Saving Mimi : Rise of the All-Mother Scions

Bad Liar

3rd POV

Vaylerix considered his words carefully before answering Belinda's question.

"If there is any expense accrued, I have other means to compensate for them, I will cause no damage to your inn," he spoke calmly reaching into his cloak.

He moved his hand from one pouch to the next feeling for something, looking as if he knew what he touched in each of the pockets within the folds of the winter cloak he wore. He drew out his hand holding a deep dark blue, almost black, sapphire free of any inclusions, miner's cut, the stone weighing at least 4 kt. 

"Please keep this as insurance of my good will and your kindness," he said. 

He handed the stone to her while listening to her speak. 

"Please demonstrate this, Thermostat? Where are the facilities for relief?" He asked in response to her question.

She blinked her mouth agape. 

"Yes. Over here, this is your bathroom, or water closet.  You have a toilet, bathtub, shower, sink. Fresh towels are here. If you need more towels just ask. Here watch me. This is how you adjust the temperature for your room... is this a dream? Are you messing with me?  This is a huge sapphire!  I don't make enough money in a year to cover the value of a sapphire this size and weight?!" She sputtered out nervously.

Vaylerix spoke in a distant tone, "Lady Halloway, I must not take too much advantage of your already overt kindness. You have been of great assistance to me. I am here by your good name; I will keep the honor of that good name. Should anyone wish to sully that name, I will ensure that they receive due compensation. The gem is of no consequence, simply insurance, do not let it worry you." 

He paused a moment, "Water closet? Shower? Toilet? Might I trouble you to show me what these are, please?"

"Uh, yes, I can try to demonstrate.  Please, watch. So If you wish to bathe, these knobs control the water, this is for cold, this is for hot. Turn them like this and adjust the temperature to your liking. This is the stopper so the tub will fill with water, you push here to release the water when you are finished.  If you just want to shower, don't touch the stopper, and pull this lever up to route the water to the showerhead.  Over there is your toilet.  If your aim is bad, for the housekeeping staff's sake just sit down, don’t try to be a marksman if you're not.  And this lever will flush away your waste water. Is there anything else?  If you are hungry you can take your meals down in the dining room or a server can bring you a tray up to your room," she said still trying to get over the shock of the huge gemstone in her hand.

He watched her show him to the bathroom where the mirror revealed his metallic silver hair and clear ruby red eyes, his true skin tone and the ears jutting just out of his hair. Unaware of his visage revealed in the mirror, he nodded once to her instructions before testing the lever of the toilet. 

"Clever invention, I knew that there would be great advances given time," he spoke in an impressed and praising tone.

"If you require nothing else, then I will be..." she trailed off. 

Belinda happened to see the reflection in the mirror, and her brain stopped at the beautiful vision it revealed.  She did a double take.  What she saw in front of her was nice, but the mirror revealed something better, but her mind was having trouble reconciling the two.  She started to shake and quiver. 

"What are you?  Why is your reflection different from your countenance before me?" she managed to quietly ask.

He instantly blinked shaking his head looking to the mirror, his eyes widen as he whispered an elvish curse under his breath. 

"I am Vaylerix of the Hirithyn clan, I am not certain how to explain myself in ways that would be easy for someone in the common tongue to understand. I can tell that I am beyond a time where things common to me have been replaced by many others. I was foolish and dared to have no destination," he explained carefully unsure of what his next words would be.

"I'm sorry, I over stepped, I must go, I, I-I won't say anything to anyone.  I don't need an explanation. It is not my business.  Forgive me, " she said and turned to leave the room.

He raised a hand towards her trying to get out the words. 

"Wait, please?" he asked her quickly. 

She stopped in front of the door.  She turned to face him.

"Yes, Vaylerix?" She said softly averting her eyes from his gaze.

"I will explain, but you might find the truth hard to accept," he said as he lowered his head with a sigh as he dissipated the glamor completely.

