The Tavern


    The evening had crept up on the group swiftly. Everyone but Illaria, who had declined to come tonight, in favor of spending an evening with her folks, was there. They were gathered around the stage, front, and center, to see Innilia play for the crowd. It had come as a bit of a surprise to Naya that Hoc had also shown up. "So, are we doing the gifts before or after we support our friend?" Naya asked as she patted a box she''d set in front of her on the table.


    "Let''s get it over with," Mavec said as he dropped a small pouch onto the table. Everyone, help yourself to button cogs. I made them myself this morning." He said as he gently dumped the contents onto the graying wooden table.


    Naya flipped the box around to face everyone but herself and opened it up, displaying the cheddar-filled flakey pastries. "These are also for everyone! I wanted to make something individual for everyone, but I thought it might be nice to practice a new craft instead! I never was much of a cook at home, " she admitted with a nervous laugh as she placed her palm against the back of her head.


    "We had the same thought," Sarbie admitted, as she, too, produced some baked goods of a sweeter nature: basic sugar cookies. Some of them were cut into the shapes of animals, distinctively resembling Rem and Echo.


    "Bah, Bait have best gift!" He exclaimed as he pulled out a sack and dumped the squirming contents onto the table. Rats, their tails tied around wooden sticks scrambled to free themselves from their entrapment. "Know fear!"


    Inillia switched her tune mid-performance. The rowdy tune she belted out accompanied by her fiddle was quickly replaced with a soothing melody as her magic infused the song, and the panicked rats on the table fell into a magical stupor.


    "If someone could untie them and get them out of here, that would be great," Inillia said. Naya pumped a fist into the air and hollered in support of her friend on stage. The young tiefling girl with blue skin and ram''s horns certainly looked in her element here. Her bright red sleeveless blouse paired with a pair of slate grey pants seemed eye-catching and practical as she moved across the stage.


    Alvec and Naya used her magic to free the rats and chase them out the door despite Bait''s loud and frantic protests. Once everyone had settled back down, Hoc revealed his gifts. They weren''t fancy, just little wooden tokens with the three rings of Kushang painted on them.


    Alvec followed him, passing a silver piece to each of them. As their hands warmed them, an image of Alvec flashed over the surface of the silver coin, and a small individualized message played for each of them. When the group had finished passing out their gifts, they all partook in food and drink for a while. They were there to support Inillia, after all. After performing a dozen or so songs, the girl finally came down from the stage to greet her friends.


    "You''re killing it!" Naya assured her.


    "Thank you. I''ve been practicing a lot for this." Inillia replied. A man in bright colors befitting an entertainer himself swept up to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into a kiss. His hair was long and dark, and his right hand was a clockwork prosthetic.


    "All the practice is paying off." He assured her with a warm smile. "You''ll be selling out shows in Ac-Azziza or Ac-Riller in no time."


    "So, uh, that''s your boyfriend?" Naya asked, giving the man a once-over. The way Inillia looked at him with doughy eyes was more than enough of an answer for Naya. "What do you do for work?" Naya asked, having not received a verbal answer.


    "Mostly advise other bards these days, since I can''t play like I used to." He said as he waved his hand for them to see. "Nasty sailing accident on my way to Ac-Aziza several years ago now." He said. "Names Darven, you must be Naya. Inillia told me a little about you." He said as he leaned his head over Inillia''s shoulder, pulling her close affectionately.


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    Meanwhile, Alvec moved over beside Sarbie and leaned in slightly. "Hey, think I could escort you home tonight? I''ve got one more gift for you." He said sheepishly, a coy smile crossing his face. Her heartbeat skipped a beat as the memory of discussing Ivy Day with his mother flashed through her mind.


    "Yeah, is Naya or Bait going to accompany you?" She asked as she quickly rummaged through the small bag she''d brought. Her fingers traced the book cover her father had helped her make for him. She debated if now was the time to give it to him. It might make things worse if Hoc saw that she''d gone out of her way to make him something extra. She decided against it, not wanting to make this night any more tense than it already felt to her. "I actually have something else for you too, so yes, you can escort me home."


