We walked inside and were immediately greeted by a tall, thin green aetyr with amber eyes and thin glasses. He wore a snappy outfit, and I only assumed that he was a waiter of some sort.
He seemed to have recognized Strubin after a moment, and his face lit up with a grin. "Strubin!" The aetyr rubbed his hands together excitedly. "It's nice to see you back here again." He eyed me closely. "And who's this?"
Strubin chuckled. "Good to see you too, Sarigus. This is Aven." He patted my mane comfortingly. "She's my girlfriend. I'm taking her out for dinner since she's had a rough day."
Before I could respond, Sarigus laughed. "Ah, I never knew you were the romantic kind. Well, then. Go sit wherever you like and I'll have someone out to take your order shortly."
Strubin nodded and we left Sarigus, eventually taking a seat by the window. A small candle was lit in the center of the table, sending flames dancing on the walls.
I looked around me, feeling warm and cozy. It reminded me of home somehow- like the hut that Arius and I lived in back in Gatesborn.
Arius…
"Aven!"
I snapped to attention and looked at Strubin. "Huh?"
He laughed. "You really do have a lot on your mind, Aven. I was asking you what you wanted to tell me earlier." My heart sank momentarily, and I wrestled with my thoughts briefly before forcing a smile on my face. "...That can wait a minute, Stru. I know we've been in the Capital for a season now, but you never told me about your job. How's work been?"
Strubin understood that I wasn't quite ready to tell him, knowing that whatever had happened earlier had taken a toll on me. He replied, "It's been pretty good. A little boring, perhaps, but too much excitement can be overwhelming, you know? I did help apprehend a thief a few weeks back, but aside from that not much has happened." He leaned in, resting his head on his hands while gazing at me with wide, adoring eyes. "What about you? Is your job okay?" His tone turned mischievous as he added quietly, "That Dukalis character hasn't been bothering you much, has he?"
I laughed. "No, he hasn't. He's a huge help." Suddenly I grew somber. "...Strubin, I think… I think I'm ready to talk about it."
His eyes softened, and he reached out to place his huge hand on mine. "Are you sure?" He asked gently. "I don't want you getting upset, you know."
I nodded and gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "I'll be okay."
He sighed slowly. "All right, what happened? I know something did, or you wouldn't be this anxious."
I stared at the table, searching for words. "...Remember what we talked about earlier?"
"About Arius?"
I nodded. "I… I went to go see him."
Strubin's eyes widened with fear. "AVEN!" He gripped my hand tightly. "What… why did you… why did you go see him? What did he say? Did anyone catch you?"
"Strubin, it's okay." I forced a smile on my face again. I didn't want him to panic for my sake, especially not in public. "Calm down. Take deep breaths."
Strubin took a few breaths, then exhaled slowly. "...Aven, sweetheart, that's really dangerous. Your brother is a convicted criminal. What if you had gotten hurt?"
"Strubin. I'm okay. I'm safe." I held his hand gently. "I'm here."
His eyes softened. "...I know," He murmured. "I'm just worried about you, is all."
Before he could continue, suddenly a thin aetyr came up beside us, holding a notepad. "May I take your order?" She asked.
"Yes, actually," Strubin replied, a smile crossing his face. "I'd like the Cowerell wellington- two of them, please- and a side of sauteed mello-berries."
The aetyr scribbled on her notepad. "Mm-hmm. What would you like to drink?"
"Mello-berry champagne, please."
She nodded approvingly. "All right. Your drinks will be out shortly." With that she turned and left, leaving Strubin and I alone again.
I coughed. "...You know, Stru, I think Arius might've changed."
Strubin leaned in. "What makes you say that? Did he… apologize?"
I sighed. "No. I apologized to him and he told me the real reason why he tried to kill me. He said he felt underappreciated and forgotten, and he had no other way to express it."
Strubin snorted disdainfully. "That's not true. He had plenty of opportunities to let us know what was going on."
"Ignore that for now. The reason why I'm saying that he's changed is because while I was talking to him, he let me know that guards were coming towards us. He tried to protect me, Stru. I think that's progress."
He was quiet for a moment. "What happened after that?"
I shivered. "Illesior showed up. And… he was cruel, Strubin. So cruel." I felt tears form at the edges of my eyes and Strubin immediately put his hand on mine, giving it a comforting squeeze.
"Shh, it's okay," He murmured soothingly. "What did he do? Did he hurt you?"
"W-well… no, but he… he started torturing Arius. He taunted him and hurt him, and would've tried to kill him if I hadn't stepped in." I stared up at Strubin pleadingly. "Arius is my brother, and the only family I have left. How could the Prince do this to me?"
"He was exacting revenge," Strubin murmured thoughtfully. "He was scared for you. He knew that Arius had hurt you and so he wanted to scare him into leaving you alone. Or maybe he's held something against him that we don't know about." His eyes glimmered gold when he met my gaze. "But I know you only wanted to make things right with your brother. I may not agree with it, but… I have faith in you, Aven. I trust you know what you're doing."
We were both quiet for some time before Strubin spoke again. "...What happened after you confronted Illesior?"
