The Mary Got Stabbed

[Aria Wurud]

The tavern was in a tizzy the boss was back and they were scrambling. A booming voice could be heard behind closed doors. As you walk in things were bustling, tables were being cleaned, floors being swept, musicians setting up. Some of the newer employees had large wide eyes, clearly spooked. As one of the bar maids cleaned she glanced over at her companion. 'You have any idea where she came from?' The other shook her head 'No she just burst out of a room I hadn't even known was there, no one even saw her come in.' A veteran of the bar, a dancer who had been around since the old owner laughed. The scantily clad woman with the low cut dress, and feathers shook her head at the other girls. 'That woman's the owner of this pub; easy streets hit a dead end kiddies'



The Sleeping Lamb, once known as the Bloody Mary had declined slightly in the eight years. Once upon a time the Mary had been worth the pricey food. But considering the bad run of luck it had eight years ago it seems it took a small hit. Yes it was still some par above the rest, but the performers didn't have the same flare that they use to....they were something pretty to look at...that was about it. It was this fact that had the before missing owner roaring. You could hear her booming up stairs telling the employees to scrub the rooms down and for her dancers to get there asses in gear.



The older dancers took there positions falling back into an old well practice routine. As the music began to pick up there was a loud thump as a wild red hair lass jumped from the balcony to the floor below. She was short in stature but had an air of command as sharp blue green eyes scanned the bar. The girl had high set cheek bones and pale dove white skin. Her form was lean but well endowed with womanly curves. A flame shaped scar marred her perfect features, starting from the left jaw line and arching up over her left eye. Wavy bangs were side swept to the left out of her face while the rest of her hair was tied into a braid and sung over her shoulder, reaching down just past her hips. Her attire was odd for a female at least the colors were, wearing a black off the shoulder tunic with long loose sleeves coming together near her wrists. Black form fitting pants were tucked into royal purple knee high boots with black stitching and laces. A matching corset also stood out among its black background. A deep red sash was tied around her waist, for those who once knew the young lass this site would be a nostalgic one. A gold chain hung around the lasses neck, whatever it was attached to hidden within her bossems.



"Seriously I'm gone for a little bit and some ass hat renames my inn, you there did someone stab the mary and the bleed out version is this sleeping lamb...."



The young woman was obviously annoyed to see her establishment come to this. But was pleased to see some of her old employees getting back into the swing of things. Her hand rested on her hip; she had just finished inspecting the rooms...they smelled less then sanitary to her sensitive nose; so they were now being scrubbed. At least the kitchen kept up their end with the food, but her dancers had taken to just looking pretty. What happened to the talented flirts; the right bat of the eyelashes or a right timed hip swing was the difference of a few more coins. This was an inn to make Granny Ai proud now it was....this. Oh the shame, she just shook her head. It would take a good chunk of her time to get this running as it should.

[Kurosu Rivers]

A man sits at the bar and takes a long drink from his glass. It had been almost 8 years since he had left this place to return to his life on the road. His trademark brown coat still remains with him to this day, though it was now more tattered than it had been when he had first arrived in the city. The hawkish man breaks into a smile when he sees the firey maiden hop down into the center of the in, though he finds himself a bit surprised by the timing, well coincidence was one of the great plot devices of the real world.

As the red head begins to lay into some random person. "Cut them some slack Boss, what was a place like this to do without it's beautiful mistress?" he asks as he turns towards the girl and gives her a roguish smile. "So Boss, can I buy you a drink?" Rivers asks as he motions for another glass.

The years had actually been quite kind to the traveling bard, he didn't look all that much older than he had 8 years ago he looked to be in his late 20s and the twin swords at his belt connected by a chain served to give him a more dangerous air than when he had first met Aria. However his flippant grin slightly ruined the atmosphere.

As the glass arrives a familiar black bird flies over to perch on Rivers' shoulder. Muse let out a caw of greeting to Aria.

[Aria Wurud]

"RIVERS!"

She launched herself to him with a large hug, joy evident across her face as she let out a gleeful laugh. Her annoyance completely forgotten at the heart warming sight of an old friend; she was happy to be home...even if it was hotter here then she remembered.

"I missed you, it's great to see you in one piece."

She flashed a wicked grin when he offered to buy her a drink.

"I'll take the coin as long as you're willing to give it; after all how can I say no to being paid to have a drink."

That was one thing that had changed; Aria tolerated a drink or two now. She found the taste grew on her with age. As the familiar feathery friend flew over Aria coo'd and scratched under its beak with a smile.

"I missed you to"

Her attention turned back to Rivers, her smile not leaving her face.

"These eight years have been kind to you, got any new stories for me?"

