A Night to Forget

[Kendrick Deveroix]

Quiet. For all the times growing up I wished to have some quiet, some peace, you'd think I'd enjoy it. For all the times when Julie was living with me in the City and I wished for her to just sit still and let me be in peace, you'd think I'd appreciate it. But now.. Elua, it was always quiet, never a sound save for what my staff couldn't help but make. They tiptoed around the house as if I were a monster they feared waking, and part of me regretted it. Part of me wanted to apologize, to insist I wouldn't strike at them again, or throw anything at them again. Part of me... the other part knew it'd be a lie, and still another part didn't want to care what they thought.

I couldn't handle the silence tonight. I'd already started drinking for a good hour before I left, trading back and forth between whiskey and brandy. I'd always kept both stocked before the summer had.. started.. but now there was an endless supply of it, and an endless supply of empty bottles. By the time I'd reached the Cockeral, I was already more than partially gone, and the three drinks I'd had since sitting on my barstool had rounded me out quite nicely. I sat near the back, eyeballing a servant maid with a pretty face, and keeping tabs on the barkeep too. I thought he wanted to throw me out, but I hadn't raised a fuss at all, just sat where I was, scowling at patrons and the staff alike.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

Another night searching for that blue-black hair and curls, another night without success. It was out of the question for me to step into El Parra searching for Naia Shahrizai again and somehow in her, I felt myself an akin spirit, another part of me, like Demetrius no Mandrake had once been. A prankster, one who could take a good joke and allow it to run, one that I could find myself spending the day senselessly with. She was not a lover, no. If she had been things would have been differently and I found myself taking comfort in a pure platonic friendship. I never knew what to do with a lover and even though she was a Shahrizai... she felt like an outcast of sorts, trying to find out who she was AS a Shahrizai, just as I found myself trying to find out who I was as a Valerian. If it was meant to be, I would run into her again. I used her as excuses to wander Night's Doorstep on occasions, freeing my mind of assignations to come, assignations that passed, for in truth, that was all my life really was. I did not have companions or throw gossip around freely in the air. I had no dreams, no aspirations. Even though I had Anixiel right now, I did not know how long that would last. I could not provide her with what she deserved, like Landis could, a man of standing.

I found myself drinking, though not much, I could never handle it as well as I would have liked and I enjoyed thinking with a clear head. As I swiveled in my stool, I found a man who looked like he had had several drinks, scowling at me, though it could have just been in my general direction, I was not sure. My eyes narrowed a little. He surely did not seem the kind of man to approach at all, but as my nature, I could not help throw my own glare at him, for his eyes were so intently on me. I had done nothing, then again, he was just a drunk. I finished off my drink and rolled my eyes.

Yes, this would have been the kind of place Naia would have enjoyed, wasn't it?

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I felt it in me again, the tension that built since the events had unfolded over the summer. It built and stretched, flexing in me til I thought I'd burst with it. I could feel it rising tonight, had felt it for the past week. I hated it, hated it with a loathing passion, but no matter what I tried, I couldn't stop it.

.. Not that I ever tried very much.

I was lowering my glass again when I swung my eyes across the bar, catching sight of one apparently arrogant prick that was glaring at me. What was his problem? The glass rattled to the countertop as I set it down too hard, and I leaned forward, giving him a sneering smile. I was feeling ugly tonight, beyond ugly, and all I wanted was to hit something. I didn't care who it was, or why; I just needed to do it. "Excuse me waitress, but it appears your makeup is smudged." I tilted my head and eyed him again; Naamahs tits he was short. "Oh, wait, nevermind. You're just that ugly."

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

Wait... this bastard was NOT talking to me. Though of course he was. He leaned in, sneering a little and my eyes narrowed as I put down my emptied glass. He was drunk. So drunk and likely just looking to start a fight. My eyes ran over his body, trying to size him up. He was heavily built and broad shouldered. I couldn't take him in a fight, but he was intoxicated. Nonetheless, I never let anyone push me around, even if it was merely verbally. "Well of course you'd mistake me for a female with the ugly whores that you bang in the corner of alleyways for pennies," I sneered right back at him. He could say nothing of my appearance. I was a servant of Naamah and only the flawless were allowed within her courts.