I shivered. "He tried to justify his reasoning for beating my brother, and then he tried to trick me into 'spending time' with him in exchange for leaving Arius alone."
Strubin's fur flared, much to my surprise. "Nobody manipulates you, Aven. Not on my watch." He twitched his tail angrily. "I'll have a word with him. He may be royalty, but that doesn't mean I'll let him walk all over you."
"Strubin, don't," I pleaded. "I don't want him turning against you, too. I could never forgive myself."
"Let him try!" Strubin spat. "I'll rip out his mane if he tries to sweet-talk you again." Then the anger died from his eyes to be replaced by understanding when he saw the fear in my face. "...What I'm saying is, Aven, I won't let him push you around. I'm here to protect you."
"I appreciate it," I said after a moment's pause. "Anyways, after I turned down his offer, I tried to leave the dungeons, but he had locked the door and I had to ask him to let me out."
Strubin's eyes widened. "What in the gods' name-"
"-Then he tried to get me to go with him again, but I left to go find you." I rested my head on my hands tiredly. "Anyways, that's what happened."
"Why does he want to talk to you so badly?" Strubin growled. "He needs to know his boundaries. He needs to respect you."
"I know." I held his hand, staring at the table. "I know."
We were quiet for a while when the female aetyr returned with a platter of tall drinks, and she set them down on the table. "I'll be back to bring you your food!" She called over her shoulder.
Strubin lifted his glass to me invitingly, forcing a smile on his face. "Aven, I propose a toast. To your kindness, generosity, and unwavering empathy."
I rolled my eyes. "If you say so." I clinked my glass with his and we both took a sip.
He set his drink down and gazed at me. "You know, Aven, you've had a rough day, with everything that's happened. I know the palace is nice and all, but… would you be willing to spend the night with me?"
"Of course!" I grinned warmly at him, grateful for his offer. "And believe me, the palace isn't all what it's cracked out to be. I'll take a night with you anyday."
Strubin laughed. "I'm glad."
Suddenly I heard the door to the restaurant open, and a hooded figure walked in. Strubin craned his neck to see, then his eyes widened.
He pointed to the figure and mouthed to me meaningfully. "Where's their tail?"
I followed his gaze and was startled to find that he was right: The figure had no tail.
"Quick! Don't stare!" I whispered hastily to Strubin, and we both ducked our heads when the figure turned to look at us. From beneath my lidded eyes I could finally get a better look at the figure.
His black cloak hung open, revealing his chiseled torso and intricate violet fur pattern. His eyes gleamed electric lime, and to my shock I saw that he was a Black Mane. I could tell from the little bits of fur sticking out from beneath his hood.
Finally the Black Mane turned back around and I could see Sarigus racing up to meet him. "Ah! Greetings, traveler!" Sarigus rubbed his hands together warmly. "What would you like today?"
"A seat." The Black Mane answered shortly. From the sound of his voice, I assumed that he was a young adult, though it rang light despite the quiet tone.
Sarigus laughed. "Of course! Choose any one you like, and someone will be out to take your order shortly."
The Black Mane nodded and strode towards us, locking his lime gaze with mine. Strubin's fur rose and he moved towards me protectively. He locked eyes with the mysterious aetyr once he stopped beside us.
"Can I help you?" He asked.
The mysterious aetyr pointed to me. "I've never seen an Albino before."
I was taken aback. "So? What's it to you?"
The aetyr shrugged. "Someone I know told me about you. Where are you from?"
Before I could answer, Strubin rose from his seat and hissed. "Get lost, and leave her alone."
The aetyr ignored him, not even flinching when Strubin towered over him. I tapped Strubin's shoulder and after a moment he sat back down reluctantly.
I fixed the aetyr with a curious, apprehensive gaze. "Who told you about me? And who are you? What do you want?"
The aetyr pushed a strand of hair out of his face. "My apologies. I am Maceren. I was sent by an… acquaintance of mine on business to the Capital. Tell me…" And here he looked around warily and leaned into my face, lowering his voice, "...Do you know anybody by the name of Meredith?"
"Meredith?" I cocked my head. "Am I supposed to?"
Maceren shook his head. "Ah, I should've expected that you wouldn't, especially after what had happened. Listen. I'm supposed to discuss a very important matter with you, and I was hoping you'd set up a rendezvous with me."
"But I don't even know you!" I leaned back. "You must have the wrong aetyr, sir. Now, could you leave me and my friend alone?"
Maceren sighed and bowed his head. "...I understand. I came at an undesirable time. Perhaps you'd be willing to discuss further matters another time, Miss…?"
"Aven. Aven Elsgard." I shuffled my drink on the table. "And look, maybe I'll be free tomorrow. Meet me at the palace gates if you can, and I'll see what I can do."
Maceren's eyes brightened. "Ah! What time?"
"...Anywhere from dawn to dusk."
His upbeat expression immediately disappeared. "I'll need you to be more specific than that, I'm afraid."
"No can do. Take it or leave it."
Maceren's face darkened, but he reluctantly murmured agreement. "Fine. Thank you once again, Albino." With that he turned and stalked off to another part of the restaurant, leaving Strubin and I alone once again.
