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Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru


Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

It took a while for Maerwyn's weeping to come to a stop, and she occasionally sniffled even when she did bother to finally speak. "I-I know, but... I just couldn't help but think about myself in her place. If the ones that the wretched short-ears bring suffering to isn't just us elves, then what about the human slaves? Grenwyll has you and Aeron... and me, I-I... I guess... but as annoying as she was, I don't think that girl had anyone! Hearing her scream like that, over and over... I just couldn't get away fast enough, y'know? I'm sorry, I just didn't think I'd have to ever see, or hear, something like that. I mean, I did, but it was... it wasn't like what I thought it'd be. It's not... even close to anything I want to feel ever again. B-But... you're right... m-maybe they would just be sold off again to the rest of those...damn... short-ears. I just wish I didn't have to see them do that." Slowly, she got up to her feet and staggered towards Llæwyn, holding on to the older warrior for support with or without her permission.

"Maybe I'm not cut out for this warrior thing after all... I've always always admired you, and wanted to be just like you, a beautiful and strong girl that people could look up to. But I didn't realize just how hard it would be. I just saw you and wanted to be all of that without thinking about everything else that came along with it. If... if it was just the things we did in training, then that I could handle. I didn't know about having to deal with all of this... other, stuff. You're a lot stronger than I thought... Llæwyn." Under the influence of the alcohol, she almost seemed like a different person, weak and vulnerable as she was, albeit more honest with herself, as well as with her idol. Nodding slowly, she continued to lean on the other girl as she walked, making for a somewhat longer trip home. But despite the sounds echoing about through the wood, no creature, Voidic, wild, or otherwise, would come to attack them on the way back.

When they finally made it back to Grenwyll, Maerwyn was still heavily inebriated, though she still had enough sense to speak coherently--for the most part--and to stumble in the general direction of her home. From here, Llæwyn could accompany her back to ensure her safe return, then hopefully, finally get a chance to relax for the night as she originally had planned.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Llæwyn gave her sobbing comrade’s shoulder a gentle squeeze in an attempt to comfort her quietly, not wanting to try and speak. It was hard to think of what to say in this situation, so it was probably better just to be there for Maerwyn, to let her know that someone was with her. She listened quietly to the younger elf’s talk, able to relate to the feeling to a certain extent… though to her it was natural that the small-ears didn’t have anyone looking out for them, the way the world worked, and that was that. It wasn’t her problem that they ate their own, after all. It was her job to care about and protect her own kind, literally. Even Penril, an untrained and nearly unarmed civilian, had just gone into the dangerous woods at night for the sake of someone he hardly knew. Would a small-ear do that? Should it matter to her if they wouldn’t? She didn’t think that it should.

Llæwyn didn’t object when Maerwyn got up and held onto her, at least in part because she clearly needed it to stay properly upright. She wasn’t quite sure how the young elf had even gotten this far, given how drunk she was and how much it was affecting her. She had one more thought before they began the trip back, questioning her ability to make it as a warrior, her mental and emotional toughness. She admitted what Llæwyn had dimly suspected; that she had become a warrior in emulation of the older elf, wanting to be just like her when she grew up… It made her realize that really, the novice warrior was still a little girl. It was actually a little bit of an ego trip for her, though she tried to shake that part of it off. "Alright alright, let’s get you home" she said quietly, an arm around Maerwyn’s shoulder for support, beginning to move towards Grenwyll again. Now, when the girl was inebriated, wasn’t the time to try and have this conversation with her. Maybe later, when she had had some time.

It was slow going now that Llæwyn had someone leaning on her, and the forest still echoed with ominous sounds… but nothing bothered them on their way back to the village, thankfully. Understandably Maerwyn was quite tired when they got to Grenwyll, so the older elf escorted her to her home without a fuss, holding on to her to make sure she didn’t have a mishap with the railing. She would even go so far as to help unroll and prepare the girl’s sleeping mat, making sure she got a good start on sleeping, before going off to the village entrance again and ensuring that Penril had returned. If he had made it as well, she would drop by the Third’s home to update her on the situation and its resolution, and then return to the tavern to finish up her drink and try to relax after the events of the day and night. She was getting a bit tired herself, so she was probably a short-timer for the night.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Maerwyn allowed the senior warrior to escort her back to her home, walking in something of a daze by the time they got back to the village. She was exhausted, and understandably so, especially with the influence of the alcohol further serving to make her even more drowsy. The younger elf practically collapsed on the floor when Llæwyn moved to assist her with the bedding, her eyes glazed over as she found sleep rather quickly. She even needed to be dragged to her proper sleeping place, occasionally whimpering and mumbling incoherently in her slumber--a vast contrast to the image she tried so desperately to project when she was sober, and in the presence of others. This character--haughty, intolerant of short-ears, and action-first, was not the Maerwyn that Llæwyn saw now. Once she settled in to the somewhat more comfortable cushion, the elven beauty fell deep into sleep, leaving the older woman to leave at her leisure.

The Third answered her door somewhat late, dressed in sleepwear. It was dark out now, and like most, the female Elder looked to be settling down for the night. "I am quite relieved to hear that things went so well. So she is asleep, then? Perhaps I will have a talk with her tomorrow night, after she has recovered from what might be a terrible hangover. You have my thanks. But the hour grows late, and I should be retiring for the night. Be well, Llæwyn." Unless the warrior had anything further to report, she would then retreat back into her home, where the last dim light could be seen going off just minutes later.

