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Bareok Kayle

xxxxxxxxxxxx"Isn't about time for your guests to start arriving?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxBareok woke from his happy sort of daze and glanced toward the source of the voice. A woman sat upright on the other side of the bed he was occupying. She was nude in all her dark-skinned, sensual glory, putting her white - from birth, not age - hair into a bun at the back of her head. This exposed her slender, graceful neck in a most appealing way. Lazily, the Imperial let his eyes wonder across the beautiful form of the Dunmer. He didn't quite feel like accepting what time it was. Not just yet. He grumbled, turning to his previous position, his legs and arms spread outward, unashamed of his own nudity. He felt a sharp slap on his thigh. "Hey!" he exclaimed, looking at the older woman reproachfully. Older by age, but not by looks. She could have passed as his age, but was really seventeen years his senior. It was that elf longevity at work, turning an old nanny into a young lover. Lover being in the loosest of terms. Bareok didn't love his nanny, Selene, and she didn't love him. Well, not in the way that would drive a couple to get married and have a family together. They loved each other as friends, and had sex with many other people as well. Theirs was an odd relationship. Bareok had no need for a nanny anymore, and had kept Selene as a servant. She still managed to keep some of her old authority over him somehow. He deferred to his servant much more often than he did to his own father.

xxxxxxxxxxxx"If you want to go on this alchemy trip, you had better be there to greet your guests." She told him seriously, standing to retrieve her undergarments.

xxxxxxxxxxxxAs much as he wanted to simply watch her go about the room, Bareok sighed, disentangled his limbs from the bedsheets, and joined Selene in the search for their various articles of clothing, strewn across one of the fine rooms of The Tiber Septim Hotel. Her clothes were put back in order first; a dress fit for a merchant's daughter... if a little revealing. Bareok's clothes were of a more complicated and fine nature. The kind that needed Selene's help to don it correctly. It was fine enough for a very high-end party, complete with ruffles of green lace, shirttails, and form-fitting trousers. Bareok's hair was last to be fixed, and may have taken just as much time as getting his clothes on.

xxxxxxxxxxxxFinally they were ready and, Selene on Bareok's arm, they walked down the stairs and into the room where most people gathered to dine and keep each other company. Bareok nodded to the waiter, who nodded back and soon produced a glass of some fine wine or another. Bareok's father kept a tab here, and his son often used it himself. His father didn't mind. Either that or he didn't notice. Selene wandered off into some rich young fellow's lap and conversed in a lively way with him. It was time for his adventurers to arrive; Selene had timed it well. All Bareok had to do was sit and wait...

Bareok Kayle

xxxxxxxxxxxxThe Imperial took his glass of wine and sat down on one of the benches next to the fire, facing the door, ready to wait for a while for people to show up and take him up on his offer. He fully expected people to come, though he offered little that would entice people aside from a day out of the city in fine spring weather. Of everyone who lived or visited the Imperial city, there had to be at least half a dozen people aching for an excuse to be out in the wilderness, frolicking about or some such nonsense. While it was true that Bareok did need more ingredients for some of his potions, he would have readily taken the trip on an excuse less reasonable. The Imperial pondered this while watching Selene flirt with her new friend across the room at some table that had a few light snacks set out for the rich patrons. He could hear sounds upstairs of people dining together on the large table; polite, quiet laughter, murmurings of some nonsense rumors, and whatever else amused such people that day and age. Bareok found it hard to identify with the people whose society he was born into. Growing up with Selene as his parent taught him to find the concerns of lower society more amusing. Besides, those in that lower circle liked him better.

xxxxxxxxxxxxHe lifted his glass to his lips, taking a sip of the rich red wine that filled it. The front door of the hotel opened, and in walked a tastefully dressed elf man, a Dunmer. Bareok liked Dunmers. That had no doubt been the influence of his Dunmer nanny. He had a lot in common with the dark elves, more of by personality than of blood. Also Selene's doing. Bareok watched the man walk up to the front desk, and heard his name spoken. A happy grin spread across Bareok's face. A person who wanted to go with him! It was a shame that he was not female; a lady would be a lot more amusing to travel with, Bareok thought, mostly because he had no inclination to flirt with men. The Dunmer man was better than nothing and hey, Bareok may even make a friend. He liked friends.

xxxxxxxxxxxxThe person at the desk glanced in Bareok's direction and told the Dunmer man where Bareok sat, but the Imperial had already stood and made his way toward them, leaving his glass of wine on the low table he was sitting in front of. "I am Bareok Kayle." he said in his deep voice, holding out his right hand to shake the other man's. "You've come because of my ad?" Out of the corner of his eye, Bareok saw Selene look up from her conversation with the random rich man. When she registered that he was probably a person come to go with Bareok on his adventure, she abruptly abandoned the one she was flirting with to walk up to the two men at the front desk. Bareok could guess what was going through her mind; she was attracted. Selene came up beside them, and quietly waited for the two to introduce themselves.

