Blue-haired girls have more fun! [Zee!]

[Ivory]

"I did tell you it's a fortified tower," Eliana answered matter-of-factly, clearly maintaining her belief that such an attempt was suicide.  "Do you really think you're going to be able to get into their base and somehow take out at least twenty armed men?"  And the odd woman, though there weren't many of those!

Warmed bread arrived at their table.  Their server sliced the bread expertly before them, serving the slices onto their plates with a flourish and offering them sweet butter as topping before vanishing again.

Once the waiter had gone again, Eliana sighed softly and lifted up her glass.  "To you.  I hope your last birthday in this world is a good one."

[zozee9]

"Pish posh, that hardly matters," Elaina dismissed. "And sure, why wouldn't I be able to take them out?" She lifted her own glass in response to Eliana's. "If this really had to be my last birthday, this is where I'd want to dine!"

After taking a sip, she set her glass back down and reached for the bread. Elaina put the warm and fluffy into her mouth. "This is delicious!" she described, totally ecstatic. "Now I'm even more excited for my meal... But enough about my supposed death wish and this perfect mood. How about you tell me something about you?"

[Ivory]

Eliana gave her head a bit of a shake.  Obviously, this girl had never faced anyone like the Southroad Bandits before.  Perhaps she might stand a chance against, well, some of them if she caught them off-guard and alone -- but the Bandits stood together...and the fact she was a pretty little thing would not help her.

The woman frowned slightly in response to the question.  "There's not much to tell -- not much honest, anyway."  She smiled demurely, slowly rotating the wine in her glass.  "I suppose I could tell you some stories.  You wouldn't approve of most, and you're much too young to hear some of them."  The thought made her laugh.  "I'm not entirely sure you'd like to hear any of it, now that I'm thinking about it."

[zozee9]

"Too young?!" asked Elaina, dramatically. "And how old are you, may I ask? Surely not much older than me—if at all!" After taking a small sip of her wine, she added, "Anyway, test me. If I don't like them, that's my fault, not yours."

She paused, looking Eliana in her eyes. "I promise I won't rat you out to the guards, if that's what you're worried about."

[Ivory]

Eliana gave her friend a thoughtful look.  "You're, what, 16?  17?"  That was based more off Elaina's rose-colored outlook of the world, really, than any sort of science, as was her accusation of Elaina being too young.  Funny, how one could hold onto resentment for so many years!  After all, Eliana was only 15 when she'd been brought into the trade -- and that was scarcely considered young for a whore.  "I'm 26," she admitted.  "That's about middle age for a whore."

A fact she loathed to admit...

"And I'm not worried about the guards."  She waved her hand dismissively.  "But I appreciate the thought."

The waiter appeared, then, to silently place a pair of salads on the table before vanishing again.  Eliana let him go before picking up her fork to toss the vegetables in with the lettuce.

"I've had a good life," she began with a genuine smile.  "I've been lucky.  Most girls in my line of work can't afford pretty dresses and sparkling jewels.  The problem, of course, is that I've developed a taste for the finer things -- and nothing short of a fortune will keep me happy.  That's the primary reason I'm still doing what I'm doing, so there's no reason for you to pity me or to fight on my behalf.  I've chosen this life, and, for the most part, I like it.  I don't need to be saved."  Her expression turned a bit more serious, then.

"I've been a whore since I was 15.  I left the brothel when I was 17 and became a thief.  But I hated living on the street, so I went into business for myself.  I give men what they want, and then I take what I want."  The grin she flashed was a bit mischievous.  "So, if you think you can withhold judgment, I'll tell you anything you want to know."

[zozee9]

Elaina looked at the salad, but didn't touch it. She was too busy thinking about what Eliana had said. Selling one's body was bad in the first place... and fifteen seemed awfully young to do anything like that. But the girl was right—she would have to withhold judgement if she was to be told more. And she wanted to know more. She wanted to know what it was like in the minds of others... even those whose actions she didn't approve of.

So she had to start with removing judgement from what had already been told. Elaina started to pretend it was another job. A respectful one. The girl had started working when she was young and even started making a living on her own. She still worked because she liked nice things. Not because she was being forced to.

