In the chaotic tavern, the squad and Aurora were drinking many pints of ale. Many off duty royal guards and knights frequented the tavern. There were a myriad of holes in the walls from previous bar brawls. Most of which were patched up with 2x4 or covered by posters and pictures. Soldiers and alcohol never mix well. Despite this, the tavern was veteran run and the royal guards always paid for the damages to ensure it stays operating. There was also an upstairs area in which the tavern also worked as a mini-brothel. The footmen, gunners, archers, and knights happily paid for it.

  The squad was sitting in a large corner booth celebrating their survival of Arn’s brutal training and officially graduating. Ator was out drinking Skivvy and Keely in the age-old contest of “who can drink the most shots of whiskey.”

  Ator was at eight shots unphased. Skivvy was at a measly four struggling to stay together whilst keeled over holding back the feeling of vomit. Keely was at seven forcing herself to finish her eighth shot. Kale was enjoying himself being uninhibited after six pints of ale and five Rodham bomb shots. Audra was vibing while she was smoking a joint of dragon sage and drinking her third pint of ale. Aurora and Desmond were taking their time drinking their pints. Aurora was chasing her ale with gin and tonic. Desmond was primarily enjoying the ale and just turning off his brain for a few hours. He was a five pints in thus far. Nikolai was passed out drunk and curled into a ball in the corner. Ator put his wool jacket over him.

  Ator let out a loud and smelly belch as Audra and Kale immediately covered their noses laughing. Ator laughed to Keely, “Better quit!”

  “Fawk you! I’m winning,” she said after shuddering her last drink down. “We’re tied, Ox!”

  Skivvy was looking sick and was changing into a plethora of random colors as he was getting drunker with every passing minute. Audra immediately grabbed a wooden bucket with mage hand giving it to Skivvy and went back to enjoying the chaos around her. Skivvy then threw up multiple times into the bucket as Kale sloppily carried him to the bathroom cursing in Elvish.

  Both fell on the floor multiple times before kicking the bathroom door down. Kale threw a drunk, off duty gunner out the door and into a table of royal guards playing poker. This started a fight because it reveled one of the guards was cheating. The hulking bouncers (who were off duty footmen) immediately swarmed them and threw the royal guards out along with the drunk gunner.

  Audra said, “He lasted longer than I thought.”

  “How… Ugh… So,” Keely asked while swallowing back some vomit.

  Audra replied, “He said that he never drinks and is a lightweight, but four shots of whiskey and two pints is a lot for him… Thought he could take more due to his size? Didn’t think he’ll die like Nikolai over there.”

  “No. Skarins have a weird thing with their livers where they can’t handle too much alcohol… I don’t know. One of the off duty royal guards told me that earlier when I went to grab the drinks and shot glasses… I think he was trying to hit on me whilst using cultural knowledge or some shite like that.”

  “Eh, who knows if it’s true. Was he cute at least?”

  “Nah!”

  “Sucks… Want a puff?”

  “Yes,” Keely said happily.

  Kale came back with a drunk and relatively sick Skivvy and rested him up against the passed out Nikolai. Kale slurred out, “He’s… VaRy Drank right now, but hill come to pass SOON.”

  Ator looked at him and asked, “I think you have had enough, mate.”

  “The fack I do you bloody fawking ox! I am FIN… Fine. I am not…. Doing… I VERY WELL!”

  “Course you are,” Ator said drinking his ninth shot and coyly goading on Keely with his elbow.

  Keely cursed to herself and followed after him in which she slammed her head on the table in defeat. Ator grabbed the whisky bottle and proceeded to give himself a tenth shot for victory nearly falling out of the booth. Keely gave him the middle finger as she groaned in annoyance.

  Aurora devilishly smiled and tapped Kale’s shoulder. He turned around unsure of what was happening. She said to him, “I think that barmaid is into you, Kale. Talk to her… She’s been eyeing you for a while, dear.”

  “Fack yeah!”

  “Quietly!”

