Don't ask, don't tell

"... So wait, how am I supposed to act like a drunktard if your friend thinks I'm just some pile of sextoys in a bag ?" Yvan asked, looking puzzled. And terribly hungover.

"... you know what, nevermind", Horknath said, pinching his nose. "I will simply let you off in the next city. I'll pretend to go to the costumer and drop you somewhere", he said. "Please don't talk about sex toys. Go back in the bag", he added then, embarrassed, going out of the door and down again.

Yvan did as he was told to, seriously confused as to why sex toys ever came into the conversation!
"Can we leave, now?" Valdyr asked, rather impatient, at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, yeah, let's go", Horknath answered, picking up his own bag too. "God I really hope there isn't a corpse in here", he added, half joking. "One thing for sure, I am NOT looking inside this time."

"... And let me lose the priviledge of discovering what an antique sex toy looks like ?" Valdyr snorted. "Please, I'd love to take a quick look at it later on ~"

Horknath snorted loudly, feeling pretty anxious inside. "Let it be the latest you can. I don't want to risk any more embrarassment", he said, preceding Valdyr out of the door.

Valdyr shook his head, hiding a smile, as he quietly walked out of town with Horknath, his two bags under his arms.

Very well hidden, far away, the same elf lady they had met the night before followed them, silently. "Walk to the next city, will you. Exactly where we need you", she murmured with a smile. "We will have one more to add to our... expedition." She looked behind her, telling her companion to inform their master about that.
Horknath munched on a big loaf of bread stuffed with food. "Forests are nice to walk in", he said casually.

Valdyr grunted his approval, but stopped dead when he heard a low "myeh I s'ppose" "...Horknath. Who said that."

Horknath stopped dead in his tracks too. "... I don't know", he said in a low voice. "Where did that come from?" He looked around. When he knew perfectly well from where that voice was coming from.

Valdyr eyed Horknath, then the bag suspiciously. "Horknath. Open your bag. Now." He sure hoped he was wrong and it was filled with sex toys. Like, dead seriously hoped it.

Horknath dropped his bag, hastily opening it. Hoping to the Gods to be able to muster a surprised expression when he found Yvan inside.

Yvan smiled awkwardly. "Heeeyyy. Duuuude."
"You've got to be KIDDING ME," Valdyr bursted when he saw the magician in there. "Did you KNOW about this ?!"

Horknath opened and closed his mouth, his eyes bulging out. He looked inside the bag, trying to rustle around. "What the... what... wh... where is the... what", he blabbed. "Where the HELL is the stuff I was supposed to give to the collector? What the fuck!", he roared then. Pretty believable.

Valdyr frowned, a bit lost. "... Horknath, you told me you didn't know what the hell you were carrying. What are you looking for, exactly?"

"Well. Whatever it was, it is clearly not this guy, right? And if it is not him, there is nothing inside here, and so I want to know what the fuck", Horknath said, sounding mightly irritated.

"...Dude, listen, I can explain," Yvan said as he looked mostly at Valdyr, awkwardly.

"Horknath. This is the drunktard from yesterday evening. Where did you take that bag." Valdyr spoke slowly, insisting on every single word.

"In the room that was pointed to me", Horknath answered, matter-of-factly. As if it was totally obvious that HE had nothing to do with this.

"... I'm so done with this. Sort whatever you have to sort out with mister Flame over there, but don't you come to me ever again," Valdyr spat, as he began to walk away, quite angrily.

"...Sorry?" Yvan told Horknath with an apologetic smile.

Horknath stared blankly at Valdyr walking away. He looked at Yvan just as blankly. And let the bag fall on the ground with a growl. "This is why I don't get friends, ever. Compulsive liar, insecurity and whatever other shit my analist says", he grumbled walking away, hands in his pockets. After all, he was still on duty.

"Hey ! Wait !" Yvan yelled, as he began running after him.

Valdyr kept on cursing and cursing as he did not stop walking. Then he stopped, and softly laid down his bags. He then sat down, and held his own face between his hands. It was too much for him, he just snapped.

Horknath didn't really wait for Yvan, but he could probably reach him easily if he ran enough. He saw Valdyr a bit further on, and steeled himself. Well he owed at least a 'sorry' to the man.

Valdyr sniffled and finally raised his head. His face then grew cold when he saw both Horknath and Yvan, who was wheezing from having to run after the orc. "What, now."

Horknath's sorry died in his throat, coming out like a very, very embarrassing wheeze. He tried again, taking a deep breath. "Listen. You won't care, and you are right all around, but I really want you to know I am sorry", he mumbled, looking down at his feet. "Hate me all you want, but I'll still make sure you arrive safe at the next city. Then you won't see me again."

Valdyr stared at him for a few seconds, then sighed heavily. "If there's a story, please tell me. I already told you I need to be able to trust you."