"Do you think this is a good idea?" A worried voice skimmed, barely squeezing through the cacophony.
Ayra slightly lifted her chin, eyes slowly inhaling her surrounding.
The ball of fire didn't droop down in the west yet, however, the measly tavern was filled to the brim with the fanatics of intoxication. Decks of cards were traded, slurred laughter drifted over tacky tables and a group of musicians played a hearty tune at the crown of the room. It was a scorching afternoon but nothing prevented the residents of Tyria from grabbing a jug or two of brew in a surly tavern.
Any other circumstance, this would've been intriguing to Ayra but seeing them smile without a care in the world did more harm than good at the moment. It was almost disturbing, this entire scene.
Valda had her head cocked and emerald eyes blazing. She took a sip of her beverage and held Neslyn's gaze.
"Do you have any other idea, Neslyn?" She shot back quietly. It was harmless and laced the curiosity but even Ayra heard the slight bite to her voice.
They had been sitting here for almost two whole hours and the lack of anything helpful was getting to their nerves. Even Ayra couldn't deny it. She felt what her friends felt. Their patience was thinning and anytime now, it would snap.
Besides, Ayra thought bitterly, time would wait for no one and in their case, they had none to spare.
Neslym slightly scowled at Valda before placing a delicate finger on the rim of her jug, lightly circling it.
"None that is better or worse than this." She finished lowly.
Ayra leaned forward at that, sighing.
"This will turn out exceptionally well or regretfully worse. If the latter does happen, then we'll start worrying. For now, we just have to wait and watch." She proposed, lifting her jug to her lip and observing the tavern from beneath her lashes. Liquor bound grins and slurred cackles were all she saw and heard. Ayra supposed it was quite understandable for Neslyn to be worried but for now, they didn't have any other choice but to fist some patience and sit back tight.
They were left with no choices at all. Inquiring around was no option. They would get nothing but false stories that were forcibly woven inside these people's heads. She needed something better. Something different. And something true to work on. Even if it's just a whisper of it.
And Ayra firmly believed nothing utters truer words than a wasted head.
"Give it a little more time and we will get what we want," Ayra said, eyes firm. And with a small smirk, she mused. "Besides, my wind is picking on a lot of interesting things."
Valda's eyes glimmered with interest and she inclined forward. "Care to share?"
Ayra bent forward and motioned them to scoot closer. When they did, she twisted her head and gestured towards two men seated at the corner far across from them.
"Close friends, I'm guessing" Ayra began, eyes narrowing at the two men. Neslyn and Valda's gazes fix on them.
"The blonde one is crying over the loss of his loved one." She began.
The wind began to relay that conversation to her and Ayra heard as she took those words in and passed it over to her two best friends.
"She was all I had, Rupert." The blonde one wailed and sniffed loudly before taking a huge gulp of his drink. "I loved her so much. I can't bear her loss, Rupert." He paused to sniff and wipe his tears. "Oh my lovely Katerina!," He wailed again, slapping the brown-haired man on the shoulder next to him.
The man named Rupert held the blonde-haired man's shoulders and shook it "Benjamin, get it together. I cannot bear to see you like this. I understand your pain but it is surely not the end of the world."
The blonde man simply sniffed in response.
"You can love again, Benjamin. Forget about your deceased maiden. Move on because I, your dear friend, is who you should be focusing on at present."
Benjamin blew his nose and sniffled again. With teary eyes, he questioned, "What are you talking about, Rupert?"
Rupert seemed to take a deep breath.
"Love me, Benjamin, for I have adored you ever since I saw your pony toss you to the cold earth and you stand back up. You are admirably strong, hardworking and kind-hearted. You are meant to be mine as I am meant to be yours. Forget about Katerina. Let's start a new life together."
Rupert took a deep breath and drilled his determinant eyes into Benjamin's.
Benjamin sniffed noisily again and opened his mouth.
"Katerina was my cat, Rupert."
A heavy silence stretched between the two gentlemen seated at a corner of the tavern.
However, at a table across from them, sat three young women who shared a loud, inhumane guffaw. The witch's laugh being the loudest and the sharpest.
"T-That was wild!" Valda let out, choking somewhere between a laugh and cry.
Neslyn and Ayra agreed, still laughing.
When the last bubble of laughter died down their throat, Valda lifted her chin towards a table by the entrance of the tavern.
"What's the deal with her?" Valda gestured towards a completely wasted woman seated by the entrance of the tavern.
Incoming customers simply shot weird and funny looks towards her table. And Ayra immediately understood why.
A little pup sat on the stool next to hers, its small head tilted to the side as it stared up at the young woman.
The petite woman slowly raised her head and started mumbling something. Her once perfect blonde curls looked rumpled and unkempt as if two frustrated hands had harshly pulled at the sun stained locks by the scalp.
Ayra shot out her power. The wind rippled around her, slowly conveying the young woman's monologue towards them.
She slurred some words, incoherent and unclear. Ayra narrowed her ears before straining her ears.
"I will murder her." She began, pointing a wobbly finger at her clueless pet who gazed back at her with big eyes.
