2020-02-14 – A special collection – Heret & Wendy
May 7, 2020 18:35:46 GMT
BB, Ian (Menace), and 3 more like this
Post by Heret Velnnarul on May 7, 2020 18:35:46 GMT
13 Alturiak 1497 DR
“Evening, Heret!” says Nytra as the young human approaches the bar carrying a wooden crate. “You’re looking pleased with yourself today! Good day’s trade?”
“In a way,” Heret smiles. “At least, I hope so! Wine, please, and a small cup of the best ale you have.”
Nytra quirks an expressive gnomish eyebrow and starts pouring the two drinks, but her customer just grins and places a handful of silver coins on the bar. “Anon,” he says, then walks over to the Gilded Mirror’s grand reception desk.
“Good business, Chiu!”
The concierge looks up and then nods politely. “Good business and good leisure, Master Velnnarul. Would you like some help with that?”
“My thanks, Chiu, but no: it has attained its destination.” And with that, Heret gently places the large box onto the area of the counter reserved for outgoing post. It is about two feet by two feet by three feet, made of plain timber and pierced with several cluster of round coin-sized holes. “May I?” he asks, placing a finger on the top sheet of a small stack of paper on the counter. At Chiu’s nod, he takes up the sheet, makes two folds in it, and tears neatly along the folds to remove a small rectangular piece which he places on the lid of the crate. He picks up the pen that rests next to the papers, dips it into the accompanying ink-well, and writes in elegant letters:
Leaving the paper on the top of the box, Heret returns the pen to its place, nods to Chiu, and walks back to take a seat at the bar within easy sight of the reception desk.
Nytra places a cup of wine in front of him and one of ale in front of the empty seat next to him as he sits looking toward the door, drumming his fingers on the bar. “Not nervous, are you?” she asks teasingly. “That ain’t like you.”
It takes an hour and a half for Wendy to arrive, and she enters the Mirror walking calmly, smiling politely at Chiu as she steps towards them, huge post-bag slung casually over one shoulder.
“Do you have any post today, Chiu?”
A grin flashes back at her, before being immediately replaced with the most professional of courteous smiles. “We do indeed, Ms Eldottir. We have something for you, in fact!”
Wendy holds her hand out over the counter, seemingly expecting a letter. When the concierge gestures behind them to the large box with Heret’s clear, precise handwriting on top, she lets out a small gasp and cocks a head looking down at it, then spins around searching the room until her eyes meet Heret’s at the bar. Her expression broadens into a huge smile.
“What have you done, Heret?”
Heret hops off his stool with a matching grin and walks over to her. “Wendy! I’m even happier to see you than usual!” He spreads his arms for a hug. “I was beginning to fear you might be… indisposed…?”
Walking into his arms, she smiled slightly nervously. "Victim of my own success I suppose, no I'm fine, Heret." Kissing him lightly on the cheek, she spun back around towards the package, which Chiu had placed on the desk
"But what is this all about?"
Wearing a comical pretence of a frown, Heret cranes his neck to study the box and the note. “Well!” he says after a moment, “It appears to be a package address to you! Perhaps you should look inside?”
Wendy approached the box, looking around it in much the same way as Heret had. She stepped up to it and ran her hands along the edges, and glanced at the holes put into the side appraisingly. Looking over her shoulder one more time at Heret with an indecipherable expression, she lifted the lid off of the box and peered inside.
She shut the lid again suddenly, pressing her hands into the wood as she stood in shock for a moment, and then slowly removed the wooden top again.
"It's Miles!" she breathed. "Heret… how did you know?"
“Miles!” he repeated to himself before turning to address the box. “Well, good business to you, Miles.” He swung round again cheerfully to face Wendy. “I’ve noticed you looking in at the window of Jashar’s shop on occasion during our travels about the town. It seemed to me that you were very much drawn to this fine fellow. I hope I was not mistaken?”
"Not at all, I love him, just… I thought he would be perfect for me, but hadn't quite gotten the nerve. Thank you!" She reached into the box and pulled out a small dark green tortoise, bringing its scaly face up towards her own. "Hello Miles! I'm Wendy. I'm going to take care of you!"
“I’m glad,” Heret smiles. “Shall we sit for a while? If your duties permit?”
So began an evening of happy talk, stories, jokes, and even a kiss or two. What had lain behind Wendy’s look of resignation when she first entered the Mirror, and why she had taken so long to arrive, Heret did not discover. But he hardly cared. For now, she was here, and she seemed happy. That was enough.
