13th of Spring, 515 AV.
When he had first heard rumors about the Scars, he hadn't really paid much attention to them. A dozen or so bells later, Matthew had realized that there was potential for Kaie to be among them. So, if the rumors were true, there was a small chance that his former companion was actually on a boat in route to Zeltiva. He wasn't sure how much he should trust very vague rumors about a very chaotic town.
However, he was aware he had left in a hurry. He had been in such a hurry to leave that he hadn't realized the folly of leaving the Myrian female a letter that was handwritten in Common. There was no doubt that she had found someone to translate it if she wasn't able to read it, but it had still been rude on his part. From what he understand about how friendships worked, he should have been better about wishing her goodbye. Perhaps read the letter out loud to her before wishing her farewell. Then again, was a formal letter really needed if he was just going to speak it out loud? He had always been taught that formal, well-written letters were a professional courtesy that was appreciated. But professional relationships and ones between friends were very different. Even worse, his professional relationships were incredibly different from all other professions. Whatever the case, he felt it was a logical conclusion to say that he had been rude. He would have to do something to make up for that.
If he was a friend, friends were supposed to care for other friends. That made the first couple of steps fairly easy to figure out. If she was to be arriving by boat, she would soon need lodgings. The World's End Grotto would be the most obvious place. Attempting to make her arrival to the city as smooth as possible, he went ahead and made arrangements to have Serra assign Kaie to his personal room. It was small, but there were two beds, which was all that was really needed. It had been much more cramped than that in Sunberth. Moving on with his plan, Matthew found that the gift Tanroa had given him had a unique use. He was incredibly aware of time. If there were no major variables in their boat trip and he used his own trips between the two cities as a basis... If he was to take a calculated guess, he could narrow down the arrival date of the Scars to a fairly limited range. If he timed his working hours correctly, he would be able to wait in his room at the Inn and be there to greet her when she possibly arrived. Like a friend would.
The Harlot had no idea that sitting motionless in the room for hours on end waiting for someone who might possibly appear was actually more insane than anything else, especially when this was the main plan the apparently brilliant man had come up with in order to try and be a friend.
Even worse, he had one final surprise.
Every single day that he waited in the small bedroom with the two beds, nightstand, and rather tiny loveseat, Matthew spread out three items on the floor right in front of where he sat and waited. A gift given in goodwill was the final piece to completing the puzzle of being a good friend. He hadn't been exactly sure what best to purchase a Myrian, so he had figured he would give her a choice of three. As pristinely-groomed and crisply-dressed as ever, Matthew stared unblinkingly at the door with the gifts inches away.
One, a necklace, crafted from the tooth of a mighty Balicani Matthew had helped defeat many seasons ago.
Two, a leather vest, just in case she was still wearing the same old one she always was.
Three, a rather large rooster that was completely and utterly dead. Interestingly enough, it was actually somewhat fresh.
