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wonderland-productions-blog · 2 years ago

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Knight in Dulled Armor: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Uniform & Lukewarm

The morning light peaks through the window, brightening the room and giving me the energy to begin a new day. I stretch out of bed and tidy my covers when a knock on the door breaks the serenity of the room. "Come in," I say.

A young woman enters the room carrying a basket of laundry on her hip. "Good morning miss..." she says with a strained smile. "Oh, Elaine." I finish for her without thinking. My heart skips a beat as I'm able to remember my name without interruption. A wave of emotions comes over me as I remember how I came to awake in the desert. I maintain my composure, following her as she signals me out of the room.

Despite the newly risen sun a few people already sat at tables in the tavern. The smell of bread wafted through the air. Some kind of gravy and golden brown biscuits sat on the plates of patrons. The bartender, who I now recognized as Kenrik, gave me a small smile and wave as I made my way out of the tavern. The girl who had been leading looked back at me, as we walked out the door her eyes seemed to shift to a much brighter blue.

As we walk down a stone path the wind kicks up a bit and I see her brush her long blonde hair to the side of her shoulder. I am brought to a slightly smaller building a bit down the road. This one had lighter bricks of a much larger size as well as a more compact and sealed finish. Its roof had a low arch but its shingles were much better kept. Unlike the tavern's half doors which were easy to swing open, the door to this building was much larger and heavier. We walked in and I immediately realized it had been a bathhouse.

The girl, still carrying her laundry basket on her hip, finally set it down and opened a curtain leading to one of the various small enclosed spaces with tall partitions on either side, giving me a private area to bathe. These small partitioned rooms lined the walls of the building, and this made me wonder if the areas with closed curtains were occupied while the ones with open curtains weren't. The abundance of steam in the building inclined me to believe that there were at least a few other people in town bathing at the same time as I was.

"I've left your uniform in the basket, Ma'am. Please let me know if you need anything." She said, this comment finally made me assess her outfit, which was a nearly floor-length moss green dress with a white apron tied around her waist. This of course was similar enough to what she had been carrying in the basket." Oh, yes. What's your name?" I say, then quieting my voice to a whisper "And, um, are there any men in the bathhouse with me?".

She must have picked up on my uncomfortable demeanor, as she immediately responded with, "Oh, no ma'am. The men's area has an entrance on the other side of the building. We're separated fully by a brick wall. No worries there. And my name is Marietta." She finishes with a smile and closes my curtain. I dip my fingers into the steaming tub of water and begin wiping the tiled wall and curtain, creating a slight seal to ensure complete privacy without gaps between the curtain and wall. This process only takes a few moments, and I am soon ready to bathe.

I strip my tattered clothes, caked with dirt, sweat, and droplets of blood, and set them beside the tub. I ease my way into the steaming water, feeling my tensions ease and muscles soothe as I sink further into the bath. I grab a container with soap on the edge of the bath as well as a sponge. I begin to scrub my body off; my arms, chest, stomach, and legs. By the time I have reached my thighs, going over the small scrapes and cuts has begun to cause slight irritation and pain.

This seems to be the sign to wrap up my bath, so I clean my hair and submerge my head fully into the water. I notice a couple of towels stacked in the corner of my room on a tray, and I begin to dry my body and hair. My towel is fashioned 'round my body, secured with a tuck under my arm. Pulling the curtain to the side, I find the basket and remove my carefully folded clothing.

I quickly make my way back into my partitioned area, eager to have fresh clothes. As I'm putting on my clothes, I feel the difference in thickness as well as layers from my previous dress. It makes sense that a place with such scorching heat would have thinner clothes and fewer layers than that of my previous home. After tying my apron and putting on my shoes, a simple pair of leather flats that fit me well enough, I let out a sigh of relief to be comfortably dressed for the first time in days.

I leave the building and begin making my way back to the tavern, following the simple stepping stone path we had taken last time, this time without Marietta. I figured she had already made her way back to the tavern after tidying up a bit in the bathhouse. I push the doors open and try to walk through the tavern without attracting much attention. Making my way left from the entrance I find Kenrik standing at the bar as I had several times before in the short time I've been here.

