"I'll leave you to your soap. I've had enough suds for today but I'll gladly give you an all over massage when you're done," he grins. Goddard goes into his room and changes before he heads into the common room to wait and relax.
"Not before I knocked her on her ass," he mutters into his cup. "That Urian fellow doesn't hold back." Like Aara, he's covered in scrapes and bruises. "I don't like him."
She shrugs under his hands, a step away from putting. "He said it depends on what Harry knows. Could have something tomorrow, could be next week. We'll just have to check in."
She leans against him, sighing, when there's a knock at the door. "I got it," Two says, getting to his feet. "Stay as you are, you need a little extra care."
"Aren't you a breathtaking vision of luxury in repose," Tallyn tells her, eying the gaping front of her robe successively. His assistant looks at the floor respectively. "I'm willing to forget our business if you'd like to join me in your bedroom."
"We have business," he states. "I believe we're signing a contract."
"Yes, we are," Aara agrees. "But I prefer to conduct business fully dressed. Goddard, will you come help me with the buttons? I can't quite reach them."
"I'd change it for you, sweetheart," he calls. "For a night, at least."
She laughs and pulls her new purple dress from the closet. Simple but we'll made, it has small, light purple flowers and vines embroidered on the hem and collar. "I think it'll cover most of the bruises," she tells him as she slips into it and turns her back to Goddard, lifting her hair.
"If this wasn't about keeping a roof over our heads, I'd say damn the company and let him wait." She turns to face him and brushes her fingers against his jaw. "But we shouldn't get distracted."
She nods and steps back. "I know." She follows him into the common room. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she tells Tallyn with a smile as she sits. "What do you have for us?"
"Standard open end lease agreement. Rent covers meals and drinks at the bar- there is a limit there, but it's detailed here and not that important- laundry, room cleaning, and use of a private dining room once a week. Rent is five hundred gold a month, divided however you please among the four of you. Rafiq and Gath, being your retainers, are your responsibility. By signing you agree to these terms and whatever damages or charges they or yourselves may incur."
Aara looks over the paperwork he hands her. "This is...detailed."
"It needs to be, sweetheart. For all our protection. Now if you'll both sign here, my assistant will notarize this and we can move on to more...enjoyable activities."
"Hey I have one," Two argues. "You can use mine, Four."
Aara silently stares at the floor, and Tallyn lays her hand. "Decide what you'd like to do and come see me later." Gathering up his papers, he stands. "I'll see you all later."
Aara shifts through her memories, trying to remember a name she's heard only a handful of times. "It's not even in that book," she murmurs. My brother doesn't use it either...he took Siba's chosen name when they married.
Aara shakes her head and rests her chin on her fist, trying to remember her parents ever being called anything. Cut off from her world, she has no way of knowing.
"Don't be so glum," Two tells her. "What about that compress for my eye?"
"Hm? Oh, I'll have to look it up," she says, and goes to her room.
Two shakes his head. "It wasn't important in Araby. Besides, if what her brother told me is true she doesn't want to remember it anyway. Best let her have one of ours or make one up."
"One what?" Aara asks as she returns, her kit in one hand and her eyes on the open book in the other. "Nuur'eni I'm missing something, do you have it?" she asks, putting her kit down and pointing to her list.
"Gath doesn't want a nickname from me. Horrible isn't it?" He looks at her book and nods. "Let me go fish it out. I know I have that somewhere." Goddard wanders into his room, mumbling all the places he's storing various supplies in his room.
She says water to boil in a kettle over the fire and starts grinding herbs together. "You're fat too serious for a nickname," she says absently, focused on her work. "It makes sense."
"Thank you. And it doesn't count of it's true, hayati." She works quickly, lining a small linen pouch with leaves before adding the powdered herbs and pouring water over it in a bowl. "Let it cool just enough to put on your eye and hold it there until it's dried. I'll check it then."
Gath gets a cup of wine from the table and heads back into his room. He leaves the door open and Goddard can hear soft lute music. He sits by Aara with a contented sigh. "Need me to get anything else for you or do anything for you? To you?" he grins.
"Just want to relax with your book?" Goddard kisses her temple and closes his eyes. "The nightmares aren't so bad in this place," he says softly. "Maybe they'll actually go away one day."
"That sounds lovely." Closing her eyes, Aara leans back for a long relaxing soak.
ReplyDeleteTwo is I'm the common room when Goddard enters, pouring wine to the brim of his cup and grumbling.
"Aw what's wrong Two? Did she beat you into the ground?" Goddard snickers.
ReplyDelete"Not before I knocked her on her ass," he mutters into his cup. "That Urian fellow doesn't hold back." Like Aara, he's covered in scrapes and bruises. "I don't like him."
ReplyDelete"Because he stomped you," Goddard nods. "I don't think he'd want Aara to beat him a second time."
ReplyDeleteHe shakes his head. "No...something else. Can't put my finger on it. Just don't."
