Gregory glances down as well before grasping a pitcher of alcohol and pours a refill into the tankard before him, as he pours, he speaks in a sincere tone. "Well, you can start at the beginning." With the tankard now fill he ceases pouring and begins to refill his own, with his tankard filled he places the pitcher behind the bar and waits for Orpheus to speak.

With his right hand he clenched the tankard and brings it up to his lips for an initial sip, as the refreshing liquid swirls in his mouth, he makes a loud gulp before glancing back at Gregory. "From the beginning huh... ok, well you know we meet at an orphanage when we were both very young." Gregory grasps his tankard for a sip but gestures with his right hand with the tankard in hand, from this gesture of agreement Orpheus continues. "When I was first sent to the orphanage, they put me in this... filthy communal hall, full of beds, it seems they had too many children." Orpheus squinted his eyes as he waved his right hand in the air as a gesture, before pausing for a moment as Gregory listened.

"That placed smelled bad, but I suppose it could have been worse." Orpheus's memories began to spur as that forgotten smell wafted into his noise from the four corners of his mind. "They even gave me this tiny bed as hard as a rock, to sleep on." Lifting his tankard once more he gestures and takes another long sip, wiping his mouth with his free hand. "But never the less I endeavoured to sleep and after hearing a voice from my side, I meet the illustrious Kyran." Gregory gestures with a simple nod as he furrows his brow, Orpheus suddenly begins to chuckle uncontrollably as he attempts to speak. "The first words he said to me was... and I'm not joking, do you want a hug?"

Gregory erupts into laughter as his grin stretches from ear to ear. "Seriously?" He asks as the disbelief in his mind begins to churn with a desire to know the truth.

With his smile now gracing his face, Orpheus continues to speak of a past long gone to history. "Yeah Kyran was just that kind of person you know, no matter the circumstance he wanted to help, I guess you could say he was the conscience of our little group." With his right hand caressing the tankard in front of him, his mind began to fill with images of his past friends.

With his interested now further peaked, an intense desire to know more begins to surge from the friendly bartender Gregory. "Group, you say, were you and Kyran part of a merry band? Ha Ha." He asks as he chuckles at the end of his sentence with a cheerful tone of voice and happy demeanour.

Orpheus smirks at the question put forth to him as his mind begins to ponder the subject, with his memories stirring with images of several faces. His facial features tense as he recalls the long-forgotten past to light within his mind, his glance lowers for a moment before rising as he speaks. "I wouldn't call us a merry band, but yes we were all friends." With his gaze lingering towards the curious man before him, his voice echoed a prideful atmosphere engulfing the surroundings, witnessing the expression on Gregory's face he continues. "Comradery and friendship tend to blossom in the oddest of places."

Inspiring words begin to permeate the ears of the humble bartender, his eyes widen at the quote as he ponders the origin of these words. "Quite the saying, who was the wise man who spoke, one of the famous bards of history perhaps?" He asks with his wide gaze flung off to the ceiling with a wonderous expression.

With a faint smile as recollection again lifts from the dormant memories of his past to the forefront of his mind. With a faint chuckle, he drops his gaze to the wooden bar beneath, lingering for a moment that felt like an eternity. Lifting his gaze to Gregory, his past now pouring out of his saddened eyes, he speaks once more, his emotions shaken even further with every word that came afterwards. "A famous bard huh... Gerhart was no bard or poet, but I'll admit he had his moments." Orpheus exuded a reminiscent air from his tone of voice and the slight glint in his sombre and pained eyes.

A look of confusion passes Gregory's face, centring his expression as he hardens his sight on the new information presented. Taken aback by the new mention of an unfamiliar name, he queries Orpheus with a look of curious joy on his face. "Gerhart... another unusual name, but I'm not surprised, this world is filled with unique characters." Gregory lifts his tankard and consumes another sip of the beverage before listening to a reply.

Orpheus peers down into the never-ending abyss of the alcohol swirling in his tankard, the dark and cold pool within his sight grants him an odd sensation of being pulled to the mighty depths of the sea. With his despair desperately gripping his body with cold and rough hands, a voice peers into his mind, these very words call forth a helpful hand and pull him from the darkness. "Hmm yes, he was a unique person, one of the few people who ever embodied nobility or at least the true nature of the word." His eyes began to shine as an uncommon joy began to appear.

Exhaling his heavy breath Gregory lets out a sigh filled with curiosity and an intent to know more. "True nature of the word nobility?" His question expressed a turn from curiosity to hostility in his very voice, his words spurned Orpheus to harden his gaze towards him. "The only nobility I ever met was that would sooner spit on me than see me as an equal." The wrath in his heart began to pour forth with every syllable.

