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Leisure was not something that had been in the Mighty Nein’s schedule for a long time—some of the members themselves would even say it was never on their schedule. The only time they had moments to relax were times back in shabby inns, (in some form) when they met up with allies to regarding their missions, and the occasional run-in with a rather pleasant event in said adventures.
The next few days brought in the latter as they were passing through Nicodranas on their way to Port Damali for their current quest. While getting there as soon as possible was ideal, there was no real rush to get to the next city… or at least, that’s what most of them said.
“I don’t think staying here just for the festival is a good idea,” Caleb mumbled, watching as each member of the group had their eyes on different things around the streets.
“And why not, Caleb?” Jester whined, twirling around to face him, hands on her hips while walking backwards.
“We have a nice inn to stay in thanks to my mama, we’ve been told that we shouldn’t be too much of a hurry, and there’s a festival going on!”
Jester’s foot proceeded to get caught on a nick of the cobble streets, but Yasha managed to stop her from falling completely. The tiefling’s bubbly demeanor doesn’t falter as she thanked Yasha with a hug.
“Jester’s right you know,” Caduceus commented.
“While we’re here we might as we enjoy ourselves. A little bit a time off didn’t hurt anyone.”
“And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to sleep on some shitty grass when we have actual beds,” Beau said, hands behind her head as she gave Caleb a shrug.
“I think the murals are pretty neat too,” Nott said, tugging on the Caleb’s coat to point to the side.
There, several people were working on a large mural. It was painted on the wall of one of the big establishments, and its overall theme seemed to mirror the city with large boats and ships heading to the numerous islands across the coast. It was half-done, but even in its incomplete form it already looked well done; many of the other murals currently being done for the festival already looked impressive. With these muralists were many others, crowds of visitors through the streets for the festival and locals taking the opportunity to sell their wares. The town was bustling with life, and it wasn’t even midday.
“Are you going to join in the mural competition, Jester?” Fjord asked, gesturing to the groups and individuals with paints and brushes working on the walls of Nicodranas.
She placed her fingers on her chin, “When the guy at the entrance told us about the whole ‘if your mural wins, it stays up for a year’ thing, I kinda wanted to! But…”
“You wouldn’t be able to finish it before we leave?” Yasha finished. Jester nodded.
“I don’t wanna make a half-finished painting and end up leaving it, you know? Maybe I'll paint a little beside someone’s mural instead!”
“Don’t draw dicks on their mural though.”
“Hey, I’m not that much of a dick!”
By this time, they arrived at the inn that Jester’s mother had generously paid for them to stay in for the next three days. While the Mighty Nein went in to get themselves settled, Jester noticed a trail of green paint leading to off to another side. Knowing that her friends would deal with the rooms themselves, Jester followed the trail.
The trail led to the right wall of the inn. The whole space was a wide alley with another building on the opposite side, with the entrance Jester coming in from being the main road as the end continued into a smaller street. The alley was rather clean despite being what it was, but as a space for a mural no one would be able to see that someone was working here.
“Weird,” she hummed, following the trail as she looked around.
As she got closer to the end of the alley, her attention was immediately caught by shimmering highlights and bright colors. Jester had to blink twice to be sure of what she was seeing; the mural showcased the coast of Nicodranas from the perspective of one standing on the docks. Unlike the usual fishing vessels and fishermen as she had seen in the previous murals, the middle of the work showed a series of merfolk rising from the water. This mural was painted in a way that mimicked stained glass, and the paint seemed to glitter in the light of the morning. The whole mural seemed to be three-fifths done, with majority of the right side still not outlined.
The more Jester looked at the more details she would notice. It was beautiful, almost magical even.
“Why isn’t this with the others...” Jester asked herself, touching the mural.
“Oh!”
She immediately retracted her hand. On the tips of her fingers was the dark blue paint of the water splashing as caused by the merfolk. Jester should’ve known that the paint was still wet, but she couldn’t help it. Pressing her fingers together, it shined in the light. Whatever this paint was it wasn’t normal paint, and it didn’t look cheap either. She wasn’t sure if it was just the painting being amazing, but it seemed to hold some sort of power.
