OOC- We are not finished with the Library yet, but we are close to done.

IC- Alexander, Falik, and Gwynn all walked into the abundantly noisy Dancing Dove. It was one of it's more crowded night's.

Bert the bar tender saw Alexander come in, but he was surprised to see friends at his side and thought to himself “since when does he start dragging other pages into trouble with him.” He called out "Alexander, see you brought some friends. You best stay out of trouble. Anything to Drink?"

At being addressed by that old, familiar, worn voice Alexander looked over at the bar tender Bert. Then he turned to Gwynn and Falik “ Come on I will introduce you to the owner. Do you guys want anything?"

Meridan was sitting up at the bar when she saw the three come in. It was obvious that they were from the palace, and she wondered if she should hide. She was not technically supposed to be out at this hour, and especially not in the Dove. Then a sudden thought occured to her. if I'm not allowed out at this hour, certainly pages aren't! She beckoned to a bar regular sitting beside her. "Who are they?" She asked, gesturing to the three.
"Pages." The man answered unhelpfully.
"I know that, fool!" Meridan hissed. "But who are they?"
"One's a bazhir, the girl's from Northwatch. A northern fief." The man almost spat. It was pbvious that he did not approve of northerners "The other, the other's from Rosewood. He comes in here a lot."
"Thank you." Meridan arose and crossed to the three. They were younger than her. they were perhaps 14 or so maybe 13. She didn't think they would turn her in, for it would mean their own undoing as well.
"Out for a bit of late night fun, I see." She said. It was not a question. "Bert, give me an ale." She also knew the bartender. This was far from the first time she had snuck out to the dove. She had also been drinking for a while. She was not an alchoholic, but she would have drink whenever she went to the dove. She'd gotten used to the liquor back at Redrose, for she knew where the bottle of ale was kept, and the family had wine with dinner every night. "And Bert," She added. "I'll pay for these three." Meridan was curious about these pages. She hadn't thought most pages had enough spunk to sneak out at night. Squires, certainly, for there were several, rip-roaring drunk a few tables over. But she hadn't seen any pages in the Dove before. Besides, it looked like they were funloving. And when there was any fun to be had, Meridan was right in the thick of it.

Falik was just about to ask for a lemonade when Meridan came over to them. He looked startled when the bold young woman came over. He didn't recognise her from the palace, but that wasn't to say that this could mean trouble.

The young woman looked older than them all, although Falik, suddenly very concious of his height, stood a head taller than everyone in the group.

He looked around at Alexander and Gwynn to see what the others would say.

He managed to croak "Lemonade!" at the bartender, who was waiting for their orders.

Meridan began opening her change purse, waiting for the others to order.

OOC: Sorry, that was a really short post, but I'm not exactly sure what to do until Gwynn and Alexander get here. :D

OOC- Sorry it took me so long. I have been away for a while, it's spring break here and me and my family went on a weekend trip.

Also Gwynn is a third year page and Livia is with us. I checked our ages and it seems all of us from the palace are 13.

IC- Alexander smiled thankfully realizing that he hadn't brought enough money to buy everyone that had decided to join more than one drink and said “How kind of you. I’ll have a lemonade too.”

He looked at his group of friends and said “I suggest that all of you get a none alcoholic drink, it’s never wise to be unable to… contain yourself, defended yourself. Also alcohol is a sedative and slows down your reaction time.”

Alexander looked back at this young lady, he guessed she was about 17 or 18 and probably frequented the bar, but he had never seen her before. “My name is Alexander, and this is Falik, Livia, and Gwynn." After introducing everyone in a calm and cheerful manner he asked "What is your name?”

Livia rocked back and forth on her heels. "Nothing for me, thank you," she muttered. "I'm just here for the ride, I guess."

OOC: ok, i fixed Gwynn's age, but Meridan looks like she's 17 or 18...but that's ok, that's like buried in my bio, so not many people know. :lol:

IC: Meridan noticed another girl with the three. She had overlooked her before. She didn't know why. The girl was about the same age as the other three, though something about her told Meridan that she was not a page. (OOC: she isn't a page, right? I thought she was a servant...) Perhaps it was something about her bearing, or even the way she moved, that told Meridan this girl was not noble-born. Of course, when Alexander had introduced her, Meridan knew, obviously, that Livia was no noble, but she had suspected it anyway. Meridan liked commoners better than nobles, most of the time. They had much less tendency to be prigs.

