Two months had passed before Bolli finally gave in and started asking around the city for his missing lover. He had kept as quiet as he could before, both to keep Nivenor sated and to keep the nature of his relationship with Nadia as private as he could. The latter didn’t exactly matter at that point, considering how many people had witnessed and talked about their kiss in front of the temple, but he was doing his best to keep his head down. He worked, he wrote business deals, he drank occasionally, and he returned to his wife at the end of the day.
But today, he dared to go up to Madesi’s stall and speak up for the first time in weeks.
“Madesi,” he began cautiously. The Argonian looked up, eying the fisherman curiously.
“Here to buy something?” he asked.
“Not today. I actually have a question for you.” Bolli paused, looking around for eavesdroppers before speaking up again. “You and Nadia are friends, right?”
“I haven’t seen her,” Madesi cut in, shaking his head. “She hasn’t been here, Bolli. Why would she be?” The fisherman’s shoulders slumped.
“I don’t know,” he began, only for the merchant across from him to speak up again.
“You kissed her in public, Bolli. Half the city was there to see you do it. You had to know that it was a mistake.” He scoffed, crossing his arms. “I respect you, but this isn’t my problem. I’d appreciate it if you leave me out of your affair from now on.” Bolli nodded wordlessly, turning away from the stall.
Despite his wounded pride, he moved on to Marise’s stall, smiling weakly at her as she organized her goods. To his relief, she smiled back at him, stepping aside to show off her product.
“Lots of new food in today,” she said. “Would you like any samples?” Before he could answer, she broke off a small bite of salmon and handed it to him.
“Appreciate it, Marise. Can I talk to you about something?” When the elf nodded, he looked around again, making a bit of awkward eye contact with Edda before continuing. “Have you seen Nadia recently?” Marise frowned, the discomfort obvious in her face.
“Bolli…Nivenor gives me enough trouble as it is, without me helping you cheat on her. I haven’t seen her, anyway. Last time she came by, she was stocking up for a long trip.” She paused, her face softening. “I’m sorry, Bolli. I’m sure you two had something special, but…she isn’t coming back.” The Nord looked at her, his expression stony, and nodded.
“I know. But that won’t stop me from worrying until I hear something,” he said bluntly, before walking away and leaving her apologetic at the cart.
He settled for sitting at one of the back tables at the Bee and Barb, doing his best to drink away the thought of the elusive Breton. At the table next to him, Mjoll offered him a small, encouraging smile, and he forced himself to smile back, nodding his acknowledgement. Before he could say anything to her, however, his drinking was interrupted.
“It’s been a while, Bolli,” Haelga said sweetly, taking a seat across from him. “I’ve missed you…and that pretty tongue of yours.” Bolli glanced up at her, then returned to his drink.
“Hello, Haelga,” he said, faking cheerfulness the best he could. To his dismay, the woman saw right through him, and leaned forward on the table.
“For Dibella’s sake,” she complained, “you’re still moping over that Nadia girl? You still have me, remember?” She reached for his hand, winking at him. “Come on, you can’t tell me that she was really better than I am. Maybe you need a reminder—”
“Haelga.” Bolli had suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing and his hand tight around his ale bottle. “Go home. I’m not leaving here with you again.” Haelga stared at him, her jaw slack as she rose from the table.
“…You promised me you would take me away from this place,” she said bitterly, her fists clenched at her sides. “You said you’d take me somewhere beautiful and start over with me.” People were starting to turn around and look now, and Bolli kept his eyes down, his face red. “You’re going to regret this, Bolli.” With that, she stormed from the inn, leaving her former lover to fight back tears all over again.
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timeasmymeasure
F!DB/Bolli: "The Things He Lacks" 12/?
Date: 2015-07-03 09:39 pm (UTC)But today, he dared to go up to Madesi’s stall and speak up for the first time in weeks.
“Madesi,” he began cautiously. The Argonian looked up, eying the fisherman curiously.
“Here to buy something?” he asked.
“Not today. I actually have a question for you.” Bolli paused, looking around for eavesdroppers before speaking up again. “You and Nadia are friends, right?”
“I haven’t seen her,” Madesi cut in, shaking his head. “She hasn’t been here, Bolli. Why would she be?” The fisherman’s shoulders slumped.
“I don’t know,” he began, only for the merchant across from him to speak up again.
“You kissed her in public, Bolli. Half the city was there to see you do it. You had to know that it was a mistake.” He scoffed, crossing his arms. “I respect you, but this isn’t my problem. I’d appreciate it if you leave me out of your affair from now on.” Bolli nodded wordlessly, turning away from the stall.
Despite his wounded pride, he moved on to Marise’s stall, smiling weakly at her as she organized her goods. To his relief, she smiled back at him, stepping aside to show off her product.
“Lots of new food in today,” she said. “Would you like any samples?” Before he could answer, she broke off a small bite of salmon and handed it to him.
“Appreciate it, Marise. Can I talk to you about something?” When the elf nodded, he looked around again, making a bit of awkward eye contact with Edda before continuing. “Have you seen Nadia recently?” Marise frowned, the discomfort obvious in her face.
“Bolli…Nivenor gives me enough trouble as it is, without me helping you cheat on her. I haven’t seen her, anyway. Last time she came by, she was stocking up for a long trip.” She paused, her face softening. “I’m sorry, Bolli. I’m sure you two had something special, but…she isn’t coming back.” The Nord looked at her, his expression stony, and nodded.
“I know. But that won’t stop me from worrying until I hear something,” he said bluntly, before walking away and leaving her apologetic at the cart.
He settled for sitting at one of the back tables at the Bee and Barb, doing his best to drink away the thought of the elusive Breton. At the table next to him, Mjoll offered him a small, encouraging smile, and he forced himself to smile back, nodding his acknowledgement. Before he could say anything to her, however, his drinking was interrupted.
“It’s been a while, Bolli,” Haelga said sweetly, taking a seat across from him. “I’ve missed you…and that pretty tongue of yours.” Bolli glanced up at her, then returned to his drink.
“Hello, Haelga,” he said, faking cheerfulness the best he could. To his dismay, the woman saw right through him, and leaned forward on the table.
“For Dibella’s sake,” she complained, “you’re still moping over that Nadia girl? You still have me, remember?” She reached for his hand, winking at him. “Come on, you can’t tell me that she was really better than I am. Maybe you need a reminder—”
“Haelga.” Bolli had suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing and his hand tight around his ale bottle. “Go home. I’m not leaving here with you again.” Haelga stared at him, her jaw slack as she rose from the table.
“…You promised me you would take me away from this place,” she said bitterly, her fists clenched at her sides. “You said you’d take me somewhere beautiful and start over with me.” People were starting to turn around and look now, and Bolli kept his eyes down, his face red. “You’re going to regret this, Bolli.” With that, she stormed from the inn, leaving her former lover to fight back tears all over again.