Serenity: LXX
Adleth moved to grab another pitcher of water. "How's he doing?" She asked. Riu gave her careful eyes and she figured the question didn't have the best of answers.
"Better." Riu whispered. Adleth found that answer vague and unconvincing. "He's up and about..?" Adleth frowned.
"Well yeah no shit. He took a bagel from me earlier, shit it's not even morning and he's stealing my breakfast." She scooped up another snack and laid it out for herself. The pair of them widgets around the counter. "I guess I shouldn't be expecting much.."
"He did get.. Really injured." Riu commented, her face was twisted in concern. 'Yeah he did.' Adleth thought, he also had a day and a half to rest. She shook her head. For the past two nights Markos had been sleeping next to Asher with Herod carrying him up to their room every night. Whether he was worried out of his mind or just irritated he didn't get to kill him Adleth.. Didnt fucking care. 'Was that an option anymore?' She asked herself, there was option A she didn't know, and option b she could try to find out. But door fucking C didnt care!
"I get the feeling he'll be fine." Adleth decided at last, she turned to the window of the manor and looked out into the backyard. In its center she could spot Herod sitting cross legged under an orange tree. The same tree Andraste had grown for them a few days before. "Well he looks sullen." She remarked. Herod was facing the house, his eyes closed and his blade laid over his lap. While she never paid the man much attention she did note he was rather handsome like this. Soft light brown hair blew around in the summer night wind. The only light illuminating his face was the dim green hum of his sword. Teal flecks of light spilled from the sword like sparks from a flame. Adleth took a slow drink of coffee. "Oh yeah, just the right amount of ominous."
"Hes.. praying!" Riu protested defienvily. Adleth took a mental note of her defense. "Communing with your god can be a common and necessary task when you're a person of faith." She added sharply. The wind blew through Herod's hair and some blue figure began to dance around him.
"If that's the case, why don't you ever talk to god sunshine?" Adleth could mock faith and study her party members at the same time, she was quite the multitasker. Riu seemed to stifle a laugh at that.
"I do, but unlike the majority of all of you, I do it in my own time. In my own room."
"So.. praying is like masturbation?" Adleth scowled. Riu grew red a bit.
"Oh for.. I'm fairly sure no one in this house has respect for the gods. They rule our lives. Better to at least be nice..." Riu paused, "Do you have a god, Adleth?"
"Money."
"...m.." The girl stifled a quick scream. That wasn't completely true.. She did technically belong to the church of Corellon.
"What are you guys staring at- whoa look at Herod praying under a tree." Adleth nearly jumped as Asher appeared behind them. She hadn't even heard him! She spun around giving a quick glance. He was still wrapped in bandages about his body. But most of them were only slightly visible hidden behind layers of clothes, coats, and even light armor. Why was he dressed in armor at this time of night?
"Shouldn't you be resting?" Adleth chuckled. "I mean while I'd love to see you fall face first again.." she smiled remembering the previous night when Asher haad awoken screaming bloody murder about Yalright something, ran around the tavern and then tripped after insisting he was 'ok'.
"That was once.. And I'm better now." Asher responded, he moved around the girls hugging the side of his body where the wounds were most severe. "I-I got it." Asher quickly defended when Riu moved towards him to offer assistance. Adleth pursed her lip, she may have mocked the Aasimar but that girl was fiercely kind to her compatriots whenever they needed it.
"Where's the half-elf?" Adleth inquired she took a seat at the bar making a mental note of her required tasks. She was going to pick up socks for Iliris, fill an extra sock with gold to smack that bitch, and get a really good drink. The good drink would come first yup.
"He.. is upstairs, praying, Which one of those gods he's talking to I'm not sure." Asher replied, reaching for the jam.
"Which one? Aren't they all Cthulhu?" Riu asked, frowning. Asher shrugged, the man had just gotten back to his feet but was acting like he had full mobility.. Fucking weird.
"Yeah I'm not going into that crazy man's life." He shot back. Adleth took out a ring of keys parsing them out for organization. The run time of intervals were far and few between. "So, what's on the agenda? We killed the nimblewright.. We got some map things.. Does any of us care or...?" Asher held his arms out and Adleth shook her head.
