Fionna was especially busy tonight, as she ran about to meet up with endless orders. Her companion, Ralph, a young man of orange, spiky hair wasn't very useful. He would spill a drink, smash a cup, or stub his toe almost all the time.
"Tch! Tch! Tch!" Ralph grimaced in pain, hopping back on one foot. But then he slipped on spilled beer and crashed on the wooden floor.
This time, Fionna ignored him. Even she got tired of cheering him up every now and then. It was at this time that Aiden and Axel walked in. They sat by the one, unoccupied table and Axel ordered for two mugs of beer.
Now, Axel had not asked whether Aiden could handle alcohol or not. He did so because he figured that if Aiden was hiding something from him, then he could have him cough it out over a drink. At the end of the day, deceit was a possibility that couldn't be ignored. Axel was not so foolish as to trust a person he just met.
"So, you have no idea how to use magic?" asked Axel after a sip of wine.
"No memory, yet."
"Stuff like that is muscle memory," said Axel. "You probably just need time to recollect. Your Sigil should say a lot about you."
"Sigil?"
"Ah, sorry," Axel slapped his head, realising that he had begun to get a little light-headed. "I shouldn't assume you have one, yet. But if I may ask, how far do you think you are from home? You don't have to be right."
"Very far," replied Aiden, as he quickly emptied his mug.
"Hmm…"
"I don't remember any faces," he explained. "And I feel like I have been alone for a long time."
"Maybe it's because you drowned," Axel blurted. "God knows how long you were in there. You don't know how lucky you were to survive."
Or maybe it wasn't luck at all.
"You don't look like someone from the Kingdom of Fire. Hmm..yes, you look like a foreigner." And then, he pointed towards a hung up map by the east wall. "Perhaps any of these names may ring a bell? Kingdom of Water? Earth? Iron? Thunder? Elv-! Ah no! Certainly not Elves. So which? Do you recognise any of these?"
Aiden took a good, long look at the map, before sighing and shaking his head. His eyes did linger on one Kingdom though—the Kingdom of Earth.
Aiden faced Axel and asked:
"Is my presence a bother to you?"
"Eh? Ah..uhh..no, not at all," he answered, waving his hands. "I'm just trying to help you return home, you see."
"I understand," said Aiden solemnly.
It was only now that Axel realised that his plan was backfiring on him. Aiden had emptied his mug yet he was completely sober. On the other hand, he was only halfway through and could already sense slight impairments to his cognition.
"Uhh, would you like another?"
"I've tasted this before," Aiden said. "But it feels new at the same time."
"That is because it was made out of Fiery Grapes. Native to our Kingdom, you know *cough*" he raised his hand. "Uhh..miss, we would like another for the young man."
"Oh he's a drinker, alright," Fionna chirped from the counter.
The truth was, that Axel was actually quite bad with alcohol. However, because he was used to the cheaper, diluted wine given to apprentices such as him during training, he never realised this fact.
He had now certainly overestimated himself.
"Nah..it's okay. I'll be fine," he muttered silently. But, after chugging down his mug, he could now feel it. His emotions were going haywire. His gaze hardened on Aiden, and his suspicion and curiosity nearly poured out like a stream. Also, he was now glancing at a certain someone a little too frequently.
This was the kind of stuff he would usually keep under wraps. But, at some point, Fionna stared back at him. She caught him, or rather, she did from the beginning and simply couldn't ignore it anymore.
Axel blushed.
"Ah.." he slapped his head. "I'm losing the flow."
"Flow?" Aiden sipped his second.
"I shouldn't have said that out loud, too.."
Aiden dropped the mug. "Axel…"
"Hm? What is it?"
"Do you like Fionna?"
"...."
Axel was bamboozled. The mug fell to the ground, rolling underneath the table, while the two watched each other silently.
Then came a voice from behind.
"So? Answer the question."
"A…hhhh…" Axel froze, knowing whose breath kissed his neck.
"Are you madly in love with me?" she asked with a mischievous smirk.
Fionna sat herself on a chair next to him, rested her chin on her palm and watched.
"Uhh…ahhh…ehh…ummm…I ahh..yikiiisummo…err…"
Fionna blinked.
