—{Outside the Tavern}—
The two, Riven and Jude still had their eyes widened and mouths slightly open while Shirin was laughing with her hands on their shoulder. She was between them.
Shirin: Nudged Riven, "Hey, why so silent? Is the joy too loud to swallow?" She chuckled out loud and smacked Riven's back with a grin on her face.
Riven: "Aughh" He turned to look at her but said nothing.
Jude: Seeing them he too chuckled, the earlier surprised expression starts to disappear from his face.
"Seems like it. Isn't it a jackpot for you? SniperEyesLady?"
Riven: "What kind of name is that!?"
"No idea, but Shirin told me that name. I thought it was funny but… Don't know what it means." Jude said while pointing his finger at Shirin, whose grin widens.
"Tch…"
Shirin: Head swings back, "What? Am I evil for saying that?" Raises her eyebrow.
Riven nods, "Aww, why so? Hey. Does he know about it?" She said as she pointed at Jude, to which Riven nodded. Then look away.
Jude: His eyes widened a bit, his eyes checked their faces in wonder, "W–what are you two talking about?"
Riven groans while Shirin only chuckles. She got close to Jude's ear and whispered, "It's about Calira."
Riven face palms, and Jude, "Ohh, yeah. Her."
Riven: Still cupping his face, "He already knew it. But he forgot. Why did you remind him? Aughhh."
Shirin bursts out laughing.
{Next Early Morning — 05:22 AM}
Inside an inn named, "StoneWell". A particular room, which already had its window opened by a few inches and curtains rolled aside. Her room was neat and tidy, no clothes on the floor and no clutter on the desk. Nor did the floor seem to have any dust.
Shirin had just gotten out of bed moments ago and was already freshened up. Her outfit today was the same as what it was yesterday, but clean and fresh… And a jacket over it. Currently at the edge of her bed she had a mirror in her hand. And was combing her hair.
Beside her bed, a long double edge sword, sheathed, sat leaning against the bedside table. And on top of the table sat a dagger, also sheathed.
The early morning sun hadn't risen yet and a cold wind came from the open window. She hummed as she combed her hair. After that she gently ran her hand through her hair and then put the mirror on her table.
She looked out the window, "What time is it?" She glanced at the clock.
In Riven's room. There's a knock on his door. No. It wasn't the door. But the wall. "Hmm…" He knocked back at the door and a voice came from the other side.
"Hey, wake up." That was Shirin.
He yawned and closed back his eyes. But didn't let himself fall asleep and in a swift motion got out of bed. And glanced up towards the clock.
Riven: "What time did she tell us to come…?" He didn't seem very conscious.
When he saw the clock it was 05:28 AM, "I still got time."
He went to the dressing table, applied hair oil, combed it a bit, changed clothes, got in a jacket and… Done… Picked up his sword and walked out the door.
(Riven's sword is just a bit shorter in comparison to Shirin's sword, by a few inches, and was a single edged sword. But both of their swords had the same design on their sheath, a water fall.)
Just outside the door stood Shirin, waiting. Arms crossed, leaning onto the wall, both the dagger and sword on her hips.
Shirin: Had a smirk on her face, "Took you long enough, Hmmm." Her eyes teasingly widens and tilts her head a bit, "I see you didn't put much effort into yours. I thought, well… Y'known that we're gonna meet her so… You would've put much more effort into yourself…"
Riven: "Tch, oh come on, we'd probably make her more mad if we're late. Come on." He averts his eyes from her as he starts walking away towards the stairs.
Shirin still had the smirk on her face as she followed him, just a few steps behind. Walking down the stairs, Riven asked "Hey did you tell Mrs. Stonewell about our early meal?"
"I did inform her last night." Shirin replied.
{Downstairs 05:32 Am}
Today the tables were empty this early morning. The chairs were placed on top of the tables, upside down. Shirin pointed to the closest table, "Get it set and I'll go check on Mrs. Stonewell."
Riven nodded and went towards the table Shirin had pointed to and set the chairs as they're supposed to be. He was done, but Shirin still hadn't returned. While waiting he starts to set other chairs as well.
