The Agency

[Kokay]

William Jones

 

Will chuckled. He walked slowly with Kailey, savoring the closeness between them. He knew it wouldn't last. But, no matter how much his head told him not to get attached... He did. He always did. He always ended up loving the things he had to leave. It was just an unfortunate fact of life now. Will hated it. It was the Grace that he was given. It wasn't a gift. It was a curse. It cursed him to a life of loneliness. A life of hatred from others and running from them. It was not his choice. No, if it had been his choice, he would have given it up in a heartbeat had he known what his life would end up like. Gracelings were frowned upon by many, and he was now feeling it more than ever as they walked into the tavern.

 

At once his old habits kicked in. He started darting his eyes between all in the tavern, looking for a Graceling. As usual, not another in the tavern. He then let his Grace take over. The strange cooling sensation it had rolled over him like a cool breeze on a sweltering summer day. It always happened like that. He would get an adrenaline rush from entering such a situation and then the Grace would swoop in and remove the heat from his face and allow him to work like he would normally. That was how he liked it. It was normal and that was refreshing. Especially considering the recent events that had unfolded in the past few hours. He needed a little bit more normalcy in his now hectic life.

 

Will's emotions were genuinely in check. Of course there were the normal fluctuations in them with the thoughts that passed through his mind, but that didn't mean much. They never did. He pulled a chair out for Kailey and, for a moment, wished that his Grace would hide her eyes from the men in the tavern. Those men with the shifty eyes. The greasy underworlders who would do her harm if they had the chance. Will, by no means, had faith in his ability to fight, but he had a certain aura. For some reason, when you can't clearly see someones' eyes it makes you more wary of them than you would be of someone with the rest of their face covered. Perhaps Will would never understand, but that was fine. He didn't need to understand that which he only planned to extort to the fullest extent he possibly could.

[Merryier12]

Kailey

 

As she walked in, Kailey could at once feel eyes upon her, and feel them drop just as soon as they met her own. Not many had the courage to meet her eyes. They were indeed strange, one purple, one green. Kailey found herself envying Will's ability to hide, eyes slid off of him, leaving her to be the only one they could focus on. It was unnerving and Kailey highly disliked it. There were some that were brave enough to hold her gaze..

 

But of course there were others that, even with Will's presence at her side gazed at her in disgusting ways. Lingering in all the places that men's eyes should not. Now more than anything Kailey wished to hide. With a resigning sigh, Kailey resolved to a miserable night without the touch of Will's feelings and the gazes of men who had no right to look at her that way.

 

Still, Kailey forced a small smile and tried to ignore the loud, drunken men who were saying obscene things behind her back. Things to do with women in general, but that grated on her nerves. "Are you hungry, Will?" Kailey again ignored the men as they taunted a poor serving girl who was I'll fated to serve them drinks.

 

She would keep her temper under control. It was none of her business what those men did. When one finally dare the catch her by the waist, pulling her closer as she tried to yank away, Kailey rose to her feet, glaring at the men. "Release her." The words were a menacing growl, but there was no need for them, the Graced were feared and the meer glare had made the man go pale, releasing the server quickly.

[Songbreeze2012]

Anri

 

The horse stopped lightly behind the old tavern, shaking it's mane with a soft nicker. As it was, this wasn't exactly the place he or his rider would be this time of year. But things change.

 

Anri dismounted shadow lightly, patting the stallion while pulling his hood back. Best to go in true than a lie. So he was Graced. Didn't matter to him and it wouldn't matter to those in the tavern that new him. Which was probably most everyone. He was good friends with many drunks here.

 

"Easy, Shadow. Stay here." The horse snorted then Anri went inside, nodding to the people he saw before going to the bar. "Same, Hewit."

"Welcome back, Novak." The drink went down cold, as always, and he didn't feel the least bit drunk. Survival didn't let him. Novak. He hadn't heard that name in a while. One of two different ones he'd used...but the one out of the three he had that he liked the best. Even more than his true name. He had seen Will and Kailey, but let them see him first. He didn't approach, and was rarely approached, but he figured they would eventually.

[Sylverfinger]

Senka

 

Senka had found out that Anri took her on a circular route, including that of her own, back to the tavern. Feeling a twinge that she could no longer make a discreet entrance, she lounged instead on the streets just outside it, hidden in shadow and her cloak, and contented herself with listening only with her Grace. She could feel a noticeable change in Will's, who had also came into the tavern with Kailey, thoughts; it had become much more subdued and calm. Kailey's became self-concious, annoyed, along with a haze of other related thoughts; Anri's developed a sense of familiarness and an unfamiliar tinge of something that Senka could not identify. But listening to the thoughts from the other men, Senka made a mental note to form contacts with as many people in as many places as she could, under false names and certain information exclusions, of course. Senka did not, and would not, trust and form that many friends, but under the impression she had with them would be suffecient. Of course.

 

 

Ruya

 

Ruya watched as the three newcomers came in. The first two were attracting rather much unwanted attention, she felt. The drunken men were eyeing the woman unpleasantly. The third attracted attention as well, but it was a different type of attention; the greeting of old friends. Ruya wondered briefly about the mask he was wearing and where he had gotten to know those people; he was Graced, his eyes not concealed under the hood that he had removed at his horse.

