Chapter 4

Brethan 

Entering through the town gates the streets lay empty with rough footprints on the humid hard mud. Brethan pass and see the lights in the windows turn off one by one. Closing a darkness in the entrance of the town. The flickering of the torch flame brought the little lights one needs to walk the streets. In the short distance at the side of the town square a two story high house was brightly lit with few red lights on the surrounding, showering with activities in it. Brethan pass in front and shake his head in thinking of past memories. The Red Drinking whore house was one of the only places for entertainment for the young and old martial artist in Valleyfall. Brethan memories of this place were joyful and sad, when he was a boy and staring in his martial art training, this was the place he always look forward to visiting. Fun days were passed here with his two older brothers in those times.

Under the lights of the lanterns that let a luminous red light in front of the entrance, was a middle aged man between thirty-five to forty years old. His messy clothes and his half empty wine bottle that leans as if would fall from his hand, attracted Brethan eyes. He couldn't help to take a closer look at the man's face when he hears a surprise shout coming out of his mouth, “Brethan my brother hic~ finally found you.” The haggard manner that he sway, let's Brethan believe that he would fall at any moment. In the dim street in front of the whore house Brethan eyes catch the face behind that messy beard and grease cover face. “Rob, is that you?” Brethan couldn't believe his eyes, the drunk man in front of him is Robert The Defender, from house Eastling. “Are you not supposed to be in the Reef?” Brethan eyes rounded as he approach him. 

The Reef was a long way from the northern lands, beyond the southern kingdoms, the reef divide our side from the outlander side. Closing in at him Brethan couldn't help but cover his nose, “damn, you stink of shit. Since when was the last time you took a bath? Damn Rob!" Cursing at him Brethan still open his arm wide and gave him a big bear hug. Hitting his shoulder he sized him up. Robert let a hearty laugh and urged him, “Come inside let's drink tonight ha-ha.” Grabbing his arm he pull Brethan inside. After entering a hall filled with grown and stout men drinking presented in front of their eyes, they were laughing, smoking Weed Of The Snake and indulging themselves in playing card games. With every win the winners would move their mug and made toast with their friends. Big bodies of golden-brown grisly fill pig beast were roasted on the tables. The chandelier on the ceiling brought a warm light that the hall needed, taking away the cold humid air from outside. The smell of sweat and alcohol permanent the room with that soft and bewitching smell of the Weed Of The Snake. The smell that didn't need to be inhale directly to cause an effect, it brought Brethan to those days of coming here and playing after a long day of training.

The clerk saw Brethan entering with a man and let a surprise expression spread across his fat face, he quickly brought two big goblet full of beer within a heartbeat. Brethan and Robert already found a table to the back ends of the hall, close to the stairs were it was mostly dark. Brethan lifted his gaze and saw a man walk towards them with a nervous smile on his face, “my lord I didn't expect a visit from you, here are the best beers of the northern lands. Is on the house, if you need something to eat we have soup pork with rice and bread. Also Frog legs fry with golden oil, it can be specially made with hot grass flower as a topping all in the house my lord.” His smile show reverence and admiration as he look at Brethan. Robert finish drinking his wine bottle and grab a goblet for himself, getting a good gulp, as he wipes his messy beard with the beer, “has! The beer from this land still good as always. Hot and hard to the throat. Give us two complete roasted pork and some more of this beer, better bring two full jar of this, Now go.” The clerk throw a look at Brethan as he saw him nod, he quickly answer and took away, “as my lord commands.” Brethan look at him passing through the rowdy hall and to the back door kitchen.