Orpheus keenly spotted the rage boiling in the man and spoke up. "Not a fan of the nobility huh." He states in a casual tone as if the wrath before him was merely a sight all too familiar. "Well Gerhart was nothing like the intrepid nobles of this cesspool we call a kingdom, he was honourable even at such a young age, I'm still baffled how a peasant can be nobler than a knight." With a slight sigh, he spoke of the virtues of his past friend with reverence and sincerity, displayed obviously on his face.

With his wrath quelled ever so slightly, the image of a noble peasant appeared in Gregory's mind, clad in silver armour as it defended innocents. A useless thought he had once dreamed of in his younger days, with the joy of this image filling his mind he smiles. "It seems you have some incredible friends Orpheus." His tone represented a true sense of admiration for individuals he had never met.

Chuckling at the notion of having incredible friends, Orpheus's shoulders began to bounce up and down as laughter began to stir within his stomach. "If you think Gerhart is impressive, you should meet Akane." The mere name of this woman filled Orpheus with a greater jovial feeling as he smiled widely, his hand now grasping the tankard as he takes a long gulp. Exhaling a large breath, as droplets of alcohol dribble down his lips, he wipes them away with his sleeve as he continues. "Now she was impressive, fierce and strong, she didn't take crap from anyone be they of noble birth or not" Extolling her virtues Orpheus grinned in an adorable fashion as he leaned forward. "To be honest... she scared me a bit."

Chuckling at the moment he ended his statement Gregory eyes scanned the man before him and replied. "She scared you?" With a wide grin and semi-judging eyes gleaming a sarcastic expression as he lifts his left eyebrow and tilts his head forward.

Being taken aback by Gregory's words his body pulls back on his stool as if being pushed back by an unseen force, furrowing his eyebrows he speaks in an offended but cheery tone. "Are you judging me right now?" His statement expressing a contradictory expression of offence and a wide but cheery smile. Orpheus eagerly awaited the man's reply to his question as if he desired for clarification more than an aggressive rebuttal.

Still, with a smile on his face, the friendly bartender Gregory's expression suddenly turned to a similar reminiscent expression as the man on the opposite side of the bar. "Ah I didn't mean to offend, it's just this woman you mentioned, reminded me of my older sister." Gregory's gaze turns to the left as his mind becomes encumbered with visions of his own past. "She was strong too and never backed down from a fight." His eyes brimming with respect and love as he speaks of his sister, Orpheus smirks with sincerity at a unique sight.

"Well, this conversation is just filled with impressive people of the past." Orpheus states with a slight chuckle as he asks a further question. "I've talked about myself enough, please tell me about your sister?" He states as he points his right-hand index finger to his chest and then gestures his right-hand forward as if selecting a new person to take the lead.

With his eyes now cast down to the tankard below, he grabs it quickly and embraces another gulp, finishing he hesitates with his words. "It's not a happy tale my friend." His words embracing pain and sorrow as if the cold air of the room shifted from Orpheus to Gregory.

Squinting his eyes with curiosity Orpheus leans forward and places his left hand upon the saddened bartenders' right shoulder, lifting his gaze to meet him, Gregory lets out a quick smile at the tenderness given to him. Orpheus still comforting the man begins to speak in a caring and sincere tone. "My whole life is a sad tale my friend, so if any person in this world could understand, I can."

The words from the person he had just meet filled Gregory with an odd sense of security and trust as if he had met a kindred spirit. With his pain slowly fading he summons up the courage to recount a past he had not told a single person since the fateful events of his past. Gregory sighed in acceptance of the comfort given to him as he patted the hand upon his shoulder, Orpheus realising this withdrew his hand and waited silently.

With a faint smile, he begins to recount his past memories to a stranger he had just met. "Her name was Alyssa and after our parents died of the plague, she practically raised me." His gaze turns to the bar below as he places his hands down to support his weight, Orpheus listening to his tale flashes a sympathetic expression. "We lived on a small spit of land in a shabby little hut, even though life was tough... it was home." Lifting his gaze to meet Orpheus he speaks in a low tone similar to a whisper. "But like all land in this kingdom, it was owned by the nobles." Disdain filled his voice as his anger rises. "My sister caught the eye of one such disgusting noble and rather than be one of his mistresses, I convinced her to run... we got separated soon after and I never saw her again." Ending his sentence with his head tilted downwards as if ashamed of his words.

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With a caring tone, Orpheus spoke up to the visibly ashamed Gregory. "That is a difficult thing to deal with, to be separated from those you love." Orpheus states in a heartfelt manner as empathy exudes from every word, a connection of shared pain intertwine the two men as they converse. "Well you have done well despite everything; I mean you own and run a tavern, how did that happen?" He asks as he curves his eyebrows downward and expresses a desire to know more.

