Sparnas

Lunch at Beltzak

Hegal was behind the bar when Rosso, Liath, and Gwyn came in. Gwyn stopped and stood erect, her white robe strikingly bright in the dim bar. "Maybe... I should just go back, you told me we're going to an eatery, Liath! This is a tavern, all they have is roasted peanuts and beef jerky!" She hissed under her breath.

"This is an eatery, miss. We have fine BlackWing delicacies for you. Come in come in. Have a seat." Turning to a dark corner near the bar, "Hey Dimma, Rosso is here! Bringing birds!"

Laughing, Rosso was already heading to Dimma's table. Her heart skipping a beat as Liath remembered the name. She wished to all the forefathers that it would be the BlackWing she met a few days before. She impatiently pulled Gwyn's hand, "Come, it's not dirty, it's just a little dark," she whispered. Gwyn was great for a friend but she was rarely game for any new experience.

"Correct, milady GrayWing. My bar passed the monthly health inspection by the WhiteWings regulators. All of my ingredients are fresh from the wet market daily, and if not, they are properly kept in temperature regulated coolers. And I actually clean all my utensils, not just wiping them just to look like a bartender" Hegal said.

"How does he hear so well," Liath muttered to herself.

"Eating good food of course! Recipes from my father and his father before him. Goes all the way back to Atavus himself! You can give your order to Dimma because my usual waitstaff hadn't gotten in yet." Hegal bellowed again.

Dimma inhaled deeply. He was not expecting company. He wanted to be alone to think of how to go on his case. He had a feeling this was not an easy one, the thorough way it was done. He had been at Beltzak since morning, talking with Hegal and doing a little paperwork in the back room. His lunch was cleared moments before Rosso came in the door.

A familiar jingle of bells made Dimma look up. He felt relieved at the intrusion and he smiled. "You! How are you Lady Liath, are you okay?"

"Lady Liath Cinza-Harmaa is obviously at the peak of her health, Dimma. You've met before?" Rosso asked Liath.

"Yes, at Morsterra. I was flying around when I accidentally bumped into him."

"Morsterra? Flying alone? Lady Liath you surprise me. Should have asked me to escort you. Next time, I'll go with you, I'll drive my carriage. A young GrayWing shouldn't be flying unaccompanied." Rosso pat the seat beside him and Liath sat down.

Gwyn sat in front of her but not before taking out a handkerchief and wiping the seat. She only stopped because Liath was giving her the stare. Gwyn nodded awkwardly to Dimma. Dimma stare made her felt uncomfortable, she turned to Liath.

"Well, this is Lady Liath Cinza-Harmaa, and her friend, Gwyn. This sour man here is a good friend of mine, Dimma Juodas. We need 3 steaks, Dimma, and 3 glasses of wine, unless the ladies want something else?"

"Just a salad for me please, and a glass of water," Gwyn said.

"You red dolt. Marie and Jane are right there. Hey Marie!" Dimma called out to one of Hegal's waitress. Liath could hear Hegal laugh from the back of the bar. Seriously, how could that man hear everything so clearly, Liath thought to herself.

The comely waitress called Marie came over to their table. She wiped her hands on her waist apron and took out a notebook and pencil from her pocket.

"Three steaks, 3 wines, a salad and a glass of water," Rosso said.

"I'm not eating, just the wine, Marie."

She went to the back of the bar and handed over the paper through the window.

Liath looked at Dimma and was startled when his gaze shot right through her. Trying to salvage the situation she asked, "So, you're a Brother?"

"Liath!" Gwyn kicked her in the shin.

"I'm just asking!"

"Yeah," Dimma said.

"So is it true?" Liath forged on. She couldn't think of anything to say with Dimma staring at her so intently.

"Which one did you hear?" Dimma asked, his little smile never leaving his face, and his eyes never leaving Liath's.

"Sodomites!" Gwyn whispered and clapped her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry I'm so sorry". So she was curious as well. Her eyes darted between Liath and Dimma. They were both staring at each other. Gwyn felt awkward like she was intruding on something intimate.

Rosso laughed weakly. "Far from it, the Brothers are like living in a birdbath." He was irritated at the way Dimma was looking at Liath. "They swing both ways, all ways. I wouldn't expose you to any of their rites, more like free for all orgies."

"Manners, Rosso. There are ladies present." Hegal placed their drinks on the table. Liath noticed that Hegal also wore the black armband. Gwyn silently scolded herself on not getting bottled water. She tried her best not to wipe her glass clean.

Dimma smiled but didn't say anything. His deep gaze made Liath blush. "So are you, or are you not?" She decided to be petty.

"No, sweetheart. Not all of us, to each his own. I don't care where the other Brothers dip their cock in."

"Dimma, have some respect, I'm sorry Lady Liath." Rosso tried to place his hand on Liath but Liath used both hands to grab her glass wine.

"Fuck you, Rosso." Dimma stood up and nodded to Gwyn and Liath. "Sorry Lady Liath, Gwyn, I can't stay, I should be back at my office half an hour ago. I'll see you tonight, Rosso."

"Meet me at my private gazebo. I'm one of the judges for the pageantry so I'll be there all night." Rosso said.

"Fine. Good day ladies." Dimma left through the back.

"Will you be there, Lady Liath?" Rosso asked.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I go every year, right Gwyn?" Liath nudged Gwyn's leg under the table.

"Since when- oh yeah. Since I knew you. Right."

"Great. the four of us should have a blast there. Pardon the pun, Gwyn." Gwyn couldn't roll her eyes since Rosso was looking at her, but Liath could, and she did.

Rosso talked through the lunch. Liath flashed an apologetic look to Gwyn. Gwyn raised her eyebrows and continued staring at her salad. She was inclined to dislike Rosso. Gwyn was conservative, and Rosso's conversation topics were not her cup of tea. She could see that Rosso liked to talk about himself, with Liath's wordless prompting, he could talk all day.

Gwyn felt that Liath purposely led him on so that she could see how obnoxious he was. Gwyn did not need another lunch with Rosso to see that he was not a good person. He talked condescendingly about otherWings, and to the best of her knowledge, Rosso had nothing to his name apart from his surname.

Beltzak was not as bad as what she heard. She was glad she had agreed to come with Liath. It was clean, although a little dark. The windows had sheer but black curtains, letting in precious light from outside. The lamps were hung high on the ceiling, caged in iron so that they wouldn't burst easily whenever a fight broke which she heard was frequent. The tables were sturdy circular oaks which could fit four diners at most. The chairs were also sturdy oaks bolted on the floor.

Beltzak had a very strict policy of no fighting in the venue. Any disagreement would be dealt swiftly. Hegal would bring both parties out front and they would have to fight bare-knuckled until one of them conceded. He would personally frisk each fighter, whether it was between two sparnas or a group of them. Amazingly despite their anger, they listened to Hegal. Each one would wait until Hegal took away all their weapons before the punches started flying. It was not Gwyn's preferred solution but it had cut down fights by almost half.

Liath looked around while Rosso was talking in her ears. There were a few sparnas enjoying their early lunch. Maybe they were too early to see any fun, Liath told herself she would come again, at night, alone. Just to see. Unlike Gwyn who obviously was in discomfort, Liath liked the bar. It felt cozy. She should really come to the bar when it was full of sparnas.