You Really Shouldn't Be Here

[Ethan Black]

The slums. Dangerous. Dark. Yet oddly he felt more at home here. He knew what to expect. Knew not to trust anyone there. In the normal streets, it was harder. More unpredictable. The harmless were mixed with the harmful. But people were less willing to slit throats. The presence of the guard helped there. Even if he avoided them at all costs. He had to.

"Off all the places to get drunk..." Ethan muttered, walking through the alleys. Here was here to fetch someone. A crew member who'd foolishly gone off to drink. he'd gone to the Dick and Pickle. That's what he had gathered from asking around. So now he had to get the man. Navigate the slums. His hand was constantly on his sword. Ready to draw. Ready to kill. He had to be here. Who knew what lurked in the dark? Nothing good from his experience.

[Astrid Brynn]

Naturally, Astrid was a restless spirit. Even more so after having joined the royal family after years of being apart from them. Being back there only made her already restless spirit seek adventure. Being in Goldcrest was a wish she wasn't going to spoil. She would make the most of it.

Even if that meant being a princess out in the slums. At night. Thankfully, the blonde had had the appropriate training to keep herself safe.

Peering up at the black sky from underneath her hood, the blonde wondered briefly if the sky looked at all any different from back 'home'. Green eyes peered at the stars and paid no mind to the road ahead - which seemed to be the same for the man she ended up walking straight into.

Immediately her hand went to her dagger and her piercing green eyes to the man. She could feel her heart catch in her throat.

[Ethan Black]

Suddenly he collided. His eyes flew, sword drawn. Only to halt. Completely unsheathed, yet held in the air. She had something too. Her hand had gone to a dagger. Yet she had not drawn. She hesitated. Like he had. They were at neutral ground. She had not stabbed him. Nor made any threat. She seemed as startled as he. So he took a chance. Diplomacy first. A brow raised.

"I'm going to take a guess that you are in fact not trying to stab me or you would have already." It was a guess. Half a question. Hopefully, a truth as well. He eyed her still. Tense. Ready. "Although most people you meet in this sort of place are up to no good. Or getting drunk. Though I pity the latter if they wind up coming here of all places." He added. "So, friend or foe?"

[Astrid Brynn]

Her eyes narrowed at him, but she remained quiet. At least, until he'd finished speaking. "Give it time," she said simply. It wasn't a threat; more of a fact. She might not have been bulky, strong or well-built, but she was a good fighter. She could handle herself. He had trained her well.

Still, it wasn't as if the blonde was looking for a fight. "Neutral," she answered then. She was neither friend nor foe. At least, not yet. Her hand didn't lover, but her body relaxed. She didn't need the extra attention of getting into a fight, here of all places. He wouldn't appreciate it, and his opinion mattered.

[Ethan Black]

Give it time. His eyebrow raised further. Yet a smirk came to his lips. It was witty. Even if he was wary. He had reason to be. And she spoke with confidence. Enough to make him think she knew her way with her dagger. Or could bluff. Both were useful here. Either way, he did not want to test which it was. Not tonight. Not now. So she was safe.

Neutral. The smirk grew. She relaxed. So did he. On the surface. "Smart answer." It came with a chuckle. His blade returned to its scabbard. Yet not fully. Part was still out. He could draw it fast. That should be evident to her. He gazed over the girl. Scrutinized. She seemed different. Not like anyone else he'd seen in Goldcrest. Something was off. Yet he couldn't tell what.

"Might I ask what you're doing out here? Or is that none of my business?" An innocent question. Though he didn't expect an answer of worth.

[Astrid Brynn]

He kept his eyes on her, watching her every move. He might have relaxed, but he was alert. Astrid decided right then that she liked this man. Or rather, she respected him. Partly because he didn't underestimate her because she was a woman as well as keeping himself in the game without appearing threatening.

"You may not," she replied, though a smile found its way to her lips. Her face was barely visible from wearing the hood, but her green eyes were clear; she was cautious. Though, she suspected anyone would be. There was nothing off about that, was there? "I don't see how an answer to your question would benefit you and thus, wouldn't it simply be a waste of both our times?"

[Ethan Black]

He may not. Though she smiled after saying it. He chuckled. It was as he expected. He'd asked more to see if she would speak again. And she had. It at least meant she was polite enough. Manners were a rarity. So she was a nice change of pace. Better than the normal scum he ran into here. Though he'd yet to see her. Only the green eyes. Piercing. Much like his own could get.

The answer wouldn't benefit him, and instead would waste both of their time. He grinned toothily. "Now how do you know that?" It was almost a taunt. More of a tease. "For all you know, this could be the highlight of my evening. Or at least something better than what I came to do. You actually sound like you could hold an intelligent conversation." He snickered. "Or at the very least a coherent one."

[Astrid Brynn]

Shrugging her shoulders lightly, the blonde pursed her lips. "If that's all it takes to make your day, I'd say you're already too far gone already and you'd only be a burden to me." Despite the harsh words, the young woman carried them with a smile. She meant no harm. She rarely ever did.

