Aara pauses at the door, looking from the hardwood hallway to the plush carpet. "Hey Two...grab a sheet," she tells him and backs into a corner in the hall.
Goddard looks over to her, confused for a moment, before he realizes what she may be trying to do. "Oh! The sand? I guess we shouldn't track a whole desert inside."
She rolls her eyes and holds up another sheet for Two, who strips down and casually wraps it around his waist, knitting it securely.
"Your turn, Four," Two says tiredly, holding up her sheet high enough that she can't be seen at all. Tired as he is, he winks at Goddard and drops a corner.
"If you peek at me I will gouge out your eyes with my bare hands," Aara tells him. After a minute she emerges from behind it, artfully wrapped in a sheet. "There's sand everywhere," she says with a sigh.
She slips behind the sheet and helps shake the sand from his clothes and brush it from his hair. "It clings to you like nothing I've ever seen," she laughs.
She lets him pull her in, tugging on the ball pull as she passes it so the staff can get their laundry. "You go get the bath started," she tells him. "I'm going to run one for Gath."
She walks to the bathroom Two and Gath share so Goddard doesn't see that his words bother her. "I wouldn't do anything to him," she mutters to herself as she runs a hot bath.
Humming to herself, she tossed in salts to ease muscles, oil to soothe skin, and sets a large towel on the rack to warm while the tub fills.
As If I'd do anything to Gath...I feel I've been absurdly calm and adult about this whole thing. Whether or not I like him is irrelevant. When the tub is mostly full, she turns off the water and heads for her own bathroom.
"Ah there you are," Goddard smiles. "I didn't put any oil in yet. I thought you could pick what you wanted."
Finally out of his sandy clothing and wrapped in a towel, Gath gathers up his armor. "I'm going to be picking sand out of this for days," he mumbles. "Do you need help with any of this? They seem to have left us alone to deal with the sand."
Goddard quickly moves behind Aara and wraps his arms around her, pressing his face into the between her neck and shoulder, making a growling sound.
Gath leaves his armor and clothing in his room before entering the bathroom. He looks at the hot bath already drawn and blinks a few times in surprise. "What is this?" He walks around the bathroom, looking for anything suspicious or any signs of who set the bath up and why.
"Easily remedied," Goddard says, quickly dropping the sheet.
Maybe this was him. Gath shakes his head. No no. He wouldn't do that. Not in front of her. he rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. I bet she did it for him. That's the only thing that makes sense. Gath walks back out into the hallway. "Two?"
"It's already done," he tells him, poking his head into the bath. After a second he shrugs and comes back. "That's not mine. She's have poured something smelly in it like musk or sandalwood. Go take it, I don't mind the sand." He wiggled his toes and looks down at them, grinning. "I kind of like it."
"That doesn't make any sense," Gath mumbles. Maybe he asked and she said it was alright? That thought makes him more annoyed than he thought it would or should, but Gath has had enough of this sand and goes back to the bath room to climb into the water.
Two stretches out on the floor, hands behind his head, and generally admired the day. Not so hard work, a generous pay. Damn, look at that muscle tone...Kryn is one lucky lady to get all this...I should buy Four something nice...
Gath doesn't want to be in the water as long as he has been, but every time he thinks he's gotten the last grain of sand off, he finds more. I blame this hair... Once he's satisfied, he dries off, gets dressed, and heads into the common room to get some wine and relax.
"I was about to skin myself in an effort to feel normal. Thankfully, it didn't have to come to that." Gath pours himself a cup of wine and lounges in an arm chair. "At least the job paid well. Incredibly well."
Two grins and climbs to his feet. "Yes it did. I'm going to enjoy spending a little of it."
As he passes Gath on the way to his own bath, he almost claps him on the shoulder but second guesses it. He - or Aara - might rip my hand off...can't get too friendly.
What is one supposed to do with all of that money? Gath takes a sip of wine. I could buy wine. But that's a given. And I won't have enough space for the amount I could buy. I have armor and weapons. I suppose I'll just save it.
Aara and Two are equally meticulous in their sand removal, however different their methods. It isn't long before Two returns to the common room, dressed in deep green pants, a clean shirt, and a knee length green jacket heavy with embroidery. "Do you want to come out tonight?" he asks Gath, picking up a pear. "It will be Kryn and I, but we don't have anything planned."
Aara giggles and pushes her hair from her face. "I told you I could hold my breath."
"A play actually doesn't sound so bad," Gath says thoughtfully. "Don't expect me to be some entertaining ball of fun though and if you decide I've ruined your fun, you have no one else but yourself to blame."
"You have no idea how much I appreciate that," Goddard grins. "Or maybe you can tell."
Two chuckles. "Just be your usual charming self. I'm sure we'll have a good time."
Aara runs some oil between her hands and rubs his ears gently. "You got a little sun," she tells him, sliding into his lap for better reach as she moves down to massage his neck.
Two puts a white turban with a green brooch on his head, adjusting it in the mirror. "I am a riot of laughter," he says just as flatly. "I'll let them know we're leaving."
"Mmhmm, a little," she whispers in his ear as her slick hands slide down his back. "But nowhere it'll really matter," she adds, shifting a little.
On the way to meet with Kryn, Two buys a bunch of pink and white flowers. "She will be excited to see me," he tells Gath, "but once she knows I am unhurt she will be less enthusiastic."
Two frowns. "I do not think you druchii understand romance. Not even slightly. You're supposed to make your lover feel special, not...whatever druchii feel about each other."
