Self Employment

Having opened the envelope, you were disappointed to see how right you were in your assumptions about what your father had coerced you into doing. For as much as he talked about you making a name for yourself, establishing your reputation and skill as an accomplished wizard, he seemed to be actively working against his own goals with these boring, menial tasks. It was not, as it turned out, scouring for rats in a tavern basement. You could scarcely believe that it was in fact worse than that; helping ease the burdens of the domestic labor of farmers.

You refused the idea, and though you believed you were plenty of service doing the bookkeeping for the Pathfinder Hall, tried to find something of a greater task as a preventative strike against any potential lecturing or chiding; something both more dangerous and meaningful. Heading to the Third Polearm, the local tavern where many of the Pathfinders or other adventuring heroes liked to congregate, you reflected quietly on matters.

Your father misunderstood matters, seeming to think that you didn’t even want to be a wizard or an adventurer. He wouldn’t know any better, having been gone on his own heroic escapades for most of your formational years, including as you studied your spellbooks and learned the basics of casting. He missed a lot, for that matter, leaving your dear mother to handle matters on her own, and the Pathfinders who called your father their friend providing guidance and mentorship in his stead. You chose this path, seemingly more than your grandfather or his father before him did, being forced into extraordinary circumstances of their own lives. You just didn't feel the need to try to find such heroics as the Emeras Family was renowned for. You could die happy knowing you made an impact in your local community, with no songs or poems of your memory.

Entering the Third Polearm, you were able to quickly find the person you were looking for; a human adventurer you'd worked with in the past. A fellow Pathfinder, he was skillful with the sword and shield. Your father had trained and sparred with him a few times, and although they were of similar styles in battle, their temperaments were much apart, to your benefit. He was also boyishly handsome and charming; when he let his long black hair hang loose, you'd almost think he was a fellow elf. Unfortunately, he was a bit prone to drink, even for adventurer's standards. Despite only being mid day, he appeared to already be on a second, which caused you to approach with a slightest amount of caution.

"Mollere!" He shouted as soon as he saw you, causing a slight tension in your body at the extra attention upon you two. "How's my favorite accountant turned wizard? or is it the other way around?"

"Hard to tell sometimes Phan" You let out a slight, feinted laugh "at least you have a clear idea of what you're doing."

"Maybe a little less clear at the moment" He remarked, chuckling at his own joke. "But clear enough, people say where the trouble is, hit them with the pointy end, and get paid."

"And that's why I'm here, actually" You said as you gently sit across from him at the table "It's been a bit since I've been involved, and I'm afraid my spellbook may start to get cobwebs. Is there anything out there that you know of that we can get to quickly?" You pressed your lips for a slight second before adding "Something maybe a little more risky than we've done before"

The mercenary sat up in his seat slightly, the notion seeming to start sobering him up "Ya, I can think of something. Probably need to be more than just the two of us though."

"Not a problem, so long as we can find them fast."

"Ya, I can manage that. Don't you worry" He looked just behind you for a second, watching for anything unusual "speaking of worry, what's the hurry? That's not like you, not one bit."

"It's not important." You tried to deflect "Just, feeling a bit of hustle, making up for lost time, you know?"

"That's a bit odd, coming from an Elf, idn't it?" He smiled briefly "Don't worry about it though. If it's that important to you, I'll figure it out. Just be ready when I say, fair?"

"More than fair" You smiled gently but earnestly "Thanks Phan. You've always been around when I need you."

"Of course, do anything for a friend like you." There was a slight pause as Phan's voice quieted slightly "Not that it changes anything, but what do you have planned for when we're done? You and I haven't been friendly with each other in a while, ya?"

"It has" Though you two had never been in a committed relationship or been in love, you'd shared a bed on occasion, and a few more risqué locations once or twice. Of the lovers you've had in recent memory, he'd been the best by a fair amount. Not only was he the best looking, but he was the most skilled in ways of pleasure. He knew how to be patient, how to draw out a moment for all that could be enjoyed, rather than rushing to the end like most men. He also had a taste for variety and novelty, without being a pervert or a fetishist. Still, life had carried on and fates hadn't brought you together in a while "Not since my father nearly caught us."

"Hope that didn't give you cold feet or nothin," Phan said "Would be a tragedy to let what we had slip just because of that."

You repressed the urge to comment on what you and him had. Maybe he wanted there to be something more between you than there had been. He'd done nothing to show that desire, or the work to build it up. This wasn't the time or place for that conversation, and you didn't need him to be your boyfriend to find him cute or fun enough to fuck.

"No, nothing like that at all. I promise." You encourage him "It'd take a little more than that to say no to someone like you. We wrap up whatever the job is, we'll share a nice drink together, and I'll let you take me upstairs."

"Than I have extra reason to be sure that everyone gets home, and safely.. Don't you worry, I'll still be doing right by you, and the Pathfinders." As he got on his feet to start his new mission "I suddenly find I've got a bit of spring in my step"