I thought of the women at the dirty bar Naia had taken me to and could only scowl. "Far be it from me to stop you if you want to screw ugly women. That's probably all you can get, anyway."

[Naia Shahrizai]

Bored as usual, and wanting to get out of Gadleon's house, of which staying in had quickly lost its novelty as Gadleon went out of his way to pay me no mind, I left and wandered over to Night's Doorstep. I hadn't been in awhile, finding that I was enjoying spending my free time with Azriel, who was a calming influence on me.

Still, I felt uneasy with the notion of being "tamed" and so tonight I was feeling belligerent and irritable and in general full of piss and vinegar. Ever since I'd lit my candle I had been rather moody and out of sorts, and I wondered if that was some sort of untalked about side effect of being fertile.

I found the Cockerel just as I'd left it - loud, dirty and full of drunks. I thought about Sin and half turned to walk back out, perhaps I would go to Mont Nuit and find him. However, it appeared that for once fortune was smiling upon me - there he was! He was scowling, but that was per usual, and so I paid it no heed as I approached him with the intent of surprising him.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I watched as he looked me over, my smile only serving to deepen. I knew my body, knew what I was capable of. Most of my free time was spent doing something; sparring, training, jogging, running. I had to move, to keep my mind and body both busy so I wouldn't think about anything, and I'd never been so fit... even if I couldn't really feel my feet at the moment.

When he looked back at me again and started running his mouth, my smile slipped; all I could get was an ugly woman? I was tempted to hit him just for that, but the image he forced on me stayed my hand for the moment. Falla, the woman I'd loved when everything had been right in my life, who'd died because I wanted to go for a ride with her. Mirsada, the only other woman who had touched my heart in my life, and the same woman I'd driven from me just a few months prior. My face darkened, my mood switching from ugly to murderous, and I stood up so abruptly that my stool was knocked over behind me.

"Say it again," I said as I stalked towards him, a deliberate slowness. Men moved out of the way between Sinclair and I, and dimly I was aware of the barkeep hastily saying something, but I ignored everyone but this arrogant, short prick in front of me. "Say it again."

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

I had to admit, part of me was a bit anxious now as the man stood up. But I was not a man who had a fear of pain and I never backed down, not when this asshole was glaring at me right in the face, challenging me. Despite my stature, I could pull a punch and considering the fact that this man was intoxicated, I was more than certain I could hold my own. Even if the man could punch me harder than I could punch him, I was lighter on my feet and I already had my body tensing, ready to duck out of the way as he moved closer to me.

"You can only get ugly women. What, are you deaf too amongst your horrid smell?" And I wasn't just throwing that one out there. He did smell horrible, reeking of his own sweat and alcohol. "You. Can. Only. Get. Ugly. Women." I punctuated every syllable, every word. He was picking a fight with me, not the other way around and he was going to get what was coming to him. I was ready for a fight, which seemed to be exactly what he wanted to bring.

[Naia Shahrizai]

As I neared, the tension in the room suddenly spiked. I could see immediately that Sin was doing his level best to start a fight, that was nothing new. I was torn between trying to defuse the situation or watching it play out and in the end I decided that I needed a drink to decide.

Keeping my distance, and out of Sin's sight, though I doubted he would notice me, considering the situation, I ordered a glass of whiskey, which I tossed down while I watched this little display of testosterone and half-listened to the man on the other side of me making wagers.

I did like wagers... I turned and plunked down a gold sovereign. "I'll take the short one," I grinned, as Sin was getting long odds. The man grinned at me and bit down on my coin, shaking his head.

"I'd hate to take your money, lass," he said, in a tone that suggested the opposite. "But whatever you like..."

