Acrimonious

Writers: Halyonix
Date Posted: 28th August 2025

Characters: Nirian, N'rada
Description: N'rada comes to visit but not really
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 8, day 12 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: K'mai, Zariah

Notes:
~*~

"Hey sis," N'rada called as he walked into the tavern that afternoon. For a moment, Nirian ignored him, keeping her attention on counting the remaining bottles on the top shelf. Spotting an open one, she popped the cork, sniffed it, grimaced, then sighed as she descended the small ladder.

"You're late," she said to her brother as she went to dump out the expired bottle.

"Practice ran late," N'rada answered as he sat.

"That was your excuse last sevenday too. Your Wingleader is piss poor about respecting other peoples' times." Nirian's usual bright manner was tarnished today. Maybe it was that time of the month. Maybe she just wanted to be annoyed with her brother. Either way, she wasn't pleasant or sassy. She was just snarky.

"Come on, Nir, it's not like he can tell when I'm late."

Nirian shot him a sharp look. "He can't. But I can. Because you were supposed to be here hours ago, now I don't get to have some free time before my shift. Which I'm on now."

"Sorry," N'rada apologized without any hint of sincerity. If anything, his entire posture gave off the hint that he thought himself above reproach because it had been dragonrider duties that had kept him. "Look, I'll go see him now. Happy?"

"Sure," Nirian answered without looking his way but with plenty of sourness to her tone. She heard him shift out of the seat and leave and it was only after the door had closed that Nirian slammed the now empty bottle hard into the trash.

It wasn't fair.

From the vintners that kept going on about how a woman shouldn't be near the vats (as though her very presence somehow tainted the vintages), to the dragonriders that came carousing (as though they hadn't any responsibility in the world), to the aunties that reminded her constantly about how important family was (as though she was ever allowed to forget), Nirian was hounded daily with the reminders of how constrained her life was. And it seemed like every time N'rada showed up, it just rubbed salt in that wound.

She needed a day away. Just a day. Something to escape the monotony, the restraints. Something just for _her_. She deserved it. Maybe the next time K'mai or one of his friends dropped by, she could ask. Or Zariah. She hated begging but she was tired of feeling trapped.

Nirian exhaled with a soft growl. She stood there with her eyes closed, trying to make herself feel better somehow, until the tavern door opened again with a jovial, "Hullo the pub!" from one of the regulars.

Nirian plastered on a bright smile even though she wanted to scream and got to work.

When N'rada slipped into the tavern barely an hour later, she ignored him, busying herself with serving guests. Late to visit and only staying an hour. Great. How long until he came up excuses not to come at all? Would that be any better than what he was doing now? There wouldn't be the hope. And Nirian could crush another hope. She was used to doing that.

Her brother slipped out with a half-hearted wave her way, as if he was trying to convey some emotion that she didn't want to accept then. "Good riddance," she muttered under her breath as she poured the next drink. She was sure that she'd hate something else about today later when she was going to bed but that would be a problem for future Nirian.

"Nir, lovely! Another ale!" one of the men called.

"Coming right up," she answered sunnily while imagining what it would be like to burn the place down. Some days were just like that.

Last updated on the August 29th 2025

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Acrimonious