Quinn Castel glanced around the Full Cup Tavern while lighting an Ocol weed cigarette. He took a deep drag, holding the smoke in his lungs for as long as possible before letting it trickle out the corners of his mouth. A snicker escaped him as he thought about how easy it had been to ditch the bodyguards Conor hired to protect him. I can take care of myself!
"Hey! We need another round of drinks."
Quinn's eyes fell upon the speaker, his best friend, Travis, a Rover he met while attending Gray's College. Dylan, Parry, and Kip also sat at the table. Quinn liked their company, but he really didn't consider them close friends. He knew that Dylan had a crush on him and liked to lead him on because of it even though he had no intention of ever letting Dylan get too close. Yucksville!
"You guys are mooches," he said, flicking ashes onto the floor.
"And you love us for it," Travis quipped. He waved his empty glass in front of Quinn's face before lighting his own cigarette.
Quinn rolled his eyes then flagged down a barmaid. "Bring us another round and put it on my tab." He didn't mind paying all the time since he had gobs of money, thanks to his crimelord father.
A slight stirring occurred in his groin while he watched the sway of the pretty barmaid's hips as she hurried off to fill his order. "Where the hell are all the hot chicks?" he asked, glancing around the tavern again.
Travis chuckled. "It's still early. They'll probably show up when it's time for the minstrels to perform."
Parry nodded. "Then we'll wine them and dine them..."
"Before we invite them to my house to continue the party," Quinn said, finishing Parry's sentence. Dylan made a face while the others laughed.
------ OOC: I'm hoping that iGoddess replies to this post. :D
Bluette had been to the Full Cup many times. It was respectable enough, just not what she was used to. She wondered, sometimes, if it was something she would ever get used to. Linen napkins and real crystal goblets were more her world, and even in a nicer dive like this, she always said that he was sending her out slumming.
At least this place has stablehands, she thought, as one of them gripped her small waist. She could climb down from her proper sidesaddle perfectly well, but it was always nicer when strong hands wrapped around her waist and lowered her down to the ground.
He knuckled his forehead. "Anything else I can do, ma'am?"
She pressed a silver mark into his hand by way of a tip and patted his hand. "Just keep Steyr comfortable until I get back. He's a good boy." Bluette grinned to herself when she saw the man color slightly at her touch. She didn't know if it was the cornsilk hair --so blonde it was almost white-- or the big cornflower blue eyes, or maybe a combination of the two. Her father, and then her Bellie Boo, said her hair and eyes were her best features. But her father had raised her to be more than just a pretty face, and she knew she had a way about her that made the lower class people feel easy around her even though her culture and status were baldly apparent.
Kind of like they were here in the Full Cup.
It was well-lit, so she didn't have to blink and wait for her eyes to adjust from the brightness outside. There were few empty tables, but the bar was clear enough. And by the ruckous at the far table, the young gentlemen smoking ocol and horsing around with each other, gave her the perfect excuse to sit as far away as possible. The smoke from their cigarettes was already filling the large room. She put her fist to her mouth and gave a dainty cough, then took out her blue lace fan --that matched her eyes, of course-- and opened it.
The barkeep smiled at her. "Be with you a minute." He was finishing up with someone else at the bar, and the barmaid had just come with a tray full of empty mugs for him to fill.
"It's no rush," she said to herself. "Not like I have anywhere else to be tonight."
Through the smoke and the haze he watched her enter a smile revealing bright white teeth. Dark green eyes, so dark they were almost black narrowed in the direction of the boys with their smoke and alcohol. Pitch black clothes clung to his body and his silver-white hair brushed against his shoulders.
When he stood and brushed his cloak back all illusions faded as the holes in his shirt showed briefly. Now that he stood the cloak was obviously too large for him and what had even if just for the briefest of moments been believed to be an elegant older man with a baby face turned out to in truth be a child, likely homeless.
Distrusting eyes scanned the crowd, in one corner starting to get too high class for him and in the other simply speaking of danger. Quietly he moved to another corner of the room to shroud himself in darkness and enjoy the warmth and what meagre food his latest find could buy him before he was doubtless kicked to the curb like so much trash.
