Chapter 9
Saeola examined a display of lovely necklaces and bracelets with mild interest, arms bent behind her head. Athkatla had such interesting items, according to just about everyone, yet she didn't find them as interesting thus far. Just a lot of useless junk that one had to carry. This was probably her weary feet talking, though. They had been walking the entire day.
"Are ya tellin' me I con't use me magic at all 'ere?" Faelar complained to a local guard for what seemed like the thousandth time that afternoon. The tanned human sighed in irritation.
"Those are the laws of the city, half-elf," he growled, "Deal with it. And if you can't, the Cowled Wizards will gladly take you away to gods-know-where they send magical deviants."
Faelar sighed in defeated and scuffled off to find his party members. "Damned southern cities..."
Saeola glanced over her shoulder at the ruckus and smirked at Faelar. "Forgotten how to function without it? Bummer."
The rogue/sorcerer stuck his tongue out at the ranger, "I can live witout it, it's jus' fun ta mess around wit."
"Which is probably why they banned arcane magic here," Serosa'ruth chuckled, coming up behind the two half-elves, "They saw you coming and wanted to enhance damage control as much as possible."
"Your reputation proceeds you," Saeola smirked. It'd been about three more months now since Faelar had joined their little party -- and most of that time had been spent driving Saeola insane. Therefore, the ranger relished her rare chance to return the favor.
"Please do not think me rude," A deeply tanned woman sighed. "But... this really isn't worth the price." She held up the severally damaged arm guard, only to have several pieces fall off the back of it to create a nice hole. She bit her lip. "Case in point."
"You break it you buy it!" The merchant scowled, waving a thick hand at her.
"But it was already broken!"
"You wanna start something!" The woman shook her head quickly and quickly scattered some golden coins on the table for the man, accidentally giving him more than the actual price in her haste. Of course, the greedy merchant said nothing of it and scooped all the coins up.
"S-Sorry," She muttered, clearly annoyed but not looking to start trouble.
Ky'itae noticed the small show and frowned. Glancing at Faelar, who nodded in understanding before using stealth to disappear into the crowd, the moon elf approached the young woman, handing another piece of the damaged gauntlet, "You really shouldn't let him push you like that, you know. Athkatla may be a city of greed, but I'm sure one of the local paladin orders would defend you if you brought the matter to their attention."
The human blinked at Ky'itae before hastily snatching the piece she had picked up, apologizing instantly for her rudeness before dumping it and the remains of the gauntlet in her pack. She then threw it over one shoulder, swinging her dark and long braided hair out of the way. "I-It's fine. I don't like to start trouble. I'm the only one who suffers for it, it doesn't matter. As long as no one else is suffering."
"That's rather sickeningly noble," Saeola snickered from behind Ky'itae. "Didn't know those kind of people really existed."
The tan woman gave her a rather nasty glare. "Yes, I'm sure kindness isn't something half-elves know much about."
"Ooo, there we go. Spite. I knew you weren't a goody-two-shoes." At this point Ky'itae was beginning to wonder if Saeola truly got along with anyone.
"I find it odd that a follower of Waukeen would stand for stand for such mistreatment in trade transactions." Serosa'ruth came up, observing the symbol of Waukeen, goddess of merchants and trading, on the woman's ring.
"Well, whoteva da reason, 'ere's yer money back wit a li'l bonus." Faelar suddenly appeared out of the crowd and tossed a bag of gold and silver coins at the human.
The woman blinked at Serosa'ruth before catching the bag of gold in surprise. She stared at it. "How did you..." She shook her head and looked ashamed. "Yes, I'm not much for serving my goddess, am I?"
"I 'appened to find a gauntlet dat's actually worth somethin', if ya want it," The half-elf offered the sturdy and enchanted arm protection to her.
She shuffled away from the gauntlet Faelar held as if it would bite her. "N-No, thanks. I never wanted one..." And even if she did, it was not like she'd take one from a half-elf.
"Aw, c'mon, ya paid enough money fer it, ya deserve it. It's not yer fault dat bloody merchant doesn't keep 'is decent merchandise well-locked." The rogue grinned, though inwardly he could already detect the all-too-familiar distrust of his heritage. Was it his fault his father decided to mate with a human instead of another elf? He noticed Saeola's disapproving looks at his thievery and only grinned wider, just to spite the other wild half-elf.
