It was a bitterly cold day in Lómëdor and Samuel was grateful that he had a meeting to keep within the warm recesses of the Inn. He walked down the street at a fairly quick pace, covered up by a dark cloak, with the hood pulled down over his face. He didn’t like wearing this thing; it was too long and too thick and it billowed in the wind, restricting any kind of graceful or quick movement. In these conditions, however, wearing it was unavoidable unless he wanted to freeze half to death. He pushed open the oak doors of the Inn and walked in tentatively; every time he had previously been in this Inn, it had been bustling with activity. Thankfully it was quiet today for some reason with only a few people in the large, cavernous room.

He approached the bar and waited for the Barman to finish serving an elderly man; when he eventually finished serving him his drink (Samuel didn’t know what it was, but it was rather disturbingly brown and thick. It certainly didn’t look very tasty) he walked over to Samuel and leaned forward to ask what he wanted. ”I believe you have a young lady named Stella staying in one of your rooms?” he asked quietly. ”Aye, that’s correct. She ain’t in right now though, lad. Ye’ll have to wait or leave a message.” he asked in a deep and gruff voice.

”Okay, thank you. I’ll wait over there." he said, turning around and walking towards a table near a roaring fire. He stopped in front of it and removed his black cloak, throwing it over the back of a chair. He took a seat and looked around at the virtually empty room. There was a young girl, roughly the same age as Stella, sitting alone at a table in a corner, and there were three elderly men sitting at the bar conversing amongst themselves. This place was much nicer when it wasn’t so busy. He turned his head to the fire and stared in to the burning embers and found himself deep in thought.

He was no longer even thinking about why he was becoming so mellow and calm, but thinking about what he could do with this new found acceptance of happiness. A normal life? Probably not, no, but anything like a normal and happy life would be a near miracle. Perhaps Lothlómendil was doing her duty as a God after all? He quietly snorted with laughter and continued to look in to the fire, waiting for the arrival of his new found acquaintance.

The wind set her hair flying in a wild silver aura around her. People where hunched over, quickly making their way homes to shelter. Stella had left behind her group, as the men began to "claim" the girls to himself. The atmosphere changed, as the ordinary people talked, and she excused herself. The day was cold, her breathe coming out in little puffs which dissolved into the air. She kept her head down, looking for the Inn.

At last the large building came into sight, and she uttered a silent prayer. Opening the large wooden door, a blast of warm air hit her, and she sighed in happiness. She struggled to push the door too, but at last managed it. Stepping into the toasty room, she approached the bar man. "Has someone been for me?" She asked, as the mans stood cleaning a class with a scruffy cloth. He nodded, then pointed over to the table near the fire. "That boy over there did." He turned his back on her, and went back to serving the thirsty customers. Stella nodded, then began to walk over to the table.

As she approached, she smiled, then slid into the chair oposite Samuel. Her eyes where mischievous, her glow dim in the firelight. She cocked her head sideways at him, a little feat she always did. "Hello again"

He smiled at her and nodded his head in a polite sign of greeting. Thankfully, he had only been left waiting for about fifteen minutes before she had arrived; this was convenient, because as eager as he was to have a conversation with this intriguing young lady, he didn’t have the time or the patience to wait around for hours on end.

Though he wanted to speak to her, he found himself unsure of how to start this conversation. Their last meeting had been a rather awkward occasion. Samuel had been swept up in the moment and rather blurted out more personal information than was entirely necessary. It was difficult to follow that kind of conversation up, but he had to start somewhere. ”I feel I should apologise for my forwardness the last time we spoke. I felt… compelled to open up for some reason. I hope you don’t think I’m a particularly overly emotional and melodramatic person.”

He leant forward in his chair slightly, with an ingenuous smile. He opened his mouth to speak but hesitated. He turned his head to the fire again and stared at it for a few seconds. He wanted to explain something to her, but he wasn’t really sure what it was he felt he needed to explain. He certainly didn’t need to go in to more detail over the history he had divulged to her, but still, something seemed to have been left unsaid. He contemplated this for a few seconds longer, noticing that Stella seemed to be waiting for him to talk.

He turned his head back to her and began to speak, in a slightly more confident manner. ”I believe I came here to hear your story, young Stella. I am sure that it will be a most engrossing one. So, please... enlighten me.” Truthfully, he already had a rough idea of her past. When he had been speaking of his own past, he heard her thoughts. She was recalling her own memories that had been sparked by Samuel’s words. That said though, he still wanted to hear the full version rather than just a few flashing visions.

”I feel I should apologise for my forwardness the last time we spoke. I felt… compelled to open up for some reason. I hope you don’t think I’m a particularly overly emotional and melodramatic person.” Samuel began, and Stella shook her head. She was happy he had come, otherwise she would have been stuck talking to a drunkard and a man who was ignoring her all this time.