Bareok Kayle

xxxxxxxxxxxxBareok shook the Dunmer's hand firmly, feeling the working man's hands that were so much like his own. With would probably be found odd by someone who didn't know him to be in the fighter's guild. A son of a rich man like himself wouldn't have any need to do work enough to callous and stain the hands. He followed the other man's red eyes to Selene, a knowing, crooked grin spreading across his face. She would be introduced in time. "I've heard your name as well! Good to have a fellow fighter with me out in the potentially dangerous wilderness." Not that Bareok had given much thought into the dangers of going alone into wolf-infested forests and hills. It was Selene who urged him to put out a flyer to get more people to come with him. She didn't like the idea of Bareok getting killed by some beast. She hardly even liked him doing the fighter's guild stuff. The thought of her favorite pupil getting scarred or even incapacitated... That was her excuse, anyway, when Bareok asked her why she protested so much to his manly inclination to do dangerous things.

xxxxxxxxxxxxAnd now the question came out, who was the lady standing next to them? That same crooked grin pulled at one corner of Bareok's mouth. "This is Selene, my... uh..." How to put this... many people who know what Bareok and Selene's relationship was heartily disapproved. Eh, but this fine Dunmer wouldn't mind so much. "She was my nanny. Now..." Bareok winked at Velryn.

xxxxxxxxxxxx"Now I am his servant and friend."

xxxxxxxxxxxxShe finished for him, rolling her eyes at Bareok. Friend was a word given a slight accent to. Bareok knew what she hoped to imply by it; friend. Nothing more. She was quite free. Bareok chuckled aloud at her hopeless and wanton promiscuity. Hopefully she wouldn't do this with every person who came because of his ad. Especially the other women. He wanted some to himself. "Why don't we have a seat?" Bareok said, stretching out his arm to indicate that they should go before him to sit around the benches that he was sitting at before. "If you want a drink, feel free to order one. I've got the tab." More precisely, his father had the tab.

Bareok Kayle

xxxxxxxxxxxx"I hope so too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxBareok watched as Selene smiled happily at the other man's complement, giving him a quick curtsy. She declined Bareok's offer of a drink, though, and walked toward the benches Bareok had indicated. When Velryn held back to order himself a drink, Bareok let Selene go by and followed after her. They both sat in different benches around the low table; Selene with her back to the reception desk and Bareok facing it and the door that he hoped would soon admit another person to go with them on their adventure. It was a very comfortable spot, with the fire at his back to keep off the chill of the cool spring evening. All contentment, he lifted his glass of wine and sipped at it while he waited for the Dunmer man to get his own drink and head back to the table.

xxxxxxxxxxxxWhen Velryn had settled in his bench he asked a question that would have been more economically left answered until later in the evening, when more people showed up - hopefully. But this was a thing Bareok didn't mind repeating, and perhaps perfecting with another mind to think things over. "We leave first light of the morning... or very near that time. If we can get everyone up and going." Bareok saw Selene's dubious look and heard her scoff; apparently she didn't think this too plausible of a plan, considering Bareok's habits. The Imperial ignored her and went on, "We'll try to get everyone who wants to come (within reason, of course) on horses and ride down the Gold road to Skingrad. We'll work out of there. I'm thinking we'll have all of tomorrow and the next day to gather as much reagents as we can, then head back here on Loredas." That was as far as he thought it through. He had no idea how they were going to pick through the West Weald, what locations they were going to stop by, or anything like that. This was where other minds could hopefully step in. All the Imperial wanted to do was gather ingredients. He didn't care how or if even even led things.

xxxxxxxxxxxx"You see how organized he is? It was a chore to get him to think on even that much!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxBareok saw the fond look that followed Selene's outburst. "Well, if you had taught me better..." He had to laugh at the scowl his former nanny was giving him, so different than the fond look she had just moments before. Sure, she had tried to teach him to think things through a little better. It just wasn't in his nature. Bareok knew this, but couldn't pass an opportunity of poking fun at his old teacher. He took another sip of his wine, chuckling into his glass.

"I am looking for someone by the name of Bareok Kayle," came a soothing voice. A slender Bosmer approached the trio; in her hand she clutched a familiar looking flyer. She laid it upon the table and placed her hands upon her hips, not drawing her eyes away from them. "My name is Regan Harlow. I was directed to this table." One might think the place Regan haled from was rather warm and humid. She wore what looked like a low cut leotard with large holes on either side of her torso, leaving a strip of fabric that covered her navel. She wore on her lower half with a pair of shorts that were earth toned and equally scandalous; judging by her demeanor, she seemed unconcerned.

