What Happens in Kolton, Stays in Kolton

The twin moons hang low in the sky as Alexia, Roden, and Lakie stand in front of a large tavern with a sign of a purple colored gull.

“Sorry about your hat.” The dwarf puts a hand to the back of his neck “Not sure we can replace it.”

“No worries.” The mage chuckles “It was just given to all the graduates.”

“Graduates?”

“Yes,” Roden tries to wriggle free from a clinging Alexia “We have organizations that train people in magic.”

“Hold on.” Alexia slides to an upright position “If it was not a special hat how did it stay with you after we fell in the sea?”

“I said it was not important.” Roden finally frees himself from Alexia “I did not say it was not special.”

“So will it stay with you even though we left it with the head?” Lakie intercepts Alexia from clinging to Roden again.

“No idea.” The young man shrugs.

“Well I’m knackered.” Lakie speaks before the silence can become awkward, he steps up to the door and holds it open for his companions “Let’s head on in.”

“Rooooooodeeeeeeen.” Alexia slumps onto the man once more “Carry me.”

“Are you serious right now?”

“This cube is just so heavyyyyyyy.” The inventor puts a hand over her eyes as if she was directed to faint by some unseen playwright.

“Why do you expect me to carry you then?” The mage walks past Lakie inside.

Alexia grumbles as she stomps past Lakie.

“G’day!” An oni woman waves a hand to the trio from behind a rather massive palm wood desk “How are you all today?”

“Knackered.”

“Like my friend said,” Roden stops in front of the desk “Knackered.”

“Annoyed.” Alexia crosses her arms and pouts.

“Well that’s to be-” The oni looks at Alexia “What? Annoyed?”

“Ignore her, please.” Roden cuts in as he grabs out his coin pouch “We’d like a room please.”

“Of course.” The oni looks in the desk for a key “How long will ya be staying?”

“Just the one night.” Lakie grabs Alexia by the cube strap.

“A’ight.” The clerk steps in front of the desk “Follow me please.”

The oni leads them to a door on the third floor of the building. She opens it to reveal a small room with only two beds.

“Only two beds.” She steps out of the way for the trio to step inside “I hope that won’t be a problem.”

“It-”

“Wonderful!” Alexia cuts in as she hugs Roden “We’ll just share a bed.”

The oni closes the door behind her. Roden and Lakie get Alexia off of the mage.

“I need to get some air.” Roden steps out of the room.

A silence hangs heavily over the dwarf and human. The only sound coming from the bed creaking as Lakie sits down on it and Alexia takes off the cube.

“What is wrong with ya?”

“I already said,” Alexia sits down next to Lakie on the bed “I feel really good.”

“That doesn’t answer the question.” Lakie slides away from the woman.

“You know,” The woman slides next to him again “I did not notice until now. But you have very striking eyes.” The dwarf rolls his eyes.

“Thanks. My girlfriend said the same thing.”

“Oh.” The woman turns his head to face her “Well I will not tell if you do not.”

Alexia goes for a kiss but Lakie hops up to his feet.

“I’m alright.” The dwarf sits on the bed across from her “I’m not looking for anyone else right now.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Alexia’s voice sounds wounded.

“I’m happily in relations with one women and another man.” Lakie moves his hands about as if that will help get his point across.

“So you do not want another?” Alexia wipes a fake tear.

“Listen it’s not that I don’t find ya physically attractive.” The dwarf puts his hands up trying to figure out what to do to comfort the liar “It’s just your personality and mine aren’t a match.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” The woman glares at Lakie.

“You’re even more of a pain in the ass like this.” Lakie mutters with a sigh.

-- -- --

Roden breaths a sigh of relief as he looks out the window of the Purple Gull’s tavern whilst nursing a small mug of drink. The moons creating a brilliant shimmer across the surface of the sea.

I feel bad for leaving Lakie with Alexia right now but I just could not take it anymore. The young man thinks as he takes a sip.

“Excuse me.”

A pair of elves stand over the young mage knocking him out of his thoughts.

“You seem rather mature.” One of them sits down next to the human while the other sits across from him.

“How old are you?” The one across from Roden tilts her head.

“Does it matter?”

“No but we are rather curious.” The elf next to the mage sips from his own drink “I am a rather young ninety three.”

“Nineteen.”

“See?” The elf across from Roden playfully taps the other elf’s arm “I told you humans age way differently. It is why they mostly look the same.” She looks at Roden “No offense meant.”

“None taken.” The human takes a sip.

Damn knife ears.

“So what is it like being so young yet so functional?” The woman takes a sip of her drink.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Elves live for much longer than humans so we also develop much longer.”

“I see.”

“So what is it like?” The elf next to him pesters.

“I imagine not much different than a young adult elf.” Roden sips trying to deflect this awkward pair away.

“That may be true, but nineteen is still very much a child to us.” The woman gives a condescending smile.

The mage internally groans realizing there is no escape from this conversation.

“For me personally, it has been rather eventful. A friend and I reconnected after some time apart.”

“Well that is always a pleasure.”

“It has been, trying.” Roden slumps before finishing his drink “If you do not mind.” He stands up “I am quite knackered.”

Before either of the elves can object Roden quickly goes up stairs to his room.

“There you are.” Alexia sits cross legged on one of the beds with a rather dazed expression on her face “Ready for bed?”

“Yes.”

Roden lifts up Alexia and sets her on the ground before he lays down in the bed.

“How could you treat a lady like that?” Alexia’s voice is a quiet rasp as Lakie begins to snore.

-- -- --

Lakie yawns as he wakes up to see Roden lying asleep in the other bed with Alexia curled up clinging to the mage.

“AH!”

Alexia hops out of the bed and quickly grabs her belt. The woman rolls her neck and shoulders whilst blocking the door to the room. Roden wearily opens his eyes at the sight.

“Never mention any of what I said or did yesterday, ever again.” Alexia pulls out a matchstick from her belt “If you do, I will set you on fire.”