Aria had certainly changed more in the eight years; her features were a bit more angular and her ears tapered off into points. Her figure though petite had filled out quite nicely. Any baby fat she may have once had was gone and replaced with lean muscle. She no longer could really pass off as human; her features were to fey like.

[Kurosu Rivers]

As the firey woman suddenly embraced him in a hug the brown haired man smiles fondly and ruffles up her hair fondly. He gives a superior smile to several of the other people in the room a cocky smile, after all he was the one getting the excited hug from the most attractive woman there. “It’s good to see you boss, you had me worried that you’d gotten bored of this world and run off too Hyperion or something, disappearing without a word like that.” Rivers scolds a fond look on his face.

While Rivers was a wanderer by nature the Mary had been the closest thing he had had to a home in many many years so Aria’s disappearance and the subsequent degeneration of the bar had left a bit of a sour taste in his mouth. Tough as he dwells on this Aria’s flurry of questions snap him out of his revelry. He smirks when she asks him if he has any new stories and he makes a grand sweeping gesture with both arms at the question. “Why of course I do Boss, I am a bard and a story teller before everything else and it would shame me greatly not to have collected many great stories over the past eight years.” He says in a grand tone that carried a carefully calculated hint of indignation.

Though after his announcement he turns back to the bar and takes another swig from his glass. Then he leans down and whispers in Aria’s ear. “To be entirely honest with you Boss I’ve even made it into a few of the stories myself while I was working as a mercenary and as a spy.” He says with a hint of pride in his voice, after all it was not every bard that got to be a part of some of the very stories that he told.

As he finishes saying this he raises his fingers to his chin and strokes his well shaven face. “Well all jokes aside Boss you’ve grown into quite the looker, if I didn’t know better I’d almost think I was staring at a lady.” He jibes with a half cocked smile on his face.

[Aria Wurud]

Aria sighed wistfully at the mention of Hyperion fallowed by a look of slight regret. She had always wanted to see the home world of the Deyu. Unfortunately she had never been blessed with the chance, and likely never would.

"Both unfortunately and fortunately as much as I would have loved that I was taken by my father in order to stay out of trouble. I've lived a rather quiet un eventful life these past eight years."

She gave him an apologetic smile, she felt bad for leaving her friends as suddenly as she head. She had certainly missed each and every one of them. Her father had come on day and asked her if she wanted to see the Glade Of Heros. She had enough time to make arrangements for the Mary to be taken care of in her absence. She figured it'd be a day or so at the most; a normal time away for her. Excitedly she had gone to see paradise. A day turned into two, and two turned into a week; after a week she had inquired when they were planning on going back and was informed that they weren't. Her father had known she would never willingly have made the choice to come if it meant leaving her friends to muddle through the war on their own. So he had been kind to his daughter and made it so she did not have to face that choice. So it thus resulted in Aria living in the glade with the others for the past eight years. A time which she did not regret for she had gained so much from it. She had been fortunate in her lot in life and knew it.

A smile that spread from ear to ear appeared on her face when he told her he certainly did have stories. An excited glint showed up in her eyes; how she loved stories. Her eyebrows shooting up in surprise when he bent down and whispered in her ear. A proud smile for her friend crept on her face as she reached up and patted his cheek.

"That's my boy; I look forward to hearing each one of these stories...and I mean each and every one of them"

She let out a small giggle, taking a drink from the mug that had been brought to her. Immediately her face scrunched up and she looked down at the mug with a look of disgust.

"By the gods ....even the ale has changed."

She would have to start getting better ale imported in; no doubt it was going to prove to be difficult... that or all her good ale disappeared down into the closet....also a possibility.

"Looks like I have my work cut out for me to get this place back up to par...."

She looked up at him with a slight look of surprise, the bad ale forgotten. A small blush crossing her face; she hadn't been expecting the compliment...Though if she had changed as he said that explained Garretts twitching. But the compliment was followed by a joke, earning a peel of laughter. To which she responded by playfully elbowing him in the side.

"Of course I am a lady! When I choose to be of course, all the prim and proper manners gets old after a while. Now make yourself comfy and start with the stories."

[Kurosu Rivers]

Rivers looks at Aria with a slightly stunned look on his face. “Boss I can’t imagine a situation where you could stay out of trouble. You’d die of boredom.” He admits with an air of extreme doubtfulness. To be honest he had been upset when she had suddenly disappeared, but now it was okay. He had journeyed, learned and he was much more prepared for life than he had been back then.

Though when Aria mentions that she wants to hear the stories about him he laughs. “Well it’s a bit embarrassing telling my own stories in front of a room full of people, so I’ll tell you some of them later.” He promises with a placating smile. “Anyways, why don’t you tell me more specifically about where you’ve been it’s your story I’m interested in.”

