The tavern was alive with noise and smoke, filled with beastfolk, demons, and humans crammed shoulder to shoulder, singing and dancing. The air was thick with sweat, spilled ale, and the sharp bite of smoke. A lute twanged off-key somewhere in the corner, and beastfolk clapped along to their own rhythm.
Amira tugged Lucian's sleeve like an eager child, pulling him through the door.
"Come on, don't just stand there like a statue," she said, flashing him a grin.
Lucian scanned the room, unamused.
"Look! I think I see Layla." She hooked her arm through his and dragged him toward a familiar voice.
At a corner table sat Layla, leaning casually against a hulking figure in soot-stained blacksmith clothes. The man was built like a mountain, his greenish skin and broad, tusked jaw making him look every bit the ogre he was.
"Surprised to see you guys here!" Layla called, waving them over. "Figured you'd be breaking in every corner of the house by now!" She winked.
They both just stared at her blankly.
Layla cleared her throat. "Amira, Lucian.. this is Hort, the town's blacksmith."
Lucian gave a curt nod. Hort's eyes raked him up and down before he chuckled. "This the guy you were talking about? He's super tiny. I've hammered horseshoes bigger than him."
Amira froze, glancing nervously at Lucian.
Lucian only stared blankly back, gray eyes unblinking.
The blacksmith scratched the back of his head, shifting uncomfortably under the silence. "Uh… I was kidding."
Lucian turned to leave. "I'll order food."
He walked to the bar, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.
"Did I offend him?" Hort muttered.
Layla smirked. "Nah. I'm pretty sure that's just how he is. Like a rock. If you made him mad, you'd know it."
Back at the bar, Lucian waited for the maid's attention. Behind him, a table of merchants spoke low, their words carrying just enough for him to catch.
"…damn Flesh gang, came into town again last night."
"Did they hurt anyone?"
"Nah, when have they ever? They just drink, throw a few chairs, make a mess, then leave. Never touch the village itself, though they sure cause a lot of ruckus."
"Because they don't need to. Step too far past the fields, you're fair pickings. They own the roads. You want to travel, you pay or you disappear."
Lucian's jaw tightened.
The barmaid finally slid over, setting down a few plates of meat and bread along with several mugs of ale. "Here you are, handsome. And knowing Layla, you'd better take these too, she'll want another in a few minutes."
Lucian gave a single nod, balancing the tray as he returned to the table.
Meanwhile on his way back, Hort rubbed his neck. "Think he hates me now."
Layla snorted. "Don't take it personal." She turned to Amira. "So… does he plan on leaving tomorrow?"
Amira blinked, caught off guard. "Leaving?"
Layla raised a brow. "You told me earlier he might. Did you forget?"
The realization hit Amira like a slap. She forced a smile, but her hands tightened in her lap. 'Is he really going to leave?'
Lucian set the tray down. Amira immediately grabbed the mug meant for Layla and drained it in a few gulps.
"Hey—" Layla started, but Amira was already digging into her food with uncharacteristic silence.
"Sorry. Just really thirsty," she muttered.
Another mug disappeared. Then another. With each drink, her forced smile cracked more.
Hort sipped his beer quietly, trying not to draw attention to himself. He could feel things were about to pop.
Lucian ate his food in his own world. "Do you make nails?" he asked flatly, eyes still on his plate.
Hort blinked, looking around before realizing the question was for him. "Uh—yeah. Yeah, I can make nails."
Lucian nodded. "There's a gap in the roof. If it rains, it'll leak. What kind of nail would I need for something like that?"
Hort rubbed his chin, trying to recall the house, he'd repaired it a few times before. "I'd say you'd probably need a hand-width nail to drive the boards closer together."
Lucian raised his hand and rotated it. "My hand or your hand? Considering mine are… small."
For a beat, Hort just stared at him, mouth slightly open. Then he burst into a hearty laugh that shook the mugs on the table. "Hah! You're not so bad after all!" He slammed his empty mug down and stomped his foot, clapping Lucian on the shoulder. "I'd have to say my hand, then!"
Amira downed another mug while Layla sighed, rubbing her temples.
"So, LuLU" hiccup "what's the deal you and that Bell woman made?" Amira asked, her tongue tripping over the name with clear mockery.
Lucian wiped his mouth and pushed his plate forward. "I wouldn't call it a deal. She said I was welcome to stay with her if I needed to."
Layla slapped her forehead. Hort scooted his chair back a little.
"Oh! That's just wonderful!" Amira said, grabbing another mug. "Well, you tell her—"
"Ami, that's enough," Layla cut in, snatching the drink from her hands. "Lucian, get her home before she drowns herself."
Lucian nodded, standing. Amira stumbled to her feet, clutching his sleeve.
They staggered back to the cottage. Amira's steps were clumsy, her cheeks flushed. "I'm sorry… I don't normally get like this," she whispered from behind Lucian.
"That's alright. Just haven't seen your friend in a while, I get it," Lucian said, recalling nights like this with his brothers.
When they reached the door, Amira suddenly stopped, tears streaming down her face.
Lucian turned, startled. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head, refusing to answer. Instead she crashed against him, wrapping her arms around his torso in a desperate grip. "Don't leave!" she cried, knocking them both to the ground.
Lucian caught himself on one knee, but she clung so tightly he couldn't move. With a sigh, he lifted her and carried her to the chair by the fire, settling with her in his lap.
Amira pressed her face to his chest, voice muffled by sobs. "Please… don't leave."
Lucian rested a hand on her head, patting gently. "Amira," he said softly, the name rolling off his tongue with unexpected warmth. "I'm not going anywhere."
Her breath caught. Hearing him say her name made something inside her break open. She buried her face deeper in his chest, bright red and trembling.
Within minutes, the drink and tears pulled her into sleep, her body relaxing in his arms. Lucian leaned back in the chair, his eyes slipping shut soon after.
Morning light filled the cottage. Amira stirred first, blinking against the brightness. She realized where she was, still curled in Lucian's lap. Her face flushed crimson as memories of the night before rushed back, but she lingered, breathing in his warmth, studying the calm lines of his sleeping face.
She leaned closer, brushing her nose against his shirt as she breathed him in.
The door burst open.
"Ami!" Layla's voice rang through the house. She stood in the doorway, breathless, eyes wide. "The entire Flesh gang is outside the village."
Amira jolted upright. Lucian's eyes snapped open instantly, hand already reaching for a blade that wasn't there.
"They're asking for Lucian," Layla said grimly.