User:Cyan Light/Main Page/Lore/A past without spotlights

A past without spotlights

“It was late that night. In a first impression you could consider it as a night like many others, they all felt the same for me. How the wind blew through the streets, trying to wipe out all the leaves which fell down in another storm. I remember it as yesterday, not that strange though, it was yesterday. Rain, wind, thunder, lightning, excellent weather for the things I do at this time. Like yesterday and many days before, I walked down the alley towards a little tavern, not a good one, but where I can do what I want without anyone noticing. The lantern, which swung in the stormy wind, was the only proof of life in the wide surroundings, all sensible people took their cover in their warm houses. I’m not blaming them, many days I question myself why I defy this weather, why I can’t skip a night full of noise, alcohol and aggressive, bragging men (and women) who want to prove the huge things they can accomplish, or believe they can. I’m not like them, I enjoy my drink, and keep out of trouble. And I observe, because a good ear can hear many valuable things. The door of the tavern was further then I could remember me, but I’m there after all. I open the door, it’s again a night of this..

The host is always able to recognize me in my long brown coat. He always point to my place like he is afraid that I don’t know where to sit anymore, and he gives me my first drink of the evening, even without asking what I want. He is always correct though. When I sit down at the bar the usual noise fills my ears. It’s a mix of laughing, singing, bragging and stumbling, because after a night here you can be sure that you can’t walk normal anymore. Especially the first night, you’re a newbie so the people will learn you how to drink. If you survive the first rounds you will be part of the core, and you will come back every night, it’s an assurance. I’ll remember my first visit very well, I was younger, arrogant, and I didn’t listen to anybody. Hence, I still don’t listen to anybody. The mates who wanted to test me remember it also very well. Rule number 1: don’t start a fight if you want to visit ever again, alive. Good old captain Hinden was sure I had already six rounds behind me, so, to quote in his words, he said that it was time to know each other a little bit better. How surprised was he, drunk like a pirate, that he found his face planted on the floor with my heel on it. His mates, maybe even more wasted, couldn’t lift a finger without my heel impaling their beloved captain. That was a great night, they never bother me again.

Tonight it was like an usual night. As the hours went by, victims of alcohol increased by the minutes, resulting in more noise, there wasn’t a sober person to be found in the whole tavern. Well except me, I just started with my third glass while I overheard a talk between the host and a captain who tried to find a way to Cantha. More than halve of his crew was murdered by krait, not to speak about roaming undead and corsairs. He should be glad that he was still able to tell his story. Foolish young men with their dreams to be a legend, all to see it shattered in the endless depths of the sea. Words of an old lady, like the host once said to me. I, in my mid twenties should not discourage all those men with their life’s in front of them and their strong will to prove themselves. I replied to him that I knew enough to tell them, that if they remembered my words they might live some longer. He always shook his head, with meanings hidden in his mysteries.

And now, while the hour of sunrise isn’t far away, I stand up to move back to my house. I nod and wink to the host, like only a women can, proving that I enjoyed my drink, and that I behaved like a women should. My heels have a vast rhythm on the floor, while I reach to the exit, here and there obstructed by a person, male or female, who didn’t survive the night without passing out. I didn’t hear what I wanted, it was just another night, like always. I can wait, the treasures will wait too. There will be a night that I hear what I need, what I want to hear.

Outside, I strangle my coat some more, it is cold. I walk the same way as always, in the streets who still sleep. I look around, I breathe. Yes, another night will be the night, maybe tomorrow. I start to move, my heels make a rhythmic sounds on the stones. Here and there are still some leaves from the last storm, the wind of tonight wasn’t strong enough to wipe them all away. I’m almost at the end of the alley, and at the corner I stop for a second to look back at the door I just left. There is no movement, no sound. I turn left, following my feet. Heels echoing through the street, till there is no sound left. Tomorrow I will come back..”