The scorching evening sun beats down across the great lands of Tamariea. The wind blows through forest trees, which sway in the calm breeze, almost serenely among the now chirping insects. The sound of carriage wheels clattering along on a nearby dirt road breaks the silence.
A carriage flanked by a small squad of soldiers was making its way through the forest. The kingdom's crest is imbued upon its side with a powerful dragon head at its center. Inside this luxury carriage, a man and woman sat across from each other, looking up to her male counterpart. She could see boredom written across the man's face.
The woman closed her book with a sigh. "Is something amiss, Alexander?" looking at her male counterpart with the same boredom.
"Do we really need to be out in fuck all middle of nowhere?" Alexander sat, gesturing to the outside forest with his hand. "Just for some fucking alcohol brewing summon?" he angrily closed the curtain.
Rolling her eyes, she sat up straight and sighed. "We just need to take care of this problem, and you. You get to go to the front."
A loud knock on the carriage door interrupted their conversation; pushing it open, a soldier on a horse keeping pace with the carriage appeared alongside and saluted them. "We are coming up on the village Ma'am."
"Thank you, Sargent, you're dismissed." Alexander reached out and slammed the door shut as the soldier moved his arm to a salute. "We are almost done now. Calm yourself." she said as she began preparing herself to exit the carriage.
"Alright," Alexander stretched with a groan. "Well, at the very least, we can fancy ourselves a good drink. What do you think Sarah." As the carriage rolled to a stop, the both of them stood up and climbed out. She scoffed at Alexander's lack of professionalism and turned to leave.
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Inside the chief's house were two officers, sipping from some cups Mitch had previously offered them. Mitch himself sat across from them, feeling nervous and stiff in his chair, "So...." he said, gripping the chair's arm. "What does the Makaria Kingdom want with our village..?" His voice cracked slightly when he spoke.
Sarah, setting her cup down she, clasped her hands over her lap. "We are here in search of a man who should've arrived in this village around a month ago." Sarah's smile morphed into something colder, an unyielding facade that brokered no-nonsense, embodying a quiet authority that seemed to settle over the room like a veil of frost.
"Ah, well, umm.." Looking out the window through his door, he could just see the shoulders of the two soldiers guarding outside. "May I ask why you are searching for him?"
"That's not something a peasant such as yourself needs to worry about." Once again, Sarah's voice dripped with a cool poison that Mitch found uncomfortable.
"Yes, of course." Mitch attempted to whip non-existent sweat from his brow before standing up. "Well, if you'd just follow me then." Mitch squinted when he let his country accent slip, the constant formal way of speaking exhausting him.
"Now following the village chief through the settlement, the Makarian agents exhibited vastly different demeanors: Sarah's calm composure starkly contrasted with the bored, impatient man who stretched as they walked."
Eventually, they came upon the outside of the Tavern. The loud sounds of people emanating from inside. "Well since it's getting late, he should already be inside." Before Mitch could open the door, a soldier shouldered his way past him while the other held the door open for the group.
Once inside, the soldier stood guard next to the door, commanding immediate silence throughout the room as all eyes landed on the group that walked inside. The abrupt hush lingered, only to be broken by Sarah's inquiry. "So, which one is he?" Her voice cut through the silence, halting the few whispers that had dared to resume, asserting a dominance that quelled any further attempts at conversation.
Mitch nodded toward a table in the middle of the room containing three faces he knew well. The two agents didn't wait for Mitch's confirmation before walking over. The villagers, now confused, turned away from the agents, resuming their conversations in hushed tones, particularly the Humanoid BeastMen and others of the sort. Meanwhile, the travelers in the tavern carried on as usual, evidently accustomed to the presence of Makarian soldiers.
The table they stopped at held three men enjoying an evening drink with a meal. "Which of you arrived from the capital about a month ago?" Sarah's calm voice inquired, causing two of the three to exchange awkward glances before staring at their drinks.
"Well, I guess that'd be me," Joshua nonchalantly states in a southern accent, which made him stand out among the three. As he leaned back in his chair, drinking from a wooden mug. "What does a couple o' shiny tin cans need with little old me?" He said, glancing at Klay and Robert, who were seated next to him.
Looking at the man sitting to her right, she maintained her composure, hiding any distaste as she spoke in a relaxed tone. "We've been ordered to escort you back to the capital," Sarah said, producing a piece of paper with the royal seal on it. "These are the orders. You are expected to be packed and-"
"Nah" Sarah scowled at the interruption as Joshua poured a new drink from a crude jug on the table knocking back the clear booz.
"I'm sorry?" Sarah was sure she had misheard this country fool.
"Ah, sorry about that; what I meant is," Joshua turned his head towards her and overly mouthed. "Fuck No." Giving her a big smile, he pointed behind them. "Door's that way. Don't let it hit ya on the way out." Joshua turns back to his food, dipping his bread into his stew before taking a large chomp out of it.
Blinking in disbelief, Sarah eyed Joshua for a moment. "I don't think you understand the situation your in." shoving the orders into his face, she continued. "You have been summoned! And I'm afraid you don't have a ch-"
Joshua loudly smacked his lips as he looked at the piece of paper and raised an eyebrow. "Listen, I ain't one to tell some government lap dog how she earns her bone." Joshua leaned forward as he grabbed a new piece of bread and smothered it in stew again. "But seein' as we gotta be makin' our way to yer haudi da 'City.'" Joshua made finger quotes with his free hand, "Ifin I've got time, I could meet his laziness." giving her another smirk, he paused and took a large bite out of his bread, chewing loudly.
Sarah's hand crinkled the paper as she seethed with restrained anger, "I really don't think you understand. You are required to appear in the city of Barhden."
"An' I said I will on my own time." looking at the pair of agents, Joshua gestured to the bar. "Now, if yall are done, the bar is selling my shine, an' its a hell of a lot better than any shit you can get anywheres else."