She opened her mouth to tell him this when he Lent forwards, smiling. His mouth opened to speak like hers, but no sound came out. Stella watched him, her eyes wide. Her looked at the fire, before finely turning back to her. ”I believe I came here to hear your story, young Stella. I am sure that it will be a most engrossing one. So, please... enlighten me.” She smiled, then shuffled in her seat, getting comfier.

"I'll shorten it, as its a rather long Story. Basically I'm a fallen star. But-" She hesitated, and looked down at her fingers which where on the interlocked, and took a deep breathe. "I was evil. So... a man who called himself Saku locked my evil inside this" She held up her necklace, and smiled. "As long as i wear this, I'm as i am now" She grinned.

She held up her hand, motioning the waiter to come over. "I'll have water please." She turned to Samuel expectantly. "What would you like?"

He glanced across to the bar where the elderly men were sitting side by side on their stools. He stared at the gloopy brown substance in their glasses with a rather concerned frown. He contemplated this further for a few minutes before looking up at the Waiter, smiling politely and speaking quietly. ”Uh, yes, water for me too, please. It’s probably the safest bet.” The waiter stared at him for a minute, seemingly offended at the slur on the Inn’s beverages. The waiter walked away without a second glance at Samuel.

Samuel turned back to Stella and stared for a moment at the necklace, enchanted by its sense of mystical importance. ”What a great a burden you hold. One little trinket controlling everything in your life, and the lives of everyone around you for that matter. Such a delicate item too… I’m amazed you don’t obsess over protecting it.” He continued to stare at it, mesmerised. He found it incredible that something so small and so innocuous could possibly have so much importance.

”So, I can’t help but wonder just how evil you were. It seems hard to believe you could be anything other than wonderfully innocent and kind. But I suppose it’s difficult to perceive the lengths and depths of someone’s levels of decency and heroism just by looking at them. After all, I hardly look very angelic, do I?"

He pulls his eyes off of the necklace and looks up to Stella’s face, as the waiter returns to the table with the two glasses of water. The waiter smiles graciously at Stella before turning to Samuel and frowning; he walks away leaving Samuel and Stella alone again. Samuel picks up the glass of water, looks back to Stella and speaks under his breath. ”I can’t help but get the impression I may be unpopular around here. Seems rather an overreaction if you ask me!” He sips the water and places the glass back down on the table. He seemed more relaxed now and much less uptight.


OOC- This was the worst RP I have ever written. I have left you pretty much nothing to work with. Sorry. :unsure:

The man scribbled down her order for water, then turned to Samuel. ”Uh, yes, water for me too, please. It’s probably the safest bet.” he answered, and Stella looked in the direction he was looking, at a group of men drinking some strange slush, and she tried to hide her smile as the waiter seemed... distressed? He walked away without looking at Samuel, who was no gazing at Stella's necklace.

”What a great a burden you hold. One little trinket controlling everything in your life, and the lives of everyone around you for that matter. Such a delicate item too… I’m amazed you don’t obsess over protecting it.” He commented, and she laughed. "I don't really need to obsess over it, i mean, it's not like some one would... want me to be evil? It's for the greater good i keep this on, other wise... you'd probably be dead now" she laughed.

”So, I can’t help but wonder just how evil you were. It seems hard to believe you could be anything other than wonderfully innocent and kind. But I suppose it’s difficult to perceive the lengths and depths of some one's levels of decency and heroism just by looking at them. After all, I hardly look very angelic, do I?" She smiled. "Your nice, so i don't see why not. You don't need... wings to be an angel do you?" He looked up to meet her gaze, and the waiter returned. He placed the drinks in front of them, and Stella nodded once to him for thanks. He nodded in return with a smile - not once looking at Samuel. The man began to walk away, tending to a table near them.

”I can’t help but get the impression I may be unpopular around here. Seems rather an overreaction if you ask me!” Samuel commented under his breathe, and Stella stifled a laugh. "Well, you did insult his drink. He made that himself you no, his own invention" She giggled, her gaze wondering over to the table next to them, where the man was placing down two cups of the strange brown mixture. "For all we no, it could be nice..." She turned to him, a mischievous smile on her face. "Dare you to drink it." She was being childish, but she didn't care.

”Drink it? Uh, I don’t know if that’s… a particularly good idea. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked awkwardly from side to side. He then focused on Stella and her mocking smirk. ”Wait just a minute, before you say it: I am not a coward! I’m hardly afraid of a drink. It’s just that, uh…” he hesitated mid-sentence and tried to think on his feet. He failed. ”I’m not going to buy a drink just for a dare, and I’m… I’m not thirsty."

