Alex and Violet followed Elara into her cozy home. The interior was adorned with a sense of practicality and warmth. The wooden furniture was well-crafted, and a fire crackled in the hearth, filling the room with a comforting ambiance.
Elara led her guests into the main room.
"Have a seat, have a seat," She gestured towards a comfortable couch near the hearth. "My husband will be here shortly. He's just finishing up some work in the forge."
Alex and Violet took their seats, and Elara settled down opposite them, her eyes studying Alex with a mix of curiosity and something else he couldn't quite point out.
Violet appeared weirdly distressed, shooting glances at Elara as if daring the latter to say something embarrassing.
Elara saw Lorelei's glares and smiled impishly.
"So, Alex," Elara began, her voice gentle and inquisitive with a touch of something more. "how did you and Violet meet?"
Violet shot a quick glance at Alex, her eyes narrowing slightly, daring him to say something unbecoming. Alex sensed the unspoken tension, taking him aback. 'The fuck did I do?'
Clearing his throat, he said uncertainly.
"It was a chance encounter, really," Alex replied, his voice calm. "I needed to find some information, and someone sent me to Violet."
Elara nodded with a raised eyebrow. She didn't really know the details, so she couldn't tell whether Alex was lying or not. "Oh? What were you looking for?"
Alex's answer was concise. "About the Moonmares."
If, at first, Elara only suspected Alex of lying, she now was almost certain he was. "Oh? Interesting. Did you get your info from Lorelei herself?"
Violet interjected, watching both parties with a venomous gaze. Alex looked at Lorelei, confused, while Elara raised her hands in the air.
"Fine, fine. I'll let the matter go. In that case, Lorelei, tell me about you. How's life been treating you as of late?"
The other shrugged modestly. "It has its ups and downs. I got a lot more customers as of late – rumors about an upcoming war send men scrambling about. On the flip side, I've got more problems with jackasses, bandits, and even guards. All in all, I'm doing better than last year."
Maybe she saw how out of place Alex seemed, or maybe it was something else, but Elara looked towards Alex with a thin smile as if reminiscing.
"I've known Violet since we were little girls," Elara mused, a nostalgic smile on her lips. "We used to get into all sorts of mischief together."
Violet was set ablaze. "What mischief, young Lady? I did no such thing whether young or even now."
Some sort of competitive light burned in Elara's eyes as she looked at her friend with a questioning gaze. "What mischief, you say? What about the time when we swapped old Vera's salt and sugar shakers? Or about when we stole old Kroun's pants from the clothesline, making him walk around town half-naked to search for them?
"Oh… and what about the time we two threw mud pies at Csaba's freshly painted house?"
Violet fell silent, wearing a face of disbelief and slight embarrassment.
Elara's husband, a sturdy and rugged man with a friendly smile, entered the room, laughing and carrying a tray with cups of tea and baked sweets. He placed the tray on a nearby table before joining the conversation.
Alex has never seen a man bigger than him. Although not as tall as Alex, Elara's man filled the entire doorway.
The latter looked toward Violet and sat next to his wife. He wore the same impish smile as his wife.
"Ah, Violet, you're filling our guest's head with tales of your wild escapades again?" he teased.
Violet coughed, her eyes widening. "What escapades… No, no, hell no. Don't you dare mention that, Darius."
Darius and his wife laughed, and even Alex smiled faintly, enjoying the joyful atmosphere.
Violet caught sight of Alex's face and snapped at him. "What are you laughing at?"
"Oouh, someone's embarrassed." Elara mused, further annoying Violet.
Lorelei's features were beet red. Even her ears and neck burned bright red. Maybe it was to calm herself down, but Lorelei grabbed her cup of tea and a handful of sweets and began nibbling at them.
The rest of the group let her be, slowly shifting the topic.
Elara turned her attention to Alex. "So? What would you like us to forge you?"
Alex woke up from his reverie, suddenly remembering his goal. "Yes, I was hoping to commission a falx. I've been talking with Violet. Your works seem to be the best around these parts."
Elara looked towards her friend. "You really think so?"
Darius seemed to miss the praise and leaned forward, his interest piqued. "A falx, you say? Interesting choice."
Elara herself grew a level more interested. "How would you like the weapon to be? If I may offer my humble opinion, I think a fast blade suits you best."
Alex nodded. "I would love a fast blade. Also, I want the sword to reach just below my chest."
Elara's husband stroked his chin, thinking about several designs. "Would you like a double grip or one-handed weapon? One and a half, maybe?"
Alex nodded. "Yes, a one-and-a-half grip would work perfectly. However, please pay attention to the cross guard. A simple disk guard would be perfect. It wouldn't hinder my movements."
Darius nodded, solidifying his mental diagram. "If you want to, we could make it into a V shape to better catch the opponent's blade."
Alex nodded as they discussed the more minute specifics. Elara's husband seemed genuinely excited about the project, and Alex couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.
Eventually, Darius nodded, content with the design in his mind.
Elara then spoke up, bringing up the most important points. "Then, Alex what materials would you like?"
Alex thought for a moment before sighing. "I'm not at all versed when it comes to materials. If you can, use the best you can think of below 3 gold."
Darius nodded. "We can round everything to 3 gold, materials, forging, and all." He then looked at his wife. "We can even detail the blade for that amount. What do you say, dear?"
"Of course!" Elara nodded.
"We'll leave it at that," Alex said and looked at Violet.
She looked back. "As I said, I'll subtract that from your pay."
Alex nodded before whipping his head to the entrance.