Eros

Divine Execution - 23

Sam suggested they use the wagon, but William insisted to get rid of as much evidence relating them to the Black Prince's dead men as possible. They released and shooed the horses, loaded all the bodies on the back of the wagon, and set them on fire. With the stench of burning flesh in their nostrils, they continued down the road.

It was evening by the time they arrived at a small town. Its streets were filled with inns, whorehouses, drunks, thugs, and broken glass. By the crowd, Alora could tell they were getting close to Deadmen's Bay. She hadn't noticed one who hadn't carried a weapon in plain sight. Scars and tattoos were common, and sleeves were rolled up to display them as medals of honor.

They found Kaido leaning against the wall of a structure that was, according to the wooden sign at its entrance, not only the best, but also the cheapest inn in town. A half-smoked cigarette dangled from the angle of his lips.

"Why did you run off all of the sudden?" William inquired.

"I was out of cigarettes." Kaido pulled the cigarette from between his lips and flicked off the ashes that clung to its smoldering end. William nodded and, to Alora's surprise, questioned him no more. How could he possibly leave it at that?

"I had a walk about in the meantime. This inn seems to be the best around."

"Aye', we always stop here." William said. "I hope you brought the old man down to half a silver for a room, he always pitches them at a silver first."

"Three silvers for six rooms," Kaido answered, "And dinner too."

"You negotiated with one of the daughters, didn't you?" William asked. Kaido's lips spread in a sly smirk. He swayed off the wall, and they followed him inside.

It was a warm place, large enough to spread its crowd. A youthful brunette with a petite figure approached them with a beaming smile that was aimed mostly at Kaido. She led them to a round wooden table.

"Dinner and ale for everyone, right?" She asked cheerfully, her eyes trailing to Kaido for approval. Kaido gave back a short nod. The waitress smiled at him even wider. Apparently, that was possible. Alora tapped her fingertips rhythmically against the table as the girl skipped towards the kitchen.

Bowls of thick soup mashed with baked potatoes were brought first. Plates of plump pies quickly followed, glazing with steam and sauce. The idea of animals bred and raised to be slaughtered repulsed Alora, but right now, the meat pie was too tasty and she was too hungry to care.

"Father is in a good mood today!" The waitress announced as she and her younger sister came to their table with a second round of delicious pies.

Sam and Nuts made a pass at the sisters whenever they drew near. The girls accepted their flirting lightheartedly: they thanked them for their compliments, laughed, and joked along. But Alora saw their eyes batting at Kaido's and William's direction. Wrapped in their own conversation, the two didn't even notice.

After last night, the last thing Alora wanted was alcohol, so she got up and walked to the bar to ask for water. She barely took two steps before she felt a smack against her rump.

"Hoho..! What a fine piece we have here..." A crude, masculine voice called behind her. She spun around, barely catching a glimpse of the man's self-satisfied grin, before she let her hand fly. The slap whacked him hard across the face, its impact tossing his head aside. He stumbled a couple steps, and stood dumbfounded for a moment. Then his dark cruel eyes set on Alora, anger flushing his face red.

"You gonna' pay for this, you fucking bitch!" He barked through a short, filthy beard. The thug was bulky, and almost as large as Rock. Alora instantly reached for her knife.

"Is there a problem here?" William stepped in between them before she could unsheathe it.

"This elven cunt hit me! He growled.

"You're lucky I didn't cut your throat." She hissed.

"Get out of my way." He moved for her, but William shifted to block his path. The thug already had his fist raised ready when Kaido stepped in. He leaned with an arm on William's shoulder, eyed the thug up and down.

"You wanna take him alone, or should I give a hand?" Kaido asked William in his nonchalant voice. The thug's eyes widened with rage.

"I say we all give a hand," Sam said, stretching his arms as him, Nuts, and Rock came to William's other side. "It'll be a good exercise to help the food down ."

The commotion drew the attention of two men that rushed to the bulky man's either side. His confidence returned.

"What do you say boys, let's beat up this miserable bunch then show their pretty little slut how real men fuck." He said, a nasty grin smearing across his face. Before anyone else could respond, Alora slipped past William and drove a kick into the thug's crotch.

Mocking laughter boomed from Kaido as the man bent in half before them. He straightened with visible effort, his eyes so full of rage it seemed they're about to pop out of their sockets.

"You're gonna die for this!" He roared, pulling a dagger from the back of his belt. Steels flashed out of leather as everyone but Kaido yanked out their arms.

"Hey!" A booming call came from a short, bearish man, who packed an ale-gut along with heavy arms. With remarkable ease, he threw one of the thug's companion's out of his way to the center of the impending fight. "Everybody get your dicks back in your pants, you know very well I won't have any cockfights in my inn."

A heavy frown formed in his thick, graying stubble. Both sides hesitated, yet none withdrew their weapons.

"Do it, or I swear by the seven you'll sleep in Fred's flea-infested beds and eat his rotten-vegetable stew whenever you stop in this town for the rest of your short fucking lives."

The men withdrew and sheathed their weapons. Alora followed their lead and tucked her hunting knife back in her boot.

"Good." The owner gave a firm nod. "Now sit the fuck down, the next round of ale is on me."

The two groups returned to their tables. Only the bearded thug who started it all still stood. He stared at Alora, his face twisted and fists clenched.

"Jim." The owner growled at him. He finally turned and went back to his table. As promised, the owner treated them to another round of ale. When the sisters had brought it, the older one smiled at Alora and whispered.

"This Jim is a true asshole. He always does this to women here. I'm really glad someone strong and brave like you put him in his place."

Alora found herself flattered by the admiration that shone in the girl's eyes.

Soon after, the atmosphere lightened. The men ordered a bottle of rum and drank vigorously. Alora couldn't stand as much as the smell of the liquid when they offered her a glass.

Nevertheless, she enjoyed its effect on the men. The jokes got less and less witty with every glass they downed, but even when they were utterly stupid, the drunks' laughter was infectious, and even the greatest efforts couldn't stop her from joining it. The whole tackle was forgotten by all of its participants.

All except one. From across the inn, Jim's eyes hadn't left Alora once until the end of the night.