Breaking the Moon

8: Deals

.^^ Ryan ^^

— Haven —

I laid Ryan down laid in her bed, sleepy after a day of drinking and cleaning with me, making the Bar livable. Luckily, it was directly beneath the cabin, so there was only a few hundred feet to walk back and forth, so after the first few hours, she was comfortable enough to walk to the cabin without me.

She opened one eye sleepily. "What're you doin'?"

"I've slept here for five days, brat, and you were naked most of the time. Cool your tits and sleep." I grumbled at her, and turned my back, stretching.

"Just stay on your side." She muttered, but didn't push me away, and instead wrapped herself around me.

I didn't comment, saving her some dignity, and instead went to sleep, ready for another meeting with Fäden.

—

"Uuuugh... you know what, I'm going to lock the door, if you keep coming back forever! I'm not a pawn shop! I'm an inter-dimensional collector of cosmic artifacts and historical gems!!!" Fäden complained.

"Oh shush you're lonely and you know it." I waved a hand easily.

He sighed. "Fine... True. So have you thought of my offer?"

"Counter-Offer. You make sure I shift properly into a powerful form, tomorrow, and I'll give you this." I held up an Amulet of Power from my bag of treasure.

He snorted. "I don't have that one, but that's not enough."

"It's a pretty small favor I'm asking for. We both know I'll shift anyway, I just want it to go off without a hitch, and I want my form to be the strongest one there is. If it already is, and I think it is, or close, then this Amulet is more than enough for the tiny favor I'm asking for." I sat on Catherine's throne, and waited.

He countered subconsciously with Alexander's bed, lounging on it, and I smirked, laying down on the diamond pedestal of Durin.

He laughed. "Okay, you win, this is distracting me... okay, Fine. Deal."

I tossed him the Amulet. "Good! Now for another deal, closer to the original. Back on track, so to speak."

He nodded, placing the Amulet on a mannequin. "Alright... What do you want?"

"I want information. What is the connection, between mine and Ryan's souls? How do I break it? Do I want to break it? Three questions, three favors." I shrugged, and settled back into Catherine's Throne.

He hummed. "Well, I like your theory, three questions, three favors, but the second and third are the same answer, so I'll give you a freebie. Ask another question."

"Is there a way to cure the Madness of Chulainn?" I pounced on the opportunity.

He froze, then sighed, sitting down on the lounge again like his bones were made of mist, the movement so supremely graceful it seemed inherently inhuman.

"Alright, three questions... usually, I would just answer and leave you owing me things, but you're cute, and my little cousin, so I'll be nice... but that's the last freebie you ever get, not even if you're dying, you hear?" He glared at me.

"Hey, you offered, don't act like I'm some opportunistic Neanderthal." I smirked.

He frowned. "Don't forget Mouth-Breathing and cynical... but fine, True. My favors are simple. I want you to go somewhere else, (I'll provide the path,) and get me a rock. It's a normal rock, it's purpose is sentimental, not material, like most things here... useless, to all but those who are using it."