Robert kept gulping down the beer until he left a satisfying burp, touching his belly as he lay back on the chair, “it's been years brother, it seems that is going good for you here up in the north.” Brethan alight and took a gulp from his beer, he said, “believe me it hasn't been as easy as you think for the past few years. I have a small headache that you wouldn't even dare to believe. But enough about that, tell me what are you doing up here, aren't you guarding the East Fort Reef?" Brethan inquire and look deeply into Robert's face. Robert let a sigh, fill of complex emotions, “of course am still guarding it, but if something not urgent would have happened I wouldn't not pass his majesty and wait for him to reach here. I would just send a crow.” Brethan eyebrows rose up, and his expression became serious. What would be the reason for the Lord Commander of one of the Six Black Forts be, to make him travel thousands of miles up north and traverse the mountainous and hilly regions. Passing the river lands and going through the capital of First Light all the way to the cold northern lands were forest and small undulating mountains exists and nothing more is spread out for thousands of miles around. 

The sound of thunder echoed outside of the hall as strong winds and raid envelope the valley. Brethan gaze at Robert waiting for him to continue, while he traced his finger inside the goblet trying of getting the residual foam from the beer in the bottom, “The Demons have started to make their moves.” Looking up he shot a glare at Brethan eyes and continue, “They have send more Beast Tides this time, more than ever. Even those frightful things call Dragons make their appearance in the last attacks. In the past we could manage against them but this time the onslaught was too much, I don't know how much the Forts would last.” Robert eyes show sorrow and sadness. Brethan knows that Robert must be hurts, he is a man that values his comrades like family and didn't like to see any single one of them died. Brethan can relate to him because he also would be hurt if he saw his subordinate die in front of him, the War of Change was sufficient enough for him in this life. 

Robert continue, “The outlander tribes have all scattered around and enter the main kingdoms from different sources. The land beyond the southern border has become a no man’s land. Wave after wave of beast horde would pass and destroy that land, for the last decade the demons have been more active than ever. While the church has done nothing, only sending small batch of Templar knight or Crusaders!” Brethan could feel the anger in Robert voice, he crush the wooden goblet in his palm turning it into small shreds. Brethan said in a serious tone, “have you been in contact with his majesty this past decade?” Robert throw the pieces to the floor and said, “Yes! I have informed about the matter and he has send troops to the east and west forts. He also help us with ration and other commodity, but that still not enough!” After that Robert throw the empty glass of alcohol out to the raining street through the small gap on the entrance door. It flew fast and smash outside on the muddy ground, in the meantime, no one took notice of the bottle who flew across the rowdy hall.

Brethan saw his friend rage and he couldn't speak any calming words, he could relate to him, “ I understand, if I could I would send ration and anything I could help with. But sadly my land is to far from your south and the ration would go to waste.” Robert looks at him and glare with anger, “ understand? Brethan my dear brother it seems that you have stayed too much in this valley of yours. Those fuckers, when I ask about ration they denied me only sending small amount of cannon fodder that couldn't even get stuck in between the beast teeth. Those were the weakest of the weak, the Church especially never send those Higher Master they love to show off. As for the other noble houses, they are drown in their own hypocrisy.” Brethan eyes widen in surprise, he new that for Robert to be so piss off it most be more deeper than some comrades dying. Brethan took a deep breath and saw in the corner of his eyes the clerk coming with the jars of beers. Both of them fell into a silence, the clerk smile never faded even when he sense the atmosphere between the two. The others also felt the heavy atmosphere in the hall, some of them lower their voices and eat while still minding their own business. 

The rain fell down like arrows on a battlefield, sounding especially hard on Brethan ears. He sees as Robert got a hold of the jar, unscrewing the cord and taking a massive gulp down his throat, his Adam apple rises and falls with every continuously gulp. Brethan took his jar and pour down to his goblet waiting for Robert to finish. After drinking half of the jar in one gulp, Robert face glow with a hint of pink. Letting his mouth rumble a couple of time, his gaze fell at Brethan again, he ask. “Do you know what the church have been doing for this past couple of years.” Brethan shook his head. He really didn't know about anything related to the southern lands. Brethan has live here on the north that is the biggest piece of land in all of the seven kingdom. There was never an interest to go and see what the other kingdoms were up to or what event took place after the war. Robert laugh and a ‘new it’ escape his mouth. “Guess, what were they doing in the name of their Gods, the mission that was bestowed upon them from one of their almighty God.” Finishing speaking he spit on the floor, Brethan again stood quiet and helplessly shook his head. “ They were witch hunting, in the name of their fucking Gods.” Brethan stare at Robert baffle, how could he not know about what a witch is.