I turned back toward Sin and hoped that he wasn't going to lose me a gold sovereign.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

Again the dim awareness that the barkeep was saying something, shouting now, but I ignored him as intently as I'd ignored everyone else. The only thing I saw was the prick in front of me, and I could feel my muscles coiling, tensing, even down to my calves and arches of my feet.

I was drunk, and well aware of it, but I was also past the point of numb. I was enraged, and I was pissed, and I was...

I stalked, close to him. He wasn't backing down, and he wasn't backing away - two things that made my mouth take on an animalistic, snarling smile. "What do you want your coffin to look like?" I growled, still smiling. "I'll make sure to relay the message."

Abruptly my fist came up, swinging not for his pretty face, but for his gut, swinging upwards to push the air out of his chest. I was close enough that I was sure I'd hit him, and drunk enough that I knew I'd win no matter what.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

I was sitting on the edge of my seat and to the side of me, holding the glass in my hand as he approached. I knew how to fight dirty and in all circumstances. It was what happened in Valerian when I found myself backed up against, half bound, blindfolded... whatever scenario I happened to be trapped in at the time. I wondered if he realized just how drowsy and easy to read he was when his limbs were floundering about. I could practically watch his fist clench and come up towards me and I jumped out of the way, kicking the barstool out from under me as I smacked his fist in the opposite direction, just for good measure. With the glass in hand, I threw it directly at his forehead before I made a dash for clearer ground where I would be able to maneuver freely.

Stepping back, I nearly slipped, grabbing onto a woman near me and in order to maintain balance, had to shove her to the side, catapulting myself back to my feet. "Elua's balls! You want a fight, you got it. Come here, you ugly bastard!"

[Naia Shahrizai]

I was suddenly alarmed when the other man jumped up and swung at Sin. I had the brief thought of covering my bases and betting on the other guy as well, when Sin leapt off of his barstool and ended up crashing right into me.

I lost my balance as he shoved against me, and I had to grab onto a stranger to keep from falling.

"Bloody Hell!" I exclaimed, looking down at the now-ruined front of my pale gray dress. My drink was splashed all over my chest, but before I could get overly irked about it, the stranger I had grabbed onto was pressing another drink into my hand and awkwardly dabbing at my chest with a towel.

"Thanks, I can do that," I said wryly, turning my attention back to Sin, and wondering if I would back enough coin for a new dress.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

When his fist came up and connected with mine, I laughed, just as I laughed that he jumped back and stumbled into some woman. I ignored her as she cried out in indignation, focusing instead on the ass who taunted me. His remarks rolled off me, the little spurs and names; the only thing I focused on was flexing my fist and moving at him before he had a chance to fully recover.

"Stop dancing and actually fight," I snarled as I lashed out, my fist aiming for his jaw this time. I was drunk, but I'd been a drunk for enough years that I still had focus. I still functioned. My feet and hands moved as I wanted them to, if not as fluid as they would have otherwise, and that was thanks to constant physical activity. I'd trained in Alba in my youth, and now? Now I was reduced to fighting short men in a random tavern. I wanted it. I wanted him. I wanted to break his nose, his cheek, his face, to hear the crack of bone against my fist and know that I hurt him as much as I hurt. I scowled hatred; all of it flashed in the blink of an eye, and before my fist was done moving towards him, I lashed out with my foot, aiming that one for his damn shin. I wanted to hear that break too.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

"I'm not dancing, you just can't land a hit!" I snarled, jerking my head out of the way, but barely, when he swung his fist at me. I felt it graze my cheek and I cursed, suddenly feeling the kick to my legs that made me crumple on the table behind me. I grabbed the first thing that came in contact with my hand, a pitcher, and a heavy one at that. Holding it behind me so he couldn't see and I acted merely as if I were struggling to get up, I waited until he was close upon me before I slammed the heavy glass hard into his face, grabbing the next nearest thing, an empty bottle of beer which I smashed as hard as I could onto the top of his skull.

It was dangerous, me being this close, but I quickly rolled off the table, trying to put a distance between us, trying to see what else I could grab. It was the only way I could really do any DAMAGE. Bare fists alone did not seem like it would be worth the potential hit.

