Ashes of Revenge

Chapter 7: Raven's Game

Colt arrived at the pub, locked his horse in a stall, and made his way up to the room. Raven and Richard looked as if they had arrived a minute or so before him, both settling into the chairs.

"Hey," murmured Raven, producing two coins and sliding them from finger to finger against the wood.

"I got my horse back," Colt said as he walked to the window and looked out it, making sure the Knights hadn't followed him or the others.

"Colt," Richard said, "it's fine." Colt nodded, the movement too stiff to mean he was at any ease. Nonetheless, he forced himself away and sat down, bringing out his stolen possessions as Richard and Raven did the same.

Silence passed between them.

"I won," Richard said with a shrug.

"No, that's crazy. I won," Colt said.

"Yeh both are delusional, I clearly won," Raven shot back.

"Oll yeh got to show for it is a big bag of coins!" Colt exclaimed.

"Which I took from a Palace Official!"

"That's supposed to mean somethin' to us?!"asked Colt.

"Yeah, yeh bloody twat!"

"Ladies, ladies," Richard chimed in, "I won."

"That's ridiculous!" Both Colt and Raven said.

"Oll yeh did was trade in yer stuff for coins!" Raven added.

"Yeh bloody idiots, what else am I supposed to do?!" When they had these debates, Richard acted like Raven and Colt. It was a nice change of pace from his usually stern and mature persona.

"Richard . . . Raven," Colt said, leaning back in his chair and sighing. "I clearly won."

"Bull shite!" Raven yelled.

"Agreed!" Richard banged his hand on the table, making the possessions slightly jump against the worn wood.

"I have both money an' jewelry!"

"An' what are we supposed to do with that? Wear 'em?!" questioned Richard.

"Raven could!"

"No!" Raven exclaimed. "Yeh lost!"

"Agreed."

Colt's face fell as his knife extended. He scooped his findings into his pocket in an almost violent manner. "Richard won," he grumbled, his face still in its fallen state.

Raven's face fell. She had been defeated yet again by Richard.

Richard smiled as he sat back in his chair. "Ha."

"Shut up."

As they all put away their findings, a silence passed between them.

"We all see tha Knights an' Palice Official?" Colt asked suddenly. He ran his fingers through his hair a few times. It was normal to have Knights in the villages, but the ones they had seen had been with an Official and were from the Castle, just like the previous Knights they had encountered.

"Tha Mundus King is comin' through here soon." stated Richard. "This village is closer to tha Mundus territory, so tha fact Knights are olready here means we need to hurry." When a Ruler – or anyone in the Royal family – were coming to, or passing through, a Kingdom every village was prepared. Years ago, there had been an attack revolving around the Mundus Princess, where she, her mother, and the entire party were butchered. Since then, every Ruler began to take precautions to ensure they and their familys were safe.