He looked Stella straight in the face confidently, but after a few seconds the confident expression vanished completely as they both lowered their eyes to the large glass of water he ordered just moments ago. They looked back up to each other, Samuel with a concerned expression and Stella with a mischievous grin. ”Uh… I… Oh, fine. I just don’t want to drink it. It’s brown! Brown! If I have learned one thing in my life, it is simply this: never ingest anything that is brown. Unless it’s chocolate… and even then, be cautious!" He spoke loudly and confidently, trying to convince himself of his own lack of cowardice.

"And uh, anyway… there’s probably alcohol in it, and I probably shouldn’t drink. Very irresponsible…” He nodded sagely in agreement of his words. He turned his head to find everyone in the Inn, bar the Barman, standing right behind him and staring at him. The waiter, the three old men, the young girl and someone who he hadn’t seen previously, a burly looking Dwarf. ”Just drink it, lad and stop being a yella’ belly. ” said the old man on the right of the three. The waiter was smirking snidely as Samuel was being pressured in to drinking his unholy brew.

”I… uh… fine! Fine!” He exasperatedly got to his feet and approached the bar, stopping directly in front of the Barman. ”Okay, give me a… whatever the hell that thing is.” the crowd of onlookers approached the bar with him, all seemingly highly amused by his anxiety over a simple drink. The barman poured the brown, gloopy liquid out of a large jug and in to a small glass before placing the glass down on the bar in front of Samuel. He eyed the glass suspiciously.

”So… what exactly is in this?” he asked, holding the up glass to eye level. ”Secret recipe, sorry. Drink it!" piped up the waiter from behind him. Samuel lowered the glass slightly and sniffed the content. He thought for a minute his nostril hair had been disintegrated by the strength of the smell. ”… What the hell? Bottoms up!” and with that he opened his mouth and downed the glass in one.

He slammed the glass down on the bar and coughed and spluttered. He gasped for air, and span around staring at the waiter. ”Duh-duh-dear God! What do you put in that thing?” he stared wide eyed at the waiter, spanning his eyes around to the gathered crowd, all of whom seemed even more amused than before (not excluding Stella, obviously.) ”Well, to let you in on a secret… it’s just a light alcohol brew with some blended fruit. Usually, anyway! But I thought you were manly enough to handle a little extra spice though, so I mixed in some Salquedor Fire Chilies.” he said with a smile.

”You… you… “ he stared for a few seconds longer, then continued coughing. ”Water would be nice!” he said to the Barman, who burst out laughing along with all of the other on-lookers.

Stella carried on smiling at him. Peer pressure. That was the trick! Soon the whole bar had joined her mission, and Samuel was out numbered. She was truly evil. ”Just drink it, lad and stop being a yella’ belly. ” The waited ordered, and Stella stifled her laugh. ”I… uh… fine! Fine!” Samuel made his way to his bar, and Stella simply turned in her seat. No point following him like everyone else. He wasn't that special.

”Okay, give me a… whatever the hell that thing is.” She heard him order, and again she tried not to laugh. This was going to be SO funny! Squirming in her seat, she folded her legs on the seat and sat on them, springing up slightly to get a better sight. The drink did look discusting, and she held her breathe as it was poured. ”… What the hell? Bottoms up!”

He snapped back his neck as he drank, and she watched as the brown stuff emptied the glass slowly, with a devious smile on her face. When the glass was empty, the crowd cheered as Samuel spluttered and coughed. Wimp... she thought, turning back around in her seat to give the illusion she was never truly watching. ”Duh-duh-dear God! What do you put in that thing?” She frowned. Did he not like fruits?

”Well, to let you in on a secret… it’s just a light alcohol brew with some blended fruit. Usually, anyway! But I thought you were manly enough to handle a little extra spice though, so I mixed in some Salquedor Fire Chilies.” She laughed out right at that, her breathe leaving her lungs and she pounded the table once.

”You… you… Water would be nice!” He was still coughing, and Stella just couldn't stop laughing. She left her seat, and began to make her way over to him, wiping tears from her eyes as she carried on laughing. By time she had reached him she was out of breathe.

"That.. was... so.. funny!" She gasped, out of breathe and giggling every now and then. She exhaled as she sat on a bar stool. She looked at the glass he had just emptied and found herself laughing again, then smiled apologetically at Samuel. "Did you enjoy that drink?" She asked, her body shaking as she held back her laugh. By now - from good humor her glow had increased, and become VERY bright.

He was still struggling to recover from the shock when Stella approached him laughing. He really couldn’t see what was funny about what had happened. He had effectively been poisoned by the incredibly obnoxious waiter, and Samuel was teetering on the edge of becoming legitimately angry. At this time he looked up at Stella and her face was radiant. She seemed to be literally glowing and his soul felt soothed by her presence. His tongue, however, still felt like it was melting.

