feat: drafted four and five

chapters/chapter-03.md

@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ Viola glanced at the steaming plate next to her. The smells of roasted meat caus
 
 Mudd sighed and tapped on the table twice. "Naturally, we're going to see grifters going around the victim's families saying their way will keep the evince clean as long as they hand over a few thousand marks."
 
-She let herself be pulled into the conversation. "Don't you love *Emerging Wizardry*? A new crisis every few month."
+She let herself be pulled into the conversation. "Don't you love *Emerging Wizardry*? A new crisis every other month. Unfounded theories in the issues."
 
 "I almost wish they would back to their monthly drooling over those damnable steam engines."
 
 Viola smiled. "You hate those things."
 
-"I hate that everyone seems to think wrapping a rune in a ton of metal is going to prevent feedback."
+"I hate that everyone seems to think wrapping a rune in a ton of metal is going to prevent feedback. We have Felony Feedback laws for a reason."
 
 An itch crawled down Viola's left arm. She scratched it but it burrowed deeper into her bones. With a squirm, she twisted her hand a little to ease the discomfort.
 
@@ -30,17 +30,17 @@ Able chuckled. "I heard."
 
 "How?"
 
-He looked at her but didn't answer her question. His large eyes rotated down. "Are you going to eat that?"
+He shrugged but didn't answer her question. His large eyes rotated down. "Are you going to eat that? You should."
 
 Then it registered. Viola turned to Mudd who looked at her impassively. "Is that your game? Peer pressure to eat?"
 
-"Yes."
+"Yes." Mudd didn't even smile.
 
 "Fine," she muttered as she rolled her eyes. Making a big deal of dragging the plate over, she finally allowed herself to eat the first hot food in days, at least the first that didn't come delivered in a box.
 
 Able pulled out his pocket watch and a small notebook. Popping the front, he peered at the time and then noted something in the book.
 
-Viola leaned over to butt him with her shoulder. "You still don't have to write down everything we eat."
+Viola leaned over to butt him with her shoulder. "You still don't have to write down everything we eat. None of us are working today."
 
 "My coworkers are the best control group I have access to. You have to eat, you are willing to do so in my presence, and you understand why I record it." It was a long argument between them, which also made it comforting to bring it up.
 
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ The newcomer wore his heavy red cloak and bracelet that identified him as a Mage
 
 The waiter came back, jumping with surprise at the new people at the table. "May I take your order?"
 
-Wathin straightened his back. "Yeah, Honey, why don't you throw some big hunk of dripping meat on a plate, add some big thick potatoes, and a bit of cream sauce and feed it to me?" He had a southern accent from his parents, it was just a hint of sounding exotic despite being born and raised in the city.
+Wathin straightened his back. "Yeah, Honey, why don't you throw some big hunk of dripping meat on a plate, add some thick potatoes next to it, drizzle the whole thing in cream, and then feed it to me? I like it rare." He had a southern accent from his parents, it was just a hint of sounding exotic despite being born and raised in the city.
 
-The waiter's mouth opened in surprise and probably an unexpected interest. It also meant that Wathin picked up on at least a curious interest in other men.
+The waiter's mouth opened in surprise and probably an unexpected interest. It also meant that Wathin picked up on at least a curious interest in other man.
 
 The armed mage winked with a smile.
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ The waiter looked confused. Slowly, he turned around and headed back to the kitc
 
 Viola leaned closer to Mudd. "Intervention?"
 
-"No, just some friends," he said with a smile. "Though if you resisted me much longer, I had contingency plans that would have been more drastic."
+"No, just some friends," he said with a smile. "Though if you resisted me much longer, they were related to a contingency plan I had in mind."
 
 "You didn't have to."
 
@@ -84,11 +84,11 @@ Wathin smiled but said nothing.
 
 Viola watched with amusement. Wathin was somewhat of a slut when it came to erotic partners. She wondered how long would it be until one of them was on their knees in the back room.
 
-When the waiter pulled himself away, he stared at a cup of coffee on his platter. He picked it up and held it out. "Did one of you order this?"
+When the waiter pulled himself away, he stared at a cup of coffee still on his platter. He picked it up and held it out. "Did one of you order this?"
 
 An older woman came up and held out her hand.
 
-The waiter handed it gently to her and then left without a word.
+Without looking, the waiter handed it gently to her and then left without a word.
 
