e&tg 27

Gialarçi shook her head.  "Beat up by a child.  Perhaps it's for the best that you're getting out of the business, Mwaele.  Next time it'll be an orc's axe or a guard's sabre and there'll be less of you to entertain me."

"I am not getting out of the business.  I'm being forced out," i grumbled as i looked around the somewhat crowded room, watching the people interact.  "And," i added, "she did not beat me up.  She caught me off guard.  I wouldn't have regarded an orc or a guard so lightly."

"You once quoted to me from the Mercenary Code: “One never knows where a threat comes from.”  Besides, you knew she was a gang leader.  Admit it: you've lost your killer instinct."

I stared at my beer.  "It's like i don't know myself anymore."

"I don't recognize you, either.  And you know what the cause is."

I looked at her.  "I do?  I mean, what?"

She stared at me for a second before answering.  "Well, it's probably not the sole reason, but it's probably the main reason.  Your gryphon, Mwaele.  You are, for the first time in your life, responsible for another life."

I laughed mirthlessly.  "My job has often caused me to be responsible for a life.  Sometimes many lives."

She held up her left hand.  "Let me rephrase that.  You've been entrusted with the well-being of others before, but only within the context of your occupation.  You gave Kohasadi your allegiance, your trust, your love, of your own accord and will."

I bristled.  "I told you, that druid—"

"Oh, be quiet!"  She slapped her hand on the bar.  "You have taken to that gryphon like a boy to his first love.  You can't even carry on a conversation with him, yet you show him devotion i dare say you have never given anyone in your life.  Not even Cossu."

Her words stung me and left me speechless.  After i sat there for a few seconds, Gialarçi said, "I'm sorry, Mwaele.  That was blunt and insensitive on my part."

I shook my head.  "No, don't apologize.  I, i... i did love her.  I think."

She tipped her head to her right.  "I don't think you did.  But i think you could have, Ele."

I held my forehead.  "You're right.  I really have taken to Kohasadi.  I wonder if that druid did something to make it stick, or if gryphons put out some smell or magic when they bond to someone—"

"Or maybe," she interrupted, "you had in you the ability to care for another being all this time."

e&tg 27

Gialarçi shook her head.  "Beat up by a child.  Perhaps it's for the best that you're getting out of the business, Mwaele.  Next time it'll be an orc's axe or a guard's sabre and there'll be less of you to entertain me."

"I am not getting out of the business.  I'm being forced out," i grumbled as i looked around the somewhat crowded room, watching the people interact.  "And," i added, "she did not beat me up.  She caught me off guard.  I wouldn't have regarded an orc or a guard so lightly."

"You once quoted to me from the Mercenary Code: “One never knows where a threat comes from.”  Besides, you knew she was a gang leader.  Admit it: you've lost your killer instinct."

I stared at my beer.  "It's like i don't know myself anymore."

"I don't recognize you, either.  And you know what the cause is."

I looked at her.  "I do?  I mean, what?"

She stared at me for a second before answering.  "Well, it's probably not the sole reason, but it's probably the main reason.  Your gryphon, Mwaele.  You are, for the first time in your life, responsible for another life."

I laughed mirthlessly.  "My job has often caused me to be responsible for a life.  Sometimes many lives."

She held up her left hand.  "Let me rephrase that.  You've been entrusted with the well-being of others before, but only within the context of your occupation.  You gave Kohasadi your allegiance, your trust, your love, of your own accord and will."

I bristled.  "I told you, that druid—"

"Oh, be quiet!"  She slapped her hand on the bar.  "You have taken to that gryphon like a boy to his first love.  You can't even carry on a conversation with him, yet you show him devotion i dare say you have never given anyone in your life.  Not even Cossu."

Her words stung me and left me speechless.  After i sat there for a few seconds, Gialarçi said, "I'm sorry, Mwaele.  That was blunt and insensitive on my part."

I shook my head.  "No, don't apologize.  I, i... i did love her.  I think."

She tipped her head to her right.  "I don't think you did.  But i think you could have, Ele."

I held my forehead.  "You're right.  I really have taken to Kohasadi.  I wonder if that druid did something to make it stick, or if gryphons put out some smell or magic when they bond to someone—"

"Or maybe," she interrupted, "you had in you the ability to care for another being all this time."

soccer report

Well, after getting kicked up from Division 15 to Division 11, my expectations weren't too high for our results this session.  To top it off, i headed off today to play our first game with nausea and a headache.

The result: an 11-10 victory for Centavo over Mean Green.  It was a great game, and i managed to play well enough through my muzziness.  With 4 minutes left in the game, i was playing on pure adrenalin.  After the game, i sat in my car dry-sobbing as loudly as possible until the adrenalin wore off and i could drive home.  Mean Green didn't crowd the box much, which was a relief.  I think we wore them down in the second half due to their fewer subs (we were down 5-4 at halftime).

I'm absolutely drained.  Holy crap.

soccer report

Well, after getting kicked up from Division 15 to Division 11, my expectations weren't too high for our results this session.  To top it off, i headed off today to play our first game with nausea and a headache.

The result: an 11-10 victory for Centavo over Mean Green.  It was a great game, and i managed to play well enough through my muzziness.  With 4 minutes left in the game, i was playing on pure adrenalin.  After the game, i sat in my car dry-sobbing as loudly as possible until the adrenalin wore off and i could drive home.  Mean Green didn't crowd the box much, which was a relief.  I think we wore them down in the second half due to their fewer subs (we were down 5-4 at halftime).

I'm absolutely drained.  Holy crap.