In the Tavern called "The Silver Tankard" crowds of mercenaries and other adventurers have begun to enter. The busy night has made more than one desire food and drink. Some mercenaries were even simply drinking outside in the rain, the tavern far more crowded than usual.
At one of the tables in the corner next to the recently changed lanterns sits the party called "Mercy's Blessing" with their acquaintance Lhedo. What was supposed to be a city to just resupply had become a graveyard for one of their own.
"Do you remember that time Gunnir? When we first received a pouch full of gold. Haha, our faces!" Lhedo reminisces about Gunnir and his time in another mercenary company.
"Yeah."
"We spend it all and swore to make so much money the world would envy us." Lhedo beckons around him letting the party take in the surrounding. "And here I am! In the city of Enver, the city of envy!"
"Yeah... Great."
The uncooperative party is mainly focused on its own coping mechanism. Cristal sits with her arms crossed, sending a glare toward Lhedo. Whilst Gunnir just stares into his cup, not even having taken a gulp yet. Lhedo continues to drink, the alcohol his only companion this night. A few hours pass by the early dawn continuing with the downpour of rain and clouded sky.
"Do you rr…remm…remember that time." Lhedo starts another tale, ordering another drink whilst explaining. Cristal leans forward her mouth opens until Gunnir's arm appears in front of her face. He shakes his head which makes Cristal lean back again.
"Lhedo, we're friends, aren't we?" Gunnir asks as he still looks down at his cup, his voice as tragic as the fate of an untouched cup in a bar filled with mercenaries.
"Y… Ye… Yeah, Of-Of Course! You're my fucking big man!" Lhedo repeatedly hits his cup on the table, alcohol spilling out with every hit.
"What did they call us again?"
"The unbreakable mountain and the Eagle born. Quite corny, I must say."
"The Eagle Born… A name given by Kaiay after we successfully completed the mission near Balcestab. Do you remember that mission?"
"Of course I do. Hiccup, it's the one with the bandits acting like they were hiccup villagers the entire time." Lhedo sloppily tries to pour himself another drink, spilling more on the table than in the cup. Luckily for him, the ebony-skinned wizard uses her magic to help him out. A sloppy happy smile is even more visible on his face now. He winks back to Tika, keeping his one eye closed for an uncomfortable long time.
"Then tell me something… Friend. Why didn't you notice the difference between a mercenary and a deserter?" Gunnir leans closer, his hands and face in the proximity of his friend. Gunnir's not the only one as the others also either move closer or put their hand on their weapon.
Lhedo's head sways for a little while. Pulling all kinds of faces as he tries to think of an answer. "Big… Man, what did I say to you before?" Lhedo continues to drink from his cup seemingly adamant to forget everything of this early dawn.
"That the rebellion is behind it?"
"No, before."
"That things have changed?"
"Yeeeaaaah! I knew you had something in that thick skull."
"Tell me. What changed? So much so that you would purposefully kill someone?" The ginger beard of Gunnir nearly dips itself in Lhedo's cup. Who pulls it back quite forcefully and then blows on it.
"The most important thing off all chan... Changed." Lhedo's head bobs up and down, his eyes easily closing but reopening quite the challenge.
"I'm tired of this Lhedo! Tell me! So that I know if I can trust you or not!" Gunnir hits the table with all of his force, creating a massive dent in the wooden table. All the attention of the tavern goes to the tavern corner. Including the tavern keeper who nearly faints as he looks over to his table.
"Me… Me… You're one to fucking talk." Lhedo puts down the cup he was drinking from and slowly stands up. "You left! You left us! To follow some red-haired bitch!" Spit dribbles out of Lhedo's mouth, his two hands forming fists. Hellas tries to walk over to Lhedo until Tika moves in between blocking Hellas's way. "Wait.. Not yet!" She yells whilst physically trying to stop Hellas. A valiant effort of the wizard, but ultimately hopeless against the trained ranger. Hellas however does not shake off Tika's hands, rather he grabs Tika by her shoulders. "I'll kill him. So stop me because I'll kill him." The pink-haired ranger leaves himself in the grip of the weaker wizard.
"I did what I thought was right! How many times didn't I tell you that I wanted to quit? You even supported me back then!" Gunnir holds Lhedo by the scruff of his neck, Lhedo's feet no longer touching the floor.
"Well, I wouldn't have if I knew the consequences!" The rowdy nature of the conversation and the attention focused on it has begun causing murmurs in the onlooking tavern crowd. Some mercenaries stand, their hands on their weapons as they move closer. Cristal goes to face them, keeping them at a distance.
The mercenaries try to move past Cristal, but she continuously blocks their path. The mercenaries draw their weapons until a voice calls out. "Let them be." Aryien says as she enters the tavern with some of "The Silver Sons". The mercenaries of "The Beggar's Coin pouch" have their swords still drawn as they look back to the conflict and then Aryien.
"Mace girl and her friends are rambunctious but have no ill intentions. I will take responsibility." Aryien says as she and her mercenaries move past "The Beggar's pouch" mercenaries and now stand between them and Cristal. The mercenaries sheath their weapons and give a nod before going to their table. "You have no ill intention right mace girl?"
"Well like the captain said. Rambunctious but no ill intent. We're flattered." A smirk evident on Cristal's face.
"It's called lying. For all I know you all might be worse than a coughing beast men."
"We'ill keep everything tidy. I promise." Cristal replies as she puts one of her hands on her hearth.
"Yeah, yeah…" Aryien does not yet walk away. Cristal unsure if there's anything else turns away back to her party.
"Good job, and I'm sorry for your loss." Aryien says to the turned around Cristal, as she immediately turns around herself. Some of the mercenaries that recognize her offer Aryien and her colleagues their seats. They accept the offer, the ugly dawn here to help them forget an even uglier night.