Mermaid Mischief
5 days before the festival...
With Naya busy taking care of Zarg, the Mermaid and Cleric got left in the apartment, Gloria gazed outside the window.
The flaglets hanging from each roof, dragon masks that adorned each citizen's doors. Everyone in the busy street below appeared to already be in high spirits.
Unlike a certain Cleric glued to the tome of Mitra. Her commandments, he already memorized by heart, re-reading each passage simply affirmed his fate to the Deity.
"Stefano, I am bored! Let's take a stroll around the market!"
By the couch, the cleric merely shrugged off Gloria's request with a chuckle. Grown wise to her tricks, there is no way Stefano will indulge Gloria's mischievous whims.
"Stroll? Are you mad!? As if I'd let you drag me around in your wheel chair again!."
"Ugh, you still have a grudge over that!? It was a harmless prank!"
The religious tome slammed shut, taking with it his patience regarding Gloria's antics.
"Mitra grant me patience, you had us speeding on a wheelchair in a highway built for carriages and wagons! You're lucky we didn't get imprisoned for disrupting the traffic!"
The agitation in Stefano's tone had Gloria laughing. There's just something about this cleric going into hysterics that she loved so much. He was constantly on the edge trying to hold onto his sanity in their world of absurdity. Gloria wished he would let go, hence the never ending cycle of teasing that Gloria imposes upon the hapless Cleric.
"I already said I'm sorry." Gloria giggled her apology, making Stefano feel like she wasn't sorry at all.
"There's nothing funny about this, Gloria!"
Doing away with her childish cackle, Gloria gazed Stefano straight in the eyes, showcasing her most tantalizing pleading. Her lips quivered for good measure. This kicked puppy appeal immediately tugged upon Stefano's heartstrings.
"Stefano...please?"
What harm is there in granting this Mermaid companionship as they stroll around the city? Plenty. And the majority of it is inflected upon his mental health. As long as he can get Gloria to swear.
"Okay, fine. You better not drag me around by your wheelchair again!"
+++++
"AAaAAAah!" Stefano's scream attracted the gaze of the onlookers.
This strange sight of a man on the lap of mermaid's wheelchair were sure to turn heads.
Such was their speed that winds howled across Stefano's face, wheezing past the carriages on the road. Nothing less than immaculate, Gloria's driving ramped up their speed while avoiding any collision.
"Gloria stop, for the love of Mitra please!"
And halt Gloria did. She wanted to tease him, not torture the poor cleric.
The anti-grav wheels of Gloria's wheelchair drifting to a halt, tossing Stefano to the ground.
His back aching from the fall, Stefano stood as he healed himself. Unfortunately, there is no healing spell can mend a broken trust, it was his fault truly. Never should taken the mermaid at ther word.
"Really funny, Gloria. Let's do the thing I specifically instructed you NOT to do!" As Stefano turned his back, his overhwleming spite can be sensed by how he marched without a care for the mermaid. "I'm going home. Go and stroll around if you want."
There is catharsis in letting the Mermaid know he was livid, and yet there is this sting in his chest at the thought of leaving Gloria behind out spite. What could it be?
His determination to teach Gloria a lesson dwindled the moment a hand tugged the back of his shirt.
"Don't go. I'm sorry." This time, Gloria's remorse seeped through her tone. "I just like messing with you, don't be mad."
Stefano's brow narrowed in confusion. She likes messing with her? What in the nine hells does that mean? Even more mystifying was how his anger vanished at this mermaid's pleading!
"I'll go with you. But if you pull that shit again, I'm out! You hear me!?"
Regaining her smile, Gloria chuckled at how adorable Stefano is as he tried to be mad.
The wary Stefano raised his timbre, "See, you're about to pull something again! I knew it!"
"I'm not. Come, let's go and check if if they have new stuff by the bazaar."
With the festival fast approaching, the regular market stands had their own way of celebrating, adding a bit of jovialness to the already bustling market by coming up with seasonal sidelines.
"Milk pies! Get your fresh, limited milk pies 'ova here! Only for 'tis founding season!"
The burly minotaur shouted. His booming voice drowned out by the crowd.
With his mermaid companion veering off to the side, Stefano followed to check what mischief she must be up to. Hopefully, put a stop to it before it comes into fruition.
Alas, Stefano was too late.
The figure of Gloria conversing with the minotaur was a premonition of something...impish. Damn it they just had a talk earlier not to do shit like this!
"What, your friend would like to taste test our milk pie!? That's a fantastic idea!"
Grabbing a thick slice of the pie, the Minotaur walked over the Cleric frozen in place.
"No, Minotaur sir, I'm afraid there is a misunderstanding that...hmmmph!"
Stefano's explanation had been cut short by the sweet and creamy goodness of the milk pie.
His gaze wandered at the Minotaur's wife, flashing him an innocent smile. Probably delighted that this young man enjoyed the fruits of her 'labor'.
"Is it good, boy!?" The Minotaur questioned, his hand huge enough to rip Stefano's head from his body, tapped his back.
Chewing nervously, there is only one answer. What the hell was he supposed to say, no!?
"It...great!" So said Stefano as he chewed the pie.
"Attaboy! My wife tried her darnedest making that pie!"
Meanwhile, a certain mermaid grinned from ear-to-ear.
"Thank you for the slice! We...ugh...we have to get going now."
The Minotaur's hand held the cleric in place.
"Now wait just a minute!" Handing over the rest of the pie, the Minotaur beamed with pride. "Go and share this delicious pie with your woman."
What, Gloria, his woman? The silly notion made Stefano chuckle.
"She's not my woman. We're just party members."
"Couldn've sworn you two look like a couple."
Stefano interjected, "A couple of good friends!"