The Goldsmith

8. Acedia part 3: The Sky and The Dawn and The Sun

I bring you the morning, I bring you the sun
I hold back the night and I open the skies
I give light to the world, I give sight to your eyes
The sky and the dawn and the sun - Celtic woman

"Okay, we are going somewhere else." Mykolas was already turning around.

"No,'' complained Arinya. "It will be fun here. And I'm starving." She tried to look innocent by making her eyes big. Resembling the wolf when she wanted to have some meat. He sighed, defeated, and let him get pulled by her.

"Oh, this place is amazing." She told him, amazed. The space comprised two floors: a large stage made of an aquarium with fire medusa, and sea creatures with gelatinous bodies and tentacles, their movement caused a spectacle because of their blue illumination, on the first floor, dancers were dancing in short dresses with pearls strings sewed into the fabric. The band was obviously still confused about the whole orc fiasco. The bar and tables stood on the second floor with the lounges around the stage. Floating lights illuminated the space and gave it a warm orange glow. While the lights on the second floor came from behind the displayed bottles of booze. Setting the floor in multiple colours.

"Let's go eat something." She proposed. She was looking for a spot to eat on the second floor with a good view of the dancers. Which proved difficult to find with the show going on. Onika followed her and laid down under the table, enjoying the pets Arinya gave with her feet. Mykolas had gone to the bar where a pretty halving was serving. She had luxurious black hair that was braided and her irises were light yellow. They seemed to shine in the dim light. She was gorgeous and Arinya recognised her features from the spirit Aengus, the spirit of love.

The halfling was flirting with Mykolas. She stroked his arm and gave him a key. He was nodding attentively at her and accepted the two glasses. When he came her way, she glanced away. She looked back at the stage where the band started playing again and the dancers were moving sensually to the beat.

"Here, it's the typical drink of Viasna: Angostura bitters." He gave her the glass filled with an orange liquid. The first aroma was dreadfully bitter, however, the floral and herby taste replaced the taste.

"Do you think they would let me join them?" Arinya asked innocently. The women rocked their hips and put their arms in the air. And Mykolas choked on his drink. He coughed, making a scene. His wolf looked at him from under the table as if he had grown another head. Arinya gave her a small smile.

"That would screw up our incognito mode." He told her when he stopped choking. "You should attract a lot of attention." He refused to look at her and his gaze wandered towards the dancers. He couldn't hide his red ears.

"As if you won't attract attention in your palace uniform." She looked at him under her eyelashes. He looked good in his uniform. It was against all expectations still white. She didn't know how he got it done. Her clothes were dirty and even ripped. No look for a princess. Maybe it had to do with the fact that she blew up a shop.

"I had no time to prepare for an adventure." He answered, annoyed back. The pretty waitress stood back at their table with two plates filled with warm food. It smelled divine, with a big proportion of vegetables and meat. Arinya had only eyes for the food, while the waitress had eyes for Mykolas. She smiled at him and started curling her braid around her fingers.

Arinya rapidly started eating her food, but she didn't touch the meat. The full flavours of herbs and spices filled her mouth, and a moan slipped from her mouth.

"Oh god, this is divine." She looked at the waitress. Her face was calculated when she looked at Mykolas and Arinya. "Thank you so much. Could you give compliments to the chef? I think I have never eaten something so delicious." The halfling looked surprised at her and her disdainful glance warmed up.