Ragnhild felt a profound annoyance welling up inside of her as the scruffy looking dockhand roughed the wee lass up. As confusing as it was though, as before she could move the man seemed to take on a look of abject terror, once the girl was discarded and he had risen to beat a hasty retreat, she quickly impeded his intended direction. Grabbing him roughly by the back of the neck, and lifting him so his feet dangled in the air, she turned him around, and scrutinized him with flinty eyes. Then in her heavily accented voice she spoke with deadly calm.
"Mine heart would be quite remorseful, dear patron, should you ever choose to take such an action again."
Her language was stiff, unnatural, but the threat was clear. Upon setting him down, he scurried off like a terrified bilge rat.
Shrugging it off, she sat at the table with the others, wooden chair creaking madly. It was then that a new quandry revealed itsself to her.

...How am I to know what they drink here...Or what it is called...?

Of course her favorite beverage would be called something different in these parts. A vacant look came into her eyes as she began to ponder the situation.

"What the matter, Ragnhild?" Celeste asked, adjusting her clothes after being so molested. "Oh, you're not sure what to order. I'll help!

"Picture a drink in your mind, then I'll read it and try and figure out what it is!"

Ragnhild looked at her quizzically, but seemed to take the meaning when Celeste tapped her forehead. The barbarian woman narrowed her eyes and thought hard.

Celeste blushed. "Oh, I--I didn't mean picture THAT in your mind. The translation must have been--oh dear me.

"This language barrier really is a difficulty, no?"

Elvrin slowly walked over to his own seat seeming slightly drained. After finding what area they were heading towards he quickly took a seat with his back facing the wall and seemed to look around making sure that nobody was near him that he didn't know about. Looking over he saw that the small creature and the bigger creature talking over something but wasn't quite sure what it was. It came to him then as he hunched over the table studying them that he wasn't exactly sure what ether of them were. The both of them had the look of humans, though didn't at the same time. Whatever the case the smaller one seemed to be able to read there thoughts and the more Elvrin though about that the more he disliked the idea. Nice as they were he didn't like his thoughts slipping out into the common known.

Suddenly Elvrin cleared his thoughts thinking when the small creature looked at him for a moment. Shaking his head he knew he wasn't being fair to her. A waitress had come over it seemed and was wanting to know what he wanted. Personally Elvrin wasn't sure if anything they had was worth drinking but slowly asked for only water before looking back at the table. Looking over them Elvrin then looked over the larger of the two. While clearly something of a human she seemed far larger and stronger than any other human Elvrin had seen. Perhappess a half something else as well he though. Larger and not quite as fast as her small friend this one seemed to be of the good sort. Obviously very protective of the smaller creature they made a good contrast of one another.

Elvrin shook this from his head as he watched the two trying to figure out exactly what they were about, still not fully understanding why exactly they had asked him to come to such a place filled with a crowd that obviously did not seem to fit there own.

Confused as to why the maiden had asked her to picture the largest naked man she had ever seen, she obliged.
((OOC: lol))
Upon the small girls blushing correction, she frowned, deep in thought. What could she mean?
...A drink maybe? I sure could use one...
Fondly, she reminisced about the incredibly strong mead, comprable to gasoline mixed with honey, that she had guzzled with the townsmen back home. Many a drunken night were spent stumbling home and falling down asleep in the snow.
She sighed and asked the barmaid politely
"What beverages do you vend at this establishment? I am afraid I am not familiar with the variety of drinks normally procured in this area."

Celeste caught the image in Ragnhild's mind. "Mead, yes--they have mead, I think! Maybe not as strong as you're used to."

She waved to the serving lass. As the woman came over, Celeste synchronized her thoughts and psionic abilities to complement her speech. When next she spoke, the accent that erupted from her frail body was surprisingly authentic to the Savage Frontier, utilizing patterns of speech and decorum that were similar to Ragnhild's homeland. It would smooth over their conversation.

"So what brings you to the southlands, Ragnhild?" Celeste asked. "Valor and plunder, aye?"


(OOC: Hagalaz, I know you're also posting Ragnhild in Wulf/Pikel's RP, but I think this one is suitably tavern-esque [i.e., not a lot of huge action] that you should feel free to post her here as well.)

Ragnhild blanched at the wmans sudden change of speech, and responded hesitantly in her own tongue "Aye, mead would be right pleasing, m'lady."
Frowning thoughtfully she replied "I journey simply to learn more of myself. Whether that be involving valor, plunder or otherwise, I know not. I simply seek me a fulfilling life."
The barmaid returned with the respective drinks of the three patrons and quickly scurried off.
Ragnhild picked up the great flagon and took a deep drought, wrinkled her nose and grunted "You southerners drink honey water at your taverns." She smiled wryly to let the girl know she meant no insult, displaying the distinclty laid-back side that her people knew her for.
Setting the flagon down, she folded her hands together, content to let the mild beverage sit, and asked "So, a couple of questions I have for ye. First off, how in the seven hells do you know my tongue? Your accent isn't nearly as bad as most of the southern traders normally have." The question was friendly, joking. "And secondly, what might a girl like me find in a town like this for which I might find interest or be of use?"

"It's my psionics, giving me the ability to communicate with you in your own tongue. I set my mind on balance with yours and manipulate the thoughts to . . ." Celeste paused, seeing Ragnhild's puzzled expression. "Um, sort of like magic?"

That was a sensible answer to the barbarian woman, whose thoughts grew comforted. At least Celeste was speaking of something she'd seen and heard about before.

"As for what use this city might be, there's all manner of opportunity for work, or adventure, or romance . . ." She went a bit squidgy inside, thinking of her own beloved Sir Korbin, and it distracted her. "Sorry, what was I saying?"

Ragnhild let out a hearty chuckle as the girl flushed, mind clearly on matters more romantic in quality.
"Ah, lass! You have stars in your eyes. Tell me of this lucky man and how he fares."
She smiled in a friendly manner, and quickly downed the rest of her ale, calling for a refill and placing a few coppers on the table. She sought conversation, for it seemed as if it had been forever since she had been able to converse so very freely and naturally with someone.
She smiled fondly, happy just to hear the sounds of her own tongue again, happier yet to see a smiling, blushing girl. Times like this, back home, were few and far between, and were always cherished when they rolled around. That same mentality remained a natural response for her, as she took up her newly filled beverage and downed about half of it, still not feeling as if she were drinking anything alcoholic, her mind wandered in the direction of home.
She had indeed come into a new phase of her life, one that demanded she leave her place of birth, and find new lands, and a new identity. She was no longer Ragnhild; The Svea Lion-Rider. She was an oddly large foreigner, with no purpose yet, in her new life.
Coming back to the present, she blinked a couple times, and renewed her smile.

"Oh," Celeste said, blushing. "I shouldn't talk about that. I mean, there is somebody, but . . . well, it's complicated. And I wouldn't want to distract from--

"A whole pint? Surely! Why not? Though remember, I'm sort of a light-weight . . ."

******

Five minutes and two drinks later

"Weee!" Celeste squealed, waving her third tankard of ale about joyously, heedless of the fact she was splashing it all over herself and Ragnhild both. "And there was this time, when we were all going down with each other--I mean, into the ground, you know--underground--and Aari-poo was so big and strong and--whoop!"

The chair toppled out from under her, or perhaps she took a sideways dive onto the tavern floor and the chair had no malicious intent at all. Regardless, inebriated half-elf girl met floor in a whump and a flutter of skirts.

"Heh heh! I fell over. Darn it!"

She lolled on the ground, laughing uproariously at her own jest.