(( Amthy, sorry for butchering the dialogue. I did this all from memory and had to make some crap up~ ))

The sun rose in Rhy'Din, as it always does. The farmers rose with it, tilling their soil and tending to animals. The new shift of the Watch came on duty, relieving tired and hungry men to go about their business. Jodiah Ayreg often rises with the sun, as well. Call it the old habits of an old soldier, but the death knight was not one to stay in his blankets past the early morning hours. He sat in the corner of the common room, hooded and cloaked to defend against the chill in the air -- the fire of the hearth was not yet lit, and it was bloody cold -- and smoked his pipe, and the rich tabac leaf crushed and pressed into its bowl.

The common room of the Red Dragon was quiet, peaceful, and serene.

Or, rather, it was. Am'thyst Oak burst from the kitchens around the same time Mykah and two children young enough to still be on leading strings came in through the front entrance. He pulled his cloak tighter about his figure, hiding in the early morning shadows.

Jodiah Ayreg did not like children.

The two women conversed with themselves, crooning over the brats for several minutes. Am'thyst picked one up into her arms, and set the boy on her hip. The scene attracted his attention, idle as he was. He was never one for eventually becoming a father himself, but even his cold heart could appreciate the look of a woman with a babe in her arms.

Just so long as it wasn't his.

The cloud of bluish-gray smoke hung in the air around the corner, tendrils creeping out to the rest of the common room. Am'thyst smelled it, of course, as Mykah did. With the child still on her arms, Am'thyst siezed a cup of water which, unfortunatly, someone had been using for an ashtray the night before, and walked over toward him.

"Is something on fire?" Am'thyst had asked.

He did not notice her, at first. Mykah was an attractive woman, grown in ways many women in Rhy'Din were not. He was cold of heart, but even Jodiah Ayreg could appreciate the rounded hips of a child-bearing woman.

It was not until the cup of water was flung at him did he truly notice Am'thyst. His hand shot up in a vain effort to protect himself from the rolling tide of putrid water, and his head turned to shield his face. There was a soft sizzle as his pipe was drenched, the tabac's burn snuffed and the leaf wasted. She turned and walked away.

Jodiah Ayreg rose to his feet, rage swelling up in his heart now. She saw him, belting out apologies and running back to him. A kerchief was withdrawn from her bodice, and Am'thyst began to attack him with quick dabs, drying inches at a time. His lips twitched, taking her slender wrist and pulling it away from him.

"I'm fine, thanks" he said, softly. Tara would likely skin him alive if he hurt this nymph, and he had no great desire to anger her until he had collected the price of the soulforged sword he was making her.

"Hey, I know you! You kissed Tara the other night!" she said in the melodic tunes of her kind. "I knew ya' loved her!"

His voice became flat, and cold. "I do not love her."

He tried to get away from her, but the dabbing kerchief attacked him again. Taking her wrist again, they spoke quietly for several minutes. Mostly it was Ayreg dodging her questions about this alleged love for Tara. For the most part, Ayreg wasn't paying attention -- merely looking for a way out.

"Kiss me.'

He blinked, stunned. Rewinding the words in his head, he tried to remember what got her to that point. "In my day, I made many a maiden swoon in my arms" came to his mind. If he could kick himself, he would.

"Maidens are virgins, so they likely couldn't tell if you were good or not. I have alot of experience with kissing, so I'll be the judge. Kiss me." her words came back to him, now, and he looked at her. She looked almost expectant.

"No."

Now she looked shocked. "Wha'..?"

"I said... no."

"Why?" she replied, as she poked him in the shoulder.

Ayreg tried to get away again, "Because I do not have time for kissing games."

"Why?" she replied, poking him again.

The nymph was truly infuriating. It continued on for several minutes like this, until at last the subject was changed. Though not for the better.

"Have you ever snuggled before? Felt the intimacy of it?"

"No, I have not, and I have no desire to st--" he was interrupted when she abruptly wedged herself into him, one arm wrapping around his back, the other resting against his chest. He blinked as she nuzzled her face into the hollow of his shoulder, and seemed to coo softly.

It was... nice. It had been far too long since he felt a warm body pressed up against him. Tara herself felt cold.

A single hand slid down between them, pushing lightly at her shoulder. His voice was soft, and the normally cold feel it had was muted. "Please... stop..."

"It's ok. I understand it hurts, especially if it's your first time." she was not to be swayed. Indeed, she seemed to snuggle harder against him. Jodiah had enough.

Pushing her back a bit more roughly than he had expected to, he pinned her back against the nearby wall. His mouth worked wordlessly as he tried to say something -- anything -- in response to her and her ways. Finally, though, he simply released her and turned, walking away.

"M' sorry" she said from behind him. He knew the look in her eyes when he pressed her back to the wall. It was the kind a deer might make when it sees you just before you take it down with an arrow. She looked hurt, in her own way, though not from any physical pain he might have inflicted on her.

He stopped at the door, and turned back to her. "Do not be sorry, girl. You have done nothing wrong."

He left the Red Dragon, then, moving down to the forge to get to work early. He hoped one of the gnomes brought today's cask of rum ,since he forgot to pick it up as he beat his hasty retreat. His mind worked furiously, wondering if those three harpies were conspiring together to torment him so. He idly wondered if Jewell would be next to ask him to kiss her.

Unknown to him, Am'thyst spoke to him as he left. Hushed whispers did not reach the death knight as he left the Inn, though.

"I'm sorry... you aren't ready yet."