"You're beautiful!  But, I understand why you would need to keep your true image concealed.  I am sorry for stumbling upon your secret, " she said trying not to appear uncouth. 

Her eyes still averted from him.

"Thank you for the compliment. I do not wish to stay you from your appointed tasks for the evening, but if you would like the explanation, once your work is finished, I will share a meal with you and explain myself properly. Deceiving people has never set well with me even though I have done so. I was careless and have no doubt caused you undue trouble." he said to her feeling the tension of his full presence on his hostess.

"I thank you, for your kind offer, but I humbly decline. I must go. Here, I trust you.  Just let me know if you if you need anything," she said placing the sapphire on the bathroom counter and she quickly fled the room.

Vaylerix sighed deeply, he wondered if his hostess would ever be able to look him in the eyes again, or if she would avoid him. He watched her leave contemplating vacating the premises himself. He had made an error in judgement and dragged the inn's clerk into his mistake. He glanced about the room and over to the sapphire on the counter. He'd figure out what to do with it later, he might just leave it in the room and disappear altogether. He wanted to assure the young woman, she trusted him but she had no basis for that trust. He was angry with himself for his poor choices.

He picked up the key to the room, removing his cloak and sword belt laying them on the bed. He was hungry but wondered if he should actually go get food from the restaurant down stairs. He shook his head speaking words of a different nature using draconic magics this time to make the glamor a little bit more real and less see through, the mirror revealed the same look he'd had when he walked in, she was the only one who had seen what he really looked like and apparently trusted him, but would she give away the fact that he looked like a character out of a movie, prettier and inhuman looking. He figured he could flee if that was the case. He made his way to the clerk's desk and down to the restaurant. He stood waiting to be seated.

Belinda looked up when the lobby door opened.  

She screwed up her courage and her professional face and greeted him,  she said, "Good evening, sir. Let's get you a table.  Jayrene, I am seating him at table 6, please let Jordan know he’s my guest."

She turned to Vaylerix and guided him to the table nearest her work station.  Normally she despises it when restaurant patrons are seated there. She felt like she was stuck in a fishbowl, but for some inexplicable reason she didn't mind being on display this time.

"Vaylerix, do you require assistance with reading the menu?" she asked to be helpful, not knowing if his reading skills matched his speaking skills.

"Can everyone see your true image too?" She asked quietly.

He glanced over the items on the menu reading them carefully with his keen eyes before looking up at her. He offered her a smile that didn't reach his ruby eyes. 

"No, the only one who can see me is you. I look to them like I did before the mirror," he answered looking away from her.

He thought to answer her other question, "I can read the menu, I can eat anything. What is the specialty here, the best dish?"

"Well, it depends on your palate really, what type of meat do you prefer? If you like beef, I would get the sirloin steak, rare with the onions and mushrooms, and that comes with two side dishes, I recommend the loaded baked potato and the green beans with bacon," she said confidently.

"Thank you, please ask the cook to prepare that plate, thank you," he responded trusting her word knowing full well that he could ingest nearly anything that was not rotten or poisonous. 

"Alright.  Would you care for a beverage other than water? Coffee? Tea? Milk?" she asked with only minimal hesitation.

"Tea, please, thank you," he spoke in a soft repentant tone. 

He was still rather displeased with himself for deceiving everyone in the room, but realizing the need, yet failing to properly protect the one person who was helping him. He gave her a quick smile.

"Right away, Sir," she said and she walked back to the server station, keyed in the order and gave strict instructions to the cook about the food. 

"Jordan, I keyed in the order for 6, just run it out when it is up. I will get him the water and tea," she said to the sever.

"What is up with you? You hate it when hotel guest, well even restaurant patrons try to make you wait on them because 'it's outside the scope of the desk clerk's job description,' yet Lerch shows up and you turned into his beckoning call-girl. Just what happened in that hotel room, you never show guests to their rooms?" Jordan grilled Belinda.