"Order something if you like." Meridan offered. "I'm buying, so don't worry about money or anything. And sorry, I've been forgetting my manners, though I normally don't use them much, and forgetting them has become a habit. I'm Meridan of Redrose. I'm a rider trainee. And what I've been wondering." She lowered her vioce so only the four clustered round her could hear. "Why you're out in Corus this late at night. It's not a safe place, though I warrant you can take care of yourselves. At least, you think you can." Meridan was trying to bait the four into getting angry. She was curious about them, and anger loosened people's tongues.

Falik looked slightly aghast. Was the woman suggesting that palace pages couldn't look after themselves. He looked again to Alexander to answer, not trusting his confidence to allow him to do anything except babble.

OOC: Can I bring Rean in? If not, I'll delete this. :D

A loud commotion in the corner parted the crowd. Rean of Laraes was shoved onto the floor, adn then jumped on. She kicked out, and with a grwol, she punched the man in th eface. He went out cold. The people in the bar milled about, a couple cheered, a few of them just went back to drinks. Rean wiped blood off her lip with a wince. She kept getting into these fights.

Rean saw Alexander, Falik, and Gwynn were at the bar. She saw the girl, Livia, there too. "Hm." Rean grinned, and slipped between the crowd to stand in front of them. "Fancy seeing you here." She raised her eyebrows. What're they doing here?' She smiled. 'They could ask me the same thing.'

OOC- Rean, sure you can join up now. Meridan, yeah Livia is a servant, also sorry about the age thing, I went back and fixed it.

IC- While most would get angry or offended at what Meridan had implied Alexander was still joyous, he never saw the point in blowing up when it was usually just a waste of energy. Alexander said still as happily and friendly as ever "Yes we do believe we can take care of ourselves, and if not, we can only hope Mithros will take pity upon our poor souls and grant us a safe journey and lots of fun along the way."

Alexander turned slightly to better view the newcomer, Rean a squire and a well met friend. "Ello Rean." Alexander smiled happily. "I see you've fallen and busted your lip. You should really be more careful, people will start thinking that your up to no good or that you’ve been fighting." Then remembering his manners Alexander said "Have you had the pleasure of meeting Meridan, of Redrose? She is a Rider Trainee." Then he looked on, waiting to see what would happen next.

Rean smiled, hoping the girl wouldn't try to get a rise out of her. Rean got tight lipped when angry, and she got combatative. Well, she was pretty much combatative already. "Hello. I'm Rean of Laraes." She looked at Alexander. "I would never fight with another person, Alexander! I'm to well brought up to be mixing with ruffians." SHe said, not able ot keep a sarcastic grin off her face.

A man walked up behind Rean, slurring his speech, "Hey, pretty ladies." He said, staggering in his drunken state. Rean turned, her eyes blazing. His eyes were moving from Meridan to Gwynn to Rean.

Rean smiled at him flirtatiously, she put a hand on his chest, "Hello!" She tilted her head to the side, and her face took on an angry set. She pushed her hand forward, knocking him backwards. "Next time," She hissed, "Try someone drunker and not able to hold their own, idiot." She turned back to the others, a smile back on her face. "See? No fighting over here." She winked.

OOC: She's a bit.. I don't have the word.

Falik smiled at Rean, who'd become a good and trusted friend.

"The very epitome of lady-like good grace Lady Rean." He said. With people like Rean and Alexander he felt far more relaxed and his good humour came through. It was only when faced with strangers that his shyness held him back.

"Let's just hope the infirmary don't end up with an outbreak of falling down to deal with. Sometimes it's not wise to stir the sands." He said pointedly, worried that Rean might get them more trouble than they bargained for if she wasn't careful.

Rean grinned and quieted down. She trusted Falik's advice. He was the sort of down to earth persont hat kept people like Rean in check. She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I just don't like .. drunk people?" She proclaimed. She stepped forward slightly. "So. What is it you're all doing here?" If they were getting into trouble, or just wandering around, she was coming with them. Despite first impressions, Rean could be quiet, and sneaky. When she chose. Usually she went for the straightforward outgoing route. She tilted her head to the side again and advised, "You might want some company?" She declared.

