Could you write 26. “okay, now i’m begging.” for Eiland/Balor, please? Thank you
26. "okay, now i'm begging."
"Balor, before you leave!"
The abrupt stop makes his wagon creak in protest and Balor has just enough time to temper his annoyance at being interrupted before Eiland catches up to him, panting with effort.
"I need... You to get me... A book."
Balor sighs. Deeply. While normally he didn't mind being relegated to Mistria's main contact with the Capital, at times it got really, really exasperating.
"I have your list already, Lord Eiland. You know I need to know ahead of time, because I plan my trips out. You'll have to add it for my next run."
Eiland looks up at him with sweat-slick hair stuck to his forehead and the expression of a kicked puppy. Balor has to steel himself before he instantly gives in. Falter once and in a months time he'll have the entire village hounding him at the bridge for things they forgot every time he was due to set off. It just wouldn't do.
"It's just this one time, I swear. I couldn't ask you back in the village!"
Well. At least he's piqued Balor's curiosity with that -- he watches as Eiland fumbles in his pockets before thrusting out a small slip of paper, folded what looks like a hundred times.
"You could check to see if you have time for it once you arrive, at least?"
Balor takes the paper, ignoring Eiland's yelp as he promptly unfolds it.
"I'll look at it now, if you're to have any chance of me going out of my way."
Billowing Heat; A Lover's Tale.
Slowly his gaze drifts from the paper back to poor Eiland, who looks as though he is about to get his archeologist tools out and dig a grave for himself on the spot.
"Uh-huh," Balor nods toward the paper, torn between amusement and genuine curiosity. "Why do I need to get you this book, Lord Eiland?"
Eiland mumbles something inaudible, stepping forward to grab at the paper -- Balor simply holds it out of reach with a tut, unable to temper the smile tugging at his mouth.
It isn't that he wants to make fun of the poor man, but the situation is. Well.
"It's for research," Eiland finally admits, words tumbling out all at once. "You know as well as I do that I cannot do anything around here without being scrutinized, so I figured that reading is what I do best, and I heard chatter that made it sound like this book would help. I've never... You know, you can just forget the whole thing, actually, that would be very helpful."
Research? Balor's eyes briefly lock on Eiland's lips, plush and inviting, before he tears them away.
"Not to worry, I'll get it for you. I promise utmost discretion."
The reassuring pat to Eiland's shoulder feels far more weighted than it has any right to and as Balor jerks away Eiland stumbles after him, making this whole scenario play out just like a scene in the thrice-damned book he's now promised to fetch.
"Thank you," Eiland breathes, still flushed to the roots of his hair. "You're a gem, Balor."
Off he bounds, leaving Balor with a flush of his own and a whole host of unwanted thoughts to keep him company for the road ahead.
janainaart
romaincrisis
origamiaround
discoholicmusic
blakekathryn
stormborns
dededos
prguitarman
ellievsbear
