Селеста / Сelesta: Глава 17

Chapter 17

Camrad_RIP 27.01.22 в 20:14

Celesta looked at the body lying on the floor with an uncharacteristically soft and relaxed expression on her face. Hustin could have sworn she was smiling in a way that had never happened before in his memory. She looked like a young girl just entering adulthood, the undead never let mercy or pity override sober calculation, she was always focused on the goal at hand. So when she saw something adorable, like a puppy or a small child, Celesta thought first of all whether and how she could use it.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:17

She was not cruel. She just didn't think she had the right to be kind.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:18

The more surprising it is to see the always collected leader displaying some positive emotion. Directed at an absolutely disgusting object. The filthy, smelly, deadly drunken man, drunk to the point of complete insanity, was not, by any standards, a beauty queen. He would not have been allowed, not even into decent society - not any jail would agree to shelter such a subject.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:22

And yet Celesta was smiling.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:22

Slowly, clearly stretching her pleasure, she rolled up the sleeve of her wine-stained shirt, pierced a vein with a long, sharp claw, and sipped her drink with pleasure. Then, reluctantly, she broke away, offered the still snoring man's hand to Medea, and stepped aside.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:27

"Are you surprised at my behavior, Hustin?"

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:27

If the boy had remained human, he would have flinched. It wasn't the first time Celesta had guessed his thoughts, striking him with supernatural insight.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:27

"No surprise there." The girl smiled ironically and affectionately at the same time. "You and I see different things. You look at the drunk on the floor, and I see the opportunity in front of me. Now we don't have to lurk in alleys, attacking passersby in danger. From now on, we can not only work but live!"

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:39

"The money will be there, the agents will show up, and the spiders won't find us," Medea broke away from her meal. "The only thing left to do is to find a decent place to live."

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:40

"Remember when you didn't believe me?"

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:41

"So you promised completly crazy things!"

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:41

Hustin looked from one girl to the other perplexed, not understanding why they were laughing. He happily escaped the overwhelming loneliness, the drying thirst, and the eternal fear of not waking up with the next sunset. On his darkest days, he was surrounded by his family, ready, no matter what, to share with the young man the last and protect him. So the reasons for his friends' good mood he did not understand.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:42

"Come on, let's not stay here," Celesta waved her hand. "We'll have to be careful until we find Varek a helper."

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 14:45

The tavern turned out, in the ghouls' eyes, to be perfect. Varek bought an entire entryway in a former three-story high apartment building and enthusiastically set about remodeling it. Apartments on the first floor have turned into a kitchen and a cheap hall with drinks, the floor above will place a class cafe - work in it has not yet ended, had to decorate the room - under the roof made room for administration and suites. Fakasius had promised to supply waitresses and bedmaidens for a modest fee so that by local standards the place was in some ways even respectable. True, instead of the original five hundred it cost seven hundred dinars, but the undead spared no expense.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 15:00

In the basement, Varek set up a "sobering-up room" - simply put, the workers covered the walls and floor with thick boards. This was supposed to be used to put drunk or unconscious brawlers in the basement, to wait until they were sober, and to charge them for the damage they had done. The tavern-keeper was the only one who knew what the room was for. Through a secret passage disguised with wood that led to the sewers, the ghouls would come and feed on the hapless sufferers. There is, of course, a risk that an unauthorized person might inadvertently peek into the cellar, but for this case, there were inconspicuous hinges on the inside of the sturdy door and a peephole in the hatch leading to the underground. Though the undead had excellent hearing, the extra precaution wouldn't hurt.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 15:13

The euphoria was gone, replaced by the usual suspects. Holiness knows too much about the life of the ghouls - you might say, they depend on him. Now there is parity: the undead supply the bandit with drugs, help him solve small problems, and in return, he provides the tavern cover and tosses money. It seems simple enough. However, in the long run, the situation looks very bleak. Fakasius can give the undead a lot of trouble, all he has to do is rat out the guards and organize an ambush. Even if the soldiers manage to fight off and get away lay low, they will lose almost all their sources of income. Without money, the spy network would collapse. The late Morvanites were good because they worked with pure enthusiasm, while ordinary people need to be paid.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 15:17

Perhaps we should find some more fanatics. The Dark One is worshipped by many.

Camrad_RIP 28.01.22 в 15:23

We can start by talking to Tarrasch, recalling the old idea about transporting the contents of the caches. Especially since there is a cover-up. The authorities have allowed northerners to choose their own place to build a new home, highly regarded blacksmiths. A great privilege. By all appearances, in the near future people will be in high demand: villages have to be populated. That is why the process of enslavement is now actively going on; the community members are forced to agree to move. And they don't say where they will be moved to. In Talea, it seems, only artisans will remain: the Duke wants to have control over the means of production - vegetable growers, fishermen, and other people will be relocated. But at the same time, there was a relaxation, allowing officials above the third rank and their households to choose their place of residence within the city as they saw fit. Also, trade in over-the-counter goods was allowed, the market was legalized, and license tags for certain kinds of activities were introduced. In short, life was slowly getting better, though not for everyone.