"If you did not want one, why did you try to buy one?" asked Serosa'ruth, genuinely bemused, "Well... if you don't want it, then don't feel as if you should take it. Faelar, stop shoving that gauntlet in her face and sneak it back to its owner."
"Eh... does it 'ave to be its owner?" The rogue sighed, "Cuz 'e's kinda a jerk-off..."
The woman shook her head, looking irritated. Her hands that she had held up to keep Faelar a fair distance away lowered slightly. "No, I wasn't trying to buy one. I was just commenting... offering him types since he wasn't making any sales and it broke when I picked it up. He made me buy it."
Saeola suddenly snatched the gauntlet from Faelar. "It may be stolen, but it looks nice. I'll take it. Better than giving it back to that merchant."
"Speaking of dat merchant, 'e's coming dis way, dove." Faelar pointed behind the ranger.
Saeola blinked and glanced over her shoulder at him.
"You thief!" The merchant cried, grabbing Saeola's wrists and twisting them so that she dropped the item. "No one steals from me, wench!"
Saeola looked unfazed and gave him a flat look. "Oh my, you've caught the wrong half-elf." She jerked her head to Faelar. "He's your thief."
"Don't lie, I caught you red handed!"
"Do I LOOK like a thief to you? Check the bow and arrows, buddy."
Serosa'ruth tapped the merchant on the shoulder. The plump human jerked his head around to face the cloaked elf.
"I suggest you stop making false accusations right now, or you'll find yourself even less happy than you are now. Let her go." The druid warned. The merchant only snorted.
"I'd like to see you try and stop me from snapping her bones, elf." He spoke the last word as if it were an explanative.
Serosa'ruth shrugged, "Very well. Firstly, that gauntlet you claim she stole from you isn't even yours. I noticed the mark of the Shadow Thieves on its wrists. Funny... last I heard, they didn't do business with merchants in this quarter. I'd like to know how you acquired it, merchant." The tradesman paled, dropping Saeola.
"Oh... eheheh... must not be mine. Sorry, sorry, thought you were someone else." The human quickly backed away and headed towards his stand.
"By the way, sir..." Serosa'ruth tapped the merchant shoulder again. The human turned around, only to feel the harsh and quite hard butt of a sword slam into his face, shattering his nose. Serosa'ruth grabbed the bleeding merchant by the scruff of his clothes and pulled him close to his face, the scene somewhat comical looking due to the druid's small size.
"It's rude to treat customers, or any visitors to your fine city, as such," The elven male snarled, his blue eyes flashing angrily, "I won't catch you doing it again, will I?"
"N-no s-s-sir." The merchant stuttered, holding his broken nose.
"Good." Serosa'ruth threw the man to the ground and tossed a few silver coins down. "Use them to hire a cleric's services for that nose. It's so much easier and less painful than letting it heal on its own."
Saeola blinked from where she had fallen on the ground. Then she whistled lowly. "Damn. I'm real glad I'm your ally." She stood and brushed herself off before rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "I owe you one." Meanwhile, the Waukeen cleric could only stare in shock.
Serosa'ruth smiled, though the others couldn't see aside from in his eyes, "I don't let others mess with my friends. No debt is required. And Faelar--" He turned to the rogue, who grinned sheepishly, "I would expect you to be more subtle than that."
"Well, da funny thing is..." The male half-elf rubbed his neck in mild confusion, "I didun steal anything from 'is stall. It was da guy next to 'im. Da one sellin' da rusty longswords. Methinks Mr. Broken Nose was tryin' ta take advantage of someone 'oldin' some seedy-lookin' merchandise. Bah. An' ya people wonder why I 'ave no qualms of relieving dese blokes 'o their gold."
The cleric suddenly chuckled softly. "Steal from the rich and keep for yourself, huh? I suppose that's normal for a thief. Unless you give to the poor. That would be noble."
Saeola snorted. "Thieves aren't generally noble."
The woman smirked shyly. Somehow everyone could see Faelar and Saeola's flirting but Saeola herself. "But, he's kinda cute."
"If you squint your eyes and stand on your head while jabbing a dagger in your eye..."
The cleric, however, was no longer listening and had turned to Serosa'ruth, bowing politely. "Thank you and your group for getting my money back." Just because she was weary of trusting them didn't mean she had to be rude.
Serosa'ruth nodded his head in response, "You're welcome. As was said, he shouldn't treat his customers as such."
