Draconic Sphere Ω

Chapter 37: The Walls Have Beards

After some further discussion, Lacrie set off for the Temple. Kaergat, muttering to himself about irresponsible and un-orderly conduct, decided to take a walk alone. Dandelion and Brunhild went for hot bunnies.

"Can Brunhild get her free hot bunny?" said Dandelion at the stall.

"What?" said the employee.

"Well, you watched the Tournament, I guess?" said Dandelion, grinning.

"Yes..."

"So you know that after Chekhov died, Brunhild is, by default, the Grand Loser of the tournament? And she gets a prize for that? And stuff?"

"I... would need to talk to my manager about that..." said the employee.

"No! It's fine! It's okay! No prize for me!" said Brunhild, slamming down a silver coin.

As Brunhild and Dandelion sat down at a bench to eat, a large crowd of people marched through the square, chanting, "Goblins out! Vote For Fruit! Goblins out! Vote For Fruit!". They brandished signs with slogans such as, VOTE PINEAPPLE, SYRAK = 1 TRU GOD, GOBLIN SCUM OUT, and HALFLINGS IN THEIR PLACE.

"Quick, say something funny, Brunhild," said Dandelion.

"Isn't that your job?" said Brunhild.

"I just... can we go somewhere else?" said Dandelion.

"Sure." They got up and made for a side street.

As they walked, Brunhild and Dandelion passed a temple of Plutus that had been set up as a voting station. There was a long line of people waiting to go in.

"On the Feast of Syrac, too," said Dandelion, shaking her head. "Not the most neutral place or time for a vote."

"Shall we go home?" asked Brunhild.

Dandelion sighed. "Yeah."

*

It was quite late in the evening when Lacrie got back. She had a grim look on her face. "I did it. We'll need to go right away. We're meeting Nightingale at an inn called The Half-Breed Bastard by the Temple. She won't be able to slip out for long."

Night was falling. The streets took on an aura of danger, as they always did after dark in Aqua Profunda.

"Can you guys get in the Luggage and let me get us there all sneaky-like?" asked Dandelion.

"You need Lacrie, at least," said Kaergat. "I don't want you alone with the Unsleeping out there."

"You're not my mum."

"And you are not always acting like an adult," said Kaergat.

"I can sneak. It's like, my actual profession."

"Larceny is not a profession."

In the end, the party marched together. Dandelion kept admonishing Brunhild for making too much noise. That didn't seem to change much.

The Half-Breed Bastard was as seedy of an inn as they came. The party huddled together behind their drinks, waiting for Nightingale to arrive. The other pubgoers shot them an occasional look, as if aware that they were out of place.

"Come on, we should play some cards," said Kaergat after half an hour. It was a good idea. It gave them something to do to pass the time, and made it look less overly much like they were waiting for an illicit meeting.

Two hours passed. All but a few patrons trickled out of the inn.

"I'm so bored of this game!" said Dandelion. "Can't we play blatant deception?"