OOC: I have this thing to post.. it's like 110 alternatives to the word 'said'. It's pretty useful.

"I don't mind." Meridan remarked. She liked this girl. They had a similar way of thinking-and dealing with ruffians. "And I must apologize to the pages. I'm well aware they can take care of themselves. I wasn't implying that they could not." She nodded to Falik. Meridan could not read minds, far from it, but she read expressions quite well, especially those of indignance and anger. It was no surprise, since she often caused those very feelings to appear on the faces of those she met.
"I'm not entirely sure what they're up to." Meridan added to Rean. "But whatever it is, it looks like fun, and fun's a thing I'm always up for. I was hoping to get their story. You're story." She corrected herself, addressing the pages. "Do you sneak out often? If that's the case, I'll have visit the Dove more frequently."

“It is all my fault.” Alexander confessed. “I come here from time-to-time and tonight happened to be a from time-to-time. I have recently become Falik’s roommate, and while sneaking out I knocked some weaponry over. Under normal conditions it would never have happened, but newness of the room and how it is laid out got me. And from there to here we gained some followers.” Alexander looked at his friends and smiled happily, he was actually glad that he had friends with him to enjoy the night out.

Rean nodded, and grinned at Meridan. "Well, I might as well join you, if that's not a bother. If you run into any trouble, you might want some backup." She responded. She could pretty much imagined what had happened. Falik had woken up, and being the practical, potective sort of person he was, he had probably insisted on coming along. Gywnn and Livia, she had no idea. She smiled dashingly, and accepted not knowing. She just pretty much went with it. "So where are you all headed?" She queried.

"Ordinarily this is the kind of fun I could live without," continued Falik, "but I couldn't let Alexander face my Lord Genlith on his own now could I?" He smiled nodding to the barman as a lemonade was dumped down in front of him.

"Ah, but you'll enjoy it, Falik." Meridan grinned. "A bit of harmless rulebreaking never did anyone any harm. Well...At least it normally doesn't. It's not something I'd waste time worrying about. But how'd the girls join you?" She nodded at Gwynn and Livia.

Rean grinned. She herself had faced Lord Genlith down many times. "Well, he's not that bad, once you get to seeing him every couple days. If you're caught, just accept the punishment." She thought inwardly with a smile, 'Wish I knew how to follow my own advice.' Lord Genlith liked to call her impertinent, witty, and sarcastic. He especially loved to say, 'Oh, you're sarcasm is overwhelming me. I think I may cry.' She winked, and said, "Sneaking out is.. enjoyable."

"Well if we get in trouble I'll invite you along to one of my father's 2 hour lectures to me on how a good son behaves and then we'll see how much you enjoy that!" grumbled Falik.

He looked suitably worried.

Rean grinned nonchalantly. "I'd probably fall asleep, or something." She admitted, amused. "I take lectures very well. It's like I was born to get them. You should hear my dad whe--" She stopped abruptly. She had almost told them that her father had screamed at her when her brother had died. She kicked herself mentally. She didn't pity herself, and she didn't want them to do so, either. She replaced her smile, "When he lectures." She finished, her eyelashes lowered to cover her eyes from her friends. She knew they'd be able ot read her mistake if they saw her eyes. They were always showing emotion like that.

Livia grinned at the argument going on. "I was never one for lectures," she cut in. "Excuse me, sir, madam," she muttered. "Sorry to interupt." But she barged on, "Da didn't really do all that much lecturing. But I'm pretty sure he'd go nuts if he found out I was a servant!" She imitated her Da's deep, rumbling voice. "Livia Rosieanne Heart! How could you possibly stand waiting on people and groveling?"

She giggled. "I actually do enjoy it sometimes, though."

