Feline Conversations (OPEN)

Having just delivered a case of alcohol to the Rathskeller, Remi decided that rather than facing the outside world again, he'd let himself sit in the warmth of Vai's bar for a while longer and try to not think about all that was currently on his mind. Scrunching his eyes closed, Remi suddenly felt a furry form covering his hands. Opening his eyes with surprise, he found Bobi, the teenaged-Launceleyn's bobcat laying across his steepled fingers. "Not even going to offer me a drink first, huh?" He chuckled down at the creature, removing one of his hands to scratch behind one of her tufted ears. Pausing thoughtfully, he looked at the kitten for a moment, a curious smile spreading across his face. Can you hear this? He whispered into her mind. If she understood, her lazy yawn was not much confirmation. REMI Traded my soul to free my mind, "can I go back to being blind?" I ask myself one too many times

With some help from Phoebe, Arthur had come to the conclusion that he was trapped here. There was still a piece of him that didn’t believe it, a piece of him that truly believed this was just a test, a way to push his faith and skills to the very edge, making sure he hadn’t gone soft in his time as a king. There had to be a way back home, there just had to be. He had left his circlet at home that day, left his regal clothing tucked away for another time, the only exception being his cape. It was cold outside, so his cape was a means to an end. He felt almost guilty for wearing it outside of his homeland, like he was betraying his people. Then again, it was also a way to stay connected. He didn’t claim to be king here, which was why his circlet was left in his new residence, but his cape… He couldn’t bring himself to part with that just yet. The night passed uneventfully, and he had taken the next day to start getting used to the place around him. In the meantime, though, Arthur decided he could really use a fucking drink. According to a few people, the bar in the temple was the best place to go, so he entered with not-so-silent steps. He saw a man with…a bobcat? ”Peculiar preference of company,” he said, giving a half smile if the other man looked at him. He joined him, sitting down and hesitantly nodding to the man, offering his hand in greeting with a warm smile. ”I’m Arthur.” arthur The Once and Future King

Bobi stared at him with an entirely bored expression. If she could hear Remi's mental probing, she gave absolutely no indication. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Remi tried to coax her into standing. Mentally he pressed and cajoled, but still the kitten lay on the bar, batting up at him with her floppy paws and giving very few fucks at all it seemed, about what the alchemist might or might not have been trying to get her to do. As Arthur entered, the feline scrambled to her feet clumsily and tottered his way. She couldn't purr, so instead she made a mewling sort of growl sound low in her throat. Looking up, Remi was uncharacteristically rather awestruck by the man before him. Not only was he absurdly and breathtakingly handsome, but the addition of a cape gave him an impossible sort of quality that Remi couldn't quite put his finger on. Swallowing down his surprise, Remi flashed the man a bright and boyish smile. "Is it? I had not noticed." He said with a grin, shaking Arthur's hand in return. "Remi." He replied with a nod. "Pleased to meet you Arthur." REMI Traded my soul to free my mind, "can I go back to being blind?" I ask myself one too many times

Arthur wasn’t particularly fond of cats, just generally preferring dogs and horses, but animals in general held a soft place in his heart, having worked with them constantly in his youth. He leaned down, scratching the young bobcat behind the ear. ”And I you, Remi,” Arthur said, as he released the man’s hand. The Rathskeller wasn’t particularly busy, aside from a few people sitting by themselves. No one he recognized. He wasn’t sure how he liked this world, how he would be able to integrate himself into a place such as this. Starting at the bottom was nothing new. Before he was king, he was a squire to his pompous knight brother, but at least he knew people, he knew his place. This was just… He felt a little lost. He gave Remi another grin. ”Sitting in a tavern alone is far from what I would expect from a man with such a bright smile,” Arthur commented. ”Meeting someone? Or mulling over life decisions?” He chuckled lightly, but as far as he knew there weren’t many other reasons to be alone in a bar. arthur The Once and Future King

Remi grinned a bit bashfully and surveyed the bar with a quick glance. The man was quite right: usually those sat in the Rathskeller during the middle of the day were drinking away their sorrows. "I just brought a fresh case of alcohol here. The owner of the Rathskeller is my—" mother, he wanted to say, but she wasn't. As near enough as one could be though, he supposed. "—my very good friend. I do not believe she is around at the moment, but it is certainly toastier in here than it is outside." He added with a grin. Looking down the bar to where Chunk lazily eyed him, Remi again tried his hand at trying to provoke the creature into action. Instead of...well, anything, Chunk just looked away. "But if bright smiles are unwelcome here, I suppose I could ask the same thing of you? What brings you into the Rathskeller Arthur?" REMI Traded my soul to free my mind, "can I go back to being blind?" I ask myself one too many times

