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Danger's Calling (Charlie_Death & Bec Teri)

Casdon was taken aback and even more confused when he heard his old nickname. He hasn't gone by that name in years and was sure that only the guys he was once friends with remembered it. "I-I did..." He squinted as he struggled to remember where she could have known that name. Did Midian tell her or..? "Do you have another brother besides Midian? I remember a younger brother named Eddy but..." He cleared his throat and spoke quieter. "...Midian always teased me that he was a girl... He isn't..." He pointed at Eidie hoping that his embarrassed assumptions were right and he wasn't looking like a total idiot.
 
She groaned, it wasn't that she forgot her brother and father used to call her that, it was she had hoped everyone else had. "No, that was me. I blame father, gods rest him, for starting that idiotic nickname. He wanted another boy so bad he started calling me Eddy in the cradle. I started going by Eidie after they sent me away to live with my aunt after her husband died. I can't believe... Actually yes I can, you haven't changed that much. But I can't believe I never put two and two together. Of course this means that night in the tavern wasn't the first time you felt my wrath either."
 
Casdon laughed at the odd revelation that they had known each other far longer than they had thought, not that it brought much comfort with it. "No... no it wasn't. Now it is even more embarrassing looking back at it. I thought I could live down getting beaten up by the younger brother..." He groaned and ran his hand down his face. "Tougher than any boy back then too... " He snorted a chuckle. "You'd think I would remember a defeat like that as a kid. But I guess to really learn a lesson you have to repeat it."
 
She laughed, "I suppose so. I think we both deserve another drink after that revelation." She motioned to the bottle of brandy beside him.
 
"Agreed." Casdon laughed as he handed it over. "The first day out and we are already learning so much about ourselves." He paused for a moment waiting for her to pass the brandy back. "I always thought that kind of revelations came after the adventures."
 
"Now where's the fun in that?" she laughed handing the bottle back. "Still I still don't understand why so many of you didn't realize it was Eddy I was reacting too and not Midian calling me his sister."
 
Casdon laughed nervously, the hindsight of his blunder as a child making him feel like an idiot. "Well... I feel rather dumb for not noticing as I look back now, but we really didn't think that far. You were just one of us so much so we couldn't even comprehend that you really weren't a boy. But would you rather us treat you different? I'm sure if we knew back then we probably would have been easier on you or treated you more like a girl."
 
"Of course not, I would have just had to hit you all harder. I think it bothered me more that the only friends I had were boys. Bothered mother and father more though, they had hoped I'd end up more lady like then I obviously did." She snorted as she stired the pot. "I'm not sure about you, but disappointing my parents in that respect doesn't bother me overly much. I could have turned out like your young lady friend."
 
Casdon shrugged. "Can't really remember my parents, but my uncle on the other hand. Love disappointing him," Casdon laughed before mulling over a thought for a moment, watching Eidie as she cooked. "You know... I think I prefer you this way. If you were like the others I might not have come to have you as a friend, and I rather like that despite the whole being forced out into the wilderness. And don't you dare start calling me a sap for that." He pointed an accusing finger at his companion before taking a final swig of brandy.
 
Casdon snorted and raised an eyebrow at Eidie. "You really think I would just volunteer for anyone? I can't let the one friend I managed to keep that can put up with all my drunken rants go alone..." He paused for a moment and muttered with a stifled laugh, "Even if she is a better fighter than I am."
 
She smiled, "Well I appreciate both the company and the compliment," she bowed her head to him and pulled a pair of bowls out of her pack. It may not have been one of her better stews, but taking a full kitchen accompaniment with them would have made travel so much more difficult. "I can't say I've ever understood the appeal of staying in one place for the majority of one's life. I've always wanted to see what the rest of the world was really like."
 
Casdon watched her pour out their portions, his stomach growling reminding him that he hasn't really eaten much since they left that morning. The brandy was already starting to make his head light. "I can't say I share that sentiment. I didn't really care much to know what went on beyond the city walls. Why see the world when you can enjoy the comforts of home? Not many people have that experience." He kicked a small rock away from where he was seated as he thought for a moment. "Maybe I just like the idea of having a place I can sleep one off. Staying at inns means you risk paying for another night if you stay in bed too long."
 
"I suppose that's practical, not the healthiest lifestyle to justify it with of course." She shrugged before handing over the stew. "Is there a reason you get completely pissed almost every night Cas? Do you actually enjoy the feeling of being that drunk?" There was surprisingly very little condensation in her voice as she asked the question, just mild curiosity. Casdon probably didn't want to know what her father had thought about men like him, men who willed their lives away one pint at a time. Of course her father hadn't had a very high opinion of alcohol to begin with.
 
He was taken aback by the blunt question. He hadn't really thought about why he really drank. He supposed that it was because he wanted to forget that there were questions he never could answer. He unconsciously rubbed the ring on his right hand, feeling the weight on his finger, slowly twisting it from side to side as he stared at the stew. "It helps. When I drink, I can only focus on the finer things in life, like women. Doesn't work all the time. When it doesn't, questions that bother me just get stuck and drinking helps make it disappear." He took a bite of the stew, nodding at the taste in approval before stirring it.
 
Eidie pondered his words for a few moments. She hadn't been expecting a serious answer from him is she was being totally honest. "Are these questions there are no answers too, or ones you don't want answered? If you don't mind my asking of course." Although it was true she had motives other then finding grand adventure, and she was feeling increasingly guilty for keeping who and what she was looking for from him, that didn't mean she wasn't willing to help him search for his answers if he truly wanted them. It was the least she could do after he dropped everything for her.
 
"A little of both, if I am honest." He took another sip of the stew before heaving a heavy sigh. "My parents sent me to live with my uncle. I don't know why... Or if I really want to know. It still bugs me from time to time. Mostly because my uncle won't give me any answers on where they are, or what this even is." He wiggled his ring finger to show the heirloom he brought with him. "For all I know, I'm a blue blood forced to live the life of a commoner. And I planned to live it up." He let out a laugh before turning his focus back to eating.
 
"So they do." She ate her stew, "Still seems odd that your need for variety and adventure doesn't reach passed the bedroom."
 
Casdon wiped the bit of stew that escaped the corner of his mouth. "Hmm.. well, it is safer. The most I really risked was a broken nose or a few bruises. Took me a bit to learn the lesson about sneaking off with someone's wife." He laughed at the memory of having his nose broken once.... Or twice.
 
"I did try to warn you. Of course if was far more entertaining when Darius' little sister decided sleeping with you would be a good way to piss him off."
 
Casdon let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head. "I should have listened to you but you know what? Knowing how it turned out, I'd probably do it again."
 
"Knowing you as I do, I bet you would." She knew this trip was going to get harder quickly given who she was looking for, but at least here at the beginning it was starting out pleasently. Part of her hoped that Casdon would still be willing to talk to her once the adventure was over.
 
Casdon looked back in the direction they had been in. It almost felt like any other day, as if he would just crawl into bed later and wake up with the sun already high in the air. It was not as bad as he had thought. If travelling was this calm, he could get used to it.
 
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