by Logan Jacobs
“I’ll take it,” Cimarra said as she took the pouch and tied it around her waist.
“Perfect,” Dar nodded toward the dancer but then tilted his head and tried to look behind me. “You find Wilimar? And lose Selius in the process?”
“I found Wilimar, and he’s officially on our payroll,” I announced with a grin.
“For how much?” Cimarra asked as she stepped closer to me. “Just so I can budget accordingly.”
“That’s why you’re the best.” I smiled. “We’re paying him only ten coppers a week.”
“Someone has to do it.” Cimarra returned my smile with hers. “Any other expenses?”
“Not from our whiskey money,” I answered.
I decided not to tell them about Eloy’s bakery yet. We had too much going on, and I knew the time would come soon enough.
“And Selius?” Penny wondered.
“Selius has to be at the guild for a few nights,” I explained. “I told Wilimar if he found any news on Hebal to report it to the kid.”
“And then he’ll come and tell us?” Dar guessed.
“Exactly.” I nodded. “I didn’t want those halfling kids coming to the stables.”
“That’s the last thing we need,” Cimarra added.
“I know.” I moved toward the table and then sat down. “Now, before we get to Penny’s small problem, I already found out some info on the whereabouts of our dwarf friend.”
“Damn,” Dar stood and then rested a bare foot on top of the chair. “Those kids work fast.”
“Turns out, one of Wilimar’s little hooligans already knew who Hebal was,” I said as I walked closer to the table. “And he confirmed what we already knew the dwarf was up to.”
“He’s selling his own whiskey?” Dar asked.
“Not yet,” I sighed. “At least, I doubt it, but he’s definitely planning on distilling it.”
“How did you find this out for sure?” Penny asked.
“Well, that hooligan I told you about, his name is Olly, and Olly’s brother did a job for Hebal that involved stealing and loading a bunch of grain from the docks.”
“Grain?” Skam’s eyes narrowed. “Coming in from the docks?”
“That’s right.” I nodded. “So, unless Hebal is opening up a bakery, and I highly doubt that, he’s starting to gather supplies to make whiskey. And by the sounds of it, he has a bunch of grain all to himself, now.”
“But we still don’t know where he’s at?” Cimarra asked.
“Not yet,” I replied. “I hope we hear something very soon because just thinking about him distilling our product is driving me nuts.”
“We’ll find him,” Cimarra reassured me.
“In the meantime to blow off steam, we can still burn down the fucking gallows,” Penny chuckled as she put her feet up on the table.
“Burn down the platforms?” Dar asked with wide eyes. “Are you crazy?”
“She’s joking, pal,” I answered my worried friend.
“Don’t scare me like that,” Dar chuckled.
“Anyway, I think that’s the confirmation we needed about Hebal,” I said. “So, with that shitty news out of the way, what is our latest problem, Penny?”
“I have a feeling I’ll need to be extra limber for this one,” Dar said as he limbered up.
“Settle down.” Penny waved a dismissive hand toward Dar, took her feet off the table, and then stood and moved closer to me. “It shouldn’t be too hard.”
“The easier, the better,” Dar groaned as he stopped stretching and then sat back down.
“Actually, I don’t know if it’ll be easy or not.” Penny shrugged. “Do you want the good news or bad news first?”
“Bad,” Dar answered for us.
“Sure, tell us the bad first,” I said when Penny turned to me for confirmation.
“Well, our whiskey trough alert system isn’t working correctly,” Penny sighed. “Kieran was insistent that we try it out tonight and when we did, the bell didn’t work, and he freaked out.”
“The count knows you’re helping out in the theatre?” Dar asked.
“Yeah.” Penny nodded. “Cimarra and I are long-lost friends reunited, remember?”
“Sheesh,” Dar chuckled.
“Is it the pulley?” I asked as I glanced to Cimarra, who pursed her lips. “Is it the design or just a technical problem?”