"Yeah it sounds like a whole lot of not our problem." She shrugged, not really caring about the map and its contents. Asher made a small noise in response. "Fuck this." Adleth declared, interrupting the brief silence. "I want a drink, like a fucking real drink that I dont have to pour myself." She rubbed her temples.
"Like... one you get Markos to pour for you? He does seem rather.. Less afraid of you now-"
"Nah, I mean a drink out of this place. Fuck ittt. Let's go to like.. The Yawning Portal or The Shining Siren, shit I'd settle for some Collave at this point." She admitted, the boredom of being in the house was getting to her a little bit.
"All.. alright.." Asher replied. "Yeah we can all go get a drink. Should I grab the cultist or?" He asked permission like this was a field trip. It was nice, but really unnecessary. Adleth didn't care who came just that they did. 'I need to start seeing dots. And now.'
"Yeah sure. I'll get Alekzandr." She added. "And..." she turned to tell Riu to get Herod but the Aasimar was already fleeing the house to the back yard, presumably to fetch the warlock. Adleth dashed up the stairs rounding corner after corner. On the second floor she arrived in the common room, to her right was the den, a meeting place for the party which would probably become more used once the tavern was up and running. On the left were Asher and Riu's two bedrooms. She hastily climbed to the next floor and the third floor held her bedroom, along with a library and study of sorts, though as of now it only had around five or six books in which the party had made donations. Eh Adleth thought they were not a very bright party so it wasnt super necessary. Across from her room was Markos and Herod's shared bedroom, how someone as level headed and cool as Herod managed to put up with that cultist at such a frequent amount was beyond her.
"Alekz!" Adleth ran up the final steps pounding on Alekzandr's door. Behind her was the door to the attic storage which Andraste had turned into a room. The elf was trustworthy in her eyes but man was Markos suspicious about her. "Cmon were going out!" She pounded on his door. There was a brief pause followed by shuffling of papers and the rolling of pens. What on Toril was he doing in there?
"I'm busy!" Alekzandr finally replied. "Can't you all see how important my work is?" No. She couldn't, at all.. He made shit blow up. "Seriously you forget I am maybe one of the last of my culture the preservation of this is vital-"
"We're going out for a drink." Adleth couldn't clear the door fast enough before it was pushed out slamming into a nearby wall. She backed away while Alekzandr leapt from his room. He was dressed in pretty average attire holding his rifle in one hand before slinging it across his back.
"The important things." He said, finally giving her an approving nod. "Lead with that comrade." She made a quick note to in fact lead with that next time. She turned to make her way down the stairs but Alekz stopped her. "Wait shouldn't we invite Andraste?"
"Oh no need, she's not really here right now.. She's at the yawning portal meeting some guy. Oh!" Adleth paused. "Don't.. Don't tell Herod.." While he was usually a calm person with the literal definition of grace under fire. He seemed to have an incredibly high distaste for.. Thottery as he put it, how were you supposed to get into a relationship under those conditions?
"I see. Then onward!" Alekzandr descended the stairs with Adleth though he seemed already a bit tipsy a few times when he was unable to properly walk down the stairs.
"Pre gaming." Adleth remarked. "I can.. Yeah no I can't respect it you one hundred percent have a problem." He ignored her. They reached the ground floor of the tavern once again to see the gaggle of people. Herod looked reserved with his blade Vulity at his side, his calm expression made her think he may have had a good communion with the god, or he was really just taking a nap all that time. She was gonna go with the nap.
"So are we all.. Ready to go?" Herod mused.
"Yup." Adleth answered quickly before anyone could do any random ass side story bullshit that would delay them. The six of them walked passively through the night time streets, Asher leaned on Alekzandr while he walked, still not fully recovered from his injuries. She wasn't sure when they had agreed upon a location, but when her face met the familiar sight of the Yawning portal she was already excited. The inside was packed. Bar maids and servers walked through narrow gaps between tables to carry drinks from one side of the bar to the other. The upper levels of the tavern were so vast they took her breath away each and every time. The idea that this structure could support so many people gathering up there.. It was cool. Adleth rushed the bar, she saw no seats were available at the counter.
