HERO IN HER EYES.

Roaring laughter and mirth filled the room; the Belching Toad tavern was bustling with activity—lasses walked to and fro, tending to the tables whilst customers caroused and drank themselves into a stupor. A few were discussing the latest news; others played card games, gambling away their meager fortunes. The place was packed with all manner of folk, most being adventurers and travelers. A group of unruly, obstreperous dwarves bashed their tankards on the bar’s countertop, ale spilling everywhere and drenching their thick, bushy beards—far off in a corner sat a party of elves, conversing amongst themselves in a low voice as they sipped wine.
Despite the crowd, it wasn’t hard to spot Lyra. Her beautiful, melodic humming and grey, sightless eyes were pretty distinctive. She sat on an empty table with her slender legs crossed and a lute on her hands—absentmindedly strumming a couple of chords to pass the time. It had been quite a while since I last saw her; having left town in search of fortune while she stayed behind, making a name for herself with her bardic skills.
“Long time no see,” I joked as I shuffled over to her table.
“It’s good to know your childish sense of humor hasn’t changed one bit, Nischay,” Lyra spoke while tuning her lute, fingers plucking at the strings.
“Here, let us have a drink,” I replied, presenting a flagon of ale to her.
With one arm, Lyra tried to grasp at what was in front of her; however, she caught nothing but air and pouted. Upon seeing the blind girl’s predicament, I gently guided her hand towards the mug.
She responded with a beaming smile, “Thanks. You’re so sweet.”
There was something admirable about Lyra; it was remarkable how, despite her visual disability, she was so full of life and confidence that at times, I even seemed to forget about that important detail.
“It’s been too long. Let me take a look at you,” she said before raising her hands and invading my personal space. Lyra’s fingers brushed against my face with meticulous precision, running along and feeling every feature as she tried to conjure up a mental image just from her sense of touch. It was a good thing she was blind, or else she would have noticed me taking on a faint blush.
“Well, it’s good to know that pretty face of yours is still intact, no fresh scars or anything,” she said, before slumping back in her seat. “What brings you back to town, anyway? You didn’t come all the way down here just to visit little old me, did you?”
“Is that a bad thing?” I asked with a smirk.
Lyra shrugged, “No, I guess not.”
I took a sip of ale, savoring its taste. We had always been close. There was a certain chemistry between us, but somehow, neither of us had acted on those feelings before; never going further than the occasional flirty comment or joke. I wondered if it was because our relationship had always been platonic, or perhaps Lyra didn't want to complicate things. Whatever the case may be, I couldn't deny the fact that my heart quickened whenever we were together.
“So, what have you been up to these days, Lyra?” I asked.
“Oh, just the usual stuff, I suppose. I've been singing and playing my lute to anyone who'll listen,” she replied in a nonchalant tone. “But enough about me. How’s the adventurer's life been treating you? I’ll wager you have a lot of stories to tell,” she said before taking a drink from her mug. Her voice was soothing, like a gentle breeze on a hot summer day.
“Oh, yes, I have quite a couple…” I began.
We spoke for hours, laughing as we shared memories. Drink after drink went by as I recounted my tales of high adventure. I told her all about the wondrous places I had visited, the lost treasures I'd uncovered, and the fearsome monsters I had slain—enjoying her company whilst relaxing in a tavern was a delightful change of pace from the usual night out on the road. Lyra listened to each word, nodding along as she absorbed every detail.
“So there I was, about to be set upon by a group of orcs, right?” I explained, while retelling one of my latest adventures.
“Fascinating!” Lyra remarked with great interest, leaning forward on her seat and resting her head over her hands, “I should be composing songs about your tales.” With a playful smile, she continued, "A heroic adventurer battling against all odds… It's perfect material for a ballad, don't you think?"
I felt flattered, but also embarrassed by her praise, "Don't be silly. My exploits aren't worth singing about."
Lyra smirked, "You should let me be the judge of that. But, where was I? Ah, yes, the orcs. You were saying how you managed to take them out..."