My hands fit together as my fingers fidget, trying to find the right words with one of the first conversations I've had on my own here. "Where should I start, Kenrik?" I let out, with less of a smile yet more gently than I'd have liked to. "Ah, you're eager. I appreciate that. It seems that Val has brought a good one," he says with a chuckle, "Go ahead and start clearing tables, or if you're feeling a bit more sociable you can take orders. Whichever you prefer, I'm sure Marietta would be fine doing whichever one you don't."

I nodded and immediately started working on picking up plates and bringing them back behind the counter where a dish tub resides. Once all the tables have been cleared I naturally begin to do the dishes, cleaning them with a sponge and frothy soap next to the dish tub. It starts out fine but I soon encounter a problem with my hair getting in the way of my face and needing to tuck it behind my ears or pull it back again and again. Marietta must have noticed this as she comes up beside me and offers me a long, silky ribbon matching the color of my uniform. As her lips curl into a smile I notice the scattered freckles along her cheeks and just how rosy they were.

I, of course, smile back at her and tell her thank you. Tying my thick, wavy hair back is met with a moment of resilience but managed easily enough. With my problem solved I'm able to finish and set the dishes out to dry. Marietta had been sweeping, so now the only jobs that remain seem to be taking orders and serving food.

Marietta hands me a pencil and a small paper notebook pad and gestures me over to a table where a single person had just sat down. She explains to me that this one will be a simple order because it is one person and that I should be able to manage on my own. I agree and make my way over across the tavern.

A fair-haired man in a long dark tunic greets me at the table. He shifts his belt as he says he'd like to get started with a drink. He sets his hands on the table with his fingers laced together, he gives me one last smile as I walk away to fetch his drink. I walk over to the bar, picking up a hefty glass mug. Opening a white chest beside the counter a breeze hits my face. I fit a metal scoop into my hand and pour the glittery, oblong chunks of ice into the mug. Pulling myself up to my feet, I bend over the counter a bit and push down the tab of a spout on a barrel up to fill the glass with ale.

I bring it back to him, setting it down on the table with a slight "thunk". "Thank you," he says. I reply with a smile "Have you figured out what you'd like to eat?". "Yes, I'll have the pork with rice and greens, please." "Right away sir," throughout the entire time I'm jotting down his order, his staring persists along with an uncomfortable grin.

After a few steps away from the table a realization sets in; I don't know where we cook the food, nor who cooks it. I fumble over to Marietta, who stopped what she was doing to turn her attention to me. My voice lowers to a whisper, "Um, Marietta, where is the kitchen?" She snickered and gestured to an arched doorway at the end of the room behind the bar. I lift the flip-up bar counter and slip past Kenrik, who's talking with a patron at the bar. He'd seemingly been haggling with him, or at least attempting to.

The kitchen was a bit steamy as I walked in, the sounds of sizzling grew louder as I walked closer toward a stone hearth. A pan sitting atop a metal-gridded sheet within came into view. My eyes snap over when I hear a "Hey, new girl!" shouted in my direction. A man a bit taller than me points with one hand and a skillet in the other. I trace his finger over to a wire hung across parallel to the ceiling with several sheets of note paper clipped to it.

He flung open a small wooden hatch on the wall beneath the wire to reveal an order window. This was to pass the written orders through or clip them on the wire and place the food tray onto. "Next time, use the window, girlie." The cook says, flipping his dark brown dreads back behind his shoulder. I meekly nod, embarrassed I hadn't seen the window before traversing through the hot, busy kitchen.

As I'm walking out of the kitchen I feel a warm pressure accumulate on my wrist. With a glance behind me, I see the cook with his hand on my wrist. He wipes his umber face with the back of his hand, now holding a spatula. "I'm Hidorah by the way, I thought you might wanna know if we're gonna be working together. For a bit, it seems, anyway." I let out a giggle and nod, slipping away back to the bar to grab a refill for the man I'd been tending. I pat my back pocket only to find my notepad was gone.

Once again I place the glass down onto the table and remove the one now containing only ice. "So, what brings you into town?" I ask, trying to keep him entertained while his food was prepared, especially since I had no other patrons to tend to. He responds with a hint of glee in his voice, "Ah, I'm headed to Asteria. There's to be a wonderful wedding for the heiress soon.". My blood froze, yet I kept my gaze and did not allow my smile to fade.

