Isolde

Chapter 7 - The Journey to Rilia

By the time they were out of the bay, everyone had recovered from their sprint from the forest. Heart rates slowed and red began to drain from faces to reveal their old tones. Conversation ensued amongst the men as they toasted their victory with ale.

The lanterns around the ship were lit, giving a golden haze to the wooden deck. The men all sat around a barrel that'd been moved to the centre and rolled dice as they drank. They sang and chanted as they gambled and had fun.

Prince Alvaro knew it was late and that he should really force his men to take to their bunks for the night. They had a several day's sail ahead of them and jobs would need to be done tomorrow that required restored strength. But he couldn't bring himself to stop their fun. They'd just escaped the Turige, he'd let them relax and enjoy it whilst it was still fresh in their minds. He himself would also enjoy it, he thought as he poured himself a glass of ale from the barrel the men had opened. Lady Isolde approached him.

"Ahh Lady Isolde." he smiled "I trust you are recovering from the escape."

She smiled "Almost, I won't feel fully recovered though until I complete the task I came here to do."

"And what's that." he puzzled

"To say thankyou to you." she spoke plainly "I doubted your motives at first but you saved us on more than one occasion tonight when you had no obligation to do so. Without you we'd both be dead so I thank you profusely from the bottom of my heart. And even if the princess doesn't seem grateful, know that she is."

Frelian graciously accepted the thankyou and lifted his tankard in thanks for the praise before turning to his men and suggesting "We shall have a toast, to our escape."

The men murmured in agreement and all readied their tankards, some got up to refill them.

"Lady Isolde would you like to join us in toasting our success?" he asked her

She retrieved a tankard from the table, it felt heavy in her hand even though it was empty, she was used to the metal goblets and glasses she brought to Alouette in the castle.

Frelian laughed at her as she moved to stand behind the men, tankard in hand "Your tankard is empty m'lady. You can't toast with an empty tankard."

Isolde stepped back towards the table and allowed Frelian to pass her a full tankard in exchange for her empty one back. The dark liquid rocked around in its container as she carefully walked over to the men, trying not to spill it on the deck.

Alouette now approached to see why everyone was gathering. She's disappeared inside briefly but now feeling she was missing out on a celebration, returned to the deck. "What are we doing?" she asked Isolde who now sipped her drink.

"We are going to toast our escape." she explained, the liquid trickling down her throat.

"I shall get a glass of wine then." Alouette decreed heading towards Frelian to ask him where she might find a suitable bottle.

"I'm afraid we have no wine aboard Princess" he explained "Only ale for now, you are welcome to have some of that."

Alouette looked unimpressed but seemed willing to compromise on her drink "very well, where are the goblets?"

"No goblets either, this ship was designed for mercenaries not royalty so it lacks in finery such as goblets."

Alouette reluctantly picked up an empty tankard from the table as Isolde had done, she brought it up to her face and inhaled deeply before bringing it away again "It smells ghastly, I will join you in your toast however I shall be damned before I take a sip of anything out of one of these tankards."