#rimath

Maths hadn’t been to Silvermoon in years. The first steps back inside the walls were a little disorienting. Things had changed. He had changed. He scrubbed a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. People glanced his way, but their eyes quickly moved on to his sister. He tried to keep his hackles down, but it was hard with the open hostility being shown to her.

Estira had a light hand on her warp stalker’s head, but her unfocused eyes roved the city paired with a dreamy expression. Whatever she saw reflected in the marble and stone of the city, Maths would never see. The Void’s incubation in her was much more prominent than his own. It made sense, she’d invited it with relief once she’d understood what was happening. Maths had simply followed his sister protectively. Habitually.

They walked slowly; Maths was on high alert for anyone threatening them with more than a glare and Estira was meandering, leading them on what Maths could only assume were her whims. Hopefully not whispers.

It made a long and uncomfortable walk for him.

They finally found the Embassy that Easy had told them about. The siblings registered and were approved to stay in the city with little fuss. A few rules and recommendations were given by rote, with no shock shown from their host as a passerby spat insults and sputum alike in their direction. The soft hum of an arcane barrier activated and protected them. The ren’dorei reading the scroll did not even flinch, did not even look toward the other elf. Estira’s gaze focused finally, pinning on the man, but she remained still and poised. Her ears twitched, though. Maths swallowed and pulled her gently the other way, toward an inn their attendant had told them was friendly.

This city had changed.

Most would assume him to be completely frivolous. And that wasn’t true. He wasn’t COMPLETELY frivolous. Only mostly frivolous.

His sister. Music. His hair. These were serious things. Precious and worthy of attention.

But he did appreciate a good time. His big smile and the sparkle in his eyes gave him away. Rimath had a signature as bombastic as his jokes, and he flourished it before setting down the pen. Even the broker was smiling back, and these guys almost never smiled. Too serious usually. Maths could get them loosened up though. Easy had counted on it. Maths was good with figures.

“That’s it then. You’ll take over the property after the new year. We will be in touch with some reliable vendors. Good luck, Mr. Wildswind. You’ll be hearing from us soon.” The human stood up and snapped his business case closed, the freshly-signed paperwork safely inside. Maths held out his hand to the gnomish woman and shook it.

“Delighted to hear it. Easy and I thank you for this opportunity and we’ll be sure to pass on your name to our friends in need.”

It was all coming together.

It didn’t look like all that much--and that had gotten them a great deal!--but it felt destined. A coat of paint, some sanding out the snags, and some well-placed guards? Yeah, this place would work out good. A bit of a hole in the wall, but it was quirky and got a lot of foot traffic.

Some people would say no one needed another bar. But she had character. She had access. She had personality.

Or she would.

His sister had teased him about his infatuation with the idea of owning a bar, but Maths didn’t mind admitting he was already half in love with the place. Now it existed.

Almost.

@daily-writing-challenge​

There was something delightful about anything golden. Coins, jewelry, the sun. Rimath could appreciate them all. Magpie that he was, he tended to always have something in the color on his person: a button, a coin that danced between his fingers, the hilt of a dagger, the wrapper of a candy.

You could hide a number of needs or lies or desires in that color.

Maths smiled that devastating smile of his and leaned on the bar. Booty Bay once again had sung her siren song and he’d be leaving soon, but there was a poker tournament he intended to join and a shipment of antiquities he’d agreed to appraise.

Passing time until the work started, Rimath felt his smile falter, just a moment, when he remembered that, once upon a time in a fairy tale of memory, his sister’s hair had been golden. Before the whispers, before the darkness and the touch of violet blushed her cheeks and dyed her hair. Estira had been a classic golden beauty, just like her mother, until the void had stolen the girl she had once been.

Maths let his gaze go out the open window and over the ocean, where the setting sun bathed everything in a few last moments of dazzling light, before slipping beneath the horizon and darkening everything. He missed it immediately.