People were passing through the roads of the end of it, but not through it. Something in her gut told her that the person was joining the contest but had chosen this unknown spot on purpose.
“Whoever you are, I hope you know that this is too pretty to pass up being here,” she murmured, looking both ways of the alley in hopes of seeing someone come in.
“Hey Jester!” Fjord called from the entrance of the alley, “is that you over there?”
At Fjord’s call, Jester called back with an affirmation. She would have to investigate on who this secret muralist was in the three days that she’s able to do so.
“What were you doing all the way there?” Fjord asked as Jester jogged up to him.
“There’s a mural at the far side of the inn,” she explained, pointing to where she came from.
“It’s really beautiful! It has majestic merfolk, shining paint, and it’s in a really cool style of stained glass! Too bad no one can really see it though.”
Fjord looked over to the said mural, “Yeah, the owner of the inn mentioned someone was working over here. They’re the only one painting on this side of the wall.”
At that confirmation, she had an idea.
“Do you think the innkeeper will let me paint on the free space of the wall too?” she said excitedly.
The half-orc blinked for a moment, “I suppose so, if someone was already allowed—”
“Great! Let’s go and talk to him about it then!”
>>>
While most people would wake up at dawn, the only time you rose up from bed was at dusk. A knock came from the door, and it was enough to get you out of slumber. As the chilly breeze of the sea pushed past the curtains, you began to stir as the knocking continued.
“Yes, yes, I’m up,” you called, pulling your legs off the bed to stand up and stretch. You looked out the window to see the warm colors of the sunset blending into that of the dark evening, and when the moon was up, so were you.
You walked to the door and opened it, coming face to face with an elven man. He was dark-skinned, with blonde brown hair and green eyes. Your smile softened towards the innkeeper as you bow your head to him politely. He nodded his head back to you, leaning on the frame of your door with the same smile.
“Rise and shine, (Your Name), it’s past sundown,” the innkeeper said.
“I was getting a little worried when you didn’t come down to have dinner.”
You rolled your eyes at him, “Do you feel that lonely, Merwin?”
He shoved your shoulder before crossing his arms, “Well lucky for me a couple of other travelers were kind enough to fill the table.”
You raised a brow at Merwin. The inn was occupied, especially during events such as the current festival, but everyone was a passing stranger. The inn itself was usually for business as well, so it wasn’t everyday some nice folk come in for a chat. You were curious, and Merwin was more than willing to fill you in as he gestured for you to follow him downstairs for you to eat.
“Are they visiting for the mural festival?” was the first thing you asked.
“Just passing through to get to Port Damali,” Merwin answered as your both reached the common room. There, one of the tables had a basket of bread and drink, to which the both of you sat down in. By the door of the inn, you already see your paints and brushes ready to be taken out.
“I think one of them is visiting a family member who recommended the inn for them.”
“What are they like? Do they look like they have a business, take on adventures, or some random bums?” you continued, pouring yourself some water as Merwin leaned back in his chair. He chuckled, and that laugh meant something.
“Definitely not normal,” he said.
“Weirdest bunch I’ve seen in a long time honestly… but they seem to have good hearts. Ragged—and by the look in their eyes, beaten down—but good.”
“That says a lot coming from you,” you said while eating some bread. He asked what that meant, and you shrugged him off.
“They’re just gonna be here for a couple of days, yeah?”
“Not more than a day as I’ve been told by the half-orc,” Merwin shrugged.
“But one of them actually asked permission to paint on the inn wall.”
This caught you off guard, resulting in swallowing impulsively and choking on a piece of bread. Merwin got up immediately to be by your wide, but you stopped him from doing anything else as you coughed hard enough to dislodge the piece of bread. With a sigh, he handed you the cup of water by your side as you drink it with haste.
“Did they see my mural?” you asked in between coughs, patting your chest.
“I assume the one who asked did, but I’m not entirely sure,” Merwin said, sitting back down.
“The group did ask if anyone was painting by my side of the building, so I said there was. No name-drop of course.”
“I told you not to tell anyone, Merwin,” you scowled.
