Chapter 3
In which there are knights yelling at old ladies and new broships being formed over alcoholic beverages.
Kos and Kon stood in the entrance area of the southern healing temple. Around them were numerous benches, all occupied by patients who were waiting for assistance. A soft echo of a choir singing rang in the air, bouncing off of the stone walls. A warm glow from the evening light filled the area, illuminating the tapestry on the walls. They only stared at the door that one of the priests took the injured man through. They didn’t look at the other patients who only looked at them with disdain; they didn’t even notice them.
“We can get a seamstress to fix your cloak later,” Kos murmured to Kon. She had ripped her dark green cloak to wrap around the man who’d been shivering before they arrived at the temple. Even as they had gotten a priest wrapped in light blue robes to take the man away, he was still shivering.
“It’s not that big of a deal,” shrugged Kon, “We just need to make sure we get the information needed from that man.”
“I have a bad feeling about that man,” Kos admitted, “What if he’s just a man from another kingdom and was attacked on his way back and wandered in for charity?”
Kon looked as Kos with an incredulous look, “Charity or not we need to get down to the bottom of this bandit business! Even if he is a man from another kingdom, we need to make sure the bandits won’t be a threat to our own people. It’s our duty to take care of them.”
At her response, a loud cackling bounced off the walls. Kos and Kon looked over at the source, an old woman who sat on one of the benches. She was clad in a ripped dress and bandages. Her skin looked as though it barely clung to her bones. The elderly woman stood up and shuffled her way over to the knights.
“Your duty? You haven’t been doing your duty!” She scowled.
Kos narrowed hir eyes at the woman. “What are you talking about? Cor is still standing, isn’t it?”
“The walls may stand but have you looked around? We’ve been in here for days without treatment! Is keeping your people sick part of your ‘duty’?”
“Our duty is to keep the bad out, the good in, and make sure you’re all safe. How the priests decide to run their temples isn’t in our code. If you have a problem with the temples then talk to the head priest!”
At this point Kos was standing head to head with the woman, just barely standing taller than her.
“That may be so, but why haven’t you done anything about the bandits attacking our homes at night? They’ve been stealing our food, leaving us with nothing!” The elder asked.
Kos’s eyebrows furrowed. “Bandits? If there had been bandits, then we’d been notified of it by now.”
“You would, if we weren’t stuck in here without treatment!”
“Excuse me.”
The voice of a priest had caught the attention of Kos and Kon. It was the same priest who had taken the man away, at least they thought it was; they could never be too sure with the way the priests had their faces covered with cowls. It was the same voice at least.
The priest walked up to Kon. “The man has passed out shortly after we took him in. We were able to cure him of the injuries that he’d been given. You said he’d been attacked by… bandits?”
Kon nodded. “Yes. Do you know when he’ll regain consciousness?”
“A few days at the most,” the priest answered, “But you should wait a few days to let him recollect his thoughts.”
“Alright, thank you.” Kon grabbed Kos’s arm and dragged hir towards the temple doors. Ze tried to continue arguing with the woman, but she’d been directed back to the bench by the priest.
Once they were back outside, they started to head back to the castle. The sun was beginning to set, and Kon was sure that Kog and Kom had already gone to go talk to the High King. Whatever he said would have to be put on hold until they took care of the bandits.
The tavern was noisy as always. Lanterns hung high on the ceiling, shedding light on the crowded wooden tables and puddles of spilt mead on the floor. The commotion was familiar to Kow, who maneuvered around the drunken bastards who felt the need to dance in the already crowded room and waitresses who carried platters filled with tankards. Pow had to keep in constant contact with her, or else he’d be lost in the crowd.
They eventually found a table to sit at in the corner. It was far away from the others, which gave them the room to hear each other speak.
“Do you come here often?” asked Pow.
“Whenever I don’t have afternoon or evening duty,” answered Kow. She waved her hand to bring over a waitress. “Bring me a bottle of your finest mead, the same for the boy over here.” She nodded her head over to Pow.
“It’ll be right with you,” the waitress said as she walked away to another table. Kow looked over to Pow, who adorned a tunic and trousers that looked to be a size too big for him, much like his armor.
“Do you actually own any clothes that are your size?” Kow asked.
Pow shook his head. “No, all of my clothes were handed down from my brother. My family didn’t have a lot of money.”
“Didn’t?”
“Doesn’t, sorry.”
“So I’m guessing you don’t get to drink often then?”
“I’ve never drank before.” His answer caused Kow’s eyebrows to rise. The waitress had come back over and gave Kow and Pow their bottles. Kow had raised hers toward Pow.
“Well then, tonight’s a celebration!”
Pow lifted an eyebrow in question. “What for?”
