The Onyx Rose Meeting Place (Open Guild RP)

"I don't normally feel the need to show off my prowess, but since you insist. I can certainly provide a demonstration..." Malani golden eyes met Verael's, held them for a moment before her disk whistled sharply up to speed. It spun once around Verael in a blink as the Aman made a sharp gesture of binding to seal the spell.

Her gyre spell was made to hold her target absolutely still until she released control or inflicted harm. It was very useful when she wanted to ensure an uninterrupted conversation. Rising to her feet, she stalked around the bound Castanic in the close quarters - her voice still husky but more amused now.

"Walking unprotected and utterly unarmed into a sorceress' den is not the safest decision I've ever heard."

With the cutting edge of her disk, Malani set to removing the flimsy dock clothing in a few clean motions. Still watching his responses.

"But, now that I have your undivided attention, let me make something clear Verael Tyri'da. I am here because I intend to make this company successful. I will put considerable power and effort toward that goal. Even if I have to drag it kicking and screaming into success. I will do whatever it takes."

Malani stopped her circling. Standing behind Verael, she leaned down to flick her tongue along the long edge of his ear. Whispering teasingly "And if you really want another notch on your belt, you'll need to work harder then this to get it. Right now, I don't think you want this enough."

Point made to her satisfaction, she scooped up all the clothing she had removed from his person and walked out of the room. Depending on the will he could exert, the spell would shatter in a few more minutes.

Meantime, there was a drink down at the bar with her name on it.

Verael couldn't help but grin, and with the effect of the spell, it was about all he was able to do as he considered the situation that had unfolded. He knew that once he could move, his options were limited. To get clothing at this point, would be a retreat, and an admission of being bested. To chase, could lead to troubles he was not known for normally getting into. His mind raced as the spell finally released its hold.

He stood at the threshold to the Amani's room, and his resolve was set. Leaving the room, Verael closed the door and walked the length of the hallway, to the top of the stairs, ignoring looks, whispers and comments about the state of his undress. From the top of the stairs he appraised the room and spotted Malani.

The Castanic moved with the fluid grace of a hunting animal, down the stairs, and through the crowds. His gaze never left the back of Malani's head as he weaved around tables, chairs and serving wenches. When he reached his prey, he stretched up and grabbed hold of one of Malani's horns, jerking on it, to turn her gaze to his, and bring her eyes to his eye level.

"I don't think you looked quite close enough, if you think it would take dragging to aid in the success of this venture," his eyes burned with anger, passion, hatred and lust, or perhaps it was all one and the same. "But perhaps you were distracted by other things. I can assure you, I am a willing asset to the right jobs."

Tilting his head slightly as he removed his hand from her horn, he pressed his forehead to hers and kept his gaze locked with Malani's. "You've made this far too interesting to consider you just another notch. If this is how it is going to continue, I have high expectations."

A quick smirk shot across his face as Verael stood straight, finally realizing all the eyes on the pair, "Now then, I do hope you've purchased a drink for me, it is the least you could do after that small mishap while fixing that lock..."

Malani had made it almost to the bar before being wrenched around by the horn - nearly clubbing a passing serving wench with the bone-wrapped braid. Her eyes raked over the still undressed Castanic, drinking in the view and the raging emotions. She was very pleased with the result so far and what she had provoked.

Golden eyes met his with a smirk, showing no care whatsoever for the stir their discussion was causing in the tavern."I'm glad I have made an impression on you, because I have high expectations to be met. But I do owe you a drink"

Horn free at last, Mal turned toward the bar and made a gesture toward the grizzled bartender Shuba to pour a round when he had a moment.

"Meantime, these are for you." Mal chuckled, setting the pile of destroyed clothing on the bar next to Arawn.

Chuckling as he sipped from his glass, the Armani woman was indeed a rare and excellent addition to the Company. If for nothing else, causing his brother to parade around naked as he had done after a bad game of dice in his youth.

"Having a good time are we brother?"

With a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth he nodded in thanks to Malani, he also made a mental note not to cross her as he took great pride in his clothing and how he dressed.

Verael peered wordlessly at his brother. He leaned against the bar, awaiting his drink, snapping it up once it was set before him. It was lifted in a silent toast to his brother, and Malani, before setting it to his lips and downing it in one, long gulp.