When she returned to the bar, Llæwyn found Penril and his brothers hanging about at the usual table. Fynn gave her a welcoming smile and a nod, as usual, but the blonde-haired elf was the first to verbally acknowledge her this time around, appearing all too eager to hear the news with regards to the once-lost Maerwyn. "Llæwyn! Is she well? Your return this early tells me she is. I have to thank you for settling that matter for me, as I was, admittedly, not terribly ready for such a task..."
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Maerwyn got heavier and heavier as Llæwyn led her to her home, getting more exhausted and woozy. By the time they got to the younger elf’s home she essentially passed out on the floor, leaving the green-haired warrior to unroll her bedding and then drag her onto it. As she tucked the drunken girl in she couldn’t help but wonder how much of her public persona was genuine, and how much was meant to impress or imitate her. She wiped a few stray bangs from the girl’s face, kneeling beside her for a while thinking. The coming conversation with the girl would be all the more weird now that this had happened, a whole new set of issues raised, and she wasn’t really looking forward to it.

Her trip to the Third’s home was short and uninterrupted, the older woman taking a good long while to answer the door, and doing so in her pajamas. Most elves slept with the sun’s setting and awoke with its rising, and on top of that she was old, so it was no surprise to see the Elder in that state. Llæwyn explained in brief that things seemed to have been resolved favorably now, and she bid the Elder a respectful good night quickly, so as not to disturb her sleep further than she already had. She then made her way to the bar, scanning the room quickly before settling on Penril and his brothers. She hadn’t been certain he had made it back safely, so it was good to see him sitting there at his table. Fynn smiled and nodded at her as she walked in, and she acknowledged him with her own nod before Penril called out to her. "Yes, she’s safe and sound. It’s good to see you back. You did well to do all you did to try and see her home safely. It warms the heart to see people taking up for one another even in dangerous situations" she replied, gripping his shoulder lightly and smiling at him before walking up to the bar again. "So Fynn, how about that beer? I need a nice cool drink after all that running around" she said playfully, glad to be back.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Penril couldn't help but look more than just a little surprised at Llæwyn's kind reaction towards him, but he certainly wouldn't find any reasons to complain, instead opting to display his satisfaction over the news. "Oh, what a relief! It's not a problem, even for me. We're all elves here after all, and ought to look out for our kind, what with the recent troubles about. Listen, I uh, may not be quite as trained as you, but if you ever need help with anything, even if it's just to relax, I can certainly provide--"

His attempt to curve his response into a pickup line earned him some more chuckles from his other two siblings, who were seated at a nearby table. The blonde elf turned momentarily to make an angry face at them, along with a dismissive gesture, then faced Llæwyn once again with a much kinder look. "Anyway, I'll buy you a drink sometime for taking care of that for me. I really thought I was going to run into trouble, having ventured that far from the village in the first place."

Not to be outdone, Fynn finished mixing up a delightful-looking cocktail before setting it down on the bar, right where the swordswoman's specially reserved spot was waiting for her. When she took her seat, he greeted her with a friendly smile as always.

"Busy day, huh? Looks to me like you've had a pretty hectic week in general. I got just the thing for it, right there in front of you. On me, of course."

Penril's expression faded a little as he returned to his group ponderously. How was he going to compete with a bartender in this environment?
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Llæwyn could barely contain a chuckle at Penril’s reaction to her, the surprise obvious on his face. He quickly proclaimed that everyone ought to look out for their own kind, and then started to try and meander his way into a pickup line of sorts. His brothers openly laughed at him for it, and the green-haired warrior had a hard time not doing the same when he turned to glare at them. He offered to buy her a drink when he had recovered a bit from their teasing, and she looked at him for a moment before saying "don’t push your luck" and sticking her tongue out playfully as she turned to walk to the bar. It wasn’t a firm rejection, and he did have a chance if he played his cards right, but it would take some doing to get her to go home with him.

Fynn, in the meantime, had been mixing up some kind of cocktail for Llæwyn. She hadn’t seen anything quite like it before, but it looked pretty, at least. She sat down at her spot, which was still reserved for her even with all the time she had spent away. "Hectic is… one way to put it, yeah" she replied, thinking back to all that had happened the last few days as she took a hold on the glass in front of her and raising it up, giving the drink a little sniff to see how it smelled. "Seems nice enough" she said, "and you haven’t steered me wrong with these things yet." She raised the glass to her lips to take a long, slow sip to get the flavoring of the concoction.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"Oh, I would say it's definitely worth pushing for you," commented Penril, raising both brows at her playful expression. He moved as if to follow and sit beside her, but his luck apparently wasn't that good, as there were two patrons sitting to each of Llæwyn's flanks. Fynn couldn't help but grin to himself smugly at this, and though he had never presented himself as the jealous type, the swordswoman certainly got a hint for it with how competitive he appeared to be over the rights to her attention.

And yet, Penril proved to be far more persistent than he had shown in the past, as if sensing an opening. "Why don't you have a seat over there with me?" he offered from behind her stool, pointing to a table not far from where his brothers sat. "Don't worry, I'll make sure they behave. I've actually been meaning to chat with you for some time, as it was difficult not to notice you, but it looked like my timing might have been bad the other night."

