“Near ‘bout,” Neil replied with a scoff. He thrust a hand, vaguely gesturing towards Adriano again. “‘Bout didn’t pay his meal tab either—ya don’t think I didn’t see ya ready to leave in a hurry. And now with your horse all tacked up? Pay up, I’ve got a family to feed.” Perhaps he hadn’t seen the papers yet.
Adriano relaxed from his wogue, though still visibly shaken. Especially when he heard the other voice. “Oh. No, I- I’m very sorry, sir. Here.” He fumbled around for some coins in his bag, then after counting as much as he needed, stepped out from hiding to give Neil the money. If just for a moment, he turned his glance over to Meghan.
Meghan almost chuckled at Neil's antics and gently patted the horse's neck, as if it wasn't completely unusual for him to chase after a patron or two. "Glad it wasn't more serious." she said with a small smile before looking over at the stranger. "I hate when those soldiers have to come through. All so important and make the rest of us feel… weak and pathetic." she admitted, assuming that he was just shaken up by their brief appearance. "Fortunately, it's few and far between when they actually come here…" her voice trailed off as she took in his face for that moment before finally recognizing him from the caricature on the wanted poster.
Her jaw almost dropped when she made the realization and tightly gripped the horse's reigns. "Why the sudden rush to leave?" she asked, hoping to delay him long enough for either someone else to recognize him or find a way to get him alone for a few minutes so she could… talk to him.
Neil took the money with a satisfied huff, and dipped his head to Meghan before turning on his heel. There were several other more pressing matters to attend to. The rushed business of running a tavern and all.
Adriano kept nodding along, even though he made a point to avoid looking straight at her. In a way, the royal guard was what had shaken him up. “Mhm, yes. Yes, they’re the worst.” He reached up to hold onto Fleur’s reins. His heart sank as he felt the tension, this stranger holding onto them too. He swallowed. Floundered for an answer to her question. “I, uhm, I realized I was late…for an appointment.”
Meghan barely acknowledged Neil leaving as she kept her eyes on the wanted man in front of her. “It’s nice to meet someone who isn't afraid to mention a shared dislike of those guards.” she commented, her face an impassive mask. “Most people believe they’ll be arrested for just thinking that way.” she said glancing around very briefly, not taking her hand off the horse's harness.
“I’d imagine it's a very important meeting. Someone special, perhaps?” she asked coyly as she brought the paper up discreetly so just the two of them would see it. “More influential than dealing with those soldiers, I'm sure.”
Adriano bit at the inside of his cheek. His hands went sweaty, fidgeting with the hem of his pants. Silently he begged her to let go of his horse, desperate to get away. He could dash away now. Slip between the buildings and disappear. “I suppose so,” he replied. The paper caught his attention and held it securely. His eyes, turning a bright yellow-green, widened. “Really, I have to go now.” As if he expected that would somehow convince her. He pulled at Fleur’s harness a bit tighter. “I-I need my horse. If you please.”
Meghan raised a brow at his rather miserable attempt to get her to let him leave. “Is that your best at persuasion?” she asked in disbelief. She shook her head slightly and looked at the picture again. “You know, I have a hard time believing these posters sometimes. They do so much to make the person looking intimidating… I mean, honestly, they could have at least drawn your eyes correctly.” she pointed out still making sure that no one else was around to listen. “Or just mentioned your unique eye color. That would be a much better way to make sure they found the right man, instead of the usual fear-mongering tactics.”
Adriano swallowed again. He never was the greatest at persuasion—never needed to be—until the skill suddenly seemed a desirable one to have. There wasn’t much to do other than stand stiffly while she continued to speak. On edge. Itching to escape. His gaze flicked back to her when she mentioned his eye color, and his breath hitched. Surely she was just talking about the bluish-green. Surely she couldn’t see the yellow. Though just in case, he craned his neck to check under the hem of her hood. “Grimm,” he snarled, fully woged except for those with a common eye. He let go of the reins and stumbled backwards, nearly tripping on his own feet.