"Can't I do something for someone else, and not get crucified over it? I don't question you, Jordan.  Don't worry, you’re going to get a decent tip," Belinda said  trying to end the unpleasantness.

She took the water and the tea service to his table.

Vaylerix glared at Jordan narrowing his eyes with a raised eyebrow curling a hand around the air very nearly summoning a dagger to hand, but resisting due to the assistance of the young lady bringing him tea and water. Jordan maybe felt a chill in the air around her. 

"Thank you," he spoke softly with a cool calm tone with his eyes still on Jordan.

"You're welcome.  Did you need anything else?  Lemon or honey for the tea?" she asked with a smile.

Vaylerix took a deep calming breath, then another before responding to her question, "I require the young woman with the insulting tongue."

"Oh, no, no, you heard that?! So sorry. No. Please. Don't mind her. She's not happy with me waiting on you when this is her section. It's ok. Please. You need not concern yourself with her, Vaylerix. Please. She's didn't know that you could possibly have heard that," she pleaded with him.

He released a frustrated sigh nodding once, his eyes brilliant ruby gems focus on her face for a second before glancing over at Jordan, "For your account, I will let her words go unchallenged."

"Thank you.  I am sorry that little exchange upset you.  I will mind what we say to one another in the future. Perhaps we could have that conversation after my shift this evening. I will stop by your room with dessert.  How does that sound?" She said wanting to diffuse the tension and to get to know what she's going to be dealing with for the next 71 hours.

She went back to her work station. 

"I appreciate your efforts, and I must apologize for causing you stress. My presence has been problematic for you since I walked in. I cannot thank you enough for your assistance," he responded calmly to her attempt to sooth the situation, "I would like the opportunity to explain what has happened more fully. Thank you." 

His visage turned to one of sincere calm and peace, it was as if high breeding and social standing radiated from him. Sitting there, elegance rested where anger had been.

"Oh, think nothing of it Vaylerix.  I will take care of you to the best of my ability.  Please don't worry about anything.  I wouldn't be happy if you were upset at my short comings as an agent of the hospitality trade. Just tell me if there is anything, I can do to make sure you are comfortable and satisfied," she said trying to put herself at ease more than anything else, since he was exuding calm and serenity at the moment. 

 He didn't frighten her, but she was frightened of him falling out of her life as quickly as he'd come into it for some odd reason she couldn't understand. He was just so breathtakingly beautiful she didn't want to lose a precious moment of their brief time together, but she didn't want to smother him either.

Vaylerix shook his head lightly raising an eye brow. 

"You have had no short comings in your hospitality, however those with impertinent tongues should watch what they say, unless this is a tavern where by a wench can be punished for their words, but you have nothing to fear, her words are forgiven on your account thus she is beholden to you," he remarked casually sipping his tea while waiting for his meal.

"So, just so I am clear. You're no longer upset. And was that a 'yes' or a 'no' for dessert and that private conversation later?" she asked him eyes wide with anticipation.

Vaylerix chuckled setting his tea down soundlessly giving her a side long glance. 

"You need not worry about the young lady. It is of no consequence. You had assured me that we would discuss this matter, I had thought that settled. Do not concern yourself with it. I was simply making a statement about her being in your debt where I find myself at the moment," he commented calmly retrieving his tea taking another slip.

"I am still confused, but we can discuss it later. Allow me a moment to check on your meal. I will be right back," she said as she turned and headed back to the server station. 

She reached in her pocket and pulled out a $10 bill and handed it to Jordan.  

Then she whispered in Jordan's ear, "Please let me carry his plate out."

 Jordan looked at the ten spot, looked a Belinda, wrinkled her nose and shrugged, "Whatever you want, Blondie. But next time pick someone else's section to hijack to play with your 'boy-toy' while on the clock."

Belinda ignored her. She grabbed a steak knife, a bottle of A-1, and the plate as the cook placed it in the window.  She walked out placed the plate in front of Vaylerix, then she set down the steak sauce bottle and the knife. 