*/*Gotta hate it when they change what they are in the middle of a post...come on now...this was only meant to be a cameo...but who knows it may well wind up a character all his own. *\*
Quinn listened to the idle chatter going on around him and yawned. He was bored again. Maybe it was time to settle down and put his heart and soul into working for his crimelord father. Fuck! What am I thinking? No way was he ready to cloister himself in an office each day and do whatever it was that lawyers did. With a shake of his head, he decided he'd continue to tell his old man that he needed more schooling before he could hope to pass the bar exam. That wasn't true of course because he was a friggin' genius and could easily pass that silly exam right now.
He sighed around the cigarette in his mouth. Being smart sucked. People expected an awful lot from you when you happened to have a high IQ, and Quinn wasn't ready to live up to those expectations. He had this great plan of living it up and enjoying his youth to the fullest, at least until the age of 30 when he would finally give in and conform to society. Maybe I'll wait until I hit 35.
As he lifted a fresh glass of brandy to his lips he caught sight of someone looking in his direction and watched as the person brushed back a cloak. It's a kid! Quinn chuckled. He never would have thought....
Holy shit!! His eyes now drank in the girl with the blonde hair and blue eyes sitting at the bar. What a beauty. He certainly wasn't bored anymore!
"Be back in a jif, guys," he muttered to his friends before standing, his long legs bringing him to the bar a moment later. He sat on the stool next to the gorgeous girl.
"Hello there." Quinn gave her his most charming smile as he peered at her from long stands of auburn hair falling over his strange amber eyes. "I haven't seen you around here before and I'm in this joint almost every day." That didn't sound right; he didn't want to give her the wrong impression.
"It's not like I'm an alcoholic or anything. I just like hanging out here." He shrugged. "Anyway, the name's Quinn. Can I buy you a drink?"
(ooc: gotta love those side characters who somehow work their way into becoming major characters. lol)
He came and sat beside her, and Bluette's stomach flipped. For a moment she panicked and wondered if she could even go through with this, if she was capable of the task set before her. It was the first time she'd done something this big, and while everyone had the utmost confidence of her and said she was the perfect choice for this, she wondered why he wasn't screaming at her to leave this tavern and never come back.
Then the panic was gone, and she just gave him a shy smile from behind her fan. All the information she'd been given helped her recognize who was sitting next to her, from the auburn hair and oddly amber eyes, to the flippant and casual air. He was a bit of a womanizer, too, so she should keep that in mind. Quinn Castel, younger son of none other than Donaldash Castel, crimelord extraordinaire.
"Hello there." He smiled at her, and she could feel the charm like almost a physical wave. He was practiced, she would give him that. "I haven't seen you around here before and I'm in this joint almost every day."
She swallowed a chuckle and hid a smile behind her fan. Her mother had always said men were fantastic at putting their feet in their mouths when it came to a pretty girl, and the more they tried to impress her, the funnier it got.
"It's not like I'm an alcoholic or anything," he went on quickly, trying to backpedal. Bluette by this time was grinning from ear to ear and hoping beyond hope that her fan was hiding most of it. "I just like hanging out here." He shrugged. "Anyway, the name's Quinn. Can I buy you a drink?"
She lowered her fan enough so he could see her smile, but she hoped he would think she wasn't laughing at him. "That would be lovely, thank you." Once the bartender came over to them, she told him she just wanted a glass of wine, please, somewhat watered. She'd never had anything stronger.
Once their drinks were served, she sat fiddling with the stem of her glass. "So, Quinn...you say you come here often, but you're not an alcoholic. What, then, is it you do here so often?" She gave him a sidelong glance, fixed him with her big blue eyes. "Fish for women, take the thrill of the hunt so to speak?"
With a shy laugh, she put her hands in her lap and stared at them. Her cheeks grew warm, and she knew with her pale skin they would be bright spots of red high on her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I--" She ducked her head again. "I don't mean to be so forward." She gave him her hand. "My name is Bluette, but everyone just calls me Blue."
Aric watched the two of them banter back and forth and did everything to first hold back a giggle and then hold back a gag. Not that these things showed on his face except perhaps in a slight wince that made it more appear as if he had a bit of a sinus headache. When a bar maid approached he smiled and quietly, his voice barely audible over the din ordered his food. He knew he was ordering more than he could afford, but sometimes one's stomach over rode one's brain. He'd bring in more money as soon as he could, provided of course that Marley didn't decide to brain him for not having tribute...