  “Riiiight… Imma… Imma go introduce myswelf… YEAH I WILL,” he said happily.

  Desmond leaned over and asked Aurora, “You want to see him get slapped don’t you?”

  Aurora nodded happily and Keely and Audra nodded in agreement as well. Ator turned around excitedly to watch and made a bet of six gold coins that Kale would fail. Audra and Keely placed more coins down in a bet against Ator. Aurora kept count of the coins. Skivvy shook his head and went back to resting on the table whilst clutching his bucket of vomit. Nikolai was still snoring.

  Kale sloppily walked over to the barmaid as she was refilling a pitcher for a few knights. He tripped into the barstool, but sat upon it trying to compose himself the best his drunk self would permit. It was like watching a crash test dummy come to life without knowing how to move his body properly. Every movement was awkward yet, weirdly athletic in how he always managed to never quite fall down. Once upon the seat, he looked at her smiling only to immediately feeling embarrassed with red cheeks as he realized the barmaid was watching him stumble his way towards her. She had an amused and tired smile as she looked at him.

  The barmaid was a cute, busty, redheaded woman whose sizeable breasts were barely being contained in her partially opened blouse. It was hard not to stare at them. Even the women of the squad agreed that they were magnificent to view. Keely was envious because she was an A-cup. Audra calmly comforted Keely over this. Aurora was overall amazed by the barmaid and for a split second thought she was attracted to her. She immediately got rid of that thought. Desmond looked off to the side only watching with his peripherals as to not piss off Aurora for staring. Ator grunted silently in which Keely punched him to stay focused on Kale and not the barmaid.

  The barmaid walked over to Kale with a seductive look and asked sultry, “What is it, hon?”

  Kale opened his mouth only for no words to come out. She asked again more directly and he finally eked out, “I was… Fack… I was told by my fiends oveeeeerrr… The weird ones in the corner over thee… Yes those ones… That you wanted to see me and that I should take a chance? You very beautiful, you know?”

  She blinked a few times seductively as a titillating grin rose across her face. Kale was hooked instantly and he nearly fell out of the barstool again. The barmaid actually thought this was cute of him. She had a long night and wanted some action. She thought briefly about how she has never been with a half elf before nor one this cute and not being rude by only staring at her chest.

  She said after a relaxing sigh, “Well, you are rather cute despite being plastered… I get off in a minute… Fuck it! Momma needs some action and coin…Want to join me upstairs?”

  “Yes… YES!”

  “You have your money? It’s twenty gold for all night. Eight if you just want a few hours.”

  “Of course! All night!”

  “Lovely! We’ll figure out the payment later. Let’s go,” the barmaid said enthusiastically grabbing a Chardonnay bottle.

  Audra, Aurora, Desmond, Ator, and Keely were all in shock as they noticed the barmaid talking a lot with Kale and that she was actually interested in him. They noticed her grabbing Kale’s hand as she went around the bar and lead him upstairs to the bedrooms. The old man who was also behind the counter sighed and shook his head with a chuckle after watching the conversation.

  Ator muttered to himself in disbelief, “Shit!”

  Everyone at the table was in shock. Aurora quietly split the coins between Audra and Keely. Desmond began to laugh silently followed by Audra’s infectious laughter. Aurora fell into Desmond as she held her sides trying to cover her laugh. Keely broke down laughing as she hid her face on the table and Ator fell onto the floor laughing hysterically and pounding the floor because he lost money. Skivvy joined in the laughter unsure of why everyone was laughing, but wanted to be a part of it. Nikolai was still passed out snoring.

  After collecting herself, Audra then remarked, “I’m just happy we’re all done with Arn’s training… Fucking hell!”

  “Oh thank the fawking gods it’s over,” Keely chimed in. “Thought I wasn’t going to make it out alive. Especially those mountain ops.”

  Desmond then said in response, “I still want to apologize for giving y’all beastings after my simple fuck ups when it came to the mission plannings for the raiding exercises.”