"I think she just wants to enjoy her drink," interrupted Fynn, his previous smile turning into a slight frown, rare as the expression was for him to wear.

When she downed the drink, Llæwyn would find it rather tasty, with a nice, sweet minty undertone despite the initial bite. It warmed her up quick, as well, and proved to be a deceptively strong shot. "Like it? I thought of you when I mixed it up," commented the bartender. "I forgot to mention, it's fairly strong though, so you don't want to overdo it if you plan on getting up in a timely manner tomorrow morning," he said with a wink.

"Oh? Strong, hmm?" said Penril, looking to appeal to her competitive side, since it didn't look like he wasn't about to impress her in the realm of warriorhood. "Turns out, I'm no slouch when it comes to holding my liquor either. How about a friendly competition?"
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Llæwyn chuckled a little as she made her way to the bar, Penril’s response to her little crack amusing her. He had certainly been the persistent kind the night before, and tonight appeared to be no different. He followed after her, trying to get to a chair beside her, but both were taken. The green-haired elf saw that Fynn was grinning in a rather smug fashion, and she was almost certain she could detect a hint of jealousy in him. That was interesting… he had never struck her as the jealous type. In any case, she had always enjoyed inspiring a bit of jealousy in those around her. It made her feel wanted, and was always an ego boost to the elf, who liked to think of herself as beautiful and desirable. Not to be defeated so easily, Penril persisted in his pursuit, offering her a seat at his table, somewhat amusingly proclaiming that he would keep his brothers in line. He also claimed that he had been wanting to talk to her for a while now, that she was hard to miss…

The green-haired elf was about to take him up on his offer when she saw the look on Fynn’s face, which was very interesting to her. He was actually frowning, which wasn’t something he did very often, and he cut Penril off with a short comment. Was he really this jealous? Llæwyn chuckled again, but it was actually sort of scary in a way. It was all fine and good to have men vying for her attention, but she didn’t know that she wanted to play around with the bartender too much. In any case, she began to take the shot in her typically slow (at least when she was drinking for taste) fashion. It had quite some kick to it, and it was quite warm as it went down her throat, but it wasn’t unpleasantly harsh. It had a nice, sweet flavor to it, a bit of a minty taste. "Mmm, yeah, it’s good. Good stuff. I can tell it’s got kick to it" she replied, grinning as she set the glass down again.

Penril spoke up then, of course, offering to have a bit of a drinking competition with Llæwyn. It was an intriguing offer to be sure, but then again… "Well, I’d take you up on that, but I overdid it a bit too much last night. Woke up feeling like absolute shit, and I’d rather not do that two days in a row. I’m no alcoholic you know" she replied, turning to look at him and sticking her tongue out. "Besides, I think I’m probably an ass when I drink too much." She then looked back to Fynn, saying "a beer then, if you would." Of course, she didn’t want to totally cast her pursuer back to his table, and while she wasn’t close to the patron to her right, he was a regular like her, and she knew him well enough to be comfortable asking a favor of him. "Say," she said, "you wouldn’t happen to be willing to give up your seat, would you? I’ll buy a drink in the bargain." She intended to offer his seat to Penril if he agreed, but that wasn’t a given.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"Ohh... that's a shame," cooed Penril with a somewhat dramatic reaction, making his reply seem almost feigned. Still, the smile that he made towards Llæwyn was undoubtedly genuine. "It's good to see that you've recovered enough to go around on patrol, though," he added, the elven man's expression brightening noticeably when he saw that tongue of hers go out from between her lips. While he was definitely trying fairly hard to charm her, Llæwyn on the other hand didn't have to reach out too far to have a comparable effect on him. Her turning down his offer could have been taken as yet another rejection, but Penril stood his ground, long enough for the swordswoman to make the request to one of the elves next to her.

The male who answered, Melrion, was older than her, and while she didn't quite remember the details of his profession and such at the time, she did know him to be related to Daelas, and had seen him quite a few times in passing, especially in the bar. "Huurm? Aah. Don't even worry about it, Llæwyn. I was just leaving," he replied, turning to her with a grin after glancing at Penril. He had witnessed the warrior casually walk out alongside some attractive elves, and given the raise of his brow, assumed it was the same case here. "Have a good night, now." Downing the rest of his drink, he gave the woman a nod and slipped off of the stool, leaving a tip for Fynn and, taking his time as he made his way out of the establishment.

Penril waited for him to leave completely before smoothly taking the newly freed seat with a grin. "Wow... so you were gonna buy him a drink just to get him to move over? That's quite flattering--I've never had a girl do as much for me before, but I'll gladly take that as some kind of compliment." He was not shy about leaning over closer to her as he sat, admiring her and making it clear to those around that he was more than just a little interested. "Well, how about this. We'll see who can get buzzed first. If you find yourself having had just a little bit over your limit, I can walk you back to your place, or uh... hmm..." Pondering, he turned his gaze to the bartender. "Hey, Fynn, don't you have a room or two that sleepy folk can use?"

Fynn, who had been shining glasses and pouring drinks with a flat expression, served up a beer on cold tap for the elven beauty, then made his reply to the other male. "If she does need it, then that room would be available, yes. But it's for her, not you."

