuppa up, no worries. Y' go on n' join the doe." the burly doe turns around, stepping off to the kitchens to put a kettle on.

Keita's ears perk at Lily's happier mood and she turns, ready to get the tea, when Arly steps up. Woo! She limps around the bar and over towards the fire, dropping into a chair which has been pulled up to it for just such a purpose. "Whatcha doin' out in that cold, deah?"

Lily takes a few reluctant scoots back, leaning her back against the bottom leg of the chair. She leans to the side, resting against Kei's one leg. "Takin' ah stroll 'round th' village. Thought I'd let you an' Miss Aralc catch up an' all tha'." She admits with a tiny shrug.

Aralc pops out a few moments later with a cup of tea, stirring in and dissolving the honey. She taps the spoon on the bar counter, leaving it there as she proceeds towards the two does. Arly crouches down beside Lily, "'ere yeh are!" she offers the tea cup in one paw.

Keita rests a paw on Lily's shoulder, kneading it. "Thanks, Lil', I appreciate tha- at." She looks up as Aralc drops down, and she grins. "Yer a life savah, Arly. Can't have Lil' shiverin' t' death, eh?"

Lily takes the cup, grinning just over the brim of the steaming tea at the other. "Thank yah, Miss Aralc." She says with a flutter of her ears at the other. The doe blows gently on the tea, her eyes drooping at the massage. "Nice nigh'. It really is. Jus'... y'know... cold. Righ' tough winter in front o'us. Can feel it in mah eartips." Lily says with a nod. "Yeh bes' not be thinkin' o' leavin' us for yah travels 'nytime soon, Miss Aralc. T'would be th' death o' yah."

Aralc sits on her bottom, folding her legs. "I dunno about that, I make an awful strong cuppa tea, we'll see if she survives that!" she grins playfully, resting back on her wrapped paws. "Aw, Miss Lilly - I ain' goin' nowheres. S'me home, n' unless we plumb just go shot for ale, I'll be stayin' ere."

Keita looks pleased by Aralc's answer, though for the moment she lets the conversation be predominantly between the two of them.

Lily sups at the tea for a while, her eyebrows shooting up. "S'strong." She says with with a coughing smile. "But good. Makes me warm an' all tha'." The doe sips some more, her ears perking at the name 'Miss Lily'. "Wha'...?" She glances up with confusion. "Um, well... good good. Yeh best /not/ be leavin'. I'd have t'drag y'righ' back in by yah puffy lil' tail."

Aralc watches as Keita moves off, and explains with a slight blush. "Ah, wouldn' nay be proper not t' talk to tha Missy's misses without .. a miss." she feels very very stupid out of that, rubbing her forehead as she braces her elbows on her knees, her bound ears tumbling forward. "Well, y' can go an do tha'. I s'pose if it pops off ah' won' need that either. Without m' ears I've learned 'ow t' communicate with bucks'n'does alike with sheer intenso-tee- of glare."

[And here I had to leave.]