Six Nights (Unfinished)

Alijham didn't leave much reason for his abrupt departure, but he felt it was not needed as he loaded up his lightest packing onto Nononae's back. "You alright there, boy?" He asked the small horse, patting his side gently. The beast whinnied. Alijham climbed aboard and watched the clan house disappear, swallowed by the night. He had no particular destination in mind. He just wanted to get away for a few days, have that rare time to himself that he'd been craving for quite some time. It didn't take long for him to hit Pa'alat.

The small town was about the size of old S'ren-ja, give or take. It was only fifteen or so minutes from it. It seemed quite sleepy, no one in sight as far as Alijham could see. He smiled contently--but it was not as far as he wished to go.

"Well, there's a start," he mumbled into the mane of his horse. He jumped down, tying Nononae to a wooden lamppost as his head swam in fond and not-so-fond memories of teenage exploration.

"Hi."

Alijham nearly jumped out of his double-polished, fine crocodilian leather gold-clad Imperian boots. He turned around, running a nervous hand through his hair. A young argonian woman faced him. Her bold orange eyes seared into the elf.

"May I help you?" Alijham asked. This came out a bit snappier than he intended, as he wasn't in the best mood for socialization. This was his alone time.

She nodded hesitantly. "I wandered out to pick some herbs for my mother, and I went too far.. I think I'm lost. Do you think I could stay the night here with you?" Her lip-trembling and moon-sugar sweet tone of voice would be all too real to almost any sucker other than the paranoid mer.

Alijham's response was quicker than healthy. "Like I haven't heard that one before. You're just out here hunting for a free home run, aren't you? Won't be with me, hon."

The argonian looked rather offended, but the sparkle in her eye told Alijham he was far from wrong. "Are you calling me a whore?" She asked.

"Yeah," he replied bluntly.

She blinked. Then, she smiled. "What's your name?"

"Ali."

"I like you, Ali," she said. "You're clever.. I think. I haven't see you around here before, where did you come from?"

"That's my business. No, I don't come here often. I'd presume you don't live in the area."

The argonian shook her head. "I'm Verae-Nee." She stuck her hand out for a quaint shake. Alijham complied, shaking, but pulling away rather quickly. He turned away, as this conversation had hopefully come to an end.

"Where are you going?" Verae-Nee asked. "I wanted to ask you about yourself."

Alijham pivoted on his heel. "No," he said, hopping back onto Nononae.

"Why? What, are you afraid of me? Get back here!" She gripped the horse's tail. He let go of the reins, tugging her up to his level by her collar. Her feet were struggling to hit the ground.

"I said no! I don't feel like talking, gotcha? Leave me alone."

Verae-nee bared almost no reaction, sighing. "Someone's a grumpy-puss. Alright, go on.."

Alijham yelped a "Hyyah!" and Nononae sped away, kicking up rocks and sand in Verae-Nee's face. He was glad that was over. Wondering what that was all about, Alijham began patting his robes atop his armor to make sure she didn't plant any kind of gas bombs on him or anything along those lines. What a paranoid elf, right?

He paused, noticing an odd absence. "Where is my telestone!?" This came out as more of a loud growl than actual words. She must have slipped it from my pocket when I wasn't looking, he thought. Damnit, do I really have to go back? Alijham did as was needed, and turned around. He grumbled to himself nearly the whole way.