"Oh, I'll just be there to watch over and take care of her for a while. Save you the trouble of having to do so, that way you can worry about the tavern tonight," said Penril with a grin before turning back to Llæwyn. "Besides, I'm sure I can handle any kind of ass you decide to throw my way," he joked, causing Fynn to clear his throat and avert his gaze from the potentially disastrous scene that could unfold as a result. "Anyway, I might not look it, but I'll go through any amount of wood for the sake of a fellow elf. If it were you that was lost, I'd have wandered through the Void itself to preserve the lineage of beauty in our race."

The barkeep managed to stifle the groan that Llæwyn knew he meant to make, and return to his work as the persistent Penril attempted to deliver his lines. His siblings could be seen in the background with somewhat shocked looks on their faces, at least in reaction to his momentary success in getting a seat next to her. It was up to her at this point to see how much of his offer she would take, if any.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Penril’s overly dramatic reaction amused Llæwyn, but the way he seemed to light up whenever she teased him especially made her smirk a little bit. She could have this guy wrapped around her little finger easy, she could tell. And if she had to bet, she would guess that he was one of those really accommodating types in bed. Not bad looking either, by any stretch. Maybe he’d be fun… although he was more than a little corny. The man sitting next to her she recognized as Melrion, who was kin to Daelas, though she couldn’t remember much else about him. He was quite accommodating, though if he wasn’t just being nice he had been planning on leaving anyway. The grin he gave her told the green-haired elf that he had seen her leave the bar with a man more than once, and that he knew enough about her habits to assume where this was going. "Thank you, Melrion. You have a nice night yourself" she replied to him, waving as she bid him goodbye.

Penril waited until the older man was out the door before sliding onto the barstool he had vacated, grinning happily. "Well, most girls are too shy about mixed company for their own good" Llæwyn replied to him, knowing that there was a good likelihood he was telling the truth. Women were only rarely the initiators of romance in elven society, and her style of one night stands was even more rare than that. Her blonde pursuer was leaning in pretty close to her, clearly giving her a looking over, and surely all of the regulars who cast a glance towards them would know what was going on. He kept up his insistence on some sort of contest involving alcohol, of course, which was interesting. A race to see who could get tipsy the fastest? What a lame damn contest idea that was. He then asked Fynn if there was a room in the tavern for people who needed to sleep off their drinking, and the green-haired warrior knew he was barking up the wrong tree asking the barkeep for help of any kind. Fynn set down the beer he had poured for her and informed Penril that yes, there was such a room, but it was only for her. She could hardly stifle a snort. She had never seen him like this, and it was more than a little amusing.

Llæwyn took a sip of the beer, listening to the rest of Penril’s little speech in silence until he joked about being able to handle ass in more ways than one. This time she couldn’t help it, she snorted into her mug, turning away from him for a brief moment and chuckling before turning back. What he said next was even better for amusement, the over the top flattery causing her to take another swig of beer, lest she really start laughing at him. He was way overplaying his hand, and she wondered vaguely if this worked on other women. "I’m sure you can handle yourself around ass" she started after finishing her drink, a wry grin on her face, "but you’re trying way too hard. Cool it a little bit." She didn’t mean it to be overly harsh, but it was a bit of a jab at him. "In any case, you seem pretty eager to compete with me. How about a little armwrestling?" the warrior asked, rolling up her sleeve and flexing comically to put a bit of a break in the tension she had surely caused. She wasn’t exactly musclebound, but her arms definitely weren’t flabby, that was for sure. She didn’t really expect him to take her up on the offer, but if he did that would be fine.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"Most girls... hum, I suppose you're right. Really, I'm not sure what it is, but you truly are not like most Elven women... and I most definitely mean that in a good way, of course," said Penril, as if to demonstrate that he was not about to run dry on any amount of flattery, or attempts at such. He maintained a slightly nervous smile as she chuckled at his lines, but didn't seem discouraged quite yet, although his siblings in the background snickered and nudged each other at Llæwyn's witty responses, as if she were telling them the joke directly. This time, however, Penril didn't even bother turning to make angry gestures, knowing that such an action would only cause the other two males to burst out into full-blown laughter.

He wasn't quite out of hot water yet, apparently, as the challenge issued to him was clearly something that worked out in Llæwyn's favor. She was a warrior, and he was, well, a woodcarver. Perhaps not weak by Elven standards, but the green-haired beauty was considerably stronger than most; she wasn't considered one of Grenwyll's finest sword-wielders without reason, after all. The other two seemed to know this. It caused their eyes to go wide with excitement, and they exchanged several hushed words, perhaps joking to each other about how much trouble their brother must be in at this point.

His mouth crinkling to keep the smile he had put on, Penril struggled to keep his composure in the face of her proposal. "Well, eh-heh... really, if I am to be honest, I just wanted to get you to open up to me a bit more, hence the drinks," proclaimed the elf boldly. "I probably shouldn't embarrass myself in front of everyone like this," he said in a volume lower than conversational level, noticing out of his peripheral vision that a few people had turned an eye in their direction, perhaps out of curiosity more than anything else. "But a little loss of pride for me is uh, not a problem for your sake." Rolling up his sleeve, he put his arm up onto the table. While it wasn't the largest appendage she had ever seen, it was bigger than Fynn's, interestingly enough. "Do tell, though, is there anything that I could hope to have a chance at beating you in, then--something we could actually try afterwards?" Apparently, letting up wasn't something he planned to do anytime soon; any rejections headed his way would probably have to be more blatant.
 
