A life for a life

		The TarRaCe, Evening

The days are getting shorter, that much is clear, with nightfall already in full swing despite it barely scratching into dinner time. The TarRaCe is at its usual busy buzz, for the chilly winds outside cut through jackets and cloaks with ease.

Decidedly /not/ on bartending duty today is that of a rust red and white feathered egalrin woman at the bar. She's halfway through a glass of wine, seemingly chatting with a tiny white plumed thrush on the countertop with her. "Unmesi, now that your mortal concerns are abated, we must prepare for metanominal manipulations-"

"Uggggh," Slix bemoans, leaning down until her head rests on the metal bar, staring at the golden eyed bird. "Can ya gimmie a few days? It's no' li' I jus' went from nearly pissin' myself fro' diplomacy ta immediately performin' surgery or anything."

"Time is immutable."

"An' patience is a virtue."

"I am a virtue of wisdom. Not patience."

Slix huffs.

It's been quite a few days, over a week, since a certain ruddy scaled sith-makar had frequented the TarRaCe. Yet, as one says, the cold nights drive all makari to the nearest spot of hot baths, good company and delicious wine.

"Can this interest one with something with thick flavor and spicy taste for the head?" A familiar voice calls out to the egalrin; a not-so-ruddy, but rather blackened and grinning waiter asks. The white shirt looked particularly straight and sharp today, and the waiter's apron was not bulging with all the afterthought utensils.

The top few buttons were still open. Cannot let down the customers.

"Or maybe just some tiny snack for the company?" The Dragoon rumbles as he casually slides next to her in the bar, giving a nod towards the thrush.

Eztli was one of the few patrons who found themselves at the TarRaCe this day, the small makari wandering into the building not too long after Slixvah and hopping onto a chair at the counter.

"Hey Slix, and Fiadh, already getting started on your drinks?" They ask, taking a glance over and seeing Aelwyn. Eztli waves. "I'll have a big snack if you're suggesting, Aelwyn, I'm pretty hungry at this point."

Slowly, like a shark rising from the sea, the Goblin face appears over the top of the bar. Right behind the little white plumed thrush. Red eyes focus on the bird, and then Slixvah.

"Is everything okay?", the pool-shark wonders. "Taking the night off?"

An Oruch hand plops down on the Goblin's head, mussing with her hair, before several ales are poured, and set upon a tray, for another server to snag and rush up the stairs to the second level.

"Aelwyn!", comes a little voice, and moments later Irshya makes a beeline for the ruddy-scale Sith. Skidding to a stop at his feet, she puts her hands on her hips. "And just where have you been?"

Slix perks at seeing Aelwyn, her expression lifting some. "Why not both?" she chuckles, leaning over as he sits beside her and bumps her shoulder against his. "How are ya healin' up? Lookin' a little crispy. Not gonna lie- suitin' ya prett' good."

There's an up-nod towards Eztli. "Heya heya, I am. Fiadh's been a pain in the tailfeather."

Fiadh turns to stare back at Irshya. Golden eyes on red. Deep are those pools, swirling from the lantern lights, circles within circles within circles within- The little bird blinks. "Mortal constraints require mortal mendings. Draconis Frigus followed by wyrd reconstructions begets fatigue," it tweets in that tinny voice.

"What they said."

"He is looking a lot better now, I'd say." The small makari grins. "Hope you're healing up alright. And, sorry, I didn't find Irshya here when I came by to tell her. Sorry, Aelwyn." Eztli offers. "At least you're back here now, though."

Eztli blinks, and sighs. "Yeah, pretty exhausting situation all around I'd say. Not particularly the best in any sense of the word."

Aelwyn grins right at Slixvah, his white teeth bright against his darkened lips. "Tch, do not make this one burn this one's scales in the regular." He leans closer. "The words of a handsome one can have such effect." He teases with a flicker of his tongue, his orange eyes ablaze.

Then he gets accosted by Irshya. Straightening, he looks down at the gobbo. There's a moment of staring - before he spreads his arms. "This one apologizes, but this one had family business." He says - jovially. "It took good deal out of this one."

