Thanks to Liter Knight for her careful editing!
Chapter 3
Lily sat down across from Abby, two small beers in hand. Lily gave Abby her genuine smile, not the one she gave the patrons, as she slid the beer forward. As always it made Abby smile back. Lily was one of the few people who saw her smile growing up.
"Sorry, they're kind of light. I've got a laundry shift in a couple hours," said Lily.
"That's alright, I have a shift at the bakery after this too."
"Just a couple working girls."
"Uh huh," said Abby, making her voice sound extra tired and jaded.
They both snorted.
"It's so good to see you," said Lily. There wasn't any accusation in her voice, but Abby cringed anyway.
"I'm sorry, I've been busy."
"Oh no, that wasn't a criticism, the last month has been..."
"Crazy?"
"That's a good way to put it," said Lily. "And I didn't visit you either and you're right down the street from me. I think... maybe we both needed some time. To settle."
Abby nodded, "That's exactly it, but I didn't want to say it out loud."
They both took a sip of beer. It was light but Abby could tell whoever had brewed it knew what they were doing. It was a wheat beer and it had that sweetness, but there was a fruity undertone she had never tasted before.
"Oh, this is good."
Lily nodded, "Tommy's cousin brews it. I'm thinking of sending some to my dad."
"They'd love it back home."
Lily nodded.
"How are your parents? Will said you wrote to them?"
Lily sucked in her lips, "They're overjoyed I'm alive, of course, but.... Obviously not too happy about the situation. I told them Will wouldn't let me go. It felt bad to lie but... I just didn't want to deal with them pressuring me to come home," Lily snorted and shook her head, "they asked if they could buy me back."
"Oh lord."
"I know. I feel so bad doing this to them, but, I mean, look at this."
Lily gestured behind them and Abby looke. The bar at the inn was busy for the early evening. Abby recognized some of the regulars, craftsmen from the surrounding shops, but there were merchants dressed in the bright silks of the southern league, a pair of traveling musicians, fiddle and flute in cases by their sides, and, most shocking of all, a trio of Khazad. The Khazad were short and broad, their skin a cool, pale blue-gray, magnificent beards braided and tied down with gold rings. They were drinking beer and talking amongst themselves in their rough, guttural language that sounded like rocks breaking. One of the Khazad felt her eyes and scowled at her, Abby quickly looked away and saw Lily looking at her, delighted.
"Don't let them scare you. They're a bunch of softies. They were a little handsy when they checked in but Tommy sorted them out."
"Those are Khazad," said Abby. She was so shocked she was just stating the obvious.
Lily nodded quickly, a smile plastered on her face.
"We'd have gone our whole lives without seeing Khazad back home and we've only been here a month."
"You don't have to convince me, although you actually have a family to miss."
Lily nodded.
"And a fiance."
Lily gave her a look.
"The most perfect man in all..."
"Stop," said Lily, sounding pained.
Abby laughed. Everyone treated Lily and Ryan like they were star crossed lovers, but Lily had vented all her frustrations about the match to Abby one day when they had swiped a couple bottles of cider. Not that Abby had needed Lily to tell her Ryan was an uptight, boring nitwit, but she was glad Lily wasn't deluding herself about the man she was supposed to marry. Lily claimed she did like him, and Abby chose to believe her. He was very tall and handsome.
"How about you and Will? Will seems happy, but he's hard to read."
"Great! We're great! I didn't know what it was like living with someone that cares about you but he's so sweet."
That's wonderful. I'm so happy for you," Lily hesitated and shifted in her seat. Abby had known Lily a long time and knew she was working up the courage to confess something. Abby waited patiently. She knew Lily always found the courage to do what she thought was right.
"Abby, I have a confession to make."
Abby leaned forward.
"The last time I saw Will, I... asked him if he wanted to feed on me."
Shock and betrayal surged through Abby which she quickly suppressed. It was a ridiculous reaction. She knew Will fed on a lot of people other than her, but then she realized she was justified. Abby knew, and she could tell Lily did too, that Will feeding on them was a very different thing than when he fed on some sleeping housewife he had fixed a cupboard for.
"Oh that's...fine."
Lily gave her a half smile, "It's alright, I know you're upset."
"No, no, I mean... alright yes, but I don't have a right to be. Will isn't mine and if you two want to..." she trailed off. She couldn't say it. She had a sudden nightmare of Will falling for Lily, just like everyone else did, and moving on from her. She'd be alone all over again.
"He turned me down."
Abby blanked, "What?"
"He turned me down, very politely," Lily tried to make it sound like a joke but the frustration was obvious.
"I, oh wow... I'm sorry?"
Lily laughed lightly, "It's alright. I shouldn't have asked anyway. What would my mother say?"
For a moment Lily looked very uncertain and very young. She always looked young, she was small and had delicate features and slightly buck teeth and it made her look younger than she was, but for a moment she looked even younger than that.
"But I see how you are together and I hear the girls talking about... about what it's like, and I guess I..." Lily looked down and blushed.
"Wanted a little taste," said Abby.