ReplyDelete"Don't what?" Aara asks, tightening the dash on her robe.
"Two doesn't like your sparring buddy," Goddard chuckles. "I think he may be jealous."
ReplyDelete"Urian? Why not?" she asks, putting a hand on his arm. "Oh that eye is bad. I'll make a compress for it."
ReplyDelete"I am not jealous. I just don't like him."
She laughs. "Don't worry, habibi, I won't let him pick on you."
"Oh that's even better than jealousy."
ReplyDeleteThe door clicks and Gath walks in. "Hello Gath," Goddard says cheerfully. "Productive day?"
Gath shrugs and heads toward his room, absentmindedly ruffling Goddard's hair as he walks by.
Two makes a rude gesture at them, making Aara laugh.
ReplyDelete"Oh," Goddard moves to sit by Aara and gently rubs her shoulders. "I was supposed to take care of you."
ReplyDeleteShe instantly sags against him, hiding a wince as her muscles protest. "That feels nice," she sighs.
ReplyDelete"And no Two, I will not rub your shoulders too. I know you want to ask."
ReplyDeleteTwo grumbles something offensive and drains his cup.
ReplyDelete"I'm sure that was rude and you don't mean it," Aara sighs pleasantly.
Two barks out a laugh. "Ok Four."
"So, when do we start our more 'glamorous' job? Tomorrow?"
ReplyDeleteShe shrugs under his hands, a step away from putting. "He said it depends on what Harry knows. Could have something tomorrow, could be next week. We'll just have to check in."
ReplyDeleteGoddard sighs. "I suppose I'll clean dishes until we get our first job and then Sunny will have to find someone else to boss around."
ReplyDeleteShe leans against him, sighing, when there's a knock at the door. "I got it," Two says, getting to his feet. "Stay as you are, you need a little extra care."
ReplyDelete"Aren't you a breathtaking vision of luxury in repose," Tallyn tells her, eying the gaping front of her robe successively. His assistant looks at the floor respectively. "I'm willing to forget our business if you'd like to join me in your bedroom."
"Watch your eyes Sunny," Goddard snorts. "What do you want?"
ReplyDelete"We have business," he states. "I believe we're signing a contract."
ReplyDelete"Yes, we are," Aara agrees. "But I prefer to conduct business fully dressed. Goddard, will you come help me with the buttons? I can't quite reach them."
"I'll help," Tallyn volunteers.
"Is your name Goddard? No," he snickers and follows Aara.
ReplyDelete"I'd change it for you, sweetheart," he calls. "For a night, at least."
ReplyDeleteShe laughs and pulls her new purple dress from the closet. Simple but we'll made, it has small, light purple flowers and vines embroidered on the hem and collar. "I think it'll cover most of the bruises," she tells him as she slips into it and turns her back to Goddard, lifting her hair.
"If we didn't have company, I wouldn't bother doing these buttons." He kisses her neck before he reaches the final button. "There. All done."
ReplyDelete"If this wasn't about keeping a roof over our heads, I'd say damn the company and let him wait." She turns to face him and brushes her fingers against his jaw. "But we shouldn't get distracted."
ReplyDelete"Plenty of time for that later. Let's not keep him waiting. We don't want to deal with a grumpy Sunny."
ReplyDeleteShe nods and steps back. "I know." She follows him into the common room. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she tells Tallyn with a smile as she sits. "What do you have for us?"
ReplyDelete"Standard open end lease agreement. Rent covers meals and drinks at the bar- there is a limit there, but it's detailed here and not that important- laundry, room cleaning, and use of a private dining room once a week. Rent is five hundred gold a month, divided however you please among the four of you. Rafiq and Gath, being your retainers, are your responsibility. By signing you agree to these terms and whatever damages or charges they or yourselves may incur."
Aara looks over the paperwork he hands her. "This is...detailed."
"It needs to be, sweetheart. For all our protection. Now if you'll both sign here, my assistant will notarize this and we can move on to more...enjoyable activities."
"So...they are like our pets?" Goddard chuckles. "It all looks fine to me if it looks fine to you lecai."
ReplyDeleteShe nods and takes the pen from Tallyn before signing her name neatly and handing it to Goddard.
ReplyDeleteGoddard's signature is a mess of circles and loops that might look like his name if you squinted hard enough. "There."
ReplyDeleteTallyn takes it from him and looks it over. "Aara, you forgot your last name," he reminds her, handing it back.
ReplyDeleteShe flushes and looks down at her hands, forming a mudra. "I, uh, don't have one..."
"Just use his if you must," Otto says, walking into the room. "Goddard's the only one that has one at this point."
ReplyDelete"Father," Goddard mumbles. "Shouldn't you be...doing...dragon things?"
"Hey I have one," Two argues. "You can use mine, Four."
ReplyDeleteAara silently stares at the floor, and Tallyn lays her hand. "Decide what you'd like to do and come see me later." Gathering up his papers, he stands. "I'll see you all later."
