Help From a Halfling

Life, Relationship change

Fenneck meets Vyndius and shows him around Flottenheim. Vyndius offers to deliver a message to Evelyn n the stables.

A knock on the door startled Fenneck as he ate his breakfast. He looked up from his oatmeal and looked at his mother who also looked confused. Maybe it was Erikur. They both had the day off. The knock didn't sound like Erikur's though. "Would you get the door?" Faina asked her son. Fenneck nodded and went to open the door revealing a halfling with long, wavy brown hair, a wide-brimmed hat in his hands and a weird bird who was about as big as the halfling was. "Mom-" Fenneck called behind him, not recognizing the person before him. "I... I think you have a visitor." The halfling looked a little startled.   He looked around cautiously before speaking in what Fenneck assumed was halfling before winking. Fenneck raised his eyebrows in confusion. "I... I don't speak halfling," he told the odd fellow. Faina studied the halfling for a moment before turning to her son. "Fenneck dear, why don't you leave us for a moment?" she suggested. "Why don't you head out to the square for a bit?"   Fenneck shrugged and headed out into the market place. He walked over to the bar but Alexei was nowhere to be seen considering it was pretty early in the morning. He wandered around aimlessly and tried to think of what he wanted to do today.   He was trying to avoid Erikur at the moment. Erikur had been upset with him about Evelyn and, try as he may, Fenneck was failing at 'moving on' from his love for her. As the days passed his desire seemed to grow, not fade. He kept trying to figure out a safe way to communicate with her. The easiest way would be through Erikur and Jasna but there was no way Erikur would get involved.   He looked up when he saw the door to his home open and he saw the halfling make his way toward him. He bowed when he approached Fenneck, which only furthered Fenneck's confusion. "I'm Vyndius Rickenbacker," the halfling introduced himself. "Your mother said you might be willing to show me around Flottenheim seeing as I'm fairly new to these parts," the halfling asked him politely. The bird next to him let out a friendly squawk and Fenneck chuckled and shrugged.   "Sure. I mean, there's really not much to see but we can start by heading towards the Vallee." Fenneck figured it wouldn't be so bad to pass the time until he could hang out at the bar with Alexei. "Lead the way," Vyndius said politely. Fenneck shrugged and stopped by his house to grab his cloak.   They headed down into the Vallee and Fenneck showed Vyndius all of the important buildings. It was mostly depressing farmland though. As they got closer to the forest Fenneck saw a giant spider attacking one of the farmers. Suddenly he saw Vyndius shoot a ball of magic at the monster while the strange bird slid on its belly over the snow and ice toward the beast at a remarkable speed before breathing what seemed like a snowy mist onto it, freezing it instantly.   Who the hell is this guy? Fenneck was a little freaked out and looked around to see if there were any guards around. Luckily no one except themselves and the farmer seemed to be braving the edge of the forest. "Hey there, Fenneck! Thank you both for your help!" the farmer said, waving to him.   It took Fenneck a moment to recognize the human as a friend of his parents. He had only met him a couple times before in passing. "Hello!" Fenneck greeted him. "Always happy to help!" Vyndius bowed to him. "Is your arm okay? Looks like the spider got you pretty good," he asked the farmer.   "Oh yes, I'll be fine. I'm Urvan Pavlov. Nice to meet you. Give me a minute!" The farmer ran inside and Fenneck walked over to the spider and studied the frozen specimen. How did Vyndius manage to do this? Fenneck had seen his mother use magic a few times for simple household chores but knew that it was a very taboo thing to practice in Lenisily.   Urvan came back and handed them each a few apples. Fenneck took them excitedly. Apples were a very rare thing in Flottenheim but they were Fenneck's favorite food. He started thinking about all the exciting things he could make with them. "Thank you so much!" he told Urvan gratefully. Vyndius took the apples, but Fenneck noticed a look of faint confusion in his eyes as he tucked them away in his pack.   "You two be careful now. Thank you again for taking care of that disgusting critter," Urvan told them as he turned to head inside to tend to his injury. Before he did, Vyndius called to him. "Are you sure you don't need help with your arm? I could try and frost it a bit to stop the venom from spreading." But Urvan waved and called back. "Oh don't worry, I have something for it. Tell your folks I said hi, Fenneck!" Fenneck waved back. "I will! Thank you again!" he called back to the farmer.   "I suppose we should head back." He turned to Vyndius who shrugged. "Sounds good to me." They headed back into the mountain and Fenneck led him to the bar. He saw Erikur and Alexei there. Alexei waved them over. "Hey Fen! Hey Vyndius!" Alexei seemed to recognize Vyndius. Erikur looked up and smiled at Fenneck. Fenneck reluctantly smiled back. It was so hard to keep a grudge against him.   "Hey," he sat down next to Erikur and Vyndius hopped up onto the stool next to him before helping his bird friend up onto another stool. "What can I get you to drink tonight?" Alexei asked them. "How about one of your famous Leniscow Mules?" Fenneck suggested, needing a strong drink.   Erikur leaned over and whispered into his ear. "Are you doing okay?" he seemed a bit judgmental about Fenneck's desire to drink. Fenneck gave him the stink eye and plopped his head on the bar. Erikur sighed and tried to calm Tykva who was sitting in his lap. The cat was trying to see the weird bird that was accompanying Vyndius. Alexei plopped two mules down in front of Vyndius and Fenneck who started drinking thirstily, much to Erikur's displeasure.   "Fen, really. I know you've been avoiding me. Can we please talk about it?" Erikur begged him quietly. Fenneck was getting annoyed though, he just wanted to drink. "Will you please stop? There's nothing to talk about Erikur," he whispered back harshly. "Well clearly there is. Drinking is not the answer, Fen. Come on. I know I'm so mean for not letting you chase after your stupid little crush but seriously-"   "Stop!" Fenneck scolded him. "It's not some silly little crush, Erikur! I love her! You clearly don't know what that's like!" Fenneck said angrily. Erikur glared at Fenneck angrily. "You think you love her, Fen. But seriously you barely know her!" Fenneck downed his glass and tapped the bar for more, causing Erikur to throw his arms up in exasperation.   Alexei looked up from his conversation with Vyndius and sighed. "Coming right up," he said reluctantly, hoping not to piss off Erikur. "Girl problems huh?" Vyndius asked Fenneck and Erikur. "She's the most beautiful elf you'd ever see!" Fenneck exclaimed, much to Erikur's annoyance. "She has beautiful, bright blue eyes and long golden hair. She's so sweet and perfect," Fenneck desperately told him.   Erikur sighed and put his head into his hands, leaning on the bar. "Well what's the problem then?" the halfling asked him. "She's a princess," Fenneck blurted out, enjoying the looseness he was feeling from the vodka in his system. "I'm not even a real tailor! I can't just go see her. I could get caught," Fenneck told him, prompting Erikur to start banging his head onto the bar.   "Well, maybe I could deliver a message to her," Vyndius innocently suggested. "I've been known to sneak in and out of places fairly well," Vyndius said nonchalantly. Fenneck's heart leapt at such an idea. "Really?! You'd do that for me?!" Fenneck asked him excitedly. Erikur groaned.   Vyndius smiled and nodded to him. "Sure. Nobody here really knows me so I can probably get through the palace without drawing too much suspicion." Fenneck thought for a moment. "I can make it even easier than that. She'll probably be in the stables. She likes to hang out there in the evenings for some reason. Hold on."   Fenneck fumbled around until Alexei slid him a pen and a napkin, trying to avoid the death glare Erikur was giving him for encouraging this. Fenneck thought for a moment before writing in Elvish:   Dearest Evelyn, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I know you said we shouldn't see each other again but my heart longs to hold you once more. I can't move on from this. You have stolen my heart. I need to see you again. To kiss your sweet, perfect lips and to make love to you. To feel your body pressed against mine in the throws of love. You have breathed life into me Evelyn, and I cannot bear to continue living without you. Please, darling, let me be with you again. Please tell me when and where it will be safe to find you. This halfling here will return your response to me safely. Forever yours, Fenneck Frostears.   "Little dramatic, don't you think?" Erikur said passive aggressively, reading over Fenneck's shoulder. "Buzz off," he said to Erikur before turning to Vyndius. "Here." He handed the napkin to Vyndius who looked at it and shrugged.   "You don't know Elvish?" Alexei asked him, surprised. "Nope, never needed to," the halfling told him, hopping down from his stool and helping the bird down from his. "Thank you so much!" Fenneck told him as Vyndius left to deliver his message, tipping his hat to them on his way out.   Erikur shook his head and stood to go, clearly upset at Fenneck for doing such a thing. "Erik, come on," Alexei pleaded with him. Erikur turned to Fenneck. "You're a damn fool, Fen. A damn fool." He shook his head and turned to go. Fenneck turned and looked at Alexei who sighed heavily before leaning against the bar.   "He'll come around. Give him some time," he tried to comfort Fenneck. Fenneck shrugged. "I love her, Lex. I have to try." Alexei nodded sadly. "I know. I hope it works out. Just... just don't be stupid. If you're going to have an affair with a princess you can't tell anybody," he said with gentle concern. "You have to be smart about this, Fen. Cover your tracks. Don't leave any evidence around. Don't sign letters with your name. Write in code even."   