"It doesn't matter what it is. The point is you see something and think of her."
They arrive at a pretty little cafe with white iron trim scrolling along the top and lace curtains in the windows. Leading him inside, Two pauses when he sees Kryn behind the counter, aggressively kneading and punching dough. He takes in the sight of her a moment, flour smudged in her cheek and an old apron over her pretty blue dress and sighs.
"A little messy," he says, "and when I've been very good, a little of both."
He leans over the counter and calls out in Arabyan, making her look up and run to him. "Rafiq!" she squeals, ripping off her flour covered apron in time to jump into his arms. "Rafiq you're here! You're safe! You're unhurt!"
Two chuckles, closing his eyes and squeezing her tightly. "Easy, my little elf," he laughs, setting her on her feet.
Two presents her with the flowers, making her smile in delight and kiss him deeply. "All right, all right," he laughs. "More of that later, sweetling. You know Gath?"
Shining with happiness, Kryn turns to him, seeing Gath for the first time. "Not exactly..." she says. "I mean, I know who you are, but we haven't actually met," she explains, holding out a hand to him.
"I tend to...keep to myself," Gath says, taking her hand. Everyone else seems to kiss their hands, but Two is right here. Is that even appropriate? He nods and gives her hand a gentle squeeze and a pat before pulling it away and casually crossing his arms.
She gives him a warm smile. "All right." She calls out to her mother as they head for the door.
Two hails a carriage for them and she talks animatedly with Gath about the play, giving him a short history of the story so he won't feel lost at the beginning. "Some human wrote it," she adds, "about his own world. But it's still very good."
She shrugs. "They just don't know any better, but to remind them is insulting. They can't help they only have a hundred years, and most of that is wasted on childhood and old age."
Gath tries to picture the oldest human he's met. The world they are all from was obviously far more harsh than this world and probably other worlds around it.
"Rafi, don't humans love about a hundred years in your world?"
Two chuckles. "Not exactly, my love. My Ustadh lived to be eighty seven, I believe, and he was the oldest human I've ever known. Most get...what? Fifty?" he asks Gath. "Maybe into their sixties."
Two starts to speak, but a sharp look from Kryn silences him. "That's all right," she says instead. "We aren't all lucky enough to be in complete control of our destinies."
The carriage stops at a small theater, and Two lifts her down, lowering her slowly so he can kiss her as he does.
On her feet, she smacks his chest. "Go fetch us wine," she orders, looking her arm through Gath's. "Your friend can walk me inside."
"They both can be reckless. Her more than him, if that makes you feel any better. But they make it through everything together. Plus, my lord wouldn't let anything happen to him either. For her. You don't have to worry about Two."
She changes their direction, stopping for more wine and giggling as she gets drunker. Two, ever the considerate lover, gives Gath his and keeps his eye on her.
"I wish Four would get this kind of drunk instead of getting stupid," he mutters.
"I don't know...I hear Four likes to start barfights. Big ones where five men beat the crap out of her. Hey, Kryn, get off of the fountain...your feet will get wet and..." They hear a small splash and Two's voice drops. "...And I have to carry you home."
Two nods. "I think blacking your eye was the only time she'll ever raise a hand to you. She's trying hard to rein in her temper. At least to you and Sheik."
"See that's it: when she finally pries open that damn mouth and says what's really under her skin, they do. Or at least work it out. But she's afraid of denying him anything, so the idiot keeps it to herself until it burns her." He sighs and shakes his head with a smile, watching Kryn drink wine and dance in the fountain.
Two shrugs. "And she does whatever he wants. Doesn't mean they can't fight about it. Until Sheik she only ever trusted one person -not even her prince, mind you- and he had the gall to die. Changing that goes against her grain, and when she gets uncomfortable she fights. That's why she insists we train so much."
"You're getting there," he chuckles. "Trusting is hard for her. She was never close enough to tell anyone her secrets, and she had to be distant with her prince. So when someone gets through that wall around her walls, it puts her in fight or flight mode. And Sheik has requested she not disappear," he adds ironically.
"Then my feet will be wet, sweetling." He turns back to Gath with a shrug. "The long and short of it is she's afraid to like you. And if you tell her I said that she'll castrate me."
"She killed his father- or thought she did. Had a huge fight and They didn't even speak for weeks. Damaged every bit of trust they had. They were just getting to speaking terms when he came across you."
"Like I said, things were improving between them. When I chose to follow her, I made some nonsense speech about being a hero and stuff, but in truth she was so lonely and sad without him I couldn't help it." He heard another splash and sees that Kryn has dropped her wine in the water. "She was convinced they couldn't repair what she'd broken, and it ate at her like an ulcer."
Two laughs loudly. "True enough, when you can convince her to use it. Wait, no Kryn-" He breaks off in a sigh. "This is why her father doesn't like me."
She raises her eyebrows and looks extremely confident. "Wet shoes cause blisters, and blisters cause unhappy bakers. But I know what you need nonetheless."
Two chuckles. "No need. She knows who loves her best." Kryn squeals as he nuzzles her neck. "We'll go to the tavern. Drink a little, gamble a little, and see what happens."
Gath chuckles. "And my lord said she wasn't a mind reader. We can't play cards then," he says, shaking his head. "I can't be certain you wouldn't be cheating."
She laughs with him. "Really sweet things, you aren't particular otherwise? But what's remarkable is how much confusion you feel when her name is mentioned...you don't like her very much, do you? And him," she giggles. "Don't worry, duckling, I won't tell."
