Most of the patrons of the tavern were happy, pleased to get on with the meals, drinks, and conversations. Or, if they weren't happy, they were at least content to nurse their ale in sullen silence, and bother no-one else with their ill temper - and, if harsh words did become thrown fists, the offending persons were quickly 'escorted' outside to brawl in the streets. So it was that the place was bustling, loud, but not unduly so as far as such things went. It was a comforting mixture of sounds and smells that would lure in many a passer by to come in, rest for a while, and sample the food and drink on offer. Maybe spend the time listening to the enthusiastic singing of seamen, duelling with song. People cheered for their favourite, or heckled the ones they didn't like, and generally had a good time.

Rhafala hated it.

"'See the sights' he said. 'It'll do you good' he said," she growled to herself, shooting narrowed looks at anyone who dared turn their head to look her way. Jayden, that insufferable, smug daemon had abandoned her here, and gone off somewhere on some fool's errand. Claimed that she would slow him down had she come along. Oh, sure just because she wasn't some back-stabbing, unfeeling devil raised from birth to be the world's cat's-paw, she might as well be a ball and chain! Alright so maybe she was still a bit wobbly on two legs, and so far running ended up in falling more than anything else, but if she were in her proper shape…
We wouldn't be here at all, she thought to herself, her irritation falling away, as if she were a punctured waterskin. In its place was a vague, empty worry, a kind of grey, stormy tangle of thoughts, feelings, and concerns. All chasing each other to no avail. She didn't know if she'd ever be back to normal, ever feel the wind beneath her wings, or see the world through her true eye again. Jayden could laugh and mock all he wanted, but he wasn't the one trapped in a pathetic sack of skin when she was used to being fury and fire. Now all she had was fury - and it was getting harder and harder to be angry, rather than just moping over what was lost.

Exhaling gustily, Rhaf moved over towards a table. She managed to seat herself with a minimum of fuss, and only stumbled a little. The tight trousers helped, as did the flat shoes - that dress she had worn for the ball was utterly ridiculous. She had been of a mind to burn the thing, had Jayden not said he'd thought that was what she would do. To prove him wrong, she had reined in her temper, and instead donated the thing to the first passing woman she had seen. So what if it had been a half-orc in heavy plate armour. Surely even half-orcs wanted stupid dresses at some point - or so she assumed, and wouldn't hear otherwise. Long as Rhaf was rid of the sands-cursed gown, she didn't care. Still, she was pleased that this body was at least capable of producing flame, even if it was wholly inefficient and pathetic compared to her fiery breath. Glancing at her hands, loathing the blunt, short fingers with their rounded nails, Rhaf sighed once more. She hadn't even attempted to cast any of her glass magic, for fear she'd find herself incapable. Losing her feathers, wings, talons, that was bad enough, but to lose her glass magic, too? That would destroy her. It had been her sword and shield, as well as a hobby. She had crafted tools of war, as well as pretty baubles and gifts.

A tankard was placed before her on the table, the dull thunk snapping her out of her thoughts. Glancing up, Rhaf blinked at the woman who had put it there.
"One of the men at the bar thought you could use it," was all she said, before moving away to attend to other duties.
A quick look at the men assembled didn't shed any light on the matter, all humans looking more or less the same to her. Though, being on their level, and in their dwellings, she had started to notice differences. Still, she was painfully oblivious to the social queues and body language of landwalkers, and couldn't discern who was actually studying her, and thus likely to have provided the drink, who was marginally curious at the scowling woman, and who didn't care one jot she was there. If they had, say, a handy crest, or wings to mantle and shuffle, or cocked their heads properly, maybe she could figure out what was going on. At least with Jayden she could tell what he was thinking and feeling - their Bond didn't allow much in the way of privacy. He was an irritating, smug, arrogant piece of hide, but he was her irritating, smug, arrogant piece of hide - and he could interpret this situation for her. Hopefully he wouldn't be too long about his business - there were more people moving about now, and more people approaching her table.

Oh Sands help her, she actually missed Jayden.

A lot of bad memories were associate with this particular part of town. The feeling of being pinned against the ground and having to stab a man was hard to forget. Yet, Aarek often found himself at the tavern after the end of a long week at the orphanage. Perhaps he hoped to see his friend here by chance. Even though he could write to her, there were still times that he wished for her companionship. He hadn't seen her in person since the ball.

Despite his fairly frequent visits to the Winking Mermaid, he had never before brought Kassia with him. The place was far too dangerous for a child, so he made her stay behind. But tonight, she had persuaded him. "But Papa," she'd said in her sweetest, most persuasive voice, "all the market childs go with their parents to taverns." Then, when he still refused her request, she added, "Love you. Please?" And he gave in, if only because he knew she wouldn't stop pestering him until he did. Now, he definitely regretted that decision.