Wasn’t it?
(By andycd and Jamie J .)
“Evening, Heret!” says Nytra as the young human approaches the bar carrying a wooden crate. “You’re looking pleased with yourself today! Good day’s trade?”
“In a way,” Heret smiles. “At least, I hope so! Wine, please, and a small cup of the best ale you have.”
Nytra quirks an expressive gnomish eyebrow and starts pouring the two drinks, but her customer just grins and places a handful of silver coins on the bar. “Anon,” he says, then walks over to the Gilded Mirror’s grand reception desk.
“Good business, Chiu!”
The concierge looks up and then nods politely. “Good business and good leisure, Master Velnnarul. Would you like some help with that?”
“My thanks, Chiu, but no: it has attained its destination.” And with that, Heret gently places the large box onto the area of the counter reserved for outgoing post. It is about two feet by two feet by three feet, made of plain timber and pierced with several cluster of round coin-sized holes. “May I?” he asks, placing a finger on the top sheet of a small stack of paper on the counter. At Chiu’s nod, he takes up the sheet, makes two folds in it, and tears neatly along the folds to remove a small rectangular piece which he places on the lid of the crate. He picks up the pen that rests next to the papers, dips it into the accompanying ink-well, and writes in elegant letters:
Wendy Eldottir
of
Daring Heights
Leaving the paper on the top of the box, Heret returns the pen to its place, nods to Chiu, and walks back to take a seat at the bar within easy sight of the reception desk.
Nytra places a cup of wine in front of him and one of ale in front of the empty seat next to him as he sits looking toward the door, drumming his fingers on the bar. “Not nervous, are you?” she asks teasingly. “That ain’t like you.”
—:[]:—
It takes an hour and a half for Wendy to arrive, and she enters the Mirror walking calmly, smiling politely at Chiu as she steps towards them, huge post-bag slung casually over one shoulder.
“Do you have any post today, Chiu?”
A grin flashes back at her, before being immediately replaced with the most professional of courteous smiles. “We do indeed, Ms Eldottir. We have something for you, in fact!”
Wendy holds her hand out over the counter, seemingly expecting a letter. When the concierge gestures behind them to the large box with Heret’s clear, precise handwriting on top, she lets out a small gasp and cocks a head looking down at it, then spins around searching the room until her eyes meet Heret’s at the bar. Her expression broadens into a huge smile.
“What have you done, Heret?”
Heret hops off his stool with a matching grin and walks over to her. “Wendy! I’m even happier to see you than usual!” He spreads his arms for a hug. “I was beginning to fear you might be… indisposed…?”
Walking into his arms, she smiled slightly nervously. "Victim of my own success I suppose, no I'm fine, Heret." Kissing him lightly on the cheek, she spun back around towards the package, which Chiu had placed on the desk
"But what is this all about?"
Wearing a comical pretence of a frown, Heret cranes his neck to study the box and the note. “Well!” he says after a moment, “It appears to be a package address to you! Perhaps you should look inside?”
Wendy approached the box, looking around it in much the same way as Heret had. She stepped up to it and ran her hands along the edges, and glanced at the holes put into the side appraisingly. Looking over her shoulder one more time at Heret with an indecipherable expression, she lifted the lid off of the box and peered inside.
She shut the lid again suddenly, pressing her hands into the wood as she stood in shock for a moment, and then slowly removed the wooden top again.
"It's Miles!" she breathed. "Heret… how did you know?"
“Miles!” he repeated to himself before turning to address the box. “Well, good business to you, Miles.” He swung round again cheerfully to face Wendy. “I’ve noticed you looking in at the window of Jashar’s shop on occasion during our travels about the town. It seemed to me that you were very much drawn to this fine fellow. I hope I was not mistaken?”
"Not at all, I love him, just… I thought he would be perfect for me, but hadn't quite gotten the nerve. Thank you!" She reached into the box and pulled out a small dark green tortoise, bringing its scaly face up towards her own. "Hello Miles! I'm Wendy. I'm going to take care of you!"
“I’m glad,” Heret smiles. “Shall we sit for a while? If your duties permit?”
—:[]:—
So began an evening of happy talk, stories, jokes, and even a kiss or two. What had lain behind Wendy’s look of resignation when she first entered the Mirror, and why she had taken so long to arrive, Heret did not discover. But he hardly cared. For now, she was here, and she seemed happy. That was enough.
Wasn’t it?
(By andycd and Jamie J .)