"Oh, is that right?" I say with a bit of faux surprise. "Haven't you heard? It's supposed to join two of the largest kingdoms in the land!" He lets out in shock at the mere concept of this news being unknown to anyone. "I suppose I'm not interested in the political climate of such large factions in such a small town," I say with a smile, the glass of ice now chilling my hand and leaving a cold residue. He chuckles, "Spoken like someone well educated on the subject."

"Your food will be just a few more minutes, sir," I say, beginning to walk back to the order window behind the bar countertop. He smiles, "Wonderful, thank you."

By the time I get back to the window, I see a steaming tray of food set on it. A dark slab of meat with rice and seasoned veggies, definitely his order. I pick it up and notice my notepad sitting underneath it, though I was sure I hadn't placed it there. I set the plate down onto his table and walk away, eager to escape the chance of another conversation.

A peek through the tavern's batwing doors reveals it was a few hours until sundown. I'd been working most of the day without realizing. I begin looking for things around the tavern to work on, I feel a tap on my shoulder. "We're done for the day, Elaine," Marietta says to me, untying her apron and hanging it on a hook beside the doors.

She leaves without another word. I give Kenrik a confused glance, which he returns. "What-what do I do?" I stutter out. "Whatever you want, you're done with work for today." He tells me. He sets a coin pouch onto the counter, sliding it over to me. "I didn't know I would get paid," I say.

"What, did you think Val brought you here as some kind of indentured servant?" He asks. I shrug and look away, "Well, why else would you pay him to bring me here?"

"I have a reward on lost travelers brought here for many reasons;" he assured me, "it ensures the safety of travelers, it boosts the local trade, could lead to the expanding of the town, as well as paves the path a bit more into town." I nod at him with wide eyes, hoping he'd tell me more. "With us being in the middle of the desert, it certainly helps To get more trade and foot traffic. I'd love to see this little place really flourish." He stops, giving a little shrug, and motions me away.

I look back to the now-empty table and take the man's plate to the sink to wash it off. Afterward, I make my way to the table and wipe it down with a wet rag. If I'm done with work, I'd like to make sure I'm actually done.

Not sure where else to go, I take the coin pouch and head back to my room. I shut my door behind me and feel the coin pouch weighing down my pocket. I kneel onto the floor, hiding my coin pouch deep underneath my bed. I stand and dust off my hands, reminding myself that my floor is still as dirty as I'd discovered it last night.

I grab a broom and begin sweeping, accumulating a large pile of dust. I sweep the pile into the dustpan and dump it into my bin. I turn to the door to put my broom back into the common area but see a man standing in my doorway. He leans his arm against the door frame near his head with his other hand on his hip. I was about to tell Hidorah hello when he suddenly says, "Elaine," I stare, my mouth slightly open as I wonder how he knew my name since I hadn't introduced myself. "I didn't see you come in," I say. "I'm sure you didn't see me snag this either," he tells me, tossing me a coin pouch. I glance under my bed to see that mine was gone.

I give him a confused glance and he replies, "Look, Elaine, there are a lot of sketchy people here that might want to get their hands on what you got." He pauses," Say you leave for town one day, someone rents the wrong room, they take a look under the bed for an extra blanket, and boom, suddenly you're out all your cash." He flings his arms up to set a dramatic tone.

"Fine, I'll hide it somewhere else. Is that all you wanted?" I said, trying to compose myself. "You're very pretty, where are you from, Elaine?" My face flushes and I scoff, turning around. I cross my arms when he places his hand on my shoulder. "Could it be the same as me?" He says, tucking hair behind my ear. He pulls away, "Huh, I suppose not. Well, I'll be off then."

He starts toward the door, but I grab onto the ribbon of his apron and tug him over to me. I've got a hunch, pulling some of his dreads to the side to reveal large, pointed ears. "Aha! Where are you from, Hidorah?" He groans, turning to me. "Fine, I'm from a small settlement of elves north of here called Braiewood." He takes off his apron and crosses his arms, "I was kidding about the pretty thing, by the way. I know you've got your eyes set on Val." He stops for a moment, breaking eye contact, "Just like every other girl here," Hidorah mutters.

I wonder what he meant by that, but push it off. "Val? No, I don't even know him. In fact, you've spoken to me more than he has." He scoffs, "Whatever you say, girlie. Listen, now that you know my little- well, pretty big secret," he pulls his hair over his ears once more, "do let me know if you see anyone else like me. If you catch my drift."

