Soup and a Salad [Finished]

[The Jenn]

Lior stared down into his soup for a moment before looking back up, gold eyes meeting yellow. "It seems almost odd how these things work out. As of a few days ago, I find myself with more free time on my hands than I've ever had." Along with more angst, guilt, sorrow... but these things weren't pertinent to the conversation.

And she had a remarkably pretty laugh. It somehow fit with the rest of her, and her accent. He wondered if she might be a Diamond rather than a Heart, with such natural charm, or if it was just the fact that he'd been starved for some kind of real company and conversation that left him biased. He'd certainly never seen a bird like her before. Her short beak was quite attractive.

The ring around his neck was like a heavy weight against his chest. He always knew it was there, could feel it through his fur, and sooner or later the need to put it on and observe the people around him - the person before him - would surface. Hopefully it wouldn't be for a good long while.

[Vyn]

"Well then, it's settled, isn't it?"

The edges of Anya's beak twisted upward in a small smile as they met, eyes twinkling with warmth. She leaned forward a little on her elbows, obviously pleased with the direction of the conversation. It wasn't everyday she had such pleasant and attractive company to fill her time while she waited for her father's grunts to smooth out their kinks and get business back on track.

"While I'm in town, I'll help you improve your command of the language. It really is the least I can do for such pleasant lunching company." Another soft laugh complimented her words.

For all the soft and golden beauty Anya presented, Lior was very likely to shudder at what he found with the ring's power. There was a darkness to everyone and the shadow that was cast behind Anya was as great as the light she shown with. It was the nature of all things, to hide behind such facades.

[Kiki]

Jenn and Vyn receive 1 token each, to be redeemed in Ashwin's Shoppe. This will automatically be added to your recorded totals in the shoppe. Congratulations, and keep up the good RP!

[The Jenn]

Having lived in the Courts for so long, Lior knew very well how 'natural' it was for everyone to hide behind their public masks. He held his own tightly to ward away the questions and concern of others, especially those close to him. Maybe it wouldn't matter as much now, with those people left behind? Or maybe it would matter more with strangers all around him. Uncertainty and indecision kept it as firmly in place as it usually was. Decisions were difficult things for him to arrive at, and often quite delayed.

"That is... very good of you! I thank you for your kindness, truly." He dipped his head politely as he spoke, accidentally dropping one set of whiskers into his soup and pulling them back with a slight grimace. One dark gold-tipped paw came up to wipe it away and he licked the fur discreetly, not wishing to do any kind of serious grooming in a restaurant. That was the epitome of rude. The quick clean-up would have to do.

And so now he had someone willing to teach him the Highland tongue. That was... an entirely unexpected development. He would need to find someplace to live now and something to do for money. The amount he had of personal funds saved from allowances would only last him so long and if he was going to be in the city for a few days, rooms were quite expensive and draining of funds.

[Vyn]

(One day Anya's muse will cooperate and I will die of shock. XDD Again, sorry for the wait ;_; )

Anya couldn't help but find the young feline adorable. Especially once he'd accidentally dipped his whiskers into the soup. Poor boy, he really needed his bipedal form. It'd be so...attractive. She could tell already.

"Oh you're very welcome, Lior." She smiled a bit more fully, though turned her attention to her own meal while he attended to his whiskers. Once he was done grooming she leaned forward on her elbows and tilted her head. "So, I must ask: where would you like to go to practice? I don't think a crowded diner is the best choice, honestly -- too noisy for my tastes -- but it can be your choice as to where we go from here."

She only had a little apartment for the time being, seeing as she was only in for business, but maybe Lior had a place of his own? Then again, a spot in the park might be just as pleasant. Anya didn't believe she was all too picky, really.

[The Jenn]

Lior paused and considered. He knew the city only as well as a visitor might know it, not as versed in its night life as his half sister, nor in its shops. He mostly stayed to the extremely public areas, the parks and fountains and statues. They were landmarks that ensured he knew where he was, however valuable that may or may not have been. There were always quite a few cafes and restaurants around those areas anyway. That one one reason he knew this place had halfway decent food, because of its location.

"Well, we aren't far from a public park right now. It has a fountains and a small garden fenced in by knee-high stone walls that also serve as low benches." He'd met quite a few interesting people in that park during his visits to the city. He rarely approached unless they were Highlanders or he knew them from the palace, but the one time he'd met a blind eagle, and he people-watched often.

