Chapter 10

Miri did just that. Two inns ended up being full, but another had rooms to spare at a fairly cheap price. Although that might say something for the rooms, but that was yet to be determined. "If this works for you, it works for me. But if you'd rather look around some more, there's a few more places we could try."

"This place is fine as long as we have enough space in one room to separate the love birds during the night, lest they kill each other." Serosa'ruth chuckled.

Miri chuckled also. "Yeah, there should be plenty of room."

"Good. Let's stay here at the... uh..." He looked up at the tavern sign, "Motley Dwarf Inn... Gods, you humans come up with odd names."

Miri laughed. "It's an art." She entered, holding the door for the other two elves before going up to the front desk. After a brief conversation, Miri managed to book two rooms. She returned to the others. "I got us two rooms. So that's three in one room and two in another. I think I can already guess who's staying with who."

Serosa'ruth grinned widely, though his cloth mask covered it, "Ky'itae and I would enjoy your company when we slip into Reverie tonight. And I'm sure we can afford to pay any damages our companions might cause to the inn."

Miri bit her lip. "What's this, another fund? Jeez... On second thought, maybe we should separate them..."

Ky'itae laughed, patting the human on the back, "Oh no, trust me, it's much more amusing this way. Besides, believe it or not, they very rarely cause any damage to the inn, and they don't make noise cuz Faelar is kind enough to place a Silence spell on the room walls so no noise leaks outside. Just don't tell Saeola, I don't think she realizes he does that, otherwise she wouldn't wake up hoarse every morning from yelling at him all night."

Miri laughed. "Never a dull moment here, is it?" The door suddenly flew open and Saeola stormed in, clearly having failed yet again and angry because of it.

"Out of arrows already?" Miri asked with a smirk.

"Shut up."

Faelar jumped down from some unknown perch, landing in front of the ranger. "Aye. Pity dat be, dove. Want me ta filch some coins ta pay fer new ones?"

Saeola's eye twitched angrily, but she said nothing.

Miri cleared her throat and glanced at the two. "We got rooms. Try to behave..."

"Oh, by da look on 'er face, dove, looks like we're gonna be roomin' together once more. Whot fun!" The half-elf rogue clapped his gloved hands together, grinning.

"NO FUCKING WAY!" Saeola screeched, waving her arms around wildly in protest. "I'll kill him!"

"If you haven't been able to by now, I seriously doubt you'll succeed tonight," Miri grumbled. "Just take one for the team, will you?"

"How is THAT taking one for the team!"

"WE don't want to room with you when you're like this..."

"Gee, thanks."

"At least I'm honest."

The noise attracted the attention of other patrons, who merely shook their heads at the "uncivilized Northerners and Calishite."

Saeola shot them all a glare before Miri began to drag her toward the rooms. "Hey!" Saeola protested.

"C'mon, you're embarrassing!" The human huffed.

"Well, we should probably eat something before settling down for the night." Ky'itae pointed out just as Faelar's stomach rumbled loudly in hunger. He rubbed his empty stomach while putting another hand behind his head in abashment.

"Eh, yeah... I'm wit' 'Itae on dis one... I need food... slipping away from dove is 'ard work."

Miri stopped halfway up the stairs. "Hm? Ah, good idea. Food would be good. I'm afraid I don't know of any good places to eat, though. I usually have my own."

"Well, it's a tavern." Serosa'ruth motioned to the bar and tables by them, "I'm sure they don't just serve drinks. Most taverns have at least basic food like breads to eat."

Miri glanced over her should. "You can never be sure around a place like this, but it's worth a shot."

Faelar had already ordered a mug of dwarven mead and took his second gulp of his, motioning towards the cleric, "-Or two!" He grinned.

Miri blinked and released Saeola, rubbing the back of her head. "Oh, well, then..." She happily joined Faelar.

"An' what'll ye have, lass?" The rather hefty barkeep queried Miri.

Miri gave him a friendly smile and scratched her chin in thought. "Ah... let's see... How about a Kuraki? I heard those were good."

"Very well, lass." The barkeep slid a mug filled with reddish, frothing liquid towards her. "Two silver, please." He held out his hand for payment.

Miri paid him and took a sip of her drink after letting out a great sigh. It was nice to relax...