September

20th -  Day 1 - First(s) / Explosion - First Things First - Khaeris

21st -  Day 2 - Zandalar/Kul Tiras / Invasion - Idyllic Invasion - Khaeris

22nd - Day 3 - Autumn / Mask -  Mask - Tinnaire

23rd - Day 4 - Breathrough / Broken - Broken -  Khaeris

24th - Day 5 - Rain / Sacrifice - Rain - Renrael

25th - Day 6 - Brewfest /Disaster  - Spelled in Disaster: Brewfest - Tinnaire

  26th - Day 7 - Dance / Betrayed - Beach - Khaeris

27th - Day 8 - Companion / Bitter - Bitter - Renrael

28th - Day 9 - Cycle / Poison - Poison - Khaeris

29th - Day 10 - Harvest Festival / Reap -  Reap - Tinnaire

30th - Day 11 - Passion /  Curse - That First Curse - Tinnaire

October

1st - Day 12 - Escape / Scourge - Escape - Tinnaire

2nd - Day 13 - Time / Abandon - Abandon - Khaeris

3rd - Day 14 - Advice / Silence - Silence - Kharris

4th - Day 15 - Night Sky / Lost - Lost - Kharris

5th - Day 16 - Coy / Pain  - Pain Plays Coy - Rimath

6th - Day 17 - Purpose / Loss - Read Between the Lines - Renrael

7th - Day 18 - Tradition / Fire - Tradition - Tinnaire

8th - Day 19 - Adventure / Distance - No Distance in Dreams - Khaeris

9th - Day 20 - Hope / Battle - Hope - Renrael

10th - Day 21 - Innocence / Judgement - Not Her Secret To Tell - Khaeris

11th - Day 22 - Wealth / Shiver - Wealth - Kharris/Khaeris

12th - Day 23 - Friendship / Storm - Bad at Friends - Khaeris

13th - Day 24 - Rescue / Treason - Rescue - Kharris

14th - Day 25 - Kiss / Threat - Kisses - Khaeris

15th - Day 26 - Trust / Tears - Contrition - Khaeris

16th - Day 27 - Anticipation / Atonement - Anticipated Atonement - Tinnaire

17th - Day 28 - Reconcile / Cemetery - Reconciling Herself to the Future - Tinnaire

18th - Day 29 - Hallow’s End / Alone - Haunted Housewarming - Tinnaire

19th - Day 30 - Secret / Lies - Honesty - Khaeris

He was silent, eyes hard. It would be worse for her if he didn't keep quiet. She didn't need to be here. They didn't need to be here. But the whispers... She'd been cursed with them since she'd been small. Shadows. Void. Whatever you wanted to name it. Wicked. Wild. Witch. The names had been whispered in the same way she heard the voices. Their parents hadn't known what to do and had refused to believe it couldn't be trained out of her. They barely acknowledged their youngest's idiosyncrasies. Her wide, dilated eyes at noon. The way her head would cock, as if listening to the wind. Wandering through the Eversong woods. She wasn't dangerous. Not yet. Why couldn't they see?

Rimath continued to shadow her. He would be there, even if the rest of their family turned their gazes away, uncomfortable.

"Pick your poison, sir: we can do this the Easy way," Rimath smiled winningly, leaning onto the table, "or we can use some hard Maths. You choose. But choose soon." His finger tapped on the rough tabletop, nail clicking quietly. It was almost lost in the din of the busy bar they sat in. "We've already done our part. Now it's your turn to make good on this little pact we set up. We got the goods--none too easy a feat, which is why you hired us. I got gilbins ready to bite my pretty little fingertips to get these damn pearls back. Vash'jir has a lot of pointy teeth and a lot of problematic people in it. ... I'd prefer not to think Boralus has been taking lessons from naga. You're not a problematic man, are you?" Again the winning smile flashed and he leaned back. "So the easy way is you pass over that bag of gold you'd promised us and I pass you these pretty little pearls. The hard way is MY way: I punch you in the nose, and maybe the pecker, and then I take the bag of gold, never giving you this parcel. You pick."