"That. is how I put my axe through his skull!" A giant patron at the front declared holding a large cup of brandy in the air. Adleth tapped on his shoulder and gave the giant a side eye look. He looked back at her mildly unformattable before just getting up from the seat.
"Thanks." She reassured before hopping in his place.
"Adleth? Well I haven't seen you in a while." Durnan gave her a smile while he cleaned the counter of Giant's spit; he didn't seem to even notice the previous person leaving better that way she figured.
"Durnan.. For fucks sake I am in need of a drink like a strong drink, anything to get away from-" Like a bat out of hell multiple patrons on the bar counter were yoinked off. "Corellon damnit.." She cursed, the cultist appeared next to her along with Herod and Asher. Alekzandr and Riu seemed to be elsewhere. Or perhaps those three were the only ones willing to violently remove people from the bar. She considered doing to them what she had done to that band of kobolds a few years back. "Just.. let me get a drink.." Adleth whispered in defeat, feeling the cultist's eyes on her. Durnan scoffed and reached under the counter to prepare something.
"So I'm going to assume the usual for you." Durnan offered as he made a drink.
"Yes, gods yes." Adleth replied. "Just give me something I need." She reached out, receiving a cup of rum mixed with mint leaves and sugar; perfect.
"I would like whiskey sour." Herod placed a hand on the table.
"Do you drink anything other than whiskey and Orange juice?" She asked wearily. The drink in her hand gave her a rush of warmth that spread through her face and toes. The sweetness brought back kind memories, better times for her. Not that now was bad just.. Adleth sheepishly thought of Elrora.. She.. did miss her, or perhaps she merely missed the feeling of companionship? 'Stop it Adleth' She cursed to herself, she'd already worked so hard getting over that cunt. Now wasn't the time for weakness.
"I. do in fact." Herod replied. "I drink lemonade.. Soup.. uh, sweetened coffee, Markos what else do I drink?" Asher started laughing to Adleth's right.
"So what the hell were you up to?" Adleth asked Herod sipping on a rum and coke.
"Praying.. Contacting the great deities everywhere. Helped Asher write a letter, and had some talks with Markos here."
"So, Asher. How's the brutal life threatening injuries going?" She joked, taking a quick peek behind her she noticed Alekzandr and Riu eyeing the group angrily as they sat at a large table alone. 'Oh shit..'
"It's going fantastically!" Asher replied, lifting up a mug of some alcohol. "Honestly couldn't feel better.. Besides the horrendous pain." Adleth rolled a coin in her palm staring at the gold dragon watching her green eyes bounce off of the metallic surface. Corellon, she wished Elrora was there. Or at least someone.. Adleth grit her teeth scanning the bar around her for a quick fucker. Anything to glance off this stupid pit of lonliness. She took a deep breath and started feeling Markos's eyes on her.
"I.." Adleth whispered some curses at herself and rapidly faced back to her drink. Though she got the feeling those crazy purple eyes were still staring at her. Fantastic, she was sandwiched between a madman and a stupid man, she just had to talk to the soldier was it too much to ask for like a normal person for once maybe the drunk?
"He's not just a drunk." Asher said suddenly. She didn't look up from her drink, it was almost like he had read her mind. Yet her mind was on a lot of the party members so one out of three.
"Creepy." Adleth took a sip. "What do you mean?" She really did think about it. A small chance to learn more about her party members, sure direct questions would work too but she didn't like that. So far, she did feel like the weakest link in this party, she only joined because of money, and had only stayed due to not.. Wanting to face her ex. Yet the longer she stayed here the more and more Adleth could feel herself growing attached. The cultist was annoying but cute, Asher was a dumbass but.. When she saw he was injured.. She almost felt vengeful.
"I.. I'm not gonna lie to you." Asher scoffed, waving his small glass of rum. "All this time, I thought about the pride of the Rushiki, the inventor of the mystical rifles.. Fucking hell only to start thinking the white death himself, was just some sad pathetic old man with a drinking problem."