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Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Penril just didn’t stop attempting to flatter Llæwyn, his persistence sort of admirable. Granted, it was still a good deal over the top, which made it seem insincere in a way that bordered on annoying. He was nervous, she could tell by his smile, and she heard his brothers snickering at him behind them, which only spurred her to keep poking at him and his ego. If he could weather the storm she just might take him to bed. He was really struggling to keep his cool, and then he said something quite bold. Obvious, but bold. The green-haired elf had known that her pursuer’s insistence on alcohol had been intended to get her loosened up and accepting of him, but for him to come out and say so was quite different. Before she could say anything, though, he quietly told her that he oughtn’t embarrass himself in the middle of the tavern, but that the hit to his pride wouldn’t be a problem.

Now that was interesting. Llæwyn had a pretty good idea what he meant by that, and it took all of her effort not to narrow her eyes and scowl at him. Her expression did cool a bit from her previous playfulness though as she watching Penril roll up his sleeves. He had a fairly impressive arm, not too shabby, but then again he did work with his hands, so it wasn’t unexpected. "So what would be embarrassing about arm wrestling me?" she asked quietly, setting her arm on the table and grasping his hand. "What about this could wound your pride? Surely losing to one of the village’s best warriors shouldn’t." The green-haired elf didn’t give him much of a chance of beating her, but she certainly didn’t intend to cut him even a little slack. The contest had become a little bit personal for her, more so pending his answer. She ignored his question completely, instead opting to say "I’m ready when you are. Count of three, perhaps?"
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Resistance check (Llæwyn vs. Penril): Llæwyn wins.

"Yes, but..." The blonde elf took Llæwyn's inquiry as one that was made defensively, and his feigned grin grew more nervous, causing his poor mask of coolness to break yet again. Around her, he simply just couldn't keep it together more than a few seconds at a time, much to the amusement of his brothers sitting at the far table.

"I-I just mean to say that... well... I do recognize your gender... a-and while you are an exceptional warrior, you are still a woman, so the expectations placed upon me would be, uh, unfair," stuttered Penril, having made his best attempt at an excuse before reluctantly putting his arm up onto the bar as well.

"So, if you are really serious about this..." He looked to her again with questions in his eyes, as if to confirm whether or not this was some kind of joke, but was only met with a more determined look on the swordswoman's part.

Llæwyn could already feel the eyes of other people in the pub, those of Fynn's included, upon the two of them, and the pressure was on. Perhaps more on him, than on her, but few were as harsh on the elven beauty as herself in terms of physical standards. For elven warriors, losing--especially the female ones, as they were taught--led not to death, but more often than not a fate much worse. The sounds of Voidic portals closing and opening during the day, sounds now so familiar to her due to the unforgettable, humiliating event associated with them, echoed like a phantom in her mind. Though they could certainly not be heard now, they would serve as a daily reminder of the price of failure.

"I uh, guess you are, then," remarked Penril upon joining hands with her, testing her grip, and taking a deep breath. He simply nodded, trying his best to ignore the eyes of the bar's patrons upon him and the swordswoman, and waited til the count of three to begin, though his muscles were already tensed up even before that.

When it was time to go, Llæwyn felt the woodcarver's resistance in an instant, like that of a rock--he was quite sturdy, just as his arm's width suggested. But he wasn't actually pushing her back, despite the strain in his visage making it evident that he was definitely trying to do as much. For the first few seconds, it was a stalemate of sorts; their clasped hands shuddering violently in the center, a moment of tension that even the crowd picked up on as they looked on with no shortage of interest. It was plain to see, initially anyway, that physically, they were about even. It was an impressive feat in of itself for the green-haired beauty, considering that her opponent probably weighed more than she did. But it wouldn't stay that way for too long.

Llæwyn had something that Penril, along with anyone else currently in the pub, didn't. It was a warrior's resolve, one that would ensure she keep fighting until the very end, and this grew more apparent as the strain began to take over the muscles of both contestants. It hurt, burned even, but that was far from the worst trial Llæwyn ever had to face. This was nothing. Compared to even just training, this was practically a joke. Resolve alone could push the body past its immediate limits, especially in trials as simple as this, and she knew it in both theory and instinct. As she managed to muster the necessary will to power her way through, her body did just that, following through and gaining the upper hand. The contest ended with the blonde elf's knuckle pinned down against the bar's wooden surface.

"Agh...!" grunted Penril, frowning afterwards as assorted murmurs erupted from the spectating crowd. "You really are something," he commented, retracting his arm back to his side and rubbing at it with the other. "Definitely stronger than any woman I've met--and even some men. I can't say we shouldn't feel safer with you around," commented the man in his last-ditch attempt at flattery, but even then, he was crestfallen.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Penril quickly became nervous in a way that was easy for Llæwyn to pick up on. He wasn’t exactly the coolest customer, and he showed it with his occasional stumbling and stammering over his words. What he said next was… perhaps the best way he could have responded to her, though. She well knew that there was a general expectation that men ought to be stronger than women, and though many of the things he had said had seemed disingenuous, he didn’t say this in a way that struck her wrong. Of course, that wouldn’t stop her from attempting to prove a point. She didn’t reply when he asked if she was serious, just looking back at him with a sort of deadly seriousness in her eyes as they locked hands. Though she wasn’t looking, she could tell by the sound of things that most of the people in the tavern had stopped what they were doing and were watching the two of them. There was certainly some tension in the room, some pressure to succeed, but while her opponent in the contest was likely more motivated by external matters, the green-haired warrior was motivated by her own expectations. Physical strength wasn’t everything for a warrior, of course, but it was quite important, and a battle lost meant a good chance of death, and a better chance of something far worse… She knew that well given the reminder she had received in the last few days.

