Shards of Silver

SEVENTEEN

Eating actual warm food that was served in front of her was something Isren found pleasure in. While the building they were in served as both an inn and a restaurant, people treated it as a bar and served themselves rich wine to get drunk. Despite that, Isren was determined that nothing would ruin her appetite. Not when it was her favorite food of roasted potatoes and beef seasoned with spices that were sitting gorgeously on a plate. Besides, the apple she had eaten that morning hadn't filled her and her stomach, at the moment, kept growling at her.

Isren ignored the growing ruckus between several male elves who were boasting and encouraging each other in a drinking contest. Their challenges were raising their voices, making them louder with each passing minute. Isren contemplated throwing something at them to get them to shut up.

"It's lively," Aerelle muttered. She stuffed bread into her mouth as she looked around, observing the scene and the people who continued on without a care in the world.

"We need to hurry up before it gets even livelier," Isren responded, cutting into her food with eagerness. The quiver of arrows she had bought still rested against her back, a bit uncomfortable but she was happy. Content.

"How do people act when they're drunk?" Aerelle asked silently. Isren stared at her, a part of her not believing that the girl had just asked that question. They came from the same town, right? Hadn't this girl seen the drunk lunatics walking in the streets late at night sometimes?

"Stupid," Isren said and that was that. There was nothing really to explain, nothing to keep saying to fully answer that question when that one word covered it all. After everything Isren had seen and heard from the drunks, she had vowed to herself that she wouldn't ever engage in social gatherings that required her to drink wine or beer long enough to get herself drunk. She didn't like it, didn't like the smell. She sure wasn't going to let herself fall into its trap either. Some of the people she had to tend to were there in her mother's clinic because they got into a drunken fight.

Aerelle chuckled at her, pushing her now empty plate away and towards the center of the table. "We're still going to continue shopping just so you know."

"We already went shopping," Isren retorted after she swallowed her bite of food, polishing the plate off quickly.

"For your arrows. We haven't even looked at all the clothes yet and the jewelry!" Aerelle's sparkle in her eyes returned. Isren sagged her shoulders, not so excited for what the girl was recommending. From a young age, Isren came to hate wearing dresses, and she was very lenient with certain items of jewelry. She didn't need any more jewelry anyway. The necklace and earring were enough. So was the leadership ribbon around her wrist if anyone ever considered the thing a piece of decoration.

"You're helping me with all this." Aerelle gave her a pointed look as if challenging her to refuse. She had guts. Isren was supposed to be the leader here.

"I'm not good with any of that," Isren replied. She got up, placing a few tyslks for the woman who had served them, and readjusted the strap that crossed in front of her chest. "But we can't get too much. We need to be able to hold the things when we ride back to the castle."

Aerelle sighed. "Fine," she said with a pout on her face. They dodged around several elves that were gathering for the drinking game. "I'll limit myself then."

"Good."

"Good," Aerelle repeated after her, sticking her tongue out.

They went back into the sun that was slowly treading itself across the sky. A few clouds came to cover it before whisking themselves away again.

"While you do that and whatever," Isren said, waving her hand. "I'm going to look for someone who will help me with this necklace. Maybe someone around here will know."