"Do you need anything else right now?" she asked with a sweet smile.

Vaylerix narrowed his eyes towards the server station resisting the urge to get up and go have a conversation with the young lady and her attitude.  He frowned lightly before glancing at his meal, taking and releasing a breath, he calmed himself. He was not about to allow this infraction to go, but he'd discuss it with Jordan at another time. He could wait. 

"One does not usually feed a 'toy' so well," he said as he accepted his meal. 

Belinda blushed and could feel a stab of pain and guilt in her chest. 

"Please, ignore her. I don't think of you as a 'toy.' She doesn't know what the situation is, she’s just upset because she's not getting credit for this meal under her sales stats. Please enjoy your food and let me know if you need anything else.  I will be just over there at my station watching over you," she said as she tried to conceal her anxiety and started to walk back to the desk clerk's station.

Vaylerix reached into a pouch reaching out a small white stone placing it on the table. 

"You can give the young lady this, this should solve her issue, however it will not solve her attitude or her problem. I could fix it, but I doubt that it would be in a manner that would work for the current situation," he said as he took up his fork and knife, "Thank you for the meal."

 He sliced his steak taking a look, it was done about right and he didn't feel like complaining. He shrugged at the bite before placing it in his mouth chewing thoughtfully, since he'd roasted a boar the last time, he had meat, the beef was not bad.

"Vaylerix, please, you don't have to, she won't appreciate the value or the gesture.  You are right, it is her attitude that needs an adjustment, but rewarding her with a precious stone is only going to encourage her behavior. She'll have the same problem the next shift she works. Again, let me know if you need anything else," she said with a forced smile.  

She turned around and pushed the stone back toward Vaylerix before heading over to her station.  Belinda got busy looking over her papers and checking on the hotel side of the house. She kept looking over at Vaylerix.  He seemed to be enjoying his meal. She noticed his cups needed refilling. So, she stepped away from her station, got another hot water carafe and another tea bag, and she got a pitcher of ice water.  She walked back and refilled his cups without being asked. 

She asked him, "How is the food tasting?  Do you need anything else? "

Vaylerix ate his meal slowly with grace and elegance. He sipped his tea in between bites. He eyed Jordan after finishing his vegetables, glancing up at Belinda when she approached the table. 

"The food is edible and seasoned well enough, I had boar the last time I had meat, this is not bad," he paused shaking his head, "That was rude of me, you have provided this meal for me."

"I can get you something else if this isn't satisfying to you. Would you care for something else? " she asked wanting him to be happy with the food.

He took and released a breath having finished his food pushing the plate away. 

"I seem to have developed an attitude that is counterproductive and a bit agitated," he said bemused.

He wasn't pleased with himself and the way that he was reacting. 

"No, that will be good, I believe that I have finished. Please feel free to come for the answers you require at your convenience," he said without making eye contact with his hostess. 

He stood leaving the dishes carefully arranged on the table, pushing in the chair. He nodded to her once. The stone he had placed on the table laid undisturbed from where it had been pushed back to him. He paid it no mind turning to leave the room. 

"Thank you, Ms. Belinda," he said over his shoulder as he exited the dining area going back to his room.

Belinda released the breath she was holding.  She didn't understand why she felt so responsible for pleasing Vaylerix, but she just did. She wanted him to enjoy his time here. She picked up the white stone.  She would figure out a way to slip it back to him later. She bussed the table and then returned to her station.  It seemed like the passage of time slowed down. She felt like her shift was never going to end. She had started to formulate a list of questions for Vaylerix.  First and foremost being, "What type of magical creature is he?" 

The shift finally came to an end.  After she had explained all the pertinent details of the day to the night auditor, Belinda clocked out and went to the bathroom.  After freshening up, she headed to room 201. She hesitated briefly and then gently knocked on the door.  She waited a few moments before knocking a second time.