Meghan’s eyes hardened when she saw the man turn into a white panther but managed to stand her ground. “Well, that's a new one.” she murmured to herself as she hadn't encountered this type of Wesen before. “Is that why they're looking for you? Or is there something more serious that I should know about before I make up my mind?” she asked firmly. Her heart racing as it always did when she dealt with these creatures. The thought that they could expose her or call her a witch always lingered in the back of her mind… But this time, almost felt like an impasse. Yes, he could still do either of those things but she could also expose him as the one the soldiers had been looking for.
Adriano remained speechless, wanting to say something, anything, but the words caught in his throat. His breath coming out in rattling huffs, chest heaving with each inhale. Obviously there was no talking himself out of this, he lacked the skills. He knew it would be unwise of him to fight a Grimm. Especially where everyone else in the village could see. He stood no chance. With everything else considered there was only a single option left. His gaze flicked over to Fleur, almost apologetically. I’ll come back for you. And with that silent promise he darted off between the buildings.
Meghan sighed when he ran, not completely surprised as it happened often when she met almost any Wesen. She was tempted to run after him but she wasn't dressed for a fight and she couldn't leave the horse out in the middle of the road. “Hey! If you want your horse, stop by my house! You can't miss it!” she called after him. “I’ll be waiting!” That last part may have sounded like a warning but she didn't care. She shook her head and lead the horse to the stable behind her home. “Your owner is a bit of a coward, isn't he? Assuming that he is your owner and he didn't steal you from the king or something.” she said gently to the animal. “Don’t worry, though. I can take care of you until we get things straightened out.”
Adriano stopped just behind the closest building once he realized the Grimm wasn’t following him. He leaned against the wall while he caught his breath, watching her lead Fleur away, just around the corner. Her house. She was taking Fleur to her house, she’d called. He retracted from his woge and lowered himself to sit on the ground. Just for a little while so he could gain some control over anxiety.
Then maybe no more than a few minutes later he pushed himself up, lowered his hat, and started towards the direction he saw the Grimm leave with his horse. Fortunately no-one stopped him while he crossed the road. He earned a few glances due to his earlier frenzy, but nothing more. Adriano followed the Grimm’s path to a stable behind one of the houses.
Meghan had spent her time waiting in the stable, removing the horse's gear as she wasn't sure when the supposed owner would return… Or if. It was hard to tell when people are that scared, though she hoped he would. She had a lot of questions for him.
“Well, that was fast.” she said, turning to face the stable door when she heard it creak open. It hadn't been fully closed, just enough to make some noise when someone else walked in. She had her hood down, as there was no point in hiding, and her arms crossed as she stood in front of the horse.
Adriano pushed through the stable door, frowning when he saw the Grimm again. He took another step forward. Far enough away to keep a several pace distance between them. As much as he wanted to, and as much as he tried, he couldn’t make himself have the semblance of anything but entirely uncomfortable. “I…I don’t know what sort of Grimm tactic you’re using. Or, or if you want a reward—“ he pulled the coin pouch out of his bag and held it out, “—you can have it. It’s probably more than they’d give out, anyway. I just need my horse. Please.” The pouch looked expensive, made out of a deep blue velvet.
Meghan let him keep the distance, keeping her face unemotional as she was still wary of him as well. “Pretty. But if I needed money, I would have turned you in the moment I recognized you from the picture.” she pointed out. “For all I know this horse might not even be yours. I could get a reward for returning her as well if that's the case. Besides, money can't give me what I really want.” she added softly, more to herself than to him. “Right now I only want answers from you. Depending on the answers and how much I believe them… I just might forget I saw you. For instance, what exactly are you? And what did you do that is so terrible you are wanted by the King?” she asked, starting with her two biggest questions.