[Naia Shahrizai]

"Good hit, Sin!" I cheered, roused by the pure physical nature of the fight before me. It put me in mind of the time that Gad had taken me to see the cock fights in the alley. I had managed to win a goodly purse that time, as well.

The man next to me laughed suddenly, shaking his head. "You know that fool? Both of them are going to be tossed out on their arses any minute now." I could feel his eyes lingering on my chest, which did look rather nice with my dress plastered to it, if I did think so myself.

I ignored him, however, mindful of Sin and wondering if there were some way I might help him. However, at this point, I was wary enough to simply cheer him on from the sidelines.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I stopped by the Cockeral for a quiet drink and to watch the fights. It seemed I was late as when I entered there was already a roaring battle taking place complete with wagers and the like. No one paid me much heed and that was just fine as I scooped a half full bottle off of a table someone had vacated in the violence and then retired to a corner with my back against the wall to watch the show.

Settling in I peered closer and notice in order cousin Naia hanging on the edge, Julie’s brother in the thick of it battling some fellow I did not know. Ah well I had better watch this one closely to make sure none of my acquaintances got seriously injured. With my nature this all amused me horribly but then near my right side I heard steel scrape leather as the patron next to me went to draw a dagger. I caught his wrist in my tight grip and looked up at him letting my blue eyes bore into his “as if life was not already short enough” I quietly observed. The fellow looked at me first like he might gut me but then he seemed to notice my demeanor and drew his hand away from his blade and departed muttering. I then shifted my attention back to the festivities.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I was nearly atop him and my fist was coiling back for another slug when suddenly the world flashed white and red almost simultaneously, broken only by the darkest black I'd ever experienced. Pain flared.. No, it exploded inside my skull as the pitcher made contact, sending me off balance a few steps. Before I really caught myself a bottle was broken on me, but that was minimal beside the pain the pitcher had caused; dimly I was aware of blood seeping down the side of my face from somewhere above my left eye.

My eyes latched on the little shit, and I snatched a shard of the bottle from the table before he'd rolled off of it. That clutched in my left hand, I caught him with my right and hauled his ass back towards me before abruptly letting go, swinging with my right fist near immediately... and even when my fist hit his pretty, girlish face, there wasn't satisfaction. There wasn't any pleasure, or happiness; there was just the burning, driving need to knock this little prick out.

My left hand flashed, and the shard of an amber bottle caught the light as I drove that towards his ribs, my face holding a mirthless sneer.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

I would have been able to duck away, at least, that is what I would have liked to think if I had not heard someone's words catch my ear.

"GOOD HIT, SIN!"

I began to look around bewilderingly. It was a woman's voice, I was sure of that, and there were only two women that I could imagine calling out my name, and only one that would rightfully belong in a cockerel. Surely, Anixiel was not here and if she were, she would be shrieking at me. Only one woman could have possibly be cheering me on when I was about to get slugged by a man much larger and heavier than me.

Naia Shahrizai.

"Naia...?!" I started, finally catching the sight of not one, but two blue-black haired heads catching the light. I furrowed my eyes in confusion, spending MUCH too much trying to satisfy my curiosity when everything came crashing down on me, the heavy fist knocking me clear across the tables. I groaned, my neck aching from the shock, my spiking with pain. Elua's balls that man could throw a punch.

"Blessed Kushiel..." I gasped. Though I could easily dodge his heavy hits, getting hit by ONE proved to be a lot more fatal than I would have liked and I found myself trying to struggle to a manageable position just as the glass of amber came down on me. I cursed, able to move out of the way, though it slammed me hard in the shoulder, it was a lot more desirable than my ribs. I sent a kick, as hard as I possibly could in the crotch, using my other leg to send a kick to his chest to try and recoil him back. I was not beyond that, after all, not when the man was trying to make me bleed to death with glass. I rolled, staggering to my feet as I stumbled into the wall for balance.

"Naia, what in the name of Elua are you doing here!?" I snarled, my head swimming. What the HELL was going on here?!