"Talking to Two can get you all kinds of information. I suppose I do go overboard with the sugar in my tea or coffee. I'm sure that's an amusing thing to tell anyone about someone like me. As for her, we don't get along. Two's very close with her. I would be surprised if that wasn't mentioned in passing conversation. As for him, I assume you mean my lord? I'm his retainer. I'm sure there are stories Two could tell about that as well as him being a retainer." He crosses his arms and gives her a stern look. "And really? Duckling?"
She grins. "Rafi doesn't really talk about you. He doesn't seem to know anything." She frowns up at Two. "And don't you go feeling irritated with me, you pompous thing. Why don't you get along? Is she cruel or condescending to you? She didn't strike me that way."
"I never cared much for humans and I assume she doesn't like me because my lord lusts after me and everyone else really. But because I'm around all the time, she particularly dislikes me." Gath looks around at the buildings, trying to spot a tavern. "If it were just a five second thing and she never saw me again, she might be alright. She's very jealous. Violently so."
"She hasn't been violent recently. That doesn't mean she still isn't or won't be in the future, or is violent in her mind and just won't take action." Gath snorts. "Why would I talk to her about it? And Two doesn't even think it exists. Where is this tavern? I need so much more wine right now..."
"Oh! Get me the pink wine," she tells Two as soon as he sets her down. "I see someone and want to go say hello." With a quick kiss, she's off in a swirl of damp skirts.
Shaking his head, he waves a waiter over. "I'm sorry about that," he tells Gath. "She gets carried away if she gets anything clear."
Gath shrugs. "If someone likes the food enough and hasn't been disappointed by anything yet, she could give them anything and I'm sure they'd take it. Or they just get flustered looking at her and don't care what she gave them..."
"She knows of two instances where he did a lot more than that. And she didn't kill anyone over it, or get upset. Well she killed that one druchii but she was going to kill him..."
Aara pauses at the door, looking from the hardwood hallway to the plush carpet. "Hey Two...grab a sheet," she tells him and backs into a corner in the hall.
ReplyDeleteGoddard looks over to her, confused for a moment, before he realizes what she may be trying to do. "Oh! The sand? I guess we shouldn't track a whole desert inside."
ReplyDelete"Probably not," she chuckles.
ReplyDeleteTwo gets a sheet from a nearby closet. "You first or me?" he asks. If she's covered in sand, Two looks like he was rolled in glue and dipped in it.
"Um, you," she decides, taking the sheet and putting it on the floor. "Stand there and I'll get another."
While she does that, he strips down to his pants, trying to keep the sand on the sheet.
"Oh, this'll be fun," Goddard says, grinning at Aara.
ReplyDeleteShe rolls her eyes and holds up another sheet for Two, who strips down and casually wraps it around his waist, knitting it securely.
ReplyDelete"Your turn, Four," Two says tiredly, holding up her sheet high enough that she can't be seen at all. Tired as he is, he winks at Goddard and drops a corner.
"If you peek at me I will gouge out your eyes with my bare hands," Aara tells him. After a minute she emerges from behind it, artfully wrapped in a sheet. "There's sand everywhere," she says with a sigh.
"Makes you miss home, doesn't it?" Two quips.
"A little," she laughs.
"My turn," Goddard says. "If I stay like this any longer, I might die."
ReplyDeleteAara laughs and hands him a sheet of his own. "Need help, hayati?" she teased.
ReplyDelete"Do you even need to ask? I'd never pass up a moment to have your hands all over me."
ReplyDeleteShe slips behind the sheet and helps shake the sand from his clothes and brush it from his hair. "It clings to you like nothing I've ever seen," she laughs.
ReplyDeleteGoddard begins to remove his clothes, remembering he's supposed to be removing sand. He carefully shakes off what sand he can.
ReplyDelete"You're going to need a bath," she laughs, trying to help. "And maybe some oils, you're skin is so dry."
ReplyDelete"Oh, almost drowning in that sand appears to be completely worth is...as long as you're a part of all of this."
ReplyDelete"I promise to make it worth it," she murmurs, running her fingernails across his scalp to dislodge more sand.
ReplyDelete"Hurry up," Gath interrupts. "You can do that someplace else while I take this armor off."
ReplyDeleteAara giggles and pokes her head out from behind. "Yes, sir," she says with a silly salute before disappearing again to wrap Goddard in his sheet.
ReplyDelete"Two hold the sheet for Gath," she orders.
Gath moves behind the sheet and begins removing his armor, bit by bit, dusting the sand off.
ReplyDeleteGoddard pulls Aara toward the door. "Let's get started on all of the fun stuff you mentioned."
She lets him pull her in, tugging on the ball pull as she passes it so the staff can get their laundry. "You go get the bath started," she tells him. "I'm going to run one for Gath."
ReplyDeleteGoddard looks at her, surprised then laughs. "Don't turn the water to acid or anything similar. Maybe gelatin? That won't melt him."
ReplyDeleteShe makes a vulgar gesture and sticks her tongue out. "I am not an ass."
ReplyDelete"I know you're not. But he is and invites pranks like that and as funny as it might be, it may be best to leave him alone. For now."
ReplyDeleteShe walks to the bathroom Two and Gath share so Goddard doesn't see that his words bother her. "I wouldn't do anything to him," she mutters to herself as she runs a hot bath.
ReplyDeleteGoddard goes into their bathroom and gets a hot bath running. "I hope she's not doing anything crazy," he sighs.