Well, nothing for it now. I'll just stick to the shadows and avoid him. Bizmar's a big place and unlike him, I'm small enough to sneak into all of it. He fought back a smug grin as he decided on his course of action. Let Marley think what he would next week little Aric's missing tribute would hardly be Marley's concern.
A wide grin spread along Quinn's lips when the pretty lady sitting on the stool beside him accepted his offer of a drink. Score!! His inner voice told him to calm down. Just because she said yes to a drink didn't mean she'd jump at the chance to go home with him for a little fun between the sheets. She seemed too sophisticated to go for a quick romp in the sack. But I've been wrong before.
She also didn't react to his name. That shocked him. Maybe there were actually people around who never heard of the Castel family. Quinn really wouldn't mind getting involved with a girl who liked him for himself, not because he had a powerful father.
Since Quinn was so well known, several inns kept an open tab for him that he paid at the end of each month. The Full Cup Tavern was one of those inns. But Quinn's desire to impress his new acquaintance made him plunk down several gold coins. "Keep the change."
The bartender's eyes flew wide as he scooped up the coins. He'd be a rich man in no time if more of his customers were this generous. "Thank you, Mr. Castel." He gave the couple a smile before moving off to attend to an old man at the far end of the bar who demanded a refill in a loud voice.
Quinn visibly winced. He hated being called mister because it made him feel old, plus it reminded him of his adopted father and brother. They were the ones who demanded respect and acted as if they were above everyone else. Quinn just wanted to be another one of the guys. He never asked to be adopted by a crimelord who would try to force the family business down his throat. The sound of his companion's voice pulled him from his reverie.
"So, Quinn...you say you come here often, but you're not an alcoholic. What, then, is it you do here so often?" She gave him a sidelong glance, fixed him with her big blue eyes. "Fish for women, take the thrill of the hunt so to speak?"
Fish for women? That made him chuckle. "Yeah, I guess you could say I enjoy a little fishing. But the main reason I come to places like this is because I want to get in as much living as possible."
Before I have to settle down and become a responsible adult who devotes the rest of his life to working for a major crime organization.
He noticed her cheeks redden as she apologized for being forward and thought that made her look even cuter. "There's no need to apologize. I don't get offended that easily."
Quinn was tempted to roll his eyes when he caught sight of Travis and his other friends grinning like loons and giving him the thumbs up sign. Obviously they approved of the woman he chose to hit on and probably couldn't wait to meet her. Well, they'd have to wait a while longer because he wanted the beauty all to himself right now.
She gave him her hand. "My name is Bluette, but everyone just calls me Blue."
Now, if he were Conor, he'd bring her hand to his lips for a gentle kiss. But I'm not my hotshot brother! While gazing into her eyes he simply held her petite hand in his much larger one, enjoying the warmth emanating from her smooth skin. "It's nice to meet you, Blue." What an interesting name!
He couldn't resist giving her a quick wink before releasing her hand and snatching up his drink off the bar. Now it's time for some small talk. "So, tell me a little about yourself, Blue. Do you live in Bizmar, or just visiting?" He frowned when he felt a buzzing in his pocket. "Excuse me a sec."
Quinn pulled out the magic communication mirror and did roll his eyes this time when he saw Travis' face in the glass. "What?"
Travis grinned from ear to ear. "We were wondering if you could ask your new girlfriend if she has any friends for us. We're lonely."
A scowl crossed Quinn's face. "Fuck off." He shoved the mirror into his pocket and brought his eyes back to Blue's face. "Now, where were we?" He sipped his drink and tried to ignore the howling laughter that came from his friends' table.
Aric was near finishing his meal when he heard Quinn's name with a bit of a headtilt he smiled and decided to eat slower...this could get interesting. That and he didn't think he could go home to listen to his mother's wet, labored breathing. Slowly he ate ocassionally adding another slice of meat, or bit of bread or cheese to the pouch at his side. His mother likely wouldn't eat it, but mabye it would keep Andre off his back. The last thing he needed was Andre on his case after the last beating he took from Marley. The last thing their mother needed was a war between Andre and Marley.
As the inn slowly began to fill Aric took this occassion to slip what meagre coin he had under the edge of his plate and slip further into the slowly growing crowd, perhaps in the din he wouldn't be noticed and he could continue to enjoy the warmth until he could sneak out with a crowd.
He knew what he was doing was stupid but a combination of guilt, anger, fear and just plain exhaustion held him in the warmth of the inn.