"I did, but I'm afraid I'm running low on time, Sunshine," I lied, "I should get going now."
"Oh," Lyra replied, disappointment clear on her tone, "I was hoping you'd stay a little longer. I guess the road calls, doesn't it?"
"It does," I nodded. "I'll be on my way in the morning. Until next time, Lyra."
"Take care, Hero," she smiled.
I rose from my seat, leaving some coins behind, "Let's go. I'll walk you home."
"You're so sweet," she beamed, following me.
"I know."
Lyra lived in a small house on the outskirts of town.
"Well, this is me," she spoke once we were standing outside her humble abode.
"It was nice talking to you again, Lyra," I said, "Maybe I should come back to town more often."
"That'd be great, Hero," Lyra replied with a genuine smile.
I was about to leave, but hesitated and stopped, turning to face her again. Lyra's blindness made it a struggle for her to go on daily errands; her only income coming from the handful of folks who stopped by to hear her songs and stories.
"Hey, Lyra," I said, "How about... I become your guide dog? I'll stay here with you, and we can have many more fun nights, like tonight."
"You're just saying that so you can have more free drinks, aren't you?" Lyra chuckled.
"Of course not!" I said, sounding mildly offended, "I'll protect you, Lyra."
She was about to dismiss my proposal, but thought it over, and realized how much it meant for her.
"That... actually doesn't sound like a bad idea, Hero," Lyra said with a nod.
"Great! Then it's decided," I exclaimed, "I'll stay here, and protect you."
"Well, thanks," Lyra said with a slight grin.
"You're very welcome," I replied.
We both stood there, facing each other in silence, the tension rising. Lyra took a step towards me and placed her hands on my chest, then slid them upwards, tracing a path towards my neck, feeling every single inch of my body.
"Lyra," I whispered, "Are you sure you can't see? Your hands are moving in all the right places."
Lyra snickered, "Shut up, you idiot."
Her hands found their way to my shoulders, and I held her close. We embraced in a passionate kiss; my fingers combing through her messy, long hair.
"I've wanted to do this for a while now," Lyra said once we broke away.
"Yeah," I nodded, "Me too."
We kissed again, and I ran my hands across her smooth back, enjoying her sweet taste and her intoxicating scent.
"Hey, Lyra, can I be honest with you?" I asked.
"Go ahead," she replied.
"You're a mess."
"Shut up, Hero," Lyra rolled her eyes, "Or else, I'm going to start calling you Idiot."
"It's not an insult, I'm serious," I said.
Lyra looked confused, "Then what is it?"
"I just meant... You're a bit messy and untidy. I'd love to tidy your place, if you don't mind, of course."
Lyra's face brightened up, "That's so sweet of you. Thank you, Hero."
"Don't mention it," I said with a shrug, "It's the least I could do. Just relax and wait a few moments."
"Sure, thanks."
"No problem."
The room was filled with the sounds of items being shuffled and put away. I opened the shutters, letting the sunlight in and breathing some fresh air into the house.
"It's a wonderful day," I noted, "You should spend it outdoors."
"Sounds great, Hero," Lyra said.
"Do you want to come along?" I offered.
"Oh, I'm afraid I'm not going anywhere."
"Why is that?"
"Because... You haven't cleaned my house yet," Lyra teased.
"Hey, hey, don't make this harder for me," I joked, "You're such a handful, you know that?"
"But you still love me," Lyra replied, playfully sticking her tongue out.
"Of course, I do,love."
"Good, good," she grinned.
I grabbed Lyra's hand and started leading her, "Come on, let's go. There's a lot to see and do."
"Wait," she said, "Where's my lute?"
"On the bed," I replied.
"Great, thanks."
I guided her out of the house, and we walked together, hand in hand. The weather was pleasant, with a warm sun and a cool breeze—it was the perfect day to be out.
"Wow, it's beautiful outside," Lyra remarked, "I can tell. It feels like a sunny day."
"That's right," I replied.
"Tell me what you see," Lyra asked.