"And why is that?" I ask. "I'll tell you when you find another like me, if you don't, well then you don't need to know, do you?" Hidorah says, turning his palms up. I shrug, "I suppose not, then.". He leaves my room, and I sit on my bed breaking down our interaction.

So, a rare dark-skinned elf away from his town who also happens to be a master pickpocket. My eyes widen as I realize he must have slipped my notepad from my pocket during the brief time I was in the kitchen with him. I wonder why he would want another elf, and why he wouldn't tell me.

I push my mind from the thought, it's not my place to pry into others' business when I hardly know them. Especially when I'm not yet in the position to hold my ground. I wouldn't want to press someone too hard and get kicked out without any other place to stay.

I peek my head out my door, seeing Hidorah leave the tavern in a set of everyday clothes. Shaken by the thought of him coming into my room again and stealing my things just as he'd done now, I am tempted to tell Kenrik. I take a deep breath, preparing myself.

I step out of my room, walking over to the counter. I take a seat on a weathered barstool, wiping a bit of dust off its cracked, leathery top before sitting down. "Ya need somethin'?" Kenrik says to me in a confused yet kind tone. I mull over how to address the strange situation with him.

I try to be blunt, "You know Hidorah is a pickpocket right? Aren't you concerned about him stealing the tavern's profits?"

Kenrik takes a moment to think before responding, "Oh that boy wouldn't dare steal from the tavern after the first time I caught em'" Kenrik laughed, "Besides, I can't help but feel he's grown too attached to the place to go and do something like that."

"What... happened the first time you caught him?" I say. "He was sneakin' around in my room in the middle of the night. He didn't know I had Kyzu, and she really tore into em'." I cut him off for a moment, "Kyzu?" "Ah, my precious puppy, but she got out recently." I think I see a tear well in his eye but he blinks it away, "Anyway, it took Marietta quite a while to patch him up. She stayed with him all night to make sure he was okay. Call me crazy but I think he might've caught feelings along with an infection." Kenrik laughs. "So you don't gotta worry about that boy stealing, dear."

I nod, letting out a sigh of relief to hear from Kenrik how much trust he holds in Hidorah. "Is there anything else you need?" He asks. I bite at the corner of my lip and my brow furrows, "Actually, just one more thing," Kenrik decides to pull up a stool and sit down. I steady my breath, nervous to ask.

"When do you think Val is coming back?" I say, trying my best to make eye contact. Kenrik perks up for a moment, "Oh, well. It ranges quite a bit, could be a few days, could be a month!" He pauses and shrugs, "boy runs around all kinds of towns n' places. Never lets me know when he just pops in here. Sometimes it'll be so long I worry he might've gotten killed out there!"

My eyes widen and a look of fear flashes across my face. Kenrik notices and stutters out a response, "Kiddin'! Just kiddin' is all! Boy's nice enough, if he ever does get in trouble I'm sure he can handle himself. Sure is big enough to." With my shaky breath, I reply, "Alright, thank you."

As I'm about to stand and head back to my room Kenrik stands as well. He slaps his hands down onto his thin thighs, then traces them back to his hips, "Welp, I'm beat. I think I'm gonna head to bed now, Elaine." "Oh, goodnight Kenrik!" I exclaim. To my surprise, he didn't head to the door but rather crouched down behind the counter. I hear what seems to be a creaky door and a light thud. I push myself against the counter to see a trapdoor being held open. My jaw drops, "We have a basement?"

A laugh emanates from the room beneath me, "Come poke your head in here!" I quickly make my way behind the counter, pressing my hands against the floor. I flip my head down into the hole to see a well-built, tidy room with dark wood-paneled walls. The farther half of the room was separated by a stone brick accent wall, but through a large arch doorway, I could see a large bed against the wall. Two large, dark green chests sat against each wall on either side along with a bookshelf and end table.

Feeling a bit dizzy, I throw my head back up. "Kenrik," I say, "who will watch over the tavern while you're asleep?" He stands at the bottom of the steep staircase down, "I've got a night staff, don't worry. Oh, and would you shut the hatch?" I tell him alright and goodnight once more, heading back to my room.

I retrieve the coin purse and pull out the top drawer of the nightstand beside my bed. I wiggle it out of place and push my coin pouch into the far back corner. Once I replace the drawer, I give it a few pulls and pushes. Not hearing any coins sliding, I'm satisfied with my hiding spot.