Adriano lowered the pouch, then eventually tucked it back into his bag. She had a point; if she was after the money he might be in the hands of the Royal Guards by now. Maybe even dead. Still, Grimms were full of tricks and he’d do best to be cautious. “Answers,” he echoed, tapping a finger against the side of his leg impatiently. “Fine. I’m a Pflichttreue.” Without his mother he would have floundered at that question. The first time he woged he hadn’t been prepared, it hurt, and when he saw himself in the mirror the first word he thought was monster. “Secondly, I, uh…I don’t know how to answer that.” Not without explaining his royal identity, at least.
Meghan nodded thoughtfully at the new word, the specific name of this type of Wesen, but raised a brow at the second answer. On one hand, she had heard that royalty was strange and unpredictable so it wouldn't surprise her too much if they just needed a scapegoat and it just happened to be the man before her. Or he genuinely was dangerous. She didn't have any good experiences with Wesen, so she didn't have any reason to think otherwise… Yet. “Do you have a suspicion then, if you're not sure? You can't really expect me to believe that you're being hunted and don't know why.” she pointed out, almost bluffing as she still wanted a good reason.
Adriano’s gaze darted around the stable, taking note of the places he could climb to or escape just in case their conversation went south. He needed his horse in order to leave the village with any success. Every approach he could possibly take landed in a dead-end, with the Grimm predominantly the cause, standing all smug-like between him and Fleur. His attention flicked back to their discussion when she spoke. “Not really. I suspect they just don’t like Wesen, particularly one like me. Now can I please have my horse back?”
Meghan rolled her eyes a little as she noticed him looking around. “If you’re looking for a place to hide here, I know them all. I played in this stable a lot when I was a child.” she pointed out, trying to keep a… mostly civil conversation as she had a few more questions. She gave a half nod-half shrug at the possibility he offered, even if she thought it was a bit weak in her opinion. “I suppose I can understand that… Prejudice is… usually pretty unfair.” she said in a softer tone. “I guess that this horse either really is yours or just very valuable. I actually have a couple questions left; what’s your name and where you ran from? I know those are more personal but… I have a curious streak I can't always help.” she admitted with a faint blush.
Adriano’s gaze dropped to the ground when he realized he’d been noticed. “I figured.” He let out a sigh, long and defeated. At least she seemed to accept his answer, thankfully, as vague as it was. His weight shifted from foot to foot while he considered her comment. Prejudice was unfair, but it felt more complicated than the way the Grimm put it. It felt like betrayal, confusion, weighing down on his shoulders like a bag of rocks. “She’s mine. And very valuable to me, yes,” he replied flatly. Fleur wasn’t technically his own. If he had taken his own horse they both would have been more easily recognizable, and he couldn’t take that chance. “My, uh, my name’s Adriano. I can’t tell you where I’m running from.”
Meghan nodded at his answers, though she still felt like he was leaving something out… She sighed and decided to at least extend the same courtesy she just asked. “I’m Meghan.” she told him. “I would say it's nice to meet you but…” she shrugged, hinting at the complicated nature of him being wanted for treason as well as Wesen while she was a Grimm. Honestly, she couldn't blame him for not telling her where he was from. “Then where do you plan to hide? I don't think that the King or his soldiers will just leave you alone… No matter where you run.” she pointed out. Ironically, she was starting to think that the safest place for a Wesen “criminal”… was with someone they wouldn't expect.
Adriano shrugged back, and then a little nod to show he understood. It wasn’t exactly nice to meet a Grimm, but she, at least, seemed to be courteous enough. Thankfully she hadn’t asked anymore questions about his personal business. He appreciated that greatly. That and the somewhat pleasant conversation this seemed to be turning into. “I…I really don’t know.” He shrugged again at her question, rubbing his forearm with a hand. “Running is really the only thing I can do, as far and long as I can. Hope they eventually give up.” Eventually he needed to flee the country, find a place where it would take a while for the Royal Guard to think to look for him.
