Silence hung that shielded Allendis from everyone at that exact moment.
He unconsciously tilted his head, as he tried to process Gale's question.
What does he mean by that? Is there something wrong with what I said?
Could he have said something incriminating? Were they shocked that he killed someone? That sounded preposterous. He was a mercenary. They were soldiers of coin, not maids.
"What do you mean?" Allendis asked Gale as he looked around. Even Keg was concerned, shifting uncomfortably but never dared to look away.
"You have dealings with the Bellows, no? Otherwise, you wouldn't be at Grassdig to begin with." Gale's voice had a certain edge to it that many would fail to notice.
The Bellows? What the hell is that? Were they some sort of organization? He had never heard them before. Then again, he hasn't seen it all unfortunately.
So he decided to ask.
"What's the Bellows?"
"You mean who're the Bellows." Eunice said. Curiosity was etched in her face. She was trying to look for something he could not understand. When she did find it, whatever it was, she reeled back slowly from him.
"You don't know about the Bellows?" She sounded surprised. Almost in disbelief even.
Allendis shook his head slowly.
"No, I don't. Should I?"
"Then why were you in Grassdig?!" Eunice nearly stood up which surprised Allendis. She continued.
"That place is home to the Bellows, a notorious gang in western Zenithia! The ones who control the main city of Westhalf. They're bad news! None of them even bat an eye when they came and laid waste on every single valuable we had when the first siege happened. You either associate with them or the dead do!" Eunice ended in a scared huff.
Sofia looked grim. Her soft and pretty features did not mesh well with her expression.
"They walk among the guards, they dance among the people in taverns, they have each beggar as their ears." Sofia grimaced.
Despite the concerned looks, not one of them uttered a single sound.
That…was a problem. Allendis couldn't really tell them that he was dead. He cursed himself for telling them something he himself had no full picture.
"Calm down, Eunice!" Sofia scolded. Her tone was far more gentle than what she shouted. "We haven't heard his side of the story. For all we know, he could have just gotten mixed up in their business."
Allendis wished that was the case, but if he said that, he might sound like he was giving an excuse.
"Be honest Allendis," Gale started, almost unmoving from his seat. "Are you part of the Bellows?"
Again, silence reigned as Allendis looked him dead in the eye.
There really was one answer to that question.
"No."
He said plainly with nothing to hide with that one word despite his secrets.
"Then why are you in Grassdig?"
Allendis opened his mouth slightly to answer, but nothing came out. He couldn't bring himself to tell them. After all, he was not obligated to.
"I don't know. I just woke up there…"
But it did not mean that he couldn't tell any half-truths.
Donnel raised an eyebrow.
"Yet you held a significant importance to them." Donnel probed.
Allendis's eyes narrowed ever so subtly.
"I didn't even know who they were until a second ago."
"You must have done something that placed you there." This time, it was Sofia who inquired.
His hand clenched under his cloak. He reminded himself not to click his tongue.
"Like I said. I don't know. I woke up with no clue nor purpose there." Allendis hissed.
It was enough to stop their incoming thoughts. Mouths that were supposed to open with questions died down.
Eunice averted his gaze with her head hanging low but Donnel still had a suspicious look to his eyes. It never left him.
"…Quite the life, eh? One minute you fight, the next you sleep with the rulers of beggars."
Gale muttered as he took another gulp of his wine as he said that. His gruff voice was low enough to seem quiet but it was easily the loudest words that Allendis had heard.
"Would any of you prefer that I was associated with them then?"
"We prefer no complications. It would certainly be easier if you were." Gale said like he was telling his wife some old ruckus that happened on his way back home.
Allendis's eyes narrowed at him and somewhere in his mind, he thought of just putting a bullet between his eyes.
But he resisted. His hand, unseen by all, clenched fiercely under his cloak. Allendis could not blame their suspicions if these Bellows were truly notorious.
He would probably scrutinize every single detail if he was in their boots.
Keg shifted in his seat with a quaking smile. One that would falter if the breeze even so much as sneezed on it.
"I'm glad you got out alive, Allendis," Keg turned to him, placing his hand on his shoulder as if to pat him. "I heard tales of the Bellows. Even folks who came from Talinfur would tell their wet nurses to hide their children."
Allendis softens his fist, letting it rest for a moment.
"…Were they really that bad?"
Eunice spoke up, her face a bit grim as her nose crunched up.
