Originally posted May 13, 2009
((By the end of my time in CoH, Shiv had evolved into a local celebrity. She would hold court at a local pub, a nod to one of Jenn's characters from Chicago by Night. The below is an introduction to a story that never went any further, but gives an insight to the fief the mage carved out.))
"Are ye sure yer old enough tae bae in here, lad?" Tristan raised an eyebrow at his only a few years over old enough boss. Shiv ignored him and continued to study the young man nervously standing at the side of their booth. He stood average height with a few extra pounds around the middle. A rounded face and thin, sandy hair projected a youthful visage that would undoubtedly plague him as he got older.
"Uh," the young man gestured towards the door. "I was carded when I came in."
Siobhan shifted her head to catch the eye of the pub's raven-haired barkeep. Aoife nodded at the archmage, an affirmation the lad was old enough to patronize a pub.
"Oh, di ye fancy a drink then?" That young face smiled. "Sure."
"Be a dear an git the tae of us another round while yer at the bar then, will ye?" The face smiled and blinked, puzzled. Siobhan smiled back at him. "Geeeoo on then, lad. Ah'm spewing feathers. We'll bae 'ere when ye git back." She kept smiling as the young man walked away, then turned on her personal assistant.
"What's this about then?" she asked sharply.
Tristan sighed. "His name is Caleb Morris, a student at Steel Canyon U. He wanted to talk with you."
"About?"
"He heard about the help you gave Mr. Glover and he wanted to ask for your help."
"Ah 'elped Mr. Glover wit 'the cabbage in 'is vegetable patch. Tis young master Morris a gardener?"
Tristan shook his head. "I honestly don't know what Caleb want to talk to you about. He asked me if he could. I checked him out. He's basically harmless. He's lived in Croatoa all his life. It's not like you could turn him down."
Siobhan scowled at Tristan. More and more neighborhood residents had sought her out at Aoife's over the last few months. Beyond ridding Mr. Glover's garden lot of meddlesome rabbits, she'd tracked down a number of lost pets and children, thwarted an extortion scheme, and exorcised a ghost. She shivered. The ghost still gave her nightmares.
She rubbed her forehead as she finished a pint in anticipation of the next round. Rumors of the friendly, funny talking woman who hung out at the bar had evolved to tales of the witch who holds court at the pub. Siobhan wondered if her grandmother started this way, building power in the St. Giles' Rookery in exchange for small favors asked for and completed. She sighed. Protecting the city took many forms.
Young Mr. Morris returned to the table, delicately clutching three pint glasses.
"Thank ye, lad." Siobhan said as he set down the glasses. She looked at her PA. "Tristan, wuid ye give us a moment?" Tristan smiled and nodded, taking a full pint with him to sit at the bar.
"Please lad, di sit down." Shiv gestured at the empty bench across from her. "Caleb is it?"
"Thank you," he nodded, "My Lady."
Shiv blinked, not letting the smile drop from her lips or color rise to her cheeks. "Siobhan 'tis fine. Shiv even."
"Thank you,… Shiv."
She nodded and took a sip. Caleb had taken a care to order the Scottish Ale she had been drinking. She took it as a good sign of his intelligence and perception. "Now lad. What's the matter?"
Caleb looked up and down, the length of the book. A blush appeared on his cheeks. He leaned forward. "My… Shiv. I think I accidentally sold my soul."
|