”I don’t want to hear excuses, just get it done,” a harsh toned woman said to one of her staff. There was a slight yip of a response from the waiter as he hurried to get his task completed. Andrea crossed her arms over her chest while glaring after the man who had neglected his duties. Extra chances were rare within Cáelmewedd as Andrea ran a tight ship when it came to her business. Hunters traveled this blossoming city in order to rest their weary muscles. Their bounties would be turned in as well obtain new ones in the tavern. They would go out day in and day out to put their lives on the line to protect those less capable. The least Andrea could do was provide a place for them to hang their cloaks for some rest.

Delicate fingers ran through the woman’s short white-blonde hair. She liked to keep her tresses trimmed in a bob style to keep her life easier when dealing with it in the morning. Each hair had to be kept in a place, along with her wardrobe. Even though her establishment was maintained for hunters, they were not allowed to trail in mud or blood to dirty it up. No, they had to come in with clean attire or take a bath immediately before being allowed to sit for a meal.

Andrea had standards.

Black blazer coat sleeves were rolled up to just below the elbow, with a light silver necklace around her neck. She kept a clean look on her form at all times even as she wiped down the bar. A young batch of hunters had recently arrived to rent out a suite of rooms. They were arrogant, which was par for the course for the fledglings about to go on their first hunt. One particular hunter had attempted a few times that evening to flirt with her, all which were quickly (and harshly) put down. None of these direct responses appeared to slow him down.

Andrea was used to the attentions. At times they were flattering. This one particular time it was not. She found it amusing since he was at least eight years her junior. No, the woman had her eye on someone more mature as well as chiseled in jaw and in life. Brow lifted as she watched the ‘boy’ make his way over again to make a new attempt. ”Before you open your mouth I suggest you come up with something original. If not, sit down and eat your dinner. You have a mission early in the morning.” From the corner of her eye he could see him consider before turning to sit down with his laughing comrades.

A broad smile that she attempted to hide while working spread on her lips. Occasionally, her light blue gaze would lift in hopes to see the door open to show a certain male walking through. Her hopes had been dashed over the past several days. Even so, Andrea continued to keep an eye out for him. There were few times that the tavern owner ever found herself hoping to see a hunter arrive. This particular man had caught her eye the first time he had stopped in. It had been odd to feel a slight jump in her heart rate whenever he would stop in for a night or so before leaving again for this reason or that.

For the moment, the hunger was at bay, which meant he could risk being around others. It would not last, it never did, but the man valued life and being separated from it hurt him. Being unable to touch, or to feel, was painful enough, but to be deprived of company and the ability to be around others lest he make a meal of them… well that had just been one final blow from his beloved… all because he had told her no. 

Harker had not seen much of this world so far, determined to keep his head down and keep out of the way, he had not dared to explore the more populated regions of Revaliir lest he lost his control. When the hunger came he was likely to lose his sanity to it, best to keep out of the way and remain in underpopulated areas, he ran less risk in hurting people that way. The city was bustling, and it warmed the cold heart of the stone man as he listened to the conversations of those around him. Several people brushed past him, but Harker felt none of it thanks to his stone skin, the curse Thalia had left him with left him severely isolated, she really had known how to hurt her lover. 

Entering the establishment, he took in the sights, longing to feel the warmth from within, though he knew he would not be so lucky. At least he could enjoy the feeling of others around him for a moment, and pretend to be alive in that sense. He had been in a couple of times now, and found a wage here that was easy enough to make - though food and comfort was lost on a man made of stone, he would live for eternity in this fashion and never need true nourishment, just the life force of another. Not that he intended on telling anyone here that. Golden eyes found Andrea and he gave the woman a nod as he headed over to where she stood, wondering if she had another assignment ready for him or not - anything to keep him busy and out of the way of the populous for a while, until he could figure out how to curb the damnable hunger Thalia had left him with. 

"Andrea," he said with a nod, giving the youngsters a stern look as he spoke in his usual gruff tone. 

Andrea had made her way to her office that was settled in the back of the tavern on the first floor. She wanted to keep her mind from running in fifty different directions for this topic or that. More so, she knew that her mind would tend to travel to a certain someone that most likely wouldn’t be coming by for some time. To keep her mind clear, Andrea threw herself into the work. Lately, there were more hunters that were new to her establishment. What concerned her was the work that was bringing them. Not only that, their temperaments were changing. Andrea made internal notes as well as speaking to her employees. Each were to keep a keen watch for any erratic behavior that would not be deemed proper in the establishment.

Piles of papers were settled upon her desk as well as other tables that were arranged about the office. When a particular tug that couldn’t be explained pulled in her gut, Andrea decided to put down her quill to get up. A large satisfying stretch was made before heading out to the bar. It was then that the door opened and that damned flutter returned to her chest.

The golden eyes that fell upon her made the stir happen again. Andrea kept her face smooth, though the smile reached up to her eyes that couldn’t be brought on by anyone else. She leaned on the polished wood bar top. Elbows were poised almost perfectly to hold up her slight frame. Not one hair was out of place.