The elf frowned, “I don’t get why you want to hide your work, (Y/N). I’m sure you’ll win the contest once they see your mural.”
You shifted uncomfortably in your seat, not replying to Merwin any longer. At the sign of your discomfort, he doesn’t push the topic. The both of you labeled your behavior as “shy”, but there was a lot more to hiding your work than just being timid about it. There had been small conversations about it, but as friends you both still had boundaries.
Merwin got up from his seat and began to collect the basket and drinks. You offered to help him, but he shook his head, placing a hand on your shoulder with a smile.
“Don’t worry about this old elf,” he said.
“Got your paints and stuff ready by the door—oh, and I think the other painter started with her work so you can check that out on the way.”
“Thank you, Merwin,” you said, getting up from your seat as you waved him goodbye. He mirrored the wave before disappearing off to his own room for the night.
As the both of you went opposite ways, you walked up to the door to take your coat by the rack. While putting it on, a piece of paper fell out from one of the pockets. It was a flyer regarding the mural festival. It was in celebration of the Menagerie Coast’s value of cultural freedom, and the festival was put up in lieu of this and to promote even more trade at this time of the year. The winner of the mural would receive coin and have their mural presented as a permanent structure of Nicodranas. You were aiming for both but more of the latter, hoping to get your name out as an artist bit by bit.
Pocketing the flyer, you picked up your paint buckets and brushes from the side before heading out. The familiar evening breeze welcomed you, and with a satisfied sigh you jogged your way into the alley. Thankfully the walls of the alley had lanterns that provided enough light at night, but that was more for your case rather than the mural itself.
What was once normal paint in sunlight was now luminescent in the dimness of the night. With its stained glass theme, it looked as if light shone from the other side of the “window”.
A smile crept up your face as you place your hand over your work. At your touch, the paint shimmered, the area where your hands hovered glowing as an arcane energy coursed between your fingertips and the paint. You weren’t just an artist but a sorcerer, infusing your natural magic with your passion once you had discovered both. This was why you were rather secretive about your work; sure, there were those who use magic with art and literature, but you didn’t know anyone who used it in the way you did.
As your hand hovered over the mural, a small set of dots remained dull under your magic. You paused, squinting as you let your hand go over the area a few times.
“Someone touched the mural,” you murmured to yourself with a frown.
“... Must’ve been whoever Merwin was talking about.”
At your mention of this, you realized that you hadn’t seen the other person’s work on the way to yours. Looking over to the entrance of the alley, a good portion of the wall had already been laid out with paint. It was illuminated under one of the wall’s lanterns, and you couldn’t help but be impressed by their work.
The mural had some charm to it, its style being rather semi-realistic with brighter and warmer tones than those of a coast. It featured more of the city itself than the water surrounding it with empty spaces that figures of townsfolk would be in. The painter and their group would’ve only gotten to the inn in the morning, but their work was worth a few days at most.
“Damn, they’re good,” you nodded to yourself, bending down to begin opening containers of paint.
>>>
For the next couple of hours, you spent the rest of the night painting. Time seemed to drift as you were lost in strokes of color and shapes. Every now and then a guard would pass by to ask what you were doing, but with a festival permit they went on their way without any trouble. Soon enough, the moon was dipping into the horizon as the sun was taking its place.
Stepping back with a yawn, you closed off the last container of paint before stepping back to view your work. You were close to finishing, about one more night’s worth of work as you managed to get through the right side of the mural. All that was left were details and final touches, and you would be lying to say you weren’t relieved at your pace—the competition would be ending in a day or two, and apprehension was brewing.
Just as you were about to head back to the inn, a figure made their turn into the alley. For a second you think that it's another guard, but the person held a couple of buckets like yours.
“Oh shit.”
You were about to walk the other way to feign your presence, until—
“Wait, don’t go!”
You froze as footsteps made their way towards you. You sucked in your breath and just as you turned you were met face-to-face with a blue tiefling in a black apron over a green dress.
“Hello!” she greeted; hand outstretched to you. You took it slowly, and she gave you a very firm handshake. She had a lot more strength than you expected.
“... Hi.”
“I’m Jester! And you must be the one working on this mural,” she chimed, turning to your work.