"My Da would be proud of me for sneaking out. He did it often himself, when he was training to be a rider...My Ma is a different story entirely. She's a Shang Warrior, a panther, and she wanted me to follow in her footsteps. I didn't do so well. You're looking at the Shang Dormouse, right now." Meridan grinned sheepishly. "I decided to try my father's occupation instead, and Ma's never quite gotten over that...Though she was always high-strung...She's half K'Mir, she looks rather like Queen Thayet did, Mithros bless." She quickly made the sign against evil. Thayet had been killed many years past, while single-handedly fighting two coldfangs. All of her ladies had been taken or killed, it was a period in Tortallan history that no one ever willingly remembered. "Though Thayet was much nicer...Or so I've heard, I never met her, though I doubt it'd take a whole lot to be nicer than Ma. She's not that bad I guess, you've just got to tread carefully round her." Meridan looked away, slightly embarrassed to have told these almost perfect strangers so much about her family.



OOC: I can edit the part about Thayet dying, I didn't know how she died, or if she died at all.

OOC- Shoot! I didn't know I was supposed to be here! Darn! Okay, so I gues I'll post.

IC- Gwynn stepped to the edge of the group. It was really becoming quite large, and noisy. Gwynn wasn't even supposed to be here in the first place, but she had followed Alexander, and slammed the door. At least they hadn't been caught, but the third-year page still felt like she didn't belong here. Gwynn shot an uneasy glance at Alexander, a tingling in her spine. Gwynn wanted to be here with Alexander and Falik, two of her fellow third-year pages, the only ones she knew in this group.

Look, Gwynn told herself, you're being selfish now! The page didn't know if she should stay here at the inn or not. No one was really paying attention to her, and only Meridan had nodded in her direction once.

Meridan's words were faint in her mind, as Gwynn crept to the edge of the group, uncertainly, and not knowing what to do.

Falik spotted Gwynn trying to edge out of the group. He leaned towards her, close enough so only she could hear him speak;
"No you don't," he whispered, "If I have to stay and enjoy the so called fun so do you!" He smiled at her and hooked his arm through hers dragging her back in to the group between himself and Alexander.
"Besides, you never know....we may even get out of this with our skins!" he muttered.

Meridan heard one of Falik's comments, the one about enjoying the 'fun'. "Oh, you'll enjoy it, Page Al Basiri. In fact, by the end of the evening you'll be dancing on tabletops...Well, perhaps not, but you'll enjoy it nonetheless." The trainee grinned at him and Gwynn. "And Gwynn, stay here, if you won't stay for me, stay for Falik or for Alexander." Meridan winked. She'd seen the look in Gwynn's eyes as she gazed at the page from Rosewood.

Livia seemed to have been ignored in the conversation. She began to edge out, really hoping that nobody would notice.

Gwynn blushed deeply. The third-year page spread her copper locks over her face to in hope to hide the scarlet hue.

"Rats!" Gwynn murmered under her breath. "Is it really that obvious?"

Gwynn would have to talk to this Meridan. Composing herself and putting on her best Yamani face, Gwynn, still on the edge of the crowd, sighed huffily.

Alexander and Falik, indeed! Gwynn thought indignantly. Or perhaps she just means stay for them because they're the only ones I know here.

But still, Gwynn pondered, Alexander? I'll have to get Meridan back! She's got to be only two or three years older than me.

Gwynn nearly laughed at her words, but caught herself and stood higher, though still to he hidden by the multitude of people.

Now, as Gwynn wove between the crowds with her hazel eyes, she saw Livia sneaking away from the crowd. Patting Falik on the arm, Gwynn unhooked herself from him, and motioned towards Livia. The third-year page glanced at Falik, questioning the page, as she looked after Livia.

Meridan caught Gwynn's eye and winked. She had meant to get the page off to a good start with Alexander, without making Gwynn's crush obvious. Apparently the two pages had already spoken, though, by the darts the page from Northwatch was shooting at the trainee. Meridan liked matchmaking. She had given it up a while ago, when she accidentally ended up with the man she was trying to get to date her friend. She'd broken it off as soon as she found out he liked her though, and as she doubted Alexander would fall in love with her, she saw no reason not to begin matchmaking again. Maybe she could get an accomplice. She'd have to work in a private word with Falik. After all, he was a page, and a friend of both Gwynn and Alexander.

"Livia, don't sneak off. Mithros, you're as bad as Gwynn." She said to the servant in an undertone. Meridan smiled at Livia to show the other girl that she meant no insult.

Livia threw up her hands, as she was often apt to do. "Terribly sorry, milady," she said, "but I felt all alone in this crowded room!" Seeing some of her friends from the Rogue, she moved back toward the group. "However, if all of us get in trouble, then we'll have company doing punishment work! Well, that is if I'm not fired." She glanced uneasily at the front door, as if some monster were to come barging through at any second.