Robert continued, “Yes, I learned this from a friend in the capital. Is not known because it doesn't happen often anymore. But five to eight years ago a mass genocide was conducted throughout all the villages and towns outside of high cities. None stop it and they burn them at the stake, hang them in front of town gates and many more that we don't know about.” Robert breath harder as he took gulps of air to calm down. Brethan now understood Robert fury. Robert doesn't believe in all those supernatural things, only the word ‘Demon’ can make him believe in the supernatural. The thought of the church going and killing innocent people and him seeing his comrades died because of the church insufficient help, burn him with fury.

Brethan took a deep gulp of his beer and couldn't help but ask, “did his majesty let this go on without any investigation.” Robert let a ridicule grind spread on his face, as he said, “please Brethan you know how his majesty value the church. Even when he knew that they weren't even helping against the beast tides, he still didn't pressure them.” Brethan didn't know what to say. The church help the king in winning the last war against the former rulers and have since always been on his good side. As for the other houses, none of them would object in his decision. Brethan could now feel for Robert helplessness.

As he was about to ask something, the clerk came back with two stewards carrying a big tray of full body shredded pork, nicely with a spicy brownish-red sauce on top. The smell watch over the heavy alcohol in the air, bringing a refreshing breath of oil and meat. The two stewards left the trays on the table and rapidly left, the clerk wish for the old gods to bless the food and left to continue attending the hall. The conversation stopped and both of them stare at the greasy and brown cover roasted pork. Robert grab one of the intact leg of the pork and ripped off and started eating it whole, Brethan did the same. The hall became more rowdy as the training youths left the field to come and drink, some took the waitress to the second floor and the movement of pleasure makes the chandelier in the ceiling swing.

When the conversation stop Brethan ask, “where are you going to sleep tonight, come to the castle.” Robert didn't look up and answer, “I pass tomorrow, I came here to see if I could catch you to let this out of my chest before having the audience with the king. My Griffin is in a cave resting not to far from here, is exhausted from the long travel as it's has been on the move for the past month, I don't want to leave it alone in this rainy night.” Brethan nod and continue eating. After finishing the whole pork Robert and him left the whore house and stood outside watching the crystal cold rain drops on the muddy ground. 

Is strange to ever get rain in this valley, the all year winter cold almost never let rain fall. And in this last year this was already the forth time that has rain with heavy black clouds. Holding the jars of beers in their hands both of them strode forward into the rain. Walking to the town gate darkness covered streets, with the flickering torches long extinguished by the icy rain. The lights of the high towers in the distances were the only thing illuminating the cold and raining night. Standing on the entrance far in the distance shadows could be seen in the training ground. Letting the ice cold rain fall on their bodies, they didn't stop and continue with the regiment. 

Robert turn around and said, “I would come tomorrow, thank you my friend for letting me throw all this on your head.” Brethan smile and gave him a hug saying, “don't worry about it, I actually need to thank you for telling me all of this now. Now I know what I’m getting into when going back into the capital.” Robert let a confused look and Brethan continue, “His majesty is coming here to appoint me to be his hand.” Robert let a surprised breath and said, “And Standuarld, what happened to him?” Brethan shook his head and said, “He died two weeks ago.” Robert face changes and let a sigh, “Am sorry for his lost, I know he was like a father to you.” Brethan also let out a sigh and didn't bring the matter of his Master back. Waving goodbye Robert left, before he disappeared into the rain curtains Brethan call for him, “hey here take this and drink for me.” Throwing the jar of beer in his hand he waved at Robert. Robert catches it and then leap high to the sky disappearing in the midst of the winter rain.