Talus waited until the last of the crowd dispersed. The townsfolk returned to their homes or the tavern, shaken but safe. Their voices grew distant in the cool air, they'd worry about the cleanup the next morning. The moon had risen higher, bathing the broken rubble and shimmering marsh in silver light. A few wisps of Thalora's magic still pulsed faintly, embedded in the debris like sleeping stars.
Vorbal stretched beside him, yawning. That cat's white fur swirled with black patterns unlike any natural housecat possessed.
"Now then," Vorbal muttered, tail twitching with mischievous delight. "It's time we begin the final rite. One more scandalous than the bell tower plight. This, once complete shall be crowned the most marvelous feat. A kiss, earnest and sincere, shall make your way clear."
Talus's shoulders sank as they walked. The three tasks were supposed to be easy, something even children could accomplish, and they were. But the after-effects were becoming much more attention-grabbing when he was trying to be lowkey.
The tavern glowed ahead, lanterns flickering like a beacon in the night. Music wafted out, a mixture of raucous fiddle playing and drunken singing. Vorbal slinked ahead, weaving through the crowd toward the warm hearth like a moth to flame, his fat hips swaying with each exaggerated step.
Talus lingered near the entrance, unwilling to go past the bouncers and follow Vorbal inside. The final task loomed, ridiculous as it was. His eyes scanned the bar, past the loitering locals and their tankards, to the source of a booming voice echoing into the night.
"Oh, Reginald, don't be shy now!" the woman sang, waving a half-gloved hand like a signal flag, ushering a man over. The man turned away and acted like he didn't hear her, shrugging his shoulders and adjusting his collar higher up his neck.
The woman stood under a flickering lamp in the corner of the bar, lit in a haze of smoky glow. Her dress was crimson, in the places is still had colour, and clung to every unsavoury curve. A velvet corset strained at its frayed seams, forcing her upper half into bold prominence. Her outrageous skirt erupted in ruffles like the crown of a too ripe fruit. With her bulbous frame and glistening makeup, the fat woman of the night resembled nothing so much as a gargantuan raspberry ready for harvest. A tiny feather wobbled on her head with every movement like it feared being eaten by the rest of her.
The man she flirted with, Reginald, pretended not to hear, sliding farther down the bench with theatrical avoidance. Vorbal had already doubled over, laughing softly to himself as he motioned Talus towards the woman. Talus stepped forward, gaze flat, shoulders square. He opened his mouth to speak. But that was all the preparation he got.
"Why, hello there, pretty boy," The woman purred, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She pivoted toward him with surprising speed. "A new treat for Esmeralda, are we?"
Before Talus could react, she seized his face with both hands and smooshed his cheeks together. Her lips, plump, overpainted, and tasting faintly of Bogfire, descended upon his reluctant mouth with terrifying precision. There was no elegance, only impact. A mocking cheer went up nearby. Someone whistled. A mug hit the ground before the crowd burst out laughing at Talus's expense.
Talus didn't flinch. He stood still, arms firmly pressed at his sides, enduring the strike to his dignity. The woman pulled back, breathless and triumphant.
"Mmm, you taste like moonlight and regret," Esmeralda said, her eyes dreamy. She licked her lips, patting his chest softly. "As much as I would love to taste more of you, darling, I fear my heart could not endure the bittersweet sorrow of your inevitable departure. I am going to have to decline. Sigh."
Vorbal nearly choked from laughter on the other side of the bar, paws covering his face, chortling like a grave rat who'd found a gold tooth embedded in a biscuit. Talus merely wiped away smeared lipstick from his mouth with the back of his sleeve.
"The third task," Talus muttered, his voice flat and neutral. "Is complete. All the knots have been tied."
Esmeralda gave him a wink that could have felled a lesser man with fright.
"Don't visit me again, darling. I would much rather delude myself and believe you to be a dream than immerse myself in the cold reality that you exist. My spark for life is diminished with your presence. Go, I must console myself! Reginald, this time is on the house!" Esmeralda dramatically cooed. The man who had been pretending she didn't exist abruptly turned back to face her, ignoring his companion's laughter as he rushed to her side. The obese woman practically dragged the embarrassed man up a flight of stairs, leading to the rooms above.
Without another word, Talus turned on his heel and stalked to the other side of the tavern where Vorbal waited. The cat was folded in half, wheezing with delight.
"You magnificent calamity," Vorbal huffed through shrieks of glee. "You did it! You actually did it! I was sure you'd wriggle away, but no! You faced the raspberry temptress with full display! A kiss by moonlight, impossible by day."
Talus didn't answer.
"Oh, come now, don't scowl! That was theatre. Raw and uncowled! Very bold. Very bard-worthy. Very Human indeed. Tell me, do you sense now the purpose of these deeds? A hint? A whiff? A noseful of the three tasks' design? It wasn't just pranks or cruel little lines. It was joy, dear boy! The mortal kind! The messy, mad, and mushy mind! You've tasted it all now. The reckless glee! The towering wonder! And, the saucy shame! An unsolicited kiss and its spicy game! So tell me, sweet Fae prince, your earthly name?" Vorbal spoke, waving his paws around in excitement, ending his speech in a flourishing bow and standing on two feet.
"I tire of these theatrics. The name I go by is Talus. I've completed your tasks, now let us conclude our bargain-" Talus began.
"Here mate, this is for taking one for the team and giving Esmeralda a peck. She was starting to get a bit handsy. I don't know what you did but I've never seen her act so demure in my life!" A patron said, forcing a full tankard into Talus's hand, sloshing alcohol over the rim. He gave Talus an enthusiastic clap on the shoulder and wobbled over to regain his friends.
"Let us move elsewhere before anyone else tries to reward me with fermented root liquor," Talus muttered, glaring down at the mug of Bogfire. He considered for a moment before downing the contents in one gulp. The group of men turned to watch, cheering him on with pumped fists. He felt a strange sense of belonging and camaraderie well up within him, accompanied by a feeling of amusement as he recalled the fall of the bell tower and how the three children scapegoated the blame for him. They lost interest as soon as he finished, returning to their previous conversation.
Talus led the way around the back of the tavern, Vorbal strutting behind him. The music within had picked up again, becoming more off-key as the night dragged on. The rough laughter was louder and the clinking of tankards more frequent. The night air was thick with scents of alcohol, grease, and rotting fruit.
And there she was again.
Esmeralda sat upon an upturned crate near the rear entrance, legs spread in an unladylike manner, and cheeks flushed from drink. Her loosened corset strained against the sheer mass of her stomach. The enormous mole on her cheek glistened in the moonlight like an overripe plum, thick hairs sprouting in every direction. She exhaled loudly through her nose and fished something from her teeth with a dirty thumbnail.
Reginald was facing the other way, fussing at his trousers to have them laced up. Vorbal climbed Talus's shoulder and whispered directly into his ear, eyes glinting.
"Behoooooold!" Vorbal declared, leaping from his perch onto a barrel with dramatic flair, tail swishing like a stage curtain. "The finest maiden in town, dressed up in crimson and sass. A vision! A dream! A thunderous lass! And you, with courage and bliss, have had stolen... your very first kiss! Mark this moment with sparkle and glee, for it shall haunt your dreams eternally!"