79th of Searing 120th Year of the Age of Steel
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“Y’know it’s always time for a hair of the dog.”
She said in common. Vincent said nothing but threw her a knowing eye, his silence a solidarity to her.
“Y’really get me, Vincent. The way that shitport hits, there’s nothing like it. In fact I think I should have another.”
This time he piped up.
“Another? Fancy some dancing?”
He grunted, reminding her of their initial meeting. She screwed her eyes up and grinned despite herself.
“No, maybe not another. Where is Rose?”
Saej couldn’t tell her in drunken stupor but Vincent was growing tired of her talking, he showed little interest in replying and counted his farthings before placing them in an envelope, his hulking form receding away. She sighed,
‘Must not have heard me.’
Turning her attention away from the bartender she scooted around her chair to face the patrons. It was early, the dining area had a few old men chatting together at separate tables and one Rathari family eating breakfast. There she saw Rose delivering their food, she gave Saej a wave and a smile to which Saej grimaced back a smile with her own wave. Being unable to understand any of the conversations she turned her attention back to the bar and found Vincent to still be gone. The world wheeled under the weight of the drink and she pushed herself back from the table a little too dramatically. Nothing from her stomach threatened to give, she was just moving the way drunks do. Poppy jumped back away from the chair and gave her master a disapproving side-eye. From there the two made their way outside, unbothered by her job and any potential customers.
The morning air was cool this time of year as Ash was nigh upon them. She decided she would take a back way to the small house in which she stayed so headed through the alley beside the tavern. It was there she again found Vincent and for that she was glad.
“H’lo again.”
A hiccup escaped her lips. He rolled her eyes but she didn’t see as she composed the hiccup with some bumps to the chest.
“I didn’t know you smoked?”
In Vincent’s hand was a cigar which he was chiefing on like a fat cat. It smelled great to Saej. He said nothing but didn’t move away from her, just closed his eyes and looked stoic.
“Vincent I’ve... had a lot on my mind recently. Just’the night of last someone painted me. I live with him.”
She mumbled this in a drunk conspirator’s tone, slurring.
“Y’might know him, we actually live not far from here. Tall, silver, pointy ears? Hesveryhandsome. I think I’m falling in love with him.”
Tears threatened to well as the thing in her chest was fit to burst but she held her composure, looking to him with watery blue eyes. He nodded sagely and took a drag from the cigar, blowing out a huge cloud as he patted her on the back.
“If only there wassa way I could tell him. He’d never like me. I never wanted this, I want freedom. My heart’s in’na cage. Love’sss so confining.”
Vincent frowned there but said nothing still.
“Vincent, y’must have heard the sob stories a million times. I’m different though, I don’t usually… Y’now? Do this. How’do I stop it?”
He grunted then and smiled at her, it was genuine.
“I have. The only way out is the way through, or be chicken shit. You can’t stay in limbo forever.”
He pointed at her with the cigar and she blinked at him, realising what he was saying. Something lit up in her head like a candle being graced by the first flicks of flame.
“Vincent, I have-a huge favor. What if, or, would you allow it? I mean. I could ask.”
Vincent raised an eyebrow at her, stubbing out his cigar on the heel of his boot.
“I need to go back in.”
Saej was rubbing her temples and burped.
“Wait. What if I somehow got him in the cellar here? I could buy a bottle of wine and we could drink it by candlelight in the cellar. Alone. I just want to get’im alone and then I think I could tell him how I feel. Vincent, would y’lock us in the cellar? I would pay. Think of it like a prank and I’d only need an hour.”
The burly man laughed then, a loud hearty thing and wiped a tear from his eye, while still snickering. Vincent left then back into the kitchen without a word and Saej stood there stunned and defeated while the door slammed shut behind him.
What she didn’t know is he went and found Nora**, spoke to her about the human foreigner’s question, and Elinora was on her way. When the backdoor creaked opened and Nora was revealed she could see Saej sitting with her back against the wall, clinging to Poppy. It looked like she just had a cry, her face was all red and tear-streaked but the sobs were over, now she only buried her face in Poppy who sat there regally giving comfort as only dogs do.
“My dear, I hear you have a request. I was just doing some paperwork but I think I can talk with you for a moment.”
Saej turned her head to face the woman and wiped her cheek idly with the back of her hand. Her heart was ice cold like a knife had been stabbed through it.
“Really?”
Elinora smiled warmly and invited Saej in, leaning in the portal to the kitchen with the door open wide. Saej staggered to her feet and slapped her leg for Poppy to follow, they both went in after Elinora who took them through the kitchen and into the bar room. They sat down at the bar and Vincent slid over, polishing a mug, a neutral expression on his face but if you knew him well there was something like mirth beneath his facade.
When all were gathered Elinora reiterated herself to Saej.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but were you hoping to ask a favor out of our bartender earlier?"
Saej’s skin turned first deathly pale, then a deep shade of red as again the gravity of her words to Vincent were realised in the flesh.
“I-I did! I asked if I could pay to rent your cellar for a night. I would also buy a bottle of your best wine. I’ma, well, I--”
A hiccup overtook her and she gulped it back down,
“I need to ask someone to be with me. Maybe we could live here for a while. Start a kinship? I don’know but I want to find out. I was going ta ask Vincent ta lock us in the cellar for an hour-- like a prank! I need to talk to him and I thought maybe it would be, uh, romantic.”
Nora’s brow furrowed.
“Who is this man? I know you, the courier. I’ve seen your sign on our board. Saej right?”
Saej smiled at the recognition and told her,
“His name is Althalos. A tall, pale elf man?”
A knowing smile was returned to Saej,
“Ah, the gemling fellow. I know of him. You are serious about this elf?”
All Saej could say was,
“Yes.”
Elinora smacked the table with her hand lightly and looked at Vincent.
“Right then.”
From there she got up, leaving the quivering Saej deathly confused and whispered in Vincent’s ear. His eyebrows shot up as Elinora walked away from them both with just a small wave to Saej. Vincent looked well and truly stunned. It may have been the most words the man had spoken to Saej throughout their relationship,
“She says, ‘go for it’. It’ll be 100 farthings for a bottle of Nagota and 500 to rent the cellar for an hour. Let us know when you’re free and I can help you with your little, ‘prank’,”
His face turned sour with disgust heavily accented common coming out in a rough tone,
“But if I find a, for lack of a better word, ‘mess’ to clean up neither one of your asses will be allowed back in this tavern mark my words.”
Saej nodded and paled again, finding the moment to be rather sobering.
“Thank you. Even after payment I am in your debt. I shouldn’t have another one, but I think I need a drink.”
And with that she downed a cup of whiskey*** and left the tavern, numb all over her body and walking lighter than the moon.
OOC;
*Mug of Shitport Special; 60 df
**Permission to use Elinora was granted to me
***Cup of whiskey; 14 df
