As A Stranger Or A Friend?: The Swallow And The Drowned Sailor

Axtapor - 5 Sun's Dawn, 1246 A.D.

"Where have you been?!" Egra called from the drawing room.

"Out!" I replied as I walked down the corridor at a brisk pace.

Mariel and I had not left our room at the inn until just a few hours ago. In the day and night that had passed, we talked, laughed, and enjoyed one another's company, and to say it was bliss was putting it lightly. It felt as if I'd died and gone to heaven!

"Out? You'll have to come up with a better excuse than that for grandmama. She's worried sick." Egra continued as she struggled to keep up beside me.

"Will go see her, nay fret. Where be she?"

"She's in the studio with Idhi and Ulsei."

"Aye, good."

I bounded up the stairs two at a time, Egra cursing me the whole way as she tried to keep up. I peeked down the corridor to see Lord Haphrex standing by the open door of Idhi's studio with my grandmother on his arm. I halted my advance and felt Egra bump into me roughly.

"Kava be damned, Axtapor, give warning!" She complained.

I ignored her and drew in a deep breath to project my voice as I would across the decks of the Lyre. "IDHI YE BETTER GET TO DOIN' MY WASHIN'!"

I heard Egra grimace beside me and I saw my grandmother and Lord Haphrex flinch, then whip around to look at me with surprised expressions. Ulsei came out of the studio, hands on her hips, with an annoyed look on her face that I could feel searing into me even at this distance away, while Idhi simply poked her head out to look at me with a frown.

"I don't believe you!" She yelled back faintly.

I made my way over with a smug expression and pulled one of the thigh ribbons of Mariel's stockings from my pocket. I'd swiped it when she was napping earlier as proof to Idhi that I'd spent the night with her since I knew she would likely doubt me. We hadn't had sex, but she wouldn't be convinced of that either, so there was no point in trying to clarify it.

"She be in love with me." I declared proudly as I dangled the ribbon near her face.

My sisters recoiled, making declarations of how I was a pig, while Lord Haphrex chuckled. My grandmother chastised him, and he quieted down immediately.

Idhi rolled her eyes. "I'm sure she tells that to every man she spends the night with, don't go feeling special now."

I chuckled. "Get to washin'."

She frowned and waved me away, mumbling to herself about how insufferable I was.

I simply grinned, then tucked the ribbon back in my pocket. It was so easy to get under her scales!

"My lord, there are ladies present. I implore civility on their part." Lord Haphrex remarked.

"'Pologies." I said as I kissed my grandmother on the forehead, "Nay bother waitin' on me tonight. I will be out!"

She blinked at me in a rather surprised fashion, no doubt confused about my sudden brightness.

"Out? But you've only just returned, hatchling. What's going on?" She asked with a worried expression.

"Nothin' but good thin's." I replied cheerfully as I hurried down the hall, beginning to disrobe as I went, "Nothin' but good thin's!"

I slammed shut the door to my chambers and threw my clothes off completely, whistling a happy little tune to myself. I grabbed the brush off my nightstand and then quickly tossed it aside, electing to ring for a bath to be brought up instead. This was quite the occasion indeed! I should only prepare for it properly! While I waited, I threw open the wardrobe in the corner of my room and rifled through it, trying to decide how to dress for the evening.