[Merryier12]

Bump

[Merryier12]

Bump

[Neutual Demon]

(( *creeps in* Um... I've been away for a rather long time...so, um... can I come back please? Even though I really don't know what's going on and my character isn't even part of the Agency, I want to return... T-T Sorry for just popping out like that...))

[gistofeverything]

((Hmmmm. Maybe you could get a mod to close it, quote your original post, and put it through Unapproved again. Update the plot to where we are now, and it might spark some new interest. Maybe?))

[Merryier12]

((ND: Of course you can come back!! Of course!!

GOE: That's a good idea... I'll do it if no one posts over the course of this week.))

[Merryier12]

Final Bump I suppose before I take GOE's advice.

[Merryier12]

((Would anyone care to post? Please?))

[9pmg5665]

( Sorry I quit. I just had a lot of RP I was in and now I'm down to 2 others. So is it okay if I rejoin hence the start over ing thing? Please ))

Edited January 30, 2012 by 9pmg5665

[Kokay]

((A thousand apologies.))

 

William Jones

 

Will watched with silent admiration as Kailey handled the situation. He found her to be quite the magnificent specimen. At times, she was the most calm of all that he'd met, but at others, he found her to be quite easily roused. There was never a time when she didn't surprise him. Will had thoroughly pocketed his emotions once more, and found himself hiding them better than before. Not by choice, but by instinct. If there was a weakness he knew about and knew someone would extort it, he hid it. It was like breathing.

 

His eyes darted over the men, watching them glare at the two of them. Not at them, but their eyes. He loathed that they focused on the eyes. Will stood up calmly and smiled. He looked at the bartender. "I'm sorry for the interruption. I'll make up to you. How about a bit of free entertainment?" He pulled his lute off of his back and grinned. Walking away from Kailey's side, but keeping an eye on the men, he sat down in the corner of the room. Comfortable on the table, he strummed the lute with careful hands. He could sing, but not extremely well, so he chose to simply play a light hearted song.

 

The music filled the room. It filled his soul. Music was Will's life blood. Without it, he wouldn't be who he was. And, he was beginning to feel like normal again. He smiled broadly, feeling far more jolly than he had in the past few weeks. It was as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Will's long fingers stroked the stings, pulling at them carefully. It felt like he was living his life like he had been before. On the run, and loving every bit of it. No! His emotions were leaking again. Kailey would feel his happiness and wonder why. The music. He hid them quickly once more.

[Merryier12]

(( Of course you may rejoin. I would never say no! ))

 

Kailey

 

Kailey could feel her anger boiling still, but pushed it away and sat back down. She paused for a moment to wonder if perhaps she was only mad at herself, or perhaps annoyed with Will. She sighed and picked at a small crack in the table. It didn't take her very long to determine that she could not interpret Will's feelings, so there was no way to know what he thought of her sudden outburst.

 

When Will stood, she looked up curiously, not entirely sure what he intended to do. When he offered entertainment, Kailey's eyebrows shot upward in surprise. Her eyes followed him as he walked over to a corner of the room and sat down. She watched in amazement as he stroked the lute carefully and soon began to form a song.

 

It was a song that she recognized from her childhood. Her nursemaid had often sung it to her when she was upset or crying. Kailey knew the words and sang them quietly to herself, enjoying the piece of childhood that had managed to find her all the way here on the run with Will. Smiling, she felt her mood lift considerably as she swayed to the music.

 

Only a few moments later the bouyancy decreased slightly and she looked up, startled to realize that part of that happiness had been Will's and not hers. Not pausing in the quiet singing of the song, her eyebrows pinched together as she studied Will. He seemed so happy and calm as he strummed the lute, as though he were greeting an old friend. Kailey wasn't going to press him for an answer, but after a few seconds she realized she was staring. Her cheeks flushed to almost the same color of her hair as she ducked her head. Glad to be behind the protection of the flaming red curls she felt her cheeks cool.

 

Kailey didn't bother to wonder why she had been so embarrassed to be watching Will, but simply kept singing quietly to herself. The song had a soothing quality that she loved. It gave her a pang of loss for the nursemaid but it also reminded her of home. Slowly she felt herself relax.

Edited February 2, 2012 by Merryier12

[Merryier12]

Bump

[Kokay]

William Jones

 

Will was finished. He nodded, smiling at the innkeeper and scratched his forehead awkwardly. He didn't know what to do now. He was torn between two things. Kailey and leaving. He wanted to live life like he had before. He wanted to be the wanderer he was famous in taverns for. He wanted to protect Kailey to the best of his ability. He wanted so much, but there was so little he could do. Will was suddenly overwhelmed with frustration at the situation, but it was still under control. She couldn't feel it, hopefully.

 

Will walked to where Kailey sat and forced a smile. "I suppose we ought to go to our rooms then, eh?" He bought two rooms from the innkeeper and walked back to Kailey's side. He dropped a key on the table. "That'll be for you room. The innkeeper wanted to thank you for what you did for his daughter, by the way." He muttered. Without another word, he walked up the stairs and looked for his room. It was down the hall from Kailey's. That was fine. He could see her in the morning. He waited, however, for her to come into the hallway so he could tell her goodnight.