The Tale of the Fallen Queen

Chapter Three

Awaking the next morning she rolls herself over slowly her eyes fluttering open letting out a soft tired sigh, slowly rising from the bed she carried herself in the black tank top and Grey pants, out of her inn room, down the stairs and out the door her gold bouncing on her hip jiggling a bit, she made her way quickly too the closest shop, purchasing herself a royal blue cloak and some better clothing before returning to the inn to drop her items off prepping herself in her new garbs she sighed

"Much better"

She muttered to herself as she exits her room once again, to head to the tavern on the bottom Floor of the inn to get a drink, and look for some work, while she had plenty of work, she would need the gold in the long run.

Entering the tavern she found a minagery of People, she ignored most of them approaching the barkeep, a younger Elvish Male possibly in his mid to late twenty's with long Golden hair braided neatly like many Elves, dressed in the usual barkeep uniform his voice like satin

"How can i help you?"

His slightly snooty Elvish tone Mused gazing the woman up and down

"Ale, any type"

"Of course miss..."

Sliding him a gold peice verena slowly glanced around taking in those directly around her unaware of the prying eyes form not far behind her at a table covered in empty tankards

It took a brief moment tapping her foot rapidly as she waited for her alcohol it was slowly slid infront of her

"Here you go madam"

"Thank you..."

"Steel"

"Thank you steel"

She sipped her drink taking in more of her surroundings as she took a sip she gaged the disgusting taste didn't stop her from drinking it her eyes made there scan of the room locking on a specific man... he held her kingdoms symbol scrached out of his Pauldron

'A knight?'

She mentally Mused as she rose approaching him

"A knight of my kingdom... im gl-"

"Not anymore,"

he says finishing off his drink

"not since i was cast out."

Verena pauses she didn't recall casting any soldier out in her time of ruling, She tilted her head

"You where cast out? When?"

She Mused standing before him gazing down at his slightly slumped figure sitting there

"A year before the fall of the kingdom..."

He solemnly responded as a gentle shocked look crossed her face.

"Who cast you out?"

"One of your 'Trusted' advisors... removed me for loosing my regimen of men..."

She frowns softly as the male leaned back

"What is your name, sir knight?"

"I am Gawain"

"... is there anything i can do for your wrongful banishment"

"The kingdom is no more there is nothing you can do for me..."

"... for now..."

She softly stated she weakly forced a Smile back. The war had taken an obvious toll on this woman
Small bags under her eyes her shoulders slumped forward

"Well, my queen, if you would forgive me, you look horrible,"

he says softly, a small bit of care creeping back into his Cold eyes

"Yes yes... i know..."

she rubbed her temples running her fingers through her hair messing it up even more then it was.

"Have you been on the run this whole time?"

He asks her, head ever so slightly tilted to the side

"No, after the war ended i remained in the castle... only just a few days ago did i make my way out if the ruins...."

She sighed softly as she spoke rubbing her eyes gently.
She did have a few cuts and scrapes, a bandage on her upper left arm barely hidden by the sleeve of her royal blue garbs

"And you are alone? No guards or advisors?"

"All dead"

"Well then my queen, please accept my blade as yours,"

he says bowing his head a bit.

She smiles a bit

"I will gratefully accept your blade"

She bows her head a bit in return
She sips her drink the horrible liquid caused her to gag a little.
He smiles laughing a bit,

"not used to commoner ale?"

He asks her smiling as he leaned back in his seat. She coughed a bit

"I'm not use to ale in general"

She laughed weakly
She shifted in her seat bit she was disheveled and awkward clearly sleep hadn't been kind and given how long she had been in the ruins it was a wonder she was alive

He smiles softly at her as she shifted

"dont worry my queen, i shall keep you safe now,"

he says to her, in a caring tone.

"I know, thank you gawain"

The calming silence that washes over the two is ruined by a short stout dwarf crashes into the table the tankard in the dwarfs hand had a arrow in it across the bar was a tall male Elf who had an bow drawn looking as if he had just fired a arrow from it the string still vibrating from the release of tension.

"Are you alright sir?"

Verena mused looking down at the now shattered table and dwarf on the floor

"What's it to you lass just help me up"

His thick accent made him a little hard to understand but both verena and gawain made do.
Gawain helped the stout slightly drunken dwarf to his feet.

"Thank yee lad"

"Your welcome sir"

"What's your name?"

Verena asked the dwarf suddenly

"I am Nozic feeblewinter"

"Pleasure to meet you i am Verena feyre"

"Ah, pleasure to meet you lassy"

The elf had made his approach now

"Nozic leave these lovely people alone"

"Oi your the one who made me stumble into there table"

"And for that i am terribly sorry... i am Nero Wormwood"

The tall elf bowed, introductions where repeated on verena and Gawains side

"Perhaps ye two should join us for a drink"

The dwarf suggested too verena and gawain

"We would love too"

Verena stated before Gawain could argue

The four seat themselves at a table together drinks are ordered and conversations soon follow this continued well into the day till around 4pm.