"Yes, I do."
"Took you long enough."
"Eh?"
"I thought you'd never muster the courage to say it," she added, tilting her head. Her hair fell loosely, yet dazzlingly. And for a moment, Axel was sucked into a world of golden bliss.
"You…always knew?"
"Women are more perceptive than you think, Axel."
"...."
"Well, if you like me, and I like you, then there's no time to waste then," she concluded with a clap.
"Eh? You like m-?!"
"Let's get married."
Aiden paused mid-sip.
"M-married? Buh we just.."
"You're not getting any younger, you know?" said Fionna. "How old are you? 87?"
"I'm 22…"
"And I'm also 22. See? A match made in heaven!"
Aiden coughed. "Don't you think it's a bit early?"
"Well, you see," Fionna pouted. "We've been in love for a long time. But Axel's been too chicken to admit it. Also, I'm 22, and my ma is getting old. Heck! She's now called Old Mary. Would it be bad to let her see my husband before passing on?"
Hearing that, Axel couldn't help but agree with her. He had in fact, loved her for over 2 years now.
Still, the thought of marriage shocked him with many factors that he had never thought about. The first one was of course, the greatest of all…responsibility. Would he be a good father? Could he even father a child properly?
For the first time, Axel wished there was some sort of parenting manual he could read in advance.
"What are you thinking about?" Fionna asked.
"Um..babies.." he blurted in his confusion.
Now it was Fionna's turn to be surprised. Her blush couldn't be hidden.
"What? You're already thinking about…'that'?"
"Huh?...ohh..OH! No! no, no, no! I'm not dirty-minded, I promise," he appealed, waving his hands.
"It seems he's rather eager about the wedding night," Aiden remarked.
"Oi! Aiden!"
"Well, I guess all men are the same after all," Fionna teased.
"Fionna!" One drunk guy shouted. "I need more of this wine!"
"Shut your trap!" She clapped back. "You haven't paid for all you've drank yet! If you need more, ask Ralph to help you!"
"Ah man! But he moves like a woman!"
"Hahn? And I move like what?"
"Oh shit."
At that moment, Aiden picked up on a small commotion outside the tavern.
"My lord, why must you leave the Middle City to these lowly lands?" asked one of two.
"It's noisy," answered the other. "I want to have a good drink without old people flapping their gums all over me."
"But, my lord, all the houses of the Galashiels are yours! My daughter has been ever so eager to see you. Why must you meddle with these peasants?"
"Your daughter is kinda ugly, not gonna lie."
"Ah my lord, please reconsider."
The door opened wide. Then came a heavy stumping of boots, and a lighter one scurrying behind. Two men entered the tavern. One was a well dressed man, not of nobility, but certainly an owner of one or two plots of land. Anyone could tell from the silk hugging his skin. The other had a muscular frame, with broad chest in a simple blue top, biceps popping through his short sleeves, and a scar smeared across his face. It looked like a tiger's claw had slashed at him.
But from the aura he exuded, everyone knew without a doubt who this person was.
"Oi! Oi! Oi! Is that who I think it is?"
"A Knight! Here in the Outer City?"
"Is it okay to be in the same room as him?"
"Dang he's huge!"
The Knight took in one, big sniff and sighed in satisfaction. And then, he took one sweep around the tavern, realising that there were no seats left.
"Ah it seems it's all occupied," he said in a voice befitting of his stature. "Any neighbouring taverns?"
"This is good, my lord," commented the man of small stature. "Remember, my daught-!"
"Ah I think I'm done drinking," chirped one awestruck lad. For once, he spoke soberly, and the influence of the wine seemed to lose its hold.
The Knight laughed with one big, wide grin. "Well then, I'll accept your kindness."
"It's nothing my lord."
The Knight made his way towards the man's empty seat, while the man tossed a small bag of coins towards the counter. There, he sat comfortably, sighed, and rested his legs on the table.
Ralph was losing his mind.
A Holy Knight? Here? Why? What drink would he like? What if he doesn't like our wine? Would he hate me? Isn't he irritated by the class of our tavern?
The Knight raised his hand. "I would like to pay for everyone's drink tonight!".
Ah!