ReplyDeleteHumming to herself, she tossed in salts to ease muscles, oil to soothe skin, and sets a large towel on the rack to warm while the tub fills.
ReplyDeleteAs If I'd do anything to Gath...I feel I've been absurdly calm and adult about this whole thing. Whether or not I like him is irrelevant. When the tub is mostly full, she turns off the water and heads for her own bathroom.
"Ah there you are," Goddard smiles. "I didn't put any oil in yet. I thought you could pick what you wanted."
ReplyDeleteFinally out of his sandy clothing and wrapped in a towel, Gath gathers up his armor. "I'm going to be picking sand out of this for days," he mumbles. "Do you need help with any of this? They seem to have left us alone to deal with the sand."
Two shakes his head. "I've got it, but thanks. Go clean up, it doesn't bother me."
ReplyDeleteAara grins and dumps a generous amount of salt and jasmine oil before letting her sheet drop slowly, watching Goddard over her shoulder.
Goddard quickly moves behind Aara and wraps his arms around her, pressing his face into the between her neck and shoulder, making a growling sound.
ReplyDeleteGath leaves his armor and clothing in his room before entering the bathroom. He looks at the hot bath already drawn and blinks a few times in surprise. "What is this?" He walks around the bathroom, looking for anything suspicious or any signs of who set the bath up and why.
Aara laughs softly, leaning against him. "You're still in your sheet," she says softly.
ReplyDelete"Easily remedied," Goddard says, quickly dropping the sheet.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this was him. Gath shakes his head. No no. He wouldn't do that. Not in front of her. he rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. I bet she did it for him. That's the only thing that makes sense. Gath walks back out into the hallway. "Two?"
Two pauses ruffling his hair. "Yeah?"
ReplyDeleteAara laughs and slips in the water. "How fortunate for you I know all the best ways to get rid of sand..."
"I'll clean up," Gath says. "Apparently a bath was set up for you already. I'm pretty sure that was her doing."
ReplyDelete"I am in luck," Goddard grins, climbing in after her. "In more ways than one..."
"It's already done," he tells him, poking his head into the bath. After a second he shrugs and comes back. "That's not mine. She's have poured something smelly in it like musk or sandalwood. Go take it, I don't mind the sand." He wiggled his toes and looks down at them, grinning. "I kind of like it."
ReplyDelete"Maybe she's making you pour it yourself," Gath suggests.
ReplyDeleteTwo shrugs and goes to her bedroom, knocking on the bathroom door. "Four! Did you make me a bath?"
ReplyDeleteAara grimaces at the door. "No you lazy camel!"
He looks at Gath and shrugs again. "I'm a lazy camel who has to make his own."
"That doesn't make any sense," Gath mumbles. Maybe he asked and she said it was alright? That thought makes him more annoyed than he thought it would or should, but Gath has had enough of this sand and goes back to the bath room to climb into the water.
ReplyDeleteTwo stretches out on the floor, hands behind his head, and generally admired the day. Not so hard work, a generous pay. Damn, look at that muscle tone...Kryn is one lucky lady to get all this...I should buy Four something nice...
ReplyDeleteGath doesn't want to be in the water as long as he has been, but every time he thinks he's gotten the last grain of sand off, he finds more. I blame this hair... Once he's satisfied, he dries off, gets dressed, and heads into the common room to get some wine and relax.
ReplyDelete"Did you check for mites?" Two asks, looking between his toes and drinking. "Feel better?"
ReplyDelete"I was about to skin myself in an effort to feel normal. Thankfully, it didn't have to come to that." Gath pours himself a cup of wine and lounges in an arm chair. "At least the job paid well. Incredibly well."
ReplyDeleteTwo grins and climbs to his feet. "Yes it did. I'm going to enjoy spending a little of it."
ReplyDeleteAs he passes Gath on the way to his own bath, he almost claps him on the shoulder but second guesses it. He - or Aara - might rip my hand off...can't get too friendly.
What is one supposed to do with all of that money? Gath takes a sip of wine. I could buy wine. But that's a given. And I won't have enough space for the amount I could buy. I have armor and weapons. I suppose I'll just save it.
ReplyDeleteAara and Two are equally meticulous in their sand removal, however different their methods. It isn't long before Two returns to the common room, dressed in deep green pants, a clean shirt, and a knee length green jacket heavy with embroidery. "Do you want to come out tonight?" he asks Gath, picking up a pear. "It will be Kryn and I, but we don't have anything planned."
ReplyDeleteAara giggles and pushes her hair from her face. "I told you I could hold my breath."
Gath refills his cup. "And what am I supposed to do? Watch you two be glued to each other?"
ReplyDeleteGoddard leans his head back. "That is the best use of breath holding I have ever seen."
Two laughs. "We are not them," he says. "We could go see a play, or go gambling. Come with us. Get out of here and drink somewhere else."
ReplyDeleteShe snickers and pours more water over his chest. "I take pride in being thorough."
"A play actually doesn't sound so bad," Gath says thoughtfully. "Don't expect me to be some entertaining ball of fun though and if you decide I've ruined your fun, you have no one else but yourself to blame."
ReplyDelete"You have no idea how much I appreciate that," Goddard grins. "Or maybe you can tell."
Two chuckles. "Just be your usual charming self. I'm sure we'll have a good time."
ReplyDeleteAara runs some oil between her hands and rubs his ears gently. "You got a little sun," she tells him, sliding into his lap for better reach as she moves down to massage his neck.
"So funny," Gath says flatly.