“I have been in the Imperial City less than a day, and I am rather unfamiliar with the surrounding areas. I’d like company while I collect reagents myself.” She looked from one face to another and stopped at Bareok’s. Considering the conversation she’d heard approaching the table, she deducted that he was the petitioner. “If you’ll have me, I am highly skilled in archery. I could come in useful if we were to run into any trouble.” Regan was not fond of selling herself, especially to someone who wasn’t paying her for her services. She had yet to make any allies in her current location, and it was always better to play nice. “Traveling alone has its drawbacks. It would be beneficial for everyone involved if you were to accept me.” Her face had been rather unemotional until then. A snide smile slowly crept across her face as she leaned into the table, elbows locked. “So?”

Regan flinched, ever so slightly. Unaccustomed to ever being socially uncomfortable she was blindsided by the grin he returned. Within a moment she regained her control and had to remind herself again that she was in a territory unfamiliar with the Bosmer way of life. True, for the Imperial City Regan’s outfit was far outside the norm but paired with another wild Bosmer she’d look conservative. That was not to say she did not enjoy the attention, ever far from it.

This Imperial, however, was far too generous with his stares, but that did not stop Regan from sitting where he had invited her. Her movement was fluid, and she slide into the booth next to him as gracefully as anyone could. In one motion she signaled for the waiter and draped her chestnut locks down over the shoulder nearest him, concealing at least half her breasts. His height would give him opportunity to see some of the other, but at least he had his work cut out for him. She crossed her legs as a man approached for her order. “A glass of your finest wine, this gentlemen’s tab,” she motioned to Bareok. She enjoyed a challenge, which was exactly what he’d laid out in front of her; she’d be fool not to accept it. When the waiter returned with her drink, she lifted it then sipped. “Cheers.” She set her drink upon the table and focused her attention away from Bareok, whom she could not tell if his eyes were on her at the moment. “And the two of you are here because of the flyer I assume?” Her demeanor indicated that she thought very highly of herself, but not necessarily in an arrogant way.

She took a longer drink while looking between Ryn and Selene. “Your names?” She asking, smiling.

xxxxxxxxxxxxFrom within the great bloodworks of the imperial city's arena came a roar of cheers for one of the yellow teams pitdogs. The woman, known as Saelihn, had successfully managed to beat a team of three brawlers by herself. Still, she was not yet at the level of brawler, although it was arguable that she was good enough to be up there. But she had no time for pleasantries amongst her fellows, she had a place to be. Quickly the blonde haired bosmer left from the imperial district and traveled straight to the inn that she had been staying in whilst she was fighting. The city around her seemed so dull and blue compared to the utter joy of the wild and beautiful forests that surrounded the city. Soon enough she arrived in the inn where she had been staying.

xxxxxxxxxxxxAlthough the inn was nothing out of the ordinary, it was much more homely than any other she had stayed in. The people who lived inside the wooden walls tended to treat her well, even if they didn't work there. With a quick smile aimed towards the innkeeper, Saelihn Areadel climbed up to her room and placed the bloodied items upon her side table. Out of her pocket she pulled a flyer that requested that someone would help a man by the name of Bareok to find some ingredients. Usually this would be the kind of job Saelihn would refuse to take but she had grown slightly tired of making others bleed for money. She felt the need to dress suitably for this occasion, as she was to meet a man in an upmost regal hotel. In actual fact, she was quite honored to be able to dress up to go to such a place.

xxxxxxxxxxxxOver her usual attire, the woman placed on an emerald green, fitted dress that held a large slit down the left side, making her left leg and the knife upon it visible. Next she placed on a pair of high heeled shoes to match the dress. With a quick ponytail placed in her hair, Saelihn was ready to adventure over to the Septim hotel.

xxxxxxxxxxxxThe journey was surprisingly short and quite enjoyable due to the beautiful weather that surrounded her. Delicately the woman pushed open the hotel's large and well decorate doors to venture inside.Once she climbed through the crowd of tables and chairs, miss Areadel noticed a group of three sat behind the bar. With a smile she made her way over and sat beside the one female in the group. The female appeared to be a bosmer who adorned the skill of archery, much like her former self, and her outfit looked much like the armor beneath her dress. Looking up she saw that the Imperial looked much like the sort of man to set out a quest that involved alchemy so she smiled at him and bowed her head. "I am guessing that you are Sir Bareok? If so you may call me Saelihn Aeradel. I am here for your quest," she paused to grab the long sword from her back, " I am both a trained arched and blademaster, though I specialize in blades." The woman then held her hand up to call the waiter over and order her drink. "A fine wine please. Do surprise me on which mind."