Tales of Adventure: Repercussions

Character's Name:  Julian Benedict Aemilia

Title of Adventure: Repercussions

Month: 01-Peonus

Date: 15

Year: 956

Story

Julian was feeling just a tinge of guilt and smidgen of fear for throwing Anotiona under the oxen cart. It had been amusing at the time, at least he thought it was. And certainly Leif and the members of his crew had thought it was funny, but Anotiona had not found it so. She had glared at him all the way back to the ship. If looks could kill, he’d probably be dead then. No, he would probably still be alive, barely, while very sensitive parts of his body, were roasted over an open fire.

Now, just glad to be back at the Inn he was staying at. He was in the corner of the common room slouched down and drinking from a tankard of ale.  He’d even left his lute upstairs in his room. He’d gotten a bath and changed his clothes. They were still a little flashy, that’s just who he was, but they were slightly subdued.

He took another sip, sat back in the chair and closed his eyes.

Antonia hadn’t stewed over Julian’s words, she was pretty sure that the crew wasn’t laughing at the look she’d given him so much as it was that they all knew she was way out of his class. Never in a million years would Antonia be “with” Julian. Not no, hell, no.

Ok, so maybe she was stewing on it for a little bit but it wasn’t that she was overly irritated by it, it just rubbed her the wrong way. A long soaking bath and fresh clothes and Antonia headed down into the Inn’s common room for meade and something to eat. Antonia had left most of her weapons in her room, she was even dressed a little less like the pirate she was accused of being and more like the ladylike if that was even possible. Her hair was brushed back and a little less wild. She didn’t have to be ready for a fight, so she wasn’t. As she ordered her own ale, she took a look around the room and saw many people she didn’t know and one she did. Julian laid back, his head tilted back against his seat. Ale in hand, he looked as if he were passed out.  Maybe someone hit him, she thought it brought a smile to her face. Rightly, deserved. She was sure.

Antonia was torn between checking on him and punching him if he was ok. Either way, it required going over to where he was sitting. She ordered some food and told the man behind the bar she’d be with that flashy urchin sitting in the corner before walking over to him.

She stood there for a moment or two looking at him, he never moved. Never even realized she was there. So Antonia kicked his foot.

He had been composing a song in his head, trying to get the words just right, when someone kicked his chair. His eyes flew open to take in who it was that was bothering him and that had broken his concentration. “What the h… Oh, it’s you. I’ve already apologized to you once, did you come here to ask again?”

Antonia lifted an eyebrow at the standoffish tone of his voice. Maybe it was the Ale, no, she told herself he wasn’t that drunk, yet. “I apologize for interrupting… whatever it was you were doing.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It clearly requires so much of you that you forgot your manners.”

“Manners? I’m not the one that interrupted you, it was the other way around. But look, we are clearly not on the same page and I don’t want it to affect the group.” He sat up and put his mug on the table. “So, what do we, what do I need to do to make this situation right?”

She looked at him incredulously. She didn’t have manners?! “I came over here to see if you were ok, I couldn’t tell from over there if you were awake or out cold.” Antonia paused, her green eyes cooled. “Clearly, you’re fine. Ego intact and all.”

“You know, I did say I wanted to make things right, why is it that everything I say around you is wrong?”

That struck a nerve with her. Was she too hard on him? What would Gabriela say? Lay off, be nice. Gabriela had a bigger heart, of course, Justus hadn’t humiliated Gabriela. “Maybe I just find it hard to take what you say as genuine.” She finally admitted. “It’s not all your fault.”

“Look,” he acquiesced, “I was kind of a jerk today. I just thought I was being funny. But I think I’m a better musician than a comedian. But, I really am a man of my word. How do I prove that to you?”

“You're working on it.” She told him. “It doesn't just happen overnight. I'm not that trusting anymore.” Antonia's tone let on that he was a victim of her past. That her distrust in him had very little to do with him at all.

Hoping he wasn’t adding fuel to the fire and inflaming a fight he didn’t want to fight Julian asked, “So, what happened to you in the past?”

Antonia wanted to tell him to mind his own, but the truth was he wanted to admit it to someone. “May I?” She gestured to the chair on the other side of his table. When he nodded she sat down putting her ale down on the table. “Tell a soul and I’ll…” She stopped herself. “Well, just please don’t tell anyone.” She told him about Justus, about how she had learned to fight and how she had been. How her father had found out and how she’d been basically kicked out of the family. It had been a longer story then she’d meant it to be and she was surprised that Julian sat there listening.

“I’m sorry,” he said at last. I thought my father was bad because he disapproves of my choices and thinks I should commit to the family business and throw away this notion of being a performer. And we know what he did about Gabriela, but they didn’t kick me out of the family. I am sorry about what happened to you. I won’t tell anyone… and I’ll try not to be such an ass from now on.”

Antonia rewarded him with a small smile. It was the first one he’d gotten out of her. “I think your father would think differently if he could see you do what I’ve seen you do.” She offered. “Justus played a hand in what happened between you and Gabriela, I’m sure of it.” She took a drink of her ale. “I will get the chance to prove myself to my father, I will prove my brother to be the coward he is.” She chuckled. “I should like to see you put my brother under that spell you used the other night.”

“I suppose that could be arranged,” he said, what would you like him to do if I could do that?”

She assured him she was talking hypothetically. After all, he would never hunt Justus down and make him confess to their father. “He would confess every idiotic lie he has ever told father about me, Gabriele and, and you.” She said.

“You have a devious and twisted mind,  perhaps I misjudged you,” Julian said giving her a wicked smile.

“I hadn’t realized you’d judged me already.” She returned his smile. “I suppose it’s only fair, I’d already judged you. Wrong perhaps.”

“I think we’re probably both a little guilty of that, judging that is. So how do we start over?”

Antonia looked at him wondering if he was being truthfully sincere or just smart. Had he really looked at her and judged her the way she had looked at him. She’d looked at him as a cad and an untrustable hound dog. Perhaps she’d been wrong. She hadn’t seen him with women, not even one. He hadn’t so much as looked at one.

She finally offered him a hand across the table. “Antonia.”

He extended his hand and took hers. “Julian nice to meet you.”