We found a table to sit at. Thankfully the tables were scaled for people of our size rather than Impala Riders. The large furniture gave the place the air of children playing house what with all the Impala riders in the place. My guide was about as tall as me, which isn't very and quite slim. He lowered his veil to show his face which since it had no facial hair and fairly delicate features could have easily been that of a boy, girl or woman. I was pretty sure that I had never seen the face before.
A server came over to take our order. I manfully surpressed the urge to ask her what her mommy was thinking letting her come into a place like this. I ordered wine and she stared at me like I'd asked for the nectar of the gods. I tried beer and got the same stare. Fearing the worse I asked what there was to drink and she brought my fears vividly to life by grunting, "Kvass." Fermented impala's milk. I shuddered inwardly, briefly toyed with really risking my life by ordering water instead and then bowed to the inevitable and ordered two kvass. I was rewarded by the blanched look that came over my tablemate's face. The server stumped off to fill our orders
I turned to my tablemate and said, "I'm afraid that you have the best of me. You know who I am but I have no idea of who you are." He replied in excellent New Pelorian, "Let's just say that my name is Petro." Great, rock, very believeable. "Okay, Petro which one of the dearly departed did you know?" "Oh, both of them but I knew Cressidus best." I waited for more information and when it wasn't forthcoming I asked the question I had wanted to ask at the graveside, "So what was your relation to Cressidus? Friend, enemy, creditor," I paused, "lover?"
"All of the above." Petro paused and when I had nothing judgemental to say, I mean how could I as a member of an Empire run by a complete deviant, then continued, "I was a member of his bodyguard." I snorted at this but my snort was cut short when I felt a cold blade pressed against the big artery on my real leg. I got the cold sweats real fast since I hadn't even seen him draw. "Don't piss me off Placidus. I may be dressed like a woman and like to sleep with men but that doesn't make me a pushover or a chump. If you screw with me I will let your life blood pour out all over this floor." "Point taken. My apologies."
I felt the blade retreat and felt pleased that my bladder hadn't let me down. I felt suddenly guilty at the thought of subjecting it to kvass though. I put myself back together and Petro put his blade back. At this awkward moment our server returned with our order. She set it down, I paid her, she left and we both sat there a moment looking dubiously at the vile brew. I shook my head and decided asking Petro questions was much less dangerous than drinking that stuff. "So how long have you known Cressidus?" "I was one of the young troublemakers sent to his "boys" club at the Sun Dome in Sartar." I was taken aback. "You're a Yemalian? Isn't it some sort of mortal sin to dress like a woman?" Petro shrugged, "Technically it is, however you should know perfectly well by now that reality and legality don't necessarily operate the same way." "Oh," I intelligently replied. "Cressidus helped me to realize my true nature and later we became lovers. Before that though we were business partners."
I was just about to ask him what sort of business they were in together when we were rudely interrupted by the front wall of the bar being rather nosily ripped off the building.
To be continued.
Oliver
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