Meghan couldn't help but let out a short laugh at his idea. “I’m sorry… Is that really your plan?” she asked incredulously. “Do you have any idea how much influence the King has? Even outside the kingdom? Chances are you're not going to make it very far. Especially with the soldiers putting your face everywhere.” she pointed out. “No offense but I don't think you're going to make it, even if I hadn't stopped you.”
Adriano blinked, taken aback by her response. “I—“ he stammered. Of course he knew the King’s influence, but being raised amidst it all he didn’t really know the true affect it had. How far it really reached. He brought a hand up to the back of his neck, rubbing some of the tension away. Although it never really went away, not when he was being hunted like a fox. “I don’t exactly have any more options than to run. Staying in one place is just as much a death sentence as going from place to place.” Someone would always be bound recognize him from the papers. No matter what town he went to, or how long he stayed. The thought had him shrinking into himself.
Meghan sighed, shaking her head at his stubborn helpless attitude. It was understandable… and maybe her last comment didn't help much other than to point out something she thought was obvious. “If it weren't for those stupid posters, I'd offer to let you stay…” she muttered more to herself than him. Though she wasn't really sure WHY she said that. Maybe it was the kicked puppy expression and general demeanor he seemed to have. Aside from being a Wesen, he didn't trigger any warnings or immediate self-defense reflexes… Maybe he really was being made a scapegoat.
Adriano’s wave of hopelessness soon shifted into confusion. A Grimm willing to let him stay with her? Save for the wanted posters, of course. The idea that in a different situation he possibly could, it was almost too good to be true. All except for the fact was he was Wesen, and she was still a Grimm regardless of the decency she’d shown. He could never feel safe in her house. “Well. With those papers staying anywhere isn’t a good idea. Leaving isn’t either, but…” he trailed off, finishing his sentence off with a shrug.
Meghan nodded, understanding his point. “You’re really in a mess, aren't you?” she asked rhetorically. There had to be a way around this situation. It was weird wanting to help a Wesen. She normally just ended up scaring them off just by looking at them… Whether she wanted to or not. She figured it was probably just part of being a Grimm. “I could probably hide you here… Say you ran off after the soldiers left. No one ever really goes up to the loft.” she said just thinking of random ideas. “It wouldn't be hard to sneak you some food…”
Adriano blinked, eyes widening after. She was truly suggesting that she could help him? Not that he wanted the help from a Grimm, but after considering all angles of the position he was in, it wasn’t really a matter of whether he wanted the help. It was that he needed the help, and she seemed at least open to the idea. “I—ah—“ he stammered—“you would really do that?” There was always the chance that the Grimm was playing some trick. That she could call on the authorities to arrest him. But, then again, did he have any other choice otherwise? That was a hard no.
Adriano’s eyes widened when the Grimm began recounting…practically his entire life. There were some details missing, of course, but she was correct about all of it for the most part. “I—ah, yeah. Yeah that’s all right. Pretty much. How do you do that?” His gaze narrowed again. Not so much aggressively, but warily. Curious. Then again, how she read him like calligraphy wasn’t as important as the deal they were in the process of making. He shook his head, much like an animal would flinging off water. “No, never mind that. I mean, I swear I won’t attack anyone. I’m not…good at that anyway.”
Meghan smirked a little when his expression and words confirmed what she had said was correct. “It’s a Grimm thing, I guess.” she shrugged, answering his first question even though he brushed it away as irrelevant. She nodded when he agreed to her terms even though he did say what was most important to him… Honestly, she couldn't blame him for wanting to protect that since she assumed that was most likely what he was doing. “Good.” she consented as she held out her hand to finalize the agreement.
Adriano glanced down at her hand as if warily comforting other options before sealing a deal. As if he had any other options. It was a habit, perhaps, watching the happenings and deals made around the palace. One was never made impulsively or without thorough examination. Finally, he took her hand. Establishing their agreement. The terms didn’t even appear to be very difficult ones to follow through on. At least on Adriano’s side. He’d never been one to attack. Just hide and flee. “How do I know you won’t alert the Royal Guard? You have your insurance, and I want mine.”