ReplyDelete"Did I burn? I'd be surprised if I didn't," Goddard mumbles, unable to focus on anything except her touch.
Two puts a white turban with a green brooch on his head, adjusting it in the mirror. "I am a riot of laughter," he says just as flatly. "I'll let them know we're leaving."
ReplyDelete"Mmhmm, a little," she whispers in his ear as her slick hands slide down his back. "But nowhere it'll really matter," she adds, shifting a little.
"Four! We're leaving!"
Gath finishes off his wine and gets to his feet.
ReplyDeleteGoddard smiles. "I see. Well that's good." He hears Two and shakes his head. "I'm not sure how Kryn can deal with him."
"He adores her, that's how."
ReplyDeleteOn the way to meet with Kryn, Two buys a bunch of pink and white flowers. "She will be excited to see me," he tells Gath, "but once she knows I am unhurt she will be less enthusiastic."
"Not as much as I adore you..."
ReplyDelete"Flowers? Won't they just wither? What's the point?" Gath asks.
"Can't blame him for trying," she laughs.
ReplyDeleteTwo shrugs, but a dopey grin spreads across his face. "They make her smile. That's reason enough."
"So even a stupid, pointless, and temporary gift can make someone smile?"
ReplyDelete"Sometimes they are the best gifts to make someone smile. Don't you know anything about romancing a lady?"
ReplyDelete"Druchii never romanced anyone. There was always some kind of benefit to everything we did. Real benefit. Not some emotional warm fuzzy feeling."
ReplyDelete"A shame for you, then. You will see how happy cheap flowers make a girl."
ReplyDelete"If I had ever given her cheap flowers, she'd have tried to kill me faster," Gath mumbles to himself.
ReplyDeleteTwo frowns. "I do not think you druchii understand romance. Not even slightly. You're supposed to make your lover feel special, not...whatever druchii feel about each other."
ReplyDelete"I think I used to, or at least tried to understand it. Years ago. It almost got me killed."
ReplyDelete"That is definitely not romance."
ReplyDelete"I figured as much. I'm not sure it's possible for me to figure it out now. How do you undo hundreds of years?"
ReplyDeleteTwo claps him on the back gently. "One day at a time, my friend."
ReplyDelete"What else works besides flowers?"
ReplyDelete"It doesn't matter what it is. The point is you see something and think of her."
ReplyDeleteThey arrive at a pretty little cafe with white iron trim scrolling along the top and lace curtains in the windows. Leading him inside, Two pauses when he sees Kryn behind the counter, aggressively kneading and punching dough. He takes in the sight of her a moment, flour smudged in her cheek and an old apron over her pretty blue dress and sighs.
"Violent and messy? You have interesting tastes?"
ReplyDelete"A little messy," he says, "and when I've been very good, a little of both."
ReplyDeleteHe leans over the counter and calls out in Arabyan, making her look up and run to him. "Rafiq!" she squeals, ripping off her flour covered apron in time to jump into his arms. "Rafiq you're here! You're safe! You're unhurt!"
Two chuckles, closing his eyes and squeezing her tightly. "Easy, my little elf," he laughs, setting her on her feet.
I don't see any of that happening in my future.
ReplyDeleteTwo presents her with the flowers, making her smile in delight and kiss him deeply. "All right, all right," he laughs. "More of that later, sweetling. You know Gath?"
ReplyDeleteShining with happiness, Kryn turns to him, seeing Gath for the first time. "Not exactly..." she says. "I mean, I know who you are, but we haven't actually met," she explains, holding out a hand to him.
"I tend to...keep to myself," Gath says, taking her hand. Everyone else seems to kiss their hands, but Two is right here. Is that even appropriate? He nods and gives her hand a gentle squeeze and a pat before pulling it away and casually crossing his arms.
ReplyDelete"Gath is coming with us tonight," Two tells her. "Perhaps we can go see that play your friend is in?"
ReplyDeleteKryn wrinkles her nose. "The actors aren't very good," she laughs. "But the story is all war and heroes."
"That sounds perfect! We'll buy a couple bottles of wine and enjoy ourselves!"
"War and wine. Two things I know a lot about. Sounds good."
ReplyDeleteShe gives him a warm smile. "All right." She calls out to her mother as they head for the door.
ReplyDeleteTwo hails a carriage for them and she talks animatedly with Gath about the play, giving him a short history of the story so he won't feel lost at the beginning. "Some human wrote it," she adds, "about his own world. But it's still very good."
"Humans see the world in a strange way. Sometimes it's interesting."
ReplyDelete"Their lives are so small, they can't help being dramatic."
ReplyDelete"Hey! I was a human!"
Kryn pats his leg and winks at Gath playfully. "Not you, joy of my life," she teases. "You'd never be so foolish."
Seemingly appeased, Two sits back and nods.
"They tend to get really annoyed when you remind them of that," Gath snickers.
ReplyDeleteShe shrugs. "They just don't know any better, but to remind them is insulting. They can't help they only have a hundred years, and most of that is wasted on childhood and old age."
ReplyDelete"A hundred years? That's long for a human."
ReplyDelete"I can afford to be generous," she says with a shrug.
ReplyDeleteGath tries to picture the oldest human he's met. The world they are all from was obviously far more harsh than this world and probably other worlds around it.
ReplyDelete"Rafi, don't humans love about a hundred years in your world?"
ReplyDeleteTwo chuckles. "Not exactly, my love. My Ustadh lived to be eighty seven, I believe, and he was the oldest human I've ever known. Most get...what? Fifty?" he asks Gath. "Maybe into their sixties."
