The Blood Market Chapter 11

I stumbled into Britell's Dining House nearly twenty minutes late. I hated being late, but the practice seemed to be my calling card of late. Britell's Dining house wasn't full yet, and I spotted Victoria pretty quickly. I waved and she waved back. I walked over to the table. Victoria was a cute as I remembered from our first meeting, all frills and pastels and lace, at once innocent and mischevious.

"I'm sorry about the delay." I said as I sat down, "You look amazing by the way.  There were some people who disagreed with the idea of us continuing our investigation."

"That's all right, you're here and only twenty minutes late. It really isn't proper to get upset until you've been stood up a full half hour. But after that, oh my. Then I would have been legally obligated to let you have it. Throw my hand bag, make a scene and everything." She said, winking at me.

I tried to guage how much of what she was saying was real and how much was teasing and decided to assume it was mostly meant as gentle teasing.

"Thank you for not throwing your hand bag," I said.

A waiter arrived and took our orders. I tried to guess whether I was supposed to pay or her, or if we would split it. Victoria has asked me out. And convention meant that she should pay. But I was used to pretty little girls assuming that I had to pay, as though a taller woman automatically plays the 'man' in the role. I couldn't tell with Victoria, and so I assumed that I would be paying, and ordered lightly in case she had expensive tastes.

"You are so adorable. I'm going to teach you all about makeup. We'll get you out of that old navy uniform. You'll look amazing."

"The uniform is an army dragoon officer's dress uniform. It's one of two sets clothes that I own. And what's what's wrong with my make up?"

"Oh dear. I hope I didn't upset you. I was just so excited. Do you really not own any other clothes? That's a tragedy. That really is. Why did you not buy other clothes."

"Some soldiers definitely do. I never saw the point. The army provided my clothes. I've been saving up for a Hallstat sabre."

"I thought you had a sword already. Why would you need another?"

"Hallstat makes the best blades in Olam. This sabre is  an Eccleston. Eccleston makes fine blades. But Hallstat blades are nearly perfect."

"But you aren't in the military anymore. Why would you need to carry such a mean thing? Jesus said to love your neighbor and turn the other cheek to your enemy."

"And the koans say that if you meet the Buddha on the road, you should kill him."

"Oh you're a Buddhist. Well that's okay too. But even Buddhists believe in avoiding violence. So why don't you leave the sword behind? Look a little less warrior and a little more diplomat."

"I'm a warrior." I said, shifting my body in the seat.

"Buddha was a peaceful warrior wasn't he? You could be a pacifist warrior."

I could hear a voice in my head telling me that the only reason pretty little rich girls are afforded the luxury of being pacifists is because large men with guns pacify threats for them, but I could see that this was going nowhere fast. I had my concealed pistol and boot knife, and she hadn't mentioned my Ehrenfeld pistol. Maybe the leather flap over the holster was unfamiliar to her and she hadn't realized I was carrying a gun. Or perhaps she was unsettled by the sword because she had actually seen me use it as a reflex action.

Either way, I wouldn't be unarmed, just less visibly armed, which might not be bad as a civilian. But I've learned my lesson from Violetta, don't push your girlfriends to hard. And at least Victoria isn't a thug.

"Alright, I'll leave the sword at the office."

She clapped her hands in delight, "For that you get a goodnight kiss!" She said and leaned over to give my a quick rose scented peck on the lips. I could feel myself blushing.

And when the bill came she snatched it up without hesitation. "I asked you out. I know the protocol." She said with a wink.