"All sorts of people walking about," I said, "Merchants peddling their wares, children playing, a man selling ice cream. The sky is blue, with a couple of fluffy clouds here and there. Some birds flying over the rooftops. Everything looks peaceful."
"How about the houses?"
"Most are made of wood and brick, but there are a few stone buildings as well. They all have slanted roofs with a chimney poking out. The cobblestone streets are mostly empty, except for a few people strolling about."
"And what are the people wearing?"
"They all wear tunics and robes, mostly in different shades of brown, green and white. A few women wear dresses."
"Ah, so it's the usual fare," Lyra mused, "I was hoping for something a bit more colourful. It's all so mundane, but, then again, I've already heard most of this before."
"Sorry, I guess we could talk about something else, if you want," I offered.
"I'd rather not," Lyra shrugged. "Your voice is so soothing. Just keep talking, and I'll be happy."
I smiled, "Thanks. I'll do that."
"What do the people look like?"
"Well, let's see," I began, "Most of them are either humans or elves, with a few dwarves and gnomes. They all seem to be of average height and weight, and their clothes are fairly similar. The only difference is that the elves usually wear more colourful outfits."
"Interesting," Lyra nodded, "Tell me about the scenery. What's the landscape like?"
"There are a lot of trees, and the streets are full of dirt and gravel. The houses are all built in the same style, with tall walls and a slanted roof. They're made of wood and stone, with a few exceptions."
"That's not very exciting," Lyra muttered.
"Hey, at least I'm trying," I defended myself, "You should've seen some of the places I've been to. I can't describe everything in detail, or we'd be here all day."
"Fine," Lyra said, "I'll let it slide."
"Anyway, back to the story..."
As Lyra and I left the tavern, the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky a lovely shade of orange.
"You were right," Lyra remarked, "It really is a nice evening."
"See? I told you," I chuckled, "It was worth coming out."
"So, where do you wanna go?" Lyra asked, her hand gently squeezing mine.
"Let's take a stroll around town," I suggested, "There's still time before dinner."
"Alright, lead the way, Nischay"
Our steps echoed through the empty streets. We walked together, our fingers entwined.
"It's been quite a while since I've last seen you," Lyra spoke, breaking the silence, "I was starting to think you'd forgotten all about me."
"I'm sorry, Lyra," I said, "With being an adventurer and all, it's not easy keeping track of time. But I haven't forgotten about you, believe me."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"So, what have you been doing these past months?"
"Oh, the usual," Lyra shrugged, "Singing and playing my lute. Telling stories."
"Anything else?"
"Nothing worth mentioning."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Lyra, come on," I said, "There's got to be something you can tell me."
"Fine," Lyra sighed, "A couple of weeks ago, someone tried to rob me."
"Really?"
"Yup."
"What happened?"
"He got a broken nose for his trouble."
"How did you know he was trying to steal from you?"
"He was making all sorts of weird noises."
"How did you manage to fight him off?"
"I have a lot of practice fighting, remember?"
"Fair enough," I replied.
"So," Lyra continued, "Do you think I'm a good bard?"
"Of course, I do. Why do you ask?"
"Well, because..."
"Because you're blind, is that it?"
"Kind of," Lyra admitted, "It's hard, you know? Playing music and singing, without being able to see the audience."
"It can't be that bad, can it?"
"It is, especially when you're used to having a cheering crowd," Lyra said. "When you've performed in front of a large audience and the people are cheering your name, it's easy to lose yourself in the moment and forget the problems you're facing."
"That makes sense."
"So, when I have to perform alone, it's like I'm back at square one."
"You could always play at the Belching Toad," I suggested, "People would love hearing you there."
"I've thought about it, but... I'm not sure," Lyra replied, her head low.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't know if anyone will come."
"That's ridiculous! Of course, they'll come!"
"Maybe," Lyra shrugged, "I guess I'll have to give it a try."
"It's a deal," I nodded.
"Thanks, Hero."
"Anytime,love" I smiled.
THE END.