"I'm probably the last person you should be asking about that," Gath says with an almost embarrassed chuckle.
ReplyDeleteTwo looks confused for a second before realization dawns on him. "Oh yeah...I'd bet you're right."
ReplyDeleteKryn looks from one to the other. "What do you mean?"
Gath shakes his head. "I'd rather not ruin the evening so quickly."
ReplyDeleteTwo starts to speak, but a sharp look from Kryn silences him. "That's all right," she says instead. "We aren't all lucky enough to be in complete control of our destinies."
ReplyDeleteThe carriage stops at a small theater, and Two lifts her down, lowering her slowly so he can kiss her as he does.
On her feet, she smacks his chest. "Go fetch us wine," she orders, looking her arm through Gath's. "Your friend can walk me inside."
Gath nods and the two head into the theater.
ReplyDelete"Is he very reckless?" she asks softly. "He tells me she is, and swears he isn't, but..." She looks up with worried eyes.
ReplyDelete"They both can be reckless. Her more than him, if that makes you feel any better. But they make it through everything together. Plus, my lord wouldn't let anything happen to him either. For her. You don't have to worry about Two."
ReplyDeleteShe laughs with relief and leans against him. "Thank you. He's told me you were frightening and rude, but he seems wrong about that."
ReplyDelete"I'm trying not to be."
ReplyDeleteShe pats his arm and smiles up at him. "It's hard to change, isn't it? Especially for people you want to care about."
ReplyDeleteHe was looking at her as they spoke, but now he looks straight ahead. "It is," he mumbles.
ReplyDelete"You learn the trick of it," she assured him before smiling brightly at Two as he approaches.
ReplyDelete"Let's find seats, shall we?"
Gath nods and quickly finds a few empty seats for them.
ReplyDeleteA few hours later, Kryn walks between them as they leave. "Oh they were awful!" she laughs. "What did you think?"
ReplyDeleteTwo puts out a thumb down and makes a childish sound. Kryn laughs and looks at Gath expectantly.
Gath shrugs, "I think most things are terrible anyway, however, this wasn't wasn't all that high on the scale. Or would it be low?"
ReplyDeleteKryn doesn't know if she should laugh, but Two surely does. "Low I should think," he laughs.
ReplyDelete"Shall we walk in the park, or are you two tired and want to go home?"
Two shrugs, looking at her as if he could be dead on his feet and still walk her around the park.
"It'll take a lot more than walking to tire me."
ReplyDeleteShe changes their direction, stopping for more wine and giggling as she gets drunker. Two, ever the considerate lover, gives Gath his and keeps his eye on her.
ReplyDelete"I wish Four would get this kind of drunk instead of getting stupid," he mutters.
Gath gladly accepts the wine and follows a few steps behind them. "At least none of you are violent when you're drunk."
ReplyDelete"I don't know...I hear Four likes to start barfights. Big ones where five men beat the crap out of her. Hey, Kryn, get off of the fountain...your feet will get wet and..." They hear a small splash and Two's voice drops. "...And I have to carry you home."
ReplyDelete"Violent when I'm around anyway," Gath shrugs and follows Two. "I don't have to deal with her if she runs off and beats someone else up."
ReplyDeleteTwo nods. "I think blacking your eye was the only time she'll ever raise a hand to you. She's trying hard to rein in her temper. At least to you and Sheik."
ReplyDelete"Is it even possible for her to be mad with him?"
ReplyDeleteTwo laughs, throwing his head back. "All the time. They each want the same thing for the other so badly they fight like cats over it."
ReplyDelete"And what would that be? If that's the case, why not just agree to it?"
ReplyDelete"See that's it: when she finally pries open that damn mouth and says what's really under her skin, they do. Or at least work it out. But she's afraid of denying him anything, so the idiot keeps it to herself until it burns her." He sighs and shakes his head with a smile, watching Kryn drink wine and dance in the fountain.
ReplyDelete"He does whatever she wants. I still don't get it."
ReplyDeleteTwo shrugs. "And she does whatever he wants. Doesn't mean they can't fight about it. Until Sheik she only ever trusted one person -not even her prince, mind you- and he had the gall to die. Changing that goes against her grain, and when she gets uncomfortable she fights. That's why she insists we train so much."
ReplyDelete"So...she gets upset that she trusts someone other than...maybe I shouldn't try to understand any of this," Gath sighs.
ReplyDelete"You're getting there," he chuckles. "Trusting is hard for her. She was never close enough to tell anyone her secrets, and she had to be distant with her prince. So when someone gets through that wall around her walls, it puts her in fight or flight mode. And Sheik has requested she not disappear," he adds ironically.
ReplyDelete"That's still incredibly and unnecessarily confusing."
ReplyDeleteHe gestures to Kryn in the fountain. "Women."
ReplyDelete"Rafi come dance with me!"
"Then my feet will be wet, sweetling." He turns back to Gath with a shrug. "The long and short of it is she's afraid to like you. And if you tell her I said that she'll castrate me."
"But why? Am I that horrible a person to her?" Gath snickers.
ReplyDelete"If she gets close to you, then you're another person who could leave her or send her away."
ReplyDelete"That'll never happen. As long as my lord is ar...nevermind." He clears his throat. "It just wouldn't happen..."
ReplyDelete"People are fickle to her." Two gives him a funny look. "She lost him once, too. Her fears aren't rational to anyone but her."