A fresh case of alcohol? Well, that sounded pleasant. In his time before becoming king, Arthur had been good friends with the town brewer’s son, and his father - rather, his adoptive father - told him that it was always good to know the man behind the brew. Always paid off in some way, so as would would have it, it seemed he got to meet the man behind the brew without even trying. Remi commented on the temperature difference, coaxing another smile from him. It was a fair point, and one that Arthur definitely agreed with. Whatever forces had brought him to Caido hadn’t exactly been kind enough to tell him to pack for blizzard season. His attire was warm enough, but it wasn’t the greatest for the dead of winter - or deepfrost, as he was informed it was called here. ”A bright smile is never unwelcome, sir,” Arthur said, ”simply uncommon in one’s lonesome bar sitting.” He breathed deeply once and glanced at the uninterested cat on the other side of the bar. Another feline... How many cats occupied a single tavern? ”Myself? I suppose I would be mulling over life decisions.” He shrugged and smirked. ”I’m new to these parts. A girl by the name of Phoebe was the first face I saw here, and she informed me there’s no way back home. Been contemplating my life choices since then.” Arthur leaned towards Remi with a quirked brow. ”If your friend is the owner, would you be allowed to pour us a drink or two? I must say I’m eager to taste your work.” arthur The Once and Future King

"A bar is always a good place for that." Remi agreed with a nod and gentle smile. The mention of the midwife made Remi inwardly grin. If anyone was to greet someone upon arriving Caido, Phoebe would likely be the best at it. She had a calming way about her—surely something she either learned as a midwife or was what made her such a good one (apparently)—and knew enough to help with the sudden shock. "She is a good friend. I cannot think anyone I would rather meet if I was just arriving here myself." The alchemist added with an agreeable and understanding nod. With a grin, Remi glanced around. He did not see either Edy or Bastien at work, which was a bit strange. Then again, given Vai did not actually pay them, Remi supposed it wasn't terribly surprising that at times they had other things better to do. With a nod, Remi made his way behind the bar. Grabbing for one of the amber bottles he'd just placed away, he gestured at two clean glasses that floated behind him and landed gently before Arthur. Pouring them each a generous shot, Remi held his glass up for the king to cheers. "You have certainly arrived at an interesting time Arthur, but welcome just the same." The alchemist said, trying not to focus on the mans too-blue eyes, before allowing the liquid to slide easily down his throat. REMI Traded my soul to free my mind, "can I go back to being blind?" I ask myself one too many times

Hearing that Remi was friends with Phoebe brought a bit of comfortable familiarity to Arthur. She had spoken about making many good friends, so to hear Remi confirm it was a slight confidence booster that he hadn’t realized he needed. He watched the other man walk behind the bar and take out a bottle. Then, glasses…floated. Glasses just floated through the air. Floated. Right. Arthur’s eyes widened and a smile part his lips. ”You’re a wizard!” He said excitedly, leaning forward over the bar with a sparkle in his eye. ”That’s incredible!” He hadn’t known any magic user other than Merlin, so to meet another one just by chance in a bar must have been some kind of design strung by fate. What other reason would there be to put another wizard in his path? He met Remi’s cheers and took a drink from the glass while the alchemist spoke. It was a smooth drink that settled easily, and he looked at the liquid appreciatively. Remi certainly knew his way around a good booze. The man forced his initial overexcited view of Remi’s magic down, his heart still racing at the realization, to focus on what had been said. ”An interesting time?” Arthur repeated with lifted brows, taking another sip of the drink. ”What makes these times interesting, hm?” arthur The Once and Future King

Blinking back his surprise, Remi's brows immediately furrowed as he started to shake his head. A wizard? No. Not Remi.  An impostor perhaps, but never that. The Loren's of the world were magicians—wizards even—Remi was just someone mistakenly gifted abilities far above his paygrade by a god who seemed determined to break his mind. "Ahh..I would not say so." The alchemist disagreed, thickly accented voice becoming boyish and perhaps a bit embarrassed now beneath the weight of Arthur's gaze and excitement. "I am just an alchemist with a few...ahh..talents, I suppose." He concluded with an awkward laugh. "LongNight is just about upon us, from what the locals have said. Apparently it is a week long period of darkness, where you are meant to remain indoors making as little sound as possible. A group of us are staying here, below ground with lots of food if you would like to join. Apparently monsters roam the streets and it is dangerous to go outside." The alchemist was still quite skeptical about  all of this, but given that even Rory had joined in seemed to suggest that there was in fact truth in it. REMI Traded my soul to free my mind, "can I go back to being blind?" I ask myself one too many times