Kassia rested on his shoulder in her bird form, her tail brushing against the back of Aarek's neck. He had made it very clear that she was to remain that way until he was sure the place was safe. Funny. Before Naota had lifted her curse, Papa had always trusted her to be on her own. She was quite old enough to care for herself, thank you very much. Although she wanted to ask him why he changed, she could never find the right words. Words were very hard after not speaking for three years. As they entered the tavern, Kass lit up like a star. When they were travelers, Aarek took her into a few different bars and taverns where he performed. Never in this one, though.

People dotted the room, all consumed by drink and merrymaking. Aarek glanced at the back of the room, where he knew the usual band would be playing. The lute player in the center winked at him, and the half-elf smirked back, a hint of a blush on his cheeks. The songbird cocked her head in curiosity, but he didn't explain.

They made their way to the bar. Here, they could survey the room for any potential threats. Lifting his hand, Aarek got the barista's attention. "House ale, please." 

Copper eyes scanned over the patrons. None of them looked potentially threatening, save for one angry-looking woman sitting alone at a table. "She looks upset," Kassia mused. She turned her expectant gaze on Aarek, who just sighed. He knew some people would rather be left alone, but Kass wasn't going to listen to him if he tried to explain. "And one for the lady over there," he added, sticking his thumb back towards her table. The barista nodded and called over a waitress to deliver the drink.

His daughter, of course, was not content to let the 'help' end there. Quickly, so that Aarek wouldn't catch her, she darted from his shoulder to flutter in front of the woman's table. In a matter of moments, she had shifted into her human form. Her blue eyes matched her bright blue hair, and around her shoulders floated a feather light shawl. "Are you okay?"

Papa caught up with her fast enough, but the damage was already done. Wide-eyed and panicking, her rushed to Kassia's side and gripped her shoulder. "I'm so so sorry, miss. I hope Kassia didn't disturb you," he apologized, eyeing his daughter sternly. 

Eyeing the tankard, Rhaf tentatively poked at the handle with a finger. As a Xigon she had been able to last days, if not weeks, without drinking, able to subsist on sunlight and the moisture from her food. However, this human body demanded much more of her in terms of upkeep, requiring multiple meals a day, and a near constant stream of water poured down its throat. How did humans have time to do anything with bodies as needy as these?! It boggled her mind that they could cause so much trouble, and keep themselves alive. Why, they were so fragile and weak, even without all of this eating and drinking nonsense. Wrinkling her nose, still utterly unused to not seeing her muzzle there, Rhaf looped her fingers through the handle. She cast glances at the other patrons, trying to mimic how they were doing it. While as a Xigon she had been capable of using her talons dextrously, she found the fingers of this body clumsy and stunted in comparison, and she spilled some of the ale as she lifted the tankard. It sloshed messily onto the table, and she narrowed her eye and hissed in annoyance. All of the drinking vessels she had used so far had had no handles, and were not as large as this. Learning to drink from a cup was a slow, humiliating process for one used to simply dipping their mouth into a water source.

Rhaf was still trying to get ale into mouth when the bird flitted over. While contemptuous of most things, or at least disapproving of the majority of others getting in her personal space, Rhafala actually liked birds. It probably helped that, as a Xigon, she was more avian than draconian. She understood birds, appreciated their grace and beauty, though when this one turned into a human girl, Rhaf simply gaped. How had she done that?! Was this a common thing on this world?Were all creatures simply humans in disguise, or vice versa? How many had she passed who were not as they seemed? How many had possibly held the solution to her conundrum, and she hadn't thought to ask?! The drink sloshed from the tankard as she tried to set it down, her hands shaking. Frustrated at the trembling, Rhaf bunched her fists before her, scowling down at the unfamiliar appendages. What was this supposed to mean? What was happening to this useless shape now?! She was shocked, as if someone had suddenly blotted out the sun with a vast shadow, but that was a lowered crest, drawn in neck kind of situation. Not this…shaking business.

Belatedly, words reached her, and Rhaf looked up once more. She stared at the…girl? She wasn't good at judging ages, but she seemed young. Out of place, too, even Rhaf could discern that much.
"I-" she managed to get out, before closing her eye, shaking her head, and hunching her shoulders. No wings to huddle in, or feather-scales to puff out for comfort.
Her eye snapped open once more at a new voice, and her gaze darted to rest upon the speaker. Daughter, was it? She cocked her head, curious. Did that mean there was, indeed, more with that shapechanging ability? Could they shed any light on her predicament? Though proud, Rhafala was willing to swallow that pride, and ask for their help. Anything to be herself once more.
"Are you a bird and a landwalker also, then?" Rhaf inquired, leaning towards the pair unconsciously. Maybe her manners were somewhat lacking, but she had always been a blunt and direct kind of personality. No point changing that now, not when there might be a lead towards recovering her lost body.
"How do you do that?" she asked the girl, "I…need to do it," Rhaf admitted through gritted teeth. Oh, she was happy to swallow her pride, but that didn't make it taste any better.