Chapter 22: Realizations

"Sing for us, Swan Song," someone from the crowd urged, and Ethinir let down his tankard. He began to sing then, his voice carrying over the inn. The smell of the pit fires, and the meat cooking over them, added to the homely feeling of the place.

Ethinir had to sing ten songs, until he said he needed some time for his voice to rest. He turned to Orion, and leaned on him.

"Sometimes, I feel like my voice is a curse," Ethinir said, so only Orion could hear him.

"Your voice is a blessing," Orion countered. "A more melodic voice I have never heard."

"Be that as it may, people don't look pass it," Ethinir murmured, disappointed at his lot in life.

"People don't look pass my looks either," Ossilo told him from next to him. "But I grin and bear it."

"Are you saying I should stop whining?" Ethinir said with a chuckle.

"That is precisely it," Ossilo said, and he turned to lord Aswan.

"My lord, you heard Ethinir sing. Now please, tell us something about your village?" Ossilo said, and he motioned to the barkeeper to come over, and pour them all another drink. The Naga didn't want to get roaring drunk, rather, tipsy enough so that he could have an excuse to have Orion carry him to their room.

"Well, there is nothing much to say. We have a trading route passing through, for the seaside. We trade our produce, and some crafts. Such as furniture, stone busts," Lord Richard said, and Ossilo nodded.

"Orion here got a deal with Alexei for some marble. The goblins are going to mine it. Would it be ok, if you see it sold? We will pay you a cut, for getting the marble to the buyers," Ossilo suggested, and the noble sighed.

"Normally, I would be happy to trade in marble. But what of the quality? If goblins are going to mine it, how can we be certain that they won't scratch it up?" Lord Aswan asked.

"Goblins are expert craftsmen," Orion said, as he took a sip from his blood. It was that of a pig. Gotten from the butcher especially for him. He didn't like the taste, but he appreciated the touch enough so that he could ignore it.

"They are?" Lord Richard asked. He had never heard of such a thing. As far as he knew, goblins were only good for pillaging.

"They are," Orion assured him. "They will know how to cut up the slabs. Polish them, and the like. You will see. If you'd like, you can withhold the payment for the first shipment of marble, until you can see for yourself that the quality is a good one?"

"That would be for the best," the noble said, and then turned to Ethinir with a hopeful gaze. "Has your voice rested, master Ethinir?"

Ethinir sighed, but began to sing again. As he sang, people began to dance again. His voice was doing wonders for the opinion of the villagers, although he didn't know it.

A girl came to the bar, and gave Ethinir a flower, when he was done with his song. There were a couple of other girls behind her, all holding flowers.

"Your voice is like nothing I have ever heard," the girl said. "Are you a bard?"

"Something like that," Ethinir brought the pink flower, he was not sure what it was, as it was not a forest flower, to his nose. There was a faint sweet scent he quite liked. The petals were numerous and fluffy looking as well.

"Thank you for the flower," Ethinir said, and the girl blushed.

"We were thinking, would it be ok, if you come to dance with one of us? Surely, you are a graceful dancer?" The girl asked.

"He is taken," both Orion and Ossilo said at the same time. Ethinir grinned at them both.

"Scared of some competition?" He teased, and Orion took his hand in his.

"We will dance, right now," Orion led Ethinir to the middle of the room, and placed his arms around him. They swayed for a while, stepping lightly.

"Ossilo is going to feel excluded," Ethinir murmured. The bard that called this tavern home kept on playing. His music had accompanied Ethinir's singing the entire time.

"I will dance with him as well, later," Orion said, and he twirled Ethinir around. "I just don't want to give the villagers as scare. If they see three men dancing together, they might stone us."

"They are not as close minded as you think," Ethinir tried to defend them, but nothing else came to mind. The scene where they had nearly ended up mobbed fresh in his mind.

"Yes, well, let us not risk it," Orion bent to the elf and then kissed him. He heard a couple of chuckles from the crowd, but kept on dancing. When the song ended, Orion led Ethinir back to the bar.

"Care for a dance?" Orion offered his hand to Ossilo. The Naga took it.

"I thought you wouldn't ask," Ossilo said with a grin. Orion led him to the dance floor, and they both heard as Ethinir began to sing a love song. It sounded like it was especially for them.

"He has the loveliest voice ever," Ossilo said, as they swayed to the beat and Ethinir's voice.

"That he does. He is not a half-bad accountant, either," Orion said, as he pressed Ossilo flushed against him, and then bent them down.

"We lucked out with him," Ossilo said, as Orion's lips brushed over his. "What are you waiting for?"

Orion hesitated. He wanted to kiss Ossilo, he also just wanted to stare at him. At his silver-blonde hair, his blue eyes, his lovely nose, his adorable dimples.

It was at this moment, with Ethinir's voice in the background tickling his ears, that Orion realized something. He loved them, both. He had fallen hard for them. No longer could he imagine a life without them.

"I love you, Brightest Star," Orion whispered, and captured Ossilo's lips for a kiss.