Birthday Present

[Hayzie]

"So... I think we're just about ready to start, don't you?" Hayzie asked her companion, Tim, as she opened the door to the Inn. It was one of the more plesent places she had bought to work with, and the blonde was more than happy with that. Nicer places were easier to work with, and maybe she would spend more time getting to know people than renevating the place.

Plus the little magic she had recently learnt would help to get it done in even less time.

Clapping her hands and pulling her wavy hair back in a scruffy ponytail, Hayz's green eyes roamed the place excitedly. "Let's go!"

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That evening, everything was complete. She and Tim had rewritten menus and staff wanted posters, redone bedrooms to include single and family rooms along with the double and kingsize rooms, stocked up on alcohol and made up several bottles of the house wine Tim had learned to make as a child, rooms had been suitably prepared, tables in the Inn were cleaned and overall, things looked ready to go.

Flopping down onto the sofa in the Inn lounge, Hayzie couldn't help but smile to herself. Sure, it was her birthday tomorrow, but she would spend the day doing just what she wanted; Opening the Inn to the people off Aesir.

Accepting the hot chocolate Tim passed her, Hayz swung her legs up onto the chair and blew on the liquid. "Tim... have you ever thought of settling down? You've been travelling from Inn to Inn with me since Kingsrow, and yet you've never complained once. You know why I keep moving... but you? I don't get it..."

Her comments were only answered with a smile and a reassurance he preferred the frequent change of scenery. And also shouldn't she be heading to bed if she was to open the Inn at seven am for breakfast the next morning.

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The morning after the day before, and Hayzie was awake long before she had to be, and bouncing around the place, so much so Tim had to take away the last mug of coffee and sit her down. "Listen. Calm down. I know it's new, I know you like new, but unless you calm, I'm sending you back to the last place, got it?"

Nodding and biting her lip, Hayz took a deep breath and looked out of the window into the slowly lightening street. Today would be good, she knew it.

Right at seven o' clock, the petite girl leapt up, ran straight for the door and flipped the sign from "closed" to "open".

It was time to start something new, and there was no better birthday present Hayzie could have asked for.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

A tall, dark figure approached the Inn, his eyes closed, his hands lifting by the bend of his elbows, feeling the aura of this place. With the release of a breath, he looked ahead, and entered it's doors, seeing the blonde girl ahead who was the new innkeeper, he had red her name on the parchment within the window. What he knew about her, or who she was mattered not. With the scorn of an abysmal hell creature, he stalked her, moving slowly within his dark clothing, his eyes, even blacker than what he wore, staring at her. His thin face showed the malicious agony within his dark heart, his eyes, unmoving kept over the innkeeper, approaching her closer.

In front of the counter, he reached over, the black hair with grey locks moved over his shoulders, his hips touching its top, his arm, barley bent, slowly went toward her face, his long fingers gently grasped her golden locks of hair. He looked into her eyes, his head moving to the side just a little bit. His lips opened, to speak, he made sure she too was looking back and could feel his sincerity.

"Miss...Hayzie...."He began, his voice, deep, low, and droning. "I am Noctis Sepulcral. You will answer what I ask you. Have you seen a young lady, she is beautiful, her hair is like the wings of a raven, her eyes are mine, darker than the shadows, her skin is nearly as white as the snow when it is winter, her stare, that is like winter. Miss Hayzie...have you seen my daughter?"

His fingers tightened on her hair was he spoke his final statement. A strange, very slight smile was displayed on his lips. He exhaled slowly and heavily, his eyes never moving from her. He watched her young face, her eyes, seeking a deeper sight than that. He intended the threatening presence he were giving off, every last bit of it, fear had it's ways of making people talk while it manifested them.

[Hayzie]

Hayzie had only just made it behind the counter when the door opened. Green eyes swept over to the door, and straight away, the smile faded. A chill had suddenly filled the Inn and the scars on her wrists began to throb unconsciously causing her to look down at them. It couldn’t be. Faust was –not- here, she was just being silly.

Letting an inquisitive smile form on her face, unsure green eyes met dark ones, before looking down and up again. For a moment, her gaze paused on a pendant round his neck. The pendant of necromancy. Her smile faded just enough to be seen by the naked eye, and her eyes met his again. His hand was reaching out, coming closer and closer until his fingers wound in her hair causing her heart to beat faster, but he was only asking after his daughter.