"Yeah, I guess you could say I enjoy a little fishing. But the main reason I come to places like this is because I want to get in as much living as possible."
So the young master Quinn Castel had a joie de vivre that was as insatiable as any boy's would be at his age...which was not too far from her own age, actually. But where Quinn had his father's money and the freedom of being a man in Bizmaran society, Bluette had been raised a proper lady. Only greed had given her more freedom than any of her counterparts.
And a man's greed, at that.
Before she could reply to his remark, however, he was reassuring her yet again. "There's no need to apologize. I don't get offended that easily."
So he was "young and robust," as her mother would say, but considerate and attentive. He noticed her blush, or read her body language, and had enough presence of mind to put two and two together.
"So, tell me a little about yourself, Blue. Do you live in Bizmar, or just visiting?" She opened her mouth to reply, but his frown froze the response in her throat. "Excuse me a sec," he said, and reached into his pocket.
What came next made it very difficult for Bluette to keep a straight face. Even with her mother's challenging finishing lessons, it was still a struggle to keep as nonchalant an expression as she possibly could. It wasn't as if she couldn't hear --faintly-- what the other person in the mirror was saying, after all. But when Quinn finally turned back to look at her, smiling, she was all poise and graceful gentry once more.
"Now, where were we?"
She gave him a playful smile. "'Fuck off,'" she quoted. "Would that be a customary farewell where you're from?" His smile faltered a little, but she just laughed and put her hand on his arm. "I meant no disrespect, my dear Quinn. Forgive me, I was only teasing."
Bluette reached for her glass and took a sip of the drink he'd paid for. It wouldn't do to have the drink sit when he had tipped the bartender so generously. Such gestures of flashy extravagance had to be appreciated. "To answer your question, Quinn," she lingered over his name a little, as if tasting it, "both, actually. Visiting, and from here." She smiled at his confusion, and explained. "My father fancies himself a merchant prince." She ducked her head a little, as if too modest to admit to a higher station. In actuality, her father did have pull in some circles, and everyone knew horses that came from her family's ranch were stiff competition for any line bred in Rhudma.
"He mainly trades in dyes and lace, my father does. Inherited everything from my grandfather. But it's our horses he loves most. I did most of my growing up in our country manor, about two days outside Bizmar. But my father keeps a town house here, too. I'm visiting. But I've lived here all my life. The only city I know is Bizmar."
Again she touched his arm, this time as if to console him. "I wouldn't be surprised if you've never heard of the Cattalain Ranch." She shook her head, let her hands fall in her lap. "Just country traders and ranchers, but I think we do somewhat well for ourselves."
She gave him a sidelong smile, somewhat self-conscious. "It's a little embarrassing, actually." She gestured to herself, then at him. "A little country girl, having a drink with Quinn Castel when everyone knows the Castels are a powerful family." Now her smile turned less self-conscious, more friendly and open. "But I seem to find the company is just fine as it is, and don't care a whit for who belongs in whatever family. Shall we rejoin your friends now?" She looked over at the table, where the rest of Quinn's friends were watching them and grinning. "Before their eyeballs fall out and their tongues roll on the floor?"
Aric observed the verbal fencing at the bar, as did nearly every eye in the bar, the women jealous and the men wondering if they were going to be able to swoop in at any point. It was pretty impressive, really the way they danced around one another, his brother was always insisting that he learned to speak and not just talk, and Aric momentarily could see what he meant. Though he still preferred his open honesty and cloaked lies to the dance that those two were doing. However; if he played his cards right it could be just the distraction he needed. With every eye watching them while trying to appear they weren't it lined things up fairly well.
All in all it made a fairly good time for him to attempt to slip out unnoticed. Carefully he gathered what little belongings he had and pulled the cloak up, the last thing he needed to do was trip over it. Thus with one eye scanning the room he made his way to the door, trying to look like nothing was wrong, and probably doing a pretty good job...at least so long as his luck held out...
A wide grin lit up Quinn's amber eyes when Bluette quoted his message to Travis. Although Blue had the speech and mannerisms of a lady she, obviously, didn't have any qualms about cursing. Bluette was a refreshing change from the women he usually hit on who were either too dignified or overly trampy. He didn't mind a little overly trampy when he really needed to get laid, but such girls weren't much good for anything else. Once in a while it would be nice to have an intelligent conversation before and after the sex.