“It’s really beautiful! I can’t imagine how long it’s taken for you to do all of it—all by yourself too! Merwin told me that you’d be out here by now.”
“Can’t trust that elf to keep his mouth shut,” you murmured under your breath, to which Jester asked you what you were saying. You dismissed it sheepishly.
“I’m (Y/N),” you said, examining her while she was looking over your mural. She seemed to be genuinely enthralled by it, which gave some sort of warming pride within you.
“And thank you, Jester. I’m… I’m glad you like my work.”
“Like it? I love it! You really should’ve put it somewhere where people can see it,” she said, gesturing wildly to the wall. You couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm, it was contagious. How did she have so much energy so early in the morning?
You chuckled nervously, rubbing your arm as you turned to your mural. As the sun was rising, the light reflected off the paint. The glowing effect was now replaced with shimmering, as the light highlighted the work. The both of you stood in silence, each of you not wanting to break the serenity.
After a moment, you glanced over to Jester, and she did the same for you. Rather than an awkward stare-off, you found her presence more comforting than anything. You opened your mouth to speak, but she beat you to it.
“I’m going to work on my mural now,” she said, voice soft.
“Do you wanna help me paint? Ah—if you’re not too sleepy of course!”
Normally you would be dozing off at this point, but you were more awake than ever. You weren’t sure if it was Jester’s enthusiasm, the sun rising, or both—they seemed to radiate the same bright energy.
“I can stay and help for a bit,” you answered, immediately being met with a squeal and pulled to the other side of the wall.
“You have to teach me how you paint like that!” Jester giggled as she pulled you along. You smiled, laughing along with her as you glanced down your paints.
“Sure, why not.”
You and Jester spent the next half hour talking and painting. She was apparently travelling with a group that called themselves the Mighty Nein, and they were travelling through Nicodranas to deliver something in Port Damali. Jester continued to talk about each person that she travelled with, the adventures and monsters that they have slain, and a couple of shenanigans that they had all gone through. It was nice to listen to her while you worked; a change from the night silence and coastal waves was more than pleasant.
“And now, we’re staying in this nice inn because my mama suggested it for us!” Jester finished.
“Oh, so you’re from here?” you asked, creating a stroke across the wall.
“Mhmm! My mother is Marion Lavorre, you know—Ruby of the Sea?”
You turned to Jester curiously, “The Ruby of the Sea? From the Lavish Chateau?”
She nodded, “Yes, her!”
Jester’s excited expression then turned narrow, as if to interrogate you.
“Have you slept with my mother?”
“What—no! I-I wouldn’t—your mom—” you sputtered, nearly streaking your brush across the wall. Jester fell into a fit of laughter, wiping tears from her eyes as she didn’t expect you to react that way.
“Geez (Y/N), don’t worry!” she joked, patting your shoulder.
“I don’t think you’re the person to go to those types of places.”
“I don’t know whether to feel happy or sad that you think that way,” you pouted, which Jester replied with an apologetic pat on your back.
“But seriously, how do you know my mother?”
You shrugged, “Besides being well-known I’ve bumped into her a few times at the market. Nothing serious really, I’ve never talked to her. The world’s a small place, and paths align.”
“Like how our paths aligned,” Jester said softly just enough for you to hear. Something in your chest fluttered when you heard it.
“Or like how you should straighten that line,” you chuckled, pointing your brush to the wobbly stroke she had just created for a part of the mural.
“Hey!”
Jester proceeded to playfully threaten you with her paint brush, to which you taunt back with your own. Amid taunting each other, the tiefling whipped her brush hard enough to splatter paint across your face. Laughter immediately died one once the blue paint hit your face. You casted your face down with a hardened grip on your brush, and Jester immediately reached over to you to apologize.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t—”
“Sike!”
You swiped your brush across her cheek.
Jester gasped in surprise, before her wide mouth turned into a sly grin.
“Oh, it’s on.”
Squeals and laughter filled the alleyway once more as the both of you attempted to attack each other with paint. It went on for a few minutes, with Jester being more successful than you, and in the end, you get one large stroke across the chest of her apron, which she feigned a fatal blow from.
