Esme had received a letter from Meksta saying that she needed her presence. Well that was how Esme decided to explain her upcoming absence from the tavern to her colleagues.
However as she looked at every face scrutinizing hers she wandered if it was a good enough lie. She knew that none of the tavern workers were in contact with Meksta so it shouldn't pose a problem.
'So you have been in contact with Meksta'?
Niaki asked.
'This is the first letter she has sent me since I arrived here'.
'Hmmm', Wekya hummed suspiciously.
Roukans eyes were narrowed as they stared into hers but Esme had been lying professionally since before she ever began training to be a spy.
'Where did she request your presence'? Souse asked and everyone moved closer to her in anticipation of the answer.
'I'm not allowed to say. I assume Meksta is keeping her business private for a reason so please don't disrespect her wishes'.
Eris sighed 'I can't believe you're leaving already miss Ria'.
Esme smiled ' Meksta asked me for help in managing the tavern and I've done my best. Now she needs my help elsewhere'.
'So you just get up and go whenever Meksta calls'? Clena asked.
Esme nodded, 'Yes. I owe her'.
Everyone continued to stare at her a bit confused but at least the questions had stopped.
'We should soon prepare for the evening guests' Esme said to break the awkward silence.
'I saved some portion of mushroom rice for you miss Ria, I know you haven't eaten all day', Eris said.
Esme smiled, 'Thank you Eris'. She walked away towards the kitchen still feeling the eyes of her colleagues on her.
Esme ate her mushroom rice and took a nap before she was ready to go to her meeting.
Because it was evening she had to make her exit while the tavern was busy and when she did Roukan followed her.
Esme rather felt and heard him following her than saw him.
The hefty brush of his footsteps were familiar and he followed the rhythm of her own feet to keep up with her.
Esme hated the fact that there was someone in the tavern who had enough suspicions of her to follow her.
Perhaps it wasn't about her. Perhaps it was about Meksta. She hadn't missed the subtle extra signs of interest Roukan had displayed when Meksta's nane was mentioned.
Whichever way Esme had to shake her tail off and simply doing a dissapearing act would not be enough. She had to dissolve his curiosity.
She let him follow her into the crowded market. Her steps grew slow and curious as if she was searching for something to buy. She made sure to look at stalls with products that would not be to expensive for her status as a tavern manager.
Just a few steps ahead of the cushion stall she was examining she spied a stall selling female scarfs that seemed relatively larger than the other stalls. Esme let her faux curious steps lead her into the stall. The stall was even larger on the inside with many other customers looking through the scarves. It was just what Esme needed. She quickly got lost among the shelves, scarfs and people. She found a hidden corner from where she watched the entrance. Only half a minute later, Roukan entered the stall too. At his entrance the bustle in the stall ceased and he became the central attention. Roukan was a man of noticeable size and his appearance inside a stall selling womens scarfs was met with curiosity. Roukan froze just like Esme knew he would. He wasn't a trained spy so she anticipated that he would be focusing more on just following her than taking note of where she was going. The store owner clearly assuming that Roukan was looking to purchase a gift for a lady by the teasing smile of her lips approached him.
'How may I help you young sir'? she asked.
Roukan began to stammer and look around. Esme used that time to pick a bunch of scarfs in her hands.
She stepped out from behind the shelf addressing the owner and feigning oblivion to the foreign guest.
'Madam, I'm looking to buy six scarfs but I can't seem to choose whic-' She stopped dramatically once she let her eyes find Roukan.
Surprise seeped into her voice.
'Roukan'? she uttered like a question.
'What are you doing here'?
The ladies around them giggled and oohed with blushes in their cheeks. Roukan went red.
Roukan stuttered badly and then gave up on words.
'You must be looking to buy something for Eris. That's great please come here and help me choose something she would like'.
The ladies had no clue Eris was his sister so they ahhed again making Roukan grow even redder.
'Are you alright'? Esme asked pointing to his face. 'You seem quite flushed'. Then she let her gaze morph into that of a realizing frown.
'Roukan are you here because you were-'
Roukan didn't let her finish her question. He stammered a goodbye turned on his heels and fled. The ladies all cracked up in laughter. Esme paid for six scarfs and told the stall owner she would return to pick them out.
When Esme stepped back into the streets no one followed her. The sky was dark enough for whatever meeting that needed to hold behind the bucky station. As she walked deeper into the market her right hand went up beneath her clothes to feel the dagger strapped between her breasts. Even though she had an idea about how the meeting woukd go, the backyard of the bucky station was a good blindside spot. It was unlikely anyone knew she was a spy and had invited her there for an ambush but she would be stupid to rule out such a possibility.
She came to the bucky station. It was a few hours till the end of working hours and some buckys had been retired for the day already.
Making sure no one was watching her, Esme slipped behind the bucky station and began to find her way.