Preface: This scene is set a week after Amliri learns of Ramsay's (Wingate) death, June of last year.
With Arlis gone for a few days and the turmoil of learning about Ramsay’s death still swirling in her mind. Amliri decided it best to wallow in her grief again with the spirit of ale.
Her walk to the Pony was full of despair and contempt. Her head hung low and her feet barely lifted off the ground. The same question that had crossed her mind all day. Why?
She tried to blink back her tears but to no avail. Her sniffles were getting louder the closer she got to the Pony. She was so lost in her grief that she didn’t notice a handkerchief being thrust her way. She instead walked right into the person before she could stop herself. Her eyes widened in fear briefly before taking quick steps away from the unknown person.
The stranger gently grabbed her and gruffly said, “Ey, it’s alright. I’m not gonna hurt you or anything. Besides you’ve got the weapons here.” He chuckled lightly.
Amliri peeked up from under her eyelids to gaze at the man-- no, dwarf before her. She narrowed her eyes at his hands on her and quickly shoved them away. “What are you doing? Trying to take advantage of me?” She hissed accusingly at him.
His eyes widened as a deep blush took over the lower half of his face. “N-No, madam. I would never dare to think such a thing…”
Amliri crossed her arms and gave him a stern look. “Then why are you here?”
The dwarf rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well, I was walking down the road when I heard someone sniffling. I, then, saw you across the street and thought to see if you were alright?”
Amliri raised her eyebrow a little ticked off. “Hmph. Next time you shouldn’t even bother.” She glared at him and continued on her way up to the Pony. Footsteps quickly followed behind her. “What. Are. You. Doing?” She gritted out.
“I thought I could buy you a drink for accidentally inconveniencing you.”
Amliri whirled around to face the dwarf head-on. His ash-grey eyes looked upon her pleadingly. “Alright! Fine. You can buy me a drink.”
-----
They finally arrived at the entrance of the Pony. Before Amliri pushed the door open, the dwarf thrust the handkerchief in her face again. She blinked slowly and turned towards him. “What now!?”
He grinned at her. “Might wanna clean yourself up before we head in.”
She patted her face self-consciously and snatched the cloth from his hand. She grumbled obscenities under her breath as she headed inside.
-----
Amliri sipped from her mug as she eyed the dwarf. He was handsome-- no doubt about that-- with calloused hands used to holding a weapon and a trimmed, braided beard. The way he carried himself almost felt rugged. His eyes were almost mesmerizing if it weren’t for the slow smirk appearing on his face.
“Like what you see?”
Amliri coughed to cover the light blush appearing on her face. “So I never caught your name?”
He hesitated slightly. “...Thorek. My name is Thorek. And yours?” He asked with a cheeky smile on his face.
Amliri groaned. “Name’s Amliri and don’t even think about messing with me.”
He lifted his hands up in surrender. “Wasn’t planning on it.” He chuckled softly.
They studied each other quietly while taking sips from their tankards. Something about this Thorek reminded her too much of someone she knew long ago. She just couldn’t place her finger on it.
“So why were you really crying back there?” He paused. “You don’t seem the type to cry over much.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, growing more annoyed by the second.
“I-I mean because you’re so hostile towards me.”
She exhaled heavily. “I found out a good friend of mine was murdered last week…” She clenched the handle of her ale mug. “It’s been difficult to deal with.”
Thorek’s expression fell upon hearing her news. “Oh, I’m sorry for your loss. If you need anything, just let me know.”
Amliri set her mouth in a grim line. “First of all, that’s weird… We just met. Second of all, if you feel such a desire to help me out…” She tapped her chin in thought. “You could always get me another one of these.” She rocked her mug back and forth in the air.
His eyes widened in realization, chuckling slightly. “Ahh, you want me to help you get drunk off your arse.”
Amliri nodded and grinned. “You did say you wanted to help. This is your only way.” She gestured to her now empty mug.
Thorek rose from his seat, collecting their mugs and turned to Barliman. “I’m assuming I’m paying?”
Amliri stared at him blankly.
“Right…”
“Hurry up while you’re at it too!”
“Patience woman!” He muttered under his breath, “You’ve always been impatient.” He chuckled while reminiscing.
-----
As the night passed, more patrons came in and went out. All the while, the two dwarves sitting in the back talked up a storm and discarded more tankards. The red-haired one started sliding off her seat and hiccuping. The drinks finally caught up to her. The dark-haired one, sat across from her, looked upon her with love in his eye.
Patrons passed by and gave Amliri sneering looks at her display of rowdiness, but Thorek would only glare at them with a promise of death in his eye.
“I think it’s my time to head back home.” Amliri giggled between hiccups.
“I do believe so, we can’t have you passing out here.”
She nodded deliriously and slowly lifted herself up from her seat. Her field of vision immediately started tilting, a black shadow tunneled her eyesight.
“Woah! Woah! I got you.” Thorek looked upon Amliri with concern in his eye.
Amliri faintly felt arms wrapped around her body, holding her up. “I-I don’t nee-yor help. I can ge myself home, nu problem.” She stumbled over her words and pushed his hands away, only to lean against a wooden post.
Thorek reached out for Amliri again. “I really doubt that. Once you walk out those doors, you’ll get into some kind of trouble like you always do.”
Amliri cut off one of her bout of giggles once she heard his words. “W-What?”
Thorek’s eyes widened briefly in realization. He cursed lowly under his breath, panicking inside, but he turned to Amliri with a bright smile on his face. “Y’know because you just give off that feeling that you tend to get into more trouble than most; especially since we’ve gotten to know each other better tonight.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, not knowing if she could trust his word. “Well, alright. You don’t have to be weird about it.” She smiled freely and patted his shoulder.
Thorek sighed in relief. “Yes, of course. It won’t happen again.”
She shook her head slightly in annoyance. “Well, I’m going now and I’d prefer you not follow me.”
Thorek raised his hands up in surrender and nodded slowly.
Amliri left the tavern to drunkenly stumble home.
-----
Meanwhile, in the shadows, Thorek made sure Amliri got home safe and sound. He smirked as she walked into her house. Now he knows where she lives…
