The Hero of Brookshire

Chapter Three

"That was a close call," said Amere. "For a moment there I thought we were both going to die."
"We nearly did back there if it weren't for your smooth-talking," said Utorg.
"It wasn't just my smooth-talking that saved us; it was my necklace that my dad gave me."
Utorg looked at the dangling curved necklace hanging from Amere's neck. "That old thing? Little One, I know it means a lot to you, but objects like necklaces don't produce luck besides in the form of high gold if you were smart enough to sell it."
Amere shook his head. "No, I'll never sell it. It's the only thing that I have left of my father."
"See? This is why I tell you that you can't be soft. You're too soft, Little One."
"I get it from my father."
"You've inherited a weakness of your father. I don't think you realize that Greigut has got a worse temper than the king of Braisen."
Amere sighed and rolled his eyes. "Having the king be mad at us would be a better luxury than the life we're living now. At least we wouldn't worry if we'd see tomorrow or not."
"Unfortunately, we don't have a luxury to be working for the king. We have to take what we have and make the best of it that we can. Let's go visit your sister, I'm sure she'd love to see us."
Amere and Utorg walked through their lively village. Exploring deeper into it, they encountered their elven friend, Fenyl, waving them down.
Fenyl was a slim elf. He had green eyes that shone as bright as emeralds along with pale skin. He also possessed short white hair.
"Well, if it isn't Utorg and Amere," said Fenyl as he walked over toward the duo.
"And if it isn't our favorite knife-eared elf," said Utorg.
Fenyl formed a small smile. "Utorg, you're still the same old hard ass orc. The last seventeen years haven't changed you much I see. I'll take that knife-ears comment as a compliment though. What happened to your face?" he asked.
Utorg raised his enormous left hand up to his swollen lip. He softly groaned. "Greigut happened, that's what. He wasn't too pleased with us not having his gold and took his anger out on me. We just got out of a close call with him. Little One here saved our necks," said Utorg. "We were headed over to the brothel to tell Evelyn."
"You should know better than to come back to him empty-handed. You probably spoke too much knowing you, Utorg. Amere is a clever one. He reminds me of his father. Both of them are clever."
"Yeah, well you managed to give up the Guild life and escape into the farmer life, Fenyl," said Amere.
"It didn't come overnight. It was a mutual agreement Utorg and I made to help support and raise your sister and you. After all, I'm an elf. We tend to have a farmer's background if you remember our history. There was a time when I did the same work you're doing with Utorg. It isn't easy to escape the Guild lifestyle. I wanted Utorg to join me in farming, but Greigut wouldn't allow us both to leave the gang and Utorg would need a new partner."
"So, what brings you out of the house and into the marketplace?" asked Utorg.
"I was just doing some shopping picking up a few odds and ends before I noticed you two walking by. Don't let me keep you two, I have more shopping to attend to so I think I'll get back to it," said Fenyl before turning his back.
"See you back at home, Fenyl. Hopefully you pick up something good for dinner tonight," said Amere.
"A growing young man like you should be open to anything I prepare, Amere. May Druvvalikar be with you," said Fenyl before walking off.   
Utorg scoffed before Amere and him continued walking through Brookshire. "Fenyl and that damned Druvvalikar bullshit talk of his," he said.
"What? You know Fenyl has a belief in him just like a lot of the folk living in Braisen," said Amere.
"It wasn't always that way, Little One. The elves once had their own gods. They had their own polytheistic religion."
"500 years of slavery can wipe out the elves' culture and beliefs, you know."
"Yes, I suppose it can."
"Besides, you've never been the religious type. Dragon god, elven god, it doesn't matter. It's all the same to you. Made up stories told to the people of the kingdom in order to keep them in line and feeling a false sense of security."
"The only gods I believe in are the ones with the fattest coin pockets. They have the real power in the whole scheme of things."
"Figures. That's why you won't step foot in a church."
"I'm too far gone to be saved, Little One. Religion only destroys society. It doesn't help it."
Amere rolled his eyes. "Let's agree to disagree on that."
"You'll learn one day, Little One. You'll see the world for what it truly is. And, you'll see the lies."
"Moving on, Utorg, can you tell me some more about my father?"
"What do you want to know about him?"
"Everything that you haven't told me. I only know of what you told Evelyn and me growing up. I remember you telling us that he used to work with Fenyl and you back before I was born."
"You're correct on that. Your father was damn good at making sure we stayed on Greigut's good side. We went on a lot of adventures together."
"How did he die?"
"Now, now. I never said to you two that he was dead; I merely said that the king's guards came for him."
