Hayden sat on a barstool, leaning against the counter lazily. He was waiting for a gurl, not his typical meeting when it came with the female. She was a spy in training. Thomas had said she had potential and just needed some proper training and for whatever reason they thought that Hayden should give it to her.

Not a problem, but why? Hayden didn’t know. He sighed and thrust a hand through his hair, ruffling his hair. He looked down at his lemonade and sighed again.

Jade slunk into the bar, hoping that she looked as invisible as much as she wanted to. This was her third time in the bar in five days and she was beginning to get discouraged. She was looking for someone who was suppose to be her mentor, but Thomas hadn’t even told her his name or what he looked like. When she’d asked, he had just shrugged and replied, “He’ll know you, don’t worry.”

She sat down in the corner and tried not to bring any attention to herself.

Hayden watched a tall, dark teenager walk into the bar. He tilted his head back and little. She fit the description he had been given. Dark hair, dark skinned, startling green eyes, skinny and surprisingly tall for a woman.

He leaned forward a bit to study her. Shapeless, but she wasn’t done with puberty, but for now it would be easy to dress her up at as a boy if need be. Her features were a motley assortment of the races with a little paint and the right clothes they could pass her off as one of number of people.

He almost approached her almost.

Jade pushed a lock of hair from her eyes. What if he wasn’t going to come? What if he had decided not to take on a protégé and without any other contacts in the city how would she ever find out?

You’re worry about stuff you can’t control. Breathe.

She stood up to walk around the room and shake off the nervous energy. It wasn’t her fault that she stumbled into the broad expanse of the back of a well muscled, bald thug.

“This could be bad,” she mumbled looking at him, backing up and bumping against the wall. She gave him a weak smile. “Sorry?”

He bared his teeth at her in a snarl.

Oh, this was bad.

Brooker was anything but a nice guy when sober and now he’d been drinking for most of the night made things worse. And he couldn’t let his assistant get crushed. No one would be pleased with that outcome.

He leapt off his stool and wove through the crowd easily, most getting out of his way. “Brooker,” he gave the man a smile. “I see you met my niece.”

Jade blinked and was about to say something, but then looked at the muscular man and then at her blond rescuer. Okay, not going to complain.

Brooker looked at Hayden while Hayden had never been in a bar room brawl, everyone had seen him break up at lest one fight. “Your niece, Hayden. Nice grl, very pretty. Bit clumsy, but we grow out of it usually.”

Jade released a breath of relief. As Brooker scooted across the room, Jade leaned in. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Hayden replied under his breath. “You wouldn’t happen to be Jade Glass would you?”

He hoped she was, the kid had spirit and thought quickly on her feet.

Jade grinned and shook her head a little. “That’s me. Pleasure to meet you, uh, Hayden? Pleased to meet you!” She kept her voice low and tried to mock his lack of lip movement.

"Are you going to be my teacher or something?"

Hayden looked Jade over. "I do believe so, kid. I seem to have taken a shine to you and you seem like a smart kid. So, I think I'll take you up. Should let Thomas know," Hayden rubbed his chin thoughtfully and shrugged.

Jade smiled. She was truly on her way to being a spy, a real honest to lying spy!

"Thank you, thank you." She grinned, already taking a liking to the strange young man which was probably a good thing since they'd probably be spending a lot of time together.

Hayden began making a mental list of the things he would need for Jade. A horse, a belt--a proper one, knives, sheathes, boots, lock picks.

They had better reimburse him for all of this.

He grinned adn continued rubbing his chin. "You should get out of here. Meet me in the marketplace tomorrow 'round noon?"

Jade bit her bottom lip. Would Lander help her? "I don't entirely know if I can," she started then shook her head and tossed it a bit. "I'll be there. Might be a bit late, but I'll be there."

She had spunk and was willing to go against odds and more than likely trouble for her training, which was good. He smiled at her. “All right then I can wait for a while. Now you should probably get out of here before you cause anymore trouble.”

Jade nodded, giving Hayden a timid smile that blossomed a little bit more and gave him a joking salut before turning and dodging carefully through the crowd.


((Wait or what?))

OOC: can I post here, or is it a private thread? Just thought I'd ask.

((You can join if you want))

Hayden watched Jade. His hawk eyed gaze making sure theat even if she did decided to run into anymore muscle bound idiots, she wasn’t in any danger. It wouldn’t be good to loose an apprentice within five minutes. It would also be hard to explain.

He made his way back to his seat and sighed and lifted his glass to his lips.

Meridan had been eyeing the man from across the room. When she was certain that he and Jade were not together, she walked over and sat down acroos from him. She signaled a barmaid. "I'll have a glass of...wine." She decided.
"Why hello." She smiled flirtaciously at Hayden, and sipped the glass the barmaid had just handed to her.

