Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [ST] A table for two Message-ID: <1993Feb20.112135.3787@dct.ac.uk> From: mcspikgfm@dct.ac.uk (MELANDRA) Date: 20 Feb 93 11:21:35 GMT "MELANDRA, INSANE ELF." writes: >> "Thanks Mr Littlefair, can I have a drink please? > "I am glad to see that you are up and about. I had feared for your health > even with my ring to aid your healing, to be honest. Speaking of which... " "Oh hello,.... don't I know you. Yes, we had a drink together last night or something wasn't it. It's a lovely ring, thank you very much for giving it to me. Perhaps you'd like a quick drink. We could sit at the same table as last night. By the way, what do you mean ' feared for my health' ? What exactly happened last night?" Melandra grabs Redlin's arm for support and half walks, half hops across to their table where she collapses on a chair in pain. Redlin looked at Melandra for a few moments, gauging what he should tell her, before finally deciding that she really did have the right to know everything, even if she looked a little to razzed to handle it right now. "As you seem to recall, we met last night when that foreign archmage mentioned finding out what was with that big, gaudy tent in the middle of town. Just before we were to leave for our investigations, a large group of elementals decided to use this Inn and its residents for target practice. You, Kirkil, some strange elf in a black cloak, me, and a few others decided to provide ... alternate targets." " What ! " Mel's already pale face goes ashen and her eyes seem to focus on a point through the wall of the Inn. " I think that you and I got the worst of the deal. We ran out to try to stop the elementals before most people managed to close their jaws enough to say 'help!' I took some flying lessons and nearly broke some bones..." Redlin's voice trails off for a second and he shudders a little for some reason. "Uhh, Oh yeah. I was a little busy to notice what was going on, but it looked like you got royally peeved at a fire elemental that tried to scrag you. From what I caught, that must have been one fraggin' huge fight. By the time I got there, you were flat and unconscious. I could see that ... Mel?" Melandra was staring at the table, apparently in shock. He reached over and gently shook her shoulder. "Are you OK?" Melandra blinks and comes back to the land of the living. " I don't remember a thing about last night. I DON'T REMEMBER!" she says raising her voice to a yell that can probably be heard outside in the Plaza. " I thought that last treatment had got rid of it. Never trust another mage to get things right." She turns herself around to fully face Redlin but doesn't seem to be speaking to him, more to everyone who is listening. "He said he was the best. I'll see his body burn in Kussoth's Realm for that." As she says that, her eyes begin to emit a soft red glow. Her hand reaches for her drink which is thrown down her throat. " Another drink! " " Hey! Hold on here. I really don't think that you need to send anyone to Kussoch's Realm, whatever that is, just because you forgot about last night! My memories of that fight are a little foggy, and I've got cybernetic chips to augment what I remember! It is a natural reaction to forget something to do with extreme physical trauma, and I think having a knife melted into you leg qualifies as pretty extreme!" " Eh..what are you saying? Ciber-what? Knife melted into my leg, thats why its sore, but how could it have recovered so quickly? I should be dead or at the very least crippled. Who's been looking after me? Do I have the healers to thank? Whoever, I must thank them for their help later. Its ok Redlin, I know about not remembering parts of what you have done in battles but I don't remember anything at all after meeting you at this very table. For about 20 years, from when I was fairly young, I had periods of blackouts where I used to lose control and I'd do things that would not only harm me but also my friends as well. I killed two of my best friends that way and I'd thought I'd got rid of that until this! I don't want to go back to that." " That was what I was talking about earlier...with my ring. It is a very powerful healing ring that forces a body to heal at a phenominal rate. When I took you up to your room last night, I slipped it on your finger; I was afraid that you might die from your wounds. I don't know about your blackouts though, I had just assumed that it was a natural response to the wound...come to think of it, though, you did look a little berserk out there. Hey, I can see that your drink is not going to last long. I'll get us both something. I'll be right back, OK?" " Fine, I could do with it. Thanks very much." The second drink is quickly picked up and the glass drained of its contents. Redlin stands up, shaking his head. Quickly he goes to the bar, "Littlefair, I need something Very Strong and a glass of well-aged brandy." Soon he returns with a pewter mug full of a perfectly clear drink and a small glass with the golden-brown brandy. Redlin reaches for his belt and a small glass tube pops into his hand. He measures out a little of the white powder into the clear drink, puts the vial back in his belt, and makes his way back to the table with the drinks in hand. 'I hope that stuff calms her down like it would me', he thinks worriedly. When Redlin gets back to the table, he sets the clear liquid down in front of Mel cautioning her to drink it slow until she gets the taste of it. She looks at him as if he was just born yesterday and takes a large swallow of the clear drink. Her eyes grow a bit as a plug of white-hot fire worms its way down her throat with delicious slowness. " Wooooowwwwwwww!!!!!......... " A moment later the fire settles deep into her body and she exhales slowly as she raises her chin and shuts her eyes with a look of satisfaction on her face. " Oh yes...I needed that". A soft sigh escapes her lips and her tensed arms noticibly relax. She leans back against the wall and lets her sword clatter against the floor. Redlin watches all of this with amusement, keeping careful watch on her pupils, sitting back in relief as they dilate to their largest size. 