“You win!” she sighed, taking a few steps back with arms up.
You looked up at Jester, breathing heavily between giggling. By now, the sun had risen above the horizon to cast a shadow from the entrance of the alley. Her figure was casted over you, but not in any way intimidating. The wall on the side reflected off the natural light that casted unto Jester’s smile towards you. You couldn’t help but smile back, just as you had been doing for the time you spent together.
“I… have to head back,” you said, walking over to her. Instead of saying anything, Jester just nodded at you. You couldn’t read the emotions past her smile, but there was something more to it.
“Thanks for helping me finish the mural, (Y/N),” she said, turning to the wall. There, the spaces where the townsfolk would be were filled in and areas that were not detailed before were rendered in properly. It wasn’t as big of a mural as the rest, but it was very good, nonetheless.
“It was my pleasure,” you said. Jester turned back to you, but you caught her expression as she felt paint on the side of her lips.
Just as she was about to wipe it, you placed your thumb to wipe off the small spot of paint. Your thumb lingered longer than necessary, but not any longer to make it awkward. It’s a small act, you didn’t think much of it on the surface, but the darkness of the morning was enough to mask the darkened tint on Jester’s cheeks.
You were about to move away until Jester held your hand to her cheek. It was at this point that the state of the situation dawned on you. There’s a panic that comes up, words get stuck in your throat, and you—
Jester giggled.
“You’re making it glow,” she noted.
You took a double take to realize that, yes—her face was glowing.
A few spots of on her face were glowing from streaks of paint that had come from your paint. Spots of paint went over her freckles, other smaller lines went across her cheek and forehead, and the smudge on the side of her lip was faint but still glowing. It’s messy, but with a charm that matched her playful nature. You didn’t think it would be possible for Jester to glow more than she did, but there she was.
You pulled away immediately.
“Your magic affects your paint?” Jester asked.
You rubbed your arm nervously, “Yeah, it does.”
“Why do you hide it? I think it really adds a level of ‘you’ into it.”
You chewed your lip.
“It’s not really something I’m not sure if people will appreciate,” you answered.
“I know bards use their magic for their music, and others use their magic in writing, but art with magic? Haven’t really heard anything good about it, no one really talks about it.”
“But I haven’t heard anything bad about it either,” Jester answered back.
She had a point.
“It’s okay to be worried, scared, or anything in between! I can tell art is really important to you, and art is important to a lot of people—like me!”
Jester took your hands in hers, and the emotions within you subconsciously trigger your magic, as seen when the paint in both your hands glow faintly. The both of you ignored this as the moment was more intimate than anything happening around you.
“What makes you worried about it, (Y/N)?”
“I’m… more worried than scared about people pushing this away,” you answered, eyes darting around everywhere except for her.
“People like who?”
“People who don’t think art is as important as other lines as work. I’ve been told... a lot that this path won’t work out.”
Jester frowned not towards you, but at the thought that you had been told off from your passion. Your expression said it all; you loved to paint, you took pride in your work, and you were using this mural to get yourself out there, but fear kept it at bay.
“Let’s make a promise,” Jester offered.
You nodded.
“If you promise me that you will show your work for the contest, I’ll find other people who are just like you—people who use art as their magic.”
“Why do you want to do this for me?” you asked. This time, Jester placed her hand on your cheek.
“You’re lonely,” she said.
“And I don’t want that for you. I’ll show you that so many others are just like you! I know people who love what they do but are afraid to show it because of things like fear. I… was like that before, in a way?”
“I used to stay with my mama at the chateau, but I knew so much as out there. So, once I got older, I went off on my own and found people the people who I’m with now! I’ve grown to figure out things for myself, my past, and for my future. It takes more than just yourself, y’know?”
“It takes more than just yourself,” you repeated as a mantra. Jester’s smile widened at your repetition of it.
“Yeah! I want you to keep that in mind,” she affirmed, squeezing your hands.
“I know you’ll win the mural, not just because it’s beautiful and magical, but because it has this.”
Jester pressed her hand on your chest.
“It has love, and if something’s got me through a really bad situation, it’s by listening to my heart.”
