The sun had long set over the lodge, replaced with dark storm clouds the rain poured down on the docks. Waves crashed against the rock supporting the tavern. Ships rocked back and forth as the wind blew. The candle lit lanterns casted a bright orange glow over the wooden docks. The tavern had closed near on half an hour ago and Damon was locking the doors for the night. He went to close the last door for the night before turning around to the rest of the bar.
The tavern was empty, the tables all cleaned. The floors were swept, and the place was well kept. The bar itself was almost entirely cleared, the stools even pushed in. All except for one. At the bar sat a blonde woman with dirty long hair wearing a blue musketeer’s hat on her head. She was wearing a blue shirt with a black sailor’s jacket and a sapphire locket over it and grey casual pants. At her side she has a sabre and on her back an old but well kept looking flintlock. At the table she was surrounded by empty glasses and bottles. Damon closes the door and as he walks over the woman slams another couple galleons on the table.
“Anotha’ whiskey *hic* p-please” she drunkenly asked.
“Amy, I have’ta decline that. You’ve already drank way too much.” Damon replied.
“Aw, c-c’mon Damonn. I’m feelin’ fine!” Amena said, slurring her words.
“I’m sorry, but I ain’ having no one drinkin’ themselves away in my lodge. I can getcha a cup o’ chilled freshwater and anythin from the leftovers. But no more drinks.” Damon reaffirmed.
“I’m tellin’ you! I’m *hic* fine!” she reassured, while standing up. “S-See? I can *hic* still stand!”
When she stood she immediately seemed off balance. She may not have thought it but it was very obvious she had way too much to drink. She was visibly swaying side to side.
“Ya kiddin’ me? Ye’ can hardly stand up straight, not to mention you polished off 9 of the whiskeys! What are ya tryin’ to do? Kill yerself?”
Despite her being drunk a very noticeable solemn expression ran across her face. It was unmistakable, a type of grief. Damon knew of this feeling all too well.
“Sit back down before ya hurt yerself.” he said while walking back behind the bar. She sat back down at the bar nearly knocking over the stool. Her hat fell off her head toppling a couple of the ice bottles to fall off the table. They hit the wooden floors and smashed..
“Shit, *hic* Sorry ‘bout that Damon.” Amena apologized.
“It’s no trouble.” the bartender responded.
On his hand appeared a magic circle. He was known for being an ice mage and could create things out of ice on demand. In his hand a chunk of ice appeared out of thin air. With his other hand he reached up and spun the icecube, as it spun it slowly took the shape of a cup, before in his hand was a beer mug made of ice. It was part of the reason the lodge saw such popularity since you were never served a warm drink. He did this twice.
He took the mugs and filled them with water from one of the barrels. He took one of them and slid it down the bar toward Amena, who caught it out of instinct. He walked over with his mug and sat down next to her. The silence was unbearable as the rain from outside pounded on the building’s walls. Lightning struck to the north, breaking the silence briefly. Damon sighed and spoke up.
“So… Have ya found any leads on ‘em? Antonio I think his name was?” he asked
Amena took a drink from the mug, she paused before answering with a saddened look on her face.
“...no.” she replied
“...I see, How long has it been now?”
She took a deep breath before answering, “Three months… One week… and *hic* two days…”
“...You’ve done well ta keep track.” Damon answered.
The tavern was deathly silent again as the rain pouring was tuned out entirely. Until Damon asked again.
“So, what happened for ya to get separated from him, might I ask?”
Her eyes widened at the question and her face paled, her expression went from one of sorrow to one of many saddened emotions. You could read the sadness in her eyes as she recalled the memories. The fear of what happened reflected in the paleness of her face. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to keep it together.
“I-... I-it was just a normal day.” she stuttered.
“W-we’d just taken our trip to our f-favourite spot in Ravenna to prepare for a p-party celebrating our 3rd year a-anniversary… T-that was until t-t-they showed up…” she said through her tears and drunken stupor.
“Who were ‘they’?” Damon asked puzzled.
“I-... I dont k-know… All I k-know is they wore all black with a p-purplish capes.” she said, before Damon could reply she continued.
“T-they attacked us, w-while Tony was a-able to f-fend them off with his water m-magic. I w-wasnt strong enough. They b-beat me to the ground… He c-couldnt fight t-them all off” she stammered tears now rolling down her face.
“T-t-the last thing I-I saw was him getting taken b-by some of them o-one way. W-while t-they took me a-another. T-they e-experimented on m-me, h-horrible things. T-they t-tortured me, t-took my m-magic, t-t-took my T-…”
She slammed her head down on the bar, full on bawling at this point. The water in her mug splashed up over the side leaving water all over the counter.
“AMY!” Damon shouted, startled by the sudden action.
“I-it’s all m-my fault! I-I should’ve been s-stronger!” she cried “I s-should’ve b-been able to h-help him… I s-should’ve been a-able to d-do more! I-I s-should’ve, I-”
She stopped trying to talk entirely just sobbing on the bar counter. Damon was stunned with all of these revelations. He figured she was going through something given how often she was coming in alone, nevermind how much she was ordering. But he never would have guessed this. “Amena…” He said… But she didn’t reply.
“...Amena I don’ feel like I can properly relate to what yer goin’ through. But I can tell ya it wasn’t yer fault…”
“B-but if I was-” she tried to object, but she was cut off by Damon
“If what ya told me is true, they seemed ta be a pretty powerful group. I don’ believe no preparation given the hand ya were dealt coulda prepared ya for that.”
“But-” once again however she was cut off by Damon
“Not ta mention they had the capabilities of taking away the magic you was born with.”
“But that would mean Tony might be dead!” she shouted looking up at Damon
As she stared at him he could see the dread in her eyes of that possibility. She didn’t want to believe it but she couldn’t get the idea out of her head.
“E-every day I don’t find him is… is another day he could be… he could be…” she muttered.
She dropped her head back on the counter in her sorrow and grief.
“...He’s out there still Amy… he’s got to be…” Damon said reassuringly.
“H-how d-do ya k-know?” she responded through heavy breathing
“I don’ know how but I just have a feelin’.”
“Here.” Damon says as he gets up.
He walks back around the counter to a drawer. He pulls it open and grabs something out of it. He turns back to Amena.
“Catch!” he shouts as he tosses the thing he grabbed from the counter to her.
“W-wha?” She responds surprised at the object flying at her. She catches it but nearly fumbles it. She realizes its a key.
“W-what’s this for?” She asks.
“Up the stairs. After the first turn its the first room on the left. Ya can stay here the night on the house. In the mornin’ we can start puttin’ up missin’ posters for Antonio. I’ll also tell the Grand Navy ta keep an eye out for em.”
“R-really? Y-you’d do t-that fer me?” she asks while wiping her face off with her hand.
“Yeah, I don’ mind helpin’ a friend out, Though get ta bed, yer a wreck.”
“O-ok…” she says.
As she gets up and stumbles up the stairs. Damon continues cleaning up the main area. Sweeping up the broken ice on the floor, and taking the emptied glasses and putting them away. He thinks to himself about what kind of group Amena may have been talking about. To no avail unfortunately. The rain continues to pour as Damon finally locks the last door for the night, and prepares for service the next day.