Nights like these

Boisterous revelries erupted from the walls of the tavern, leaving Velkana's nerves frayed and unraveling. She had wanted to leave earlier, but when the band of mercenaries, with their weapons, grizzled features, and voluminous presence, entered the bar she found herself petrified and unable to move. Rather, she sank into the corner, hoping that her smaller frame would hide well enough behind the splintered table. "Heroes of the realm", they called themselves... it hadn't been the first time she had heard such a proclamation, but by the gods, she hoped it would be her last. Hocks weak, her chocolate eyes darted from the bright and excited group towards the door, hoping desperately something would preoccupy their attention long enough she could bolt for it.

Velkana didn't know them from any stranger, but it had been strangers before that had... she didn't want to think about it. With a flurry of her lashes she hoped to sweep the bad memories beneath a veil of cold and ice where she could lock it down deep below in her mind. She had to get out of here. It was feeling all too claustrophobic and warm... Just as she had made up her mind to just go for it, she felt her movement halted swiftly by an immediate panic, so that all she was able to accomplish was a swift lurch that left a tankard toppled and her table legs screeching.

Dread seeped into her core and a tremble started at her knees. The very thing she'd been trying to avoid had happened, and it had all been her fault. Her umber eyes couldn't lift from the table, where she stared into the woodgrain in hopes of it drowning away reality itself. Her wings had drawn in tightly to her body so that the taloned joints hooked at her heart. With a shuddering breath she found something, for it was not courage, that had brought her eyes up to look back into the bar.

Everyone around her seemed unphased by the noise, still deep into their glasses and distracted by conversation. What ice had started to frost along the ridge of her spine ceased its growth, and for a second Velkana thought she would remain unseen. That was, until a pale woman started to slink through the crowd towards her. The frost along her back bristled, and she felt the cold kiss of her iceborne magic at the edges of her wings. "Not here not here not here not here", her conscious screamed into the void, conjuring up images of flames and embers to stifle the oncoming cold.

Ana nearly missed that the woman had picked up her cup, seeing as her stare never left the stranger. While there was a smile on her face, and her eyes were soft, Velkana had learned long ago to never trust a smile. Her umber eyes remained locked on to the new face as the stranger made herself comfortable, asking if Ana was alright. Shrinking away, Velkana tried desperately to put as much distance between them but knew she could not flee from the table. Anyone could be after her... she had to try and remain calm. "Uh..." she muttered, eyes flitting around in a desperate search for something, anything to say. "Yea. Just... an accident."