Peace of Mind

I understand about indecision
But I don't care if I get behind
People livin' in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind.

A dark, gloomy bar loomed in front of them. Well, it didn't exactly loom--as it was a small, dirty kind of tavern--but in Vala's current state of curiosity it seemed to loom.

Her eyes fell to the sign. It was ugly and awkwardly carved, but she recognized the name.

"The Hog's Head?"

"Save the matter of hygiene, it's quite enjoyable," Romulus replied. "Why, I believe a couple can lay low, completely out of view, and conspire together while the city rolls on." Without a backward glance, he stepped under the sign. "Join me for a drink, why don't you." It wasn't a question so much as a statement.

Vala stared at the sign; it was a hog's head served on a platter, blood carved into the woodwork. It was absolutely disgusting. She felt Romulus tug lightly on the string, and followed him under the archway.

Few people gave her mind, as she stepped through the gloom, her wrists thrust forward and bound together; the silver lead disappearing into Romulus' robes. Hooded figures watched them as they proceeded towards the bar.

"A scotch for me, and a Dark Mark Martini for the lady," he said to the bartender, as casual as ever.

The bartender slammed a whiskey and a beer on the counter.

Romulus stared at them, his expression natural and keen. "I asked for a scotch," he said. "And a Martini."

"Fresh out of scotch," the man said with a voice like sandpaper, "And don't serve that fairy crap." He pronounced fairy with a certain amount of distaste.

"The Equal Rights Guild would be interested in hearing that slur of yours," Romulus replied, "And of course the Ministry would always be interested in a look around the place."

"Empty threats," he rasped. "Ministry don't scare us here."

"No, I suppose they don't… I'm sure you have more pressing problems than those issued from the Ministry," he said understandingly and kindly, which somehow made him seem more threatening. He tucked something in his pocket, and then locked eyes with the bartender. "Though, things could get very ugly in here, very fast, if I don't receive what I ordered."

Something changed in the atmosphere. The bartender had seen something that Vala had missed. His eyes were wide, and a large brute of a man dropped a hairy hand on Romulus' shoulder.

"Iz ther a probl'm 'ere?" he rumbled.

"No, no," the bartender hurried, "Go back to your station, Goliath."

"Yis, sir."

"Scotch was that?" the man asked, hustling himself.

"Yes, and a Dark Mark Martini," he smiled graciously.

The man nodded and pulled on a ragged coat. "Right, I will only be a moment. Please, make yourself comfortable."

"Don't forget the cherries!" Romulus yelled after the man. "He'll be a bit," he informed Vala, gingerly lifting the Whiskey bottle.

Vala stared aghast. "What did you do?" she whispered, against her better judgement but according to her extreme curiosity.

Romulus drank straight from the bottle, and recapped it upon setting it down on the counter. "Hmm? Ah," and he smirked. "Are you a religious person, Miss. Amoureux?" he asked.

"What?" she moved back. What kind of answer was that? "No, no I'm not." Religion had been lost a long time ago.

"When Cain killed Able, God marked him so that no man would harm him." He smiled a sad smile and finished, "I'm a marked man, Vala, and others can sense it."

He spoke so knowingly, and yet… he seemed so sad. Like she, he was another pawn in the Game of Life. No matter how he tried, he fell short, and lost. She began to pity him. His life wasn't full of glitter, after all.

"Excuse me," he said quietly, getting up.

She watched him leave the room. Cain and Able. Her father once read that story to her. She wondered if his father had ever read to him. And then she remembered the Bible her father had read from; a white leather-bond one trimmed with gold. It had been a Wedding present for her parents. Vala should have inherited it, but it was licked up with the fire that destroyed her home. Old memories she thought she'd blocked out, returned in a frenzy. Regrets should have left her a long time ago, but she'd kept things bottled up for too long, and now the bottle was about to split.

In aggressive clawing, she pulled her robes up around her thighs, and ripped the guarder--once and for all. Unscrewing the cap to the Whiskey, and biting the stopper out of an old bottle, she gulped the Whiskey and then emptied an old potion's bottle into what remained of the toxic drink. She sloshed the Whiskey around and slammed it unto the counter before Romulus returned.

She turned in her seat, glancing around--Romulus was no where to be seen. She wondered where he'd gone. Her eyes had fogged with memories, and she'd missed it. Something smacked against the door, and in another instant it was ripped open. A man was thrown in, and in a haphazardly way, skidded to a halt.

"Behind the bar," she heard Romulus command.

The man scurried to his feet and hurried behind the bar.

Vala stared. Romulus adjusted his robes and overcoat, straightening and dusting them off. He took his seat next to Vala, and cool as can be, said, "My apologies, love, our friend here thought he'd pull a quick one."

"D-D-D-"

"Yes," Romulus confirmed. He stood again. "Forget the drink," and lifting the Whiskey, he walked towards a corner, pulling Vala behind him.

She nearly fell from her seat, following him, but once she regained her balance she redirected her attention. Romulus led her to a dusty corner, and a staircase apparated.

~+~+~+~

He'd be back soon. She glanced around the small room. Was this what she really wanted? It was hard to say. She had Romulus, and she supposed that was all that mattered. But somehow, somewhere deep down, it seemed things should be different. It seemed like she was missing something.

The door appropriately creaked, and she glanced up.

~+~+~+~

"Gale? That's who hired you? Gale Solitaire?"

Slowly, Gale rose to her feet. Carefully and dignitly unfolding her slender body to a fragile stance. Her blonde curls slipped across her shoulders, the early rays of morning shining through. It made her glow. And Vala hated her. A deep and foreign disgust, that arose within all women at the sight of her.

Her long, thick eyelashes beat twice, and finally she spoke. "Vala."

Vala's eyebrows drew in hatred, Romulus drew near. Her lead pulled forward, and the disgust was pulled from her face as she tripped forward. She caught her balance, and a look of dismay fell across her.

Gale stepped forward, interest intertwining with her posture. She touched Vala's hair, straightening and smoothing it. Softly, she sang to herself. "You can play the game and you can act out the part…" A breathy type of whisper, which played out in a bittersweet symphony throughout her mind. "Though you know it wasn't written for you."

She paused, her hand raised, mid stroke. A tear crystallized in her eye, and she swung away. She streamed to the bed, pulled the covers back, and motioned Vala to them. She blinked in correspondence, and for the first time Vala realized she was exhausted. Fight as she will, she obliged. In a trance, she lay down, tugged the sheets to her chin, and felt Romulus cut the lead.