Flower Falls and Crystal Calls

Déjà Vu

Chapter 26

It had been late afternoon when Laer and the others had come to drag Elle off into the crowd. That didn't stop them from weaving their way through the populace to find what had to be the tiniest stand currently in the city. It still had a line of men in front of it. Laer grumbled at the sight of the queue, but Tewn laughed and clapped his shoulder. "We can come back. The ale might not be as good elsewhere, but tonight it will be plentiful."

Elle raised a brow at her friend. "Your first stop was to get a drink?"

Laer chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "Do you think we did any of what I just told you sober?"

When Elle nearly doubled over in laughter, Caius stepped up with a grin. "Your judgment notwithstanding, I believe you can find a suitable replacement around the corner."

Laer rolled his eyes. "Like you'll be joining us."

Caius was still smiling. "Someone must ensure that you are all able-bodied for the morrow."

A couple of the guys chuckled, but they all turned to find the other place that had been mentioned. It was not long at all before their little group was weaving their way through the crowd again with drinks in hand.

As they made their way through the people, Elle was pleased to see that she was not given more than a cursory glance in most cases. Yes, she was the Emissary, but her presence with Laer and the others served as a reminder that she was also one of the warriors that kept their city safe. It was not long before she was able to relax with the others and forget the fiasco the day had been.

Several others joined their group as they roamed, which made them a boisterous presence. There was no end to the teasing Elle received about the dress she was wearing, including several suggestions for her to go buy ribbons and beads to match the pretty jewels in her hair. Every time it happened, it ended with a rude gesture at the very least. Not that she was upset, not really. She knew it was all in fun.

By the time they found a shop with tables big enough to seat them all, their group had dispersed some. Surprisingly, Ingens was still with them even though Mirus had left earlier. The younger Ballad twin actually laughed several times that night. Not with Elle, but at least she was heartened to see it was possible. It gave her hope that whatever stick he had up his ass where she was concerned would eventually be removed.

Elle lost track of time as they sat and exchanged increasingly improbable tales. That was probably made worse by the fact that the waitress made sure none of their flasks were ever empty. That also meant that when several of the guys finally stood to leave, Elle was also a little tipsy. She wasn't so bad that she couldn't walk, but she also couldn't manage to lose her smile. It was nice to be able to not worry about anything for a short while.

Caius convinced her to leave as well, and they waved goodbye to the last couple of men that stayed. Laer was one of them, and he almost looked like he had something else to say, but he only clamped his jaw shut and gave them both a nod before they walked off. If they had waited a moment longer, Elle would have been worried at the way her friend downed his drink and asked for another before they were even out of sight.

The walk was quiet for some time as the two of them threaded their way back through the city. It was still noisy near the city center, but the further they got from the trading district, the quieter things became. When the sound was just a distant buzz, Caius finally spoke up. "I did not get the chance to tell you earlier, but you did well today. You have upheld the image of Etro with grace."

Elle chuckled as she looked over at him. "Grace? That's one I never thought to hear in the same sentence as myself."

Caius stopped and turned her to face him. He forced his eyes to stay on hers as he spoke. "You may carry yourself like a warrior, but never forget that some warriors are meant to be leaders of men. You draw others to yourself without effort. It is no surprise that you are more than capable of fulfilling your duties."