I finally get the chance to take off my tavern clothes. I untie my apron and hang it on a hook in the wardrobe, then strip off my dress and thin petticoat. Once these are folded neatly I set them on the floor of the wardrobe along with my shoes. I sift through the extra clothes and find a large white tunic to slip on. I pull over my blanket and slide into bed, ready to sleep.

The next morning I awoke at sunrise once more, beginning my day feeling well-rested. I get changed into my uniform and tie my hair back into a high ponytail. Noticing an extra green ribbon hanging in my wardrobe, I tie and fasten a large bow on the back of my neck.

The day goes faster than the last with much of it being filled with more cleaning than taking orders. I'm able to manage myself for the most part for a large portion of the day, only needing direction when Marietta informed me it was our break. I glance at the menu on the wall, reading over everything we served. I decided on a small baked bread loaf with a potato and onion soup. I jot it down on my notepad from my back pocket and hang it on the kitchen wire through the window.

After waiting a few minutes, I began chatting with Marietta, who sat down beside me with a plate of leafy greens and diced meat with pepper and a purple dressing atop it. She prodded at it with her fork, speaking in between bites. "Work's been pretty hectic lately, apparently with this royal wedding coming up there's a lot more foot traffic around, and there's the caravans too." I let out a small laugh, "I guess I wouldn't know what's hectic for here," she covers her mouth with a cloth napkin, speaking through a mouth full of food, "Oh, you're right. I'm sorry." She swallows, "I'm glad you showed up when you did! I wouldn't be able to handle the orders and upkeep for the day without you here!" She exclaims, giving me a warm smile.

Two thuds against the wall make me turn my head to the order window. Hidorah had made a habit of slapping the order window's frame rather than using the bell when an order had been completed. He said the bell was "too high a noise" and that the slaps were, "a nice, dim thud", whatever that means in terms of sound. Either way, it got my and Marietta's attention. I walk over to see my order note tucked beneath the plate.

Hidorah comes to the window, laying his arms down and his chin over his crossed forearms, "Are we busy?" "Not a single person ordering," I tell him. "Perfect," he responds. A moment later I see him bounding over the flip-up door in the counter. He takes my seat at the bar, now between me and Marietta. He sets down a plate of a steak and baked bread, somehow not dropping it while he charged in here.

Not much was said while we all ate. The taste of Hidorah's food was amazingly seasoned and buttery, he must have been cooking even prior to working at the tavern. Once I finish my plate the others had already finished and Marietta was back to work. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Hidorah says, circling my total owed on my notepad order.

"Oh, right!" I say, heading back to my room to pay for my lunch. I shut my door behind me and pull open my nightstand drawer. Feeling around in the corner, I can't seem to find my coin pouch. A pressure tugs at my waist and I hear the jingle of coins against one another, "Looking for this?" Hidorah chuckles, "The drawer, really?" I turn and reach for my coin pouch he now holds above my head.

He leans back toward my bed and my body presses against his as I get closer to my bag. He stretches and contorts, desperately trying to keep it out of my reach while laughing hysterically. I let out a grunt. Growing impatient and flustered I shove myself forward hoping to secure it in my grasp. I collapse onto him in my bed, finally grabbing my coin pouch and tearing it away from him. He places his hands on my hips, trying to push me off of him, now out of breath from laughing.

I let out an exasperated sigh and hear my door open. Marietta gasps and stutters out, "I'll come back later!" She then slams the door behind her, followed by a set of footsteps growing fainter as she walks away.

Hidorah practically throws me off of him and flings himself to sit up. A panicky expression consumes him, and I ask what's wrong. "Oh by gods, Marietta's going to think we're together. She saw you on top of me!" I stare at him, confused. "I-I didn't mean to- I was just-It wasn't-" Hidorah stutters out.

"Can you talk to her, please? Tell her we aren't anything like that?" He pleads. "Okay, fine. But you're not cute. I don't like you taking my stuff, even if it is to tease me, I'm a grown woman." He nods, cupping his face in his hands on my bed. I head out of the room in an attempt to find Marietta.

