#ferk

Derk sat at the bar, idly swirling the brown liquid in his glass. His divorce was official, and he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. Erik was off saving the world, and he had no idea where their other thieving accomplices had ended up. 

He wasn’t upset with Opal, he couldn’t be. She’d fallen in love with a lively young thing back in Heliodor. She was all hip-shaking, fast-talking, and an all-around good time. Derk knew he couldn’t compete with that. He’d only met her once, Eliza, she said her name was.

Derk sighed again, would he ever find another? With a flick of the wrist he downed the rest of his drink and went to pay his tab.

“Actually sir, your tab’s been paid.”

Derk’s eyebrows furrowed. “By who?”

The bartender pointed over to a blonde man sitting a few seats down, a champagne flute in his hand. He tipped his feather-adorned head in acknowledgement with a cocky smile.

Derk hurried outside and hid away in a nearby alley, resting his head against the sandstone. He gritted his teeth against the tears that fell easily. Things were changing too quickly. He thought a trip around the world would help him open up a little, but now all he wanted to do was go home.

A shadow fell across the alley, and Derk tensed toward his dagger. As the figure moved closer and into the light, he saw it was the same man from the bar.

“Hello, friend. I hope I haven’t startled you too badly, but I was worried when I saw you run out so quickly. Are you alright?”

Derk wiped his face with his sleeve, hopefully this stranger hadn’t caught onto the fact that he’d been crying.

The stranger eyed him for a moment, deciding to extend his hand.

“My name is Faris.”

Derk reached out to shake his hand, but was shocked when Faris brought it to his lips in a light kiss. Chivalrous. 

“Uh...pleased to meet ya.”

Faris didn’t let go of his hand.

“Would you...like to take a stroll around the city with me?”

Derk thought for a moment, this guy didn’t seem like a threat. He shrugged his shoulders. He definitely didn’t have anything better to do, and who knew? Maybe the company would be good for him.