  “Nah, it’s fine sir. We all get nervous and brain fogged after three days of yomping with no sleep or food. Felt more sorry for the other groups we trained with at points. Those fuckers got punished hard,” Audra said taking in a long puff from her joint.

  Everyone at the table groaned remembering Arn forcing a company of future knights to build a 10 foot tall sandbag, pyramid in the rain and then take it back down and do it again until Arn and the instructors felt satisfied. Anyone who dropped out added to the amount of times it was to go on. It lasted 8 hours and totaled up to twenty sandbag pyramids with about twenty out of fifty knights in training left standing. The squad sat back watching this after a ten mile hike and winning the objective of making it to the point before the other ranger groups. All of them felt sorry for doing that to those rangers.

  Aurora said softly, “I feel bad not being there with you guys during that… But I remember something similar when I first passed Elvan ranger school.”

  “How so,” Desmond asked curiously.

  Aurora said, “Arn must’ve been trained with Elvan rangers or special forces outside of Rodham then. Might explain the brutality of it… I remember one time I was ordered to climb a hundred foot tree in full gear to ‘get a clear picture’ of the large forest my training squad was to march through. Except, what we didn’t know was that we had to live and move only in the trees. Nothing was supposed to touch the ground… Well, I dropped an arrow and… Thirty minutes of up downs followed by running five miles with your hands held over your head holding your ruck sack and if you fell once, you had to restart. That was also concluded with pushups in full gear whilst being hit by a bamboo rod because you were an idiot so-to-speak… That was the most painful beastings I ever endured. Taught me to secure everything and watch my footing.”

  Everyone, besides Skivvy and Nikolai, nodded in agreement to Aurora feeling the residual pain and aching from it. Ator instinctively grabbed his lower back remembering a time in training where he had to fireman carry Skivvy and Desmond on his back whilst in full gear for not meeting a run time. Keely rubbed her sides remembering the painful interrogation training and how it nearly broke her. Audra rolled her wrists on the table making a loud, popping noise as she remembered her trying to hold onto the side of a cliff face with mage hand and her real hand whilst being dragged down by the weight of Skivvy and Nikolai who were just hanging on by the connecting rope. Desmond took a deep breath briefly remembering running uphill in full gear choking on the thin mountain air whilst falling down on his face a lot due to the loose and muddy rocks.

  Skivvy threw up one more time in the bucket. Nikolai was still snoring.

  Desmond responded warmly, “Don’t feel bad for missing out with us. Just remember our names and as long as you have a basic understanding of small unit tactics and maneuvers and can read a map… I think you’ll mold right in, sweets.”

  “Thanks, love,” she said kissing him on his cheek.

  Audra and Keely both silently “awed” at the exchange making Desmond blush with embarrassment and Aurora laughed in response to it.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  As the night dragged on, Ator and Keely were leaning into each other while being cutesy. Skivvy was holding his head as Audra wrapped herself around him petting his mohawk. Aurora rested her head on Desmond’s shoulder as they all were still drinking.

  Audra looked over at Aurora and silently mouthed, “You and him? Nice.”

  “Thank you! I’ll explain later,” Aurora silently mouthed back.

  Keely and Ator went out onto the dance floor as a raucous drinking song was happening and forming a mini mosh pit. Keely dove into the mosh pit followed by Ator shoving his way in after her. A few men went flying in the air as Ator forced his way to her.

  Aurora said to Desmond, “Your new squad is a lively bunch.”

  “Yeah they are… They are a lot. WATCH IT,” Desmond said moving his head to the side as metal mug crashed into the wall behind him. “Drinks are flying again.”

  “I can see that,” remarked Aurora finishing her pint.

  Ator was beating up people with Keely on his shoulders as a brawl was happening. Ator was beating two men with a table as Keely was kicking people off of him from his shoulders. A half-elf royal guard was kicked in the face by Keely and one massive half-orc archer was punched down by Ator’s left hook. A stray shot glass was thrown in Aurora’s direction and she caught it effortlessly.