- - - - -

Meanwhile, Saeola and gone to the room instead, flopping onto the bed that she had claimed as hers. Meh... I'm too tired to feel hungry.

A knock on her door brought the half-elf to attention. The wooden barrier opened a crack, revealing Serosa'ruth's cloaked face. "Mind if I come in? I can eat later."

Saeola turned her head to peek one eye at him before her face disappearing back into her pillow. "Sure, come in," was her muffled reply.

The cloaked elf slipped inside, closing the door behind him. He pulled a chair up near the bed and sat on it, chest against the chair's wooden back. He folded his arms atop the chair and rested his chin on his arms. "What's up? Sulking from Faelar's playing earlier?"

Saeola sighed and rolled over onto her back, folding her hands over her stomach. "Bah... He'll get what's coming to him one of these days..."

Serosa'ruth laughed, his blue eyes twinkling in amusement, "So he is annoying you more than ever, eh? Well, if it really vexes you, we won't speak of him further, for now. Firstly, perhaps you might want these--" he handed her the two newest clusters of arrows he'd bought, "-- then perhaps I can prod you a bit. How goes your magic training? Do you still need help with shaping small pieces of rock, or do you wish to move on? There's a small garden out back of the tavern that would serve as a passable training ground... eh, quite literally, actually."

Saeola chuckled, but fell silent as he spoke. She frowned a bit at the ceiling. "No, I can shape small rocks rather well now... but I get easily rusty if I don't practice for a few days." She glanced over at him curiously. "Do you think I'm ready to move on? I honestly can't be sure..." Ever since she had joined with the druid, Serosa'ruth had offered his help and guidance in nature magic, as rangers could cast many similar spells. The elf claimed very limited knowledge on such things, but the ranger found he was a great help and mentor nonetheless.

"Only one way to find out." His kind eyes smiled as he nudged her shoulder, "Come outside with me?"

Saeola made a face, but sat up. "All right, all right... but only for a little bit. I'm tired."

"Fair enough. Follow me downstairs."

Saeola nodded and stood, following him out of the room and outside.

Serosa'ruth led the ranger out into the small and somewhat pitiful garden. Still, to the nature-sensitive elvenkin, it still retained a beauty of its own not seen in many places inside a city. The druid sat himself down, cross-legged, on the dirty ground, handing the ranger a handful of rocks as she seated herself.

"First, a quick practice on these rocks. Then we can move on."

She took them carefully, trying not to spill a single one. "Ah... what should I make?"

"Hm... well, you are in tune with your wolf companion... Try to shape them into a miniature likeness of him. It doesn't have to be detailed, just a basic wolf shape."

Saeola nodded with a grin. "Good idea! In my current mood I might have tried to make a weapon to kill a certain other half-elf... Heheh..." She crouched down and piled the rocks in front of her. A quick work of magic and the rocks had become a small statue of her wolf friend, Irek. She picked up the small item, only about the size of her hand.

Serosa'ruth nodded in quiet approval. "Hmm..." He scanned the ground about them, "There's enough grass and plants here... why don't we work on your Entangle spell next?"

Saeola nodded and placed the statue down, moving away from it. "Ah... instruct me on the spell real quick... I think I have it confused with another one."

"Well..." Serosa'ruth crouched low, near a weed, "You must concentrate on the earth, on the plants. Curl your fingers," he used his own gloved hand in demonstration of the proper position, "and move them in a slow, tugging motion. Concentrate on the plants and imagine them growing, curling, as if living bonds..." He moved his hand and fingers slowly, muttering something in Druidic, and the weeds and grass began to grow, wrapping themselves around his limb's and Saeola's, though their grip was weak. "I did not do a full incantation... that would just kill time right now, but... once you've perfected this spell, it can come quite in handy in battle."

Saeola nodded and did as he instructed, concentrating on the plants and mimicking his motions. The grass coiled up weakly, wrapped around the statue a bit before falling away. Saeola sighed and rubbed her forehead. "It'd be useful if I could do it, you mean..."

"If aid in battle isn't enough of an incentive for you, Saeola, what about the chance to prank our resident prankster if you can successfully pull this off, hm?"

"...Now I'll be practicing this thing all night."