There’s a moment of silence between the both of you, and Jester worries for a second that she’s crossed a line—the both of you just met now, and she might’ve read way too much into the situation. However, just as she was about to speak, you brought her into a hug. It took a moment to register, but with a happy sigh she returned the gesture.
“Thank you, Jester,” you murmured.
“You’re welcome, (Y/N),” she said, patting your back.
When the both of you pull away, there’s an exchange of wordless smiles.
“I’ll really go now,” you said, picking up your paints and brushes once more. At that moment, a yawn overcame you.
“Merwin’s going to wonder why I haven’t passed out in my room by now.”
“Go get some rest, sleepyhead,” Jester teased, gently pushing your shoulder off.
“An artist can’t finish their work without some good rest.”
You waved her off playfully, patting her shoulder on the way out.
“I’ll see you later?”
“Of course!”
The orange light of the sunrise was now blue as more city folk made their way to and fro for morning errands. A few caught you walking out of the alley, piquing their interest to what lies within. Instead of running or hiding just as you usually do, Jester’s promise rang through your head as you invited them by gesturing your paintbrush towards the alley.
>>>
“Hey, (Y/N).”
You turned to the side to see Merwin with a lantern in one hand. He attempted to touch the wall, but you smacked his hand with your paintbrush. With a whine, he shined the light over an area and whistled, nodding approvingly at your work.
“The mural’s almost done,” you said, going over the final touches of the docks.
“Jester was right when she said it looked awesome,” he said with a smile. At the mention of Jester, you turned to Merwin with an eyebrow raised as if to ask—
“Before you ask, yes I asked her if she talked to you… and yes I wanted to know everything about it.”
“I can’t trust the both of you,” you whined. He laughed.
Silence passed as you continued working. Merwin simply stood beside you, handing you some brushes and materials when you asked for them. He’s only been at your mural on the day you started it, and tonight is the day that it would be finished.
“Jester isn’t visiting you?” he asked, handing you a brush.
“We met up right before I started, but she and her group needed to do something tonight,” you said.
“Something about a ‘happy fun ball? Whatever that is. I met with her friends too.”
“Odd bunch, aren’t they?” Merwin asked.
“They’re fun to talk to,” you chuckled, finishing the last stroke.
“They were here to see my mural before they left, and they really liked it.”
“That’s good to hear.”
You took a few steps back to take in the scale of the mural. The stained glass look was in full swing, with every part of the mural outlined, painted, and rendered. A sigh came out of you, but not in exasperation but in content. Merwin looked over at you with a smile, watching as you held your hand out with a faint arcane energy.
A small ball of golden light was shot towards the mural, and the magic is absorbed into the wall. A moment passed before the mural began to glow from the bottom to the top. In the dead of the night, the light coming off the mural illuminated the alley, with bits of glitter floating around. It was finished, and with your magic the mural would glow every night and recharge in the morning.
“I wish Jester could see this,” your murmured.
“She’s leaving in the morning, and I have an errand to run for the contest.”
“Are you going to exchange letters or something?” Merwin asked.
“I suggested that actually, but she said that wouldn’t work with how much they travel.”
“So?”
“Sending.”
Merwin nodded, mainly to himself, “Let me know how that turns out.”
Your fingertips glowed with a blue light before you placed it by the side of your ear.
“Hey Jester, I just finished the mural. Stay safe on your mission, tell the others I said hi! Don’t reply, save your spells for later.”
A moment passed, and right as you assumed she wasn’t going to reply, a voice rang in your ears.
“Nah, I’m gonna reply. We’re halfway through the mission! Make sure to keep your promise, (Y/N). Love you!”
The light from your fingers faded, and you’re met with a cheeky smile from Merwin. You clicked your tongue at the elf, pushing past him while hiding a smile. The elf is quick to catch up with you, brushing your arm playfully to get a reaction out of you.
“Save your spells for later,” Merwin mimicked, to which you shove his shoulder off and walk away after.
“Just shut up,” you mumbled, turning the corner as his laughter filled the night.
•••
“You told Merwin that we’re gonna pass by, right?”
“Oh… I’ll send him a message now!”