  She muttered to herself, “Still got it even when I’m drunk…What a waste of vodka.”

  Audra gave a silent clap and Aurora did a mini bow in her seat.

  Desmond smirked, “Show off.”

  Audra, then said to Aurora as she finished her pint, “I like you. You’re fun for an officer.”

  Aurora smirked whilst enjoying the chaos. Audra looked over to Aurora and asked whilst pointing to Desmond and Aurora, “How’d you two meet?”

  “At the award ceremony for this mopey bastard here. Met him after he was awarded the Medal of Honor,” Aurora answered.

  Desmond smiled as he drank slowly in response.

  Aurora continued, “Honestly, I did not expect to see him again, but here I am… Also did not expect to be this close with him. Want to guess how?”

  “Let me guess… Y’all met at the ceremony and he was alone away from the crowd and you were curious about him, because he looked handsome and pitiful at the same time thus leading you two to share a tender moment that lead to what is happening now?”

  Aurora was thoroughly impressed and simply replied, “Yes… Actually. Damn, you’re good.”

  “Thanks a bunch,” Audra said sipping her pint. “Lucky guess and mostly body language observation.”

  “No magic help? How so?”

  “Honestly, the way you two look at each other, how you, sir, are so gentle with her, and how he’s so comfortable at this moment. The way you two rest on each other and all that. Never seen him like this. He’s usually closed off and serious, but sociable enough to still be friendly. With you here, I have never seen him so relaxed and happy… No offense, sir.”

  Desmond shrugged and asked while finishing his pint, “You didn’t read her mind, right?”

  “No… You would’ve seen my eyes turn purple and yellow if I had. Too tipsy and high to concentrate right now. Also, y’all would’ve sensed me in there,” said Audra as she used her magic to bring a pint of ale from near table close to her.

  Skivvy was grunting in pain as he held his head some more. Audra’s left hand turned red as she placed it on his forehead to relieve the headache. Skivvy smiled with his eyes closed. Desmond gave Audra a crisp high five, which made her feel proud of herself.

  Aurora looked over at Desmond and asked, “How do you think Kale is doing?”

  Kale was in the middle of being ridden by the barmaid in the throes of passion as he was handcuffed to the bed frame. Kale was just enjoying it as she dug her long nails into his chest moaning loudly for him to keep going as he if he was a bucking stallion in heat.

  Desmond shrugged tiredly as he leaned back. Audra jokingly responded, “I bet he’s probably enjoying himself for once. Never shows his true self unless he’s drunk. Then again, Keely did mention that he constantly flirts or ‘falls in love’ with whoever happens to show any affection. I just hope he doesn’t catch anything.”

  “At least he’s a happy drunk,” Desmond retorted as he sipped Aurora’s new pint that she was about to drink. He smirked and she punched him in the shoulder.

  The brawling on the dance floor stopped with Ator being the last man standing amongst a pile of bloodied and unconscious off duty knights, guards, and archers. Ator was bloodied and bruised especially on his knuckles; however, he stood proud though slightly winded. The band of bards kept playing music.

  Keely was still riding on his shoulders chugging a pint of ale screaming, “I AM VICTORIOUS! BOW DOWN BEFORE YOUR NEW LORD!”

  Everyone laughed and Ator calmly carried Keely back to the booth and set her down gently. He then turned around and, with the help of the bouncers, dragged the unconscious knights, guards, and archers out the front door. One royal guard officer went over to the old man behind the bar and handed him two bags of gold saying, “Sorry Ben. I know. This should cover it again.”

  “At least the royal coffers pay for it,” old Ben said. “Eh, it’s the beginning of the weekend. Here’s your shot, colonel. Much obliged.”

  “Appreciated.”

  Keely cheerfully exclaimed to the booth, “Holy shit! That was awesome! You should’ve joined in sir! You would’ve kicked ass.”

  “Not tonight,” said Desmond. “I’d rather drink.”

  “Too tired from earlier?”

