FIRST NIGHT IN YELLOWS (2)

They navigated the wonky cobblestone, heading downtown. It was a ten-minute walk, so Marshall decided to use the time to find out some more about Elysia's relationship with Gi Gaia. Just to avoid misunderstandings in the future.

"About Gi Gaia..." he started, trying to get a feel for whether she would be willing to talk about it.

"What about her?" Elysia questioned, her expression neutral.

Marshall hummed in thought. "When was the last time you saw each other?"

"Oh, uh..." she fidgeted, her gaze flitting to the side. "It hasn't been too long," came a vague answer.

"Not too long?" he pressed.

"Yeah... well... long story short, Gaia betrayed me. But it's not really something I want to talk about."

"I see. But you still care about her?" Marshall tilted his head to get a better look at her face. 

Elysia let out a nervous laugh, avoiding eye contact. "No... Not anymore."

Her words said one thing, but her behavior pointed to the opposite. Yet, Marshall didn't prod any further.

He spotted a small building with a vivid sunflower stretching over its door. The pain was chipped in places, perhaps indicating that the pub was not very popular.

"Seems like the right place," he commented, pushing the door open for Elysia.

Narrow stairs revealed themselves, leading them to the basement area. As the two made their way down, the scent of ale filled the air, and the bustling of the streets disappeared behind their backs just to be replaced by sounds of gambling, clinks of cutlery and soft murmurs.

Fortunately, it wasn't nearly as crowded as the last tavern they had visited.

The lack of windows and the underground-like atmosphere didn't sit right with the disciple, who bit back the urge to roll his eyes to heavens. He could have sworn he hadn't visited as many cave-resembling places before he developed an aversion to them.

There seemed to be some condensation on the brick walls, filling the space with a muddy, mineral smell. But with the sachet of pine needles on him like a promise of safety, Marshall was no longer bothered by it. 

Elysia halted to a stop in the middle of the pub. She turned around with a weary sigh, rubbing her forehead, swaying lightly.

"You alright?" he asked, reaching to steady her in case she was going to faint.

Elysia flinched away with a gasp, "Oof! Your hand is as cold as ice!"

"Ah," the disciple rubbed his hands with an awkward chuckle. "Sorry about that."

She smiled, shaking her head. "It's fine, just caught me off guard. Err, I feel a bit dizzy, so I think I'll wait for you outside."

Marshall observed her, then tapped his pockets. There should have been enough money for a meal. "Should we get something to eat for you?"

"No, it's alright," Elysia said, slowly moving back towards the stairs. "The food here must be pricy." 

The disciple was left wondering whether he had put too much pressure on her with the entire Gi Gaia matter. But he shook his head to clear his mind.

As Marshall turned to check out the counter, he noticed a woman in deep orange robes sitting by the side. Her posture was similar to Gi Gaia's, but her hair was dark brown.

As he drew closer, he noticed a bandaged hand holding a cup, lifting it to red lips as she downed a strong-smelling liquid. This must have been the woman he had heard from the man in the tavern.

Marshall approached her, catching a glimpse of her face. She didn't look like Gi Gaia.

"Do you come here often?" he asked, striking up a conversation.

The woman turned around, initial suspicion glinting in her eyes. "Yeah, I do."

"Could you recommend a good drink?" Marshall smiled in a friendly manner. "It's my first time here."

She scanned him up and down, a flirty grin crossing her face. "Mmm, first time? Which side of Liangdu are you from?"

"The south," he answered vaguely.

"Looks like someone brought the heat with them!" she said lively. "Though... You're a bit pale for someone from the south. Must not be working in the fields?"

"I work as an envoy," Marshall told a quick lie, his smile light and unsuspicious. He pointed at the seat next to her. "May I?"

She nodded, sliding her finger along the rim of her cup, smearing the lipstick stain. "An envoy, huh? So that's how you're traveling..." She sighed longingly. "I wanted to see the snow in Sky Oriels this year, but getting a permit to leave Liangdu is impossible."

"What a coincidence, I just returned from Sky Oriels." Marshall leaned on the counter. "Imagine snowflakes falling like thousands of stars that glisten even in daylight... Bright, peaceful nights."

Her mouth opened slightly. "That was... poetic," she acknowledged, admiration softening her eyes. "I actually have a few friends from Sky Oriels. But none of them like winters."

"Friends from Sky Oriels Sect? They must be pretty uptight, eh?" he quipped, subtly poking around for information.

"Ha! No way," the woman shook her head. "I've heard people say they're all formal and on their high horses, but the ones I know are anything but."

Marshall hummed, wondering whether she would elaborate. He was going to scatter details into the conversation related to Gi Gaia, to see if this she was familiar.

"Oh, it almost slipped my mind!" She gave his arm a light smack. "You asked for a recommendation! Let me buy you a drink, traveler!"

As the bartender passed by, the woman raised her hand to catch his attention. "Can we get two mojitos?" 

"Coming right up!" 

Once their drinks were ready, she turned to Marshall with curious eyes. "Come to think of it, you never introduced yourself. How should I call you?"

Although Marshall thought the news on hunted criminals didn't travel well between the sects, he wasn't going to take any chances. He decided to go with the first name that came to mind.

"You can call me Joe."

"Joe? Is that a nickname? With a face like yours, I bet your parents would have spent quite some time naming you," she commented, picking the lime slice off her glass and setting it aside.

"Nope, I'm just Joe," he said, propping his chin on his hand. "An ordinary farmer's son, who happened to land a job as an envoy."

The woman tapped her cup, eyes playfully squinting. "Humble and handsome, I see. I'm Aria. Nice to meet you, Joe."

He bowed his head lightly. "Charming name for a charming lady."

She scoffed softly, red lips smiling at the compliment. "You're good with words. Are your hobbies by any chance writing poetry?"

"Mm, I dabble here and there. My current interest is collecting stones," Marshall threw a bait.

Aria bit the hook. "Stones, you say?" She brought her cup to her lips before casting a thoughtful glance at Marshall's untouched glass.

He followed her gaze and took a sip. A sweet, minty taste met his tongue with a pleasant coolness, followed by a faint sourness from lime and the kick of rum.

Aria leaned in, covering her mouth from the side with her hand. "To tell you a little secret, I know a thing or two about that."