Llæwyn felt the man’s grip out as he tested hers, not unimpressed with it. He had a good, strong arm. Not that she was worried at all. She could feel and see him tensing up even as she steadily counted up to three, and when she got there she began to push against him as he pushed against her. Their hands shuddered and shook, though they didn’t move at all initially. As far as arm strength went they were probably about even actually, which she had expected somewhat. Even if he were a civilian, he probably outweighed her by a reasonable amount, and he did work with his hands. Still, she was quite competitive, and she wasn’t about to lose. As they struggled and stained against each other her muscles began to burn in a way that was uniquely satisfying, the sort of pain that only came from testing your physical limits. There were far better and more strenuous tests that she had gone through on a regular basis during her training, though, and she was determined to come out victorious.

The contest was a stalemate only for a very short time before Llæwyn began to gain the upper hand, steadily forcing Penril’s arm downward. Her serious expression never wavered for a moment, not even after she had slammed his knuckles against the bar perhaps a little bit harder than necessary. She could hear muttering amongst the patrons of the tavern then, and wondered just what they were thinking about the spectacle… She turned to take a swig of her beer as he spoke to her, taking a nice big drink before setting it down again. "Well, contrary to what some people would like to think you aren’t better or stronger than me just because you’ve got a dick swinging between your legs" the green-haired elf said quietly, "but you aren’t bad. You seem to take care of yourself well." It was a genuine enough compliment at the end of a statement that could easily be taken as quite derogatory; he had a pretty nice body admittedly, and he was a sturdy, well-built specimen.

Llæwyn wasn’t mad at him at this point, he had managed to tiptoe through the minefield he had laid without setting any off… for now. "So, you want one you could win, huh?" she asked, thinking idly as she sipped her beer, looking at Fynn for a bit to try and figure out just what he was feeling about this situation. "Since you’re so hung up on alcohol, how about after I finish this beer we have a race to see who can drink a tall glass the fastest. You ever chugged a beer?" she asked after a bit of thought, grinning a little bit again. She actually wouldn’t be all that good at this particular contest; she had never much liked drinking fast, and didn’t have much experience trying outside of a few such games when she and a few other of the regulars had had enough to get a little silly. She wasn’t ready to drive Penril off just yet, but he wasn’t any closer to getting her into bed than he had been when he had started trying.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

Resistance check (Llæwyn vs. Penril): Penril wins.

The elven male forced a smile in response to Llæwyn's comment after the contest, trying his best to focus on her pretty visage. It was, after all, a much more pleasant view in comparison to the faces around him, which belonged mostly to that of other men with mouths hanging agape at the scene. Some were astonished, others amused, but all were otherwise taken with the swordswoman's display of strength.

"Well ah, thank you. I'd credit it to the fact that there aren't quite any women like you in Grenwyll, to be fair. Warrior or not, I didn't expect that you'd be that strong, either. It was my mistake for underestimating you so," he admitted with slightly less confidence in his tone from before the match. Penril's pride had clearly taken a fair blow, though he appeared happy enough to still be in the girl's company if nothing else.

Fynn, on the other hand, couldn't help but smile just a little at that as he moved back and forth while behind the bar, still hard at work preparing everyone's drinks. Though he chose to remain focused on his job, for the most part, the raven-haired elf couldn't help but to glance in Llæwyn's direction every now and then as he went about his business. As casual as their meeting the other night may have been, it was plain to see that despite whatever claims he might have made to the contrary, Fynn's level of attachment to her had gone up a notch or two beyond that of just the friendly.

Penril's face brightened when Llæwyn mentioned a different contest, however, and simply hearing the word 'beer' restored his grin from earlier. "Yes, that's more like it! This is more my thing... not that I'm an alcoholic or anything, but if anyone can hold their liquor around here, I would place myself in the top five, at least. I'll wait 'til you're finished." When she even so much as reached near the bottom of hers, he called out for Fynn. "Bartender! Two tall beers, please. Put it on my tab, of course."

The barkeep looked less than thrilled to see that Llæwyn had ultimately given in to some degree of Penril's persistent hassling and attempts to get some alcohol in her system, but wouldn't deny his customer's request in the end, filling up two mugs of house draft and setting them in front of the two before moving to take care of other orders.

"Aaah, here we are... ready?" asked the blonde-haired one, a renewed look of confidence upon his face as he picked up his mug. He waited for Llæwyn to show that she was indeed ready with her own beer in hand before moving on.

