Order of Creation

Chapter 2

  "Whoo wee, that hit the spot."

Sylvie slammed her glass down after chugging her third beer of the day. She grinned across the table to Leyla, her dark elf friend and adventuring partner.

"Should you really be drinking at this time of the day," Leyla asked Sylvie. "I thought you had a funeral to attend or something?"

Sylvie's mood turned dark. Despite her cheery demeanor, the death of Sandra weighed heavily on her. She was meant to be their guard when they died, but some family issues had come up and couldn't escort them.

"I really don't think I should be there," she replied.

And with that she started looking around for the waiter on duty.

"Aye, elf boy!"

The waiter knew exactly who was calling him, as Sylvie was the only one who called him elf boy.

"You do know I have a name?"

"Yeah yeah. I'll call you by your name the day you grow a pair."

The waiter grew annoyed, but knew better than to challenge her.

"Did you call me here to insult me, or did you need something?"

"Ah yes. Another round of drinks for us. And get my friend something stronger than water if you can."

Leyla glared at Sylvie after that statement. She then turned to the waiter and said water was fine and sent him on his way before Sylvie could argue further.

"So, back to my earlier question."

Leyla looked to Sylvie for an answer. It was clear to Sylvie that she wouldn't be able to dodge the question.

"You know that escort gig that we usually take once a month?"

Leyla nodded.

"Well, considering I had some last minute commitments with my family, and you were unavailable, we couldn't take it this month. I offered to set them up with another group, but they turned me down."

"Okay, what does that have to do with whatever function you were supposed to attend today? And more importantly, why are you trying to drown yourself in alcohol."

Frustrated, Sylvie looked around the bar, wondering what had happened to the waiter.

"Well," Leyla pressed.

"Fine," Sylvie finally conceded. "The client was Elphonse's sister. Because of how she had left the family, no one was supposed to know about their relationship, you included. And now I have to try to create a connection with a nephew who might have become an orphan because I didn't insist hard enough that his parents travel with guards."

Leyla understood what was happening. Sylvie was blaming herself for their death, and couldn't bring herself to show up at the funeral.

"You know, eventually you'll have to face both Elphonse and your nephew. While your husband won't hold their death against you, you won't know what your nephew thinks until you sit down and talk with him."

Sylvie looked down into her empty glass. Leyla had a point. She just didn't know whether she had the strength to talk to Albert. The boy was already withdrawn as it was. Would this push him even further away? As tough as she was, she wasn't sure if she could handle the guilt.

Leyla turned her steely gray eyes onto her adventuring partner. The longer she put this off, the more the guilt would grow. She needed the boy to tell he that it was okay, and that he didn't hold her personally responsible for the death of his parents. They both knew that. Yet Sylvie couldn't bring herself to take that first step. That was the problem with her, she could handle anything physical. But put her in a situation that involves emotions, and she suddenly got cold feet. And that was where she and Elphonse came in. Well, more so Elphonse. Leyla wasn't good at communicating, most of her interactions devolving into threats of bodily harm. But whenever Sylvie shut down, she immediately took charge of the situation. It was why they worked so well together. First rule of adventuring said that you should cover your partners weakness. And somehow they managed to do that.