By the counter she's refilling the ale barrels, I go over to her. "Hey," I say, my face still flushed. "I want you to know that Hidorah was just trying to be funny. I pushed him and it ended in a scuffle, not what you were thinking." Her face let loose some tension, "Ah, I see. He's always been a kidder. Forgive him, I'm sure he didn't mean to get on your nerves. At least not that much." She says, smiling. "I wish he had that blind confidence when I first got here, would have broken the ice and made things easier on me." She continues.

I nod, heading back to work. I see Hidorah leave my room and go back into the kitchen. Marietta gives him a smile and tension entirely melts away from both of them. I'm shocked at how easily the conflict was resolved, not used to that I suppose.

Work finishes up easily enough, filled with a bit of busy work and upkeep. I finish up later today, due to there being a few more patrons to clean up after. Once I'm back in my room I'm tired enough to head to bed.

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wonderland-productions-blog · 2 years ago

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Knight in Dulled Armor: Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Opportunities Offered

I make a trip to the bathhouse, running a quick bath and trying my best to shove away my last experience here. I drag the tub from the first open stall outside and fill it at the pump. The water pours out steaming, with a sputter from the desert sun concentrated on the dark spout all day. I clutch the large, wooden tub by its handles on either side, preparing to lift it into the bathhouse stall. I let out an embarrassing, guttural sound as I shuffle to the bathhouse door not far from where I stood.

An eruption of laughter startles me. A slosh of water spills onto the ground, quickly mixing into a mauve mud. I set the tub down, careful not to spill more. I turn around to see the familiar face of a man who had rented a room earlier in the day.

He flicks what remains of his cigar into the dirt, snuffing it beneath his boot. He straightens his back from leaning on the wall of the tavern and approaches me with a smile. I tense up. He takes the tub, lifting it far easier than I could, and sets it into the bathhouse with me following close behind. He leans down closer to me, whispering, "There's a hose to fill the baths easier just in the tavern, darlin'." He leaves back inside the tavern.

Marietta's side of cleaning was more impressive than mine, even including fresh hygiene products in the stalls that hadn't been used yet. After a nice hot bath, I change into my new red dress and corset. I dry my hair the best I can, though still damp and frizzy, and head back to the tavern.

The tavern was quiet and warm with a fire crackling in the main hall. It appeared that Kenrik had retired for the night, as he was not in his normal place behind the counter. Instead, Hidorah sat there in his place with his feet up on the countertop. I peek a bit closer to the counter and see a faint glow from the trap door leading to Kenrik's room, solidifying my theory.

Hidorah smirks at me, giving me a nod and a chuckle under his breath. I wonder why he's acting stranger than usual. I give him a strange look, attempting to pry for information. He cocks his head, "Is Marietta outside?"

I take a moment to respond with this not being a question I expected from him, "She went home I believe, but I don't think it's too far from here. Why do you ask?"

He begins to get up from his chair, "I just figure there's someone she'll want to see here is all. I'll be right back."

With that, he leaves the tavern. I wonder who he could have been referencing, and my mind drifted to Val. She seemed attached, even attracted to him by the way she spoke so highly of him. A strange feeling pricked me, an unfamiliar one at that. I force it down, finding it impossible for me to be jealous of someone who Marietta has known far longer than I have.

I sit at the counter and pour myself a small glass of wine from a barrel perched on the counter against the wall. I sip at the drink, feeling the warm liquid hit my throat. I decided to scoop a few chunks of ice out of the ice chest. I shake the metal scoop over my glass and allow it to slide in. My thoughts continue.

Besides, I'd hardly known Val. He'd rescued me from the desert for a reward and offered me water and this was the extent of our interactions. With these minuscule occasions being the most intimate moments we'd shared and my twinge of jealousy still arising was a laughable concept to me.

At least, to my knowledge this was the extent of our interactions. The voice that called my name in the bathhouse was eerily similar to that of Val's, though I don't remember ever telling him my name. It's entirely possible that the man in the bathhouse was a tavern customer who knew my name and was shocked to see me in there. I push away the thought again, trying my best to shake the image of the man ingrained in my mind. My face flushes as I continue staring down at my drink.

Wanting to take my drink to my room and unwind, I head back to my quarters which was a short walk from the bar counter. I take off my shoes beforehand, not wanting to track dirt onto my floor. I set them just outside the door and stretch my legs and ankles, now only covered by socks. I push open my door, fully ready to settle down for the night. I set my bag down and look up to see a large, dark figure on my bed. It was Val.