"A good time, Arawn? Considering I did not lose my clothes to a stupid bet, I cannot complain."

He eyed the empty mug in his hand and set it back on the bar. He tapped twice next to the mug, hoping to get a refill from Shuba. He could hear the whispers, feel and see the stares, but he stood tall, and kept his composure. A second drink was set before him, and this one he nursed at his usual pace.

The Castanic scrutinized Malani, his eyes scanning every inch, up and down, still burning with that same intensity. He turned his body to face the bar, smirking slightly as he did, standing so that his stomach nearly touched. "Now then. I believe our discussion was cut short, Mal. And it would seem that you have garnered much more from what discussion we did get, than I have."

Twisting his upper torso, Verael awkwardly attempted to face the Amani woman, better. "Though you did bring up a valid point, I was not as prepared as I should have been, going into the meeting. I believe I am 'better prepared' to continue, now." His lips curled into a wicked grin as he turned his gaze downwards.

Malani was extremely hard pressed not to chuckle at the comments between the brothers - using the diversion of Arawn to retrieve her drink from Shuba. She didn't want to crush the Castanic, just provoke him in the right direction.

Not that she was going to make it easy for Verael to figure out. Golden serpent eyes smoldered as she returned the intense scrutiny. The one feature she'd never mastered control over, they did not match the carefully amused expression on her face when she spoke.

"Ah, our business discussion... I don't believe there was much more to go over? As you said, you aren't a numbers man. My ledgers will hardly be of interest."

Her gaze flicked downward, over every inch of flesh, and then back up with a wry smirk "As for any displays or discussion of prowess in battle for the company, you don't seem to be at your most prepared at the moment. It would be very unfair to repeat the last performance on such a unlevel a field. Hardly honorable for an upstanding citizen such as myself."

The Castanic smirked back. "Even if you were to reuse your tricks, you would be hard pressed to get the same effect. And it is during those times where things appear to be unlevel, you can see the true skill."

Verael could not hide the hint of frustration, though it did not show on his face, it kept the torrent of emotions burning in his eyes as he stood before the Amani. Again he met her eyes, looking for something of an opening.

He stopped, shaking his head. "Then Mal, if you are the honourable and upstanding citizen you claim, the only choice you would have is to accompany me and inform me when the field is level. Your honour may even demand it. You wouldn't want such an unlevel attempt, again."

Verael grabbed the collar around Malani's neck and would attempt to lead her back toward the stairs.

Leaning forward, elbow on the bar propping up his head as he watched the exchange between the two. Sipping on his drink with an amused look on his face as he wondered how this one would play out.

His gaze traveled around the room focusing on those that were under contract with the company. Smiling and nodding his head at each in acknowledgement before focusing back on his naked brother and Malani.

"YATZI!" A human cried, tossing his cards in the air.

At the moment though, Voriel could not be annoyed with the stupid card playing. She had far, far too much to deal with. What order these shocks fell into left her pouting and a varied array of poses. For nothing could tug at her more...than someone refusing to share sweets.

"Just one? You're...licking them all and just putting them back?" Horror filled her eyes as Alektos sensuously licked and suckled every chocolate she had. Some she finished. Others were just tossed back into the container. Voriel was fit to be tied...

And then, at the corner of her eye she could spy something else. Something that would leave her baffled and red faced.

Verael was naked, wagging his parts with a stomping step towards Malani. Raising a hand she murmured with that stunned, embarrassed look. "Was that...is he...."

Alektos slung arms around Voriel, sensing the perfect timing for cuddling her breasts and holding a treat up just in reach of her lips. "Naked?! Oh yes, been there, seen that, did you know he---"

Voriel twitched a brow and raised one hand to cast some deadly spell upon the berserker. She knew the telltale markings of a sleeper. "Candy?"

"Oooo!" The elf's eyes crossed to lay on the morsel, licking and sucking on the chocolate until the berry was laid bare between Alektos' fingers. Little purrs left her throat until she realized Mr. Go Fish and Lord Yatzi were staring throwing coins at them for more.

Straightening, Voriel snapped her fingers sending Go Fish to the floor snoring. Alektos punched Yatzi out.

"I hate it when my sweets are interrupted."