Still, she also spoke the truth; she didn't benefit from telling him why she was here, nor who she was. As she suspected he didn't benefit much from telling her either. Astrid had learned to keep her cards tight to her chest and an intriguing character in the dark wouldn't change that so easily.

[Ethan Black]

If that was all it took to make his day, he was already too far gone. Ethan laughed. Relaxed further. Even fully sheathed his blade. Yet he was still tense beneath the surface. It was instinctive. Automatic by now. Although he was good at hiding it. "I would say you've wounded me, but I hardly think you'll care." Why would she? They were complete strangers. Meeting in an alley no less. Concern for another was likely furthest from both of their minds.

He observed her again. Went silent. Thought. There was not much else to say. They were still strangers. And she had her own business about her. Much like he did. "Well if neither of us appears very keen on offing the other- or at least not from my perspective- then I suppose we should simply part ways? I'm sure you have to attend to this 'secret business' of yours." Another light tease. Though half serious.

[Astrid Brynn]

"You're quicker to judge a person than what I am," she simply responded. Would she care, though? Well, part of her probably would. It wasn't as if she sought out to hurt people; it was more of a self defense mechanism at this point. One she knew she couldn't lose or survive without. As naive and gentle of a person as she was, she still knew that the world was a cruel place.

"Business?" she repeated, her tone curious. "No, not really." She had no valid reason to be here. Though, she suspected that he did. Unless he too, was new to the town and sought out to explore it. She doubted it; he didn't carry himself as someone who had never seen the slums of Goldcrest before. He didn't carry himself as someone new to the town. "Though yes, it's very secret." She smiled as she returned the playful poke. She didn't wish for them to part ways, though she would not stop him.

[Ethan Black]

He was quick to judge a person. That brought a smirk to his face. Though it was tinged with a hint of bitterness. "In this sort of place and this sort of age, one can't help but assume the worst. Or perhaps I'm just being more cynical." He'd learned how to judge a person. Though he wasn't always right. He could acknowledge that. "And if you're truly concerned for someone you've only just met and who bared steel to you, then I think this world, or at least part of town doesn't deserve you."

She did not have business. Which made him curious. Why else would she be wandering the alleys for? Yet she claimed it was secret business. With a smile and playful tone. He smirked and raised a brow. "Oh yes. Very secret indeed." It was just as playful as she had said it. Yet it made him consider the impossible. Or what he considered foolish. "Are you to tell me you're 'secretly' wandering about the alleys for no reason at all?"

[Astrid Brynn]

The blonde laughed at that. "Well, that's something we can both agree on." Though, it was bittersweet; it was more that the blonde felt she didn't deserve the position she'd been so freely given. She had been brought to the royal family after years of living as a humble citizen of Astilon. She'd only come to learn the ways of the royals in a little over ten years.

She didn't feel as if she belonged anywhere.

Putting a finger to her lips, she smiled. Despite her age, Astrid was a child at heart - which showed in the gleeful way of which she carried herself. "Can that not be reason enough?" she asked then. "Being here simply because one can??

[Ethan Black]

She laughed. It was something they could both agree on. Yet there was a bittersweet quality to it. A shift in her demeanor and tone. Something he picked up on. Clearly the subject was just as sour for her as it was for him. In a perfect world they wouldn't need worry. But this was hardly a perfect world. He suspect they both experienced that firsthand. If her eyes were anything to go by. He gladly let the topic drop.

She held a finger to her lips. It was such a childish action. He raised an eyebrow. Yet found himself smiling too. Was that not reason enough? Doing so simply because she could? Ethan laughed heartily. "Usually that doesn't apply to an alley where most can get stabbed or stolen from!" Came his response. He was grinning again. "Either you're very brave, or very foolish. The line between the two is typically thin. Although you don't seem stupid, judging by your wit thus far."

[Astrid Brynn]

She looked around then; studying the alley the two of them found themselves in. "You shouldn't judge a great book by its cover. Who knows what kind of hidden gems this alley holds." She turned her gaze back to him. It was an adventure. Perhaps not the best kind of adventure or the most glorious one, but to Astrid, that only made it better. "You seem very apt at making up your mind about the people around you, so I suppose I'll leave the decision to you, good sire."

Perhaps it was both; She already knew that it was foolish of her to put herself in danger without having Severn even know where she was - though, knowing the sentinel, he was probably somewhere around the corner, watching her every move. "Though, I suppose the same could go for yourself."

[Ethan Black]

She looked around. He shouldn't judge a book by its cover. There could be gems in this alley. Ethan snorted. Yet his grin was still there. "Oh I'm sure there's gems. Likely on the ground from accidentally falling out of a thief's pocket." He understood what she was saying. There was an adventure to be had. If a dangerous one. He seemed very apt at making up his mind, so the decision was his to make.

Ethan chuckled. "It comes with the territory I'm afraid." Although she could say the same for him. He observed her yet again. Then smirked. "Well, people can change my opinion. And I'm not afraid to admit that I can be wrong. I was wrong about you." He was smirking again. A twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "Here I thought you were some common thug without a speck of brain between your ears. Now I know you aren't a thug at least." Another tease. A bit of a taunt too.