Feeling suddenly dizzy with relief, and feeling him grip her blonde locks even tighter, Hayzie swallowed. “I’m new in town… I’ve not met anyone of that description,” she explained quietly, trying to squash her fear back into a box. There was no way she was leaving this town so soon, there was still lots to do. But if things kept up this way, if she was going to be frightened of leaving the Inn right from day one it was likely she would run before things could get any worse. Write a note to Tim, tell him to keep things up here and then leave.

Get away from necromancers.

Swallowing again, Hayz took a deep breath. “If you maybe asked one of the guards, they might be able to help you,” she suggested, putting extra emphasis on the word ‘guards’. Quickly, she made a mental note to befriend at least one of them.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

The golden haired lady emitted such fear. Noctis fed on it as if it were a meal. It made him want to see her death, perhaps she may be suffocated, slashed along the throat, butchered, fear was a strange intoxication to him. A pretty girl like her would make a pretty corpse to follow him and do his destruction, yet, what sanity he did have prevented bringing her death. His hand carefully moved to her cheek, feeling her lively flesh as she spoke to him.

Her words did nothing but give him more scorn, yet he rationalized it were not of her fault that she had not seen Insidia. Though what she spoke after that was far too much, far too insulting, he was not stupid. He knew damned well what the guards would do to with him, most wanted him arrested at that.

"Miss Hayzie, do you think I will let you go, just because you tell me you think..."
Noctis moved his hand from her cheek mere inches, he swing his fingers and palm onto her cheek, slapping her roughly.
"THAT THE GUARDS CAN HELP ME?! DO YOU THINK I AM SOME KIND OF IDIOT?!"

With a long exhale, a hardening of his eyes further, Noctis ceased his violent shouting, letting both his hands rest at the end of the counter. Her death was much more appealing than it was before...so tempting.

"My daughter is worth more than my arrest by the filthy guards, you incompetent, bitch. Now, you will tell me what residents may know where she may have went to."

Ah, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, they say. What about a father?

[Hayzie]

Hayzie had stumbled a few paces backwards, narrowly missing the barrels of ale, as the necromancer's hand made contact with her cheek. Bringing a somewhat shaky hand up to the red mark, the blonde listened in silence to what Noctis had to say. "I wasn't suggesting they help you," she replied eventually, through almost gritted teeth. "I was suggesting they help the rest of us by having you off the streets."

Taking a few deep breaths and composing herself, green eyes travelled upwards as the innkeeper tried to remove all traces of fear from them, without success. Apparently now, she was going to tell him who would know about his daughter's whereabouts.

Moving slowly so she was as far away from the counter as she could possibly get, her gaze flashed to her sword under the bar, there just in case as her magic only went so far, and back up again. "I'm sorry, but the only orders I take around here are those for drinks. Now, I'm only going to tell you once. Leave my Inn and don't come back." Hayzie's tone remained hard throughout, hiding fear behind it. The blonde girl knew fear, and she knew enough about necromancers to know that he wasn't going to have any of it, but it was always worth a try before things got nasty.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

Noctis began to laugh at what Hayzie had said, he shook his head, she truly was stupid!

"I know that, Miss Hayzie, otherwise, your face would not be red." He replied to her another snicker coming from him afterwords.

Her fear was so fruitful, he leaned over the counter again, getting closer to it, feeling it better for himself. But, did she think she could frighten him by the next threats she played out? She must be scared stupid! Evidently, Noctis had put so much fright into Hayzie, he completely demoralized her! Reaching over the counter, he was able to grasp a thin drinking glass in his hand. he brought it to his face and put it to his lower lip. The glass' edge began to burn and melt, his hand clutched around it roughly, it shattering in his palm, blood dripping from the shards which pierced his skin before they fell.

Noctis flung his wrist toward Hayzie, the blood pooled in his hand was spread in flight toward her, tiny pieces of the glass within, mixed with a sinister substance he casted on it, the substance which burned enough to melt glass. How he hated stubborn women and stupid ones. She dare threaten the life of his daughter by denying his request? With such hope, be begged for the tainted blood to splatter right onto her face. With that hope came a most devilish smile.

[Hayzie]

Not only was the request denied, but the hope, too. The blonde had originally been paralysed at the sight of the melting glass, and the shards hitting his hand and wrist. But when she saw it coming for her... Hayzie's face paled and quickly she ducked out of the way and somersaulted over to the gap which seperated the bar from the actual Inn itself.

