Ink Forged

~Freedom's Price~

If Maevus had thought Valmor was overwhelming when she was surrounded by soldiers and sitting in a guarded wagon, that had nothing on actually being on the ground. There were so many people. 

Everywhere. 

A crush of men and women, children darting around underfoot, stray dogs and cats searching for their next meal. Her skin began to crawl, her claustrophobia creeping up in an attempt to strangle her. To leave her shaking and gasping on the ground.

Sweat broke out on her forehead, her hands shaking every time a stranger brushed up against her. The sound was worse. It pressed in against her ears, making her jump at every child's shriek, every haggle of a housewife, every loud laugh.

She wasn't built for the city. It was too much. Too big. Too loud. Too busy.

Where was Vraylor? He'd been right in front of her a second ago. Maevus turned in a full circle, searching desperately for the black hat he'd been wearing. Her breath caught in her throat, her ribs squeezing down on her heart.

A hand on her shoulder made her hiss and whirl, fist raised to strike. Vraylor gave her a smirk. "Come on. I know this great little place not too far from here." At Maevus' hesitation, he added, "It's quiet. Not too many people are there this time of day."

The idea of any relief from the press of people was even more tempting than the food, and she didn't jerk away when he grabbed her hand, winding effortlessly through the streets.

After walking for an agonizing thirty minutes—and she knew he could feel every tremble that shook her—Vraylor tugged her down an alley. The buildings rose above her, blotting out the sky and she sank her teeth into her bottom lip, her fingers tightening subconsciously around Vraylor's. He didn't so much as glance over his shoulder, instead reaching forward to open a door she hadn't been able to notice.

Maevus balked at the dark interior, but Vraylor said, "We'll sit right by the door. You can bolt on out any time the notion strikes you."

She wanted to be angry. She wanted to puff her chest and proclaim that it wasn't necessary. But she couldn't when his words brought a rush of relief so intense it nearly made her knees buckle. So, swallowing her trepidation, she ducked through the low doorway and blinked as she waited for her eyes to adjust.

Vraylor slid past her and wove between the rough-hewn wooden tables with their mismatched chairs. He raised a hand in greeting to the woman behind the bar. The woman was older than Vraylor, her golden hair streaked with grey, crow's feet at the corners of her eyes and laughter lines around her mouth 

She didn't even look up from the glass she was cleaning when she said, "Hello, Trouble."

Vraylor leaned against the bar and grinned, his teeth a delighted gleam in the golden light coming from the lanterns hung around the place. "Last week it was 'Handsome'."

"That was before you started that brawl!" she squawked, slamming the glass down on the counter, just to snatch up another one to start scrubbing. "I was shut down for two days afterward getting everything straightened up!"

Rubbing at the back of his neck, Vraylor said, "Technically, I didn't start it. And I did pay for the damages."

"With the bet money you won," she returned dryly. "The idea is to not drive the tourists off, Mer."

Maevus sank into a nearby chair, frowning at the exchange. Brawls? Bets?

Mer?

Vraylor chuckled and said, "Would you believe me if I said I'll keep the brawling to a minimum?"