"Why so? My lord? These peasants are not worth a dime from your pocket," the rich man argued, squeezing his fists.
"Please do not concern yourself with us, my lord."
"We would gladly pay for your drink instead!"
"You're too kind, sir!"
Fionna sighed and stood. "I've got to attend to him. You know Ralph is a bit…clumsy."
Aiden narrowed his gaze on the Knight. He spotted a rather strange expression in the moment his eyes fell on Fionna.
"That's a Holy Knight," Axel whispered, taking it for curiosity. "He's really cool, isn't he?"
"Hm. Yeah."
"I'm going to be one of them soon," Axel added. "You see, every year there are these things called Trials. Next year, I will be of age, and I will go on an expedition with the Holy Knights to awaken my own unique ability! My very own Sigil!"
"Good luck."
"Thanks," said Axel. "And I do really mean that."
"If it's a trial, then is it possible to fail?"
"Well…yes of course. If I don't awaken a Sigil, I will certainly have to wait another year!"
"You live with someone else, don't you? Did he also go on an expedition?"
At first, Axel was going to ask the dumb question of 'how did you know', but then he realised that there were two beds in his abode and many other things that hinted at a roommate.
Axel sighed, and rubbed his temples. "Walter, huh? Well, he failed, unfortunately. And he's been really down about it lately. I don't even know his whereabouts anymore. But, believe me, he wasn't always like this. He used to be my chatterbox, you know."
"But he changed," Aiden finalised.
"Yeah."
"Ever since the Trial."
Axel raised a brow. "Yes?"
Slam!
"This is good wine!" The Knight cheered, hitting the mug on the table. "Another!"
Fionna rushed to attend, while Ralph lingered around…and stared. He stood watching for so long, that the Knight must have begun to get a little creeped out by it.
"What's the matter, boyo?"
"My name is Ralph, sir!" He said with restrained excitement. "And I am a big fan of The Legion!"
"Ha! That's good. Do you want to become one of us someday?"
"Uh..well, I could never hope to be as amazing as you guys are," he said with a pained smile.
"With that mentality, certainly not. Why are you standing there? Take a seat. See? That man is leaving too."
Ralph didn't hesitate. "Please tell me about your adventures, sir master lord!"
"Sir master lord?" The Knight laughed. "What's that about? Call me Carth! That's my name!"
"I.. could never. Sir Carth! That is right!"
"Whatever floats your boats," said Carth. "So my adventures huh?" He rubbed his beards. "Well, dungeon business ain't always the fun goblin-slaying trip, so I've forgotten most of it. The only troublesome shit I remember is the fairies we met on one unfortunate island, and all the shit that followed."
"What happened?"
"Hmm…nothing much. Except about twenty Knights were found dead."
"Impossible! Fairies can't possibly-!"
"Of course it wasn't the fairies. Who else would it be except the wolf of legion lamb?"
"Who?" Ralph had no clue.
"You must be kidding. You don't know the Red Phantom? Killer of a hundred knights?"
"Red…phantom. I think I might have heard that name somewhere."
Carth laughed, sneaking a glance at Fionna. "You really don't know shit."
Axel started to feel dizzy. Aiden noticed.
"Do you want to go back?" he asked.
"No. I'm okay."
And those were Axel's last words before he passed out.
Fionna returned to Carth's table with two mugs of beer. But then, when she presented them to Carth, his fingers crept higher than they should and he ended up grabbing her by the wrists.
It startled her. Fionna jolted back, and spilled the wine.
"Ah sorry, sorry," said the Knight with an unapologetic grin. "I didn't see your hand there."
"Um…it's fine," said Fionna, feeling a tad uncomfortable. "I'll just…clean this up."
"But you know," the Knight licked his lips. "You're quite a beauty, too."
"Sir! What about my daughter?" disputed the rich man. "Isn't she well in the right places?"
"To hell with your daughter," he dismissed. "What's your name pretty? Fionna? I like that."
"Hm. Thank you," she replied with a forced smile, before excusing herself as quickly as she could.
No one noticed the awkwardness of the situation, all thanks to the power of alcohol, save two witnesses.
Ralph, and the ever-observant Aiden.
Ralph seemed rather conflicted.
What the hell was that about?