"Nah, he's got a drinking problem." Adleth interjected. She cracked a small smile looking for something from Asher. She didn't know why she wanted a reaction, his mask made that so impossible. On her left she felt some strange picking sensation. Giving a quick glance she was a little surprised to see Markos rubbing part of her cloak between two fingers, like it intrigued him. He was doing it with such odd determination his large purple eyes seemed a little transfixed on the process and his cup was empty. Shit he was a lightweight. Adleth considered hitting him, but before she could act the half-elf looked up, for the briefest of seconds he stared into her eyes she saw a bit of panic and a bit of curiosity fill those purple irises. He recolid his hands instantly and looked away, she swore she could see a little bit of red on his face.
"Is that the case?" Herod was talking to Markos as the two of them exchanged some.. Artifacts..
"He.. does in fact have a drinking problem.. But.. you didn't see him. When Ant'tran- when that fucking drow was gutting me, he stopped it. He was the one to save me. Don't.. Judge him just yet." Asher spoke sullenly. A tad of optimism at the tip of his tongue. "He's lost a lot.. And he's a good man."
"A good man?" She thought back on how bitter Asher had seemed to act around Alekzandr, to her understanding, or at least as much as Riu was able to tell her. His platoon was lost during the war. And he seemed to blame Alekz.
"Yeah.. a good man.. Just a lost one." Asher paused and leaned over the bar. "Like our resident cultist.." She frowned, Markos was far from just lost. He was insane.
"Lets go sit with the party, hm?" She offered a hand to Asher helping him struggle off the bar. He waved her off trying to get up himself. Markos and Herod took a little bit longer grabbing a new drink and some food. "You're awfully quiet, you're never quiet.. Markos." The half-elf perked up and bit his lip. Like something was on his mind. Damn, regardless of how you looked at him he looked strikingly like a girl. It kinda made it hard to take him seriously.
"I.. just um.. I-i uh.." Markos looked away, his ear length black hair was still curled at the ends from sleeping near Asher every night. A little cute, in a psychotic way.
"Come, were gonna go sit with the others." Adleth cautiously placed a hand on Markos's head curious how obedient he actually was. He instantly flinched, odd. The four of them made their way through the crowd. She sliced coin purses off of some as she walked, tucking them into Markos's bag of pamphlets at least he'd get caught with em and not her.
Alekzandr, and Riu were now sitting comfortably at the table, separated by a seat each talking about Corellon knows what. Adleth pulled out a chair for herself and helped Asher pull a seat. He pointed Markos to a nearby chair which he took.
"Ah. now we're all here." Asher joked. "So, how are we all feeling? Herod killed any whores? Riu you uh.. What do you do?"
"Save your fucking life." Riu remarked while she rapidly took a sip of her drink to hide her smile. Herod instantly snickered and Asher rolled his eyes. Adleth clapped him on the back and picked her drink back up.
"Nah, for now the whores still breath." Herod replied. "That could always change though.. Yeah, over here." He reached over grabbing a glass of whisky from a nearby waitress. "And I ordered-"
"A plate of chicken?" Adleth interrupted. "Ms. Could you actually bring all of us some food? I'll take a sandwich like.. Roast beef or something. The mad man here." Adleth pointed to Markos. "He'll take a.. I don't know any fish you've got, dumbass what do you want?" She snapped her fingers at Asher, realizing she was in fact pretty hungry. Asher raised a hand in objection but seemed to mull it over.
"Just a steak." Asher decided at last. "So did anything happen while I was out? Like anything important?" He directed the question to Markos.
Markos frowned, flashing Herod a grin before answering. "Uh... nope. No." Bullshit Adleth thought, he was clearly lying-
"Oh ok alrighty then."
'Oh for fucks sake.' She thought.
"So what the hell were you up to?" Adleth asked Alekzandr while he took- holy gods the man was drinking vodka from a fucking bucket. Not a bucket sized cup or a freaking glass, nah that shit was beneath him apparently. She felt her jaw literally drop while he tilted the wooden mop bucket back to take a gulp. Downing the thing like a goddamn champ. "We're playing a drinking game someday. You and me." she pointed back and forth.