"You might as well say that he died. He hasn't come back for Evelyn and I since he was taken away. You said that before our mother died, she lost hope that he was still alive. Do you think he abandoned us?"
Utorg tucked his head down as his eyes stared at the ground. "No, I don't believe he did," he said lowly. "Theron's men kidnapped him. For what reason, I don't know. He loved both your sister and you even before you were born. It's a shame that your mother died birthing you and couldn't see Evelyn and you grow up."
"Did she have any final words?"
"In her final moments, she wanted Fenyl and me to raise your sister and you up as best as we could. She trusted us with your protection and upbringing. But enough about that. We've arrived at your sister's job."
Looking up in the near distance, Amere saw a large wooden house come into focus. It reached several stories, soaring high into the sky. Coming outside of the building's door was a human male and female.
Both of their appearances were unkept with the female having her breasts nearly exposed while wearing lingerie. The male's hair was disheveled, with sweat dripping down his pale skin. Both were giggling and smiling toward the other as they walked out of the premises into each other's arms, passing by both Amere and Utorg.
Pressing forward, Amere and Utorg entered into the large wooden house. Inside, both were greeted to the sight of many women. There were predominantly human females inside, but there were also female elves, dwarves, and orcs present. All of them were dressed from top to bottom in revealing lingerie.
The brothel house's first floor had many chairs and sofas littered around. Candle lights were lit on nearby wooden tables as well. The women in the brothel were scattered into different areas of the room, some sitting on the laps of clients while others were dancing in the room, putting on a show for everyone inside as they stripped down their clothes.
In the center of the room was a large chandelier. It lit the entire room on the first floor. To the left of Amere and Utorg was a wooden staircase that led visitors to the second level of the brothel. Upstairs lied the private chambers of the prostitutes in the brothel. There, they would put on private dance shows, personally tease their clients, and have their clients pay to have sex with them.
"Are you two handsome gentlemen looking for some company?" asked one of the women as she walked toward Amere and Utorg.
"Not today, I'm afraid, beautiful," answered Utorg. "Instead, we're looking for someone."
"Who is it that you're looking for? Perhaps I can help you find them if they do business in the village's brothel."
"We're looking for Evelyn," said Amere. "She's my sister."
"Ah, our most beautiful of the women here," said the woman. "Give me a moment and see if she's not already with a client. If not, I'll go get her for you gentlemen."
The woman began walking off away from the two before she walked up to the wooden stairs. After a few moments, a female elf came slowly walking down the stairs in her place. It was Evelyn. Despite being her brother, Amere saw his sister radiate with a bright gleam from her impressive features and natural beauty.
Evelyn was pale with glossy skin. She had a sculpted figure which was twine-thin. Her waist was tapered and she had a burnished complexion.
Evelyn had light blue eyes that looked like an ocean, flowing magma red hair, small, pointy ears that stuck out from both sides of her head, and her breasts were noticeably perkier than most female elves seen around the village.
"Uncle Utorg! Amere!" cried out Evelyn. "I didn't expect to see you two here."
"Utorg suggested that we come visit you while you were working," said Amere.
Evelyn's eyes turned to Utorg. "Oh, he did, did he?" she asked.
"We just got out of some real trouble with Greigut. Your brother here saved our lives," said Utorg lowly.
"What kind of trouble did you two get into?" asked Evelyn.
"The kind of trouble that would get us skinned alive by Greigut—unpaid debt money," answered Amere.
"Unpaid debt money? Who came up short on their debt to Greigut?" asked Evelyn. 
"The bastard elf Maurilin. He came up short with his debt money to our boss, and it nearly cost both of us our lives. He claimed that business had been slow in his shop. Thanks to Amere's quick thinking, we survived Greigut's wrath. Now Greigut wants us to stay on him until he pays him," explained Utorg. "We have three weeks to collect on behalf of Greigut."
"I'm glad both of you are okay. I don't know what I would've done without you two," said Evelyn. "It's been a rough day for me too. Had a goblin and gnome come to the brothel and try walking out of here without paying me for servicing them."
"Heh, they shouldn't have been too much of a problem for you," said Utorg, growing a wide grin over his face.
Evelyn smiled. "Thanks to you, Uncle Utorg, they weren't. I kicked their asses when they tried to take me as a simple elf," she said.
Both Amere and Utorg let out a short laugh.
"Hey lady!" cried out a shrill voice.
Darting her eyes to the left of her, Evelyn turned her head to see that the voice was coming from a small goblin standing by her.
"They say you're the prettiest girl in the brothel and I want to find out if all the hype about you is true," said the goblin. "By the looks of ya, I'd say the hype around you is justified."
