-=-=-
Erika - 1275
D.f.
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The inn at the crossroads of Stow was quiet this day. Quiet, except for one cute, over-excited peasant girl, who was now leaning over a table with triangles etched into it as the man opposite looked on with a frown. She enthusiastically rolled the dice she'd been shaking.
"Twin fives!" she giddily exclaimed as she pushed her remaining checkers off the board. "An',
game
. By the gods, Eric, you really suck at this."
"Backgammon was never my thing," the Lord Eric sighed, folding his arms as he leaned back in his chair. Erika giggled at his noble despondency.
"An' I believe it! Best four-outta-seven?" she beamed.
"No, no, you won for good. In fact, winner buys the next round," he said, nodding towards his empty glass. Erika snatched some of his coin from the table.
"Haw-haw," she childishly replied, going so far as to thrust out her tongue. She twirled about to make her way towards the bar, giving him a sassy sway of her hips as she left.
Erika had been on the road with the ridiculously-handsome Lord Eric for two nights now, and the pair had decided yesterday to rent a night at this no-name inn rather than spend another in the weeds. It had to have been almost noon by now, and they
probably
should have been traveling, but they only had twenty miles or so to make in two days, which was a simple prospect for anyone with a horse; and Erika was now one of those anyones.
She slammed three coppers onto the bar when she arrived, leaning in between two tavern-goers. A mere smile got the barkeep's attention.
"Hail, pretty lady. What'll it be?" he asked.
"Um, the uh... not the brown," Erika smiled sweetly.
"A'ight. Blonde beer for a blonde lass?" the barkeep grinned. Erika nodded, giggled, then swung about to lean her elbow on the bar, so she could get another glimpse at the man she was now traveling with.
And what a man he was. Young, well-tempered, with broad shoulders and thick muscles that could simply envelop her whole. He even had blond hair, too, and soft green eyes, thick brows, and a cute little nose that took all her willpower not to pinch. He looked
so
similar to her, Erika thought with a merry grin.
Much to Erika's annoyance however, nothing fun had transpired between she and him last night, even though they'd shared a bed. It had just been more excuses. More fears, perhaps, that a priestess didn't actually know what the gods meant by, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'
Phooey.
"Here y'are, pretty lady. Just two cops'll do," the barkeep said from behind her, slamming two mugs onto the bar.
Twin
mugs, Erika realized; for she and her twin Eric.
"Gratitude! Keep the extra," she winked, taking the drinks. "An' may the gods bless you and yours, sir."
With beers in hand, Erika gaily returned to her table. There she would drink, be merry, play some more games, perhaps - if her travel mate could stop whining about losing, anyway - and generally just bask in the fulfillment her heart absorbed in Lord Eric's presence.
"Hail, sweet lass. Do I know you from somewhere?"
Erika twirled towards the unexpected voice, her drinks sloshing violently as she spun. She gave the tall man who had greeted her a once-over, recognizing him instantly from his hard jawline, and the distinct armor he wore; a hauberk of black chain beneath a shirt of red-and-black. She couldn't recall his name.
"O' course! We spent some time together down in... Maidenhead, it must've been," Erika cheerfully answered, before reminding herself of her present company.
"Yes, that's right," the gentleman chuckled heartily. "You're that supple priestess of Fiona. Oh, what a night that was, Maidenhead. I'm only passing through, but would you be of a mind to duplicate your performance from that night?"
Ugh!
Erika had hoped her modest attire would have warded off any advances, but her work always found a way to follow her no matter where she trode. As handsome as the man was, she would have accepted him without question had it been last week...
but
...
"I'm most sorry, sir. Even the Mother needed her rest on the seventh day, and I'm but a shadow of her magnificence," Erika rejected him as kindly as she could, finding the ones easy on the eyes the most difficult to dismiss. The man appeared only a bit pained from her reply, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.
"Well, another time then. Gods guide you, priestess," he bowed.
"Fiona bless you 'n yours, sir," Erika politely replied. She turned away from him as hastily as she could without coming off as rude, letting out a sigh of exasperation once he was out of earshot. She hoped Eric hadn't-
Fuck
. He was looking at her. Erika forced out an anxious grin as she stumbled her way back towards the table.
"What was that about?" Eric asked with a nod as she set their drinks down. She took the seat opposite him.
"Nothin'," she frowned, muttering her answer under her breath. "He recognized me from summ'r. Wanted a roll in the hay."
"Ah. And you declined?" Eric said coolly, taking a sip of his beer.
"Um... o' course I did?" she squeaked, taken aback that he found the notion so surprising. "I'm not dressed for it, an' I don't want to."
"Huh. Are you renouncing your vows, Erika?" he smirked, looking so very smug as he leaned back in his chair.
"By the goddess, no!" she adamantly denied with furrowed brow.
"Sounds like you are," he shrugged.
"That's... that's utter falsehood! Can't a girl jus' say
no
every now-and-again?!" Erika hotly replied. "I don't
have
to accept every offer y'know, despite what you've heard elsetime."
"Whoa, whoa," he chuckled at her disparagingly, raising an opened hand. "I'm only teasing you, Erika. No need to be so ornery."