"I'm here for one day and already someone's out to get me!" Hayzie muttered to herself, checking over for any sign of injury. Okay, the sword was still behind the bar, but she was going to have to make do with anything she could for a while. At that moment, the only thing she could use were chairs and magic.

"You've been in this situation before, and got out of it. You can do it again."

Green eyes peeked around the corner of the wooden bar. To get to the door, she was going to have to go past him, and that could take a fair bit of luck. Scratch that. It was going to need a lot of luck.

"It's worth a try," she whispered, looking over at the tables. Three...two... one... On the count of zero, Hayzie ran over to the tables, zig zagging between them and making her way as quickly as possible to the doors. If she could get outside then she could get some help.

If she couldn't, one day may be all she would last in Aesir City, and that really would not go down well.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

Noctis sighed at the running young woman, he quickly moved ahead of her, kicking a table in her way. Without wishing to do much harm to her any longer, he had an instant change of his mind, perhaps heart as he saw the fear in her eyes flicker so bright. His hand grasped her arm, holding her in place with a tight hold.

"You...must not have children, yet, Miss Hayzie..." Noctis spoke to her, looking downward at her face "If you had, you would know that even the blackest heart turns red for their own daughter."

A strange alter of his tone was present, his words now sounded kind, gentle, and coted in sorrow. In his blackened eyes, a substance formed that he had never experienced before, in the bottom of his lower eyelids welled tears. Yes, tears were within the eyes of this evil-seeming man. A shaky inhale of his breath was followed by a moment of silence where he basked in his grief, his eyes closed, allowing the tears to fall down his pale, gaunt face.

"My daughter,...she is everything to me...She is all I have, and all I live to care for...I cannot rest until I find her, until I know she is not whithering to her death, or rotting away lifeless where I had no chance to tell her what I always have kept to myself...Is your heart blacker than mine?...If you have a heart, you will hush your mouth, you will let me find her...I know she is alive, for how much longer, I do not...Let me find her, and then I will cause you no trouble."

One more single tear fell from his eye, an angel awoken within him wept, and would stay with it's wings spread, all to find her.

[Hayzie]

Now how was this for a strange turn of events?

To begin with, the blonde had tensed, looking frantically around the bar and hoping someone would be in soon, anyone. But with each word that sounded into the room, Hayzie began to untense little by little. Crying was the last thing the Innkeeper had thought the man would be doing... but his words made sense.

Anyone who knew Hayz knew that she didn't have a cold heart, defensive maybe, but not cold. "I didn't stop you from trying to find her," the blonde replied, her words quiet as to not aggravate him again. Stay on Noctis' side, and for all she knew, everything would be fine. "But I can't help. This is only my third day in town and I know no one."

Summoning a box of tissues from behind the door that led to the back, Hayz offered him the box. "So, staying here isn't going to help... because I can't offer you any information that will help." Sweeping her hand over in the kicked-over table's direction, the blonde righted it again. After she had cleaned up the mess in front of the bar, it would look as though nothing had happened. She could keep it from Tim and all would be good.

The only small niggling doubt in the back of her mind was how did he know her name? Had she left it around somewhere carelessly? As a rule, she didn't bother with putting her name everywhere, choosing instead to get to let people know her and know her name through that. But... where had she left it? Or had he heard about her from somewhere else? Once again, those butterflies appeared in her stomach as she awaited his answer. Would he stay or would he go?

[Noctis Sepulcral]

The last of his tears had fallen down his his face, Noctis released the young woman's arm. Taking a deep inhale, he looked toward the door, turning toward it. No one else would surly see liquid come from his eyes, his sadness would be repressed as it was minutes ago. His scornful rage would guide him, forcing his way to his daughter. All of this, and not a single hint of an idea of where she may be...

"Good day, Miss Hayzie." He spoke, just before exiting her inn.

Onto other travels he would bring himself too. Each moment empowering his thirst to destroy anyone who threatens his path was burning in his veins. Noctis nearly had sympathy for the next fool who speaks the wrong words to him...

Outside the inn, Noctis looked up wards at the sky, perhaps if he gazed toward the heavens, he may catch a glimpse of "her".

