Elminster_ The Making of a Mage - Ed Greenwood [35]
"Game for an early kiss and cuddle?" Ashanda asked disinterestedly, examining her nails. She knew what their reply would be before it came. Nothing from the one with the unruly black hair and the beaky nose, and from Farl-
"Nay. We just like to watch." He leered at her over his tankard.
She gave him a mock coquettish look, batting her eyes and putting two delicate fingers to her mouth in a shocked expression, and then replied, "An' most of 'em want a cheering audience, so that's aright. Just be sure to give way when we need the space on the benches, or it's my blade-toe you'll be feeling!"
They'd seen her put her dagger-tipped boot into the shins of many a man, and once into the gut of a sailor who didn't know his own cruel strength; he'd ended up screaming his guts out-literally-on the tavern floor. Both thieves nodded hastily as the other girls tittered.
Farl gave one of them a wink, and she leaned forward to pat his knee. The movement made her low-cut silken bodice slide, smooth and cool, across Elminster's arm. He hastily transferred his tankard out of the way, feeling a stirring in him.
Budaera saw his swift movement and turned her head to smile up at him. Her scent-something of roses, not so strong as some of the reeks the ladies used-wafted to his nostrils. Elminster shivered.
"Anytime you have the coins, love," she breathed huskily. El-minster managed to get the back of his hand over his nose in time. Then his sneeze slopped beer down the side of his tankard, and nearly knocked her sideways to the floor.
Hoots and roars filled the corner. Budaera gave him a glare, and then softened it to an expression of sorrow when she saw that his distress and his stammered apology were genuine. She patted his knee and said, "There, there. 'Tis all a matter of improving your technique-and that, I can teach you."
"If ye can afford her lessons," another girl cackled, and there were chuckles all around. El wiped his streaming eyes on the back of his sleeve and nodded thanks to Budaera, but she was already turning away to ask another girl where that coppery nail daub had come from, and how much it had cost.
Farl ran his fingers through the hair above his ear and drew his hand down to stare in delight at a silver coin in his fingers, as if he'd never seen it before. "Look at this" he said to Eladar. "Mayhap there's another!"
There was. He held them up in triumph, and said, "I'm ready, Budaera, an' I'm willing, an' I see you're free of guests at the m-"
"For two silver bits," she said in a flat, cold tone, "that's the way I'm staying, 'my love.' " The laughter of the girls galed around them; men with tall frosted flagons in hand drifted nearer to see what merriment was afoot… or abench.
Farl looked crestfallen. "I don't think there's anything more back there, but I didn't comb my hair this morn…" His look changed to hopeful, and he ran his hands through his hair again, then shook his head.
"Nay." One of the girls made a sound of mock sorrow, but he held up his hand. "Wait a bit, wait a bit-I've not checked all me hair, now have I?" Farl leered again and reached inside his dark shirt to scratch at his armpit. His fingers worked lustily, and then paused. Farl frowned, drew out an imaginary-at least, so
Elminster hoped-pinch of lice, and examined them critically. Then he pretended to eat them, licked his fingers daintily, and when he was done darted his hand into his shirt again, trying the other armpit.
Almost immediately his eyes grew round and wondering. Slowly he drew out-a gold coin! He sniffed at it, drew back in mock disgust, and then held it up with a laugh of triumph. "See you?"
"Now that," Budaera purred, leaning forward again, "is worth more than a sneeze. Have you another?"
Farl looked