The Journeymen

Caffeine Addiction

Just as Jack predicted, the Council was taking a long time to gather for a meeting. Not only would travel on horseback take the messengers days or possibly even weeks to reach each of the masters' districts, but once the messengers got there, they would have to find the men and women who could potentially be on missions. Then the issue of leaving their districts unprotected would likely cause the masters to linger for preparation. Not all masters' partners were also council members like Jack and Chuck were, some having apprentices or standard level Journeymen, therefore requiring even more time to track down the required number of council members. Ten of the twenty was the minimum number of masters required for a council meeting, meaning Jack and Chuck would have to wait on the closest six to arrive.

After the first week of waiting, only the closest two council members had arrived. The week had been spent with anxious hand-wringing from Jack and Chuck as they prepared to make their case. They felt confident that the Council would make the right decision, to hunt down the group that destroyed Anya's village, to begin reconnaissance missions into the cities to determine what exactly is going on, and to begin the efforts to making a unified, widespread response to the threat of the goblin-human partnership.

Anya's experience with the week had been almost entirely different. She of course recognized her two masters' higher level of stress and had wisely stayed out of the way, spending most of her time with Gabe. Lessons in magic had of course been one way they passed the time in the city, but Anya, who had spent the last five years tucked away in her tiny village, could not resist the urge to explore.

On their first day of exploration, Anya and Gabe found a tea shop at a secluded corner of the main market area. As coffee had become extremely rare aside from the dwindling supply of instant coffee packets, the coffee shop died out and were replaced by tea shops selling different herbal teas. The two explorers of the city found a table for two in the outdoor seating of the tea shop as they waited for their drinks.

"Tea is fine and everything, but do you ever miss coffee?" Gabe asked, checking over his shoulders in exaggerated suspicion for their server.

Anya stifled a laugh and rolled her eyes at the young wizard, "I never drank coffee. I guess I miss the smell a little bit."

Gabe stopped looking over his shoulder and snapped his attention on Anya. "Never drank coffee?" he asked with exaggerated pauses between each word.

She shrugged her shoulders at him, "My dad was a coffee addict and didn't want me to pick up the bad habit so he never let me try. And then the Separation happened and I never got the chance. I was fifteen when this all started anyway. I wasn't off at college like you. And Liza." The mention of the sophisticated alchemist made Anya's shoulders slump.

Gabe, not seeming to catch her sudden change in mood continued, "Well some time I'm going to have to find a way to get you some coffee. Something actually good, not those nasty instant coffee packets either."

The server, a young woman with dark tan skin and long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, arrived with their cups of tea, "Good luck with that. We'd sell coffee if we could afford to buy it. Sometimes traders from the south will bring coffee beans but it's pretty pricey."

The two companions smiled and thanked their server. "Well if anybody deserves it, it's this Journey-woman right here," Gabe said with a wide grin.

The server's eyes widened, "Are you one of the Journeymen?"

Anya ducked her head, wishing she had her baseball cap on so she could hide behind the brim. "I'm just an apprentice, but yeah I guess so," she said, clearly embarrassed.

The server smiled at her, "Well Journeymen and their friends eat and drink free here! Would you two like any food?"

Anya shook her head and did her best to hide her flushed cheeks from the server, "No, thank you. I'm fine with just the tea."

Gabe smiled, "We'll each have a sandwich, whatever you have!" He then looked at Anya, "Just in case you get hungry."

As the server turned to take the sandwich order back to the kitchen, Gabe finally seemed to notice Anya's embarrassment. His face instantly showed concern and he took her hands in his on the tabletop, "What's the matter?"

Anya looked up at the young wizard and shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, I just don't know if I deserve the attention. I mean so far the only things I've done as a Journeyman are make a few sparks and get beat up by some guy and his goblin buddies."

Gabe met her eyes, "Anya, from what I hear from Jack and Chuck, you were already the best fighter in your village before they started to train you. And from what you told me about that night, you hurt 'some guy and his goblin buddies' a lot worse than they hurt you. You're incredible. And completely deserving of a free lunch and tea." Gabe flashed her another one of his winning smiles.

The apprentice gazed into her lunch companion's beautiful blue eyes, which seemed to pour out the happiness and warmth that seemed to be who he really was past his crafted wizardly persona.

"But what about Liza?" she asked, finally voicing the doubt that had seeped into her spirit following their meeting with Gabe's ex-girlfriend.

Gabe now looked confused, his warm smile shifting into a confused frown, his brow furrowing above his baby blue eyes, "What about Liza? She's just an ex?"

"It's just-," Anya said before trailing off.

"Are you comparing yourself to Liza?" Gabe asked, fighting back a laugh.

Anya snatched her hands away from Gabe and put on a hurt expression, "Don't laugh! She just...she just seems so perfect! Her clothes, her makeup, her hair, her money! And don't even mention the fact that she's fully trained in magic. I imagine she's very good if she has become so wealthy because of it. I just can't compare. I mean look at me."

Anya looked down at herself. She was wearing ill-fitting camouflaged hunting clothes, clean but in no way flattering. She had taken advantage of the hot water at the Meeting House and had showered and washed her hair before braiding it back into the style that Susan had taught her but being clean was nothing too impressive in the city. She even looked down at her dirty, sweat-stained hiking boots. She hardly felt worthy of a man like Gabe.

Gabe, who was seated across the small round table from Anya, scooted his chair around so he could sit next to her. He placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Despite her self-doubt, Anya felt her heart flutter at the touch and their closeness. She moved her head to look at Gabe who pulled her closer, her forehead resting on his soft, bearded cheek.

"Anya, you are the one that I like. I don't care about Liza, or anybody else from before. I get that you might be different than her. But you are better. You're real. You're honest, loyal, and wise far beyond your years. I've meant it every time I've said it before and I mean it now. You're beautiful." Gabe squeezed her tight before lifting her chin with his hand and placing a slow, gentle kiss on her lips.

Anya felt herself practically melt into the man. His lips felt so soft, his beard tickled her upper lip and chin. He smelled like Old Spice, clearly the soap that was available at the Meeting House. The kiss went on for several seconds before the server awkwardly placed their plates of food on the table in front of them. The couple blushed and nodded thanks to their server before looking at one another and laughing.

The newest Journeyman wished that the kiss could have lasted forever but she knew that kissing at a tea shop table with a boy was likely not behavior that the citizenry of Dumas would expect from a Journeyman, even an apprentice. She tasted a sip of the tea before sweetening it with honey that was in a jar at the table. Anya noticed that Gabe did not move his seat but instead stayed close to her, placing a hand on her knee as he sat and ate his food and drank his tea.

"So," Gabe said, swallowing a bite of his sandwich, "How is this for a first date?"

Anya laughed and placed her hand on top of his, "It's pretty great, magic man. Even if you never officially asked me on a date." She winked at the man and squeezed his hand.

"I guess I didn't, but I'm glad you didn't deny that we're on one!" Gabe said cheerfully.