6c for Connors & her LI reuniting in Val Royeaux
#6.“We still have tomorrow.” & C. Nighttime
In which Connors breaks off from the group headed to Halamshiral to search for someone important in Val Royeaux… (approx 2000 words)
“Excuseme. I’m looking for a tailor.”
Thewoman paused, blinking long lashes, turning to gaze at Connors the way onemight regard a child selling baked goods. Polite, but ultimately disinterested.“My dear, this is Val Royeaux,” shereplied with a chuckle, unfurling her fan with a snap of the wrist and raisingit before her. “You are going to have to be more, ah… specific.”
“Smiley,” Connors added, and then waited. When she was metwith nothing but silence and an arched brow, she thought a little more. “Short.Blonde hair. Brown eyes.”
The Orlesian glanced at her companion, a young beardedgentleman, and gave a helpless shrug. “I am so sorry, but I simply cannot helpyou.” She made to turn away, hesitated, and then glanced back over hershoulder. “Although, perhaps try the Belle Marché or Summer Bazaar? Thosedistricts are popular among the well-dressed.”
Connors nodded, and headed in the direction indicated.
When Connors had arrived in Val Royeaux, it had been lateafternoon. Now, as she finally set foot in the Summer Bazaar after an unsuccessful search, the sun had well and trulydipped below the horizon. All around her, the lights of the Orlesian capitalrose to meet the dark, illuminating signs and shady corners, decorating thesurfaces of tables. As she passed by, a part of her imagined the display wouldbe quite beautiful. A part of her wondered if she would ever get to know whatthat felt like again.
Diners laughed and clinked glasses delicately, all smilesand rouge and hair swept into elaborate up-dos. In the courtyard, youngerpeople mingled, standing elbow to elbow by the decorative hedges and trees,enjoying the warm night before the hour turned unseemly. Connors scanned thegroups disinterestedly, her gaze pausing only when she caught sight of locks of goldenhair or a bright swathe of colour on a gown. Each time, something would flare briefly inher chest, but it died as swiftly as it rose when the faces did not match theone in her mind. The one she remembered.
So, she kept walking.
The night grew darker, and although she knew that it wasunlikely she would find who she sought on the first day, it still left a hollowache in her bones. One that never seemed to fully go away. Sighing quietly,Connors gave the Summer Bazaar one last glance, before heading for the docksideinn she had purchased a room at earlier. Istill have tomorrow, she thought, boots scraping along the cobbles. Evenwithout the weight of her shield or plate, she just couldn’t seem to bring herself tolift her feet.
“… Leah?”
