Well Met By Moonlight

[rix_scaedu]

This is my response to Day 3 of http://aldersprig.livejournal.com/'s 30 Days of Flash Fiction, the list for which can be found at http://aldersprig.livejournal.com/221684.html?view=1245940#t1245940.

“Well met by moonlight.”

“Even if it is midday.”  She was amused.

“I don’t make these things up,” he grumbled, putting his coin on the table, the moon on it glowing silver.

“Neither do I,” she agreed, placing her coin with the golden sun beside his.

“And the stars shine over all,” the lean old man added his silver-starred coin to the two already on the table. “At least this is vaguely original,” he sat in the third chair, leaving the fourth unoccupied. “It gets a bit tiresome, ‘Knock three times and ask for Guido.’ And in my experience, Guido usually tries to stab you in the back anyway.” The younger two murmured their agreement. “So where is our principal?”

A large, callused hand swept up their coins and a tray of drinks was set down on the table. “Here’s your order.”

“But we didn’t-“

“All wisdom lies beneath the guidance of heaven.” The innkeeper sat down as he gave the fourth pass sign. The other three looked at him expectantly. “The glass of Arcanum rosé is for the lady, while the beers with port chasers are for the rest of us.” He handed out the glasses, leaving a goblet with more wine sitting in the middle of the round tray.

“Who’s the last one for?” asked the man who’d had the moon coin.

The old man leaned forward over his beer.  “That’s gold, not bronze,” he said quietly, “And the design – Trideian altar goods?”

The woman sighed. “This is going to be complicated, isn’t it?”

“Yes and no,” the innkeeper spread his hands apologetically, “It’s a straight swap, goblet for the girl. The devil is in the detail.”