She had taken up at an inn at the far end of the city, having walked the streets before making the choice. It was as quiet as she could hope to find things, but still there was endless noise. Most had seemed unbothered by her presence, though that may have been a symptom of the continuous river of ale. The innkeep had refused her cubes, saying he had no need of Drow money. It was a frustrating outcome, but at least seemed to firm up what the elves thought to see the cubes themselves. Drow gold would be far more easily accepted than hippocamp gold in any event. She’d just given the man his coin, but figured she’d be able to barter the use of the other if a need arose.
Having gotten herself clean, she’d slept for the bulk of a day and a half in spite of the noise. She drank all that was sat in front of her and ate even more. It’d somehow endeared the elves in the dining area of the inn to her. They cheered as she ordered more plates of food, but in truth she had not so much as noticed them at the time. Thinking of it later annoyed her. She wished to keep herself away from anyone’s notice for a time. There was no need in rushing for work and she could not stomach the thought of being forced to interact with another living thing. The innkeep, for his part, ignored her comings and goings. Perhaps he’d have cared more if not for the constant tide of people ebbing and flowing. The place was full most nights until dawn when they would shift back to the streets and then back again for the nights.
Aile began leaving during the nights and scouting the streets. The city had changed fairly thoroughly since the last she had spent any meaningful time in it. Where there had been slums, now there were shops and unassuming homes. Things were clean and lacked for the sense of danger that, say, the Low District of Fásachbaile carried in the air. The places she would need were not in short supply, many of them even open well into the night as the feverish ringing of hammer on steel filled the streets near blacksmiths and lights burned in so many others. She’d found three or four of the shops she’d need before returning to her inn.
Though it was past midnight, the singing and the flow of ale continued unabated. She passed through the festive dining hall unmolested by drunkard elves and went quietly to her room. She did her best to sleep, but she had worked all the exhaustion from her body and now the noise kept her awake. She decided that seeing to her knives would be fine. They had not been tampered with by the mad cult of elves. The edges were still with them. It had not given her the distraction she’d hoped for. Lost for anything to do, she went down into the fracas and had a mug of drink brought and anything with meat they had on offer. She stood away from the elves as best she could while she waited for the things to be delivered. She had spent hours, already, watching them and listening for whatever information might be of value to her, but there was nothing. An elf woman approached her, busty and wearing a corset without anything more at her top.
She came beside Aile and sighed. “It’s exhausting, eh?”
Aile said nothing.
“Stoic sort, then? S’fine. Done too much listenin’ tonight any case.” She took a swig from her mug and looked Aile over. “It’s pathetic, innit? All of ‘em. Drunk as anythin’, screamin’ songs to nobody. For what? A new one in charge? Seems a fool’s business. Free cups for me, mind, but what’s it change?” She shrugged. “Doubt if you care, though. Refreshing, seein’ that annoyance on your face. I like it. Burns like a fire, somehow. Somethin’ behind it, not like these lot.” The woman drank again from her mug. “You fuck elves?”
Aile looked at her a moment, but said nothing.
“Quiet if you like, sure, but I ain’t one to stop askin’ ‘til I have my answer.”
“I do.”
“Oh? Then maybe I—”
“Unless you’ve a cock or a need to die screaming, you’ll not satisfy me, elf.”
“Unf. You.” She shivered, running a hand down her own body. “I might find the need if you keep at me like that.”
“I’ll say it polite as I may yet have business here.” Aile looked across the room. “Go seek your satisfaction where there is any to find. I’ve no use of you.”
The woman moaned plaintively and walked away, looking back at Aile once before she disappeared into the crowd. When her food and drink were brought, Aile took them up to her room, regretting the choice to go among the elven rabble. Perhaps the disappearance of the slums had something to do with it all. Perhaps they were comfortable and saw no threat in her. Nice as the inn was, some part of her wished for slums. They had a way of making folk conscious of danger. She put it out of her mind and ate her food, managing to sleep when the noise faded near dawn.
She woke a few
