"Alright, now that we have the chance, let me take a look at that book I gave you," Said Solanni, settling herself onto a nice corner at the Winking Skeeve inn. Rumarin, her altmer companion, eased himself into the seat across the dunmer.
"By the Gods, Solanni! You should give this book thing a break!" Said Rumarin, placing both of his hands on the table.
"Can't you just… give me the book?" Asked Solanni, a bit confused at her companion. He had never stopped her from reading a book, even if he himself was unable to read them. In fact, Solanni had been sure that he had liked some of the books that she read outloud.
"Don't waste precious time on books, Sol, really, before you know it you might end up like Neloth, ew," Rumarin did an exaggerated face of disgust here, "or like Septimus Signus!"
"Excuse me? Reading a bit a day makes no harm to anyone! You should try it yourself! Now, give me the book!" Demanded Solanni, holding out an arm.
"Fine, here's the damned book," Said Rumarin, taking the book out of his bag and handing it to Solanni.
"Great, thanks," Said Solanni, already opening the book and starting to slowly but steadily read the contents outloud in a whispery voice. Rumarin smiled, and decided to give her a few more minutes of silence, before he began again.
"Haven't you realized that all this mental work can wear you down?" Asked Rumarin, once again. He laid his head down on his arms, and looked up at Solanni. She lowered her book enough to look at him.
"It's just one book a day, Ruma, I can handle it," Growled Solanni.
" 'Just one book a day,' she says, 'I can handle it,' she says. Won't be saying that in a few centuries," Said Rumarin.
"Knock it out, Rumarin. I will read this book if I want to; you don't have to be around me while I'm doing so, if it really bothers you that much," Said Solanni, annoyed. She went back to her book, and Rumarin shut up for a while.
The inn was particularly quiet, although it was just afternoon. Even Lisette the bard had decided to sit down and grab a bite. There was just the rather quiet hubbub of the patron's talking amongst themselves, and the tinkling of plates, silverware and tankards. Oh, and the occasional uproar of drunken laughter on behalf of a 40-year-old divorcee was also there. Rumarin supposed a tavern or an inn wouldn't be complete without those. He also noticed that there was an argonian looking at him. Rumarin wiggled his eyebrows at the argonian, and the argonian looked away in disgust.
"Look, I'm sorry about getting… uppity at you reading a book," Said Rumarin, looking at the back of Solanni's book.
"Mmmhmm," Replied Solanni.
"No, I mean it, I'm sorry… it's that, I confess, I'm bored," Said Rumaring, placing his hands on front of him and looking at them. Huh, that scar he got from practicing juggling maces was still there, even after all this time.
"Oh, it's fine. You can make it up to me by staying quiet and letting me read some more," Replied Solanni.
"Perfect! I'll do just that! Staying quiet!" Exclaimed Rumarin.
"…Questionable, considering you kept talking," Said Solanni, placing her book down and looking sternly at Rumarin. Rumarin smiled back sheepishly, and raised himself from the table, sitting down correctly.
"Right, uh, commencing silence in three… two… one… Boom! Rock fell, I'm silent now," Said Rumarin. Solanni gave him a 'you better' look, and continued reading.
Lisette had finished eating, and was soon up with her lute in her arms. A nearby patron grabbed her attention, gave her a small amount of septims (Rumarin estimated about three to six septims), and she started singing. Oh, the "Age of Aggression", fitting for Solitude, Rumarin supposed. It had a nice tune, and Lisette was carrying it along very nicely, so Rumarin started to tap his foot to the rhythm. He was also touching something with his foot occasionally, which he thought it was the table's leg. He stopped when Solanni calmly placed the book on the table and gave him a stare. A quick check under the table, and he saw that he was actually tapping her leg.
"Sorry, the beat is contagious," Said Rumarin, as he proceeded to tap his foot on the floor.
"Try to give me just fifteen more minutes of peace and calm," Said Solanni.
"Uh… I'll try," Said Rumarin, now actually realizing at what point they were.
"Very good, thanks," Said Solanni. Rumarin wondered if she was playing along, or if the gods themselves had aligned the stars for their conversation to flow so perfectly like this. Either way, he grinned.
"What if we finish this? I mean, we're almost to the end," Said Rumarin, placing a hand on Solanni's book and lowering it gently. She glared daggers at him.
"Xenophus," Rumarin said, cutting off Solanni before she could say anything.
"You... No…. No! Don't tell me you've been playing Withershins all this time, without me noticing!" Exclaimed Solanni, quickly recognizing the reference to one of her (and apparently Rumarin's) favorite book, Withershins, that spoke of the game of the same name. She slammed her own book shut on the table. A few patrons stared at the ruckus, but quickly went back to nursing their mead.
"Zoned out with that book you were, Sol," Said Rumarin excitedly. He leaned back against the chair.
"And we didn't lose track at all?" Asked Solanni, awed.
"Babe, you have been the best Withershins player I've seen," Said Rumarin, smiling.
"Can't believe this," Mumbled Solanni, leaning back into her chair and placing a hand on her forehead.
"Don't worry, I can't believe it either. This is the kind of battle bards should be singing about; the battle of mer against fate, the medium being Withershins," Said Rumarin, using his hands to convey the idea of the battle.
"I need to go, I can't do this, my mind has been broken," Said Solanni, standing up and going to the room they had rented.
"Amazing! I won!" Exclaimed Rumarin victoriously. He placed Solanni's book inside his knapsack and went after her.
~o~o~o~o~o~o~o
(A/N): Withershins by Yaqut Tawashi, a book where the protagonist believes that they have been cursed because every conversation they hold flows in alphabetical order. Rumarin occasionally mentions it in the game, so I thought it'd be cool to write a small story for it! Also, it makes for a great writing exercise, since you're trying to keep the characters in-character but have them start their conversations in alphabetical order. Don't believe me? Take another look at how they start their lines!