"Oh, I don't think it'll take you that long. Remember what I told you -- the movements of your fingers," He demonstrated once more, "and the visualizations... perhaps adding our rogue to those visions will help you cast a more successful Entanglement."

Saeola nodded and turned back to the still statue, closing her eyes. She did the movements again, picturing the grass extending from the ground. Picturing what she could do to get back at Faelar with it... The grass grew and wrapped tightly around the wolf statue... and abruptly broke it into pieces. She stopped the spell and raised her dark eyebrows. "Uh... I meant nothing by that, I swear. I don't want to really kill him. Honest..." Okay, maybe she really did.

Serosa'ruth laughed, clapping the ranger on the back, "Well done! Now, what say you to a little bit of fun with this spell, eh?" He winked.

Saeola grinned wickedly and clapped her hands together. "Yes, let's."

"I suggest using those bushes as your hiding place --" Serosa'ruth pointed, "And be sure to aim the spell far enough away so you don't entangle yourself. I'll be back in a few moments."

"Okay, good id--Hey wait." She gave Serosa'ruth a suspicious look. "You're usually against me... What's with this all of a sudden?"

Serosa'ruth chuckled, "I'm never against you, nor against Faelar. You're both my friends, and I like to have fun with each of you. It's just that Faelar's usually more willing to be playful... but I figured you'd be happy to have fun at the rogue's expense, so I thought, 'why not'?"

Saeola grinned. "Much appreciated." She then hurried away and disappeared into the bushes.

Serosa'ruth nodded and made his way back into the bar, where Faelar enjoyed himself to a second tankard of dwarven ale, seemingly unaffected by the strong alcohol concentration. The half-elf drank and joked with his two female companions, slightly surprised when Serosa'ruth tapped him on the shoulder.

"'Ey Boss. Whot's up?" he inquired.

"I gotta show you something outside, Faelar." Serosa'ruth insisted, "I think you'd be interested. Come on."

Slightly wary, but not about to disobey his party leader, Faelar hopped off his stool and followed the druid outside.

"Over there, near the middle of the garden. Go there and look up. It's quite fascinating." The thief shot his companion a suspicious glance.

"Aye, Boss. Whoteva ya say..." The thief cautiously tread out into the garden and looked up. "...I don't see anythin'..."

Saeola waited silently and perked up when she saw Faelar. She tried not to give herself away with a laugh as she quickly did the motion and the spell was cast. The grass grew, twisting up along the other half-elf's legs and waist.

Faelar snapped to attention and looked down at his legs, yelping in surprise. "Oi, whot's dis?" As the plants entangled him more and crawled up his body, binding him tightly, he sighed, "Why do I get da feelin' dove 'ad somethin ta do with dis?"

Saeola poked her head up from the bushes and waved with a grin. "You catch on quickly."

Faelar somehow managed to give the ranger a thumbs-up, even as the grass constricted him further, "Ya finally got me one, dove. Congrats, I'm so proud!"

Saeola stuck her tongue out at him. "It won't be the last time, either."

"I look forward to da next times, dove! Now yer provin' ta be a challege. I like dat... ow. Bit tight, aren't dese?"

She moved away from the bushes to stand in sight, hands on her hips and grinning happily. "I crushed a statue with them earlier."

"Oh, lovely... Eh, me 'opes ya don't intend ta crush me?"

"It's tempting..."

"'Ey, rule number one o' good pranks, dove -- dey aren't truly 'armful. Nasty pranks go against my religion. Quite literally." Whether or not he intended the comment as a joke, it was true -- the rogue worshipped Erevan Ilesere, elven god of mischief and pranks; ill-natured pranks actually angered the fey deity.

Saeola rolled her eyes. "You really think I'd do it? Jeez, I know I come off as a bitch, but I'm no murderer." The grass relaxed and snaked away from him, disappearing back into the ground.

"No, not really." Faelar answered honestly, before quickly levitating himself off the ground, "I jus' wanted ya ta get rid of da grass so I could escape. Thanks, dove!" With a wave and a grin, the rogue zipped back into the tavern, keeping his feet a few dozen inches above the ground.

Saeola bent her arms behind her head and watched him leave with a flat stare. "Jeez. Even when I win... he wins."