“I don’t know what the hell that even means, and I think that’s part of the problem,” Penny grimaced but also smirked at the same time. “I’m not a handywoman, you know? I can handle a blade with the best of ‘em, but when it comes to tools and shit, I’m a fish out of water.”
“Okay, no problem.” I nodded and then turned back to the dancer. “Is the count really that upset?”
“Yeah,” Cimarra rubbed her temples. “He’s driving me nuts.”
“Do I need to break more of his ribs?” I asked.
“No, no.” Cimarra smirked. “He’s just uptight about the whiskey as it is, and then this tiny issue, that I’m sure you can fix in like one second, tipped him over the edge, and now he thinks the elves will arrest us all.”
“So I’ve got to talk our host down off a ledge already?” I asked.
“Sorry, Wade,” Cimarra began. “I’ve tried, and as usual, he just doesn’t listen.”
“Alright,” I said with a cocked eyebrow toward the pixie. “What about the good news?”
“The good news is that I know you can fix it,” Penny smiled sheepishly. “That’s it.”
“That’s the good news?” Dar asked.
“Yeah, sorry, I wanted to sweeten up the problem by saying there is some good news, and I really think Wade being able to fix it is good, don’t you?” Penny furrowed her brow at the halfling.
“But, what if he can’t fix it?” Dar asked and then turned toward me. “No offense or anything.”
“None taken,” I replied with a smile. “Thanks for believing in me, though.”
“I do, it’s just--”
“Again, just kidding,” I sighed. “But, is that really it, Penny?”
“That’s it,” she answered.
“Okay, well, I’ll get on that later,” I said as I rubbed my hands together. “Since we’re all here, let’s start to talk about some of the details of the re-launch.”
“Can I actually ask ya something?” Skam interrupted my thought with a question. “What exactly are we using the whiskey troughs for?” Are you planning on selling whiskey from the same place our horses drink?”
“No, nothing like that,” Cimarra giggled. “Do you want to explain it, Wade? It was your idea.”
“Sure, we can start there,” I said as I moved back over to the barrels. “As we know, getting caught with whiskey by the elves would surely get us killed, right?”
Everyone nodded.
“So, when Cimarra and I were planning out this idea, we needed to make sure we could hide the whiskey just in case a pointy ear wandered in off the streets,” I said as I grabbed the tin cup by the water kegs, and then walked back to the filled whiskey barrels. “And it would have to be an easy method, especially if it were in the middle of a show and everyone in the crowd had a drink in their hands, you know?”
“Absolutely,” Dar replied.
“So, during the last few days, I handed over my idea to the team of halfling builders that have been helping us, and they built it out much quicker than we ever could,” I said. “All it is, are troughs built within the floors of every single row in the theatre.”
“Like horse troughs?” Skam asked again.
“Sure, but thinner.” I nodded. “The more complicated aspect of the design is the pulley alert system. There is a bell on top of the domed ceiling, and it’s connected with ropes running along the ceiling toward the front entrance. So, we’d have someone, preferably one of us, standing guard in the front, and if we saw an elf wander in or start to ask questions, we pull the rope, the bell rings, the customers open the covered troughs near their feet
and then put their glass of whiskey inside and shut it closed.”
“How will everyone know to do that?” Dar questioned.
“The count will inform everyone of our rules at the start of each show,” I said. “Then he will introduce our servers, and we can talk more on them in a second, but after that, the girls will go around and collect orders for our whiskey.”
“Aha!” Skam clapped his hands. “That’s mighty brilliant, lad!”
“As long as it works,” I added. “After the bell is rang once and everyone disposes of their whiskey accordingly, we ring it again if the elf is coming in. So, two rings is bad news, but we are still protected.”
“Simple enough,” Dar grinned wide. “We gotta get that fixed then.”
“I agree,” I said as I ran a hand through my hair as I looked at Penny. “Is that the only problem?”
“As far as I know,” the pixie shrugged. “That and calming the count the fuck down.”
“Not bad,” I said. “Now, back to my original question I wanted to discuss with all of us here.”
“Sure, what is it?” Cimarra asked.