"'orny?! Who's 'orny?!"
Eric nodded hesitantly towards the table. She followed his gaze, finding her fists balled and her knuckles white.
"Ohh," she pouted, moving her hands into her lap. "
Orn'ry
. I-I am, aren't I? Prolly 'cause I'm..."
"'orny," Eric casually suggested.
"Yeah," Erika cringed, her cheeks now flushed with embarrassment. The drink likely wasn't helping her much either. She pushed her beer away without even taking a sip, and convinced herself that
now
was a good a time as any to tell Eric of the decision she came to yesternight.
"I'm sorry. Truth is, I... I've been thinkin'. The last couple suns have been
so
eye-opening, Eric. So eye-openin' that, I'm not even sure I
wanna
work anymore. 'Member yesternight, when I went on and on about the Temple?"
"How could I forget?"
"I think I'mma do that instead. Be charitable and um, help people, like most the other sisters do. What d'you think?"
Eric answered her after another swallow of beer. "I think you could do most anything, besides swing a sword or rule the Empire. But, if you're changing because of me-"
"S'not 'cause of you," she exhaled.
"-but if you are, know that I'll always find you pleasing, no matter who you decide to be," he warmly told her. The thought was most flattering, and Erika couldn't help but play with her hair... yet, it wasn't what she'd wanted to hear from him that moment.
"Eric... you don't really mean that..." she murmured with trembling lip. Eric looked on her with much sympathy, shaking his head, and softly redressed his words.
"I only mean, don't predicate your entire life's story based on my opinions. I'm young, untested, and my future is in the hands of the gods now."
"An' the gods will grant you victory, Eric. I'm sure of it," she smiled, replacing the self-doubts of her own story with an utter assuredness of his. The gods were merciful, Erika knew, and they showed partiality to those with kind heart. Just like Eric.
"Thanks," he sighed. "Oh, but when did the mood become so piteous in here? I say we make tracks from this depressing place."
"Yeah," she instantly concurred, despite their latest round of drinks barely being touched. These weren't the conversations that two souls should share after only three suns of friendship.
They both rose to their feet, Eric leaning over to grab Erika's bag from under the table. He rarely let the pack out of his sight, since it now held the majority of his remaining wealth.
"I'm going to go get the mares reshoed," he informed her as he fumbled through her pack. "They weren't prepared for any sort of long journey when we took them. Can I task you with acquiring food and refilling the skins?"
"O' course," she smiled.
"Thanks.
Gods
, Erika, how in the hells do you find anything in here?" he groaned, getting a sympathetic giggle out of her. She asked herself that very question every single day.
-=-=-
Erika rejoined the outside world with only her bottomless pack on her, as Eric left with the horses to visit the blacksmith instead. She found the radiant summer sun already far above her head, telling her just how much time the two of them had spent drinking and playing games. A morning well-spent, she thought with a smile.
She scanned her surroundings with a curious joy, finding the town of Stow
far
more appetizing during the day rather than shrouded in shadow, like when they'd first arrived. It wasn't a large town - the center only home to thirty or forty one-story buildings - but it was charming. Quaint. A simple place filled with simple folk, the priestess's favored locale if anyone were to ask her. Erika decided to take the long way to market, figuring a walk beside the river a most calming prospect.
And it
was
calming, truth be told. The summer sun sparkled brightly atop the flowing waters, the birds sang amicably about the pleasant weather, probably, and the smells of apples and cherries hung sweetly in the air. Erika twirled about, beaming, extending her arms in a giddy glee as she embraced the gods' great world.
Calming, at least, until she spotted a young woman sitting on her lonesome by the river; her eyes downcast, her hands in her lap. She looked far younger than her, with simple features and a simple dress. Erika couldn't help but pout, her heart not allowing her to witness such tragedy and do nothing in turn.
Sure, she knew that sadness was a helpful part of the human condition; something that we all must experience to make our victories taste sweeter. But, that didn't mean that a stranger had to stand by when sadness took hold of another. In fact, Erika never did. Such was the way of a Priestess of Fiona.
She plopped down beside the forlorn lass, letting her legs dangle over the water. "Gods bless you, young miss," she delicately greeted her.
"Gods bless," the lass whimpered, seemingly a pinch or two away from tears. Her gaze didn't move from the river.
"I couldn't help but see ya lookin' so sad. What could be so foul to put such a charming girl in this mood?"
The girl sighed and shook her head. "Nuttin'. Nuttin' worth botherin' a stranger with, anyhow."
Erika pouted. "But, miss, a stranger desirin' to listen is the best kind o' person to tell. I can't judge you. I don't
know
you. An', if you don't want the advice of a stranger, I can jus' listen. I'm okay with that, too."
The girl chuckled, lifting her heart an inch from the pits. "You're so kind. The gods gifted ya with such a gran' heart," she smiled.
"Gratitude," Erika whispered, scooching an inch or two her way. She let the lass take whatever time was necessary to muster up the courage to speak.
"It's my husband," she eventually moaned. "Or, the man who I wish I could call husband. He confessed his love to me under the moon but a week ago, ya see, and I confessed mine in turn. I felt like magic."
"That's wonderful!" Erika cooed.