[Naia Shahrizai]

I winced as Sin was distracted by my yelling, and the other man landed a hit. A good one, too, by the looks of it. Well now, this was just too much. Sin managed to get to his feet, and his question elicited a one word response before I was off and running.

"Helping."

I might not be much of a fighter, but I was quick, and before I knew it I was behind the insufferable jackass who was trying to hurt my best - my only - friend. I leapt onto his back, one arm coming around his neck as I clung to him for dear life.

I hadn't really given this strategy much thought, however, and now that I was here - well, what now? I decided to use the only weapon that I really had in this situation, my teeth. With that thought, I sank them into the side of his neck, biting down as hard as I could. Hopefully the distraction would give Sin a chance to take him out.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I was tunnel visioned still, seeing only the short little bastard in front of me, remembering his taunts and the inevitable memories it had invoked. How DARE he call Falla or Mirsada ugly! I wanted to rip his head off his shoulders for that, rip it off and shove it up his undoubtedly loose arse. His head was too small for his body anyway; I didn't doubt it'd fit.

Someone was with him. It didn't surprise me, not given that we were in a bar, but it apparently surprised him enough that he turned to look and address whomever it was. That was all I'd needed to connect my fist with his face, to send him flying across the table. Blood gushed down my own face now, pumping freely from the adrenaline in my body, and in the second it took my drunken mind to collect itself to go after him, I was suddenly set upon from behind.

Pain flared in my neck, and I was aware of arms and legs wrapping around me. There was too much cloth floating around, the wieght too small; a WOMAN was.. Eluas BALLS, she was biting me! Bellowing in shock and pain, I ducked and nearly ended up face first in the floor for the sudden movement, but my arms were pulling at her, dislodging her from my neck and hauling her in front of me. Knowing a woman was attacking me and seeing her was two separate things, and I crouched where I was, snatching up the shard of amber glass I'd dropped and holding it at her neck.

"A friend of yours?" I spat, glaring out at the lithe little prick who'd started this all in the first place, scowling at me when I'd not done anything to anyone. I pressed the glass harder to her throat, bringing a line of red out before I abruptly threw the glass to the side and jerked her in front of me as I got up. My hand stayed at her throat, squeezing hard enough that she'd have had to struggle to breathe. Her back was pressed against my chest, her rear into my hips, and I caught one free hand to twist it; just a couple inches more and her pretty little arm would snap. I could feel the bones grinding already, and I bared my teeth in a malicious smile, my eyes boring into the little chit-man.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

I had staggered to my feet, my head woozy from his hard hit, but as soon as I saw Naia JUMP on him I cursed. How could anyone possibly be that stupid? It didn't make ANY sense to me. Just what did she think she was gong to accomplish from that for more than second or two? NOTHING! I grabbed my bleeding shoulder, about to rush the man when he had a shard of amber at her throat, I paused, scowling. Elua's Balls, this is what I got for giving a shit about a worthless Shahrizai.

"Don't you DARE touch her," I roared, trembling as I did not know what I was going to accomplish, how I was going to get out of this. "This is between me and you. You want to beat me up, then fine. We'll go in the back alleyway, I won't even move," I snapped, my heart hammering in my chest as I tried to weigh my options. I had never been a person to think about others before myself, but I could take a hit, I could MORE than take a hit, I was a Valerian, that was what I lived for. Not that that meant I could take pleasure from getting beaten to a bloody pulp, but hell, it was better than having Naia's throat slit.

"AYE!" I snarled, "Don't take it out on her. I didn't even KNOW she was here. She's just STUPID, she doesn't know what she is doing!" I was trying any method to get him to release her. "Come on you sorry excuse for a man, you really need to use collateral to hurt me? Can't just throw a decent punch and land it!?"

[Naia Shahrizai]

It was an incongruous thought, but what ran through my head when I was pressed against this man with a shard of glass to my throat was a line from a book I’d once read. It went something like, “One trouble with trouble is that is usually starts out like fun.” And then I wondered how this would affect my wager.