"Yeah?" Otto says, hopping up onto the back of a chair and looking at Two. "And what was it?"
ReplyDeleteTwo puffs his chest out proudly. "My name is Rafiq El'Hasheem. It is a good, proud name."
ReplyDelete"Hmm interesting," Otto nods.
ReplyDelete"I'd take yours if you'd ever tell me," Goddard pouts.
"Yours has saved you more than once. Shut up."
Aara shifts through her memories, trying to remember a name she's heard only a handful of times. "It's not even in that book," she murmurs. My brother doesn't use it either...he took Siba's chosen name when they married.
ReplyDelete"Don't worry about it lecai. I'm sure he won't bother you with that again."
ReplyDelete"Maybe...Do you think last names are important here? I never really considered it before."
ReplyDeleteTwo walks over and puts a hand on her shoulder. "We'll talk about it later. It'll be all right, Aara."
"I think it's just Tallyn being all about business. He seems a little obsessed."
ReplyDelete"Aren't we all obsessed over something?" Otto says.
"This is his living, he'd be a fool not to be," Two says.
ReplyDelete"You'll see what I mean when your elf side takes over and then you'll find that thing that makes you snap. Like father with chocolate."
ReplyDelete"Chocolate? Where? I haven't had any in maybe a day."
Aara shakes her head and rests her chin on her fist, trying to remember her parents ever being called anything. Cut off from her world, she has no way of knowing.
ReplyDelete"Don't be so glum," Two tells her. "What about that compress for my eye?"
"Hm? Oh, I'll have to look it up," she says, and goes to her room.
"I didn't think that was something that bothered her. First the tattoos, now this?"
ReplyDeleteTwo shakes his head. "It wasn't important in Araby. Besides, if what her brother told me is true she doesn't want to remember it anyway. Best let her have one of ours or make one up."
ReplyDeleteGoddard nods. "It can be something that's all her own. No matter what she picks, it would have been her choice and hopefully she'll feel proud of it."
ReplyDelete"Hey," Otto says to Gath when he steps out of his room. "What was your last name?"
Gath tilts his head and look at Two and Goddard. "What's this about?"
"Four doesn't have one to sign on the contract," Two explains. "We were just talking about them."
ReplyDeleteGath crosses his arms. "Only because the dragon asked...it was Khael'las but I dropped it years ago. If anyone else asks, I don't have one."
ReplyDelete"I get the blood part," Goddard says, "but sun?"
Gath shoots Goddard a dirty look. "I swear if you start calling me sunny..."
Goddard laughs and shakes his head.
"Names are a strange thing," he chuckles.
ReplyDelete"That they are. I don't have a nickname for you Gath. Sorry," Goddard chuckles.
ReplyDelete"Oh no, that's perfectly fine kuyash, I don't really want one from you."
"One what?" Aara asks as she returns, her kit in one hand and her eyes on the open book in the other. "Nuur'eni I'm missing something, do you have it?" she asks, putting her kit down and pointing to her list.
ReplyDelete"Gath doesn't want a nickname from me. Horrible isn't it?" He looks at her book and nods. "Let me go fish it out. I know I have that somewhere." Goddard wanders into his room, mumbling all the places he's storing various supplies in his room.
ReplyDeleteShe says water to boil in a kettle over the fire and starts grinding herbs together. "You're fat too serious for a nickname," she says absently, focused on her work. "It makes sense."
ReplyDeleteGoddard returns with what Aara needs. "Then what does it mean that he gave me a nickname?" Goddard smiles. "He can't be too serious."
ReplyDelete"Thank you. And it doesn't count of it's true, hayati." She works quickly, lining a small linen pouch with leaves before adding the powdered herbs and pouring water over it in a bowl. "Let it cool just enough to put on your eye and hold it there until it's dried. I'll check it then."
ReplyDeleteTwo sniffs the bowl and frowns. "It stinks."
Goddard frowns. "So lecai doesn't count? Hmmm..."
ReplyDelete"Now you're being clever," she says with a smile. Sitting back, she puts her feet on the couch and rests her book on her knees and flips through it.
ReplyDeleteGath gets a cup of wine from the table and heads back into his room. He leaves the door open and Goddard can hear soft lute music. He sits by Aara with a contented sigh. "Need me to get anything else for you or do anything for you? To you?" he grins.
ReplyDeleteSlipping under his arm, she smiles. "While I wouldn't say no to having your bruise cream slathered all over me, this is nice."
ReplyDelete"Just want to relax with your book?" Goddard kisses her temple and closes his eyes. "The nightmares aren't so bad in this place," he says softly. "Maybe they'll actually go away one day."
ReplyDelete"Mmm. Mine haven't let up yet, but they've never been as bad as yours."
ReplyDelete"Mmm. Mine haven't let up yet, but they've never been as bad as yours."
ReplyDelete