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20 Sun’s Dusk
Whiterun
Jerric breezed through the Bannered Mare’s front door and headed straight to the bar. Hulda glanced up from her mopping. She did not look surprised to see him. “Hungry, tired, or just plain thirsty?” she asked.
“I’m two out of three, and you can guess which, I’ll wager.” Jerric shouldered in between two patrons and leaned on the bar.
“The usual, then?”
“Yep. A pitcher of ale and beef with bread and a side of horker loaf, with mead and venison stew while we’re waiting. And some Honnigbrew mead. And an apple. Two apples. Better make that three apples.”
Hulda raised a brow. “We? It’s not all for you this time?”
“Well, yeah. But I’m going to sit over there with my friends. They likely ate hours ago.” He gestured to where Lildereth sat at a table, a wine goblet at her elbow. The elf’s scowl seemed to be working. In the crowded tavern no one had managed to steal her extra chairs. “So
we’ll be waiting for me to get my dinner,” Jerric finished.
Hulda started to turn away.
“Hold on a moment. I need to write a letter. Do you have some parchment I could borrow?”
Now Hulda’s other brow went up. “Borrow ?
Write?”
“Uh, and some ink and a quill?”
The innkeeper gathered the materials and walked off to arrange his meal.
Jerric viewed the bar top. Crumbs swam in a sea of spilled mead and wine. Hulda’s efforts at cleaning could not keep up with the locals’ excesses tonight. This town knew how to celebrate Warrior’s Festival. He cleared the clutter off of a nearby side table and smoothed the parchment sheet.
Be careful, he told himself.
Take your time so she can read it. He doubted that Hulda’s good graces would extend to more supplies if he made too many mistakes.
Jerric reached into his pocket for the gift Buffy had sent to him. Jerric’s Stone rested on his palm like a chip of pure sky. Magicka tickled his hand as it flowed steadily into the stone, refilling it. The tavern’s sounds and smells faded to the background as he thought of the little elf with dazzling blue eyes who had been so thoughtful and remembered his birthday.
He set the stone beside his hand and carefully dipped the quill.
Dearest Buffy,
Next time I see you get ready, because I’m going to hug you off your feet. The courier found me this morning right by the bridge over the White River. I got a chance to try your gift out right away because I was on my way to a job and as usual had about enough magicka left to heal a hangnail. I guess you know that spot’s a good place to find bandits. You would not enjoy the noise and mess my frost runes make, but they sure got the job done today. The road’s a little safer now at least for a few days and I didn’t even get my blade wet thanks to the magicka from Jerric’s Stone.
Buffy, this is the part that may sound womanish. You know how it is with the days like birthdays when some of the ones you love can’t ever be there with you again. I started off this morning fighting back that feeling. Then you remembered my magicka problems and thought of me on my birthday, and I don’t have the words for how much that means. I will use Jerric’s Stone every day even when something’s not trying to end my life, and each time I will think of you with thanks for your gift which is a true treasure. Even more precious is your kind heart and your friendship.
Now I think that’s enough of that kind of talk. I’m glad to hear you’re keeping warm. We’re staying in a little house in Whiterun this winter next to Adrienne and Ulfberth’s shop. You should come stay with us when you and Superian are passing through. There’s plenty of fresh air even with all of us in there breathing it on account of the gaps between the walls and the roof, and the gaps in the walls, and I’d guess also the gaps in the roof. Maybe that’s how the house got its name. But it has a big fireplace and we have piles of furs so it works out all right.
Everyone says hello right back to you. Darnand had a lot of questions he wanted me to ask you about Jerric’s Stone but I think we can skip all that and let him figure things out himself. We’ll raise a glass to you tonight, and I’ll drink a beer for Superian.
Thank you, Buffy. You made me grin so much it hurts.
Love from your friend,
Jerric