The Mighty Nein were passing through Nicodranas to get to Port Damali as Beau had something to attend to at the Cobalt Library. Within their time in Nicodranas, the group decided to split up to work on separate things while they were there. It had been a few months since the last time they visited, and within that time Jester had been in communication with you. The both of you got closer, with Jester sharing more stories of the Mighty Nein’s adventures and you sharing your shenanigans with Merwin.
Jester kept her promise in finding people who used visual arts as a medium of magic, and today was the day she was going to tell you all about it. Whenever you asked about it, Jester only gave you hints about the people she’s met, and even with the occasional slip up of a name or two, you gave in to Jester telling you all about it once she came to visit once more.
On the other side of this was your part of the promise. You told Jester that you presented your mural for the festival’s contest, but nothing was said about the results. When Jester asked you about, you always managed to dodge the question; the conversation would move towards what the prizes were, the criteria in grading the murals, the number of people that had joined, but never about the winners themselves. Just like you, Jester gave in to finding out once she was back in Nicodranas.
“Looks like they renovated the place,” Beau noted, gesturing to the buildings as they walked through the streets.
The windows of the higher class buildings seemed to have changed, with the windows styled as stained glass. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to catch a passerby’s attention or to insinuate the richness of the establishment. Upon seeing this, pride swelled in Jester’s chest as she and Beau spot more and more windows that have been decorated this way.
“Didn’t think stained glass would be popular again, but your friend seemed to make it a thing,” Beau said, knowing very well that you had done your mural in this style. She’s only heard about you from Jester’s Sendings, but it was enough to know that you meant a lot to the tiefling.
The both of them round a corner, and by this time the sun was beginning to set across the sea’s horizon, bathing the city in its warm glow. From a distance, the inn was already in sight, but instead of the murals done by different artists as seen on their last visit to Nicodranas, the brick walls that opened to the port were now painted over with the same style that was clearly special to a certain artist.
“Jester! Beau!”
Their attention was drawn to the one individual by the wall. Dressed in a black apron with splattered paint with a brush in hand and smile on their face. Immediately, Jester ran over to you with a tackle, hoisting you up and giggling as you playfully threaten her to put you down.
“Why didn’t you tell me you won?” Jester beamed, putting you back down as you smiled at her.
“I wanted you to see it for yourself,” you said, gesturing to your current work.
It was halfway done, around the same work state when Jester had first met you when working on your mural but clearly for something grander. You were just about to start a new section of the mural and now that you mentioned it, the current situation seemed like a parallel to when you finished the contest mural. Instead of a sunrise it was sunset, and instead of finishing you were starting. Both circumstances in the light of the day, with someone who was just as bright as it was.
“I knew you’d win,” Jester said.
“It definitely took more than just myself to win,” you added, glancing at the mural before going back to Jester.
“Our talk… really helped me break out of just keeping myself in. I don’t think I properly thanked you for that.”
Jester clasped her arms together happily, “You don’t have to thank me! It already makes really happy that you managed to do this for yourself.”
You simply nod, words not enough to really thank Jester for her impact on you.
“Now that the secret’s out, mind telling me about all the people you’ve met?” you asked.
You were about to call out to Beau to say hi, but she simply gave you a thumbs up and a knowing smile, before going into the inn. You figured they had contacted Merwin earlier, but the smile had something up—
“Of course I will!” Jester cut your thoughts off, and when you turned to her, the smile that had captivated you when you first met was right at you. Just like last time, you couldn’t help but reciprocate.
“We have so much to catch up on! We have a whole night to talk, so maybe you can meet my mom the next day—oh! And Beau and I are planning to work out tomorrow morning so you can come with, then maybe…”
Jester’s words faded away. As the two of you made your way back to the inn, Jester‘s hand brushed against yours. Subconsciously, your hand glowed faintly, and the mural behind you followed along with your magic, leaving the road in a shimmering glow. Both of your smiles widen at the simple touch, knowing that there was so much to be shared between a lot of things that had been missed. Jester took your hand to pull your along and turned back to smile at you.
Naturally, as you enter the inn together, you took her hand in yours too.