<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/8niWq5o.jpg)</div>Prior to achieving his current title, the Dew Drop Inn would have been just a bit outside of Doryn Aelland's customary price-range but even so he'd paid a few visits to the well-placed establishment whenever he had a little extra silver floating around it his pockets. After earning his fortune and becoming a Noble, though, Sir Doryn Aelland the Knight-Captain of the Guard probably spent more time in the common room of the inne than his own offices. That wasn't to say that he was here all the time, of course, but rather to note that he didn't particularly enjoy spending much time locked away in his offices in the upper terraces.<br/><br/>Indeed, a goodly portion of the Northlanders time was spent outside of the city entire, on his Estate where he tended to any number of tasks ranging from raising his hounds to inspecting the extensive viticulture that was the source of a goodly portion of his personal wealth, or simply whiling away his time engaged in any number of more personal endeavors. (Which, for Doryn, was often but not always code for engaging in one of the newly minted Nobles many many affairs that were such a talk amongst the cities nobility.) Even when he<em>was</em>in the city, Doryn tended to have a much more hands-on relationship with the Guard, often accompanying them on important operations or otherwise 'getting his hands dirty'. He'd overseen a number of raids on various criminal hideouts and smugglers dens, apprehended no few wanted criminals personally, and otherwise made for himself a name as a steadfast champion of justice and the rule of law.<br/><br/>It was in the Dew Drop Inn, of course, that Doryn tended to earn his<em>other</em>reputation. The Knight-Captain of the Guard was a realist, who understood that his quest was a never-ending one and his<em>actual</em>duties were much more aligned toward "protecting the interests of the Nobility" as opposed to "defend the citizenry of the city." Which is to say, Sir Aelland was willing to operate behind the scenes when it was beneficial to him and he hadn't shied away from making shady agreements and backroom deals. Not so much that anything would be proven, of course, but enough to supplement his own small stipend that he recieves from the city and ensure that his own comfortable lifestyle is not put in danger via him getting into too much trouble with the wrong individual.<br/><br/>There were many reasons that the Dew Drop Inn was where Doryn went for such deals,--<br/>--but<em>she</em>was central to most of those reasons, even though most who visited this place probably viewed has a simple bar maid.<br/><br/>They had a bit of a flirtation going on, of course, a subtle little back-and-forth that he found more than a bit enticing. There were so many reasons not to pursue the match, of course, ranging from her low birth to the fact that they were informal buisness partners. So, Doryn largely<em>hadn't</em>pursued it, even though he couldn't quite help keep himself from playing the game with her. Assuming it was a game, in any event, and not perhaps that she was the one whom he'd one day shock the city by actually marrying. There were bookies taking bets on who Sir Aelland would eventually wed, and he would be surprised if Hani wasn't<em>somewhere</em>on the board, though he didn't know what the odds were for any of the women that he openly favored.<br/><br/>...honestly, even he wouldn't be able to speak truthfully to whatever odds they'd have give her, for on this matter he simply<em>wasn't sure</em>and that was an unusual experience for the Northlander.<br/><br/><div align="center">~</div><br/>There was no especial plan on his mind when Doryn walked into the Dew Drop on that evening, of course, no meeting with anyone nor any search for some wanted criminal.<br/><br/>As always when he visited, well,-- just about anywhere,-- Doryn was not alone. He<em>always</em>came with one of his "Honor Guard," and tonight was no exception. No, on this night, Sir Aelland had Meerika with him. She was one of the few women in the Guard, though anyone that thought of giving her trouble because of that soon found out that just because she was a member of the 'fairer sex' didn't mean that she'd hesitate for even a second before breaking their arm but she was usually well-behaved enough when she visited the Dew Drop. She'd sit down at the table with him, usually even have a drink or two, and refrain from hurting anyone too bad if they got drunk enough to mistake her for a barmaid.<br/><br/>...though how anyone could mistake a 5'7" woman, dressed in loose flowing light armor and a breastplate stamped with the crest of the Guard, a sword at her waist and a dagger stuck in one of her tall leather boots for one of the Dew Drop's rather delectable barmaids was a mystery that Doryn had never quite managed to solve. He imagined it involved imbibing quite a bit of alcohol. Thankfully, most of the staff knew Meerika by now, and they usually took some steps to keep anyone especially... handsy... away from the quick-tempered redhead.<br/><br/>(Really, even Doryn didn't know what Meerika looked like under all of her armor, and he'd given up any real attempt to find out. Misteps with Hani notwithstanding, he<em>tried</em>not a mix business and pleasure, and every single member of his Honor Guard knew more of their Captain's dirty little secrets than even Hani did...)<br/><br/>"Mercedes, dear, fetch myself and my companion a table in the private section upstairs and then tell Hani that I'm here?" he says, lightly, following the barmaid as she lead the way to the second floor. He didn't actually have any buisness here tonight, of course, but he wasn't rude enough to enter Hani's house without letting his buisness partner know that he was here. After all, just because he'd not<em>planned</em>on doing any buisness didn't mean that business wouldn't end up being done. "Thank you, my dear, you are an angel as always."<br/><br/>The compliment, of course, was eased as it reaches the girl by a handful of silver.<br/><br/>"I'm really not, sirrah, but it's nice that you think so," Mercedes said, giving him a wink and then hurrying off. No doubt to find Hani.<br/><br/>Doryn just chuckled, putting his feet up on the table and leaning back in his chair, glancing around the inne's private balcony and getting a feel for whom all was here tonight.