"'Ey!" Faelar suddenly spoke up, indignant, "Who says I don't give to da poor? Remind me, who was da ferst one ta donate somethin' to da temple 'o Illmater dis mornin'? I'm pretty sure it wasn't Miss Arrows over 'ere."
Ky'itae chuckled, "Okay, we have to give him that one."
Saeola crossed her arms over her chest and snorted, rolling her eyes. "Fine, fine… Give him that one. But overall: He's just your average greedy thief."
"Dat 'urt, dove. Fer yer information, every copper I take from da rich dat doesn't go ta charity is only used fer things I need ta survive: food, equipment, inn fees. If I was greedy, you'd be copperless righ' now an' I woulda already made a nice an' cozy livin' in Tethyr or Calimshan." The rogue crossed his arms and "hmphed" smugly at Saeola.
Saeola merely stuck her tongue out at him in response.
"All right, enough flirting you two," Ky'itae stepped between the wild half-elves, clapping each on their shoulders, "It's rude not to introduce ourselves to someone new." She motioned towards the cleric with her head.
The tanned human shook her head. "I-It's fine... I don't need to know names, I'm leaving..."
"Oi, she's the rude one," Saeola snorted. "But for the hells of it, I'm Saeola."
The woman hesitated before sighing softly. "Miri."
"Faelar." The rogue saluted the human woman with a grin.
"Ky'itae." Smiling at Miri, the moon elf nodded.
"Serosa'ruth." The druid nodded briefly once more.
Miri smiled at them weakly. She felt a little uncomfortable, but in debt to them for helping her. "It's nice to meet you all. Forgive my behavior... It's the way I was raised, I'm afraid. I try hard to think outside it, but..."
Faelar squinted at her, taking careful note of her skin tone, hair color, and clothing. "Ahhh. Calishite, right? Say no more. If ya ask me, yer da politest one I've met yet... Not dat I'm trying ta generalize folk from Calimshan."
Miri shrugged a bit and offered another weak smile. "Ah... Not really. I've just learned that when you travel, you meet a lot of people. Not liking someone because of their race doesn't promise good traveling. I'm a Calishite... but... I'm kind of an outcast."
"Well, you'd fit in righ' well with us, methinks." Faelar grinned. "I mean, look -- two wild 'alf-elves," He patted his own chest and tapped Saeola's with the back of his hand -- removing it before she could smack it away -- then pointed to Ky'itae. "An elven maid who wears a 'eavy metallic breastplate an' cleaves orcs wit a bastard sword --" lastly, he thumb-pointed at Serosa'ruth, "-- an' da boss 'ere who won't eva take dat damn cloak off an' likes ta smash jerkwads' faces in."
Miri chuckled nervously. "Interesting description. You sound like a fun bunch, though."
Saeola snorted. "Fun my ass."
"Well, I meant besides you."
"Shut it."
"Ah, I like dis woman already," Faelar grinned, "She knows da art of 'piss-da-ranger-off-easily' quite well. I can respect dat."
Saeola growled angrily. "Yeah, just what we need in this group. Another one of those..."
Miri grinned. "I'm interested... Can I join you?"
"Well... not that I'm going to say no or yes yet, but... what skills can you offer?" Serosa'ruth asked, interested in what this young human could do.
Miri placed a finger to her chin in thought. "Uh... well, I'm a cleric of Waukeen. So... That's healing and protection spells. And various others… If you ever encounter undead, I might be of some aid."
"Not bad," Serosa'ruth rubbed his cloth-covered chin, "And are you proficient with any weapons?"
"Well, I prefer to use daggers. I have several of them."
Serosa'ruth nodded, "Well, that sounds good to me. What about you guys?" He turned his head to his party.
"The more the merrier." Ky'itae laughed. Faelar merely grinned and gave the elven male a thumbs-up.
Saeola shrugged. "Even if I said no, majority rules, so why the hells not?"
"Looks like you're in, Miri." Serosa'ruth chuckled.
Miri smiled happily and clapped her hands together lightly in front of her. "Thanks!"
"Sooo... Now dat we're five insteada four, whot do we do next, boss?" Faelar asked. Serosa'ruth scanned the marketplace.
"Find a place that actually sells decent traveling rations."
"In this place, that's kind of like finding a needle in a haystack," Miri admitted. "But I know of a few places myself." She motioned for the group to follow her and led the way.
