Viva la Vida

The Curiosity of a Drunkard

Arczex TekTao sighed to himself as he downed yet another whiskey, the bottle being set down on the bar counter just like many others. His gaze was set on the bar counter he sat in front of now, his burgundy eyes holding the obvious traces of inner conflict and confusion. His thoughts were a mystery to almost all who sat around him, sharing with him the space of the establishment. Few would be able to know where it was his mind currently wandered, one of those few sitting next to him now, his bronze eyes looking at the much older male with concern and worry.

"Thinkin' 'bout sis again?" he muttered, his country drawl slipping into his speech. Arc nodded, afterwards taking in the sight of Talaco sighing and giving him a fully concerned look. "What is it about her that has you so concerned? She's come back to us, hasn't she? Ain't that enough?"

The drunkard shook his head. "That's not the issue, Taloco. Sure, I'm happy to see 'er again, an' to see she's willin' t'e help us, but if she was so happy with the violet haired idiot...why is she helpin' us now?" Arc loved his sister to high heaven, and hated the thoughts invading his mind about her, but he couldn't shake the thought that something about her wanting to help them was odd. She had never given him a proper reason as to why she wanted to help, and refused to answer. He hated to assume she was spying on them, and hated even more so the other possibilities of why she may dislike her days at the castle now.

The farmer boy sighed again. Arc knew he was about to retort when a very British and very female voice spoke up behind him. "Well how about you ask me while I have the time to explain?" Stood behind them was the very woman they were discussing, Aeldun Drakon and Andeyo Neokam behind her.

The Irishman gave her a shocked look, much like the other residents of the tavern were, as she sat down and ordered a rum from a stunned bartender. When all she was met with was a stunned silence, she sneered and snapped her fingers in the man's face. She then noticed the rest of the bar and rolled her eyes. Arc found himself chuckling. "I see ye still haven't lost yer bitter and commanding personality." He laughed harder when she responded with an unladylike hand gesture. He smiled more as he noticed not only his younger brother laughing, but the queen and her companions either quietly chuckling or smiling fondly at the scene. "How about we go home to discuss this, get away from the crowd?" he offered. She smiled at him and the siblings stood, the now group of five exiting the tavern and walking to the home of the TekTaos.

While none of the siblings truly shared the last name with him, Arczex was the oldest, and the others were all grateful for being taken in. Arc had at least one adopted sibling in every caste of eye color, from burgundy to fuschia. While the social class system nowadays had moved on from its previously harsh categorizing, the generalizations were still rarely broken away from, though none were ever too harshly criticized for entering a position meant primarily for higher castes. Burgundy, brown, gold, and either variation of lime, be it the color itself or a bright neon red, were all classified as lower class. Olive, Jade, Teal, and what could only be described as cobalt blue were the middle class, though cobalt often got mixed in with the higher tier of blue. The true upper class consisted of a darker shade of blue known as indigo, purple, violet, which was indeed a more pinkish color than purple, and fuschia being the highest. But that was long ago. Everything changed when the Alactis gave up the throne to the Fizoras. Suddenly, people with eyes of burgundy were able to become aristocrats, and Arc even knew of a man of olive eyes who was able to climb through the teal-eyed dominated judicial scene, a man so successful at the job he became a member of the royal council, and the country had never seen more diversity in the social standing than when an orphaned, jade eyed woman took her place on the throne.

Upon arriving at the large home, Arc guided them all to the living room and each took a seat. He looked to his sister expectantly, awaiting an explanation as to why she had chosen to betray her lover.

The answer he got was not one he had been hoping to receive.