"You won't get fired." Meridan reassured her. "I've got lots of tricks for getting out of trouble. Gods know I'm in it enough."


OOC: sorry, really short post...

Rean leaned against the bar, and flicked her long hair out of her face. Of course, it came right back to lay against her cheek, the dark locks doing their endless dance. She sighed, adn blew out the air at the offended piece of hair. It flew away, only to come right back. She growled,and gave up. "Fine. Be that way." She told it, her face set in brooding-mode. She looked at everyone. "Well, how late are you guys planning to be out here, and where are you planning to go?" She raised one eyebrow, adn tilted her head, "Or did you not make plans?" She quieried, grabbing her usual from the bartender, offering him a smile.

"I'm planning on staying as long as there's something to do." Meridan told Rean. "I'm not sure what the pages and Livia are up to. I just found them here." She hopped onto a bar stool and beckoned to the bartender. "Pina colada, hold the alchohol, I'm going to follow the example of my friends here." She winked at the pages. "And do you have one of those little umbrella things?" She asked, laughing, those always amused her. She actually had a collection of them, however pathetic it was.



OOC: do they have pina coladas in Tortall? They've got lemonade...and i can't figure out how to get ~ that on top of the n, lol...

Falik nodded to Gwynn, glad that her and Meridian had brought Livia back in to the group. She seemed nice and Falik didn't want for her to get in to trouble on their behalf.

"Plans! He replied to Rean, "plans would actually have been sensible. Perish the thought!" He grinned at Alexander.

Rean grinned widely. "Ooh, right, we're intot he danger." She looked around the bar, and then grunted, "There's none of that here." She cocked her head to the side. "Not to imply we should go looking for it... cause that would be of the bad." She sighed. She wanted to do something. And they were going to get into some type of trouble, so why not have fun with it? She winked, and turned to the bartender. "Can I get a glass of lemonade, too?" She set down her empty glass, and smiled lightly at him.

Alexander looked flabbergasted at Falik “How dare you even mention the word plan. Me and plans!?!? No no no. It’s all about the spur of the moment kind of thing.” Alexander started to giggle and grabbed a seat. He then looked over at Gwynn with a little more red to his cheeks then normal and asked “Would you like to sit?” and indicated the seat next to him hoping she wouldn’t refuse.

Rean raised her eyebrows, and grinned. They were a cute couple. She brought her hand up to pull her hair off her shoulders. It was getting hot in the Dove, in her opinion. She shifted her weight to lean on the bar, and accepted her drink from the bartender. Looking at Falik, she wondered if he was still liking Katherine. She seemed nice. Rean liked both her and Gywnn, and Alexander was a boy after her own heart. She ignored a man who accidentally jostled her as he went past. She checked her money pouch anyway; couldn't be too careful.

Meridan was also watching Gwynn and Alexander. Perhaps they wouldn't need any help from her after all. She took a long sip of her drink and turned to Alexander. He seemed to be the ringleader, and he could flirt or whatever with Gwynn later. Right now they were all out in Corus in the middle of the night, and she wanted to do something a bit more exciting than sit around the Dove and drink. "So Alexander, what's on the menu, so to speak, for tonight?" She asked, smiling apologetically at Gwynn for distracting Alexander.

OOC: ok, that wasn't all that well written, but I'm in a big hurry...

Rean nodded, and turned her head to them. She blinked slowly, and brushed the long thin scar on her cheekbone. Shaking her head to bring herself out of her reverie, she announced, "Yeah, I'm getting hot in here. We should go do something adventureous." She smiled broadly. She as always doing something adventureous. It was a wonder people like her and Damien and Alexander didn't die quicker. It's probably cause they had a friend like Falik. He kept them down to earth. She grinned at him as she thought that.

"Sounds good to me. I'm not getting hot, just a bit bored." Meridan slid gracefully off the barstoolnd leaned over the counter. "A lemonade, please. She smiled flirtaciously at man serving the drinks. As a rule, she didn't flirt with old/ugly men, but she was feeling carefree and willing to bend the rules a little, until she found someone more worthy of her attentions.