Iansa
The bar was loud and Iansa cringed as the first screech of laugher hit her ears. It was not the first time she had been at the Harpy Inn, but the first time she was determined to stay for a while. The place was filled with music and voices and laughter, it had to have good stories inside. She tried to creep along the edges, in the shadows, but the room was so crowded she found herself having to step forwards into the firelight a few times. The fire crackled almost menacingly as she stepped forwards, spitting embers into the room. Every time the fire tried to catch outside of the pit someone would quickly stamp it out or brush their cloaks free form the danger. The chorus of voices overlapped each other, the mix of deep grumbling laughter and more feminine squeaks. Glass clinked against glass and wood moaned beneath the weight of the visitors. The few tables had been pressed together to form large circles of people. Iansa found herself watching a woman with blond hair piled and disheveled dancing around with a tray of empty glasses in her hands. She was giggling and fluttering her eyelashes at the people as she passed. Her movements were graceful, in a way different to that of a shadow and Iansa attempted to copy the pose. Chest and head raised, a glance over the shoulder.
"What can I get you, gorgeous?" The voice made her jump, she had barely noticed the male that she had caught eyes with behind the small bar. Brown eyes studied her with a charming grin and she turned to meet his gaze. He was tall, despite leaning against the bar towards her. The bar itself had a few bottled lined against the wall and a large cask sitting slightly to the side. She had not even noticed that she had siddled herself to the bar. The question seemed simple enough but she had been unprepared for any questions. The bottles were made of green glass, and the labels were mostly old and peeling with complex writing that she could not quite make out in the flickering light of the fire. She pointed towards one at random. The barkeep looked at it for a moment, pulling it from the others.
"Whiskey. Good choice, a little strong but I like a woman with strong tastes" He winked at her and she hesitated. The actions were strange, behaviours she had never observed directed at her. She glanced at the woman again, attempting to mimic her behaviour once more. A twirl of a piece of her hair and a small smile. Was this normal? Was this appropriate? She was uncertain but the bartender seemed distracted as he placed a glass against the bar. It was smaller than many of the other glasses she saw, and not as clean as she had expected. The bottle poured with a dark liquid and she found the smile turned towards her again as long tanned fingers pushed the glass elegantly towards her. She picked it up, a sharp nod towards the bartender before turning back towards the fire. Her back pressed against the wood of the bar. She sniffed the glass. The liquid smelt somehow dry and sharp against her nostrils. She wrinkled her nose for a moment, swirling it in the glass. She attempted to take a sip, fighting against the strange smell and consuming more than intended. It burnt the back of her throat and she flinched. Was this how it was supposed to taste? She glanced around. Most other people had larger glasses which held a foam substance on top of it. They were downing large quantities of the drink whereas she barely felt as if she wanted to dare another sip.
"What can I get you, gorgeous?" The voice made her jump, she had barely noticed the male that she had caught eyes with behind the small bar. Brown eyes studied her with a charming grin and she turned to meet his gaze. He was tall, despite leaning against the bar towards her. The bar itself had a few bottled lined against the wall and a large cask sitting slightly to the side. She had not even noticed that she had siddled herself to the bar. The question seemed simple enough but she had been unprepared for any questions. The bottles were made of green glass, and the labels were mostly old and peeling with complex writing that she could not quite make out in the flickering light of the fire. She pointed towards one at random. The barkeep looked at it for a moment, pulling it from the others.
"Whiskey. Good choice, a little strong but I like a woman with strong tastes" He winked at her and she hesitated. The actions were strange, behaviours she had never observed directed at her. She glanced at the woman again, attempting to mimic her behaviour once more. A twirl of a piece of her hair and a small smile. Was this normal? Was this appropriate? She was uncertain but the bartender seemed distracted as he placed a glass against the bar. It was smaller than many of the other glasses she saw, and not as clean as she had expected. The bottle poured with a dark liquid and she found the smile turned towards her again as long tanned fingers pushed the glass elegantly towards her. She picked it up, a sharp nod towards the bartender before turning back towards the fire. Her back pressed against the wood of the bar. She sniffed the glass. The liquid smelt somehow dry and sharp against her nostrils. She wrinkled her nose for a moment, swirling it in the glass. She attempted to take a sip, fighting against the strange smell and consuming more than intended. It burnt the back of her throat and she flinched. Was this how it was supposed to taste? She glanced around. Most other people had larger glasses which held a foam substance on top of it. They were downing large quantities of the drink whereas she barely felt as if she wanted to dare another sip.