Swords of Power

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Ahh, there he is. The man of the hour" Elshire cheered, followed by a long and stinky burp that Bucklin could smell from outside the doorway. "Why don't you jump behind the bar, and pour your favorite uncle some ale!"

"I think you've had plenty of free ones already." Snarked Eileen.

"Here aunt Eileen I'll buy his next one, but it's the last one, Pops." Ella rolled her eyes at her father, as she handed her aunt one silver coin that she had just received as a tip from a local customer. Then filled another mug of Crabapple ale that had a fresh curdle of bubbly foam.

"You are too good for him. My sweet, Ella." Eileen kissed Ella on her glistened forehead and returned to the kitchen.

Bucklin made his way over to his uncle who sat on a lone barstool at the end of a batten. That sat below a window that was stained with the picture of the original orchard embedded into the glass. It was a small grove of appletrees with twelve in total, with a blue sky, and a single crow hovering over it. Those same trees make up the front row of the orchard to this very day. Ella brought her cousin a complimentary tankard of his favorite grape wine, but this was not the less-aged wine they sell to most of their customers. This was the tavern's premium beverage, which was only served to the most important of guests, or on special occasions. Bucklin took a swig of the sweet and savory aged grape wine and was taken back by the purity of the drink. It had been since last winter he got a taste of the succulent nectar, and he had almost forgotten how delicious it truly was. It was colder than the typical booze sold, due to its time in the cellar below the tavern, and when it hit his tongue he could already feel a light buzz the concentrated alcohol released. Followed by a sweet goodness that not even fresh grapes picked off the vine could replicate.

Bucklin wasted no time in drinking the entire mug of wine and waved Ella over for another. But this time it was Buckshire who brought over the cup. He pulled up a wobbly stool that screeched on the floor like nails on a chalkboard until he took a heavy seat that planted the legs into the hardwood floor. The Mothertree was abnormally quiet this evening. Only Elshire and three torn-clothed bar slugs who spent many nights at this watering hole were in attendance. Buckshires' visit was brief while he informed Bucklin a storm was brewing and the tavern would be closing early this evening. Therefore, many of the customers decided to cut their visit short, and head home before the heavy rains and winds picked up.

"So what's the occasion? You never hand out the good stuff for no reason." Bucklin asked his father. Taking another sip of wine.

"The good stuff? Let me have a sip!" Elshire, too tipsy to see straight, tried to look inside Bucklin's tankard.

"That's not for you doofus," Buckshire said, pushing his little brother's sloppy face away from the booze. "Besides, you did good work today. That couple you waited on had high praise for you this morning. They came back after you left and gave us a gold coin for the service you provided. So to pay you for the gold con I gave you some premium wine."

"Hey, I deserve the gold coin and the good stuff!" Bucklin demanded, taking another slurp of the dark purple concoction.

"Unfortunately you already drank both mugs and someone gotta pay for that quality of booze. Besides, it's what you deserve for teasing me earlier." Buckshire grinned as he placed the stool back under the batten.

Bucklin was furious, but it didn't stop him from drinking the wine. Tipping his cup face end down, until every drop trickled down his mouth. Although, their premium booze is definitely of high quality, in no way was it worth a gold coin. Two mugs of it would be maybe six silver coins or seven with a tip. A gold coin is worth ten silver pieces alone and maybe twelve depending on the size. Since gold coins were so irregular, they can fluctuate in price depending on their weight. That type of money would have been enough for Bucklin to buy the dark blue moccasins from The Cow House, that had caught his eye on many strolls down the red-clayed road. Its blue vamp was made with the best leather, along with a soft brown that almost resembled gold string that always dazzled his eyes in the large squared windows of the olive green building. But now Bucklins' best chance of getting these flashy new shoes would depend on the price he gets for his piglets. If the buyer stays true, then he should be rewarded twenty silver coins. Of course, that depends if their plump pinkish underbellies weigh enough for that kind of coin. If not he may only get eighteen for the porkers.