"Of course comrade.." He laughed. "Ah." Alekzandr sighed in relief. "Well you see. Many things required my attention.. I still take apart and document the nimblewright, of course my gun research requires attention.. Not to mention the two books I'm writing. I am doing much research." Adleth nodded, it was nice to hear someone was being productive.. Even if it probably killed his liver.
"Huh.." Asher seemed to mul over the news. "Well, I want the Nimblewright for a night stand." The group paused. She slowly looked over at Asher with the most utterly confused face.
"Man, What the fuck." Adleth chuckled. She took a drink and shook her head, the hell was this man thinking?
"Yeah, like, put him so he's sitting in the corner.. With like.. A plank across his lap." Asher waved his hand around explaining why turning a formerly sentient machine into a tableside desk was a good idea.
"I.. seriously wonder which one of you is the crazy one.." She remarked while taking another sip.
"Ha!" Alekzandr started to chuckle. "I would drink to that, but I know Komandir Exitium is not crazy.. Just, erratic." He began to swing around the bucket of literal alcohol, Adleth began wondering how not only he drank it. But how he didn't just fall over from the weight of the bucket, Alekzandr did not look very strong. Not crazy huh? Sure, Adleth thought.
"Ma'am could we get a key-lime pie?" Herod raised a hand snatching the arm of a bar maiden, the blonde girl blushed furiously and nodded. Herod ignored her.
"Wait, you like Key-lime? Heck yeah!" Markos cheered. Herod turned around and gave him a fist bump.
"Yeah I'm bored." Asher said at last. "Alekz. You're a lover and quite honestly addicted to alcohol, what's the strongest drink here?" Asher held out a hand.
"You want the strongest drink, Asher?" She asked, confused. "Dude you've lost so much blood."
"Lost blood??" Riu interrupted. "Exitium, you've lost tissue, you should be taking it easy!" The Aasimar protested. Adleth nodded pointing at their cleric. "You're in no state.."
"The strongest drink here.." Alekzandr mulled it over.
"And of course he's doing it." Riu whispered. "This man is gonna pass out."
"Yeah he's doing it, he's an idiot Riu, we kinda already figured that out." Adleth sighed, patting the angel on the back.
"Oo fuck yeah." Herod exclaimed, getting his food. He was already grinning happy when he dug in. man that dude ate a lot didn't he.. He and Markos began to split a pie. "The chickens good."
"The pie is better.." Markos mumbled through food.
"This." Alekzandr reached into his jacket and pulled from it a large bottle of clear white liquid. It was a crystal shaped bottle with a somewhat ornate design on it. Ok seriously how were all these people able to hold unreal sized objects on them? "Is White One's Fire.. The greatest. The finest of the Rushiki inventions.." He paused and looked down at his rifle. "I'm sorry my dear."
"Sounds powerful. Gimme." Asher reached out and tried to snatch the bottle but it was rapidly pulled away.
"Carefully comrade.." Alekzandr uncorked it like it was a bomb. He poured the smallest amount of a drink into a nearby glass before sliding it to him. "This.. brew, it will knock you on your ass. Mine comrade you may-"
"Bottoms up." Asher grabbed the glass and threw it back taking a long yet short little sip of what was there. "Wow.. that's-" He seemed to almost become.. Loose before.
*Bonk-Creaash*
Asher collapsed on the table and passed out cold.
"Well fuck." Adleth whispered.. "I.. that was.." She felt shocked, while Riu let out utter laughter giggling at his misfortune. Everyone at the table seemed to just stop, 'Shit if only Iliris could see this, he'd laugh at the drunk man.' The deafening silence at the table was only interrupted when Alekzandr's audible drinking could be heard, he too was taking a drink from his bottle.
"Ah." Alekz sighed, taking a small shot of the brew with a big smile. Adleth wondered, did.. he have just a liver from god himself? "So.. who is carrying him back?"