Quinn knew his friends and his brother would be shocked if they learned he found intelligent women sexy because he always picked up buxom beauties with brains no larger than a pea instead. These pea-brains were easy to get into bed and they didn't think about getting married and raising a family with him right after sharing a night of hot sex. Quinn liked that about them since he didn't plan on settling down for several years, yet he still occasionally longed for some decent conversation with his one-night stands.
He took a sip of his drink then stared at Bluette's lovely mouth while she spoke. A stirring began in his groin when he imagined pulling her into his arms, her breasts pressed against this chest as they shared a tantalizing kiss. Quinn shook off the erotic daydream while gulping down more of his drink and thinking about maggots feeding on a slab of rotten meat. Thankfully, that cooled him down fast. His friends would tease him unmercifully if he showed up at the table sporting a boner.
After having the bartender top off his drink, Quinn faced his beautiful companion. "You're right. I've never heard of the Cattalain Ranch. But I bet my brother Conor has because he knows just about everything about everybody in Bizmar."
He could elaborate and tell her the Castel family paid several beggars throughout the city for information but kept his mouth shut. Conor would flip his lid if he found out his little brother gave away family secrets. Quinn gave the impression of being afraid of his brother while in reality he simply hated dealing with Conor's temper tantrums and the long lectures that would follow from him as well as his old man.
"It's a little embarrassing, actually," Bluette said. "A little country girl, having a drink with Quinn Castel when everyone knows the Castels are a powerful family."
Quinn couldn't help rolling his eyes. Sometimes he hated being known as a member of such a powerful family because it put people on guard, or it made them act super nice in hopes of gaining favor with his father or his brother since Conor was now considered the head of the family business.
"But I seem to find the company is just fine as it is," Bluette went on to say, "and don't care a whit for who belongs in whatever family."
Well, that's a relief! Quinn would hate to think she wanted to spend a little time with him simply because he happened to be a Castel.
"Shall we rejoin your friends now, before their eyeballs fall out and their tongues roll on the floor?"
Quinn laughed. "You already know them too well." He picked up his drink off the bar before leaning in closer to whisper in her ear. "Don't mind Dylan. He'll probably give you dirty looks because he has a huge crush on me. He keeps hoping I'm going to fall in love with him even though I've told him a thousand times that I don't swing that way." He grinned against Blue's ear, his hot breath bathing it as he spoke. "It's fun to tease him though."
When she was ready, he led her to the table. "Guys, this is Bluette." All but Dylan gave her a smile. Quinn pointed out each of his friends as he introduced them. "These are my buddies, Perry, Kip, Dylan, and..." He frowned. "Where's Travis?"
Perry pointed to the far end of the common room where the bathroom was located. "He's making an ale deposit."
Quinn pulled out a chair and waited until Bluette was seated before he slid onto the chair next to hers. He chuckled under his breath when he noticed the scowl on Dylan's face.
Kip pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and cocked his head at Blue. "Do you have any girlfriends you could call and invite over here?"
********
Travis walked out of the bathroom and was just finishing lacing up his pants when he bumped into a cloaked figure hurrying toward the door. When he realized the figure was the kid he'd seen earlier, he pulled out a silver coin and waved it in front of his face. "This is yours if you follow me back to my table and spit shine my boots."
He really didn't care about getting his boots shined but he knew street kids hung out at taverns hoping to make money for food and thought it nice to help them out once in a while.
The glint of silver pulled Aric from his reverie he then traced the arm to the mans face, memorizing it quickly. "Of course sir." He smiled a bit, trying not to seem too eager. While the job was not one he was exactly keen on doing, the silver could either A: save his skinny ass or B: feed his family for at least a few days.
It was wordlessly that he followed Travis to the table, trying for all the world to look less like a whipped dog. He was after all earning his money.
She would have felt badly about how eager Quinn was to believe she didn't care about the power behind his name. Wouldn't anyone with a name such as Castel be accustomed to the fear and respect such a name engendered and, having been raised with it, come to expect it? Surely he loved his name?
If Bluette had had such a name, she liked to think she wouldn't abuse such power but surely she would enjoy it! That was what her father was working toward...and what she was working toward, just in a different way.