“Is there anything else that needs to be done in time for the re-launch?” I asked as I took the sample whiskey bottle, uncorked it, and poured a tiny bit into the tin cup.
“Save some for me.” Dar smirked.
“You’ve had your share for today, pal,” I remarked and then turned toward the dancer who was about to answer my question.
“There are a few things that still need to be completed besides what was mentioned to you already,” Cimarra said. “But you might be the only person that can help me.”
“Okay.” I nodded. “What is it?”
“Well, as you said, we need some more servers, mainly for the whiskey,” Cimarra scrunched her lips as she thought. “You mentioned Rindell’s dancers, and I think that would be perfect as long as you trust them.”
“I’ll have to talk it through with Rindell,” I replied. “Maybe you and I can go find her tomorrow morning?”
“I wish I could,” Cimarra dropped her eyes. “I have to be here for the billboard crew, though.”
“That’s right,” I replied.
“We have a billboard going up, too?” Skam asked.
“We do,” Cimarra replied.
“There won’t be a bastard in this district that doesn’t know about the re-launch,” I added.
“I’ll go with you, to find Rindell.” Dar raised his hand.
“I can too,” Penny said as she looked at Cimarra. “As long as you don’t need me for anything.”
“I shouldn’t,” Cimarra replied. “I’m so thankful for your help in painting.”
“No problem,” Penny said as her cheeks blushed.
“What else?” I asked.
“We need to get the whiskey inside at some point,” Cimarra said as she pointed toward the barrels.
“Do you know how many you’d need?” Skam asked.
“Let’s pull in four of the barrels for now,” I answered.
“Where are we storing them?” Dar asked.
“Back hallway for now,” I replied. “Will that work?”
“Yes,” Cimarra said. “Assuming Rindell and her girls agree to help us, then we’ll need to inform them about the procedures we want them to follow.”
“Which are?” Dar questioned.
“Two drink limit per person, and if the customer argues, they need to call security,” Cimarra said.
“Who’s security?” Penny asked as she moved over toward the pile of hay where Azure slept. “Us?”
“Until we can get an entire theatre team together, I was thinking Wade, Skam, and Dar with one of you running the pulley alert system.”
“That should work fine for now,” I said.
“Other than that,” Cimarra shrugged. “That’s all I’ve got.”
“Perfect, thank you.” I nodded toward the blue-eyed beauty. “I’ll diagnose the alert system tonight and talk with Rindell in the morning with Penny and Dar.”
“I can move the whiskey inside,” Skam volunteered.
“That’ll be great,” I replied. “We don’t need them moved yet, though. Can you be here tomorrow and for the re-launch?”
“Aye.” Skam nodded as he brushed a hand through his beard.
“You need help with the pulleys tonight?” Dar asked.
“Naw,” I said. “I’m just gonna look it over first, but I may need your help with it tomorrow if it’s fucked up.”
“Got it.” Dar yawned. “I’m pretty beat anyway.”
“I know,” I agreed. “We all are, and we should all get some rest. These next few days are going to be long ones.”
“Aye,” Skam said. “I’ll be heading home, then.”
“Okay, Skam,” I said as I clapped his shoulder when he passed me. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
“That you will, lad,” Skam waved to all of us and then walked out of the stables.
“Looks like the pixie has the right idea, too,” Dar said as he gestured toward the pile of hay where Penny was curled up with Azure and was sound asleep. “I’m about to do the same.”
“You still have some energy?” Cimarra asked as she flashed her eyes at me.
“I do,” I said as I took another swig from the whiskey, felt it burn down my throat, and ignite a fire in my heart. Then I placed the tin cup next to the bottle on the barrel.
“Me too,” Cimarra smirked. “I can walk with you to the theatre.”
“I’d love that,” I answered.
“Have fun,” Dar chuckled in the middle of another yawn. “Don’t be up too late.”
“We won’t,” I said as I walked over to my makeshift bed, pulled off the blanket, and then went over and draped it over Penny and Azure in their own bed of hay.
