[Tags
@pomelo ]
It wasn't his first rodeo. No, but it was definitely the first one where he didn't have to sweat bullets trying to avoid making eye contact with any guards. Yeah, he didn't have to sweat them, but they were coming out anyway. Not that the smoke between his fingers was helping him much, but it would do for now. What he really needed was a drink, but that, unfortunately, would have to wait.
Quinlan's face was ignited by the light of his cigarette in hand, taking along drag that made the passing guard eye him with a frown. "You can't smoke that in here," he snapped. "Besides you're supposed to be inside. It's what you're paid to do, ain't it?"
Quinlan slowly blew out the smoke, straightening his back against the porch pillar at the rear of the villa just in the walls of Selevea. It was a nice city, filled with bustle, parties, and money. That last part was what brought him here obviously. But instead of hiding out in some greasy dive, he found himself here at the house of some Lord Understone or something or other. He needed something different, and a man looking for someone to play bodyguard seemed easy enough. Nobody to hound after him, nobody to gut him in his sleep, and there was steady pay without too much risk.
He finished the puff and dashed the smoke out on a small case he had, a folder of iron that silenced the hiss of the smoke, and he quietly put it away to be enjoyed for later. "I was just taking a break. The air is nice out, all right? Relax."
"Look, I can relax. I'm not some hired thug. So get your ass back inside and keep an eye on Master Theiris! I don't know where Lord Understone found you, but I'd sooner scrap you off my boot and toss you into the river."
"Ha, like you can throw that far with your flab," Quinlan said under his breath.
"WHAT!?"
"I said, I'm going!" Quinlan spat and turned back into the porch, going back into the cacophony of the party currently being held inside. It was a birthday bash, for the grand Lord Cedric Understone himself, and the guest of honor had certainly made himself comfortable on the arm of a twenty-something that Quinlan had to tilt his head nearly 90 degrees to admire the fullness of that moon. He sniffed, going back to his post and looking out for Theiris Understone as he enjoyed himself.
He could remain vigilant – hell, he was getting paid for it, why the hell not? Even if he was a little bored just standing there...watching everyone else have a good time, knowing full one or two of the villa guards would be bumping around the cleaning closets with some of the fine flesh out here. He gave a smirk, one that stayed plastered on his face all throughout the night.
"All right, Quinlan, I'll relieve you for the night," Rutger muttered as she stepped through Theiris' antechamber door. Quinlan had been reading for the night, standing up as soon as the other guard entered. "You look like you need a drink."
"Don't I ever," he sighed. "Look, the kid's just gone off to uh, well, I'm sure you can handle it. I'm heading out. Gotta get away from Sir Flabs-a-lot. I don't know how you deal with him. See you in a few hours, all right?"
"Sure," she said with a nod and watched him go.
It was easy avoid the Captain of Understone's men. The man could barely walk two paces without winding himself. Quinlan alone had gotten meaner in build in the last few years. But as soon as Quinlan was out onto the evening streets, he was home free. At least for the next few hours. Selevea was a decent place, he thought to himself. Better than Ketra by a longshot. And not a bad place to find himself.
There had be a tavern around here where he could spend his gold. Some place to help him forget that he'd sold much of his freedom away to a mercenary's job. There was no risk, sure, but there wasn't much thrill either. But far be it from him to say no to easy money.
Quinlan took out the smoke case, and pulled out the one he'd half-dashed earlier, igniting a match and taking a drag on it, when he saw a familiar shape coming up toward him, or so he thought. He wasn't drunk yet, so he couldn't be seeing things. Quinlan saw the pair of people behind it pass under a lantern's light and smiled.
He'd know that hair anywhere.