Serosa'ruth rubbed his neck -- he had half expected this outcome, though he did intend to help Saeola this time, "Hmm... Perhaps we should work on out-witting him as well."

Saeola gave him a tired glance. "If I had any wit, that might work."

"Oh, I dunno, Ms. Anauroch. You're plenty witty, you just need to hone on using it better against someone who's all but mastered it."

Saeola laughed. "But in the end, he still wins. Ah, well. Like I said, he'll get what's coming to him."

"We'll practice at it. For now, why don't we retire? It's getting dark."

"Gladly. I'm beat."

"I'm sure the other women are too, if not hungover... I'm not sure how strong Miri's alcohol tolerance is... I still can't believe Faelar can drink dwarven ale without a trace of alcoholic disabilities."

"Well, we'll find out, won't we?" Saeola led the way back inside.

- - - - -

When the nature duo entered, Miri turned and waved at them. She seemed fine, but that was probably because she had only had one drink. "Hey. Where'd you two go?"

"Oh, just practicing some nature spells and having fun." Serosa'ruth answered, then turned to Ky'itae, whose cheeks were somewhat flushed. "Oh, great. Ky, you didn't try the dwarven mead again, did you?"

"Faelar dared me," the elven fighter retorted, her words tainted by only a very slight slurring. "And this woman never backs down from a dare, dammit!" She slammed her mug down on the counter to emphasize her point, before looking up at the ranger and druid, "Hey, I didn't know there was four of ya. Who're the new guys?"

Saeola raised her eyebrows. "Er... Wow, I never knew you'd be one to get drunk, Ky'itae."

"It's kinda scary when she does," Miri added.

"Yeah. There's no way I'm tellin' her, 'you've had enough.'" The barkeep added, raising a red eyebrow at the moon elf.

"You don't know the half of it... and I've seen her much more drunk than this before..." Serosa'ruth sighed. "C'mon Ky, let's get you to bed." He pulled her up off her stool, then she suddenly slapped his hands away, her cheeks a bright pink from liquor.

"Hey! Not on the first date, buster! Whatcha think I am, some sleazy strumpet?" She stumbled, Serosa'ruth catching her in his free arm, using the other to rub his forehead in irritation.

"Not this again..."

Saeola snickered and almost encouraged Ky'itae. Almost. Instead she approached her to offer Serosa'ruth some help. "Uh… C'mon, Ky'itae. Time to sleep..."

"Sleep?" The word slurred in Ky'itae thick-feeling tongue, "Silly girl, elves don't sleep... we... meda...um... meduh...didaph? Didate?"

"Meditate." Serosa'ruth corrected with a sigh.

"No, I kinda like 'didate'," Saeola snickered.

"Heheh. Didate. Didate. Dat's a funny word." Ky'itae giggled. "Didate. Didate. Didate."

"Thanks, now we'll never get her to shut up," Miri grumbled, glaring at Saeola.

"Hey, I think it's a funny word too." The ranger defended herself.

"You're not helping here!" The cleric sighed in irritation.

"Ya know, you guys are great pals," Ky'itae muttered, nearly stumbling on the stairs, even with aid, "All... uh..." her brown eyes scanned in counting, "All six of you!"

"There's three of us, dear," Miri reminded her with a sigh.

"Really? Where?" Ky'itae turned her head and tripped on the stairs, laughing as the others picked her back up, "Heheeeehhh... Silly humans and their crazy constructions."

"They're... just... stairs..." Serosa'ruth sighed, his light green eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. One seemed to be twitching.

"Careful, they bite," Saeola snickered.

"Saeola, you're not helping!" Miri snapped, glaring at her.

"You think it's funny now, but wait until you have to room with her one night when she's drunk and she wakes you up screaming, 'snipper-doo!'" Serosa'ruth grumbled. Saeola stared at him in disbelief and said nothing more.

"Whot's a 'snipper-doo'?" Faelar, peeking around a corner and apparently hearing everything, asked.

"You tell me." The druid sighed, half-dragging Ky'itae into their room with Miri.

Saeola smirked as she entered the opposite room. "Sounds like she wants to neuter you, Serosa'ruth, if you ask me."

The druid shrugged, unaffected, "I think she attempted that the last time she was heavily drunk. Either that, or she thought something was attacking my crotch. Not sure which."

