Tales of the Vangen: The Black Ministry's Betrayal (Book 1)

Chapter 58: A Brotherhood Like No Other

Dux tipped his cup back and guzzled down the rest of his beer. Regis sat opposite of him, bleary-eyed and sporting a cocky grin. A motley crew of guardsmen surrounded them, swaying and cheering like a pack of drunken jackasses.

"Come on, old man," Regis taunted as he placed one elbow on the table, hand extended out. "I ain't got all night."

"Let me get my liquid courage in you big bastard," Dux wiped his mouth and slammed his cup down. "Besides, who are you calling old man anyway? You're barely ten years my junior." With a raucous belch, he mimicked Regis with the opposite hand. The two clasped.

"Go on, Captain! Kick his ass!" One of the guardsmen yelled.

"Ten dwans on the Northman!" Another shouted.

"It's going to be really embarrassing when I kick your ass in front of all your men," Regis taunted. His hand tightened around Dux's, daring to crush his bones beneath his vice-like grip.

"We'll see," Dux merely said. And then the match began. Regis's muscles rippled as he brought all his strength down on Dux. He grit his teeth, eyes focused as he pushed desperately to bring the Captain's hand down on the other side of the table.

However, Dux merely sat there, jaw clenched, his arm wavering slightly as he pulled the opposite way. The crowd hooped and hollered as the two held their ground in a stalemate. An unstoppable force fighting against an immovable object. As far as they knew, at least.

"God's damn you, you granite born son a bitch," Regis grunted as he leaned into his arm, trying desperately to pry Dux from the table.

"You think just cause I'm old that I'd simply let you win?" Dux laughed. "You'll tire yourself out before I'd let that happen." He let go of the table with his free hand and waved over at Hordie. "Grab me a drink, will ya? Waiting makes me thirsty."

The quartermaster returned soon with the beer, dropping it in Dux's hand. He chugged the beer down in one gulp and tossed the cup aside, turning to Regis side-eyed. "Still here?"

"Oh feck you," Regis grabbed with both hands and made to wrench his arm down. Dux's hand barely teetered an inch.

"I will admit." Dux leaned in close, placing his free hand back against the table. "You are pretty strong, but I'm afraid the crowd is growing bored. As am I." In one swift motion, Dux threw his arm down, slamming Regis's hand against the table, pitching the man clean out of his chair.

The crowd went ballistic. Guardsmen cheered, threw up their arms, and passed dwans between the winners and losers on bets. Regis turned himself around and glared up at Dux from the floor. The crowd went silent. For a brief moment, Dux held the man's gaze. Then Regis burst into laughter, and everyone cheered once more.

"Threw me on my ass, he did!" Regis pulled himself up, eyes and mouth smiling. He snagged a beer from a nearby guardsman and downed it. "It's no wonder why they call you, Captain, Captain."

Dux leaned back into his chair, arms crossed, beaming from ear to ear. "The only reason I'm Captain is that I've got men like you to keep me alive long enough to earn that title," He rose from his chair, planting one foot upon the seat. " That's because we're more than just soldiers around here, boys! We're brothers-in-arms!"

The crowd erupted with cheer. "We're not some stinking mercenary company. We're not a band of sellswords living on a meager soldier's wage," Dux's voice rose in volume as Hordie passed another round of cups amongst the crowd. "We're the gods damned Vangen! A Brotherhood! The best of the best this Empire and any other Empire out there has ever seen!" Dux grabbed his own cup and raised it high. "To the Vangen! Long may we reign!"