"You really do get the variety in customers, don't you, Evelyn?" asked Amere as he stared at the small goblin.
"Excuse me, are you two gentleman using this beautiful elf girl? I've got a lot of gold on me and I'm waiting to get service."
"No, you can have her. We were just about to leave," replied Amere.
"We'll let you get back to work, we just wanted to stop by," said Utorg.
"It was good seeing you two. I'll see you once I'm home. Try not to get into any more trouble while I'm gone, would you?" asked Evelyn.
"We'll be safe. Just make sure you don't get swindled out of gold by half men. We'll see you when you get home," said Amere.
Utorg and Amere turned their backs away from Evelyn and headed out of the brothel.
"Shall we head back to the house now?" asked Utorg.
"Yes, let's go," answered Amere. 
The two men journeyed away from the brothel, heading deep into the Brightwood Forest. After traveling through the green terrain filled with wildlife crawling on the brown bark trees, flying in the blue air, swimming in the clear water, and racing through the grassy land, the two men exited out of the dense forest. Nearby, they saw their home.
From the home's chimney, Amere could see the significant haze smoke escaping out into the air. The home was a medium-sized Tudor house with glass windows and half brick design. It came with an upstairs with two rooms: one for Amere and the other for Evelyn.
Utorg and Fenyl slept in different rooms located downstairs on the first floor. Next to the family's home was a horse stable occupied by the family's three prized horses: Stallion, Lexus, and Norse. Nearby, the family had a small farm. Most of their crops consisted of lettuce, potatoes, carrots, and corn.
"Utorg, Amere!" cried out Fenyl upon seeing the pair nearby. "Did you get a chance to say hello to Evelyn and explain to her what happened to you both?"
"Yes, we did, Fenyl," answered Utorg. "She was grateful Greigut didn't have our head, same as you."
"I wish there were a way we could get out of this," said Amere.
"On the bright side, you both are alive another day. And besides that, dinner is almost finished. I made potato and carrot stew for us," said Fenyl.
"I could use a bite to eat after everything that happened today," said Amere.
"Make that both of us, Little One," chimed in Utorg.
"Well, let's head inside then while the pot is hot then you can have some. Dinner should be made soon, and Evelyn should be home not too much longer as well," said Fenyl, turning away and walking toward the house, followed by Amere and Utorg.
Later, towards the evening, the family gathered together around the wooden dining table as they ate together.
"Utorg, can you tell me more about our father?" asked Amere.
"Twice today I hear that question. Why are you so curious about your father all of a sudden, Little One?"
"Because I've never gotten the chance to meet him like I've wanted to."
"I've told you all there is to know about your father," said Utorg, taking a spoonful of his stew to his lips. "He used to work with Fenyl and me in the Red Skull Marauders."
"Didn't he also do something else before that?" asked Amere.
"No. Only that. Your father never did anything else."
"I could swear that you mentioned he used to work for somebody else before then, Uncle Utorg," said Evelyn.
Utorg remained silent. He took another spoonful of his stew before getting up from the wooden dinner table.
"That's enough questions for the night about it," he said. "No more. Fenyl, thank you for dinner. I'm turning in for the night. Greigut will want you and I tomorrow for a new assignment, Amere."
"Yes, Utorg. I know," replied Amere.
"Before you head in for the night, I'd like to talk to you, Amere," said Evelyn.
Utorg looked over at Evelyn before his eyes turned to Amere. He shook his head before walking to his room, slamming the door shut behind him.
"Amere, Evelyn, you both know it isn't wise to upset an orc, especially if that orc is Utorg," said Fenyl.
"We know, Fenyl, we're sorry. We were just curious," said Amere.
"Just remember being too fond of curiosity gets the orc in the house angry, and we don't want that now, do we?" asked Fenyl before pushing away from the wooden table and grabbing his bowl before leaving.
Amere's eyes moved to Evelyn. "What is it, Evelyn?" he asked.
"I think Uncle Utorg is hiding something," said Evelyn.
Amere's right eyebrow raised in disbelief. "Hiding something? What could he be hiding? Evelyn, you know you shouldn't say such things."
"I don't know. I'm sorry. Maybe it's nothing, but I feel like he is. I feel like there's more to the story about our father."
"Well, if there is, he obviously isn't going to tell us willingly. For now, let's wait and see what happens. Hopefully, Utorg's conscience gets the better of him before the truth comes out another way."
Evelyn nodded her head. "Alright, I'll trust you. We'll wait and see," she said.
Evelyn lifted herself up from her wooden chair she was sitting in before she grabbed her empty stew bowl.
"I just hope you're right, Evelyn," said Amere