Side-Story – Interludes: Volume Two – CH.144.5 – Merit – After Meeting Renn, and the Feast

The world was noisy again.

Of course, Lumen is always noisy. Hard not to be when the commerce capital of this whole region… but this noisiness was something new. Something different.

Something…

Slowly stopping, I glanced at the nearby window in the hallway. It, like most windows here in the Animalia building, was high and on the smaller end. On purpose, so that both no one outside could easily see in and also so they could be easily boarded and secured in need of safety. But thanks to their height, I was not able to see out of them. Not properly, at least. All I could see was the bright sky, a sky covered in gray clouds.

The world around me not being made to my size was normal for me. Expected. Windows, furniture, doors, even the handrails on stairs were just… a tad off for me. But I was used to that. Always had been.

Being short was my world.

Unlike others who were like me, I did blame my height for a lot of things. I was not going to claim my small stature didn’t bother me… because it did. People underestimated me because of it. I was ignored sometimes, even during moments of crisis, because of it. And to not say the least to the small grievances and annoyances such a form gave me in general life either, such as always finding it difficult to properly outfit myself or…

Or…

“So he said! Can you believe it…!”

I turned a little and watched a pair of women approach. They wore the black attire of the bank, and were deep in conversation about the man one of them had just gone a date with last night. Usually I’d either scoff at their conversation, or quietly follow as to hear more, but right now all it did was make my heart hurt.

“You need to play harder to get! Or else…” the two didn’t even notice me as they spoke, passing me by as they went down another hallway. I would have been offended if not for the fact I was standing still and near a large potted plant. One that had big enough leafs that I had been somewhat hidden.

Humans weren’t very observant creatures in the first place… especially not when comfortable and happy. Such as the ones here were. It was one of the reasons we paid our employees so well, and gave them so much more than any other business in existence. We bought their loyalty with their happiness.

For a moment I watched the two women. They were of course not members, and in fact I didn’t even know their names. But I recognized the face of the one who had just gone a date last night. She worked under Sofia, directly. I’d seen her around several times.

Stepping away from the plant and out into the center of the hallway, I frowned as I wondered how old she was. I didn’t like to admit it, but I too really struggled with telling humans apart and their general ages. Many thought it was because I hated humans, or that I simply found them uninteresting… but the truth was something a tad simpler. A tad different. Something that only Vim has really ever seemingly understood.

Tall people were weird to me.

My own kind, my family and people, were all like me. Or had been all like me. So to me I was… normal. And it was everyone else who was weird. Most people were at least twice my height, and many were even more. And sadly, though I didn’t know how to properly explain it… that difference made it hard for me to really tell certain things about others. Like their ages, and sometimes even their general appearance. Not once or twice have I mistaken people, usually humans, because I had not been able to outright tell them apart.

My own kind were easier. Us non-humans didn’t just have more visible traits to separate us… we had unique smells too. I didn’t even need to see Sofia to know who she was, her scent alone told me all I needed to know. Humans though just outright stunk, or at best didn’t smell much at all. So it was difficult sometimes for me.

Still… I knew it didn’t matter.

Humans were short-lived creatures. Most of them matured in a handful of years, and then typically a few years later they were settled down and growing a family. Then another handful or two years later they began to age, only to wither away and die before their life even began.

It was a sad existence, in truth. One that made me pity them, in a way.

“Hey Merit!”

I turned again, and nodded gently at a human guard. The man gave me a kind smile as he walked past, heading down the same hallway the two women had just gone. Like they he was likely heading for the inner-employee rooms where he could change clothes and end his shift.

For a moment I studied the man. He was one of the taller, more broad-shouldered, guards. He was older though, and I could tell that thanks to the gray in his hair. Humans didn’t get that color, typically, without age. Though if he was so old that he shouldn’t be a guard or not I couldn’t tell.

Was he married…? I didn’t even know his name. I recognized him, but didn’t really know much else about him. Although officially I was a member of Reatti’s little group, I was in truth a guard. A protector of this place. Because of that I intentionally tried to keep tabs, and a relationship, with the guards of the place. Even if only a cordial one.

Speaking of marriage, hadn’t one of the guards had a wedding a few days ago…? About a week before Vim had returned…

I should have gone to it.

“Marriage…” I whispered as I turned back around and returned to walking.

I had no destination. It was nearing the end of the business day, so soon I would need to walk around and check the doors to make sure they were all locked once we closed up… but until then I didn’t have anything to do. But unlike my typical days, ones where I’d just lounge and sit somewhere while reading a book or something, I instead found myself restless. Anxious, even.

The reason was obvious, of course. But I didn’t want to admit it.

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Usually I’d be happy right now. Vim was here. It was a rare thing for him to visit for more than a few days at a time anymore, and usually during those moments I did my best to enjoy them. To spend time with him before he runs off on some duty or quest, even if only a few hours.

But I’d not done so yet. In fact so far Vim and I had only exchanged a few words… short and brief… a rarity for me, though if Vim even noticed or cared I didn’t know.

The reason was, as mentioned, obvious.

Vim had not returned alone.

He showing up with people was not weird. He did it all the time. With not just new members, but sometimes humans… and even too, sometimes things beyond the natural. Like saints, or monarchs, or something.

But this time he had shown up with something beyond reason. Something…

“Impossible…” I whispered as I found myself slowing to a stop once more.

Rennalee.

Renn.

The one foretold. The one said to…

“Little Merit…!”

My eyes flinched, and I bit back a sharp retort as I turned to watch one of the eastern girls run up to me. She had a huge grin on her face as she huffed a little, slowing as she approached and breathing heavily as if strained. It told me she was still healing from her trials, so I decided not to rip her tongue out of her mouth for again calling me little.