"Elaine," he says. I am frozen in place, intimidated by his presence once more. “You look nice,” He continues, despite his kindness, anxiety still bubbles up in my gut.

"Good evening, Val. Do you need something from the tavern? Kenrik has gone to bed, but I'm sure I can wake him if you need."

"No, it's not that, I told Kenrik hello as I entered and completed any bartering I needed before coming in your room."

This made me wonder how long he'd been waiting in my room if Kenrik had gone to bed since then. This also explains Hidorah's strange demeanor. "A drink then maybe?" I ask, offering him my wine glass.

He takes it, making it seem minuscule in his hand. He lifts his helmet slightly with his free hand, allowing me to peek beneath it. There was a dark blueish-green tint in his skin, stubble dotted his strong jawline but the glass covered any view of his mouth.

My gut wrenches.

He takes a drink of the wine and hands it back to me, the glass noticeably lower, "We need to talk," he continued.

I nod and close the door behind me. I sit down beside him, his frame towering over mine. I do my best to hide my trembling hands, the reasoning behind them a blur between my intimidation and suspicions of it being him within the bathhouse. I try to compress everything swimming through my mind and allow the situation to press on. Val was going to tell me about the bathhouse and create a situation I didn’t want to be in, but I had no choice but to face it.

He stares down at his hands, something that seems reminiscent of a nervous habit, though it was hard to imagine a man like him being anxious. "Where are you from, Elaine?" His voice lowers to a hush, almost becoming sweet.

I shuffle around a bit and stir my glass, watching the now small chunks of ice drift as vacantly in the glass as thoughts in my mind. I remain silent. I hear the shifting of metal as Val looks at me. His focus on me makes my stomach drop. "Elaine, tell me. This is important." He says, slow and firm. His face seemed to get a bit closer to mine, though it was hard to tell if I was imagining it."It's- it's hard to remember," I say, attempting to lie to him. I remember it all too well now and just want to leave it behind.

"Don't lie to me, Elaine," Val says, putting his cold, armored hand on my shoulder. My brows furrow and I bite my bottom lip, staring up at him.

I take a large and final drink of the wine, attempting to muster some kind of courage, "I'm from Asteria. I ran away from my town for a new start. I suppose I got lost along the way." I say, trying to fake clarity and simplicity.

Val can see right through me, "I wouldn't pry if this wasn't important. I was questioned by people who are looking for you." He tells me.

My heart stops for a moment, "I guess there's a bit more to it than that." I take a breath, "I am a Thauma, you might have heard about the wedding happening soon. It was supposed to be mine; it was to join a neighboring nation but I just couldn't force myself into an arranged marriage."

A gasp emerges from behind the door, Val takes his hand off my thigh which I hadn't realized he placed there. I quickly run over and throw it open. To my surprise I see Marietta and Hidorah hunched behind it, Marietta covering her mouth, showing who the gasp had come from. Their eyes widen as I stare at them beneath me. Marietta had returned to the tavern for some reason, now in a gray nightgown, and I could only imagine it involves Hidorah telling her Val was here.

Hidorah finally takes his hand away from his ear and straightens his neck. He clears his throat and invites himself in, taking a spot against the wall on the floor. Marietta follows but seems to access the space between Val and me before taking a seat beside Hidorah, "You already know we were listenin' in on you. Might as well keep talkin’ now. Right?" She says with a smile, once again revealing the gap between her two front teeth.

Val turns to me, saying nothing. He knew it was my choice to make whether to allow them in or force their exit. I glance down at the bracelet dangling from my wrist, feeling a lump form in my throat. I figure that if I were to force them out, they would only wait at the door again and might even draw attention from some of those still in the main hall to drink. I begrudgingly shut the door and sat back down beside Val.

There was not a moment of silence before Hidorah cuts into the conversation, "So, you're a Thauma? Aren't they magic? Like, the only powerful magic users left in Asteria?" Hidorah says, confused yet blunt.

I open my mouth to dismiss his claims, but Marietta spoke for me, "Don't be stupid now, Hidorah! You know pure humans can't access magic. The Thaumas' having magic is nothing but an old wives tale. Besides, you're forgetting a bigger part of this! They're powerful, and elite, she deserves some respect!" Marietta says, gesturing toward me.