It seemed reasonable.

Except for the fact that she was sleeping with men to make a profit.

Shaking her head, Elaina finally sighed and responded, "I don't know if I can withhold judgement. I want to, but I don't know if I can." She paused. "It's probably because I've been spoiled all my life, so I haven't really had to work for those finer things." She often felt guilty about that, too. That's why Elaina gave out so much charity work.

[Ivory]

"Well, honey, you're certainly not the first, and you won't be the last.  All you need to know is that I'm happy doing what I'm doing, and I'm comfortable.  After all, life sucks, so you may as well do what you can to enjoy it, hm?"

She sipped her wine with an air of delicate refinement, savoring its taste a moment before turning to her salad.

"And, most importantly, I have no illusions about who I am or what I do.  I've done things I regret.  I try to learn my lesson, so I can keep myself from repeating those mistakes.  I just like to think I have a different moral code than most."

After all, she really did try not to kill!

"You should eat up," she added brightly.  "This is the best food in this part of Serendipity."

[zozee9]

Elaina simply nodded at what the girl said. She didn't really disagree with any of it... well, other than that life sucks. Elaina rather liked life. But Eliana seemed to know just who she was, and she didn't feel the need to question that. As long as she didn't really harm anyone, it didn't really matter...

So she took a bite out of her food. And she was immediately rewarded. She expected good quality, of course, but not heavenly quality.

After chewing up the salad and swallowing, Elaina smiled and happily responded, "I have to completely agree with you on that one. Not like I've been to many fancy restaurants around here, but I have eaten quality food. And I know that food this good is not common. It's even better than that wine!"

It seemed like eating was a good choice. The conversation had been a bit intense... and it wasn't the day for that much intenseness.

[Ivory]

"What did I tell you?" the whore answered with a cheerful laugh.  "I know some of the best places to eat across the entire world.  They're expensive, but..."  She sighed happily as she savored her salad.  "Well worth the cost.  Not that I've ever had to pay money for most of my meals..."

No, there were other ways to show her gratitude!

"Which way are you headed when you leave here?  I could point you in the direction of some wonderful restaurants."

[zozee9]

"No idea!" Elaina replied nonchalantly. "I just wander... usually without any plan. I came in through the north though... so maybe I'll just continue south. But I heard there was a nice town eastward of here." Shaking her head, she finally concluded, "Well, that's a decision for another day." Then she took another sip of her drink.

"How about you?" Elaina asked after a moment of silence. "Do you do a lot of traveling?"

[Ivory]

"I used to," the whore answered cheerfully.  "I've seen most of the continent and even spent a little time at sea.  "This is the longest I've ever stayed in one place...  Before coming here, I was never anywhere for more than a few months before moving on."

The waiter appeared with their main courses, suddenly, leaving them before the pair of lovely ladies with a bow before vanishing into the kitchen again.

"I've been trying not to, but, sometimes, I can't help but think of this place as home...  It's a bad habit to get into, though.  Because when it all comes crashing down and you have to run..."

Well, it really sucked, then.

[zozee9]

"Run?" questioned Elaina while wiping her hands off on the napkin. "Why?"

While waiting for a response, Elaina decided eating the food that tasted delicious based on the smell alone would be a great idea. A bite from the sandwich and she was hooked. She would eat this sandwich everyday if she were able to... and no doubt it would taste heavenly every time.

After thoroughly chewing her food, she added, "How long have you been here, anyway?"

[Ivory]

"What I do isn't really legal," she answered good-naturedly.  "And that has a way of catching up to you, no matter where you are."

Sometimes, it was your fellow bandits, but, more often, it was the law...or your own paranoia.

"I've been here, oh, almost three years now.  I don't think I'll get another three years out of it.  Things are getting a little tense."  She stirred the sauce with her spoon before beginning to carefully spread it over her dish.  "I've been thinking about a more permanent solution -- maybe buying a brothel or...or something."

It wasn't really much of an exit strategy!