    The evening wound on, and eventually, all of the cheese acolytes and Hoc left the bar. Alvec thanked all the gods that the path Naya chose for them first led to Hoc''s house. The boy shuffled off with a slightly disheartened look as he watched the remaining cheese Acolytes leave.


    It wasn''t long before they were at Sarbie''s house. "Could we go inside?" Alvec asked Sarbie. "When I said I had one more gift for you, I might have omitted that it was for you and your parents." He fiddled anxiously with the four rings in a small silk pouch.


    She looked at him with mild surprise. "Sure, is everyone coming in?" she asked Naya and Bait.


    "No, we''ll wait here," Naya said as she grabbed Bait by the back of his grubby shirt as the goblin dashed for the door. Bait, obsessed with only two things in life, probably wasn''t aware of the very slow and subtle dance playing out in front of him. She wouldn''t let him accidentally ruin the moment.


    The pair entered the house, and Sarbie called out to her parents, summoning them to the kitchen. The night was dark, and she quickly lit the room with her magic as she grabbed some candles and brought them over to the central table. Alvec didn''t hesitate to use his magic to give them a spark of fire, igniting them. By the time her parents both wandered into the kitchen from their bedroom, the kitchen was dimly illuminated.


    "Isn''t it a little late for a social call? Her mother asked.


    "My apologies," Alvec said as he bowed to them. "My Ivy Day gift is actually for all three of you." He said as he pulled out a silk pouch and gently emptied the four golden rings onto the table. Two of the rings had a small sapphire set into them, while two contained a small ruby.


    "Two of these go to Sarbie, and one each to the two of you. Put them all on, and you''ll see why I couldn''t pass on this idea, " he said with a sheepish smile.


    "There''s no way we can accept this," Sarbie said with a groan. It''s just so expensive, again."


    "Look, make the decision after you try them all, all of you." He said as he handed her the two sapphire rings and passed the ones with the inlaid rubies to her parents.


    "Let''s humor him, " her father said with a smile as he slipped the ring onto his right hand. Her mother did the same, and with a heavy sigh, so did Sarbie. A warmth that ebbed like a heartbeat gently warmed the fingers on which she''d placed the rings. She blinked in confusion a few times.


    "I thought it might be nice to give you a way to know you''re all safe," Alvec said. "They pulse with warmth when each ring is worn. Still want me to take them back?" He asked.


    On the one hand, the price of rings, with fancy stones and enchantments on top of that, made her head spin. On the other, this was perhaps the most thoughtful and kind thing anyone had ever done for her. The thought of refusing it, of rejecting this gift, made her stomach twist into knots. "Close your eyes." She said to him as she reached into her bag, pulling out the steel and leather-plated cover her father and she had made for Alvec''s spellbook. If she couldn''t say no, the least she could do was return the gesture.


    Alvec snapped his eyes closed obediently. "Hold your hands out, " she instructed. He followed her order, holding his palms to the sky. She placed the book cover into his hands and lingered over it long as she leaned into him. She bit her lips, thoughts of turning this into a romantic gesture dancing across her brain. She hadn''t planned on this, and she pulled back, stepping backwards a few feet. "Ok, check it out, " she said.


    Alvec opened his eyes and turned the book cover over, tapping at the metal plating a few times. "Oooh, I see I''m not the only one who had a good idea," Alvec said.


    "You like it?" She asked.


    "Yeah, it''ll help keep my spellbook safe no matter what sort of bullshit we get up to." He said with a smile.


    "Thank you, Sarbie, and happy Ivy Day."


    "Happy Ivy Day, Alvec." She replied back.


    "Now, if you don''t mind, it is late. As great of a gift as this is, I''d like you to be on your way so we can all get back to bed." Her father said. His tone was warm, even if his words were gruff. Alvec bowed his head sheepishly before muttering his goodbyes and good nights. He slipped back outside to rejoin Naya and Bait. The trio returned to the tower. All in all, it had been a good night.