Faelar glanced at Saeola as they followed, noticing her slight sour expression, "Oi, whot's buggin' ya, dove?"
Saeola gave him a flat look. "Oh, lots of things... You, Miri, that merchant, you, having to walk more, the weather, you... But mostly, Miri. Don't you think it's a little suspicious for her to be acting like this, given her ethnicity? Being raised a certain way and then breaking from them isn't this easy."
"Ah, but I see one li'l problem in dat way o' thinking, dove."
Saeola arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"
Faelar tapped her nose lightly, "You ain't givin' 'er a chance ta rise above such things. Yes, it's hard, but not impossible. Prejudgment doesn't suit you, dove."
"I'm not! I'm just weary about it, that's all. People don't change their ways that easily... No matter what they promise..."
He tapped her nose again, "Ah, not easily, but difficult does not equal impossible, dove. Fer a ranger, you seem ta lack insight."
"Insight nothing. Call it learning from experience." She spat.
"Oh-ho. Dis puts a whole new spin on yer 'I-got-a-rod-up-me-arse' attitude. Least it makes sense now."
"Oh, spare me. Like you honestly care why I act the way I do." She rolled her different colored eyes.
"Sure I do! Yer gonna give yerself 'igh blood pressure an' wrinkles at an early age with all dat uptight thinkin'. Why, look, I think I see a wrinkle already formin'!" He poked her cheek, just below her green eye, for emphasis.
Saeola scowled and waved his hands away quickly, blushing lightly. "Go find someone else to bug, will ya!"
"Aw, but yer so easy an' fun ta annoy. Doink." He poked her in the side, a bit closer to her breasts than she probably would've liked.
THWACK!
The movement was so swift that even Faelar couldn't have dodged it. Her hand collided with the side of his face and she shuffled away from him angrily, red in the face. "It's called personal space!"
The rogue rubbed his reddened cheek with a wide grin, "An' whot would dat be, dove?" Just to push her further, the male half-elf poked her once more, only much higher this time, and quickly dashed after the others before she could smack him again.
A volley of arrows followed his path before shortly being chased by Saeola herself, swearing up a storm at him. The group and the innocent bystanders narrowly dodged thief, arrows and ranger.
"Are they always like that?" Miri asked with raised eyebrows.
"Yuuuppp." Serosa'ruth sighed, rubbing his green forehead in mild irritation while Faelar's laughs echoed in the distance.
"We're running a pool on when those two we finally tie the knot." Ky'itae added in a tone that made the cleric wonder if she was serious or not, "Wanna place any bets?"
Miri scrunched up her face. "Um, maybe later?"
"Yer wasting arrows, dove!" Faelar's voice taunted somewhere ahead of them.
"It'll be worth it when I hit you!" Saeola's voice followed.
"Ya mean 'if' ya 'it me!" This time his sounds came from above, probably somewhere on the buildings.
"Ugh... sometimes I wonder why we never get banned from places." Serosa'ruth sighed again, rubbing his forehead once more.
Saeola screeched in frustration somewhere ahead, either out of arrows or no longer having her target in her sights.
"I wonder this now as well," Miri agreed.
"While those two are engaging in their ever-strange courtship," Ky'itae grinned, "Miri, you said you knew some decent rations-sellers? I think we should probably get that done with and then find a decent inn to spend the night."
Miri chuckled and waved to a nearby stand, stopping just short of it. "This is it. Great stuff for decent prices. I'm not really in need of anything, but you are. Ah... but maybe I'll buy some more arrows for Saeola. Heh."
Serosa'ruth held up a small bag of silver coins, "No need. I call this my 'Missed Faelar Again Arrow Budget.'"
"You must be running low with that one," Miri commented with a laugh.
"I was until we recently cleared out a nearby orc horde. Druids themselves have little need for money, but I tend to keep my party in mind when I plunder monsters' lairs."
Miri chuckled again. "I'll remember to donate to the MFAAB cause next time."
Saeola stomped back to the group moments later, muttering things underneath her breath. "I'll kill him one day, I swear..."
Miri patted her head. "Of course you will."
"Oh, she'll kill him all right," Ky'itae agreed, elbowing the ranger, "Just not in the way she's thinking right now. All that energy's gotta be put to use in other ways." The elven woman grinned, shooting a meaningful and implying look at the half-elf.
