Distractions

[Mirielle Bellamont]

The day following the fete had been long, so long, and I'd spent most of it huddled in my room, refusing to leave for more than to bathe. This morning, though, I'd woken with more purpose and resolve, though the grand majority of me still felt lost. I couldn't take a second day locked away in my townhome and so it was that by the time late afternoon had rolled around I was in my carriage, my instructions to the driver simple: A tavern.

And thus we traveled, me looking idly out the window in a dress of light green, the carriage bumping over the roads. Presently it rolled to a stop and my door opened, the name of the establishment beginning to tone out of the driver.

"The Generous Patron," I finished for him, looking at it a long moment before exiting my carriage. Why here? Of all the other inns and taverns in the City... It didn't matter. Business would be the same anywhere. With a smile of thanks I made my way inside and paused, memories washing over me; dancing to no music, silly notes on napkins, laughing...

And also confusion, hurt. Misunderstandings. That's all it was.

Drawing myself up, I made my way to the bar and took a seat, concentrating on arranging my skirts. I looked up to catch the eye of the barkeep, the beginning of a friendly smile on my face. My emotions were mine; I wouldn't let others suffer for them.

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

A young, pretty girl in a nice dress came in alone and approached the bar; I knew the type. Either she was slumming, which looked unlikely from the expression on her face, or drinking while out of the house in the hopes of forgetting something. Rarely did another sort of noble come in.

Still, it was none of my business and I smiled warmly as I walked over, towel thrown over my shoulder. "What I can get the lady?" I asked her.

[Mirielle Bellamont]

The easy, warm smile on the face of the man who approached me helped me relax a little, though under the masking smile I gave him in return, I was a mess. Almost, almost I ordered whiskey, though my eyes moved to the end of the bar where I'd taken my shots when Gil had infuriated me the first night we'd met, and I strayed from it. "Brandy?" I said, my voice a question more than a statement. "Something potent, I think."

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

Smiling, I nodded and pulled a bottle out from under the counter, not the best we had- but I didn't allow anything truly poor in my tavern anyway. "Brandy is pretty potent," I assured her as I poured her a glass of the stuff. "There's also sherry and some other liquors if this doesn't suit you.

She was looking for strong drink- either she was waiting for someone she shouldn't see, celebrating, or mourning. The latter struck me as her motive- behind her eyes showed dark memories as she glanced in the direction of the other side of the bar.

[Mirielle Bellamont]

"Brandy should work then," I said with a returning smile, my hand reaching out to take the glass from him before he had a chance to set it upon the bar. He seemed friendly and, in his own way, knowing, though before I said aught else I took a drink from the glass.

I coughed promptly, the back of my free hand coming to cover my mouth. My cheeks rose a soft pink in color, and I looked down at the glass in my hand. "Elua, no wonder I never drank it before," I murmured. Glancing back up, I gave the barkeep a somewhat abashed, somewhat rueful look, my smile still hanging around the edging of my lips out of practice more than anything else. "Brandy seems to work well, thank you."

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

"it takes soem getting used to," I agreed, knowing when it was time for me to leave people to their own thoughts. "I'll just leave you the bottle for now. If you need anything else, my name is Devon."

[Mirielle Bellamont]

"Thank you, Devon," I said in a grateful tone, then watched him walk away. The lack of hair atop his head was an interesting view, something I didn't see too awful often. So much unlike Gils...

The thought of his name, the face that came to my mind brought my glass back to my lips, and, ignoring the burn and strong aroma in my nose, I drank. No sip, this time, though the end resulted in me coughing again and my blush becoming fiercer, and a third drink followed the second. Little coughing that time; I was better able to handle it as time went on.

My eyes strayed to the bottle and I stared at it for a long moment, looking over the divits and bubbles, all the little works that made it unique; we all were unique, all different. I forced my mind away from what it naturally kept going to and poured myself another glass, then raised it to the light and looked through it, seeing the form of the seemingly easy-going barkeep through it.

"Its lovely here," I said to him, lowering my glass again. "How long has it been open?" Everything still had the gleam of near-newness to it, and I let my gaze wander around the room before coming back to him.

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

"Thank you," I replied, smiling as I dried a mug and turned to face her, continuing the conversation. "I've only been in business about a month now. I could have opened a bit earlier, about a year ago, but I wanted the place completely finished first." I was normally very laid-back, but for my inn I wouldn't accept anything less than perfection. It had often driven my father and brothers up the walls when they'd helped me, but in the end they'd agreed it was a very nice place.

[Mirielle Bellamont]

"It's your place then?" I asked, a smile coming onto my face in surprise. "That was very level headed of you," I commented, letting my eyes remain on his. "A lot of people would jump in before they knew what they were in for, then end up drowning in the end."

Something in that sentence made me shift, and I took a small, measured drink of my brandy to quell it.

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

She was sensitive, that one- every other sentence seemed to remind her of the thing she was avoiding and cause her to drink. Very few things in the world were so all-encompassing. "thank you," I said again, knowing to steer clear of elaborating on the last statement she'd made. "Since I was younger I'd wanted to open such a place as this, but I also wanted to do it on my own terms. I'm just glad it seems to be doing well and others enjoy it as much as I do."

[Mirielle Bellamont]

"You've really done a wonderful job with it," I said with a warm, honest smile. No matter the memories this place stirred, I still found myself liking the place and the staff. I ran my fingers up the side of the glass as I sat, trying to keep myself distracted from everything else but our conversation. "A lot of people don't get to have what they dream of. It's heartening to see someone who has achieved it."

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

"I think most end up doing so, though it may take more time for some than others," I replied with a smile as I put up the mug that I'd dried.

