Side A – Yasgrid
Osdora had many different reactions to choose from to her daughter’s request for approval. That she went with laughter did not surprise Yasgrid. At least not in hindsight.
“What?” Yasgrid demanded, considering how well she would be able to punch her mother with her Elven fists and deciding it wasn’t worth the effort.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Yasgrid said. “You just look so adorable and serious.”
“Shut up! And I am serious!” Yasgrid said, feeling the same flavor of aggravation she’d felt as a five year old. And as a ten year old. And as a fifteen year old. She refrained from adding the groan she felt building within. No one else was able to have quite the same effect on her as Osdora could, and that only made it more annoying.
“Is it approval or a blessing you wish to obtain?” Naosha asked. “The first I do not believe is required but the second is easily given.”
“Thank you, Mrs. M’Kellin,” Kyra said. “That is what we’d hoped to procure.”
“I don’t think you need either one from me,” Osdora said.
“Should I ask Gossma then?” Yasgrid said, remembering she could fight back without throwing a single blow.
“Yes!” Osdora said, with surprisingly good humor. “She’s exactly who you should ask for why I’m the last person who should be approving or blessing a relationship.”
“What do you mean?” Naosha asked. “You seem to have navigated many relationships quite well from what your past paramours we’ve spoken to have said.”
“Well, yes, but that’s the thing, isn’t it?” Osdora said.
The blank looks from Naosha and Kyra were likely feigned, but Yasgrid found them to be convincing enough to be sure they’d fool Osdora.
“Yasgrid, have I ever asked for anyone’s approval when I took up with someone new?” Osdora asked.
“Sometimes. If they were dating someone else, right?” Yasgrid said.
“No. Then I would take up with both of them,” Osdora said. “Next question; have any of those relationships lasted?”
“Most of them, I thought?” Yasgrid said. “You’re still friends with all the people you’ve been with, aren’t you?”
“Oh, skies no,” Osdora said. “A lot of them, sure, but we went into those flings knowing that’s what they were. There were others that one or the other of us thought were more serious too. Some of those ended okay…or okay-ish. The rest? Well, most of those were in others cities so I guess you never saw them too much.”
“What about Gossma though? You were serious about her, weren’t you?” Yasgrid felt like she was catching a glimpse behind a curtained off part of her mother’s life. One she’d always assumed held nothing but fun party times but in reality was far more fraught than she’d ever guessed Osdora’s life could have been.
“Serious? About Gossma?” Osdora chuckled again. “Serious doesn’t begin to cover it. I was young and too much in a rush to not be, but even now I can’t blame myself too much. I loved Gossma more than I’ve ever been able to put into words. The only thing that was ever close to being able to express how I felt was my drumming, and that destroyed everything we might have had.”
Side B – Nia
Belhelen and Marianne shared a glance for a moment before Belhelen sighed and reached into one of her pockets to produce a few coins and transfer them to Marianne’s waiting hands.
“Oh, Bel, tell me you didn’t bet against this demon?” Nia said.
“I thought I was betting on you!” Belhelen said.
“Unless you’re betting on her being a madwoman, I wouldn’t advise it,” Margrada said.
Nia glared at the betrayal, but Margrada’s return gaze dared her, simply dared her to try to argue that it was a false claim.
Nia lost that staring contest. She might be a madwoman, but she still too self-aware to argue that taking a bet against Marianne had been a good idea.
“So are you planning to use a Shatter Drum to ensorcel the Roadies into letting you take a Shatter Drum?” Marianne asked, all innocence and sweetness.
Which told Nia that Marianne would definitely stab her if her idea was that profoundly stupid. Nia appreciated that since the stab wound would save her from the Roadies breaking every bone in her body if she’d been foolish enough to try something like that. Marianne had a strange manner of looking out for those she cared about, but she did look out for them.
“No. I have a much better plan than that,” Nia said.
Which was true.
Neither Marianne nor Belhelen looked like they even vaguely believed her but that was okay. Only Horgi and Grash needed to believe her. Nia had faith that the two of them could run interference on the other Roadies long enough for her and Yasgrid to be able to play for at least a little bit.
“I don’t think all of Osdora’s prize winnings over the years put together will be enough if you’re planning on bribing them,” Belhelen said.
“Bribe? No!” The mere suggestion of it was unthinkable. “I’m just going to ask them.”
“Ask them? Like with words, or will they be tied up over a fire or something first?” Marianne asked, as confused as Belhelen was.
“No. Like, as friends. You know, talking, like people do.”
Marianne looked over to Margrada who nodded in confirmation.
“Bel, I hate to say this, but I think we’re dealing with someone new here. Some third person seems to have crept into whatever mix Yasgrid and Nia had.” Marianne said.
“What?” Nia said.
“You could be right,” Belhelen said.
“WHAT?” Nia said.
“She’s sounding like a reasonable adult,” Belhelen said.
“Tell us what you’ve done with Nia!” Marianne said, standing up on her chair for effect.
“Oh, haha, you two are so funny,” Nia said and tossed a berry at Marianne – who, of course, caught it and popped it into her mouth.
“I think that’s about to be put to the test,” Margrada said, gesturing towards the entrance of the eatery where Horgi and Grash stood with a Shatter Drum in their hands.