This sent Saeola into a fit of hysterical laugher from her room and Miri tried hard not to laugh herself.

"Laugh all you want, but imagine waking up to someone trying to slice your breasts off with a bastard sword." The druid grumbled.

Saeola, however, was too busy laughing to hear.

"Ehh... not sure I find dat funny, an' dat's saying somethin'." Faelar glanced at Ky'itae warily before entering his room with Saeola and closing the door behind him. "Really, ya shouldn't find seperatin' a man from 'is two best buds funny."

Saeola continued to laugh helplessly into her pillow, speaking in a muffled voice between her laughing. "It was just the way he said it..."

"How come 'e makes ya laugh so easily when 'e's not even tryin'? 'S not fair, if ya ask me." It was hard to tell if the thief was being serious or not as he discarded his shirt and belt before plopping onto his bed in his trousers.

Saeola blinked and peeked up from her pillow, watching him with an expression half hidden by the pillow. Where had that come from? But... He was just kidding, right? She rolled over onto her back and folded her arms behind her head, smiling slightly. "Nah. You make me laugh sometimes," She admitted.

"Well, den I'm doin' 'alf me job." Faelar chuckled, pulling his boots off. He yawned and stretched, then examined the odd black tattoo on his left bicep, checking it for any scars or marks he may have recently received in battle or running from Saeola.

Saeola glanced at him curiously with a raised eyebrow. "Half your job? What's the other half?"

Faelar looked up from his tribal tattoo at her and grinned, "Ta annoy you, o' course."

Saeola gave him a flat look and glanced back up at the ceiling. "Of course..."

"Obviously, I'd say I do a good job on dat 'alf. Maybe I should try 'arder on da other 'alf, though, eh?"

"It'd be much appreciated. Heh. Anyway.. what's that mark?"

"Hm? Whot? Dis?" He pointed at his tattoo.

Saeola nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, perhaps ya already know dis, considerin' ya've got a wild elf parent like I do, but... Tattoos are quite common among wild elves, but since dey're pretty feral an' not at all literate, dey usually 'ave symbols an' images ta represent animals, objects, an' concepts, instead 'o words. Tattooin' symbols dat represent you or yer ancestry are quite common. Me da painted a lot of such symbols fer me when I was jus' a li'l bloke. Dis 'ere symbol's da same one 'e 'ad on 'is bicep, 'cept on 'is right, insteada left. It represents a wolf, or wild dog. Both mean wild or free spirit."

"I'm familiar with the wolf. One is a good friend of mine." She rolled over on her side to look at him. "But that's cool. I never got a tattoo like that, although I probably should have."

"Well, dove, I kept many o' my da's paintings, an' I remember da meanings. If ya find one ya like, I'm sure we can find a good tattoo artist ta give ya one."

Saeola thought about this a moment then shrugged helplessly. "I'll think about it, thanks."

"No prob, dove." He yawned again, pulling the covers over his half-naked form, "Bah... itchy. Don't dese inns eva wash deir sheets? Whoteva, g'night." He blew out the candle by his bedside and settled in.

"G'night." Saeola rolled over herself and sunk under the weight of the blankets, burying her face into the pillow.

The two half-elves were about to drift off when they heard a crash from the room next door, shortly followed by Serosa'ruth muffled cries, "Ky'itae, you're not supposed to stand on tha--AGH! DON'T JUMP ON--"

THUMP.

Faelar bit his lip to resist laughing, but ended up snorting in hushed chuckling anyway.

Saeola was glad her face was buried in her pillow to muffle her laughter.

"An' 'e worries about us causing a stir at night, eh dove?" Faelar snickered. "Least I can 'old my liquor..."

"True enough. I hope they don't plan to be this noisy all night..."

"Eh, I can prolly find a spell ta block out da noise from deir room if it keeps goin'."

"That would be much appreciated," Saeola muttered sleepily, starting to drift off again.

On the verge of sleep himself, Faelar spoke one more time, "'Ey, dove?"

"Hmmm?"

Grinning even though she couldn't see him, he simply muttered, "Doink." And turned over.

If Saeola had the energy to get angry, she would have. But not now. She merely rolled her eyes mentally before falling asleep.