Slow, Gray Rain

*Section written by Silver*

I always loved the rain. The sound of it as it tapped against the glass of the window, breaking through the thick silence room. It’s almost like the world slows to the beat of it, all waiting for the occasional crescendo of lightning in the distance as it rolls away into a soft rumble leaving the soft beat of the rain once again.

I sat at a table near one of the Iron Hearth’s window listening to the beat of the rain, eyes taking in the gray view that doesn’t quite reach the mind lost in thought behind them. The Iron Hearth was filled with only the beat of the rain, surprising empty of its usual bustle of customers whom have decided to hide away in their homes instead of trekking through the cold.

My hands rest loosely around my now third cup of tea for today, my daggers lay idle on the table next to them polished and sharpened. My day not being filled with much else, as little was left to do around the tavern with no customers coming. Hunter has locked himself away in the smithy long before I even awoke working away at piled up orders, giving me no one to talk to. I give a sigh at the thought,

 “Not as if he’d be out here even if he could be.” I mumble to my cup. Not after what happened the other day. I sigh again eyes taking in the empty inn, tables left unoccupied by the unlit fire, bar polished to a shine reflecting the colors of the bottles behind them filled with various liquors and wines of all flavors, and behind the bar a door set into the wall made of a fine red wood elegant beside its dark wood frame, a dark iron handle set into it and a sign above cleanly etched with the word, Smithy. My eyes hovered over the door for a while, seeing what was behind it more than the door itself, of more specifically the who that was behind it. “What now, Hunter?”

My heart ached as his name left my mouth. I shook my head trying to clear away the depressing thoughts. “Come now, Silvernia, you would think by now you would be used to being alone.” I berated myself, eyes returning to the gray of the window and the soft patter of the rain. But as my eyes might have moved the image in my brain was still of the door. I huffed, pushing away from the table and standing up, frustrated in myself for letting something bother me so much. I walked around the bar towards the door.

“Maybe if I just talk to him, I can explain what really happened.” I say, but even as the words fall from my lips, do my feet stop moving just away from the door. My eyes locked on the handle, filled with grief and regret. “What are you doing? He wants time to think. It's not right for me to try and press it.” I voice what my head already knew. I rest my hand against the smooth wood of the door, eyes closing as I say my silent apologies hoping that in some way they reach him.

With one last sigh, I slowly pull away and walk back around the bar and up the stairs to the bedroom that Hunter and I shared. I grabbed my worn leather travel bag from the hook on the wall, filling it with the few belongings that I owed in the world. In stride, I return back down the stairs into the kitchen behind the bar. I rummage through the pantry grabbing some traveling food that would last a few days and wouldn’t spoil in the rain. Food gathered, I moved back behind the bar and grabbed two mugs from the shelf under the bar and set them on it before pick a specific bottle from the wall pouring both mugs graciously full with its content. I return the bottle to its rightful place before moving over to my table and recovered my daggers, cup of tea long forgotten. Daggers in their right place I move back to the bar and pick up one of the mugs, eyes reflecting in its amber sheen. After a moment of nothing I down the drink and set the mug down before turning to the door and walking out into the same slow, gray rain.

Author's Note

WARNING: Neither this chapter nor any of the future ones have been or will be edited as they are purely made for fun and are made with no stops or rereading or forethought. Thus we are aware there are spelling and grammar errors.