“For joining the ranks! And with a guide like me, you’ll be a knight in no time.” The two clanked their bottles, and took a sip (or in Kow’s case, gulp).
Kow sighed as the cool, sweet liquid hit her throat. Pow’s face contorted, as if concentrating on the taste.
“So?” Kow asked.
Pow smacked his lips a few times, reveling in the taste, then shrugged. “Not bad. I expected it to taste like Kos’s chainmail.”
Kow let out a howl of laughter. “See? You’re getting the hang of things already. Poking fun at Kos is a fantastic start.” She leaned in closer to Pow. “What you need to do though, is focus more on the citizens. See, look over there.” Kow pointed over towards another table with her bottle.
Pow followed her line of sight. The men sitting at the table were well-dressed compared to the others in the tavern. They didn’t look like the type to be sitting in a tavern in the south-western parts of Cor.
“What about them?” he asked.
“Listen, those guys are complete honey-suckers, especially the one in blue,” Kow pointed to the man in fine blue garments, “He’s been sucking up to the High King. He’s an accountant, but I swear he’s got an eye on the throne. A lot of people do, surprisingly. The High King’s old and doesn’t have an heir to his name.”
“He never chose a wife?” Pow questioned.
Kow sighed, looking at her bottle in thought, “I’m not sure. If he did, she must’ve died before I joined arms. Since my time as a knight, he hasn’t wed. But that’s beside the point. Those guys over there we can torment as much as we like. Nothing too drastic, just rubbing our titles in their faces. All good fun really, and they deserve it for thinking they can think they’re going to get in close with the High King.”
“Still seems a bit cruel,” Pow mentioned.
“It brings some light into this dry Kingdom,” Kow shrugged, “I need some kind of entertainment to save me from the same old routine… God I’m starting to sound like Koe.”
It was quiet after that. Kow continued to drink a couple more bottles of mead, while Pow stuck to just one. There’d be an occasional joke poking fun about a man who fell into his own vomit, or about the men who would keep trying to grope the waitresses’ asses. They were all pathetic attempts, in Pow’s opinion.
After a while, Pow put down a the coins to pay for their bottles, and he got Kow out of the tavern. She was almost asleep as he carried her over his shoulder. He’d wake her up though, as he stared up at the sun that was almost hidden under the horizon. Pow had a sinking feeling she wouldn’t like the news she was about to receive. From the information he gathered about Koe and his disappearance, there was slim chance he’d be left alive.
Kog and Kom waited for their fellow knights in the courtyard. They finished their meeting with the High King. It wasn’t much of a meeting as much as it was a report. They came in, told the King what he’d been suspecting, he told them what to do about it; nothing special at all.
Just as the sun was about to set, Kos and Kon arrived up the steps. Kos was being dragged by Kon, whose cape had been torn.
Kog looked at Kon’s cape, then at her. “Something happen during patrol?”
Kon let go of Kos, who crossed hir arms over hir chest. “A man was attacked by a bandit, or a band of them; we’re not entirely sure. But we had to take him to the southern healing temple. Supposedly there have been bandits sneaking into the southern quarter of Cor for days and robbing the houses and leaving the citizens beaten. They haven’t been able to report to us because they’ve been waiting for treatment at the temple.”
“This has been happening for days and the people still haven’t gotten treatment?” Kog questioned.
“It’s a busy place,” Kos mentioned.
Kog closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, “Let’s wait for Kow and Pow to return. I’m assuming she took him to the tavern, using him as a replacement for Koe and all that.”
Pow rose from the steps with Kow over his shoulder at the mention of their names. He walked over to the others, and looked at them staring at their sister being held like a sack of potatoes.
“She drank one too many bottles.” Was all he needed to say for an answer.
Kog turned back to Kos and Kon. “Anyways, Kog and I talked to the High King. We will have to hunt down Koe, and take him down.”
“I figured as such,” Pow commented.
“How so?” Kog asked.
“The High King doesn’t seem like a forgiving man. He’s of old age, and has probably seen a lot. To keep a kingdom this peaceful, he’s must’ve done a lot of fighting to keep enemies at bay. If he was to be betrayed, I’d assume he’d make them dead as quick as possible to avoid making more enemies. ” Pow reasoned.
“Exactly,” Kom said, “Which is why we need to forget any feelings we have toward Koe and kill him.”
“Yes, but we’ll talk more about this in the morning, especially when Kow’s awake. We also need to figure out what we’re going to do with this bandit situation, if there even is one. It’s been a long day; I suggest we get some rest.”
The others nodded, and they headed off towards their sleeping quarters.
The sun had set, and so had the day. But while the knights sleep, their demons will play.