 The woman sat down next to Wathin. "You shouldn't tease that poor boy."
 

chapters/chapter-04.md

@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+---
+title: Options
+---
+
+Viola used the last of her bread to sop up the meat around her plate. The stake was cooked almost perfectly, with the smokey taste of wood and charcoal instead of the bitter taste of magic. She wadded up the bread and popped it into her mouth.
+
+Knowing the other mages wouldn't ask about her situation was nice, almost calming. She could relax without worrying about the constant questions about the date or her now ex-fiance.
+
+Sitting at the table, however, made her feel like she was sitting in isolation. Her thoughts still brought up Ravin's face when he stormed away, or the next morning when he came to gather his supplies without a word. She sniffed as the emotions rose up.
+
+"Where is Wathin?" Eulen interrupted a debate on magic techniques between Able and Mudd.
+
+Able shrugged.
+
+Viola knew the answer, it was strange that Eulen was asking though. It was her job to track every mage and guard across the city.
+
+Mudd looked around with a frown on his face. He sat back. "Probably having sex in the alley behind the restaurant, why? He should be back in three minutes."
+
+"Just curious," said the older woman.
+
+Viola inhaled.
+
+Eulen's eyes flickered toward her.
+
+There was a tension, a moment where the question teetered between spilling out of Viola's lips or sinking back into the darkness. She thought about the days of crawling underneath blankets and the growing joy of just being outside. The question came out. "How does he do that?"
+
+Eulen smiled. "Do what?"
+
+"Have so many relationships? I never hear of him getting dumped out the window. There is always some beautiful guy or girl on his arm when he's off duty."
+
+Mudd picked up his fork. "They don't last long. Wathin doesn't let anyone in his life beyond a few months at most."
+
+There was a sudden tightness in his face and hand but then he relaxed. Viola noticed but decided to pay attention later, it was rare when Mudd lied.
+
+She felt tears rising. "How does he avoid getting dumped?" she asked in a quieter voice.
+
+"He's an asshole." Eulen shook her head before sitting forward. "He is also good about being up front with his nature. His lovers know that he's going to dump them before they take off their clothes. It isn't personal, it's just games."
+
+"Six days, three hours average," Mudd said impassively. "I think the longest he's gone is three months."
+
+Viola thought about the other mages. She knew that Mudd and Able didn't have lovers, none of them had ever talked about family or friends. They didn't wear marriage rings or torcs.
+
+With a sigh, she leaned against the table. "Is that how it ends? Being lonely?"
+
+"No," said Eulen and Mudd at the same time.
+
+Wiping her face, she turned to her partner. "How can you say that? You are the pickiest man I know. What Ravin hated, that's you too."
+
+The wrinkles on Mudd's face deepened. "He tried to organize?"
+
+She sighed and slumped back. "My books on the shelves."
+
+The other three mages groaned.
+
+"Always the books," Eulen. "Or covering sigil, losing time keepers, or moving artifacts from one side of the house to the answer. My husband is always putting my guard cloak in the hall closet instead of the bedroom where I need it."
+
+Viola shook her head. It was frustrating. How could she have lost Ravin because she needed books in a certain order. "Is it bad? I have them that way for a reason. Why couldn't he just respect---?"
+
+Then Eulen's words registered. "You're married?"
+
+The other woman nodded. "Forty-three years now. We got married when I was twenty-two." That made her sixty-five, older than Viola guessed.
+
+"How did it work?"
+
+Eulen held up her hands. "He's a farmer out of Klosten-Meyers. Most of the year we live separate. In winter, he comes into town for the snow. In summer, I visit for a few weeks."
+
+That sounded painful. "How... how can you be apart that long? Don't you get..." She held out her hand before she finished, "... lonely?"
+
+Eulen chuckled. "The books. Like you, I'm an ordered mage. I plan my magic, I use rituals and guides. My house is arranged exactly the way I want it. But, when he visits, I adapt. Move things when they are out of place, try not to get upset when he doesn't understand why the blue glasses have to be on top or why I don't like him touching my small clothes."
+
+"It sounds exhausting."
+
+"It is, but I'm willing to make it work. It doesn't always, I have divorced him three times now." Her smile softened. "But he stole my heart... but only literally once."
+
+Mudd leaned over. "He's also a licensed mortician and a former guard. He was Able's old mentor."
+
+Able nodded and returned to writing notes.
+
+"There is a reason we tell you to never get involved with guards," Eulen said. "I made that mistake twice."
+
+"So all it takes is just more work?"
+
+Eulen held up one hand. "Finding a mate is exhausting. You have to change your thoughts and beliefs to mesh with theirs. They have to grow into you at the same time. It takes time and hurts."
+
+She held up her other hand. "Being a mage requires growing away from humanity and embracing the arcane. You have to change, alter, and adapt to rules that humans don't follow. It also hurts."
+
+Viola knew the pain of learning new magic too well. When she learned how to mesh with the telepathy network that Eulen helped maintain gave her a headache for a month.
+
+Her hands came together. "To do both? Extra hard. I have to schedule time for my husband. I force myself to pull away from magic to spend time with them just as I find myself giving up spells  when I'm with him. So, I had to create rules for myself. I had to work it out with him."
+
+Viola frowned. She never thought about being explicit about rules. Maybe that is what went wrong with Ravin? She glanced at Mudd. "Is that why you don't go out?"
+
+His eyes crinkled for a moment. "I have never been able to relax enough to allow someone into my life. I'm too limited by magic to allow another."
+
+"Me either," Able said from his plate. "Never had sex, never going to."
+
+Viola frowned. She didn't like that idea. As much as her struggle with Ravin, he was an excellent lover.
+
+Mudd held up his finger. "I don't have a wife but I do enjoy the company of women. I just happen to pay for it on the rare occasions I'm looking for human comfort. Just bringing it up as an option."
+
+"Isn't prostitution illegal for city guards?"
+
+His eyes narrowed. "Discouraged, not illegal."
+
+"I never realized that."
+
+"Well, it's kind of rude running around telling people who you have sex with." Mudd gestured toward the restaurant. "Ignoring Wathin's lack of manners."
+
+The armed mage came strolling out of the restaurant with a smile and rubbing his hands. "Wathin did who else?"
+
+Eulen said, "Fucking random waiters for a good time."
+
+Wathin grinned. "He didn't mind."
+
+He brought his spear up to his shoulder. He waved. "I have to run, there was a robbery on Oats and Agate. A pawn shop, at least two dead."
+
+Able stood up. "I'll go with you, that's closer to my place."
+
+Wathin gave the medical examiner a hard look. "You live in the fucking sewer."
+
+"Well, I live near that sewer."
+
+Together, they hurried off.
+
+Viola sighed.
+
+The three mages said nothing for a long moment.
+
+Mudd broke the silence. "Your apartment should be cleaned by now. I have already paid them, so don't unless you feel like giving them a tip. Average is twenty-two marks for a good job."
+
+"You need to go?"
+
+He favored her with a short smile. "I feel... you are..." He sighed.
+
+Eulen interrupted. "The goals he had in mind to help you out of your depression appear to have worked and he is now withdrawing because he feels uncomfortable getting too close to anyone."
+
+Mudd glared at her.
+
+"Oh, and the telepath shouldn't speak for him." She winked at him.
+
+"Yes," he finally said. He pulled out a wad of bills and set them carefully down on the table. "Are you okay, Viola?"
+
+After thinking a moment, she nodded. "I think so."
+
+"Good. If you call in sick for three more days, I'll probably be back."
+
+"I won't. I'll be in work tomorrow."
+
+He rested his hand on the table next to her for a moment before withdrawing.

