Morons and Monarchs

Chapter 64: Bayou🍻

I grab my second double shot glass from the counter, downing it before slamming it back and signaling for another one. I wipe my mouth with the back-side of my hand and wince at the burn of the mysterious liquid. 

Somebodies hand shakes my shoulder, and I shoot up before glaring at the person who dared distract me from my true purpose here. To get bloody drunk and wasted.  

I had enough for a few days worth, and my crew is just driving me to the brink of insanity. Nobody wants to tell us how the heck to get into the Dead Quarters, not that anybody has permission anyhow, other than Death, and I would rather not ask him. 

But it isn't just any person- nor is it anybody from the Grand Revolt. Instead, it is somebody only a few inches shorter than me, and I stare down at Ea as he grins up at me sloppily. His chains on his foot clanking loudly as he steals my next shot glass from the counter and chugs it. My glare intensifies. 

"What?" I snap out, ignoring the messy. foreign feeling of grief trying to clog my throat painfully. 

"Fancy seeing you here, Bayou." Ea's own voice sounds distant- as if lost in a sea of his own despair. 

"Well, Ea," I reply, taking my own sweet time to voice one of my smaller concerns. "I think it is the other way around." A smile. Fake. "You never go to any taverns? What has gotten into you, pretty boy?" 

He sits on the bar-stool next to mine, stealing another one of my shots. "Viviendel said something about taverns when I was still on Imbolc Island, so now it has become a custom to come here every Saturday, just to feel a bit of her presence with me." He sniffs the air, looking over at me fully. 

"How is she? Viviendel?" 

I shake my head, not understanding. "You were with her last," I continue, oblivious to the stare he shoots my way prevailing all of his trauma and hurt. "Though, it seems not anymore." I look at his head- of which his full skull of hair seems almost shaven, and how his stomach seems leaner and his muscles smaller- down to his toes, which are shackled and bloody. "What happened?" 

He chuckles dryly, his throat seeming constricted probably with tears. "The Queens forced Viviendel to kill me," He stares down at me, his own gaze softened. 

"I begged her to," A tear slips out. "I told her that she had to, I was selfish." 

I almost wanted to touch his shoulder, but I relented, instead, I cleared my throat. "She knows, most likely." A shrug, seeming impassive although i was anything but. 

"She has to deal with the fact that she killed me now," Another tear, and I wanted so badly to comfort my friend who was in so much immense pain, but I refused. Knowing I had to be strong here. That nothing is as it seems. "She has to live with the fact that I am dead." 

I shake my head. "Karma, Ea," I stare into his pain-filled eyes. "Things like that only happen if it was deserved." 

He nodded. "What did she ever do?" 

"I do not know,Ea." 

"Me either, Bayou." He snuffles, turning away and cringing at the gross tavern we sit in. "What are you doing here?" 

"Seeing family," I deceive. 

"Lies." 

"I am an Encantados, I can not lie." 

"Lies," Ea repeats, glancing at me with a small smile. 

My own vanishes, and I stare open-mouthed at him. 

"We all knew, Bayou." He shrugs. "There was always those latex gills on your and gray paint splattered on your hands and face. The blue cans of mysterious things in your bathroom were enough to prove that you were either a.) already growing gray hairs, or b.) you had red hair. It really was fairly simple." 

I start shaking. How could I be so careless? 

"So I will ask again, Bayou," he continues, ignoring my gaping face. "What are you doing here?" 

"Stealing a sword for the rest of mankind," Ea stills at my words. I didn't lie. 

"And why?" Is all he says, his voice all of a sudden sounding like Azuls. Chirpy. 

"Because..." I let my voice trail off before answering. "The Queens need it." Through their own heads, I do not say. Although, I was tempted. 

He nods. "You can't get Aeron without permission." 

I nod again, then pause. "How did you know I was speaking of Aeron?" 

"What other sword of mysterious purpose would the Queens want?" 

I shake my head. "You were always too observant for your own good," 

"You were too oblivious for yours." He replies. "You know.... as a favor, I am friends with Death."
I stare at him. Hard. Getting his double meaning. "you would?" 

"Of course," He looks almost affronted. 

I smile. 

This may not be too bad after-all.