'She should stay calm now. I hope she won't hold it against me.' Aloud, he says, "I warned you...I told Littlefair to get his best!" He forces a chuckle out to maintain the image. To Mel, the room seemes to get brighter as the alcohol and the relaxant start to play with her perceptions. Her hand fumbles for the mug spilling a few drops of the wondrous liquid. Her tongue seems to caress the pewter as she savours the clear liquid. After a minute of this strange courtship she lowers the mug to reveal a small spot of liquid left hanging on the inside. Her eyes open showing a slightly subdued look as they slowly glaze over. The smile that has plastered to her face begins to crack as she lifts herself back up into a more upright position. " Redlin, what was that, it was totally wonderful. What a kick, and that feeling. I haven't felt anything like that since I was at the Red Mystic Monastery. They really had some weird customs but what a garden. They grew everything they needed and I do mean everything. I must have been permanently stoned for a week. Had to stop eating their meals before I became lucid enough to get out of there. Mind you, I felt so bad for the next fortnight that I almost starved. I just couldn't keep anything in my stomach for longer than a minute or two". " That was just a little something that Littlefair must keep for special occassions. I guess that he thinks this is a suitably special occassion...after all, we are alive! " Melandra looks up at Redlin from playing with the mug and smiles at him. " You know, I could get to like you and this drink very quickly. Would you get me another one please and have one yourself. Its a sensation not to be missed. I'm paying, by the way". " Oh, I'll get you a mug, but I think that I'll pass on one for myself. I am very partial to this smooth elixer that I have in my hand! " With that, he leans his head back and takes a long drink from his glass of brandy, savoring the smooth taste as it rolls down his throat. After a moment of silent homage to the god who invented that particular drink, he stands and moves back to the bar. " Littlefair, could I get another one of those pewter mugs and another glass of that excellent brandy? " " Tell the young lady to drink easy. I have never seen a person last through three of these, " came Littlefair's quiet response. " On my honor, she will savor this drink as I savor your fine brandy. If she doesn't, she deserves to have me carry her up the stairs again! " Redlin leaves the bar with the two glasses in hand, weaving his way through the rabble with a skill born of phenominal speed and coordination. He reaches the table without mishap and without spilling a drop, setting the drink in front of Mel with a repetition of Littlefair's admonition and his promise to the friendly barkeep. As he comes back, he sees that Mel has popped out a quill, ink and some paper from somewhere and is attempting to write a note. Its obvious that the drink is beginning to catch up with her as her hand wiggles all over the place whilst she writes. With visible look of concentration and slowly drooping eyebrows she finishes the note and drops the quill beside the ink. On the table lies a note labeled MISSING PERSON in large bold wavy letters followed by an increasingly illegible script. It reads: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MISSING PERSON -------------- LOST: 1 person, fighter by profession, answers with oaths to the name "Cutsie". Last seen in Dragons Inn. Identified by lack of movement and total stiffness ( possible moving around by now). Wears armour and carries weapons. Tall, with muscles in all the right places. If seen or found, please contact Melandra Flametree at the Dragons Inn. Reward upon return, preferably alive. Melandra. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- " Well, what do you think? Good eh! Could you put it up for me. I reckon it had better go on the board. By the way, did you see him when you were in my room? Only three Littlefair, I could drink 5 of these no problemss" she says slurring the end of her shouted reply. As Redlin offers her the drink, she tries to grasp it with 2 hands and manages on the second attempt. Once there she hooks her right hand around the handle and starts to drink slowly, trying to taste every drop. After a short while she puts the mug down and leans on her arm looking at Redlin. " You're not married are you?" she says beaming up at him. He looks at her with a little smile teasing the side of his mouth. " No, I'm not married. I don't usually stay in one place long enough to worry about that." He looks at her for a moment before he continues, " Once I thought that I would give up my travels for one who I loved, but I could not just stop being who I am. I assume that she was rather irate when she awakened one morning to fine me gone. Such is life, however, and life does go on." " What you're really looking for is someone you want to be involved with that's happy to travel with you. They're hard to find" she says with a slight smirk. " But I'm sure someone will come along. Until then however your stuck playing bodyguard to me whilst I mend. Oh well, should be a very interesting time". The smile broadens as the mug is lifted to her face until she is alomst literally grinning from ear to ear. " I'll put that on the board for you, how about you go up and get some more sleep, that will give my ring a chance to fix your leg some more. OK?" After a few moments to drain the bottom, the mug is brought down with a loud thud onto the table. Mel's entire upper body begins to sway slightly from side to side and she catches the edges of the table for support. " Yeah, I think that might be a good idea. Must be the effects of the wound coming on. Could you give me a hand, I'm not sure I can make it to the stairs let alone up them". Redlin reaches over for the carefully scrawled poster and pulls himself to his feet, offering Mel his hand. " Thanks, your a real gentleman Redlin". She grabs at his hand and lifts herself of the chair, almost pulling Redlin down upon her in the process. With a leaping hop she drapes herself all over him before recovering her balance and entwining her right arm around his shoulders. The poster is all but forgotten as Redlin tries valiantly to keep the drunken Elf from collapsing to the floor as they cross the barroom to the stairs. Its obvious to Redlin that Mel won't be able to manage up a few steps, let alone them all, without causing herself a huge amount of pain from crashing her leg off the wood. Thus decided, he swings her up and carries her up the stairs in his arms for the second time in the space of 2 days. This elicits a small cheer from the rabble and a nod from Littlefair who has enough to deal with besides a drunken female elf. As he climbs the stair Redlin feels something rub against his arm and settle their. Looking down he see's Mel's head snuggling closer to his upper arm whilst she brings up her right hand and starts to suck on her thumb. She now looks like the innocent elven child she might have been.