chapters/chapter-05.md

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+---
+title: Home
+---
+
+Viola and Eulen walked home quietly. It was peaceful and relaxing. Mudd's suggestion had helped but she knew it wasn't only him. It was hearing others struggling with similar problems. That gave her hope there would be someone else after Ravin.
+
+She smiled to herself.
+
+"You are in better spirits."
+
+"Thank you."
+
+Eulen stopped in front of Viola's apartment. She held out her hands. When Viola rested her palms in them, the older woman gave a quiet squeeze. "Ask for help when you need it. You have good friends who won't judge you, we are all different in our own ways."
+
+"Y-Yeah," Viola said with a smile of her own.
+
+"Any time. Just yell, or project, you know it works. Either my sister or I are always on duty. One of us will hear it."
+
+"I just have to work at it?"
+
+Eulen shrugged. "If that is what you want, you need to make it a conscious choice, like casting a spell. Man, woman, animated statue, everything requires effort. If that makes you happy, then make that effort. If you want to give up on romance, then just make that a choice also."
+
+She gave Viola a kiss on the cheek before slipping away.
+
+Viola watched her go down the street.
+
+Eulen stopped half a block away and turned around. "And if he won't honor those damn books, dump him!"
+
+Viola laughed. "I will!"
+
+Make romance part of her life instead of stumbling through it? Viola could do that, she wasn't willing to turn her back on love quite yet.

language.json

@@ -2,11 +2,18 @@
 	"knownWords": [
 		"Able's",
 		"Eulen",
+		"Eulen's",
+		"Klosten",
 		"Mudd",
 		"Mudd's",
 		"Ravin",
+		"Ravin's",
 		"Rougan",
 		"Wathin",
-		"grifters"
+		"Wathin's",
+		"grifters",
+		"sigil",
+		"telepath",
+		"torcs"
 	]
 }