Eztli gets a glance - and his grin just disappears. There's a moment of immense sadness, before he bows his head, waving his hand with a dismissive tch and a grin. "This one appreciates her trying." He slides his hand around his midwaist for a time, before he flops open his notepad. "Thick sausage made with a glaze of butter and herbs on top..." He rumbles by himself, before he glances at the three figures. "And for the drinks?" His tail makes a slow sway.

Irshya peers at Eztli for a moment. "Did you try the pools?"

Slixvah's words have her peering at Aelwyn all the more. "Are you recovering well, then?"

The pool-shark walks around ruddy-scale Sith, inspecting him. "So what happened?", she wonders, before hugging at the Sith's waist. She limps away, disappearing behind the bar, to appear behind the wee thrust once more. "How'd you do that circle thing with your eyes.?", Irshya asks of Fiadh before she glances at Slixvah. Once more the Goblin vanishes, before running around the bar, again, and hopping up to hug at Slixvah.

Slixvah bobs her head with Eztli. "Yuh. Scary, macabre. Jus' glad it sorted itself out wit'out any of us gettin' turned into an icecube."

She lulls her head towards Irshya and Aelwyn. "Ez, I, and others talked down a white dragon momma who's wrymling killed a shepherd. Momma gave the wrymling as penance 'cause they had a deal for sheep sacrifices." She shudders. "I don't eva wanna get whipped like that."

"Oh tha' sounds good, hon. I'll take tha'," she croons to Aelwyn. A tap on her half full wine glass. "Jus' keep this one comin'."

Fiadh tweets. "I do nothing. Your perception of reality does plenty."

Slix hugs the goblin readily. "What Fifi means: 'I'm a weird magic birb .'"

The familiar sighs, annoyed. "I would not reduce it to such a base denominator."

"I'm sorry, Aelwyn." Eztli sighs, giving her head a shake. "I checked the bar, the upstairs, the baths, very thoroughly I might add, but I didn't find Irshya around."

"I'll have some of that too, and something strong to drink." She adds after in agreement with Slixvah. She winces and nods. "And by give a wyrmling, Slix mean that they snapped it's neck and gave us the body, just like that. I can't say it was pointless given the fact they killed that shepherd's husband, but it still felt unecessary."

Aelwyn writes down the orders dutifully - with big thick letters - before he snaps off the piece of paper and hands it to a passing waiter. "Gill, take care of this for this one, please? This one's gratitude." Flash of teeth, bump of hip. As for the drinks, he walks around the bar and pulls up couple of bottles.

The bottles are placed in between Eztli and Slixvah. "Do not worry oneself, Eztli. One is here now, and this one is sure he has plenty to explain to Sharkie soon." He flashes his teeth, pulls out a glass. "Wine?"

Meanwhile, he listens as he pours the drinks. There's a twist of his lips at the gruesome ending though. "... hmmh. All debts will be paid, in the end." The Dragoon says, orange eyes fluttering into another memory. "It is... only just."

The draconian slides back over the bar with a heavy grunt, and peers at Irshya. "Does she wish for coffee or her regular?"

The Goblin buries her face in feathery floofiness, and peers at the thrush. "The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Her grin is full of sharky teeth.

Peering up at Slixvah, she blinks. "That sounds like a dangerous mission. And uhm, what do you mean, whipped?"

Irshya peers at Eztli, "No need to beat yourself up. But also, in future, check the pools first. I sleep there in the lady's one very often. I need to to keep my skin healthy, it dries out when I am out of water, especially in the colder months. But it's quite possible you missed me by chance, I do have priestly duties, as well, it takes a bit of effort to keep the TarRace stocked and running. So I am often out and about getting that done."

She blinks at the part of the tale from Eztli. "That was totally unnecessary! Such a waste of a life, even if it was an evil thing. A fairer thing would have been to make the youngling wyrm help the widow. Provide her protection, support, make sure she has food and that she survives. Or at least something like that..." Irsh rubs at her face. "But ... I guess it is difficult enough to deal with a dragon momma, so at least she didn't go around killing people."