Alexei reached out and took Fenneck's hand and squeezed it. "We just don't want you to get hurt. Okay? I'll try and help you best I can. I can teach you some ways to write in code and ways to sneak around the guards maybe." Fenneck smiled at his friend. "Thank you. I know it's foolish. I just can't stop thinking about her. She's not like how Erikur described her. I think she's lonely."   Alexei nodded and sighed as he stood back up. "I can see why. Jasna says it's pretty dismal up there." "You know Jasna too?" Fenneck asked him, surprised. Alexei looked a little flustered. "Oh, well, I've seen her a couple times... With Erikur. They practice music together sometimes."   Fenneck found this odd and found himself questioning Erikur's trust. Was Erikur in love with Jasna? That might explain his weird behavior toward Evelyn. "Hmm," Fenneck said aloud before getting up from the bar. "I need to go home and eat something. It's been a long day," he told Alexei who looked a little worried, as if he'd said something wrong. "Okay. Goodnight, Fen," Alexei told him. "Goodnight Lex."   Fenneck went home. His parents were nowhere to be seen and he pulled out his apples and started to bake to distract himself from his confusing thoughts. He was growing distrustful of Erikur and it frustrated him. He couldn't kick the feeling that he and Alexei were hiding something from him. If Erikur was having an affair with Jasna then he had no right to be upset with Fenneck. Did he think he was more worthy of a princess because he was a musician in the palace?   Fenneck tried to shrug it off. He wondered if Vyndius was able to find Evelyn or not. Soon Fenneck's house smelled glorious as his apple turnovers baked in the oven. Apples and cinnamon filled the air and helped relieve some of his stress. As he pulled them out of the oven there was a knock at the door.   Fenneck hurriedly set the pan down and ran to the door. He flung it open excitedly and saw Vyndius, who smiled and walked in. Fenneck closed the door and turned to him expectantly. "Did you find her?" Vyndius nodded gravely. "I did, and it's a good thing I got there when I did! She was in grave danger, but luckily I was able to save her," Vyndius said with a slight eye roll coming through his serious look. "Is she okay?!" Fenneck asked him, suddenly scared and fearful for his beloved.   Vyndius looked at him, chuckled and shook his head. "Yes she's perfectly fine. She was only being harassed by rats!" he said with a smile, easing Fenneck's worry. "Here, she wrote something back." He handed Fenneck the napkin and Fenneck yanked it out of his hands and quickly read the back of it. Evelyn's handwriting was quite beautiful. In Elvish it read:   Dear Fenneck, Once again you have surprised me with your sweet affections. I'll find you tomorrow evening and we can discuss whether or not this is truly something we both want. I too have been unable to stop thinking about you and my nights have been spent longing for your touch again. Our night together was one of the greatest in my entire life. I know you've risked a lot by sending this note. I can't thank you enough for your affection and admiration. You don't know how much it means to me. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Just stay home and I'll be able to find you. Your dearest, Evelyn.   Fenneck's smile seemed to burst from his face. He excitedly grabbed Vyndius and spun him around in the air and kissed him on the mouth before plopping the startled halfling back on the ground. "Thank you thank you thank you!!!" Fenneck thanked him and danced around his kitchen a bit before turning back to his new friend.   "You're truly the best! I can't thank you enough!" "Oh it was nothing. I hope it all works out," Vyndius said, smiling at Fenneck's behavior. "Here!" Fenneck exclaimed. "I made some turnovers with the apples Pavlov gave us. Here, take some!" he said, practically shoving a few of them into Vyndius' hands. "I'm sorry I can't give you anything more."   The halfling chuckled at Fenneck's enthusiasm and his bird friend cooed happily at the food in his arms. "Oh, thank you!" Vyndius told him. "This is wonderful. Thank you for showing me around Flottenheim today," Vyndius thanked him kindly. "Oh it was nothing! Thank you again!" Fenneck told him before spinning around his kitchen in glee.   Vyndius laughed again. "Well, I'm going to head over to the inn. Have a good night, Fenneck," he told him. "Thank you so much Vyndius! Have a good night!" Fenneck called to him as he left.   Fenneck picked up the note and spread himself across their sofa before admiring every word Evelyn had wrote him. He couldn't wait for the following evening when he could see her again. That night he rested with her napkin in his hand. Butterflies and excited nerves consumed him. Tomorrow couldn't get there fast enough.