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 14:08

So, Tarrasch intends to open his own blacksmith shop. A big one; he already has a small one. He wants to settle down away from the port, closer to the new settlements and the mine, where there's sure to be work. He intends to marry off his two daughters to his apprentices and leave the house to his eldest son, while he and most of his family will move to a new one. He's got the papers he needs - all that's left is to find a suitable place.

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 18:05

We should have a talk with the head of the family: we can be useful to each other.

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:19

"Hustin, when are you going to see your family?"

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:19

"Tomorrow. My third cousin has a Patron's Day, so I want to present him with a gift."

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:20

Celesta almost stumbled. The Highlanders continued to amaze her.

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:20

"Do you think it's a good idea?"

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:21

"Why not?" There was a look of amazement in the guy's eyes.

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:21

"You're a sort of dead now," the girl hinted. "Gifts are supposed to come from the living."

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:22

"With you southerners, maybe so. But in the North, our ancestors look after the family until forty years after death."

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:23

Celesta could not find an answer to this argument. So she went back to the topic she was going to talk about first:

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:23

"I'll go with you: I must have a word with Tarrasch."

Camrad_RIP 29.01.22 в 20:24

"About moving?

Camrad_RIP 31.01.22 в 07:09

"Not only that. We've got some stuff stashed away in the Pit, and I think it's time to get it back. By the way, there's a lot of literature on magic and the occult: a whole room full of books."

Camrad_RIP 31.01.22 в 07:09

"Wow! So maybe I should go, too? I'll look what to pick up first.'

Camrad_RIP 31.01.22 в 07:09

The ghoul was skeptical of the suggestion. Despite his success in alchemy and, as far as she could tell, a decent education in other fields, Hastin still caused her doubts as an expert magician. So she responded in a streamlined manner:

Camrad_RIP 31.01.22 в 07:10

"I don't think so. You got a lot of dope to cook, and it's hard to feed two ghouls in a small group at once. And by the way, would the men be willing to feed me or Medea? Or are they only willing to share blood with their relatives?"

Camrad_RIP 31.01.22 в 08:11

"What the father orders, they will do. But it will be hard to convince the father."

Camrad_RIP 31.01.22 в 08:12

"It's okay, I have my arguments."

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:32

She wondered if she should go on her own. Medea knew the territory of Pit better, easier to navigate the labyrinths of the ruined quarters, had established a good relationship with the male part of Hustin's kin. Of those who knew of his posthumous status. A beautiful woman is forgiven many weaknesses, even if she is undead. On the negative side was the panicked fear of Carlon, whose sanctuary would be literally a stone's throw away. Fear was natural. Hell, Celesta herself felt sick at the thought of the mad priest! The dilemma...

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:34

Tarrasch greeted his son and his guest with mild wariness. He knew from experience that the little ghoul wouldn't just drop in - she must be up to something again. Ever since Hustin had brought word of the failed - or overly successful, as the case might be - ritual, he had been in a constant state of doubt. Had he made a mistake in trusting Celesta? What a foolish thing to do, to try to play a trick on the gods! And with the Dark One himself! But they had survived, the demon had taken only the living... And then the son, after the sacrifice, looked almost alive, red-faced, happy, moving often and with pleasure. So Morvan accepted the sacrifice?

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:36

And they don't keep an eye on the house.

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:38

A worm of uncertainty remained, even though the ghouls seemed to be doing well. So the master grunted incredulously at the sight of Celesta:

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:39

"It's been a long time since you've been here. You must have done something wrong again."

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:44

"Look, Tarrasch, do you want money?" The girl inquired instead of an answer.

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:44

"It depends on what kind. If it's something bloody, I'll be careful."

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:45

"There are still cellars with goods in the Pit, which can be taken out and sold. The food, of course, mostly rotted away, but clothes, tools, construction materials are stored for a long time. Not all warehouses were looted after the plague, some survived and are still closed. They are willing to show you for a percentage."

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:47

"It's all gone, I guess."

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:47

"I doubt it. The marauders were after a few other categories of things, and there were mutants in a lot of places, and they'd been cleared out recently. Medea and I stashed a lot of things away: if not searched carefully, the soldiers wouldn't find them."

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:49

"I have to think about it," Tarrasch scratched his head. "It's not something you can solve right away. What will you ask for in return?"

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:50

"Out of respect for you a fifth, plus you'll help move some items to the port. It's mostly literature."

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:52

"Books?! No, you carry them yourself! If people find out we keep books, no guards will protect us."

Camrad_RIP 02.02.22 в 08:54