  “Yep.”

  “Eh whatever… Aurora I just got to say this to you… Goddamn, you are pretty and your skin is just glowing in this light,” Keely said slurring her words slightly.

  Aurora responded sultry in Elvish, “Thank you dear. You are pretty as well.”

  Keely blushed and thanked her back profusely. Desmond looked at Aurora with a curious grin. Aurora told him to shove it and that she was just being “friendly” out of boredom. Ator later came back with more ale for himself plus a small bag of gold coins he took from one of the unconscious knights. Skivvy groggily woke up and stole Ator’s pint and began drinking spilling a majority of it on himself and Nikolai.

  Audra then said in an annoyed tone, “Alright! We’re done here! Big ox? Help me grab these two idiots.”

  Everyone got out of the booth as Ator flung Nikolai over his shoulder whilst grabbing a very drunk Keely to his side. She hugged him in response whilst imitating what a drunk Captain Arn would sound like. It was a terrible impression.

  Keely then said aloud to the bartender, “Thanks for the drinks, Ben! Love this place! Sorry for the tables this time! We’ll be back in a bit! At least we’re done with training! Goodnight!”

  “I bet y’all would, sweety. Goodnight,” old Ben said as he smiled to himself.

  Audra threw Skivvy’s arm over her shoulder and the rest of the party walked back to the barracks.

  Keely asked Audra making sure she was just out of ear shot of Aurora and Desmond who a little behind them, “You still have that magic vibrating rod?”

  “Kee… You that horny? Already? How?”

  “Listen, she talked to me in Elvish and her multi-colored eyes and soft, smoky voice made me feel things. You know how it is!”

  “Fair. She is rather pretty… Fuck it… Yes, I have it and I want it back clean. Use the shower stall this time. I don’t want to see it or hear it again or have to clean the sheets again.”

  “Thank you,” Keely said happily as she was barely hanging onto Ator’s side with her feet dragging.

  Audra sighed and looked at Ator silently asking him to make sure she would not make a mess and to get her to sleep. Ator gave a thumbs up as he pulled Keely tight into his left side with Nikolai sleepily hanging off his right shoulder snoring. Audra thanked him as she was holding up Skivvy and Skivvy’s bucket.

  Skivvy finally asked groggily, “What about Kale? We left him.”

  “He’ll be fine! He’s finally learning how to have fun instead of being a mopey asshole. He’ll return tomorrow morning,” Audra said as she shoved a handful of peanuts from the bar in her mouth.

  Desmond went and paid the tab with Aurora covering half of it out of courtesy. Aurora wrapped herself around Desmond and placed her Cossack hat on him as they walked messily back to the barracks.

  She asked, “How thin are the walls and floors of the barracks?”

  “Not that thin. Thick enough.”

  “Any private quarters?”

  “There’s a private bedroom in the basement. I haven’t gone down there because it’s been used per what Audra and Skivs have told me; also the furnace is there so it gets hot.”

  “At least there’s warmth… Listen. I’m tipsy and very antsy and turned on right now. It’s been forever since our last time together. Just keep holding me and don’t talk too much. Let’s go!”

  The next morning in the first floor kitchen and lounge area, everyone from last night was barely hanging in there. The basement door was left open with a trail of boots and socks going into it. The arcane podium was projecting an announcement about the weather in which no one was paying attention to.

  Nikolai was wrapped in a blanket burrito sipping a cup of coffee on the carpet looking like a haggard caterpillar. Skivvy was leaned against the wall next to the hammock shoving his head into it as a pounding headache was taking over whilst also holding an ice pack on his forehead. Keely was sitting upside down on the leather couch rubbing her head next to a very tired and shirtless Ator who was drinking tea staring into nothingness with heavy bags under his thin eyes. Desmond and Aurora were outside on the porch watching the sun creep through the tree line outlining the castle, the city, and the lands. Both were wrapped in flannel blankets. Audra was in the kitchen happy as a lamb cooking a hangover breakfast of hash browns, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and refried beans paired with tall glasses of pulpy orange juice, water, and black coffee. There was also a big bottle of hot sauce, a small pile of corn tortillas, and a bowl of shredded cheddar on the kitchen counter. Audra was flipping the bacon on the cast iron skillet whistling a song.