He took a few more laps at his soup, grateful for the warmth settling in his gut. He hadn't eaten in long enough that he didn't even feel guilty eating it, especially since it looked halfway healthy with all those vegetables floating in it. If he had to eat anything, it may as well be something that would help him in the long run.

[Vyn]

Anya managed to finish up the last of her meal as Lior pondered their location. She really didn't have much left when he'd arrived to begin with. Sliding the bowl to the side so that a waiter might notice and take it away for her, Anya focused her full attention back upon Lior.

"Ah yes! That sounds lovely, Lior." A pleasant little smile curved the edges of her beak as Anya spoke. "I actually haven't gotten the chance to visit the local parks, so you will have to be my guide while we're out."

The avian laughed a little, blushing beneath her downy white feathers and quietly hoping it wouldn't be overly visible to her guest. It was a little sad admitting she didn't entirely know her way around, though it was always nice to have a nice man to show you the way around when that was the case.

Lior would do nicely for the afternoon.

[The Jenn]

Now that he had 'separated' himself from his home and his family, he had very few connections left to him. He would have to send Uncle Bernard some sort of letter to let him know where he settled since he couldn't bear the thought of the man fretting even more because of him, but he wouldn't be asking for any kind of support, monetary or otherwise. Not when everything had... happened. He swallowed around a lump in his throat and shoved those debilitating thoughts to the side. Nights lying awake were the time to deal with those, not the middle of the day with a beautiful Highland avian watching him expectantly.

He was just glad he didn't have to pay for the friendly language tutoring with more than a brief tour. All of the meager funds he had would go towards basics like lodgings and food, especially important until he could find a job.

"If there are two things this city does well, they happen to be cafes and parks. Well, and business, but that's nowhere near as much of a tourist attraction." He smiled, slightly sheepish but pleased. Apartment hunting could wait a day or two, especially with the market as fast-paced as it was. There were always new listings coming up, or so a man he'd been walking beside for some of his trek had told him. "Whenever you're ready to leave, m'lady Anya, I'll be more than happy to guide you."

[Vyn]

Anya watched Lior for a long moment, aware that he seemed both troubled and in deep thought. Perhaps this little outing would be just what the feline needed to perk him up a bit.

"I have had quite enough of the business here, but the cafes have been quite charming... I can only imagine the parks will be the same." Lifting smoothly from her seat, Anya pushed in her chair and stood behind it to peer down at Lior with a warm smile. "Now seems like a good time to head out, I think. Please, lead the way."

The quetzal fluffed her feathers, delighted with the way her afternoon was going. After such a droll morning she was positively ecstatic about the way everything had managed to turn around.

Eventually Anya would have to call this lovely afternoon quits and return to her business... or find her lost partner, was more accurate. His sense of direction was worse than hers.

"So, Lior, where do you live? Here in the City? You seem to know a good deal about it."

[The Jenn]

This was certainly a lady used to being seen, if Lior could judge by the graceful nature of her movements. Her smiles were charming, her feathers fluffed prettily rather than messily, and her words were cultured. All of it bespoke Highland nobility and good breeding, or at least a desire for recognition, if he was judging it right. She reminded him of a courtier he'd used to know in the palace.

He hopped down from his wide chair and smiled in turn, the response as natural as breathing whether he meant it or not. In this case, he most certainly did. The day was going to be a lot more fun than he'd initially thought and it would help distract him from... well... everything. Falling back to the harsh reality of things after this pleasant interlude would be rough.

"The parks are no Highlands, but I think you'll like them nonetheless," he responded a small laugh, leading the way out of the cafe. His wings tucked close to avoid a lot of the foot traffic on the sidewalks. "There are plants here than you can only find in some of the northern and eastern regions, not to mention some of the people."

Only a lifetime in the public eye kept his step from faltering at her question. It wasn't a particularly unusual one, or even a loaded question, but at this point it certainly had a loaded answer. He tried to keep his expression as neutrally pleasant as it had been from the first as they neared the gated entrance to a large mid-city park. "Actually, I've only just moved to the city recently and I'm still searching for permanent lodgings. I've come here before on trips, though, and I know the central areas fairly well. This park, for instance, has a beautiful fountain near the center with plenty of seating. The sound of the water is beautiful." And distracting. He hoped the redirect would be taken well.