"Yeah...so...you know what they are going to go and do, right?"

"He certainly seemed ready for the part."

Alektos could only snerk, and hold up another candy.

Malani's resolve to not laugh was being severely tested. Even with her considerably annoyance at herself for having misjudged her hints - the sight of a sober, unclothed Castanic man a third her size (and a foot shorter) trying to drag her by a fabric collar was extremely comical. It was certainly not on her list of predicted events for the day.

The Aman woman shifted slightly to rest her her weight firmly on her heels - anchoring herself against the tugging. She took a very leisurely moment to drop a few coins on the bar for their drinks as well as a good tip for Shuba. The last thing Mal needed was to annoy the bartender more then she already had with the antics.

Using the motion to discreetly sight the door, before returning her attention to Verael. She smiled as gently as she could without being condescending or laughing at his efforts - "But on the unlevel field, there is no challenge or conflict. The outcome of the battle is never in question. What fun or risk if there in that? Besides, there are always other options at my disposal until the odds are more interesting..."

There was no disk needed for this casting. An eye blink and the sorceress had teleported out the open door of the tavern. Leaving just the silver fabric collar behind in her wake.

Enough tavern games. Mal resolved she could spend tonight in Velika and get some business done. Find a few harmless fights or duels in the Arcanum to amuse her until she could re-evaluate where her error had been.

Verael lurched forward, his step having been prepared for the resistance that was no longer there. He turned back to see where she had vanished to, watching her at the door, his tongue darting over his lips. Waiting until she left, he once again headed for the stairs, and went back up toward the rooms above.

Headed straight for his own room, the Castanic swung the door open, and quickly recovered his pants and dressed himself in them. He neatly placed the collar on the night stand next to his bed, then set about digging through a drawer for a small pouch of tools. Having found them, he chuckled to himself as he left his room, heading down the hall, back to Malani's room.

He opened the door and set himself down at her desk, and the tools he placed on the table next to the lock he had finished repairing earlier. Taking great care with the lock and his equipment, he set about re-keying it, ensuring whatever key Malani may have had, would not work. He loosened several of the pins, and fit the springs slightly askew, so that even the correct key, would require some finesse, to open this lock. It took a fair time before he finished his work, and collected his tools back up.

Verael went back to Malani's bookshelf, and flipping through ledgers, found a blank page, which he tore out, then tore in half. He wrote on the first piece:

The page was blank, and I needed to write on something. Perhaps I'll owe you.

And he tucked the corner of that note into the ledger, before tossing it onto the oversized bed. On the second half of the page, he wrote:

Malani, I realized I forgot to install your lock. Shame on me. Don't worry, I locked everything up when I was done, your belongings are safe.

Your golden eyes show a certainty of your position in the field. Perhaps you should let them look at the situation as it really is.

And use them to check your key while you are at it.


Truly,

Verael

Gathering up the note, his tools, the lock and one of Malani's assorted tools from the desk, Verael set about installing the lock in the door, ensuring everything lined up perfectly, before scooting out of the room, and using his picks and tension wrench, locking the room up. He held the note to the door, and jabbed the pilfered tool into it, to hold it in place.

The Castanic grinned wickedly to himself as he went back to his room, tossing his things inside. He strode back down the stairs, and up to the bar, ordering up another drink.

Unable to control his laughter anymore, Arawn clutched his sides as he wiped a tear from his eye. Both Malani and Verael had departed from the tavern but his brother's lack of tact when it comes to a certain type of woman was rather humorous to him.

Raising his hand and ordering another drink he leaned back against the wall, enjoying the antics of the evening.

The game of cards at the back table quickly fell apart as Voriel and Alektos wandered to a smaller table arguing over food and treats. Anytime Voriel seemed on the verge of winning the argument, Alektos slithered and played with the stack of gold coins in her hands. The elf silenced soon enough into little grumbles.

A door along the back wall opened, a castanic woman literally trudged with a slow step to fall onto a stool along the bar. Pulling a thing case from her leather pants. she began rolling a cig to light and puff as she waved over the bartender. With a rub of hands on her smudged eyes, she looked either to have just rolled from bed or the drink. A smell of spicey smoke clung to her hair and twisted up shirt as she squinted at the laughing Arawn.

"You the card player?"