ReplyDelete"Lost who? Now I'm even more confused. Let's talk about something less confusing or you can go fish your lady of of the fountain."
ReplyDeleteTwo laughs. "Sheik, she lost Sheik." They stand quietly, watching Kryn drink and dance. "Kryn is something special."
ReplyDelete"How did she lose him? I was pretty sure he was glued to her."
ReplyDelete"She killed his father- or thought she did. Had a huge fight and They didn't even speak for weeks. Damaged every bit of trust they had. They were just getting to speaking terms when he came across you."
ReplyDelete"They don't seem to act any differently now than when I first met them."
ReplyDelete"Like I said, things were improving between them. When I chose to follow her, I made some nonsense speech about being a hero and stuff, but in truth she was so lonely and sad without him I couldn't help it." He heard another splash and sees that Kryn has dropped her wine in the water. "She was convinced they couldn't repair what she'd broken, and it ate at her like an ulcer."
ReplyDelete"She could have just talked to him. She seems like she has a big enough mouth and he has huge ears."
ReplyDeleteTwo laughs loudly. "True enough, when you can convince her to use it. Wait, no Kryn-" He breaks off in a sigh. "This is why her father doesn't like me."
ReplyDelete"Rafi, we should go..."
"Because you can't keep her out of fountains?"
ReplyDelete"One reason, although I'm pretty sure I didn't start this." With another dopey smile, he saunters over and tips her chin up for a chaste kiss.
ReplyDelete"Rafiq, I want to go home with you tonight," she says softly.
Scooping her up, he nods. "As you wish."
"I take it we're heading back now?"
ReplyDelete"We don't have to," he says. "She's done walking anywhere so it doesn't matter to me."
ReplyDelete"I can't walk in wet shoes!"
"You're drunk. You can't walk when you're drunk," he laughs.
"I think I like being out better anyway. Even if you went back, I'd stay."
ReplyDelete"Oh let's stay with Gath," she pleads. "He needs..."
ReplyDeleteTwo waits for an answer while she stares at Gath intensely.
Gath raises a brow and looks back at her, wondering what ridiculous drunken thing she'll say.
ReplyDelete"Kryn?"
ReplyDeleteShe jolts out of her stare and laughs. "It's a secret. But he knows. And now I do too."
Gath chuckles. "I know what I need, but I highly doubt you do. You only know you can't walk with wet shoes."
ReplyDeleteShe raises her eyebrows and looks extremely confident. "Wet shoes cause blisters, and blisters cause unhappy bakers. But I know what you need nonetheless."
ReplyDelete"Kryn, you get weirder every day."
"Papa says so too."
"I guess there are worse things that can happen."
ReplyDelete"Don't worry, that kind of thing comes in lots of forms if you let it."
ReplyDelete"So, what shall we do now? I suggest more drink."
ReplyDelete"Oh yes!"
ReplyDelete"There's a tavern not far from here," Two tells him.
"Should you even be drinking anymore?" Gath asks Kryn.
ReplyDelete"No," Two says.
ReplyDelete"There aren't any fountains in the tavern," she laughs.
"Then maybe we should do something more drunken girl friendly," Gath says, looking at Two to suggest something.
ReplyDelete"Dancing!"
ReplyDeleteTwo shrugs. "Dancing?"
"At the tavern!"
"Sure. Dancing...You two can dance."
ReplyDeleteKryn pouts. "You can dance with me. I'll let you."
ReplyDelete"Ah, Kryn..."
You're pushing it, sweetling.
"I don't really dance."
ReplyDelete"Oh Rafi, don't worry I'll save you plenty of dances."
ReplyDeleteThat's not it you precious moron.
"Well good! Can't have Gath stealing my girl."
Gath raises a brow. "Should I leave you two alone then?"
ReplyDeleteTwo chuckles. "No need. She knows who loves her best." Kryn squeals as he nuzzles her neck. "We'll go to the tavern. Drink a little, gamble a little, and see what happens."
ReplyDelete"I'm going to clean you out of we play cards."
"I do play cards. That's about all you'll get out of me."
ReplyDeleteKryn studies him again with a small smile, as if she knows a secret. "That'll change one day, too."
ReplyDelete"Kryn stop doing that. It's weird."
"What are you talking about? Oh. Did someone tell you I danced with Aara? Never again."
ReplyDelete"What? No, I didn't know that."
ReplyDeleteTwo rolls his eyes. "She knows things," he explains.
"A gift inherited," she adds.
Gath chuckles. "And my lord said she wasn't a mind reader. We can't play cards then," he says, shaking his head. "I can't be certain you wouldn't be cheating."
ReplyDeleteShe waves a hand. "Oh no, not those kinds of things. Incomplete things, like what dessert you might like or who you might want to kiss you."
ReplyDeleteGath laughs. "That's ridiculous."
ReplyDeleteShe laughs with him. "Really sweet things, you aren't particular otherwise? But what's remarkable is how much confusion you feel when her name is mentioned...you don't like her very much, do you? And him," she giggles. "Don't worry, duckling, I won't tell."
ReplyDelete"Talking to Two can get you all kinds of information. I suppose I do go overboard with the sugar in my tea or coffee. I'm sure that's an amusing thing to tell anyone about someone like me. As for her, we don't get along. Two's very close with her. I would be surprised if that wasn't mentioned in passing conversation. As for him, I assume you mean my lord? I'm his retainer. I'm sure there are stories Two could tell about that as well as him being a retainer." He crosses his arms and gives her a stern look. "And really? Duckling?"
