<div class="floatleft">(http://orig05.deviantart.net/b1d8/f/2017/187/0/5/elisa01_by_ravagedgirl-dbf9vv9.jpg)</div>Elisa Maffian stood outside of the tavern for a moment, biting her lip, before she saw someone down the street glance in her direction.  It probably didn't have anything to do with her -- the glance could've been for a hundred reasons, after all -- but it was enough to make her start walking again... away from the establishment.  It was the fourth time she'd passed it by, unable to bring herself to enter.  There were just so many people on the streets, and in that moment it felt like they were all<em>watching</em>her.<br/><br/>Perhaps she shouldn't have been wearing her plate mail and the surcoat of her paladin order, which was designed to stand out as a beacon on the field of battle against the forces of evil.  Wearing armor had always made her feel more comfortable, and the symbols of her faith were a constant source of pride and self-affirmation, but they made it difficult to blend in when she wanted to be part of the crowd.<br/><br/>After circling around the block again Elisa found a quiet alley and pulled out the flyer again.  After a long and difficult dungeon she'd been lecturing a particularly lackadaisical rogue about her many mistakes when the woman had mockingly handed her the flyer and told her she should go unwind.  Everyone else had laughed, but for some reason Elisa had kept it anyway.<br/><br/>It seemed to be providence when her latest mission took her to the city from the flyer.  She was there alone, as she usually was, and as was often the case she felt her loneliness keenly.  She would never regret taking her oath as a paladin, or her place in the crusade against evil, but she wished she wasn't so alone.  Or perhaps, her order and faith were simply an excuse that she used for her own failings -- other paladins dated, even married, while she carried on, barely even having friends to her name.<br/><br/>It wasn't her looks.  She knew that her long platinum blonde hair, even practically bound behind her head to allow the use of a helmet was eye catching, and her soft, pale features, highlighted by bright blue eyes, were pleasant to look upon.  Despite that the last dalliance she'd had had been a brief, fumbling affair with a fellow initiate in the temple before she'd even become a squire, and the future looked just as bleak.  Just as lonely.<br/><br/>It was that thought that spurred her on, and when she approached the entrance to the Tavern of Kneeling Wenches she mustered her paladin courage and didn't even look to see who could be watching, simply barging through the front door.  She winced once she was within at the sound the door made, but a quick glance around revealed the premises to be free of customers.  She relaxed slightly until she noticed the rather attractive women behind the bar.<br/><br/>She fidgeted slightly, blushing at the scraping sounds her polished armor made from the motions before clearing her throat to speak.  "Good day to you, ladies.  It is, um, a fine day?"<br/><br/>She closed her eyes, wincing at her own awkwardness.