Fionna was especially busy tonight, as she ran about to meet up with endless orders. Her companion, Ralph, a young man of orange, spiky hair wasn't very useful. He would spill a drink, smash a cup, or stub his toe almost all the time.
"Tch! Tch! Tch!" Ralph grimaced in pain, hopping back on one foot. But then he slipped on spilled beer and crashed on the wooden floor.
This time, Fionna ignored him. Even she got tired of cheering him up every now and then. It was at this time that Aiden and Axel walked in. They sat by the one, unoccupied table and Axel ordered for two mugs of beer.
Now, Axel had not asked whether Aiden could handle alcohol or not. He did so because he figured that if Aiden was hiding something from him, then he could have him cough it out over a drink. At the end of the day, deceit was a possibility that couldn't be ignored. Axel was not so foolish as to trust a person he just met.
"So, you have no idea how to use magic?" asked Axel after a sip of wine.
"No memory, yet."
"Stuff like that is muscle memory," said Axel. "You probably just need time to recollect. Your Sigil should say a lot about you."
"Sigil?"
"Ah, sorry," Axel slapped his head, realising that he had begun to get a little light-headed. "I shouldn't assume you have one, yet. But if I may ask, how far do you think you are from home? You don't have to be right."
"Very far," replied Aiden, as he quickly emptied his mug.
"Hmm…"
"I don't remember any faces," he explained. "And I feel like I have been alone for a long time."
"Maybe it's because you drowned," Axel blurted. "God knows how long you were in there. You don't know how lucky you were to survive."
Or maybe it wasn't luck at all.
"You don't look like someone from the Kingdom of Fire. Hmm..yes, you look like a foreigner." And then, he pointed towards a hung up map by the east wall. "Perhaps any of these names may ring a bell? Kingdom of Water? Earth? Iron? Thunder? Elv-! Ah no! Certainly not Elves. So which? Do you recognise any of these?"
Aiden took a good, long look at the map, before sighing and shaking his head. His eyes did linger on one Kingdom though—the Kingdom of Earth.
Aiden faced Axel and asked:
"Is my presence a bother to you?"
"Eh? Ah..uhh..no, not at all," he answered, waving his hands. "I'm just trying to help you return home, you see."
"I understand," said Aiden solemnly.
It was only now that Axel realised that his plan was backfiring on him. Aiden had emptied his mug yet he was completely sober. On the other hand, he was only halfway through and could already sense slight impairments to his cognition.
"Uhh, would you like another?"
"I've tasted this before," Aiden said. "But it feels new at the same time."
"That is because it was made out of Fiery Grapes. Native to our Kingdom, you know *cough*" he raised his hand. "Uhh..miss, we would like another for the young man."
"Oh he's a drinker, alright," Fionna chirped from the counter.
The truth was, that Axel was actually quite bad with alcohol. However, because he was used to the cheaper, diluted wine given to apprentices such as him during training, he never realised this fact.
He had now certainly overestimated himself.
"Nah..it's okay. I'll be fine," he muttered silently. But, after chugging down his mug, he could now feel it. His emotions were going haywire. His gaze hardened on Aiden, and his suspicion and curiosity nearly poured out like a stream. Also, he was now glancing at a certain someone a little too frequently.
This was the kind of stuff he would usually keep under wraps. But, at some point, Fionna stared back at him. She caught him, or rather, she did from the beginning and simply couldn't ignore it anymore.
Axel blushed.
"Ah.." he slapped his head. "I'm losing the flow."
"Flow?" Aiden sipped his second.
"I shouldn't have said that out loud, too.."
Aiden dropped the mug. "Axel…"
"Hm? What is it?"
"Do you like Fionna?"
"...."
Axel was bamboozled. The mug fell to the ground, rolling underneath the table, while the two watched each other silently.
Then came a voice from behind.
"So? Answer the question."
"A…hhhh…" Axel froze, knowing whose breath kissed his neck.
"Are you madly in love with me?" she asked with a mischievous smirk.
Fionna sat herself on a chair next to him, rested her chin on her palm and watched.
"Uhh…ahhh…ehh…ummm…I ahh..yikiiisummo…err…"
Fionna blinked.