Just then Shirin came back, chatting with a middle-aged woman beside her, trays of breakfast in their hands. Riven could hear the murmur of their conversation but couldn't make a word out of it.
And Shirin placed the tray on a table closest to her, ignoring the table she had earlier pointed to. Riven, didn't say anything and just approached them.
Mrs. Stonewell: Placed the tray on the table and looked up towards Riven, "Good morning." The breakfast was bread and a soup of veggies and some meat chunks.
Riven mutters a low "Good morning." and tried to smile. Shirin had already taken a seat and began to eat it, neatly. Taking a spoon full of the soup and blowing air into it. Then sip it.
Riven took a seat across from Shirin, then Mrs. Stonewell looked around and noticed that some chairs had already been set… Almost every chair. "Oh, Riven, Is this what you're doing?" He nods, "Thanks, dear."
He nods again, his eyes on the breakfast. Mrs. Stonewell took a seat beside them, hands beneath the table on her lap, for a moment it was silent until Riven spoke up.
Riven: "How are Kellen and Chloe?" Doesn't look up from his food.
Mrs. Stonewell: "Oh, them. Well, their health is a bit better than what was yesterday or the day before yesterday but still critical, it seems. I'm… looking forward to the medicine." She said as she cupped one side of her cheek and eyes wandered around the table.
Riven looks up from his food to her face, "We will get it today." Shirin nods, "Yeah, we will."
"Oh and, last night I forgot to ask. Whom did you two find as the third member?"
The moment Mrs. Stonewell said that Riven and Shirin looked at each other, Riven seemed… The usual self, maybe a bit more conscious than before. While Shirin had a smirk on her face, that only grew with each passing second.
"You wouldn't believe it."
{At the Tavern 05:51 AM}
When Shirin and Riven enter, they see Calira seated at the counter… Literally. Her legs crossed, one hand on her thigh the other holding the cigarette, wearing a dark jacket, over her black T-Shirt and dark trousers. On top of the counter was a long and thin object with a cloth wrapped over it. Calira also had a cigarette on her lip, a trail of smoke leaving it. Her hair was combed yet the sides hid some of her face.
Around the Tavern the chairs and stools were upside down on the tables and counter. The windows opened, lights lit. And there was no one else in the Tavern.
Calira: Took a drag of the cigarette, blew out then turned to look at Riven and Shirin still standing there by the door. "Not gonna come in?"
They didn't reply, just nodded and walked inside. Calira pointed at a stool just beside her, "Take the seat."
Riven quickly nodded again and took a stool, and placed it right before the counter, and Shirin followed his act. Calira gave her attention back to the cigarette in her hand and took another drag of it.
Just then the door opens, her mom walks in. Mrs. Rustwood.
Mrs. Rustwood: Sees Calira smoking, her eyes widens, hands on hips, "Calira!"
Calira, and the two others get startled by the sudden burst of voice, Calira throws the half finished cigarette at the nearest dustbin with perfect accuracy. Calira turned to look at her mom, "Yes?"
"What were you doing?"
"... I…" Calira couldn't get the words out of her mouth and to which her mother's posture stiffened and Calira followed suit.
"What's the smell?" Her eyes didn't leave Calira.
"You know what it is…" Averts her eyes.
Her mother huffs again, just then she notices Riven and Shirin had arrived, "Are you two the ones who brought the contract?"
They nod "Y–yes ma'am" By Shirin, "Yes…" By Riven. Her mother gets her gaze back on Calira, and notices she is sitting on the counter. "Get off that."
Calira got off, without missing a beat. Her boots hit the floor with a smooth thud, and crossed her arm. "There are…" Glanced at Riven and Shirin, "I'm not even gonna say anything… And you two are late."
Shirin: Both Shirin and Riven were stunned for a moment. "We?" Only she spoke.
Mrs. Rustwood nods, mutters something under her breath as she looks back at Calira, but turns back to Shirin when she speaks again. "But we didn't get any specific time to come here."
Hearing that Mrs. Rustwood was again about to say something to Calira, she raised her right arm a little high and said, "I forgot. I'm sorry."