"I will skin that evil lady alive and turn her skin into a pea coat and wear it forever!" She screeched and a few tables turned towards her, immediately dismissing the young lady as a deranged but drunk case.
"I am too young and beautiful to be this sad, Robbie. Don't you think so? Hmm? Hmm?" She coaxed, trying to get a response from her pup.
The pup simply began sniffing the corner of its stool.
"Madame Freya is so full of herself. One would think she is an evil queen of an evil world with the way her angry brows tilt forward and her lips pull back into a sneer." The drunk lady visibly shuddered. "Oh, how scary!"
The pup didn't even pay attention anymore. It was preoccupied with cleaning its tiny paw.
Suddenly, a well-dressed lady saunters into the bar, eyes grazing every intoxicated face. And when they stopped at the young lady, they grew icy.
Ayra, Neslyn and Valda shared a look among themselves.
The woman slowly walks over to the young lady, her onyx kissed gown gracefully floating behind her like a summer breeze. She arrived at a screeching stop beside the young woman's table, viciously glaring down at the plastered woman.
The young lady continued, totally oblivious to, who Ayra presumed, was Madame Freya.
"She's always gloating about perfection, Robbie! And me being the little clutz, I am bound to be clawed by her perfectly made nails." She wails, her lips wobbling.
"She's a nightmare, I tell you! One that never ends!"
The woman's face grew red at that and she cleared her throat.
The young lady paused and slowly looked up, eyes squinting.
"And who might you be, ol' lady? I ain't giving my table to you. Besides, aren't you too old for drinking? Heartburn is a scary way to die, lemme tell you."
The woman began fuming.
"Who am I, you ask?"
She answered, totally oblivious. "Why yes. Need I repeat myself? Tell me who you are this instance!"
"I am your neverending nightmare, you little ungrateful brat!" She exclaimed and grasped one of her ears, harshly pulling.
The young lady winced before her eyes widened with fear.
"M-Madame Freya?" She gasps.
"Oh, it's Madame Freya now?"
The young woman swallowed loudly.
"Come along, you impudent little thing!"
The woman snarled before dragging her out of the tavern before mumbling a few curse words under her breath.
Little Robbie wordlessly hopped down the stool and followed them out of the tavern.
After a long moment of silence, Neslyn opened her mouth.
"I hope that poor girl doesn't die."
"I bet she will." Valda shot back.
Ayra chuckled. "That was crazy."
Valda joined, grinning. "You bet."
Neslyn shook her head before bending forward and lacing her fingers atop the table.
"What about them?" She questioned, eyes trained on a group of five ladies seated amidst the other tables.
Ayra squinted her eyes at them and strained her ears against the wind's whisper.
"That woman," she began, nodding her head towards the blonde-haired who was speaking animatedly, wildly gesturing her hands in the air, "is fawning over a man."
The wind relayed their conversation to Ayra.
"He is just, so, ugh," the blonde woman fanned herself in the face, "He's so big and strong and so, so manly. I met him in the stable the other day and you know what he said?" She gave a dramatic pause and the other four ladies leaned forward, curious.
"That he can lift a horse!" She exclaimed and the other women gasped delightfully.
"Did he lift a horse for you, Diane?" A brown-haired woman asked softly.
The blonde-haired woman named Diane swatted her hand in the air.
"No, he didn't. That ol' beast in the stable is a grumpy little thing. He went close to it but the insufferable beast hollered at him! Hollered! Can you believe it?!"
The other woman placed a hand on their respective lips and collectively gasped.
"What happened then?" Another woman asked curiously.
Diane leaned back and sighed.
"What else? Hadn't it been for me, Franklin would've turned into horse crap and--"
She abruptly stopped and the air around them quietened.
"Wait a damn minute," the brown-haired woman spoke again, the first one to break out of her stupor. She slowly turned towards a red-headed woman, whose face was as pale as a ghost as she stared back at Diane.
"Isn't Franklin Fiona's husband?"
Silence gripped their throats.
Everyone faced a silent Fiona.
The poor being opened her mouth. But nothing came out. Instead, her eyes rolled back to her head and she fell forward against the table, fainting as her face slammed into a plate of fried food.
The other ladies blinked and simply took a sip of their drinks, Diane taking the largest gulp.
Ayra, Neslyn and Valda gasped before falling forward, clutching their stomachs as they laughed and laughed and laughed.
"That did not just happen! Valda snickered before snorting like a pig, which effectively coaxed Ayra and Neslyn to laugh even louder.
"I feel bad for laughing!" Neslyn shared.
They shared a hearty chuckle and it suddenly struck at Ayra that it had been ages since they shared a moment of joy or two like this. It reminded her of their past adventures and it warmed her heart.
Out of nowhere, a loud voice reached their ears, breaking them out of their little bubble.
Valda smirked. "Ah, here we go."
Ayra smirked back, icy blue eyes zeroing on an alcove towards the right. She took in the scene immediately.
A blond-haired man was standing, breathing heavily and staring down at the other men seated around the table. When he shouted a loud, "Why won't you believe me?" Ayra's smirk fully ripened.
"Keep your eyes peeled and ears open, ladies." Ayra's eyes twinkled in anticipation and excitement.
"It's finally happening."