  There was a ragged looking half-elf walking up towards the barracks. He walked passed two jogging knights who were laughing at him. He didn’t respond to or acknowledge them. He had dark shades on him and lipstick kiss marks all over his face and neck. His boots were in his hands along with his neatly folded pants. His pale yet muscular legs were shining brightly in the morning sun contrasting to his black, silk underwear. This was Kale.

  He walked up to the porch and looked at Desmond and Aurora. He gave a very formal greeting, though in a half-hearted, sarcastic way. Desmond and Aurora said hi back unsure of what happened to him whilst trying not to laugh.

  Kale simply explained, “I had an interesting time to say the least. I very much appreciated the part where y’all left me at the tavern and I had to walk home in my underwear because my pants need a thorough washing from… The fluids… Lieutenant… Lieutenant… My wrists hurt and my chest has claw marks on it. Plus I can’t find my overcoat anywhere. I would appreciate it, if you two didn’t talk to me for the next few hours. I have a raging headache and I want to fall asleep under a hot shower… Thank you for listening. Sorry for the attitude.”

  It was at that moment they realized Kale still had fuzzy handcuffs hanging on his left wrist. He slowly dragged himself through the front door with an annoyed sigh. All that was heard from outside was muffled laughter from everyone inside. Aurora and Desmond quietly laughed to themselves for a few minutes with Desmond nearly falling down the porch steps.

  A few minutes passed while Aurora sat on the rocking chair next to Desmond pondering. She asked, “Are they actually ready?”

  “I want to say yes… But they are so young. They were originally part of a penal battalion that was sent on suicidal missions. Most never survive one. They all survived three missions in a row… They started out with twenty people… Now it’s just six and us two hence the empty cots upstairs… Yeah. I think they’re ready. Still worry for them though.”

  “That gives me hope.”

  “Passing out parade is in the next, I think, three hours? Still need to starch my dress uniform. I hate that uniform.”

  “But you look handsome in it,” Aurora said sweetly. “Besides, I have to wear mine as well. At least yours is mostly black. Mine is all white with some blue.”

  “Ha! Thanks,” Desmond chuckled. He pondered about the mission and possible outcomes and deaths that may or will occur. He asked, “Do you think we are being punished for this upcoming mission?”

  “No… You’re the hero of this kingdom and your squad was handpicked for this. Why would they punish someone they just awarded and publicly showed around? You all got some of the best training this kingdom has to offer for any soldier; enlisted or otherwise. I would say that means you guys are a special group with a special purpose.”

  “I guess… When is the meeting supposed to be?”

  “Sometime tomorrow,” Aurora said handing him a letter she pulled from the nail in the front door. “A royal messenger is supposed to summon us. Captain Arn will join as well.”

  “Something feels off about the upcoming mission… I don’t like it.”

  “Yeah,” she said in a melancholic voice.

  Desmond looked over at her as she stared into the sky thinking of what the mission would entail. She also thought about her specific mission and how she was not looking forward to it. She wanted to tell Desmond, but knew she could not. At least not at this time. Alvara’s voice rang in her head as she looked back down. He slowly crept his hand into hers and looked at her tenderly. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked down at her hand and his. She looked curiously over at Desmond who was smiling.

  He said, “But overall regardless of what may happen… I am glad you are joining.” She smiled back with a tear forming.

  She said, “I do appreciate the letters you sent me.”

  “I appreciate you responding,” he said as he looked into her eyes.

  For a moment, he just wanted to have this tender moment to last for the rest of the day. However, he knew that this would not last. The mission was lingering in the back of his mind and he feared the worst from it.

  Audra came out the front door with two full plates and asked, “Morning sir and ma’am! Breakfast?”