Awake

Chapter Three: You and Me, Me and You

Chapter 3: You and Me, Me and You

Tressa unlatched her door, pulling it open to see the smiling face of the jester waiting on her.
Cicero’s wide grin widened further as he extended his arms out, a platter of assorted foods gripped in his hands.

“Hope you didn't fill up on bread and cheese, my Listener,” he said with a chuckle.

Tressa shook her head vigorously, replying, “Gods, no, I’m still starving! Can't believe it's already supper time, though. Doesn't feel like I was out long—OH! Please tell me you made that juniper berry crostata I see!”

The jester chuckled loudly and nodded.
“Mmhmm. Cicero did, he did!” he happily replied.

Tressa clapped her hands together, excitedly.
“Yay!” she cheered, but she held a shushing finger to her mask where her mouth should be.
“We don't tell Nazir that you make the best sweets,” she whispered.

“Awe…Thank you, Listener,” Cicero spoke kindly to the flattery, “That's, well, ..sweet. ”

He handed the platter to her and was about to bid her farewell so she could eat her supper in peace, but Kor, who was coming out of the initiate quarters just a few feet away, interrupted them.

“Okay,” the young Nord man spoke bluntly, “I can't NOT ask anymore. Why are you afraid to eat with us? Why the mask?”

Cicero didn't bother to turn towards the Nord before he replied.
“Why are you so disrespectful?” the jester questioned, not giving Tressa the opportunity to answer.

Kor, apparently having found his courage to begin agitating Cicero again, did so.
“Why are you an unfunny jester?” he retorted.

Again, Cicero didn't turn to him, but Tressa could see the infuriation surfacing upon his face. He whispered to himself through his gritted teeth. “Cicero should retract his mercy from earlier.”

Kor either had not heard Cicero’s threatening whisper, or perhaps carelessly… he just didn’t care. He spoke directly to Tressa again.

“Are you disfigured?” he asked out right, but Cicero's fast spin around, with that dangerous look in his eye, finally did get the Nord to wisely add, “I don't mean any disrespect. Gods, honest. I’m sorry. I'm just curious.”

A low rumble could still be heard clawing its way up the jester’s throat, but Tressa nudged Cicero with her elbow to tame it down.
“Hey now,” she whispered, “you asked pretty much the exact same thing when we first met at that farm, remember?”

Cicero gritted back through clenched teeth, “You weren't the Listener then.”
He quickly added a whisper, “And Cicero's now admittedly looking for any justifiable reason to tear the impudent skin off his back…I don’t like him.”

Tressa shook her head with a sigh and put her lens back on Kor.
“I'm not disfigured,” she answered his question, “I just like it.”

“Like it?” Kor repeated.
Tressa half shrugged.

“Yes,” she said, “I've been a runaway and a criminal most of my life. I've gotten so used to shielding my face from would-be capturers, my covering up is just second nature now. It's not as sad and horrible as it sounds, really. I just feel quite comfy in here. And honestly, I really don't mind if you all see me…eventually. I do greatly enjoy making you all guess at the mystery here, though. It's fun. I like fun.”

“Fun,” Kor repeated her again, mulling the answer.
“Seems like your mystery,” he concluded, “draws more attention than hiding from it.”

Tressa didn’t disagree.
“Oh, a lot,” she nodded, “But it's really more like hit and miss. Just as many lazy-don’t-cares out there as those who just gotta know what's hiding from them.”