"They're bandits who dress in knightly armour that never fits. They rob corpses and prattle among the gates of every wall in western Zenithia. They raid and kidnap women and hunt children for sport. They demand high yet those who could not give were used for their torment…like…"
She trailed off, her voice grimmer than the previous words she uttered.
It made his gut churn from the information. Not from what the Bellows do but from the fact that they exist.
"Why aren't the lords dealing with this issue?"
Allendis asked them. He was quietly relieved that they dropped their suspicions on him for now, or perhaps they just hid it well.
Luckily, Gale provided the answer to his question.
"The beggars hear as they bellow to the music. Several factors play in. This bloody war against Devion is one of distractions the Bellows needed. Another one would be that they already established themselves at the core of Westhalf and other towns. It was far too easy to avoid those who look."
Gale then threw his mug into the fire, letting the wood burn and the flames go a little bit longer. He continued.
"But worst of all, they are in bed with one of the lords. No one knows which one. Some say it was Devion, others say Oswaldo. Gendrik is also popular with the guards."
Keg turned a bit concerned when he heard his lord's name.
"…I do not believe that Lord Gendrik would dive with those bandits." Keg retorted.
All he got was a shrug from Gale.
"Merely rumors. Though, it's not like the other lords aren't exempt from these tales. The folks have to start somewhere…"
Is he trying to pick a fight?
Allendis thought but he saw the old man letting his guard down completely.
"…I'm sorry," Eunice spoke up quietly. "You're just as much of a victim to the Bellows as any of us here. Even if you don't remember, perhaps that's a blessing from the gods."
She couldn't look straight at him. Her hands shifted over each other constantly, like trying to top each other.
Allendis unconsciously rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't know why, but it made him feel heavy when she said those words.
If it was a blessing, then I can't wait to see what their punishment looks like.
"It's alright. I'm grateful that I managed to escape them then. Luck was on my side this time."
There was a long silence between all of them, now weary of who he was and what it all meant. Eunice and Keg were the only ones who let their guards down completely. Keg even yawned quite loudly as he tried to move his arms around to keep himself upright.
If the Bellows were truly that all encompassing in this region, then sooner or later, he would have to confront them.
If it came down to it, should he let them slide?
Allendis saw the red-haired swordswoman standing up. She used the blade as a stand to lift herself up from her seat.
"Milera? Where are you going?" Donnel asked as he decided to clean up on those who were done eating.
Milera glanced at Donnel, with a polite nod and a quiet grunt in what Allendis could only describe as pain, she said with a low voice.
"…Keeping watch."
Soft yet melancholic. It was a tone that Allendis found surprising. It did not fit her brooding impression. Perhaps he had experience in it but he found it a somewhat pleasant surprise, though to what extent and as to why, he did not know.
It reminded him of…
"Well," Gale said like he was to announce something. Everyone turned to him. "If our dear Milera will keep watch, then it would be best for the rest of us to get a good rest after a hearty meal and nice drink eh?"
There was something off with how he said it. Like he was rubbing it in their face. Was he mocking them?
Keg smiled, still tense but he did his best to hide it. He let out another small yawn.
"That would be the best. Have a tent ready in my cart, I'll go fix it up for me and the lad–"
"No need." Allendis said fast which surprised Keg. "I'm not tired yet. I'll be on lookout duty."
But as soon as Allendis tried to stand up, he felt his knees grow weak. His eyelids became heavier. His body was getting far more lethargic as seconds went by.
"What the—" Allendis rubbed his eye but it was futile.
"Looks like it's finally taking effect." He heard Gale say with his usual tone.
His vision was getting blurry. He tried to see the best he could. He saw Eunice with a shocked look and Sofia looking over to Donnel as if screaming something at him.
Keg was struggling to keep his eyes up. Slumping over his seat before finally falling over to the side.
"…Keg." He tried to call out but he could not maintain his consciousness.
These bastards…they drugged us…
Allendis felt rage. He tried balling up his fist as he tried to stay awake. He dropped down to his knees with his hands being the only thing preventing him from kissing the dirt.
But even that wasn't enough, no amount of will power was going to stop the drug from weakening his body as he fell to the side, with his blurry vision, all he saw was the orange blur of the flames.
He tried to focus. To see. So that he could etch their faces and hope to kill them when he wakes.
The last thing Allendis saw was Gale who walked over to him and crouched before him as he drifted off to sleep.
"Sorry kid. Nothing personal."
It was the last words Allendis heard before he was taken over by sleep. Silence remained.
Until he heard the chatter of people talking, echoing into walls with the sound of flames that could not warm him.