Lady Death

SIX

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Heavy snowfall blanketed the world in white as two dark figures trudged across the deserted town square. The full moon, their only guide save for the bawdy tune being sung in the ramshackle tavern ahead of them, made the snow glow an eerie blue color. The tavern, its windows alight with the golden flames of candles, was the only establishment on the entire street still open. The two wrapped their cloaks tightly around themselves as they hurried towards the promised warmth of the tavern ahead.

Cassius and his brother, still wearing their full uniforms, stomped their boots on the wooden porch outside the tavern. The rickety wooden platform was less of a porch and more of a ledge that barely jutted out from under the building at the front door. Cassius was surprised it could even hold his weight, let alone both his and his twin brother's weight. An awning riddled with holes, and tattered from the sun and wind, barely shielded them from the quickly forming blizzard. Cassius put a gloved hand to the Tavern door, it quickly swung open. The wind slammed it against the wall and snow drifted in, onto the stained wooden floors. The door's chipped paint and cracks in the wood did little to stave off the winter chill.

A roaring fire lit up and warmed the tavern. With a swift kick of a black heavy boot, Callum slammed the tavern door shut, behind them. All eyes fell on the two black-masked royal guards standing in the doorway. Their cloaks dusted in snow. The tavern fell quiet for a moment before it erupted into laughter and drunken shouts.

The entire establishment was filled with almost every member of Prince Thidal's personal guard. The Prince had an entire company of soldiers under his command. All of them were here. Cassius had never seen so many soldiers in the personal guard of any royal. Usually, they kept only a Squad or Platoon with them.

Prince Thidal did nothing small. In the last year alone, the Prince had almost doubled the number of males in his guard. Cassius was honestly surprised that no one in the palace seemed to care or notice that those protecting the Crowned Prince now outnumbered even the King's personal guard.

Cassius was too tired to stop and drink or even mingle with his fellow guards. A few of the males had become his friends in the short time he had worn the black mask.

It was easy for him to make friends, even though he preferred the silent company of his brother. He spotted their small friend group towards the far end of the bar.

Cassius could have left his mask on, but he knew Liam had already spotted them. Liam had befriended Cassius on his first day as a member of the royal guard. Cassius was thankful to remove the stuffy mask, now that he was inside. He pulled it from his face and tucked it carefully under his arm.

It was an equalizer of sorts to the royal guards. Few, if any of the Prince's guards were wholly human. But, with the masks, no one could easily tell that they were not. In Kilian, it made all the difference in the world. They were not half-bloods, mutts, or Etherie freaks with the masks on. With the masks, they were the Crowned Prince's royal guard. Fierce, loyal, and strong. No one sneered as they passed. No one refused them service. Not as long as they had that mask and uniform.

"Hey!" Liam shouted to them from across the room. The lanky boy of a halfling leaned off his wobbly bar stool as he extended a hand in the air to the twins. Beside him, two equally uneven and dirty bar stools sat open at the small table. A miracle in the overcrowded bar.

This was only their second night here. The first night the tavern below the inn had run completely out of ale. The barrels of alcohol lining the far wall of the tavern suggested the same mistake would not occur tonight. Cassius had seen the panic in the poor inn owner's eyes the night before. The inn owner had expected violence. But, when the ale had run out, the males, as Cassius now referred to them, that made up the royal guard did not turn on their host. Instead, they began to peacefully wander back to their rooms. The few that remained, circled round to tell stories. Two males even returned to share the liquor they had brought with them from the capital.