"Yes, I do."
"Took you long enough."
"Eh?"
"I thought you'd never muster the courage to say it," she added, tilting her head. Her hair fell loosely, yet dazzlingly. And for a moment, Axel was sucked into a world of golden bliss.
"You…always knew?"
"Women are more perceptive than you think, Axel."
"...."
"Well, if you like me, and I like you, then there's no time to waste then," she concluded with a clap.
"Eh? You like m-?!"
"Let's get married."
Aiden paused mid-sip.
"M-married? Buh we just.."
"You're not getting any younger, you know?" said Fionna. "How old are you? 87?"
"I'm 22…"
"And I'm also 22. See? A match made in heaven!"
Aiden coughed. "Don't you think it's a bit early?"
"Well, you see," Fionna pouted. "We've been in love for a long time. But Axel's been too chicken to admit it. Also, I'm 22, and my ma is getting old. Heck! She's now called Old Mary. Would it be bad to let her see my husband before passing on?"
Hearing that, Axel couldn't help but agree with her. He had in fact, loved her for over 2 years now.
Still, the thought of marriage shocked him with many factors that he had never thought about. The first one was of course, the greatest of all…responsibility. Would he be a good father? Could he even father a child properly?
For the first time, Axel wished there was some sort of parenting manual he could read in advance.
"What are you thinking about?" Fionna asked.
"Um..babies.." he blurted in his confusion.
Now it was Fionna's turn to be surprised. Her blush couldn't be hidden.
"What? You're already thinking about…'that'?"
"Huh?...ohh..OH! No! no, no, no! I'm not dirty-minded, I promise," he appealed, waving his hands.
"It seems he's rather eager about the wedding night," Aiden remarked.
"Oi! Aiden!"
"Well, I guess all men are the same after all," Fionna teased.
"Fionna!" One drunk guy shouted. "I need more of this wine!"
"Shut your trap!" She clapped back. "You haven't paid for all you've drank yet! If you need more, ask Ralph to help you!"
"Ah man! But he moves like a woman!"
"Hahn? And I move like what?"
"Oh shit."
At that moment, Aiden picked up on a small commotion outside the tavern.
"My lord, why must you leave the Middle City to these lowly lands?" asked one of two.
"It's noisy," answered the other. "I want to have a good drink without old people flapping their gums all over me."
"But, my lord, all the houses of the Galashiels are yours! My daughter has been ever so eager to see you. Why must you meddle with these peasants?"
"Your daughter is kinda ugly, not gonna lie."
"Ah my lord, please reconsider."
The door opened wide. Then came a heavy stumping of boots, and a lighter one scurrying behind. Two men entered the tavern. One was a well dressed man, not of nobility, but certainly an owner of one or two plots of land. Anyone could tell from the silk hugging his skin. The other had a muscular frame, with broad chest in a simple blue top, biceps popping through his short sleeves, and a scar smeared across his face. It looked like a tiger's claw had slashed at him.
But from the aura he exuded, everyone knew without a doubt who this person was.
"Oi! Oi! Oi! Is that who I think it is?"
"A Knight! Here in the Outer City?"
"Is it okay to be in the same room as him?"
"Dang he's huge!"
The Knight took in one, big sniff and sighed in satisfaction. And then, he took one sweep around the tavern, realising that there were no seats left.
"Ah it seems it's all occupied," he said in a voice befitting of his stature. "Any neighbouring taverns?"
"This is good, my lord," commented the man of small stature. "Remember, my daught-!"
"Ah I think I'm done drinking," chirped one awestruck lad. For once, he spoke soberly, and the influence of the wine seemed to lose its hold.
The Knight laughed with one big, wide grin. "Well then, I'll accept your kindness."
"It's nothing my lord."
The Knight made his way towards the man's empty seat, while the man tossed a small bag of coins towards the counter. There, he sat comfortably, sighed, and rested his legs on the table.
Ralph was losing his mind.
A Holy Knight? Here? Why? What drink would he like? What if he doesn't like our wine? Would he hate me? Isn't he irritated by the class of our tavern?
The Knight raised his hand. "I would like to pay for everyone's drink tonight!".
Ah!
