Greenwater

Dazar and the boy sat together, each smoking on some type of strange pipe. By the smell, Miri could tell it was nicotine. The boy stared into a thick tome; it was thicker than his legs as he sat. She noticed he wore thin circular glasses. Though it was hot as sin and humid enough to constantly frizz her hair, the boy clothed himself in a white shirt, black vest, and black pants. Admittedly, it paired well with his tall, thick, round, and drooping hat. White stars dappled the otherwise black hat, and Miri wondered how the boy didn’t die of heatstroke. In contrast, Dazar held the horse's reigns, softly humming a tune she recognized as There once was…

The sun had begun its descent past the trees, lightly covering the road in cool shade. Larger than it had been, the highway sported a multitude of characters. People Miri recognized as Dwarves, humans, orc, and what could only be described as elves walked to and fro in every direction. Littering the side of the highway were pop-up market stands interspersed between solid multicolored and multi-layered buildings. Far off in the distance, Miri could faintly make out a brown gate, protected by large gray walls. Trees grew wherever they could find solitude; looking South, Miri gaped as a child climbed a palm tree, rope looped around and knife between clenched teeth. However, if anyone noticed, they didn’t care. Sounds of people bartering, yelling, and donkey braying had replaced the sweet, if lonely, song of the wilderness. Nearly **** on the foul smell emanating from the street, Miri tried hard not to picture how that scent was created. Instead, she concentrated on the far-off salty smell of the ocean.

“Good evening,” She offered by way of greeting, sitting between the two males.

“Tibi gratias ago pro salute mea et asinus,” the boy replied, not looking up from his enormous book. When he spoke, Miri noticed he was clean-shaven. Dazar and Miri both stared at him, confusion evident on their faces.

“Eh, excuse our compatriot,” Dazar excused, “It is always a good evening, I’ve found, when you show up. Anyway, where are my manners? Welcome to Greenwater.”

Miri smiled brightly. Suddenly, she leaned over and hugged the grizzled dwarf, “Thank you for helping me! I appreciate you looking after me while I slept. Also, thank you for feeding me. And I’m happy-”

“Slow down, Butterfly. Slow down!” Dazar laughed, smoke billowing out of his bearded muzzle, reciprocated with a one-armed hug. After she broke off, Dazar pointed a thumb at their companion. “He’s the one that did it. Stopped the wagon shortly after you passed out and bought the makeup, dress, and our pipe-weed from a traveling merchant. He refused to look at your nudity, saying something about how he respected you as a person.”

“Oh! That was quite rude of me to assume…” Miri started, blush creeping up her sweaty face. Awkwardly wiggling her fingers, Miri smiled broadly, fighting embarrassment, and turned to the well-dressed man holding up her hand, “Thank you for your chivalry, Good Sir. My name is Miriamelle de la Cruz. I really liked the dress you picked out.”

“Χάρηκα για τη γνωριμία. Το όνομά μου είναι Tad,” the strange boy answered, looking up and shook her hand.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t speak whatever that language was,” Miri panicked, looking toward Dazar for help.

“My apologies, My name is Tad,” the be-speckled man cried, shaking his head. “A byproduct of studying magic is it rewrites my thoughts and I speak in the original tongue of the spell!”

“Oh,” Miri tried to continue the conversation, but awkwardness took hold as she looked away. Neither Dazar or Miri knew what to say.

“Thank you saving my ass back there. What you did was truly heroic,” Tad gushed, looking up from his book at last. Miri was taken aback by the vibrancy of his yellow eyes. They bore into her own with unusual intensity. Clearly underweight, the boy had a strong jawline and good posture.

“Oh. I-it was nothing,” Miri glanced back, embarrassment creeping down past her neck, disappearing underneath her new dress collar.

“Nonsense. Consider me at your service, my lady… My mistress would have turned me into a frog and fed me to the damn cat were it not for you!” the boy earnestly insisted.

“Well… You're welcome,” Miri tried to graciously accept. Suddenly, she realized she could’ve unintentionally caused offense when she altered her new dress. Shyly, Miriamelle squeaked, “I hope you don’t mind I cut a hole in your lovely dress.”

The wizard apprentice blinked a few times in surprise before he exclaimed, “By Heavens! I love it! You have such a beautiful abdomen, it should be a crime to cover.”

Miri beamed at the praise, pride in her body forming in her breast.

“Henceforth, anything I give you, please alter in whatever way you deem fit, good Miriamelle de la Cruz. You obviously understand aestheticism,” Tad hastened to assure her.

“Enough! If you want to flirt with my apprentice, at least have the good graces to do so when I’m not right here,” Dazar leered at Tad, smoke menacingly shrouding his face in mist, highlighting the aged wrinkles of his faces.

“Ye-yes, sir!” Tad flushed, pale skin coloring to a decent shade of red.

Between Dazar and Tad, Miri found out their destination was the Laughing Cat inn, an establishment owned by Dazar, but operated by Steven Hackett: onetime rogue who got caught by the law and now ran a legitimate business after his family ostracized him. Tad would continue on toward the Raven Tower; that was what Mage Iantha had named her tower in the common tongue. Miri watched the surrounding proceedings, the comings, and goings of all manner of people. Their hustle and bustle distracted her until the wagon turned a corner and the ocean came into view. Beautiful blue waves crashed into a sandy white beach extending far into the sunset ahead of her. Docks, each long and lined with vessels ranging from small dinghies to large galleons, polluted the pristine backdrop, but soon, Dazar called attention to a building off their left.

“See that gaudy green building. The big one?”

“Yea”

“That’s my Laughing Cat – named after an old ship cat, named Teddy,” Dazar crowed. The building was large, easily three stories, and wide; no less than two entrances opened into the lobby. Painted a rather ugly dark green, it stood out from its short, drab neighbors. The main entrance opened toward the sea, protected from the evening sun by a large porch circling around the building.

“Green, huh? Were they all out of pink?” Miri teased.

“What!? No, they didn’t have your shade of yellow,” Dazar chuckled, ribbing Miri back. “In all seriousness, green is a secret marker for Thieves Guild Safe houses. Not all green houses are, mind you, but every safe house is green.”

“Ah. And the police never figured that out?” Tad queried, looking up from his tome.

“If they have, they abide by it. Haven’t had an issue in over a hundred fifty years!” Dazar pounded his chest with a meaty fist.

“Well, here’s where we get off. I hope I’ll see you again,” Miri ran to the back, collecting her things before jumping off the wagon. The pretty brunette smiled and waved at Tad, the wizard apprentice, popping her hip to allow the slit open. Tad gulped, staring at her delicate thigh before his team of horses took off. He could almost make out the treasure between her thighs.