—{At Jude's place}—
—{After Sunset}—
“Really?” Sylvia asked with wide eyes, mouth and hand reaching out to Shirin.
Yes, yes!” Shirin answered frantically, nodding.
The three, Riven, Shirin and Sylvia sat at a table with a glass of water in a small room. Illuminated brightly, windows and curtains were closed. The clock on the displayed, 06:11PM.
Sylvia: “Tell me more about it.” she asked, leaning in.
Shirin: “Okay so, we were just returning to our inn when she came to us. Not us going to her. She approached. And first, she told us to give the money to her father, then…”
Sylvia: “Then…?”
Shirin: “She said, I quote ‘I'd like to be at your party.’”
Sylvia: Hearing that Sylvia got off of her seat and leaned much closer to Shirin's face and whispered, “Just like that?”
Shirin nodded.
Sylvia: Turned to Riven, “Really, just like that?”
Riven: After a pause nodded, “Kinda—”
Shirin: Cuts in with her words pointing at Riven but looking at Sylvia, “And guess what. When Miss Rustwood said that his face was so so fun to watch. All red and blushing.”
Riven: Got defensive, his arms raised and body stiff, “Hey! I wasn't.”
Shirin: Turning to look at Riven, her finger touched his nose, “You were! I saw everything.”
Sylvia: “Awww, seems like she's also interested in you.” hands on her cheek.
Riven: Shook his hands and head, “No no no! Of course she's not.”
Sylvia: Got up from her seat, “I gotta tell Jude about it.”
Riven: “Hey!” Got up from his seat and tried to catch her.
Sylvia: “Judy~” Wasn't in his reach. And…
Sylvia had already left.
Shirin: Riven sighed in defeat, his body slouched. While Shirin laughed. “God, I want to see his reaction.” Smacked his back, lightly “And why'd you try to grab her? It's not like she would stay quiet if you'd succeed.”
Riven: No words leave his mouth and he just facepalm himself.
Shirin: Smacked him again, “But seriously. It's a great opportunity to be working with her. Ain't it?”
Riven: Slowly looked up to her and nodded. “I guess…”
Shirin: Grin, “For both you and missions.”
Riven: Turns to her abruptly, jaw clenched, fist clenched, teeth visible at the corner of mouth, eyes twitching, “Tch!” She burst out laughing.
—{Rustwood House}—
The door opened and Calira walked in. Inside she saw her mother seated on a couch with a notebook in her hand, a blue notebook. Elbow on the hand of the couch, forehead rested on her one hand, while the other flipped through the pages. The coffee table in front of her had a full glass of water on it.
Calira: Slipped into a blue slipper, “Mom, I'm home.” She walked in and headed towards the stairs, hands now in her trouser’s pockets. Her mother didn't react.
Not until the footsteps got closer and as Calira was about to pass by the couch Sabine looked up and noticed her.
Sabine: Sat up straight, “Calira you're home.” She quickly closed the notebook and tossed it on the coffee table in front of her.
Calira: Glanced at the notebook, and just nodded. She started heading towards the steps again and her mother just stared at her. Suddenly Calira turned back to look at her. “Mom, I have to tell you something.”
Sabine: Her body stood halfway, “Yes? What is it, dear?”
Calira: Paused, “I… I'm going back to hunting again.”
Sabine: She abruptly stood up and took steps towards Calira. “What kind?” She came to stand in front of her tall daughter right after she finished her question. “When?”
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Calira: Another pause, she shook her head “I'm not sure.” Inside her pocket her fingers pinched herself. “I don't know but I'm thinking about it.”
Sabine: “Oh…”
Calira: Bit her lip and averted eyes from her mother, “I'll be heading up, to my room.”
Sabine: When her daughter turned her back to her she reached to grab Calira's shoulder. But stopped herself. “Ah, inform me when you do.”
Calira: Already heading up stairs she replied without turning her back, “I will.”
After Calira had left Sabine stood there frozen for a few moments biting her lip. She turned and walked towards the door that connects the home and the bar.
“Ilvon.”
—{Jude's Place}—
The clock on the wall displayed, 08:33PM. In the small living room Jude sat on the chair crossed leg. He was making paper birds. On the table there was a stack of papers, each separately stacked by colours. A scissors, glue, thin stick and cloth on his lap.
He rolled a piece of paper. Made cuts on it. Used the stick to scoop out glue and glued it to another piece of paper. Rubbed the stick on the cloth and placed it back on the table.
From where he sat the kitchen was also visible and Sylvia was walking through it. She came to stand beside him and placed her hands on his shoulder. “Pretty focused, are you?”
“Hm.”
She leaned in and rested her chin on his shoulder, cheeks rubbing onto another. “What do you think about the news?”
He didn't pause on his art, “What news?”
She pressed her cheek on his, “The Rustwood joining their party.”
“oh, that. Pretty surprising I'd say…”
Sylvia pulled back and her eyes wandered over the bunch of paper arts. She picked up an art made of paper between the bunch. It looked like a bow (Archery). “Um, Judy. Is this a bow you made?”