[zozee9]

Elaina paused her eating as she thought about the first thing the girl had said. "I think things have a way of catching up to you, legal or not... Getting on the bad side of gangs isn't typically a good thing. Even when I can beat them all up." She smiled naively before taking another bite of her sandwich.

But her smile dropped as Eliana carried on. How was everything getting linked to brothels and prostitution? Oh right, she kept bringing it up.

"Aren't there better businesses to get into?" Elaina asked, unsure whether or not she was crossing the line. "I mean... more moral ones?"

[Ivory]

"Everybody always asks me that," she observed, laughing out loud.

"Tell me, what's so immoral about owning a brothel?  Men come in and ask for service.  The girls provide it and are compensated for it.  It's no different than visiting a doctor.  He curses you, and you pay him."  It was pretty upfront and simple, really!

[zozee9]

Elaina didn't even hesitate to answer the girl's question. In all honesty, she had asked herself similar things before. After all, how could you fight for something without knowing why you were fighting for it?

"Because the doctor can't be hurt by his patient... well, if he's good, at least. All sorts of things can go wrong for a girl in a brothel. Are children paid for? Last time I checked, no." And she knew that for a fact. She had dealt with unwanted children from the very thing they were talking about. "Doctor's heal illnesses and, I might add, help with pregnancies. Brothels cause illnesses and those very same pregnancies. So is it really the same?"

At this point, Elaina didn't even care if she was crossing the line. This was something she was very passionate about.

[Ivory]

"Not my brothel."  Eliana's answer was self-assured and confident.  "Have you forgotten my sad story already?"  Or, perhaps, she had left that little details out...  "I was born and raised in a brothel myself,  and I ran away as soon as I could.  I would never force that life on a child."

Obviously!

"No, I would hire willing girls.  Or boys.  Maybe both."  Her eyes sparkled.  "And I certainly wouldn't force the children to work."

[zozee9]

Elaina looked at her companion curiously. "Didn't you say you joined the brothel when you were fifteen? And fled at seventeen?" She hadn't forgotten the story... in fact, her mind was still (slowly) processing it.

"So if you hated it so much, why would you think others would willingly do it? Anyway, even if the children or whoever were not forced, that still doesn't answer the question of unwanted things. Like pregnancy." Elaina sighed. Wouldn't it just make more sense to open a different business that could still provide jobs without those risks? Brothels were just so... sketchy.

[Ivory]

"Oh, I see the confusion..."  Eliana's grin vanished behind her glass.  "No, I became a whore at 15, dear.  But there are other things the children of a brothel do -- some for the brothel, some for the whores, and some for clients...  I don't want to shock you with the details, but...  There is a certain way things are done in a brothel."  She tried to deliver the news as gently as she could; after all, there was more to becoming a whore than simply spreading your legs...

"Brothels aren't all bad, my dear.  It depends on who you work for.  Like anywhere, I suppose."  She sighed softly, turning over the idea in her head.  "I'd like to have a classy place -- somewhere people can really go to escape.  Somewhere safe for the girls, where we can put away a little money..."  Of course, the image she had in her mind was probably a lot more challenging than she would otherwise like it to be...  But it was something of a dream, a goal she could work towards someday...

"Oh," she added, looking a little more serious.  "Pregnancies happen.  I bought a charm a long time ago to ensure it would never happen to me, even without preventative measures.  Less than you would think, though."

[zozee9]

A charm? Elaina didn't think that would work... but that wasn't something she could argue. Religion and superstition had no logic. Even still... she just couldn't wrap her head around a brothel being good. No matter what the girl said.

Shaking her head, Elaina took another bite of her food. "Let's talk about something else," she finally said, somberly. "It's my birthday, after all. No offense, but I'd rather not spend it talking about brothels—even if amazing food is being eaten alongside the conversation. It's not like the topic is boring. In fact, I rather enjoy debating things like these. But I'm afraid today isn't the day that I want to do it." She sighed and ate a little more.

"Sadly, I'm out of ideas." Eliana's childhood was covered in brothels. Her present was covered in brothels. Her future, it seemed, would also be covered in brothels. "What would you like to talk about?"