My mind drifts back to her earlier comment regarding our ‘obvious background differences’. Nevertheless, I press on, "If our family had magic, don't you think the townspeople would know it by now? And yes, I suppose we've got some power where we stand, but it's not so much so that we're considered rulers by any means. Just well known through our trading enterprise," I try to explain, becoming pulled from the initial topic.

"I'm sorry to tell you Elaine, but we've already got a rich little princess who uses the tavern as an escape," Hidora says, glancing at Marietta.

She shoves him with a scoff, "It's not like that and you know it."

"It is like that, though." Hidorah chuckles, "Sorry, Sorry. Baronness, not princess."

Marietta's face reddens, "I worked hard for that title! I emancipated myself and earned my right to exist as a powerful and unmarried woman!"

"Sure, whatever you say," Hidorah says, refusing eye contact with Marietta. His tone changes, clearly not wanting to rile her up beyond a point of no return, "Elaine, are you sure you're not magic? Catch this!"

His arm flings toward me, sending something flying at my head in a blur. I flinch, bracing myself for the impact, only for nothing to happen. I open my eyes to see Val's hand in front of my face clutching a small glass bottle, managing to catch it before hitting me.

The room goes dead silent, with everyone's eyes wide open and slack-jawed. My heart is still racing, and I don't dare break the silence. I stare at Hidorah in horror, and he stares back with a similar look. It seemed as though he legitimately expected me to stop it with a force I do not possess. He makes the mistake of making eye contact with Val.

Seemingly waiting for this, he gets up from the bed, his body instantly dwarfing Hidorah's. Hidorah scrambles against the corner, fumbling his attempt to stand up. He raises his hands to his shoulders, trying to lower tension, stuttering out how he didn't mean it. Val takes a single, thundering step toward him.

The gritty sound of glass grinding against itself fills the room with a crack. The bottle Hidorah had thrown at me crumbles from Val's hand onto the floor. "Leave, Hidorah," Val says, managing to give a full lesson in two words. Marietta and Hidorah quickly and silently make their exit, with Marietta shoving him out.

Val sits back down on the bed, making a slight creak. I'd gotten up at some point without realizing it, so Val pats the spot beside him, inviting me to sit. "I'm sorry I dropped the glass on your floor, it cracked when it hit my glove. I tried to keep it from cracking further the best I could. I can sweep it up." He says quietly, looking away. "Anyway, do you want to stay here Elaine?"

I give a light chuckle, finding him a bit amusing, "I don't think I can go back, at least not until the wedding is over. And I don't think I'd mind staying here."

He turns to me, "When the wedding is over? But you said you were the one getting married. Do you plan to skip your own wedding?"

"From what I've heard from travelers, the wedding is still on, meaning they must be marrying off my older sister instead," I explain. It will be hard to face Eliza after this, just one more crumbling relationship to come home to after all this. My thoughts drift to how I’ll work everything out eventually, though my mind is pulled away as Val speaks.

"You can consider this a fresh start for now then. Until you're ready to go back home. I just needed to know if you need help getting back." Val says, getting up.

At first, I think he was leaving, but after a moment he entered the room once more, this time with a broom in hand. I watch him sweep up the majority of the glass chunks until he takes a step to the side and hears a crunch beneath his foot. He calmly lifts his foot and attempts to finish sweeping, but yet another shattering sound breaks the silence.

I feel a laugh rise through my chest and attempt to break through my lips. My fist balls up in front of my face and I bite down on my finger to contain myself. His large frame continues to hunch over and sweep the wooden floors, swipe after swipe until he seems to be satisfied. He silently returns the broom to the main hall and enters my room, perhaps not wanting to end our interaction like this.

"I can take you back whenever you're ready, I know my way around quite well, and I'm sure your family will be happy to see you." He says, grabbing my hand and gently lifting it off the bed. He runs his thumb over my knuckles lightly as a goodbye as he speaks, "Until we meet again, Elaine. Oh, and I'll be sure to tell you when I'm using the bathhouse next time."

With that he goes off into the night, leaving me feeling mortified. As soon as my door clicks shut my eyes widen and my mouth is left agape. I collapse on my bed, attempting to smother my embarrassment out of me with a pillow. My stomach is in knots as I change into the new night clothes I'd made from a silky undershirt that was included with my tunic. I decide not to dwell on today's events, feeling too tired to sort out my feelings at the moment.

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