Glanced at it, “Yea, I made that."
Hearing the confirmation she placed it back between the bunch. Her fingers pressed on his shoulder. “Aren't you tired?”
He shook his head a bit, still working on the paper art. “No, I'm not.”
“You're not? You should go take some rest.”
“No, I'm good.” Saying that he held up the paper art he was working on. It was a bow (accessory), “Here, I think it'll look good on you.”
She took it and chuckled, “It's so tiny. How'd I wear it?”
“You will. I'll make it work.”
“Really?”
“Of course."
She softly smiled and took a deep breath, placed the art on his table “Are you hungry?”
He finally looked up at her, “What did you make?”
A smile formed on her face and… Now her face was close to each other, nose touching. “Any guesses?”
“Tsk, I'm bad at it.”
She sighed, in his air. “In that case, you'll have to wait.”
He blinked, smiled and cupped her face. “For how long?”
“You'll soon find out.” followed by a giggle.
—{StoneWell Inn}—
Both Riven and Shirin in his room. The furniture looked similar to his room.
Seated on the floor with the envelope and the letter that lay on his table. One of the envelopes opened while the other closed.
Shirin spoke, “Now listen. This is a chance. One. In. A. Life. Time chance. Understood.” Shows a thumbs up.
Riven nodded in response. “Understood.”
“Good. Now listen. She's willing to join our party, which is a golden opportunity for us.”
“... God you repeated that line coming here so many times.”
“Screw it.” Waved her hand. “Now, listen carefully. We'd have to be useful for her in every way. Remember that she's platinum and we are silvers. And… Wait… But why is she joining us?”
Riven broke in a chuckle, but managed to control himself. “You just realised that.” Leaned back hand on the floor behind his back.
“I hadn't paid attention out of excitement.”
“I saw that!”
She facepalm. Sighed. “Back to the important topic. We discuss importance first, not your…” Points her finger at him, circling over his face, then at herself. “Got it.”
He shook his head to a denial. “Screw it. Doesn't matter.” She said, “Now, listen carefully. We choose a good mission. Not a hard one. Okay…?”
Riven got back to his original position. Then slouched, elbow on the floor and chin on his fist. “Why not hard?”
Cleared her voice, “Because. We need to look useful. If it's a hard one we, ourselves would suffer and she'd have to solo. That's why. If it's an easy one we'd be very useful to her.”
“Hmm, hm.”
“And, she may stick with us.”
“Pretty, unrealistic.”
“Hey, don't say that.” Her finger on his forehead, “This may work. And if it does we'd be gold in no time.”
“Hm, hm.”
“Does that sound good?”
“Hm, hm.”
“Come on, give some feedback.”
“It sounds… pretty unrealistic.”
Hits his head.
—{Rustwood House}—
The clock on the wall displayed 09:30.
Calira's father, Ilvon. Seated on the dining table, while Sabine served dinner. But there were only two plates, as she was about to take a seat Calira came down the stairs. “Mom.” She called out. Both parents looked up at her. “I'll have dinner together.” She was in the black T–Shirt.
Hearing that Sabine quickly went back to the kitchen and Calira took an empty seat, across from her father and next to mother.
Calira: Hands on the edge of the table, back leaning on the chair. Looked at Ilvon, “The bar closed early today. Any reasons?”
Ilvon: He'd already started eating, paused and met her eyes, “I've told you this morning. I'm leaving tomorrow early to Fenwick. Remember?”
Calira: After a moment of silence she nodded, “Yea, I just recalled.” Her gaze dropped to the table. Just then her mother brought her plate to her.
Sabine: Took her own seat, “Aren't you feeling cold?”
Calira: Shook her head, “I usually don't.” Took the first bite and even before chewing she said, “Tastes good.”
Sabine: Frowned, both parents shared a glance but said nothing for a few moments. Until, “You want some more?” She asked, pointing at the fried fish. And Calira just shook her head. A denial.
Sabine's jaw clenched, “Calira, what is it about the hunt?”
Calira: She paused, and even Ilvon froze and looked up at Sabine, then Calira. “I'm going with the two, silvers. Riven and Shirin—” Answered while avoiding mother's gaze.
Sabine: “I'm not asking about that. Why is it that you suddenly want to hunt again?”
Calira: Looking down at her food, “Money.” Her fingers dug in her thigh under the table when she answered. And Sabine’s breath caught.
Sabine: “Money for what?”
The air of silence filled the atmosphere.
“Calira. I asked something.”
Still no response.
“Is it about the notebook?”
Calira stood up from her seat, dropping the spoon and rushed up to her room. Sabine too frantically stood up, knocking the chair to the floor, “Calira!”
She called out but Calira had already left. “Calira!”
She called out again but no answer. She tried to follow up the stairs.
“It's not worth it.”
He said. Halfway on the stairs she looked back and with a raised voice, “Shut up! You're not helping!”
Saying that she continued upstairs and got to Calira's room. When she was about to knock on the door she heard noises.
Noises of sobs.
Sabine paused.