"On the count of three, then, if it is fine by you. 1... 2... 3!" With that, he tipped his mug upwards, chugging as fast and as hard as he could without allowing any excess to trickle down the sides. Llæwyn herself found the alcohol to be quite smooth at first, and while she felt that she could go quite fast in her own right, it was Penril who slammed his empty mug down first in the end. "How's that!" proclaimed the elf, wiping his mouth afterwards.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Llæwyn continued to grin as she sipped her beer, noting how clearly uncomfortable Penril was. His smile was obviously forced, and he seemed bothered by the reactions of the crowd in the tavern. She didn’t really care one way or another, and paid them little mind, focusing instead alternatively on Penril and Fynn as he walked around behind the bar. The blonde elf addressed her again, telling her that there weren’t any other women quite like her in the village, and that he hadn’t expected her to be so strong. His tone of voice was a little bit different, a bit of defeat having crept into it, the wound to his pride obvious to the green-haired warrior. That was just fine by her, it wasn’t her job to stroke his ego. "Well, you won’t make that mistake again, now will you?" she asked with a chuckle at his assertion that he had underestimated her, allowing herself to be amused by his reactions.

All the while she was watching Fynn go about his work, out of the corner of her eye or otherwise on occasion. Llæwyn kept noticing him glancing at her from time to time, more often than was normal, and he lingered in her area of the bar just a little bit longer than necessary. He had definitely grown at least a bit more attached to her after the last day’s events, which was likely something she should have expected. Still, it was part of her motivation for not chasing Penril off yet… Just how attached was the bartender? How upset would he get if she humored the blonde? He didn’t seem pleased at her suggestion of a different contest, that was for sure. Penril, on the other hand, seemed quite happy. His silly grin was back, and he seemed to have at least some of his confidence back after having been trounced and put down a bit by the green-haired warrior. She didn’t say much about his bragging at his abilities, and she didn’t make any moves to increase the pace of her drinking either, just calmly sipping her beer and making small talk for a while.

When Llæwyn was done with her glass, Penril ordered two more, telling Fynn he’d pay for both. "I’ll pay for my own, thanks" she said with a wry grin, once more rejecting such an offer. The bartender grudgingly filled the order, filling the tall mugs with beer and placing them in front of his customers. The blonde quickly picked his up, asking if Llæwyn was ready, quite the confident look on his face. The green-haired elf knew that she was likely in his wheelhouse with this contest, but she had no real reason to care. This was just humoring him, after all, there was nothing at stake, and her pride wasn’t tied up in her drinking ability. "Yeah, I’m good to start whenever you are" she replied, picking up her mug. He counted to three, and as he tipped his mug for drinking she brought hers to her lips as well, downing the tasty beer in big gulps. It went down easy, so this wasn’t exactly the worst thing she could have tried. She felt she was doing well in the competition as well, though ultimately she was several seconds slower than was Penril.

"My, you certainly can put it down" Llæwyn replied when she had finished, grinning. There was a warm feeling spreading through her, and she knew she was quickly approaching the point of tipsiness. Four was about as many beers as she ever ordered in a night, and she wasn’t in a rush to have her last just yet. "I’m not so good with my alcohol unfortunately. This is about where I slow down for the night." She grinned again, turning her empty mug in her hands. "So you’re a woodworker, right? What kind? Carpentry, or woodcarvings and things? I’ve never seen anything you’ve done before… Where’s your shop?" she asked idly, though there was some purpose to it.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"Ah, well, no, I couldn't allow you to do that!" said Penril in protest to the swordswoman's insistence that she pay. "After all, you had offered me a drink on your tab earlier, when we stumbled across each other in the woods, so... I'll take care of it." His obstinence didn't pay off this time, however, as the bartender wound up heeding Llæwyn's order over that of his own.

"On your tab then? Sure thing," Fynn said in a firm yet kind voice, the direction he faced clearly indicating that he was talking to Llæwyn and not Penril. Either he wasn't going to let the other male have his way, or he simply preferred acknowledging the swordswoman over the more flirtatious client... perhaps a little of both.

A bit of disappointment was evident in the blonde's expression as a result, but he wasn't to let something like this deter him. After all, his foot was in the door with the green-haired beauty, or so he believed, and Fynn had other things to worry about, so he was effectively out of the picture for the time being, despite his better attempts.

After downing the beer as fast as he could, Penril voiced his satisfaction with a refreshed sigh. "Ahhh... heh, thanks. So you noticed! I won't be one to underestimate your strength again anytime soon, but as I said before, I'm not one to turn down a challenge of any sort. Guess that makes us even, then?" asked the elf with a grin, allowing it to fade only when Llæwyn began to suggest that she had enough drinks for the night. "I see... alright, fair enough," he responded in a quieter voice.

"As for my profession, I mainly do woodcarving," he explained. "Not so much one of the types that help construct the homes as the one who works on the finishing touches, especially for elders and the like. I actually helped with some of the detailing on the center pavilion! The shop is located on the northern side of the village. You are most welcome to stop by sometime, I'll show you a few of my works," said Penril cheerfully. "I'll even take requests, if you've something specific in mind. Free of charge." He put on a slightly suggestive smirk afterwards--not that his intentions weren't transparent from the beginning. "Actually, I could show you around right now, if you'd like."
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

"I can pay for myself, and I intend to" Llæwyn replied quietly, though there was some force behind her words. She wasn’t going to let him pay for her, only if Fynn for some reason forcibly put the drink on his tab. It seemed that the bartender wasn’t interested in doing that, as he more or less completely ignored Penril, amusingly enough.

