"…and that, dear girl, is why fish and egg pie is the greatest dish the Maker has ever graced us with." The heavy noblewoman said. Kierrai blinked, realizing that the woman had ended her tirade. She put on her best fake smile and nodded enthusiastically.
"Those are wondrous reasons my lady." She lied. The woman tittered and wandered away, probably to eat some more fish and egg pie. Kierrai quickly took advantage of her disappearance and melted into the shadows. She watched the other nobles dancing and laughing, plotting her escape. It would be easy, she knew, to slip past everyone and visit a local tavern somewhere. She did just that, being so bored that she couldn't even think of an entertaining way to make her exit. When she arrived in her bedroom, she slipped out of her fancy gown into something more comfortable, grabbed her cloak, and set off. There were many taverns in this fancier part of the city, but none where she would be able to have any real fun. She kept walking, quickly making her way to the slums of the city.
She grinned beneath her hood when she came upon it. The Broken Arrow was a shoddy, run down building that only the most mischievous of people would ever be seen at. Loud laughter and drunken singing could be heard from the street outside, and the smell of whisky and sweat exuded from the place. A girl like her could have a good time in such a tavern. She calmly marched through the door, taking a quick look around to make sure she didn't know anyone, and lowered her hood with a sigh of relief. She took a seat at the bar and sent the barkeep a flirtatious grin.
"Wha' can I get fir ye, lass?" the older man asked in a thick, uneducated accent. She batted her long eyelashes at him.
"What's the strongest thing you've got, big boy?" she teased. He roared in laughter.
"I ain't givin' tha' to a little thing like ye!" he crowed. Her brown eyes narrowed into a glare.
"I asked for it, didn't I?" she reminded him. He shrugged.
"I'm no' gon te be responsible fer the death of a wee lass like yerself." He retorted. She opened her mouth again, but a man spoke up from behind her.
"Then give me two of your strongest whiskeys." His smooth voice announced. She turned to tell him that she could get her own drink, but stopped at the sight of him.
He was young, not much older than herself, and quite tall. She was very tall for a girl, and she was certain that the top of her head would only reach his chin. His body was muscular, mostly around the arms and torso, giving her the impression that he was an archer. He had beautifully tanned skin and dark auburn hair that reminded her of her own. His most striking feature was his eyes. They were a beautiful, sharp blue and they had a mischievous gleam in them as he eyed her carefully. She smiled seductively at him as he handed her one of the drinks.
"Don't mind the barkeep. He just likes to get pretty things like you frustrated. It turns him on." He whispered in her ear. She rolled her eyes.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say that you and this barkeep have a system at work here." She told him.
"Oh?" he asked, slightly amused. She nodded.
"Yes. I think you have him harass young women so that you can come play the hero, thus getting the woman to fall right into your bed." She clarified. He laughed, and she felt a warmth course through her body at the sound.
"Would that trick work on you?" he said, his thick brogue taking on a husky tone. She looked at him through her lashes.
"I prefer a more up front approach." She teased enticingly, sipping her whiskey. He smiled at the fact that she didn't even flinch at the beverage.
"Is that so? Might I ask where you come from? I don't recognize your accent." He questioned. She shrugged.
"You could say I come from everywhere, but the accent is Ferelden." She answered. "You seem more educated than the rest of this lot. Are you a nobleman?" she asked. He shrugged.
"You could say that. Are you a noblewoman?" he requested, mimicking her slightly. She grinned wickedly.
"You could say that." She repeated. His hand lightly touched her wrist and began exploring her skin as they talked, and it didn't take long for him to lead her into one of the rooms in the tavern. The instant the door was closed, his mouth was on hers, hot and ready. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as they slammed against the wall in their passion. Clothes practically flew off their bodies as they tumbled into the bed, making love like neither of them ever had before.
Bright sunlight filtered in through the window, and Kierrai realized that she wasn't alone. Her mysterious lover had stayed with her throughout the night, to her immense surprise. She wasn't used to having men actually stay with her after sex, and part of her felt flattered. She rubbed the tiredness out of her eyes and sat up, waking the man in her bed. He blinked at her and grinned contently.
"Morning." He said simply. She felt her lips curl up into a smile, and part of her thought she could get used to hearing that every day. She mentally slapped herself for that train of thought.
"Morning to you, too. I didn't expect you to stay." She admitted. He sat up and looked at her, confusion in his gorgeous eyes.
"I didn't expect to. Do you want me to go?" he asked. She bit her lip and shook her head slightly.
"No." she said in a small voice. He grinned at her.
"Good. Will we see each other again?" he asked sincerely. She smiled warmly at him.
"I suppose I could make time for you, Starkhaven." She teased. His smile widened.
"Starkhaven?" he asked, amused. She nodded.
"You never gave me your name. I have to call you something, don't I?" she explained. He laughed quietly.
"You didn't give me your name either. Shall I call you Ferelden?" he questioned. She wrinkled her nose.
"Anything but that." She begged. He laughed again.
"Until you give me your name, I will call you…" he began.
"Kierrai." She told him.
"What?" he asked.
"Kierrai. My name is Kierrai." She admitted. He grinned.
"Kierrai." He said, her name rolling off his tongue. She shuddered at the sweetness of the sound. "I hope you're content to call me Starkhaven, because I've decided not to tell you my name." he teased. She grinned at him. She liked him more with every word that came out of his mouth.
"I suppose that's all right. I should go, I have…business." She said cryptically. He studied her.
"When will you be free?" he asked. She thought for a moment.
"I should be finished later this afternoon. Maybe around four?" she suggested. He beamed at her, and she wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms and stay there forever.
"Meet me here then. I'll give you the grand tour." He promised. She grinned wickedly.
"Do you generally take your conquests on tours of the city?" she teased. He shook his head.
"Never. But, for some reason you seem different. I like you." He admitted. She felt a blush creep into her cheeks.
"I must admit that you are…intriguing. I like you too." She revealed. Before her skin could burst into flames from the look he was giving her, she turned and dressed herself, pulling on her hood so that she wouldn't be recognized. Starkhaven pulled on his trousers and grabbed her wrist before she left. He pulled her in and kissed her like she had never been kissed in her entire life.
"I'll see you at four, Kierrai." He promised in his thick, sensual brogue. She nodded breathlessly before exiting the room, leaving the handsome stranger alone.