Hayden finished his mug and pushed it away. “Nother one, Hayden?”

He shook his head after a moment’s thought. He shouldn’t, so he simply went, “Some cider, this time, Joelle, please?”

Joelle took his mug. “No problem.”

Hayden ran a hand through his hair before hearing a voice next to him. He turned and smiled. “Hey.”

"Have we met?" Meridan asked. She really wanted to know. He looked faintly familiar.

Hayden looked her up and down and shook his head. “No, I don’t think we have. I would have remembered you.”

Joelle returned and set the cider down in front of him. Hayden looked up and her and gave her a nod of gratitude.

Meridan flashed him a grin and took a sip of her wine. "You do seem familiar though. Are you sure you haven't been down to Redrose?" She winked at him. "Or perhaps you're just at the Dove a lot. What's your name, anyway?"

Hayden took a sip of cider to prolong his answering. “I’ve never been to Redrose, though I do hang around in the Dove often. I’m Hayden by the way.”

"Meridan. So what is your business here, Hayden?" Meridan asked, just making conversation.

“I had to meet Jade,” he told her deciding that if she asked he would keep up that bit of fiction about his new apprentice. It wasn’t good to change stories in the middle of the night. Unless you were trying to get caught. And Hayden wanted a nice quiet night.

"Jade?" Meridan inquired. He must have meant the girl that left as Meridan came up to the table.

((OOC: Hayden didn't say anything other than "I had to meet Jade." Unless you're a telepath, which I don't think she is, she shouldn't have heard any of the other stuff.))

OOC: sorry, I wasn't really paying attention.. :unsure:

though on second thought, of cours she's a telepath! :P :lol:

Hayden held the tankard to his lips, but didn’t actually drink from it. “My niece.” He replied.

"Interesting. How lovely. And you have no qualms about bringing her to such an establishment? Meaning no slight to the Dove of course."

"Interesting. How lovely. And you have no qualms about bringing her to such an establishment? Meaning no slight to the Dove of course." Meridan gestured to the table of drunken men, and to two unviersity students who were very busy in the corner.

“Jade . . . is quite capable of taking care of herself, but if you ever were to run into my sister, I’d rather you didn’t mention it.” Hayden glanced around the room. She’ll see worse. He added silently, tilting the tankard back to his lips. “You can’t shelter them forever.”


Funny she didn't mention the age as most people would be quick to pounce on.

"Your sister is apparently older than you be several years, Hayden. May I enquire as to her name, so that if I ever do encounter her, I won't inadvertantly let something slip about our meeting?" Meridan asked innocently.

OOC: ack! sorry, I couldn't get on much yesterday...I had (horseback) riding lessons...among other things...I love jumping! It feels like you're flying, though I wish my horse wasn't having such a slow day...

"Don't worry, the chances of you running into her are slim to none," Hayden told her, lifting his glass back to his lips and kicking it back before signalling to Joelle for another glass.

"How many of those are you going to have?" Meridan asked, gesturing to his glass. "I hope it's non-alchoholic, I've no mind to be talking with a drunk." She bit her tongue before she could say any more. She was forever landing herself in trouble for her impulsive mouth. "Sorry...I wasn't trying to be insulting, that's just the way it came out." Meridan smiled apologetically.

Hayden shook his head. “I don’t like alcohol and avoid it as much as possible. Besides, if I did get drunk, there would be no talking to me at any rate. I just pass out once I get to that stage.”

"That's good. Mithros, I've had enough of drunks who just babble on and then get way too friendly." Meridan rolled her eyes. "I'd rather talk to an unconcious person, they've probably got more sense. I don't avoid alchohol, but I don't like it. I'll have wine with dinner, and then one drink at the Dove. That's all I'll touch, and most of the time, I don't even have that. The rider mess doesn't have wine for the most part."

Hayden laughed. “Drunks unfortunately have a tendency to be talkative.”

"Aye." Meridan nodded. "So I've noticed." She grinned sheepishly. "I've actually gotten drunk before, but once was enough. I've learned my lesson I believe...At least I haven't gotten drunk since. It was at the Shang training school, and some of us got into some rice wine. The instructors were so angry. Gods, I think I've still got the marks."

Hayden laughed. “I got a bottle of whiskey spooned down my throat when I was eight and I was ill. I passed out and woke up without a fever but a massive headache. Had my first actual hard drinking session at fourteen, I’m lucky that all that happened was I woke up in a field missing my boots.”

"That's fun. Any idea what happened while you were drunk? People've told me I had a drunken duel with one of my friends. We were lucky we've still go our heads. He's a Shang Wolf now..." Her voice drained off, and she got a faraway look in her eyes. The distant sound of breaking glass snapped her back to the present. "Oh! Sorry." Smiling apologetically, she reached for her glass.