Once the contest was over the blonde elf seemed quite pleased with himself for having won their little contest, which made Llæwyn grin a little bit. He was a funny guy. Goofy as all Void, and a little bit sleazy, but funny that way. "Yeah, even" she agreed, before indicating that she was going to slow down her drinking. Penril seemed disappointed by that again, which amused her. He really wanted her drunk, didn’t he? He didn’t seem terribly confident in his ability to get in her pants if she were sober. He then went on to explain to her that he handled the detail portion of woodcarving, decorating homes and buildings that had already been built. Apparently he had done work on the central pavilion, which was actually a pretty nice building. His shop was to the north, he said, and he offered to show her some of his work any time she stopped by.

That was when Penril made his move. He offered to make anything Llæwyn requested of him for free, and then offered to give her the tour of his shop that very night, a smirk on his face that told her all she needed to know about what he was really offering. She sat back in her stool, twirling the empty mug of beer in her hands, thinking. "Not tonight, I don’t think" she replied after a brief pause, "perhaps some other time. I’ve had a long day, and I’d like to relax here a little longer and then have a nice long sleep." She was rejecting him, of course, but she was leaving the door open for a possible future encounter.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Status:
Llæwyn: HP = 80, PP = 60, EP = 42, Status = Fine

"I see..." Penril trailed off, a stunned look having claimed his features. Llæwyn's response clearly wasn't the answer he was expecting, nor the one he wanted, but it was one he'd have to deal with nonetheless. Still, he eventually recovered--it hadn't been the first time she had turned him down for something, after all. "Well, as I said before, I'll be around, so feel free to pay a visit," said the elf before shooting a sharp glance sideways at his brothers, who were hunched over and exchanging whispers amongst themselves at that point.

"Either way, I hope these Void rifts, or whatever they are, all get closed soon. They've been working us quite a bit as of late, thanks to the loss of homes and such, so this's one of the few chances I get to relax. I'm kind of surprised they didn't send you on the mission, to be honest. Not that I'm complaining or anything!" He laughed nervously, unaware of the offenses such a statement could potentially make. "I can see it's taking its toll on our warriors as well. For a girl to wander off like that, even when drunk... I'd say a little less liquor for her, and a little more company. Err... I mean, to relax with. Don't wanna get too stressed, of course."

He would continue a bit of similar smalltalk, provided the green-haired beauty would entertain him by listening. When it came to conversations, Penril wasn't quite a listener like Fynn, preferring to do most of the talking. But at the same time, he wasn't as awkward as Aeron, whose social faculties seemed to plummet by Llæwyn's mere proximity.

Eventually, last calls were made and closing time came. Finally, Penril got up from his seat, turning to Llæwyn. He had downed a few more since the rejection, and even if the swordswoman hadn't watched him down the drinks, she would be able to tell by his breath alone. "If ya change your mind~" he slurred suggestively, half-grinning and waving goodbye before heading out with the others.

This left her alone with Fynn, who started collecting the mugs left on the different tables, returning to the bar where she sat. As more of a listener, it wasn't hard to guess that he was about to let her speak first.
 
Re: Reclaiming the Wood (Tiffanian) GMed by Takimaru

Llæwyn could barely keep herself from smirking at the way Penril seemed shocked that she had rejected him. It was pretty amusing, especially given how thick he laid it on. She couldn’t imagine that he didn’t get turned away more often than not, though maybe other elven women liked corny pickup lines? She wondered how much pussy he got, if any… "Sure, I’ll definitely stop by some time when I’m more in the mood" she replied, still leaving the door open for him in the future. He continued to express his wish that the portals to the Void be closed, intimating that all the collapsed houses had kept him quite busy. "Aeron’s better suited to the job" the green-haired warrior replied when he expressed surprise that she hadn’t been sent on the mission to find a solution to the Void, "I can’t speak small-ear, and even if I could I can’t stand being around the fuckers." She just let his comments about Maerwyn slide, not even wanting to bother with it. He was just a little bit sleazy… but probably mostly harmless.

The two continued to make smalltalk, Llæwyn mostly allowing her blonde pursuer to talk to his heart’s content. Which was a lot. Apparently he liked to hear himself talk, or thought he was impressive. She did have to give it to him, at least he wasn’t a little dumbass like Aeron in her presence, and he got some points for confidence. She took a while to order her next beer, and when she did she took her time slowly sipping and savoring it. All in all, it wasn’t a bad night. For all his faults, Penril was at least good entertainment, and she had a relatively relaxing evening. The last call came eventually, closing time approaching, and by now the blonde elf was at least a little bit drunk. Of course, Llæwyn had gotten herself a little bit tipsy with that final beer, and was enjoying the pleasant glow. She considered going off with him when he offered, but only for a second or two before waving and bidding him goodnight. The rest of the customers began to filter out as well as they finished their final drinks, one by one walking out the door until finally the green-haired warrior was alone with Fynn.

The bartender didn’t talk right off the bat, instead moving to start cleaning up. That was fine, he seemed more likely to listen and let her speak than to kick things off on his own anyway. Llæwyn waited until he had settled behind the bar again before handing him her empty mug, saying "so, that Penril… pretty nice guy, yeah? I think he likes me" with a bit of childishness in the last bit. "Seemed like you don’t like him much. Why’s that?" She knew what the root of his behavior had been, or at least she thought she did, but she wanted to hear his side of it.
 
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