ReplyDeleteShe grins. "Rafi doesn't really talk about you. He doesn't seem to know anything." She frowns up at Two. "And don't you go feeling irritated with me, you pompous thing. Why don't you get along? Is she cruel or condescending to you? She didn't strike me that way."
ReplyDelete"When did you meet her?" Two asks, surprised.
"She was half naked with Goddard in the garden."
"That sounds exactly like something they would do..."
ReplyDelete"She was so embarrassed I was embarrassed," she giggles. "Is she really that shy?"
ReplyDelete"I think it had to do with being caught half naked by a stranger. I wouldn't say she's shy."
ReplyDelete"Not really," Two agrees. "Quiet sometimes, but not shy."
ReplyDelete"He has no shame. You don't need a gift to see that. He does not Like Tallyn," she laughs.
"You don't need a gift to know much about him. He'll either tell you while he's sober, tell you while he's drunk, or you can see it from a mile away."
ReplyDelete"That's easy to see. It's you and her that fascinate me."
ReplyDelete"Gee thanks, Kryn, you sure know how to make a man feel loved."
She laughs and kisses his cheek. "Shut up, darling. I already know about you."
"We only try to coexist for my lord," Gath says flatly. "There is nothing fascinating."
ReplyDelete"Why don't you like one another?"
ReplyDelete"I never cared much for humans and I assume she doesn't like me because my lord lusts after me and everyone else really. But because I'm around all the time, she particularly dislikes me." Gath looks around at the buildings, trying to spot a tavern. "If it were just a five second thing and she never saw me again, she might be alright. She's very jealous. Violently so."
ReplyDelete"She hasn't been violent," Two interjects.
ReplyDelete"Have you actually talked to her about it?"
"She hasn't been violent recently. That doesn't mean she still isn't or won't be in the future, or is violent in her mind and just won't take action." Gath snorts. "Why would I talk to her about it? And Two doesn't even think it exists. Where is this tavern? I need so much more wine right now..."
ReplyDelete"You assume a lot. I was just wondering what youbwound think if you actually knew anything."
ReplyDelete"All right, Kryn," Two says sternly. "Turn it off. The tavern is just up here."
"One is better off making assumptions," Gath mumbles.
ReplyDelete"Not really," she chimes. "Makes an ass of you."
ReplyDelete"Kryn!"
She sighs and looks up at him innocently. "All right, cupcake."
"If staying alive from making assumptions, accurate ones at that, has made me an ass, then I am the biggest one around..."
ReplyDeleteTwo gives her a sharp look, and Kryn wisely keeps quiet as they enter the tavern and get a table.
ReplyDelete"I am going to treat myself to a bottle of the strongest thing this tavern has to offer," Gath sighs as he takes a seat.
ReplyDelete"Oh! Get me the pink wine," she tells Two as soon as he sets her down. "I see someone and want to go say hello." With a quick kiss, she's off in a swirl of damp skirts.
ReplyDeleteShaking his head, he waves a waiter over. "I'm sorry about that," he tells Gath. "She gets carried away if she gets anything clear."
"Clear? I'm pretty certain her world is fuzzy and full of pink bubbles. There is nothing clear about this."
ReplyDeleteHe shrugs. "Maybe. It makes her popular at the bakery," he laughs. "She can have your purchase packaged before you even know what to order."
ReplyDeleteGath shrugs. "If someone likes the food enough and hasn't been disappointed by anything yet, she could give them anything and I'm sure they'd take it. Or they just get flustered looking at her and don't care what she gave them..."
ReplyDelete"Looking at her?"
ReplyDeleteGath laughs. "I'm pretty certain there are plenty of others who are just as bad as my lord or maybe even worse."
ReplyDelete"Are you saying she's pretty?" Two laughs. "From what I'm told and seen, she could make Sheik look virginal."
ReplyDelete"Let's not try and figure that out. Your lady might kill us all if she heard him talking about his past."
ReplyDelete"It's no secret, she knows his past."
ReplyDelete"Not details. He'd never tell her details. He's not that big of an idiot."
ReplyDeleteTwo laughs. "Are you sure? Did he tell you?"
ReplyDelete"This is one of times I'm an ass and make assumptions. I think it's pretty obvious."
ReplyDelete"She told me that she used to send him off to others, before she was freed."
ReplyDeleteGath chuckles. "Do you think he actually went off and did anything? At least like how a normal person would?"
ReplyDelete"If he didn't, he didn't tell her."
ReplyDelete"He probably ran off and cut himself."
ReplyDelete"She knows of two instances where he did a lot more than that. And she didn't kill anyone over it, or get upset. Well she killed that one druchii but she was going to kill him..."
ReplyDelete"Just because she didn't actually kill anyone, doesn't mean that desire is gone, and one day, she'll snap."
ReplyDelete"Gath...Aara is an assassin. Killing people is what she does best. That doesn't mean she doesn't have any control. Sheik is more likely to snap."
ReplyDelete"What do you mean?"
ReplyDelete"He's clearly insane."
ReplyDelete"This may be true, but his type of insanity isn't the type that will destroy worlds or anything."
ReplyDelete"Neither is hers. Sheik isn't that impressive. I don't see what all the fuss is about. She's not going to do anything about you two."
ReplyDelete"She's the one who isn't that impressive."
ReplyDeleteTwo considers this and nods. "Physically, no she's not. A little plain, really. Scarred up and too delicate looking."
ReplyDelete