The Oruch behind the bar drapes a bartowel over one of Aelwyn's horns, while she hefts a few barrels, and walks towards the kitchen. The Gobbo yawns. "Cawfee!", she says with a jubilant raising of her arms.

Slixvah sighs. "I get /why/ ya'll feel like that. But this is a dragon. A white dragon." She glances at Eztli. "I kno' how ya feel 'bout dragons, but facts don' change. Th' dragon made a deal wit' the dead shepherd, they young killed 'em, and ta make up fo' the break in trust, another life was given in return and promised ta bugger off."

She nods towards Aelwyn. "Debts gotta get paid, and a being like tha' ain't gonna jus' do it diplomatically. Unnecessary? No. Sorry girls, gonna have ta disagree wit' y'all on tha' one. Me thinks tha' was the literal best outcome."

She holds her glass up to Aelwyn. "Sure hon."

<OOC> Slixvah says, "*Slix staring at ez and irshya.* "I love y'alls optimizing and hopefulness but it's a fuckin' white dragon.""

<OOC> Slixvah says, "optimism*"

"Alright, well, still, sorry, and I did check the baths, but I guess you were out, and I was already in the baths at that point." Eztli shrugs. They take the bottle, bite the cork out of it, and take a long drink. "I don't know if you really know how I feel, I know chromatic dragons aren't exactly reasonable usually, but, I don't know."

Aelwyn looks at the Oruch. Then he slowly raises the bar towel from his horns - that were bare mostly of ribbons. Except for few; one of them was even pale green and the other nearly a rainbow. "One could ask politely, this one is easy to charm." He calls out after the oruch woman with a grin - before he then hops over the bar counter shamelessly. At least he was wearing an apron.

As Aelwyn settles himself to pouring coffee, his hand nearly falters at Slixvah's words. He slowly turns his head. "Tch, this one has not heard one that agree with this one for days." He flashes his teeth in macabre way. "The one had a debt to its family, one paid the debt." The burnt looking sith-makar slowly pours Irshya a cup. "Sugar?"

He holds up a handful of the white cubes.

The Goblin pouts at Slixvah. "And the poor shepherd's wife?", she wonders.

Glancing to Eztli, the pool-shark shrugs. "You did at least attempt to find me, so as I said, no beating yourself up. Beat up Aelwyn instead."

Irshya grins toothily at Aelwyn, "People find it hard to admit you're correct occasionally." Her nose works at the air as she inhales the scent of coffee. When the sugar cubes are presented to her, she lunches forward and slurps them from his hand, and crunches on them noisily. "Yes, that is sugar. I'll take a couple in my coffee, please!"

Slixvah raises a brow at Eztli. "Girl, I know, we've talked 'bout ya home loads," she vaguely says, but letting Eztli pick up the inbetweens. The egalrin was aware of quite a bit. "They are reasonable in they own logic. In they eyes, that was the most just and direct way to fix tha' problem. We are ants compared to them, in they eyes. Ya can coulda, woulda, shoulda all ya want, but tha' lil' dragon's death prevented many more dragon and Khzad deaths. Tha' ya can't deny."

She snorts at Aelwyn, sipping on her wine. "Sometimes we agree on stuff. Ya talk like tha' debt's been repaid tho, Flutter?" she asks, curious.

She crosses her legs, closing her eyes. "Th' window wasn't sure how ta feel 'bout havin' th' dragon tha' killed 'er husband, but she was glad that th' dragons ain' gonna bother them no mo' for sheep. Now they can start mournin'."

"Yeah, we have. So you'll have to forgive me if I'm not entirely happy about more dragons dying when I'm fairly certain all the ones I knew of back are mostly all killed by undead." Eztli sighs, taking another long swig from her bottle. "Anyways, not really that important. Are things going better with your family Aelwyn? You don't look too pleased, thought."