“Ready?” Cimarra asked as she held open the stable door for me.
“Yeah,” I replied as I walked.
I wasn’t exactly sure where Penny and I stood, but I hoped the situation would work itself out. Plus, it seemed the girls genuinely liked each other too, but I knew Penny was a complicated one. Actually, it was just a complicated situation all around.
It was hard for me to reconcile the strong feelings I felt for both of them.
“I’m glad I have you all to myself for once.” Cimarra’s hand squeezed mine and pulled me from my thoughts.
“Oh, really?” I chuckled. “I know we haven’t had a lot of time together lately.”
“Yeah,” Cimarra breathed as she looked up at me from under her lush lashes. “I’m famished.”
“Well, we’ll have to change that.” I raised her hand to my lips and kissed it. “Even if that means we have to carve out time for each other as we work.”
“I don’t care what we do, as long as we do it together,” Cimarra sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder as we walked through the theatre’s back entrance.
“Wow, it already looks different in here,” I observed as we walked through the freshly painted hallway. Before, it used to be cluttered with supplies and random props, but now, aside from a few stacks of crates, it was clean and even had wooden signs screwed on to the walls with an arrow pointing toward the stage, changing rooms, main entrance, and office.
“It’s coming along,” Cimarra agreed. “We don’t have time right now, but I want to show you all the updates before we launch, okay?”
“Of course,” I said and then stopped her in the middle of the hall. “You’re doing such an incredible job.”
“Thanks, Wade,” Cimarra mumbled as her cheeks flushed.
“Seriously,” I chuckled. “We are literally in the very back hallway, and it’s already so much cleaner and brighter. If the back hall looks like this, then I can’t imagine what else you’ve done in such a short amount of time.”
“Without Penny and the girls, this would’ve been even harder,” Cimarra admitted as she looked up at me, and the way she did punched me in the gut. “I believe in you, Wade, and I believe our whole te
am can truly change this entire realm for the better and get rich in the process. And I think the theatre can play a big part in our vision.”
“Who are you?” I tilted my head. “You’re a dream, Cim.”
“That’s the first time you’ve called me that,” the dancer smirked, “I like it.”
“Cim?” I smiled.
“Yeah.” The dancer moved closer, brought her hand up to my chest, and then her eyes looked around as if she were afraid of us getting caught together.
“What’re you thinking?” I breathed as I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. At first, it was gentle, but then her mouth grew hungrier against mine. Her tongue slipped between my lips and tasted of cinnamon, and I melted within her touch before she pulled away slightly.
“I fucking need you,” Cimarra whispered as she untied the coin pouch from her waist, tossed it near a few crates, bit my lip and then reached down and rubbed my growing cock.
“We… the pulley--” I closed my eyes and moaned as she slipped her hand inside of my pants.
Fuck the pulleys.
“We can be quick,” she breathed in my ear as she continued to stroke my cock. “My body has longed for you. I’ll climax as soon as you slide inside of me, then you can come as you like. The elves, the count, Rindell, Hebal, the pulleys, and everything else can wait. We both need this.”
Her fingers wrapped around my cock as she pressed her lips to mine again.
We kissed as if this was the last time we ever could in our entire lives. And the sad reality was, that could be the case. So, I savored her plump lips like an aged whiskey, and we tasted each other as I explored her perfect round ass with my hands.
Then she pulled her hand out of my pants, dropped onto her knees, tugged my pants down, and sprung my cock free.
“Cim, we’re in the middle--”
“Everyone is asleep,” she whispered as she looked up at me with eager eyes and slowly wrapped her lips around me. Then she gripped onto my ass with her hands and pushed her mouth deeper until I felt the back of her throat.
“Fuck,” I moaned as my heart nearly exploded out of my chest, and I almost lost control right there as my legs trembled.
The dancer moved her mouth to the tip of my cock and repeated the same motion in engulfing my entire length a few more times. Then her tongue slid along my shaft, and it felt like I would come in her mouth any second.