[Tim]

Tim sighed, as he checked over the food he had bought. He had gone shopping with Hayzie a few times in preparation, but he felt that they had forgotten some food and left her to open the Inn on her own. Besides, he wanted to get Hayzie's birthday present still, after all. He probably should've gotten one sometime before her birthday, but he just hadn't found anything he felt was good enough for her. However, after buying the food, he felt a bit disappointed by the small amount of money left for him to buy her present. He couldn't be sure if he could buy anything with.. this... If only he had a bit more money. Slightly depressed by his problem, he quietly walked, looking into shops and quickly looking away as the price jumped out at him, always saying "You en't buyin' me, foo'!" and "Dream on, sucka!" or at least the medieval equivalent of those two phrases. It's rather debatable whether the words 'foo' ' and 'sucka' existed in the time and place that this RP takes place in.

However, he saw a sparkle from the corner of his eye and turned to look, and almost instantly regretted it. Not that the sparkle was a bad thing, of course, but he immediately knew he wanted to get it for Hayzie, and well.. It didn't look very cheap, to say the least. It was a flute, silver and shiny in color.. But there was somehow a green vine like thing wrapped around it, but it seemed to be still playable. He walked toward it, entranced like a fly to a flyzapper. You know, those big blue lampy things that you hang outside, and the flies come flocking and get electrocuted and then you feast till you burst? Yeah. That thing. Except, hopefully, he wouldn't be electrocuted when he touched the flute.. Of course, he was almost afraid to touch it, it seemed so nice. He sighed, his fingers outstretched, but kept himself from just grabbing it and running away with it. No need to be arrested in the first week in the new city.

He bit his lip, chewing slowly. He needed to get back to the Inn. He was sure Hayzie could handle herself, but he was worried all the same. He looked down at the shiny little flute, sadly. He wouldn't even bother asking the price, it was obvious he didn't have enough, and probably wouldn't, ever. Suddenly, he heard a small shriek, and his attention floated over to where the sound came from. The sound had come from a little girl, who was looking up at a tall store owner with a defiant pout. The store owner was holding a fruit, and growled at the girl. "Little thief. I expect you to pay for this fruit.. No one's going to want to eat it now that your filthy hands touched it." The girl simply 'hmph'ed and looked away. "Where're your parents, runt?" The man asked rudely, and before he knew what he was doing, Tim was standing protectively yet apologetically inbetween the girl and the man. "I'm her father, sir. I apologize... I'll pay for it." And with that, Tim handed the man the little money he had left, and dragged the girl away, taking the fruit with him.

He stopped in front of the flute again, although he didn't realize it. He kneeled down and handed the fruit to the girl, and simply said "Here you go." kindly, before letting go of her hand. The girl nibbled on the fruit, her big brown eyes staring at him all the while. He smiled at the girl, and stood up straighter. He sighed, though, as he realized he had just given away the only money he had to get Hayzie a birthday present. His smile remained though, as he looked down at the little girl nibbling the fruit. A small amount of fear flickered through his eyes, though, as he heard a voice say "Hey. you." Thinking it might be the store owner figuring out his lie, he looked up. Instead, the voice seemed to have come from an old lady sitting behind the little counter holding the flute and other items. "Y..yes?" He asked, hesitantly. He didn't know who this old lady was.. Was she the mother of the other store owner? The wife? The.. daughter? o.o That last thought was highly unlikely, as the lady looked much older than the guy that had called the little girl a runt.

"You're not that girls father." The scratchy voice claimed. "You're not even from here." Neither of these were questions, simple statements. Tim wasn't very sure how to answer these, so he just nodded a couple times and said "Y..yeah.." The old woman let out a weary, old, toothless smile, and said "Take any item here you want.. That's my granddaughter, that is." Tim blinked, processing this offer through his head. "An.. any?" Tim asked, not believing this offer was true for a second. "Yes.. any." The woman said kindly, as the little girl continued nibbling on the fruit and trotted over to her grandmother's side. The old woman looked down at the girl sternly, and asked "Do you know that what you did is wrong?" At this the little girl nodded, and took the fruit away from her mouth before saying "Yes. I should've hidden under the table, not around it." "Exactly!" The old woman said, grinning, and turning to Tim said once again "What, are you deaf, son? Pick something." Tim blinked twice, thrice, ...four..ice? o.o and tentatively reached out for the flute. "You have good taste, son. Come back anytime. Now go, my talking is scaring away the costumers!"