“Ow!” I grunted indignantly as he bent my arm back, the bones creaking ominously. I was thinking about stomping on his foot, but the feel of cold glass against my throat stopped me, and in that moment my anger was replaced by fear. How easy it would be for him to slit my throat … and despite my penchant for trouble, I had no wish to end my days dead on the floor of the Cockerel of all places.

I started to say something, what I have no idea, but Sin spoke up first, offering to take the fight outside and to not even fight back if only Kendrick would release me.

“That’s so sweet!” I exclaimed, my surprise momentarily causing me to forget the seriousness of the situation. I chose to ignore the fact that he had called me stupid, since I was only in this mess to help him. Not knowing whether or not I was about to bleed out all over the barroom floor was nerve-wracking, but on the other hand my heart was beating faster and I had to admit that the adrenaline rush was exciting.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

Well this had gone on long enough I reckoned so I stood up and whistled between my teeth loud and irritatingly. The sharp noise cutting through the bar like a knife and gaining me a moment of silence to speak “Kendrick! Don’t make me have to hall your ass to the dungeon and let’s not make it for murder while we are at.” I then glanced at cousin Naia “and Naia when you get loose can you calm your playmate? This has gone beyond friendly brawl and I might end up hauling all three of you in and this is supposed to be my night off.”

I waited relatively sure that none of them were going to listen to me but hey I tried. I made a mental note to toss Naia’s clothes out the window when I got home. Gods she was staying with me after all since her and Sarielle quarreled and I was now completely certain that no good deed went unpunished.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

Everything happened in a whirl, thudding down about me all at once. The girl was doing fairly well considering I had her throat caught up hard inside my hand, even going so far as to toss a mooning comment to the jackhat who started this entire thing. The muscles in my arm flexed, aiming to cut off enough air supply to make her think twice about breathing when suddenly yet a third party stuck their nose in my business. What in the seven hells was wrong with everyone tonight? Why was everyone so damnably grouchy? My eyes remained fixed on the prick ahead of me when my stomach began to stir, and I knew there was a going to be a fifty/fifty chance on whether or not I puked. Hopefully I could get the girl away i..

Abruptly it hit me that whomever it was that spoke up had included my name, and I swung my head over. My hand moved with my head, and I inadvertantly drug the girl with me. Something told me the man had said her name too, but the memory was already foggy, lost behind a veil of liquor and fury.

At first I didn't recognize him, and my lip curled further into a sneer, but even as it moved my memory clicked in. Gadleon. His face brought Julies face, Julies face brought Fathers, Fathers brought Vincents, Vincents brought Mirsadas, and Mirsadas brought Fallas.

Pain.

My hand flexed harder on the girls throat, and abruptly I realized it, pushing her away from me harshly, roughly, not able to look or see what was in front of her. I needed her away from me before I killed her, before I wrung the life out of her slender little throat. I had no intention on killing her, not even when I had the glass in my hand; I just wanted to scare him, that arrogant son of a bitch. My head snapped in his direction again as my body coiled and drew together, and visibly I shook in the effort of restraining myself. My eyes cut back to Gadleons again; just looking at him hurt, forming his name in my head hurt.

"Fancy meeting you here," I said nonchalantly, as if I wasn't quivering with rage and a myriad of other emotions. My eyes remained on his, unwavering, though the room lilted around me. My stomach roiled again, and I fought to keep it down.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I could see Kendrick was not doing very well on the emotional front and that was to be expected. Julie had passed with the plague and his other brother as well. It made for a lump in my throat as well but at least he had released Naia so that she was not getting inadvertently killed. Despite the fact that Julie and I had been drifting apart at the time of her demise it was still a tender subject. Not to mention on some levels I suspected Kendrick and I understood each other better than he and his sister ever did. Gods rest her soul she was such a drama queen on many occasions.