“What is it?” I asked Lamp, in her own language.

Her smile grew as she wiped at the side of her mouth. Odds are thanks to her scars; during moments of extortion she had trouble keeping her saliva in her mouth. “Are you busy?” she asked.

Did it look like I was…? I was standing in an empty hallway, alone, feeling sad for myself.

But I didn’t, wouldn’t, admit that aloud. “Not really. What’s wrong?” I asked. I had figured she’d be readying to leave. She and the rest of her people were going to go to their embassy soon.

“I wanted to ask something… Something serious,” she said as she glanced around.

“Serious…?” I asked. I wasn’t in the mood for this, but I knew I was one of the few she could speak to here. Renn couldn’t speak her language, Vim was… well… Vim, and Brandy and the rest were kind of ignoring them. I wasn’t really sure why, since usually Brandy was very holier than thou when it came to such people and the first to offer assistance, but I assumed it was for the same reason I was trying to avoid Renn myself.

We didn’t want to interfere in fate. Especially not now after so long, waiting for it to resume.

“It’s about Vim and Renn,” she then said with a weird smile as she stopped looking around. The oddness wasn’t from her scars, either, which meant…

“What now…? What’d they do?” I asked. I’d already gotten a complaint about the party they had on the roof the other night. Was I going to have to hear more whining so soon? Several of the humans had been offended they had not been invited. They had thought it had been something we had done without them, or something.

“Well…” Lamp shifted a little, and as she did I found my eyes sliding down to her chest. They were far bigger than most pairs usually found in this region, and they annoyed me. Not because I was jealous, or anything… but because if I stood too close to her they blocked her face from my view.

“If it’s serious say it now, before one of them shows up,” I said, warning her a little. Not only was Renn likely looking for Lamp, as to spend time with the woman before she departed… Renn also seemed to be trying to become my friend, or something like it, so her showing up right now wouldn’t shock me at all. I’d noticed the last few days her attempts to spend more time with me. And it was one of the reasons I was so… well…

“Are they really not married…? Brandy at first said they were, then she said they weren’t… and then I saw them flirting the other night, only for her to scowl at him the way a woman does and…” Lamp began to ramble, and my eye twitched something fierce as I debated shocking her into silence.

Taking a small breath, I held it in for a moment as I felt my gills shift a little. They felt itchy for a moment, but they settled down as I waved the woman’s words out of the air. “They’re not officially married, no… but they may as well be. You’ve obviously seen how they look at one another,” I said, choosing to say the words that were both needed… and hurt all the same.

Lamp frowned at me, in a way that made me worry. “I see… And the people here don’t believe in polygamy do they?” she asked.

By the gods! “No… What are you asking, really…?” I dared to ask what I already knew.

The scarred woman gave me a wry smile, one that made me a tiny pop of static come from me as she shrugged sheepishly. “I was… just wondering. I really like them, and…”

“Lamp…!” I groaned as I raised a hand to shush her, and my other hand to cover my own face. I kept my cool, as best I could, and barely was able to do it.

Humans were so insufferable…! Who does she think she is!

She wants to share in them! To be a part of their relationship…! I know to her, to her people in the east, such a thing was very normal… but…!

“Um…” Lamp made a noise as I groaned and did my best to keep calm.

The audacity…! Especially when…!

Of all people to say this to, she chose me! It was as if the world was slapping me in the face! It made me want to cry!

“Merit…? Little one…?” Lamp sounded concerned for me, and I heard her step forward. Luckily she didn’t bend down and grab me or anything, but I knew if I didn’t get control over myself she would soon. She was actually, in truth, a very honest and kind person. The kind that fit our Society perfectly.

But in her concern for me, she’d get hurt. If she touched me right now, she’d likely be shocked…

Stepping back, I lowered my hands and sighed as I looked up at the woman who was looking down at me with a concerned frown. Even with my stepping back, I was still only able to see half her face. Mostly her forehead. “By the gods dead and alive, no, Lamp. Leave them be. Else we will all suffer a terrible fate,” I said seriously.

Lamp blinked a few times as she stood up straighter… and then she slowly nodded. “Okay… I’m sorry,” she whispered, seemingly shocked in a different way all of a sudden.

I took another deep breath and nodded. “Please. You can be their friend. As close of one as you wish. Renn especially seems to be that for you already… but please, don’t intrude in their relationship. For us… for our kind…” I hesitated, since I was about to lie. But I had to, I had to say something, to make sure she understood… so I simply decided to do so. “For our people, relationships take a long time to form. They’re a slow, gentle thing. It could take many years before they even realize their feelings for one another. If you tempted either of them, you might accidentally corrupt that process,” I told her a form of truth mixed with a lie.

Lamp quickly nodded. “I understand…! I do! Okay… thank you, Merit, for telling me. I’m sorry… I knew from stories and stuff that such things are different here, but I also forgot that you all are… spirits too,” she said as she nodded, understanding in her own way.

Spirits. Sure. That was wrong, of course, but I wasn’t going to correct her. Since it helped my little lie. “Hm. If it’s any consolation, you’re not the only one who has to hold themselves back,” I said. I mean, really! She was lucky I actually liked her a little, and that Renn found her so important or else I’d have shocked her something fierce! To think she’d actually ask me for permission to try and join their relationship…! If anyone had that right, if anyone was to be first in line that should be me! I’d been waiting for longer than her whole clan has been alive! Hundreds of years and…!

My mind went blank for a moment as Lamp blinked at me… and then her shoulders slowly drooped… and I groaned as I realized what I’d just admitted.

“Please forget you heard that…” I whimpered as I went to cover my face again, this time not in anger but shame. Utter shame.

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