Tim, not believing his luck, gently took the flute, put it in his carrying bag, and walked away, towards the inn, much happier than when he had walked into the market this morning. He was sure Hayzie would like it, although he couldn't remember if she played any instruments. It was nice to look at, even if you didn't play anything, anyways! Happily, he ignored the shuffling footsteps behind him signaling that the little girl was following. He had no problem with her, anyways, after all. His bubbly mood, though, was slightly punctured as he watched some guy standing outside of the inn and randomly decide to look at the sky. He looked a highly unlikely candidate to be daydreaming, but Tim simply shrugged as he passed the man and went into the Inn. "Hey Hayz, there's some weird dead looking guy looking at the sky outside.." He said, looking around, immediately spotting Hayzie and immediately knowing something was wrong. "What happened?" He asked, quickly, and added "and what's that mark on your face?" As he asked these, he dropped his bag lightly on the ground and walked closer to Hayzie, his eyes showing clearly the worry in them.

[Hayzie]

Noctus leaving was most definitely unexpected, though welcomed with proverbial open arms. Staring at the door as he walked out, waiting for it to shut, the blonde loosed a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding. It was all over... all over... maybe he wasn't like Faust after all.. so long as he didn't send a duplicate Waltz in, it was fine.

Leaning back against the bar, Hayzie hadn't even noticed Tim opening the door until he announced that there was a guy outside looking at the sky. The same guy? Looking up, and trying to adjust her countenace to something more neutral, she let him ask his questions, bringing her hand up to her cheek where the necromancer had slapped her before. It still stung when she pressed her fingers against it, but she merely smiled and shook her head.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it," she answered, walking away as Tim walked closer and heading behind the bar to collect the finance parchment. Adding the amount that she had sent Tim out with that morning, a small smile and nod was enough to clarify they were still fine for now. "Did you get the stuff you needed for the kitchen?" she asked, looking up again and trying to avoid the subject - it was one of those things she did best.

[Tim]

And just as Hayzie was good at avoiding the subject, Tim was good at pursuing it. He had to be, after following Hayzie around for so long. He simply answered her question with a 'yes', going back to grab the bag and setting it on the counter. He followed his 'yes' with a 'No it's not nothing' look, and asked again, worried "What happened?", this time more urgent and pressing. He softly thought, trying to guess at what had happened. That is, of course, if it's possible to think softly. If there's a way to think hard, I'm sure there's a way to think soft, though... But yeah, Tim attempted to piece together what could have possibly happened while he was gone. He hoped it didn't have to do with that creepy guy outside... But knowing Hayzie's luck, it probably did. Why did she attract weird men? It must've been that whole 'I'm hayzie lawl' atmosphere she put out. ..Whatever that means.

As he gazed concerned at Hayzie, he heard a slow creak from the door. Turning, half expecting the creepy guy to come in, he was relieved to see that it was the little girl from the shop. She was still nibbling on the little fruit she had, and she silently walked up and stood next to Tim. Muttering a soft 'Hello..' to the girl, followed by a warm but still slightly worried smile, Tim looked back up at Hayzie, demanding an answer silently with his worried eyes. It was only natural for him to want an answer, after all, and her denying of anything happening when she was obviously so shaken was just suspicious. He added to his question a second question, which happened to be another repeat of a previous question. "What's that mark on your face..?"

[Hayzie]

Oh boy did she ever know that look. How many times a day did she receieve that look? At least three. Turning away to put a few more glasses under the bar, the blonde jumped a few feet when she heard the door open, for a...little girl to enter, nibbling shyly at a piece of fruit. "Friend of yours?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "Didn't realise you went for them so young."

Hayzie, her eyes shooting daggers at Tim, implying that she wasn't going to talk while the little girl was there, poured her out some fruit juice. Hey, it was the first day, she could afford to give at least one out on the house. "Where'd you pick her up anyway?" the innkeeper asked, still avoiding the questions at hand as she handed the little girl the glass.

[Tim]

"Yes.." Tim said, his voice growing softer as he looked down at the girl. "I met her at a store." He said simply, lightly shrugging as he made his way behind the counter, next to Hayzie. He pretended to wash soemthing, as he leaned slightly to the side to mumble in Hayzie's ear, and asked "Was happened, hayzie?!", this time, a bit more urgent in his tone as he asked. It couldn't be -that- bad, or she'd just tell him, wouldn't she? Was it something threataning, something life jeopardizing? Hopefully not, but he had no way of knowing until Hayzie just told him. Deciding that he might as well help while he was back there, he grabbed the bag, took out the flute [wrapped in some paper like thing] and started putting away the supplies he had gotten, leaving stuff in the bag that would go into the kitchen.