It was something to think about as she followed him back to his table. He warned her about Dylan, and suddenly new possibilities began to spring up in her mind. This could be played so many different ways, and loving men gave her something in common with this Dylan. If she could encourage Quinn's interest in a pretty face, and yet seem as if she were only trying to be friendly and not actually catch Quinn's interest, it would make an ally of Dylan. And allies confided in one another.
"I'll be careful," she promised, and then it was too late to say more. She was introduced to Perry, Kip, Dylan --who glared-- and missed out on Travis.
"It's very nice to meet you all, gentlemen," she said with a smile. "Already Quinn's told me so much about you." She laughed at the joking suspicion she saw in some of the boys' eyes. "Don't worry, though. It was all good."
"Do you have any girlfriends you could call and invite over here?" the one called Kip asked her.
Hmm. Direct, obvious, and with no class whatsoever. She decided to meet it head-on instead of playing the coquette, giggling milksop. "No, I don't," she said, meeting his eyes. "I have no sisters, and fewer friends. Even if I did, they'd be far too proper to even consider a little fun, unfortunately." But then she brightened her smile and turned it on the rest of the boys at the table, knowing when she smiled like that her dimple was prominent. "I guess you boys will just have to share me." She laughed.
"Sharing you is a great idea," Kip said while moving closer to Bluette.
When Quinn spotted his friend swooping in to kiss her, he reached over, his hand moving to cover Kip's face. "Knock it off!" he hissed, pushing Kip away from the beautiful blonde.
"Hey! She said we could share her." Kip actually pouted. That made Perry laugh, while Quinn and Dylan rolled their eyes.
Travis arrived at the table with the boy in tow. He greeted Bluette with a smile. "Hello. I'm Travis," he said as he lowered himself into his chair. "I thought it was time to get my boots shined." He nodded at Aric then waited for him to get to work.
Quinn gave his friend an incredulous look. Travis never gave a crap about his boots before. His eyes fell to the kid. I bet he just wants to help out this urchin. He flagged down a barmaid. "Bring us another round of drinks and some munchie food." Quinn was a junk food junkie and proud of it. "And get this kid a hot meal and a big glass of milk." He grinned at the boy kneeling by Travis, working on his boots.
"Be right back with your order, Darlin'."The barmaid gave him a wink before hurrying away. She always tried to be extra nice to Quinn Castel because he was a great tipper as well as the son of a crimelord.
"The band finished setting up," Dylan said, pointing to the small stage in the corner of the large common room. That meant his friends would start hunting for girls to dance with, leaving him alone at the table again. He sighed, wishing Quinn would pay half as much attention to him as he did to the hussies he picked up nearly every night.
Perry's eyes widened in delight when he saw a group of pretty girls walk in and sit down at a table near the bar. "Things are starting to get interesting."
Travis followed Perry's eyes to the girls then he looked down at the boy spit shining his shoes. "What's your name, kid? You live around here?"
Quinn nonchalantly eased his arm across Bluette's shoulders. "Later we'll head to my place and continue to party. You have to come. You'll love my magically heated indoor pool." He took a sip of his vodka and apple juice concoction then slowly licked his lips. "Do you want to dance?" he asked when the band launched into a slow song.
The barmaid returned with a large tray filled with bowls of popcorn, chunks of rich chocolate, roasted nuts, pungent cheeses, toasted garlic bread, and fresh fruit. She also set down a plate piled high with beef and mashed potatoes for Aric.
The moment the chance was available Aric got to work. Both shining shoes and absorbing all of the information he possibly could. Dylan's doe eyes were filed away for later. "And get this kid a hot meal and a big glass of milk." He could help but smile in the direction of the boot he was working on as most of the meal he'd ordered previously was secreted away in pouches beneath his cloak.
Though a spit shine never took him long, he'd gotten it down to an art, he took a little longer than usual, enjoying the warmth of the inn versus the relative cold outside. That and lately he was never eager to go home. Home meant listening to wet, strained coughing while trying to sleep, to enduring angry glares from Andre.
"What's your name kid? You live around here?" It took him a moment to register that it was him being spoken to.
"Name's Aric and yeah...I live around here." Around was a relative term, the walk home would take just this side of an hour should nothing untoward happen. Pain tensed his body a moment as he looked over his shoulder at the plates of food that were brought up...he'd almost forgotten about that particular bit of bruising.
He started work on the second boot while speaking. "Anyone else?"