As the barman poured him a glass of water and placed it down on to the bar, he instantly emptied the entire contents of the glass down his throat. He took one deep, exasperated breath and turned to look at Stella. ”Oh yes, it was delicious.” he said sarcastically while nodding. The crowd that had gathered had now returned to their seats and the old men who were at the bar had now taken the table that Stella and Samuel were sitting at.

”I hope you’re happy now. I’ve probably lost my sense of taste, you know.” He was still fairly annoyed, but the risk of genuine anger had been cut by Stella’s bright glow. ”Actually, when you get passed the dissolving sensation, it really isn’t too bad.” he said jovially with a hint of a smile. He felt comfortable around Stella and he got the impression that she had that effect on everyone. He enjoyed being around her and unlike when he was with everyone else, he didn’t find himself overly analysing everything he said. Perhaps if that wasn't the case he wouldn't have been quite as forward with his next point of discussion.

"As for that necklace of yours, don't be so overly trusting of the people of Arda. There are bad, bad people in this world who are always looking to further the forces of darkness. Be careful, Stella." He leant on the bar with his arms crossed, staring down at the oaken bar. He didn't want to dampen the mood, but he wanted to get his message across.

"If there's one thing I know, Stella, it's that evil can't be dictated. It can't ever be really controlled. You can lock it away or bury it deep and hope and pray that it dies, but it never will. You can lock your doors and you can say your prayers, but the evil is out there... waiting." He continued to stare down at the bar, with a rather awkward expression. He didn't want to be so serious around her, but he was worried for her. He could tell she was by no means defenceless, but she needed to be more alert and more aware. He wanted her to be safe.

”Oh yes, it was delicious.” he commented sarcastically, and she grinned, still feeling cheery. ”I hope you’re happy now. I’ve probably lost my sense of taste, you know.” He sounded annoyed, and she felt a slight pang of guilt. He wasn't really that mad was he? ”Actually, when you get passed the dissolving sensation, it really isn’t too bad.” She went back to smiling as he said this, feeling happiness once again wash over her.

"As for that necklace of yours, don't be so overly trusting of the people of Arda. There are bad, bad people in this world who are always looking to further the forces of darkness. Be careful, Stella." She looked down at the table as well as he did. Her smile had gone down, but she really wasn't less excited or happy. She knew what he was saying was true, but she felt a pang of doubt. Surely no one would.. purposely take her necklace?

"If there's one thing I know, Stella, it's that evil can't be dictated. It can't ever be really controlled. You can lock it away or bury it deep and hope and pray that it dies, but it never will. You can lock your doors and you can say your prayers, but the evil is out there... waiting." She looked up at him then, her mouth opened slightly. Since when had he been so... deep? She smiled at him, as he carried on looking down at the bar.

"Thank you for your concern... Sam" Should she be giving him nickname or is it too soon? "I will make sure to watch out if you wish it" She eyed the bar tender. "Can i please have some water with sugar in it please?" She asked him, and he scurried away to get her the drink. She felt a little... awkward. Stella hated silences. She cleared her throat, unsure what to say next, and fidgeted with her finger on top of the bar.

((Gah sorry i've not left you much to work with! x))

He looked up at her face again. He was happy to see that his frightfully depressing tirade hadn’t dampened the atmosphere between the two of them. She seemed fairly touched by his concern, and though she was fidgeting awkwardly in her seat, she still seemed her fairly happy self. He was also relieved that she had appreciated the seriousness of his warnings. The barman returned with her bizarre concoction; why sugar water? He contemplated asking her, but then realised there was probably little point. She was a really very odd girl.

He felt their appointment (for want of a better word) had run its course now and he was preparing to take his leave. He had enjoyed their meeting very much, and didn’t particularly want to depart from her company, but he felt there was little left to say and he had little patience for awkward silences. He pushed himself off of the bar stool he had only recently propped himself on to.

”As enjoyable as our meeting has been, I think now is an appropriate time for me to say goodbye. Fortunately, however, in this most wondrous world, if you are meant to meet with someone, then you will. I believe destiny has us down to meet again, dear Stella. And destiny always catches up with you sooner or later. I’ll be seeing you.” he finished, smiling and nodding his head politely.

He turned and began to walk away, drawing a loud and obnoxious catcall from the group of old men. He rolled his eyes and continued his approach to the door. He had one hand on the handle before realising he had forgotten his cloak on the back of a chair. He turned around and walked back to the table by the fire, picking up the cloak from the back of the chair that one of the old men was sitting on. He turned back to Stella.

”Oh, and Stella, most importantly of all: don’t lose that beautiful glow!” He said, pulling on the cloak. He subtly winked and then laughed charismatically before pulling the hood over his head, walking back towards the door and departing the Inn, with the pleasant sense that he had found a friend.


OOC - I didn't think this thread was really going anywhere, so I thought I'd end it here (unless you really want to continue it.) I'll come and stalk you in another thread soon though. Oh, and don't be fooled by the wink; I'm not hitting on you.