"How long have you known about it? Does it hurt at all?" Out of respect, Michael kept his voice low. He sat in the corner of the<em>The Stuck Pig</em>, the town's local tavern, across a table from one of the wenches, a lithe blonde woman in a tight corset that tightly hugged her figure and pushes her breasts upward. The inn and tavern was noisy occupied to the point that the noise all but completely drowned out their conversation. Across the tavern, Michael's brother Travis sat at the bar, slowly nursing his meal as he occasionally glanced over his shoulder at Michael, uncomfortable in the crowd.<br/><br/>"At least two months, it's really starting to bother me. I can barely walk without feeling like it's burning me inside." The woman replied. "the apothecary wants hundreds for a potion, and the temples just turn me away. They told me I deserved what I got..."<br/><br/>Michael shook his head, pausing to push wisps of dirty blonde hair back out of his face before continuing. "No one deserves to live with a disease..." There were times when he really wondered about the followers of deities outside of his own. "Alright, you may feel a sudden rush of cold, or a tingling feeling, that's completely normal, and it won't last long. Are you ready?"<br/><br/>The woman nodded, and Michael stood from his chair, walking around the table as he whispered to himself, hand beginning to glow with a soft light. Reaching out, he placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, who responded with a soft gasp and a slight shiver. "How do you feel?" Michael asked, pulling his hand back, looking down at her with a smile.<br/><br/>"I... I feel better...." the woman replied, running a hand down her side, pausing just before reaching her thighs. "I can't thank you enough," she began to exclaim, getting up from the table herself.<br/><br/>"It was nothing. I assure you. It's something that can be done as often as I find time to pray." Micahel explained as he lead her through the tavern. All the more reason he disapproved of so many of the temples. What they could do in minutes could change a life forever, if only they'd find the will.<br/><br/>"I... don't have much to repay you with... though... If your god doesn't forbid it, I could offer you my services..."<br/><br/>Michael shook his head before she could finish. "Not as payment. You've just been liberated, you really owe me nothing."<br/><br/>"Well, what if I wanted to thank you..."<br/><br/>"Gifts of the flesh are always welcome in Arshea's domain, but never taken, as payment, or obligation. Gratitude... can be a difficult area to discern, which is why I must refuse. You are a lovely woman, Analise, but I fear your hospitality has been taken advantage of too much before. I will not do the same." As Michael continued to talk, he approached the bar, grabbing a piece of bread off the counter next to his brother, still nursing his stew. "However, if you're simply looking, now that you're cured, my poor brother has been having a terrible dry spell lately, and could use-"<br/><br/>"Michael!" The man beside him spun about on his stool, shooting the cleric a glare.<br/><br/>Michael could barely conceal his grin. "You'll have to forgive him, he's a bit shy."<br/><br/>"He certainly doesn't look shy..." Analise replied, hungrily looking over Travis's muscular figure. It didn't take more than a glance to tell that Travis did most of the heavy lifting between the brothers, often literally, when they were out on a job or chasing a rumor.<br/><br/>"I..." Travis stumbled for words under her scrutiny, the deep red his face was turning a stark contrast to his sky blue eyes.<br/><br/>With a shake of his head, Michael laughed. "Enjoy your evening, he may come find you after he finishes his meal and finds his tongue." With a smile and a nod, she was gone, back behind the counter to help with orders.<br/><br/>"You've got to stop doing that!" Travis muttered the moment he was out of earshot, digging back into his stew.<br/><br/>"I will... once I don't have to anymore." Michael replied with a grin, dropping into his seat, back leaned against the bar as he nibbled his bread as his dark eyes scanned the room. "Not many shrines to Arshea in this town." he commented as he ate, offhandedly, watching people come and go from the tavern. In a city of it's size, the few taverns were about the height of the excitement in the evenings. "If there are any, not many people willing to talk about them. Doubt I'll find a partner for worship tonight..."<br/><br/>"You mean for sex." Travis groaned. While he was glad his brother had found his calling, and the divine powers he had been granted were more than helpful, he didn't quite fully agree with every aspect of Michael's chosen deity. Michael had become, in his mind, a bit too open sexually, especially when it concerned Travis.<br/><br/>"I'd say it was for sex if that's what it was."<br/><br/>"It often is."<br/><br/>"Exactly, I'm honest about it then as well, aren't I? Right now, I'm looking to honor Arshea, whatever I do afterwards...." he shrugged. "Well, feat not, anyway, I may be praying alone tonight."<br/><br/>"I'll wait outside this time."<br/><br/>"Oh, I'm not even noisy by myself. I-"<br/><br/>"Michael!"<br/><br/>Once again, all Michael could do was laugh. "Fine, maybe I'll skip one night. We haven't picked up a new job yet anyway, I doubt I'll need many divinations tomorrow. I wonder if this place has a spare room to rent, on that note. We need to start thinking about our lodging." While the largest in the city, the tavern was small by any real city's standard. Even if the rooms were small, it was doubtful there were more than five of them up the staircase. All in all, even the crowded bar only housed a dozen or so tables. "Let's hurry and finish up here, We'll need to be well rested if we want to move on tomorrow, I doubt we'll find too much for ourselves here."<br/><br/>If only he knew...