Saeola's eye twitched. "I may be out of arrows, but I have my sword. Rocks work too..."
Ky'itae clapped the ranger on the back with a laugh, un-intimidated. "And you just wasted all the energy chasing our resident rogue, and I happen to be wearing armor and jewelry that greatly reduces any sort of damage your sword or rocks may give."
Saeola grumbled something incoherent under her breath and crossed her arms over her chest, looking away in defeat.
"So, whot's on da menu, guys? Well, future menus, I suppose, since dese are rations..." The party jumped in surprise and turned to find Faelar behind the counter, closely examining the food products.
The merchant eyed his booth's location pressed against a wall and closed doors on each side, the large canopy covering the top, then gawked at the rogue in disbelief, "How did you get in my stand?"
Miri looked just as surprised. "Oh... Wow, that was amazing! I never even saw you!" Saeola merely rolled her eyes.
"Den I'm doin' me job." Faelar grinned, hopping over the side door, snatching a small package of rations, and tossing the three silver pieces to the merchant in one swift motion. "Well, now I'm set."
This brought Saeola back to life. "Oh... I need more arrows..."
Miri chuckled. "We got them for you. Rather, Serosa'ruth got them for you. The MFAAB funds, ya know."
Saeola blinked at her. "The what?"
"Nothing."
"..."
"I'll give them to you after we find an inn," the druid cut in, "since I don't think you two should scare the locals anymore than you already have."
Saeola glared at Faelar. "It's his fault..."
"You're the one who shot arrows at him. I'm pretty sure you scared the locals more," Miri pointed out with a nervous laugh.
"Shut up. He deserved it."
"Ta be fair, she slapped me ferst." Faelar pointed his index finger skywards.
"You touched me inappropriately first!" Saeola snarled back.
The rogue grinned widely, "Define inappropriate. I merely poked yer side."
"The second time you poked my CHEST, you pervert! That earns a slap in my book!"
"Oooooh boy," Miri sighed, covering her face in her slender hand.
"But ya didn't slap me dat time." Faelar pointed out. "An' I don't see anything wrong wit chests. Look, I'll poke mine." He poked his pectorals a few times to prove his point, "Whot's da big deal?"
"And thus, half the city erupted in flames as Saeola exploded in a fiery, feminist rage," Serosa'ruth muttered under his breath low enough so only Ky'itae heard him.
Serosa'ruth was close, but not quite. Instead, Saeola's foot collided with Faelar's stomach. "That's A LIE! Say it again and I kick lower!" She screeched.
"Oh, don't do that. You might regret it later," Miri said cheerfully.
"SHUT IT!"
"Damn good leg dis woman's got." Faelar wheezed, bending over briefly to recover his breath, which he did quickly, "But I still don't see da problem, dove. Doink." This time the rogue made no subtlety in poking the ranger's breast, and deftly disappeared into the shopping crowd the moment his finger left her body.
"ARRRGGGHH! That's IT!" Saeola swiped the new arrows and bolted after him. "YOU'RE DEAD!"
Miri watched them go calmly before dropping a few coins into Serosa'ruth's MFAAB bag.
"Thanks." Serosa'ruth sighed, the arrow vender already handing him two quivers' worth of arrows, "Looks like we might have to increase the budget..."
"By about tenfold," Miri added with a raised eyebrow. "Maybe we should start a new one for property damage."
"Indeed. Good thing Faelar can't use his sorcerer spells here, otherwise we'd have to multiply the budget at least twenty-fold." Ky'itae sighed, though a light smile remained on her lips.
There was a long pause before Miri just laughed. "They're gonna have lots of kids."
"Hopefully not on the road. Which why I've also purchased these." Serosa'ruth held up cassil shrubs in one gloved hand and nararoots in the other. Both were fairly common contraceptive plants -- cassil roots caused temporary male infertility when digested; nararoots, the same, only in women.
Miri giggled and gave him a thumbs-up. "Always a step ahead."
"Of course. I was raised that way."
"A good way to be raised, I suppose... So, should we wait for them? Saeola should be out of arrows soon..."
"Nah. We need to find an inn. They'll catch up. Know any good ones around here, or are you also fairly new to Athkatla?" The druid queried.
Miri shook her head. "I've been here several times, but never to spend the night. But I think I know where we can start looking."
"Lead on, then." Ky'itae motioned in the direction opposite where the two wild half-elves had disappeared to.