[Isra Varousse]

I was restless, in a way that didn't usually happen to me. I knew it was the lingering effects of an unfulfilled night at the fete, but that didn't make it any better.

I had some free time and decided to get out. Dressed in a simple but nice gown of topaz linen, I made my way to Night's Doorstep.

Without thinking where I would be going, I ended up at the Patron. I smiled, this was as good a place as any, better than most in truth.

Inside, I made my way to the bar, leaning against it slightly and waiting to catch Devon's eye so I could order a glass of wine.

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

Smiling- Isra came in pretty regularly, I handed her a glass as I waited for the lady to reply. "White today?" I asked the Jasmine as I let her consider for a moment.

[Isra Varousse]

"Yes, please," I answered. I glanced at the woman Devon appeared to have been talking to, smiling politely and then looking back at Devon.

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

Grinning, I poured her a glass of white wine, then turned my attention back to the stack of mugs that had to be dried, glancing at the lady to let her know I was ready to continue the conversation when she was.

[Mirielle Bellamont]

Before I had a chance to reply, a sultry, pretty woman walked in and ordered a drink; I returned her smile with a slightly warmer one of my own. My eyes moved away to look at the brandy that sat before me, and with a small hesitation I lifted it to my lips and took a drink. My face wrinkled a little as I set my glass back down, though at least I hadn't coughed; that was something to be thankful for.

Glancing back up to the barkeep, I caught his attentive look, and gave a small smile. "Since you have your dream, has anything replaced it, or are you content with what you have?"

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

"For now, I am content," I told her as I smiled at the faces she tried to hide- brandy wasn't always easy stuff. "But the future is a big place. I don't see myself ever becoming less than content with the Patron though- simply less so with other aspects of my life. But I am no Gentian to know such things."

[Isra Varousse]

Not knowing anyone else in the Patron at the moment, I decided to stay at the bar. I took a seat where I was, a few spots down from the woman. Close enough not to seem like I was making a point of avoiding her, but far enough away not to be intruding.

I took a sip of my wine, smiling at the lovely flavor. Devon was a master at knowing which wine I would like the most.

Feeling a bit better already, but still restless, I took another sip.

[Mirielle Bellamont]

I nodded, reflecting on his words for a silent moment before looking to the woman who had sat a few seats down from my own. My lower lip caught between my teeth for a moment before I spoke, the fingers of my hand running down the glass before me.

A rueful smile covered my lips after a moment, and I leaned back, picking up my glass again. "To dreams then, with hopes you achieve any more you may have," I said, looking at Devon, "and you as well," I said, glancing back to the woman again. An adept, I thought, though better safe than sorry in the end.

[Isra Varousse]

"Thank you," I said, smiling and raising my glass in toast as well. "And to you." I took a sip of wine, flattered to be included in her toast.

[Mirielle Bellamont]

A trace of a smile lit around my lips at her returning gesture, and I took as small a drink of the brandy as I could, trying to keep another grimace from my face. "Thank you, too," I said in return as I set my glass back down, giving it a little push away from me. "Ugh, gods, I don't know how people drink this on a consistent basis."

[Isra Varousse]

I looked at what she had been drinking.

"What did Devon force on you?" I asked, smiling and casting a teasing look at Devon. I knew he never gave anyone but what they ordered, and I did enjoy flirting with him. I'd enjoy more with him as well, but didn't know if that would ever happen.

[Mirielle Bellamont]

A rueful look came across my features as I sat back slightly, my hand dropping to run along my stomach as if to soothe the alcohol already in me. "I forced it on myself, I'm afraid; it's brandy." Wrinkling my nose slightly, I looked at her. "I definitely do not recommend it."

[Isra Varousse]

"Far too strong for me to even try a glass of," I said, laughing low. "Perhaps if you ask sweetly Devon will bring you something else."

[Mirielle Bellamont]

"Ah," I said. "Sweetness is beyond me right now, I think. Maybe I'll simply have to bully him into retrieving a glass of wine for me."

The tease in my voice matched that in my smile as I looked to the barkeep, assuming he was Devon; there was obviously no way that I could bully him into anything, not that I would have tried anyway. The teases were meant, though in truth a facade for everything that lay below it, centering around the depths of my heart and all that had transpired with Gillermo. I had no one to talk to about it that were close save August, and I didn't want to bother him so soon with something such as this. The memory of his promise to hunt Gillermo down should he hurt me was fresh in my mind, though in good truth it wasn't that way at all - I'd been the one to hurt him, and I hated myself for it. I couldn't see myself opening up to anyone else either, not about something so personal as this. Mayhap it were my folly for coming to a public tavern in hopes of escaping, even for a time.

"Brandy suits me fine, I think. I should take my leave in a few minutes."

[Isra Varousse]

"Ah," I said, a noncommittal sound of understanding her words, but not questioning the motive behind them.

I straightened in my seat again and took another sip of wine.

[Mirielle Bellamont]

Memories began to thread my mind as I sat, staring at my glass, and with a small sigh I stood, fishing in my purse to pay for my drink. "Thank you," I murmured softly to the barkeep and apparent owner of the establishment. With a parting smile for the both of them, I left, taking my carriage back to my townhome.

[Isra Varousse]

I watched the woman leave, sighing slightly. She had seemed like pleasant conversation at least.

"I think I scared her away," I said to Devon, smiling apologetically.

[Devon Kirasic(H)]

"Oh, I think she's just pensive about something," I replied in a knowing tone as I smiled and winked, not willing to give away more. Isra was a regular and a sweet girl after her own fashion, so I indulged in teasing her a little bit.