Twisting Hearts and Melting Minds

"I'll have an ale, thanks." The barkeep fills a glass from behind the counter and sets it down. "I wonder how many people have drank from this mug, and where are they now?"

"To your health!" the toast comes from my right. Looking over I see a fairly jubilant dwarf sitting there with five mugs, this looks to be his sixth drink tonight. I raise mine half-heartedly and take a sip. "No, health is not something I have the luxury of looking forward to." My thoughts keep drifting past me without any attempts at staying in one place, I really don't mind.
"What's got you so glum?" It is the dwarf again. "What's got you so cheerful?" I responded in a bored tone without turning away from my glass.

I hear the thunk of his boots, clearly he's decided to make a friend of me. I really don't need another friend, but I don't tell him to leave me alone so he comes and sits next to me. Yeah, he definitely drank the other five mugs.
"Listen, there's no reason why I shouldn't be cheerful, we just landed the biggest hoard this side of the mountains!" If it wasn't nearly dawn he would have had a wonderful audience and I'd have my thoughts.

"Congratulations on your success," I looked him in the eyes, they glint like agates in his muddy complexion, yeah I can tell he just came back from a very successful adventure. "I just hope all of your attempts have such a happy outcome." I raise my glass lightly and down the entire thing asking the bartender to pour me another.

A few minutes later the familiar buzz comes dragging with it the welcome disorientation of intoxication. The dwarf's tale fades into the background and all I can focus on is the bar, the chair, and the wonderful feeling of not needing to care about anything anymore.


"Where am I?" The though drifts across my head.
I just woke up and I'm still feeling last night's attempts to forget. I guess it worked, at the time, but right now I know my concern should lie elsewhere. I look around and the world does a jig before my eyes, the more I move the more it dances and fades closer to darkness.

"Ok, take it slow. Baby steps." I try to reassure myself that it'll go away soon but the more I move the less it works. I let myself drop backwards. The world spins again and I feel something soft beneath my head.

"Thank the gods" It is a pillow. “I wonder why I didn't think to look if it would be safe to do that...” But then the sensation of the pillow banishes that thought when the world finally settles down on its precarious perch waiting for my next move to start its dance again.

I decide that since I can't fall back to sleep trying to at least figure out where I am before risking another try at standing is the better choice.
The pillow feels soft, "Is this what clouds feel like?"
Slowly I move my hand around feeling something covering me. The thing feels slightly rough but pleasant none the less. I grab it feel movement along my whole body. I freeze.
When nothing happens I slowly start to lift my hand, and the movement returns. Looking down I realize that it's only a sheet of cloth that was covering me. "I must be going crazy to not recognize the sheets I've slept under."

I let go of the sheet and decide that perhaps another attempt at standing is finally in order. Lifting my head first, I let the world start its dance but decide to keep it at a slow pace. I manage to sit without much of a disaster. I turn my head to the left and look down. The world rocks lightly but it seems that the effect might be weakening. "Now isn't the time for such assumptions, just get to your feet and figure things out from there." I notice that I'm sitting on something that rises from the floor a bit, but not enough to stop me from moving my legs over the edge and letting my feet drop to the floor.

I hear some kind of rapping as if someone were knocking at a door but I can't tell where it's coming from so I don't let it bother me. Planting my bare feet on the cool wood of the floor seems to have a very good effect at deterring the dancing of the world around me. I put more and more weight on my feet until I manage to stand. The world dances still, but it's now got one less direction to dance in. "Good, at least I can now gather more information about where I am." But before I can take even one step I hear someone yell.
"Oh my! I'm so sorry, I didn't know that there was someone in here! When I knocked and no one replied, I assumed that it was fine for me to come in and make sure the room was tidied up!" Each word is like a hit on a bass drum to my ears and they come so fast I have to wonder at the percussionist playing. Once I return my attention to what I see and not the noise I realize that there is a half-elven girl standing there before me turning all shades of red, clutching sheets to her chest and looking a bit like a bit like a scarred rabbit.
I hold up my hand to indicate "silence." "I wonder what's gotten her in such a fuss? You'd think she's never seen a man before." Then it clicks, the first gear of my mind finally starts turning. "Am I wearing anything?" Her expression should have told me everything I needed to know.
Looking down I notice that I, in fact, am stark naked. Thankfully the world was dancing too much for me to have the proper reaction to having a woman standing before me. Unfortunately I have not tried speaking yet. "Now is a good a time as any."