"There are certain truths when one complies, as Ribbon pointed out. Yet this one is sorry for her, Eztli." Aelwyn gives the short sith-makar a look, and bow of his head - before his fingers are stolen. He rumbles and flashes his teeth at Irshya, "Do not take the fingers, Sharkie." He wriggles them playfully, before he reaches out and slips couple in Irshya's drink. He quietly slips a spoon and gives the coffee a swirl. "The debt, Ribbon?"

Then another.

And another.

"Hm." Aelwyn finally replies, with an audible tch. "This one is not certain what to reply to that." He flashes his teeth - wide and macabre, as always. Row and row of sharp teeth. "This one went to see Master of Ceremonies." He looks down at the coffee, then offers it to Irshya. "He is at the bottom of the Arcanyst's Guild, in the depths of that darkest dungeon." The towel is flipped over his shoulder. "More wine?" Claws ached at the bartop.

the pool-shark sighs, and sidles over to Slixvah for another hug. "Well, not much you could do anyways, it being a dragon after all. It does not sound like you had an army with you."

Her head cants sideways at Eztli's question to Aelwyn, and she looks to him expectantly.

She returns to where Aelwyn has her coffee, and when he flashes his teeth, she flashes hers. All her numerous rows of sharkie teeth. Snagging the mug up, she guzzles it down, and offers the mug back. Her eyes go WIDE. "ThanksAelwynsobeheaveyourselftodayandI'llseeaboutgivingyousomeofyourmissedwages!", she say, excitedly.

"Sorry, hon," Slix abates, reaching out to rest a hand on Eztli's shoulder as she watches Irshya wolf down sugar cubes. An amused look replaces the somber gaze.

A feathered brow ticks up at Aelwyn. "So, since ya ain't certain, no then," Slix interprets before her eyes soften. "Makes sense they'd be down there considerin' what ya and others told me. At... least tha's probably the safest place in all of Alexandria? No magic what so eva gets down there."

She pats Irshya in the hug, sipping more on her wine. "It is what it is, hon," she shrugs, trying to not mull on it too much. Though her boss's sudden speediness stymies her.

And she busts out laughing.

Eztli blinks, and the small makari shakes her head a few times. "You went to go see them in the dungeons there? Are they okay down there?" They ask slowly. Eztli takes another long swig of their wine. Another blink. "I didn't know gobbers had such a low tolerance for... caffeine? Sugar?"

Aelwyn runs his hand along the counter, taking the towel and wiping it. He continues to grin, as he looks down at his fingers. "No, just him. Alone. Nothing else but voices and screams." He straightens his head and looks towards the two women. IT was hard him not to show the desperation in his eyes, even as the rest of him picks up. "Thoth was there too. Who knew the bird knew so much of fiends?" He flashes his teeth - before Irshya just goes off.

"Tch, not all at once!" Aelwyn hisses as he leans down and attempts to scoop up the shark-tailed gobbo up onto his arms. "This one talked to her about this! And no biting!"

<OOC> Slixvah warns they gotta dip in 20-30 min

The Goblin giggles at high speed. "Okay,well,Ihavesomecleaningtodointhebaths,ifyouneedmeI'llbeinthere!" She winks.. several times quickly, at Eztli. "No,justhaven'thadcoffeerecently!" Another hug is had from Slixvah, and then Aelwyn, before Irshya runs off into the baths area.

Slixvah reaches out, putting a hand atop Aelwyn's hand and giving it a brief squeeze. "You'll get it sorted, honey," she intones quietly. "Nice of Thoth ta accompany you. Tha' lil metal bird is an enigma for certain."

She pulls away as Aelwyn attempts to scoop Irshya up, but she's zipping off! She shakes her head, giggling. "Tolerance? No. Insanely high metabolism? Yes," she winks to Eztli before turning back to the bar properly. "Right! Where's da dinner ya was suggestin'? I'm starvin'!"

Aelwyn looks at Slixvah. "I will sort it out. I will." He tells her - before he raises his hands. "Tch, restless hunger." He flashes his teeth, before he picks up the bar towel. "This one shall see to the kitchen," He flicks his tail behind him and gives a very noticeable sway; before he heads off with his typical hip rolling gait.