However when Aria starts complaining about the difficulties of importing good booze Rivers can’t help but let out a hearty laugh. “Oh yes Boss, however could you easily move a large cargo long distances quickly and cheaply?” he teases as she knew the magic that made Rivers special and that had kept him alive all of these years. Rivers’ currently had 5 tunnels that he could use as well as one in Muse, one with Rukia and a final one being used to run supplies in the mage country, though they thought it was a complex Ritual he had set up.

“Well I suppose if Boss needed to hire a trusty and fast caravan I might know one for hire.” He says with a smile. Though his laughter cuts off with the elbow to the side. “alright alright you’re a lady, please don’t be violent with me my mistress.” He says still chuckling.

[Aria Wurud]

"I'm sure it was an effort of godly proportions to keep me out of trouble. But Daddy managed it and kept me busy and I have to say I regret none of it."

Her smile softened; she had enjoyed the past eight years of catching up on lost time. She looked at Rivers with an arched eyebrow, a laugh escaping her lips.

"I say that's a load of horse shit; you embarrassed to tell stories? Hardly, you're just fishing for more stories to add to your collection."

If she had remembered right Rivers never quite did get the story he had been fishing all those years ago from her. She had dragged him on a few adventures without an explanation to it. To him she was just a girl who owned a bar and apparently was involved in things much bigger than one would first suspect. But that story was not right for the moment, nor for such a large groups ears. When he laughed and teased her Aria couldn't help but have her eyes open wide. She slapped herself in the head for her own stupidity how could she have forgotten.

"How silly of me, Rivers, new job get some decent ingredients over here for ale...and food...preferably fruits. I find I really like fruit, plums and apples being my favorite."

She scrunched her nose up at him with you tongue stuck out teasingly as he agreed to the fact she was a lady. That hardly sounded convincing.

[Kurosu Rivers]

“Well your father must be a pretty impressive man then.” Rivers admits, after all as far as he could tell it was more or less impossible to keep Aria in line. Maybe it was easier for family, though when Aria calls him out on being embarrassed he smirks a bit.

“Telling a story is very different when you’re the hero. When it’s about you you’re aware of all of the unheroic thoughts that went through your mind, and of what you actually thought of the outcome. Telling a story about yourself is a much more precise and careful art than a simple heroic tale.” He explains in a somewhat lecturing tone. “I’ll tell them to you eventually, but there is a time and a place for stories, besides you’ve never shared yours.” He points out.

Though when she gives him a list of orders he smiles at her, “well it turns out that you’ve come to the right place. I just to happen to know someone who can get you what you need by tomorrow.” He informs her still smirking as he looks around. “So planning on revitalizing the place?” he asks.

[Aria Wurud]

"He is and I love him dearly"

Her gaze softened and a truly happy angelic smile shown on her face. She did love her father dearly and the time spent on the glade would be memories that she would cherish for the rest of her life. How many years did she dream of finding her parents? Even just to know who they were? To think just nine years before she had sat crying in the library, being told she had mana corruption. All the regrets of not searching harder had hit and she had been devastated. Only weeks later to be told by the most ironic person, that the man who had healed her was indeed her father. Aria couldn't have been happier with the way things had turned out.

Aria chuckled a bit at his explanation; it made sense when he put it that way. She sat down at the bar and crossed her legs, propping her head up in her hand with a thoughtful expression on her face. She had never once thought about story telling in that way. Her thoughts couldn't help but wander back to a certain shaved cell mates words all those years ago 'new hero's are being born'...Funny how such words had come true, but perhaps she had been one of them...she certainly had fit the whole hero's are people who get others killed bit...But her thoughts at the time had been far from heroic, but according to Rivers explanation that my more often be the case. That certainly was food for thought.

"I think that may have been the most inspirational bit you have ever said to me Rivers. You should work that into one of your stories. It has that raw bit of truth in it that really speaks to a person."

She looked up at him being completely serious. Aria swirled her drink around in the glass while staring at it...It was true that she had never told River her story, but her story was yet to be completed nor was it completely her own. Unless things changed it was unlikely Rivers would ever hear her full story...There would always be bits and pieces untold. How ever...perhaps he would someday know more than most. Rivers had proved years ago that he was useful in a jam, and as a story teller he was welcomed in more places than not. She could see a place for him; however she would need to take a trip down the rabbit hole before moving forward on it.

Aria was pulled out of her thoughts as she was greeted with the wonderful news that Rivers would deliver. A wicked grin set upon her features; she would get this place back on its feet one way or another.

"I plan on turning this place into the desert's gem. There's really not much to see in this sand hole called Oruon...Give me a few weeks and I will have this place looking the part at least...but I may need a few tales or two seeded through some of the main cities to at least get word out about this place. Do you know someone who can do that as well? Preferably someone who can exaggerate a little"