"Why so? My lord? These peasants are not worth a dime from your pocket," the rich man argued, squeezing his fists.
"Please do not concern yourself with us, my lord."
"We would gladly pay for your drink instead!"
"You're too kind, sir!"
Fionna sighed and stood. "I've got to attend to him. You know Ralph is a bit…clumsy."
Aiden narrowed his gaze on the Knight. He spotted a rather strange expression in the moment his eyes fell on Fionna.
"That's a Holy Knight," Axel whispered, taking it for curiosity. "He's really cool, isn't he?"
"Hm. Yeah."
"I'm going to be one of them soon," Axel added. "You see, every year there are these things called Trials. Next year, I will be of age, and I will go on an expedition with the Holy Knights to awaken my own unique ability! My very own Sigil!"
"Good luck."
"Thanks," said Axel. "And I do really mean that."
"If it's a trial, then is it possible to fail?"
"Well…yes of course. If I don't awaken a Sigil, I will certainly have to wait another year!"
"You live with someone else, don't you? Did he also go on an expedition?"
At first, Axel was going to ask the dumb question of 'how did you know', but then he realised that there were two beds in his abode and many other things that hinted at a roommate.
Axel sighed, and rubbed his temples. "Walter, huh? Well, he failed, unfortunately. And he's been really down about it lately. I don't even know his whereabouts anymore. But, believe me, he wasn't always like this. He used to be my chatterbox, you know."
"But he changed," Aiden finalised.
"Yeah."
"Ever since the Trial."
Axel raised a brow. "Yes?"
Slam!
"This is good wine!" The Knight cheered, hitting the mug on the table. "Another!"
Fionna rushed to attend, while Ralph lingered around…and stared. He stood watching for so long, that the Knight must have begun to get a little creeped out by it.
"What's the matter, boyo?"
"My name is Ralph, sir!" He said with restrained excitement. "And I am a big fan of The Legion!"
"Ha! That's good. Do you want to become one of us someday?"
"Uh..well, I could never hope to be as amazing as you guys are," he said with a pained smile.
"With that mentality, certainly not. Why are you standing there? Take a seat. See? That man is leaving too."
Ralph didn't hesitate. "Please tell me about your adventures, sir master lord!"
"Sir master lord?" The Knight laughed. "What's that about? Call me Carth! That's my name!"
"I.. could never. Sir Carth! That is right!"
"Whatever floats your boats," said Carth. "So my adventures huh?" He rubbed his beards. "Well, dungeon business ain't always the fun goblin-slaying trip, so I've forgotten most of it. The only troublesome shit I remember is the fairies we met on one unfortunate island, and all the shit that followed."
"What happened?"
"Hmm…nothing much. Except about twenty Knights were found dead."
"Impossible! Fairies can't possibly-!"
"Of course it wasn't the fairies. Who else would it be except the wolf of legion lamb?"
"Who?" Ralph had no clue.
"You must be kidding. You don't know the Red Phantom? Killer of a hundred knights?"
"Red…phantom. I think I might have heard that name somewhere."
Carth laughed, sneaking a glance at Fionna. "You really don't know shit."
Axel started to feel dizzy. Aiden noticed.
"Do you want to go back?" he asked.
"No. I'm okay."
And those were Axel's last words before he passed out.
Fionna returned to Carth's table with two mugs of beer. But then, when she presented them to Carth, his fingers crept higher than they should and he ended up grabbing her by the wrists.
It startled her. Fionna jolted back, and spilled the wine.
"Ah sorry, sorry," said the Knight with an unapologetic grin. "I didn't see your hand there."
"Um…it's fine," said Fionna, feeling a tad uncomfortable. "I'll just…clean this up."
"But you know," the Knight licked his lips. "You're quite a beauty, too."
"Sir! What about my daughter?" disputed the rich man. "Isn't she well in the right places?"
"To hell with your daughter," he dismissed. "What's your name pretty? Fionna? I like that."
"Hm. Thank you," she replied with a forced smile, before excusing herself as quickly as she could.
No one noticed the awkwardness of the situation, all thanks to the power of alcohol, save two witnesses.
Ralph, and the ever-observant Aiden.
Ralph seemed rather conflicted.
What the hell was that about?