Mazeltov

Nyitzcha swung her twin tails behind her, sliding the mug she was cleaning aside. It slid away before clinking as it joined a pile of nicely cleaned beer mugs at the farther end of the bar. Janette and Felix stood awkwardly at the front, Janette rubbing her nose and Felix standing his ground, although admittedly a bit nervous.

The dwarf crossed her arms before letting out a grunt. "Oooh, I remember ye. Yer back for anuther stay already?"

"What-no, no we need your help with something else. Can we borrow some cash?"

"EEEHHH!?" She stomped her foot down, making him flinch.

"Look, we need your help with this. Just something small would be appreciated greatly, like-like maybe some-"

"You, stern girl!" Janette raised an eye. "Got any coin to change me mind?"

Irritated, her shoulders slumped as she reluctantly shook her head no. Nyitzcha scoffed and retrieved a used up mug.

"Yer out of luck lad. I don' do favors."

Janette sighed with Felix stepping forward. "Please?"

"Neh, step away now. Gunna be thirsty hour pretty soon, an' yer blockin' me sight of the door."

"Please, we need your help."

"What did ye do eh, lost a bet or somethin'? Musta gone broke spendin' yer money around like folly. I told ye already I don' do favors."

Janette stayed quiet with Felix leaning forward placing his hands on the bar top. "Fine then, what do you accept as payment?"

"Money, the likes of which ye don' have."

"What else?"

"Pfft, what else is there eh? Ye ain't got nuthin' more to give me, so beat it!"

Janette looked around, noticing an empty bucket and mop leaning against a wooden door. "Where's Kou?"

"Kou?" Nyitzch hocked up and spat onto her dirty rag before wiping the used mug. "He left, poor lad got an' empty space under all that hair."

"He left?"

"Ay, couldn't hold onto 'im no longer. Said he wanted to travel more, do sum thinkin' er sum nonsense like that. As if the world has anythin' te offer."

Huh, he left? She had felt nervous travelling back here, uncertain of what she would say when they met again. She had memorized an apology to give to him but to see him gone just felt... she didn't know why but it left her feeling a bit empty inside. Maybe it was disappointment, as now she can't make amends to him. It's not like she took advantage of him, their bedding was mutual after all but... that opportunity is gone now. All she had left was to continue moving forward.

After all, she had someone more important who needed her then. With a confident look, she pushed a stool out of the way and slammed her fist down, staring at the barkeeper. "What's your price?"

Nyitzcha blinked before leaning her head back to let loose a loud cry of laughter, leaving our two characters in an awkward spot for what felt like several minutes. She dropped her head and wiped a tear from her eye with that rag.

"Ye ain't got money so what about property?"

Janette closed her eyes. "What else?"

"Pfft! Anything ye got to offer at all aside from the clothes on yer backs?" Janette clenched her fist, thinking her words through. Shit, they had nothing. No house, no money, nothing at all to offer her-

"Me." Huh? Both her and Nyitzcha tilted their heads with Felix confirming his words. "You can have me instead."

"No offense, but I ain't in no mood-"

"No, I meant you can have my services." He gulped, never thinking he would hear those words from his mouth again. In truth, the money he would receive from Augustine after months of service to his housekeep and barn animals would have been enough to give up something to start with. He didn't think of his road in life having a sudden U turn like this but...

"Ehhh, 'less I ain' hearin' ye right, yer sayin' ye willin' to offer yerself to me, like a slave?"

Janette watched with an open mouth as Felix nodded in return.

"A slave eh? Don' think I ever would 'ave found myself one. They don' have slaves out here in the Sinalou Lands, 'n the ones o'er at the Dust Oasis go at a mighty high cost fer me to afford. A slave?"

She paused and stared deeply at Felix, reading his reaction as well as Janette's emotion. It made her hesitate, before shaking her head.

"Go home, lad. Yer offerin' yer life to me quite lightly. Ye must be desperate, but I ain' takin no advantage of desperate children."

Janette stepped back as Felix lifted his shirt up and spun around. On his back stood a flurry of markings across his flesh, something like claw marks maybe? No, they were too little to be claw marks, Janette thought. Her eyes settled at the area behind his shoulder, a brand it looked to be.

5311X

"I'm desperate yes, but I'm not talking out of my ass. Will you accept my offer or not?"

Nyitzcha stepped closer, reaching out with a hand to him. "May I?" He nodded, allowing her to pass her tiny hand across the marking, noting the ridges it made into his skin. That along with the lashes scattered on his back left her stunned at the sudden reveal. Janette found herself speechless, watching and scanning his body just as she was.

Nyitzcha sighed. "Yer one of them eh? Ye really willin' to go down this hole, lad?"

"Yes."

She smacked his back hard. "Stupid child, what the hell are ye so desperate for? Yer type don' get freed from the goodness in them hearts, yer finally free then yer willin' to go back under new ownership? What in blazes has got ye so mad for?"

Felix dropped his shirt and spun around. "That doesn't matter does it? We really need your help, Nyitzcha. Some of our loved ones have been taken away from us and we're trying to get them back."

"An' yer soundin' more stupid by the second. These things happen lad, just move on."

Janette finally found her voice. "You don't understand-"

"I do, I do understand. Yer woman, she was that kitty yes?" Felix and Janette blinked in shock with Nyitzcha looking crossed. "Wha? I got eyes, I can see! I ain' blind ye know? Was it her or not!?"

"It is."

"Ah heep o-bledderin'! Dammit, I don't do favors okay? Yer sure to go through with this?"

"Felix don't throw your life like that. Listen, Nyitzcha we have other things to offer. We have a-a magic book, ask it anything an-"

"That heep ain' worth a blast much less a rescue! Only yer servitude will do, take it or leave it!" Her lip twitched, with Janette looking back at Felix. Nyitzcha wondered, would he really do it?

"Deal." Felix answered, stretching his hand out.

"Felix!"

"Janette, don't. We need all the help we can get, please."

"But not like this!" She pleaded, with Nyitzcha digging through her belongings. She looked around before finding a pair of matching rings, climbing back up the bar top and nearly slipping.

"Is been years since I seen these, I never thought I get no use of 'em since. Always aim to sell 'em, but ehh. Never 'ad the chance, I s'pose."

She stared at Felix hard before parting her hand open to shake his, passing something cold into his palm. He pulled back to find a ring in his possession.

"Ye know what this is, ay?"

"I do."

"Then, there ya go." She muttered, looking away and pressing her lips together before slipping a similar ring down her ring finger. "I ain' got no slave ownership things, so this will have to do. Last chance to back off."

Janette and Felix stared at the ring in his hand, squinting at the elf writing sketched into its silver coating. "That's-"

"I don' wanna hear it, yer game yet or nuh?" She shouted back, with Janette grabbing his hand and pleading at him with her eyes. He sighed and hugged her tight, before pulling away. She gasped, realizing he slipped it on behind her. Making eye contact with Nyitzcha, he showed her his hand and nodded. He was ready.

She closed her eyes and breathed, what they were about to do was not to be taken lightly. Resigning to their fate, she sealed their bond by reaching out to grab his hand, or as much as she could. Her short stature made him quite a lot bigger in comparison, she left her hand above his instead where she realized her open hand was enough to cover his palm. She blushed but closed her eyes and began the vow.

"I, Nyitzcha Zoucinni, belong to ye now and forever after." She opened her eyes, looking away and mumbling faintly, "Now yer turn."

"I, Felice Ximenez, belong to you now and forever after." It was done, with a glow of both rings the contract was set.

"Mazeltov," She remarked, rolling her eyes. "Now tell me what ye need."