I cleared my throat a bit “yeah, we both tend to be rather low brow more often than not.” I cut my gaze toward my unpredictable cousin and her play thing. If she had a brain in her head she would see to it that her boy toy stayed in line. “Been a rough year can I buy you a drink?” I was hoping to diffuse things at this point. A friendly brawl was one thing but this had the look of turning deadly. Besides I could chuck someone over the bar and clean the counter with them if the festivities resumed. Demetrius seemed to enjoy that little trick of mine and it would mayhap get things back on simple punching one another in the face grounds and remove the sharp objects from the equation.

[Naia Shahrizai]

I whimpered low in my throat as my air supply was suddenly cut short. My hands came up to tug at his arm, my nails digging into his flesh as I began to panic. Then I heard a familiar voice and I don't think I had ever been happier to see another member of the family.

Before I could get too happy to see Gadleon, however, the man's (Kendrick, I thought I heard) hand tightened on my throat and now I really couldn't breathe. Pinpricks of black danced in front of my eyes and I closed them, sure that any moment now I would lose consciousness. My last thought before he thrust me away from him was, how embarrassing....

Unfortunately, he had shoved me aside before I could mercifully remove myself from the situation by passing out, and instead I fell forward against a table, coughing and sputtering. Immediately I looked for Sinclair, trusting Gadleon to handle his friend.

[Kendrick Deveroix]

I didn't know exactly what it was, but seeing Gadleon was enough that I... Eluas balls, I didn't know. I still wanted to punch the little jackhats lights out that started it, send him into a state of unconsciousness while simultaneously ruining his girly features. I didn't bother looking at the girl, not really giving two shits who she was or why she jumped on me and bit my neck. Abruptly I remembered that she had done it and my neck suddenly hurt; clamping my hand to my neck, I pulled away and was surprised not to see blood, though I was sure I'd have a nice O for a couple days. My eyes cut to her, and I glared at her as she half laid across a table, coughing and sputtering from having chocked her. Good; she deserved that much at least.

"She a friend of yours too?" I asked as I looked back at Gadleon, jerking my chin at the girl without moving my eyes. The movement elongated my neck slightly and bile rose; I swallowed to hold it down, and the pain flared again in my neck. Bitch... but she's taken my by surprise. I had to give her that much at least.

Studiously I ignored everything else that was going on in my head, the pictures of Julie laughing and climbing the damned trees in my backyard, the vision of Fathers face as he lay upon his deathbed, coughing blood and in tears at Vincent being unable to join us. I ignored them as I did Fallas shining face in my memory, and Mirsadas tearful one as I drove her away from me, and just looked at Gadleon. I felt no peace when I looked at him, no more than if I looked at anyone else, but... Something. He, at least, knew of my pain, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Part of me was glad to share it with someone, even if there's no way in the seven hells that either of us would ever talk about it, and part of me wanted to slaughter him just for knowing.

"A drink," I agreed at length, and abruptly my lips curled back into another snarl. "That is if your friend and her prissy ass boyfriend can refrain from attacking me again." I took both of them in my glare; already the memory of how the fight started was foggy, but I was sure as hell that it wasn't MY fault. Bastard. All I'd been doing was drinking.

[Gadleon Shahrizai]

I cut my gaze to Naia she would have to take care of herself for a moment as Kendrick was clearly on edge not unlike the hair trigger on a bear trap. “She is one of my cousin’s actually. She does not always show the best of judgment.” I was about to take him up on his drink when I heard the sound of two no, three armed men behind me. Apparently my previous companion had found a couple friends. I let my left hand drop to the sword sheath on my left hip not reaching to draw with my right though readying to do so if I had to. “Ah, I hear you found some friends” I said without turning “there are two ways we can do this. The first is you three go your way and I go mine and we all leave if not happy still breathing. The other is you keep pressing and I feel the need to draw. In that case the three of you will be dead in the next five minutes the choice is yours.” I kept my voice neutral as the wolf does not ultimately care one way or the other it is just the way of things.

