feat: drafted three

chapters/chapter-02.md

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-title: Feeling Better
+title: Deceptions
 ---
 
 The good mood only lasted a few blocks. By then, she was out in the sun with the warmth sinking into her skin and fresh air blowing against her. It wasn't so bad.
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Mudd stopped at a small outdoor cafe off of a minor street. He pushed open the c
 
 "Lunch."
 
-"I'm not---" Her stomach gurglged. She tightened her jaw. "I'm not hungry."
+"I'm not---" Her stomach gurgled. She tightened her jaw. "I'm not hungry."
 
 "I know, but at least a coffee. Then we can address my request."
 
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ Mudd carefully pushed the stack of menus away from the waiter and himself before
 
 "And you, Sir?"
 
-"An omlet, pork and greens and onions. And then an order of steak and pancakes, extra butter with a side of strawberry preserves."
+"An omelet, belly pork and greens and onions. And then an order of steak and pancakes, extra butter with a side of strawberry preserves."
 
 Viola's stomach rumbled. She love steak and strawberries.
 
-The waiter wrote down the order and then hled out his hand for the menus.
+The waiter wrote down the order and then held out his hand for the menus.
 
 Mudd pushed them further away.
 
@@ -64,19 +64,19 @@ She knew he ordered for her, but she wasn't going to give him the comfort of kno
 
 "No," Viola pointed at him sharply. "Stop stalling, what? Why?"
 
-Mudd suddendly smiled. "Because you are my partner."
+Mudd suddenly smiled. "Because you are my partner."
 
 "And...?"
 
 "You need a break."
 
-"I was on vacation."
+She started to speak but he silenced her by holding up a finger.
 
-"No, you need a break from yourself. I suspect I know what happened and I was concerned for you."
+"No, you need a break from yourself. The observations I made worried me and I was concerned for you."
 
-"Just because I was sick for a week."
+"Just because I was sick for a week?"
 
-His eyes hardened. "You called in sick but you were not sick. Judging from the events you had planned that night, I'm guessing things went poorly."
+His eyes hardened. "You called in sick but you were not sick. Judging from the events you had planned that night, your lack of response, the way you had failed to hang up your dress, and other physical evidence, I'm guessing things went poorly."
 
 A memory rose up, one of Ravin calling her a "overly controlling queen" before storming out of the play. The actors had to stop due to the disruption and she could still remember the feeling of the entire audience staring at her. She felt sick for a moment and she shook her head to clear it.
 
@@ -94,6 +94,6 @@ Viola frowned for a moment and then sighed. "When?"
 
 "And you've vetted them to work around mages?"
 
-"They are bonded and investigated and clean my own house when I'm working."
+"They are bonded. They also clean my house during working hours. They understand a mage's need for order."
 
 She wasn't sure if she should be upset or not. The idea of having clean sheets or at least less rotting food was appealing. "Thank you. I would like that."

chapters/chapter-03.md

@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+---
+title: The Gathering
+---
+
+Viola glanced at the steaming plate next to her. The smells of roasted meat caused her stomach to rumble and her mouth to water. She knew that Mudd had ordered it for her but a stubborn part of her didn't want to give him the satisfaction of eating it.
+
+"... thought I'm not sure about the claims that using a layering method for creating the spell would be any different than the normal matrix. Energy leaks out of the frame no matter how you put it in there, the very fact the stasis spell is arresting decay means it has to leak."
+
+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."
+
+"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."
+
+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.
+
+Someone walked behind her and the itching grew more intense.
+
+Viola didn't have to look up. "Good afternoon, Able."
+
+Able sat down heavily in the chair next to her. His tall, lanky body seemed to slither underneath the table until his shoulders rested on the top of the chair. "How are you doing, Viola?"
+
+"Mudd dragged me out of the house."
+
+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?"
+
+Then it registered. Viola turned to Mudd who looked at her impassively. "Is that your game? Peer pressure to eat?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"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."
+
+"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.
+
+"True," said Mudd. "However, despite city guards being the sixth most dangerous job in this city, we have pretty good chance of surviving."
+
+Able sighed. "It just take one."
+
+All three of them bowed their heads in silence. He was right. None of them knew when they were going to die. As city guards, there was always a chance that someone had a personal grudge, or a trap spell was missed, or even just a prisoner escape.
+
+Viola's scalp began to crawl. Next to her, Able groaned and twisted in his chair. On the other side, Mudd tensed and closed his eyes. Another mage was approaching, Wathin.
+
+Neither Mudd or Able looked up. "Afternoon, Wathin."
+
+Wathin planted his weapon, a spear crackling with spells, against the fence and used it to step over the sharp points. On the other side, he sank neatly into a chair while flipping his spear around to nestle it against his shoulder. It was a flashy maneuver that brought the bitter taste of his magic rolling over all three of the mages.
+
+The newcomer wore his heavy red cloak and bracelet that identified him as a Mage-Captain of the city guard. Of course, the other three mages had the same rank.
+
+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.
+
+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 armed mage winked with a smile.
+
+"I'd like one half piece of every pie you have on the menu," Able added.
+
+The waiter looked confused. Slowly, he turned around and headed back to the kitchen.
+
+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."
+
+"You didn't have to."
+
+"Yes, I did. I don't have many associations in my life and the ones I do are precious to me. I'm concerned with your well-being but I'm afraid I'm poorly equipped to handle in a more effective methods."
+
+The waiter came back with a platter. He handed a large plate with seven pieces of pie in front of Able. When he sat down the food in front of Wathin, he lingered for a moment.
+
+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?"
+
+An older woman came up and held out her hand.
+
+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."
+
+Wathin shrugged. "Who says I'm teasing? I'm planning on heading right in there as soon as I'm done eating."
+
+"Hello, Eulen," said Mudd.
+
+Eulen favored him with a beaming smile. She was about his age, late forties or early fifties. She had blonde hair with white-tips, an easy smile, and eyes that looked like crystals. When she turned to Viola, her gaze seemed to pierce her. "How are you doing, Love?"
+
+Viola was speaking before she realized it. "We had a fight and he tossed me."
+
+Able and Wathin froze mid-bite.
+
+Mudd cleared his throat in a warning.
+
+Eulen looked apologetic. "I didn't mean to push. You don't have to answer, you know that."
+
+Viola nodded. "Just... just not right now."
+
+Mudd cleared his throat again. "What did you think about this month's *Emerging*?"

language.json

@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 {
 	"knownWords": [
+		"Able's",
+		"Eulen",
 		"Mudd",
 		"Mudd's",
 		"Ravin",
-		"Rougan"
+		"Rougan",
+		"Wathin",
+		"grifters"
 	]
 }