Strubin turned to me after a moment. "...What was that about?"
I shrugged. "I dunno. I must be more famous than I thought, I guess."
"This can't be good," Strubin continued, furrowing his brow. "I can't help but wonder if we've got more than one Illesior."
"Hey, whoa there!" I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Nobody said anything about that! That Maceren guy… he can't be nearly as creepy as Illesior, could he?"
Strubin only snorted. "What kind of aetyr barges in on a date? Are you really considering going to meet up with him?"
I rested my hands behind my head. "I said by the palace gates, so you'll probably be present. And even then I can defend myself if he tries to pull anything." Suddenly I thought of something and paused. "...Meredith…"
Strubin caught my wistful expression and smiled slightly. "What, do you think that name means something?"
"Nothing. It's just… yesterday, Illesior was telling me something."
"Oh, here we go again."
I froze briefly but then relaxed when I realized that Strubin was teasing me. "You furball. No, Illesior was just telling me about Abarin… stuff I never knew before."
Strubin cocked his head. "Like what?"
"Like the fact that apparently my mother was a Consumed."
Strubin's gaze darkened. "...I didn't know that."
"Neither did I. Come to think of it, Abarin never told us anything about her."
"Likely because thinking about her hurt." Suddenly he rested his hand on mine. "Aven, listen. He didn't want to be stuck in the past. He only wanted to do what was best for you. For both you and your brother."
I paused. "...Maybe it's because he didn't want us going on a quest to save her. He didn't want us to be exiled like he had been by going against the royal's wishes." Suddenly I slammed down my paw on the table. "That's IT!"
Strubin leaned in, equal parts excited and confused. "What? What's it?"
"Strubin, don't you see? What if my true calling isn't to follow my father? What if I'm supposed to find my mother?"
Strubin's jaw dropped. "Aven, you just listed multiple ways to break the law."
"I know." I nuzzled his nose playfully. "But I just got an idea. It's amazing, Stru, you gotta believe me!"
For once Strubin didn't share my excitement. Instead he stared at me, shocked. "...Aven, I don't know. Your brother and father are on bad terms with the royal family as it is. If you pull a stunt like this, you could end up in real trouble." He pressed his forehead to mine. "And I don't want that to happen."
My initial excitement died away. "...I'm sorry. I just… got ahead of myself, is all."
He smiled. "No harm done. You can dream, can't you?"
I shrugged, hiding my disappointment. "I guess."
Suddenly the waitress came back, holding two plates of food. She set them down in front of us, then clapped her hands. "Here you are! Enjoy!"
"Thank you!" Strubin called, then turned to me and picked up his fork, a piece of meat skewered on it. To my surprise he lifted it to my lips.
"You get the first bite," He murmured.
My face flushed red, but I obediently took his advance and began to chew the food thoughtfully. The flavors exploded on my tongue in a symphony of umami and savory goodness, just the right amount of spice and tenderness to make it meaningful.
"It's good." I mumbled.
Strubin's eyes shone. "I'm glad! I was looking forward to having you eat here, you know."
I grinned at him warmly, stabbing a piece of meat with my own fork and bringing it to his lips. "Your turn."
He chuckled softly as he gingerly took a bite, chewing while he had his gaze fixed on me. "Delicious."
We ate for a while, chatting and talking as we enjoyed each other's company. Finally he set our plates aside and leaned back in his chair, giving a long, contented sigh. "How was it?" He asked me with a long purr. "Good?"
"It was great." I nudged him to his feet and took his hand, and we headed up to the counter. Strubin fished around in his pockets for some change and set it on the counter, but Sarigus stopped him.
"It's on the house," He explained. "Thanks for helping me tidy up the place, Strubin. I meant to pay you back sooner but didn't have the time."
Strubin laughed. "Oh, thank you! You didn't have to do that, you know."
Sarius shrugged. "Well, we're family. We look out for each other."
I felt a pang in my heart as I immediately thought of Arius, Abarin and my lost mother. Where had I gone so wrong?
Suddenly I turned to Strubin. "Are we heading up to your room?"
He looked surprised. "Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"
I glanced at my feet shyly. "...I just need to talk to Maceren really quick. There's something I have to do." When he looked dubious I added, "Just wait here for me and I'll join you in a second, okay?"
He chuckled softly. "How could I resist that pretty face? All right, but don't be long."
I gave him a quick hug. "Thanks, Big Guy."
His eyes flashed with mock indignation. "Hey, we talked about this! It's 'Handsome Devil'!"
"Potato, potato. It's all the same for my favorite aetyr." I punched him playfully before turning around and scanning the room. I spotted the mysterious aetyr from earlier sitting in a corner by himself, sipping a drink thoughtfully.
"Maceren!"
He looked up, a look of surprise crossing his face. "...Miss Aven. Greetings." He nodded. "Would you prefer to speak now?"
"No. I've changed my mind. Meet me in the palace gardens before noon."
He nodded again. "With pleasure. Ten, then?"
"Ten is fine."
"Then it is settled. Thank you for giving me a proper audience." With that he lowered his head again and continued sipping his drink, and feeling satisfied I went back to join Strubin.