There was a long pause and I never once looked at my foes but my ears soon heard the shuffling of feet and the opening and closing of a door. And with that I relaxed and fixed my full attention back on Kendrick as if nothing had happened “ah, a drink then. I will buy” and with that I approached him and the bar.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

"Attacking? Elua's BALLS, you swung at me first! AND you threw the first damned insult!" I ground down on my tongue then, however, knowing that I did not need to do any more to stoke the fires. They were already raging and this Shahrizai was doing his best to try and calm them down. What the hell did I look like, some poor Valerian who needed help? Needed TWO damned Shahrizai to come to my rescue when Naia actually had only thrown the situation out of control? I was growling, completely frustrated at having no power over this situation because Naia had decided to get herself caught in the man's arms and choked.

"Elua's BALLS Naia," I spat as I moved towards her as soon as Kendrick had released her. I ran a hand over her neck, seeing the bruises that the man had left, the trickle of blood from the glass he had brought to her throat. "I didn't need your damn help," I grunted, waiting until she had regained her breath and had enough to be able to walk. I was as good of an estimater as any. I was a Valerian, after all, and choking was no new thing to me. I looked over at Gadleon, rolling my eyes. I was more than certain I could have held my own against this drunken man. "I'll take Naia home."

And go screw yourself.

I hoisted her up, allowing her to lean on me as I led her out in the fresh air where things would be better for her. I could not help but rub my forehead, then my jaw, then my shoulder, all of which were aching. "Gods, you do love causing me problems don't you?" I asked, recalling the night she had dragged me into the lewd bar and had gotten a hideous woman to strip for me. I began leading her towards the Night Court. "C'mon, I'll get you something for the shit that happened to your neck... but Elua's BALLS I just want to strangle you. If that man hadn't... gods, didn't you think I could handle him for myself? I was managing just FINE until someone had to yell my name. I wonder WHO!" I snapped, laying on the sarcasm as think as I could.

[Naia Shahrizai]

For someone whom I had been trying to help I didn't feel that Sin's attitude was particularly deserved, but I was accustomed by now to his rough edges so I held my tongue and let him lead me outside. Besides, I could relate, because I found that even though Gadleon's appearance had saved my neck, so to speak, it still irked me that he had intervened. I could take care of myself! Well, mostly.

"Well, I'm sorry," I said, once he had finished, annoyed by the hoarseness of my voice. My neck really hurt, which was even more annoying. "I was trying to help." I decided not to mention the wager. "I didn't want to see you get hurt, even if you are a Valerian. That man is obviously a lunatic."

We started to walk toward the Night Court and I had no argument, I was hoping he would have something for the pain. Sighing, I leaned into him and twined my arm around his. "You forgive me, don't you?" I looked up at him and tried to make my blue eyes as wide as possible. "Let's not fight."

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

"Well you didn't help. You managed to get me punch twice and stabbed in the shoulder... unless you were trying to help the Valerian side of me who also says no thank you because getting punched by a drunken man twice my size was not sensual or erotic at all." I said this all flatly and rolled my eyes a little bit. Her help had done the exact opposite and my arm was aching from where he had stabbed me. I was just glad it hadn't made contact where he had intended. "I wasn't getting hurt. I am used to fighting. I don't just lie around during assignations and say 'OH PLEASE SIR, PLEASE BEAT ME!'" I said this though I could not help but burst out laughing. I did not know how she diffused my anger without trying.

When she wrapped her arm around mine, I flinched, instinctively recoiling from the physical touch, especially from her of all people. "Let go of my arm, will you? People will think we're together," I said, slipping my arm out. And that was the LAST thing I wanted. Like I could ever fall for something so ditzy and idiotic. Then she widened her eyes and gave me the most pathetic look. I could only scowl at her and pushed her face directly with my palm, grabbing it and completely encompassing it. I calmly kept my grip on her head and well, she did look pathetic, didn't she?

"We're not fighting. Much." I sneered the last part before I pushed her face away from me, still heading towards Valerian. "I can't believe you thought that you would HELP me. How idiotic of a thought, Naia. Maybe if you threw a bottle at his head instead of humping him from behind like an idiot."