"P-P-P-Pardon me m-miss." "Damn it! I'm stammering. Focus! FOCUS!" "W- Where am I?"
"Why, you're at the Red-Tail Tavern and Inn... And if you don't mind my saying so, would you please cover up? I'm not too used to these sights." She turns a deeper red and lowers her head while extending the sheets forward.

I take the sheet slowly and manage to fumble it into a makeshift skirt. At least I'm covered and she can now look up without being more embarrassed. Crap, the world starts to pick up the pace again. I curse it and quickly sit down on the bed. The world's dance becomes more raucous and I can't keep a grip on it, the image of the room fades and the last thing I see is the silvery hair of the half-elf before the darkness swallows me up.

Opening my eyes has now become a necessary chore. At least it feels like a chore... When I finally do get them open and focused properly I realize that there are a pair of green eyes set against a pale complexion and silver hair staring back at me.

I shake my head and blink a couple of times hoping to clear the webs and get the gears of my mind started again. A memory comes and it starts.

"Oh thank the gods." The phrase hits my ears like the babbling of a brook. I realize that it's her speaking, and with that she stirs the memory of her embarrassed look.

Thankfully the alcohol seems to have left my system completely and it's aftereffects that caused the world to dance have gone with it. I manage to sit up and realize that all my muscles are sore.
"That's some strong drink you serve here..." I tell her "Were you watching over me the whole time I was passed out?" I ask her.

"Well..." She says blushing. "It seemed that it would be rude to just run out, and what if you had died?"

"If only I'd been so lucky." I reply and stand to gather my clothes.

"What an awful thing to wish for... You must've been through a lot to wish for death." I can hear the sorrow in her voice. Could she have a crush on me?

"You're right, it is awful. And doubly right that I've been through my share of adventures. But none of it matters anymore. I'm done with that life, all I have left is to wait for Nerull or one of those other death gods to send for me. I know I've caused them enough grief for them to want my soul." Why am I telling her this? Probably it'd be best if she were to just not know of me. Less chances for her to get in harm's way.

I go into the side room of the apartment and dress myself. It seems that my dagger is missing, not to mention my coin purse is lighter than I remember it being. Opening it I realize that there's only fifteen copper pieces there. Good thing I paid the room in advance. However, now I need to find a way to make some more cash.

A small swear leaves my mouth as I step back in to find her straightening up the bed with clean sheets and gathering the old ones to be washed.

"I'm sorry if I seem like a terrible person to be around, but it's better that way. Trust me." I watch a small frown cross that graceful face of hers. "Oh, and thank you for watching over me." This erases the frown and she leaves.

After a few minutes I leave as well. It's time to find a way to make some money and perhaps get a new dagger. The old one will be found later, I've no doubt about it.

The market is busy, this seems like a good day to see if I can remember anything about how to make some coin without risking life and limb. An apple vendor too busy arguing with a plump woman won't miss a couple of fruits. Quickly nicking three of the reddest ones that catch my eye I move quickly away from the stall and closer to the town square.

"Now, where to set up to have a good audience." A small spot next to the fountain seems like a handy place, more foot traffic and a good place to pull a gag or two...

Slowly making my way to "my" spot I pull the apples out and set them on the rim of the fountain. Tossing one from one hand to the other to get the weight of it figured out I toss it high in the air and pick up the second one. Catching the first and quickly tossing the second starting to exchange them in one hand. "I guess it never does leave you." The juggling seems to get easier the longer I do it and I even mange to switch off hands twice!

A couple of glances my way and I know I'm getting back into the swing of this performance. I keep juggling the two apples single-handedly as I pick up the third apple and start doing the crossovers. "Too bad I don't have any kind of hat or satchel to collect money in." As if someone had read my thoughts a small pouch lands at my feet and quickly try... YES! I've managed to catch the apple that was coming down in my mouth and without knocking loose any teeth.
I hear a giggle and give a small bow.

Looking up I see that it's the same silver-haired half-elf that had met me in my room.
Tossing an apple to her I take the one from my mouth and after chewing the bite. "You know, this can't be coincidence. Are you following me?" The now familiar blush spreads to her cheeks and what I meant to be a joke suddenly has more weight to it.
The pouch seems fairly weighted but it'd be bad form to open it here and check its contents. "How about I take you for a meal and we'll call it square for this morning?"
She blushes again but nods and I can't really believe that I had just said what I said. Oh well, I have to stick by my words and now I've got a date.
She's cute.