Hearing her name in that gruff tone sent a shiver down her spine that was disguised as a shift in hips. ”Hello Harker,” she replied softly. Her smile was genuine for him; not a smile that she would put on for the clientele to earn extra gold. ”You look well. What hunt did you go on this time? Something interesting I would imagine? You never have boring hunts.”

With a light push from the bar top, she was already placing a heavy weighted glass down in front of him. He never seemed to enjoy much that was around him. It was becoming her task to find something would bring a slight smile to that grim featured man. ”I just got this in the other week and knew that I would need to get you to try it. Oak barrel aged whiskey…fifty years old. A rather rare brand, though it is a good flavor afterwards as well as when drinking.” The amber liquid splashed lightly in the glass to fill half way.

With the tip of her pinky the glass was slid towards him. Andrea enjoyed getting him to try different things in effort to get a reaction other than a blank stare. Brow lifted while her head cocked to the side while waiting for him to try. Would this be the one?

Harker barely glanced at Andrea as she spoke to him, not because he disliked her or meant to be rude, it was just his nature. Something he knew the woman was used to now, given they had worked together of late. ”Manticore terrorising a village. Ten of them,” he replied. His tone never wavered, there was no arrogance in his voice, no boasting despite the magnificent job he had done in eradicating the menace ruining the lives of those poor village folk. It was a job, it paid, that was all it had been. He survived it, the village survived it. End of.

He heard the clink of the glass upon the wooden bar top and turned his back on the young hunters filling the place, stone fingers making soft clinks of their own against the glass as he watched the woman carefully. His lips twitched at the corners, the smallest smile flickering across his stone face as he lifted the glass and inspected the whiskey within. ”You always know how to get my attention,” he snorted, raising the glass to her in a silent toast before taking a sip of the liquid. He could taste it, one of the few pleasures Thalia had left him though Harker believed that was more due to a foresight on Thalia’s part than through her planning it. He sighed softly, golden eyes closing as he sighed softly, relishing the small comfort and warmth the drink brought him, a remnant of the life he had lived before.

”Do you have any other jobs for me.”

Andrea was a glutton for punishment. That was the only conclusion that she could come to when it came to Harker. Despite any kind of effort made, those efforts bounced off him like a rubber ball off of a stone wall. Even so, she continued to try and get him to warm up even a little towards her. There was no full explanation as to why she remained persistent despite all the other options that were open to her. Nevertheless, Andrea would continue to try.

”Oh, yes I had heard about that had gotten a little dicey. It was not supposed to be the ten…sorry about that. It was only supposed to be the two. I wonder how that happened.”. It concerned her in the depths of her chest to know that he had gone up against that sort of number based on one of her tips for a job. Andrea knew better than to keep dangerous jobs from his tally, but it still did not help her sleep easily. At the very least he was standing there now looking alright.

This next effort was going to pay off in some way. The innkeeper was certain of it. As the liquor poured gracefully into the glass for Harker, there was a knowing smirk on her face. This would do it…it had to. She had searched for this particular whiskey for some time before it finally was brought in by one of her less than above board suppliers.

There it was. That small smile upon his lips that barely reached his gaze. It was enough for Andrea right in that moment. Her main hand remained wrapped around the now sacred bottle as Harker took a drink. ”Well, I do try my best. Good to know that I have some sort of effect,” she said with a laugh and wink. Leaning upon the bar, she waited for his reaction of the whiskey. To see him sigh a bit out of comfort due to something she had been able to bring him, that had made her week.

When his glass was back upon the bar, more was poured in before she stashed it beneath the bar. The bartenders knew better than to touch anything from Andrea’s private stock…especially if it was meant for a particular guest. Before turning to grab her ledger, her fingers grazed the outside of her hand that lingered upon the bar. It was a small action that he would most likely not feel or even care for. Even so, Andrea needed it for her own sanity.

Her pale skin tinted with a blush while she quickly turned away to head to her office to retrieve the ledge where she kept all the jobs that were posted for hunters such as Harker. The owner of that inn was organized to fault of over-organization. For a moment she leaned upon her desk whilst attempting to will away the blush on her skin. To be as forward as she had been just a moment ago had been beyond what Andrea had ever dared before. Even so, there was no hiding.

Taking a deep breath, Andrea gathered up her large ledger book. With it tucked against her chest while moving to the other side of the bar where Harker was still standing. ”Let’s go to an open table. We can talk there a little easier.”. She motioned for him to follow over to a corner table near one of her large glass windows that reached from floor to ceiling. It looked over the flower gardens that lined her property just on the other side of her hot springs. If someone had a keen sense of smell they could smell the variety of flowers she tended there.

”There is a larger village that has a problem with an acheri. I’m not sure if it is just one, or a few of them. The village is keeping behind some wards that were put up recently. I had sent a hunter there only last week….but haven’t heard from them since. I’m doubtful that it went well.”. Her features darkened for a moment at the thought of having sent a hunter to his death. He had been young, but it was his choice to take on such a lifestyle. It was not something that everyone was capable of. ”I do have some others, but this would be my most earnest one that I think could use your expertise. It pays well.”

Andrea turned the ledger around to show the specs to Harker to see if it would interest him.