Whims of Kiraan

Price of Knowledge

"I think you missed a spot," Ian joked as Ithan scrubbed the floor of the tavern. Somehow, he had been tasked with cleaning up after his friends while they rested from their battle. Ithan looked to where Ian was pointing to see a speckle of blood underneath the barstool where he sat.

"Why don't you clean that?" Ithan growled, glaring up at the half-drunken halfing.

"I don't work here," Ian scoffed. He took another drink from his mug and slammed it down, causing some of its contents to splash onto the bar. "Oops," he chuckled. Ithan stood up in rage.

"Clean it up," Ithan ordered. Ian stuck out his tongue.

"Make me," he taunted. Ithan attempted to grab Ian, intending to use his head as a floor mop, but the halfling hopped over the bar and hid amongst the liquor. "Ooh, Aeviri!"

"Don't touch that!" Ithan snarled. He ran around the bar and grabbed Ian's cloak, dragging him out from underneath. He snatched the bottle away from Ian and put it back where it belonged before continuing to pull a thrashing Ian back to the other side of the bar. Fenvyre appeared in the kitchen doorway just as Ithan was about to put Ian to work.

"Drop it," she scolded. Ithan glared angrily at her.

"I'm not a dog," he asserted as he let go of Ian. Ian scrambled behind Fenvyre and eyed Ithan warily.

"You're not doing yourself any favors acting like that," she replied, holding her hands to her hips. She turned around to face Ian. "And you need to stop antagonizing him."

"Okay, mom," Ian teased. He stuck his tongue out again at Ithan and backed into the kitchen and out of sight. Fenvyre shook her head and walked around the bar, grabbing one of the rags that Ithan had been using to clean the floors. She knelt down and started quietly cleaning the patch of blood under the barstool. Her usual cheerful demeanor was not present, and it made Ithan uneasy.

"So... how have you been?" Ithan asked timidly as he returned to his work. "We haven't really... talked much lately."

"You've been really grumpy," Fenvyre replied. She reached over to a nearby bucket and dipped the rag in the water, then continued scrubbing the floor. "Ever since you came back from your last trip."

"I'm sorry," Ithan said softly. "I'm just... going through some stuff right now‍—"

"And you don't want to talk about it. I get it." Fenvyre straightened up and looked at Ithan. "But... friends are supposed to talk about it."

"Best friends, maybe," Ithan muttered, earning him a wide-eyed look from the dragonkin.

"We are best friends," Fenvyre said as she stood up and dropped her rag into the bucket. "You just don't know it yet. But when you figure it out, I'll be here."

"Thanks," Ithan replied, grabbing the bucket and standing up next to Fenvyre. He scanned the tavern for any other areas that needed cleaning, but all seemed to be within Briryn's standards. "Well, that wasn't too bad. I was afraid it would stain, but it looks okay."

"It's not the first time this place has been a bloody mess," Fenvyre commented. "This city's seen a lot of it." She looked at Ithan and made a strange face. "You... should probably wash up before the lunch rush." He was covered in a good amount of blood himself now.

"Good idea," he said. Flashing a grin at Fenvyre, he retreated through the kitchen, catching Ian hiding in the corner as he passed, and through the back door. As he sat down to start washing the blood and dirt from the rags, Shalin rounded the corner with his cart.

"What in blazes happened to you?" Shalin shouted.

"Just the usual," Ithan responded, awkwardly waving at the merchant. He waited for the dragonkin to get closer before talking more. "How's Kelrinn doing?"