Gregory turns stoic as he begins to speak with a monotone voice as he levels his emotions to a bearable standard. "Well after we separated, I ended up with a group of merchants, one job after another and well... here I am." Orpheus stared with amazement at the story he had just heard as respect filled his heart.

His gaze turns to the tankard below as Orpheus grabs it quickly and raises it, gesturing with his gaze, Gregory smiles and does the same. "To family... to friends." Orpheus states as their tankards clash together, resonating with a loud clanging sound of two metal's striking each other. As the sound permeates the bar, they both gulp down the rest of their drinks before exhaling heavily as if gasping for air.

With their joyful comradery expelled they both diminish further down to a less cheerful expression; Orpheus tilts his gaze downwards as he caresses his tankard and asks a question. "Do you think you will ever see her again?" He asks with a low tone of voice as a slight glimmer of hope mingled with pain speaks up.

Sighing softly Gregory passes his eyes to the left and then tilts his head down as he ponders the questions, a few moments pass and he replies. "I don't know." With his gaze lowered downwards as if he has very little confidence in previous words as continues. "But I hope someday." Lifting his gaze as a slight smile protrudes from his mouth, like a ray of hope pierces a darkened carven where hope dies.

A slight grin spills forth from the sombre attitude of Orpheus as he rises from his despair, with his gaze affixed to the bartender he speaks. "That must be nice... to have hope." Reacting to his statement made under his breath, Gregory nods slightly in agreement and then tips his head forward. With the slight smirk on Orpheus's face, he begins pondering those words within his dark and gloomy mindset. "Hope... for the longest time believed that was a trivial term that held no meaning, except for the weak and the desperate." Lifting his gaze to the man in front of him as a strange sensation begins to fill his cold heart.

His gaze now soft and sincere as he continues his enlightened and cheery thought. "But this man, whom I have just met makes a compelling argument... without giving a shred of evidence." With his smirk widening to a smile he continues his thought. "You were right Gerhart; you can truly find friends in the oddest of places." The thoughts now infiltrating every corner of his mind, cause him to chuckle as if he had heard an amusing joke.

Gregory lifts his gaze to the suddenly jovial man seated before him, his eyes curve on sudden curiosity as he appears like a madman laughing at nothing. "What's so funny?" He asks as he furrows his eyebrows in concern towards this odd sight.

With a slight amount of dribble coming from his lips, he quickly wipes it away with his left sleeve, his shoulders slightly bouncing up and down as he calms himself. "Just remembering a friend, he used to speak of hope as if it was essential." Still, with a smile, he speaks the words brought forth from his nostalgic memories of a history long gone.

Pushing himself upright he stands strong with a dignified stance as he delivers a statement he has lived by since his childhood. "What's a better reason to live then hope?" His words triggered an immediate reaction from Orpheus who tilted his head forward and then back up a second later.

With his mind pondering this simple concept of hope, his thoughts churn with a different perspective. "A better reason... to be honest, I can think of a few." As his internal dialogue ends, he smirks at his own thoughts, Gregory notices this and furrows his eyebrows in curiosity, but tempers it a moment later.

Gregory sighs once more as he shows a remorseful expression, spurned by these feelings he speaks up. "I'm sorry Orpheus, I've really dampened the mood, haven't I?" With an apologetic tone he requests forgiveness for a simple transgression, returning the concerning look upon his new friend's face, Orpheus looks back puzzled.

Confusion plastered across Orpheus's expression as he leans forward slightly in a reassuring motion. "There is no need for that, after all, I dampened the mood first." With a sincere smile, he gestures his right palm forward and tilts his head to the left.

With a feeling of easiness curling itself around him like a warm blanket, Gregory relaxes his stern and upright figure. "Well then, how about you tell me more about these impressive friends of yours." Leaning forward slightly as his body inclines against the bar, he waits patiently for a response to his sincere request.

As the nostalgic memories once again surge within Orpheus's mind, he gives a slight nod in agreement. His right-hand thrusts to his chin as he ponders the avalanche of memories, a moment passes with a single memory suddenly pushed to the forefront of his mind. "Alright then what would you like to know?" Orpheus asks a question with the large collection of memories to select from as if anticipating Gregory's desires.

Prompted by Orpheus's sudden question, Gregory lifts his gaze to the ceiling in a short burst of contemplation, a few seconds go by as he plants his gaze directly on the man in front of him. "How about that girl you mentioned... Akane was it?" Gregory points in Orpheus's general direction with his right index finger, then spoke with his eyes squinted as recent but vague memories begin to surface in his mind.

Orpheus smirks in response as if anticipating that very question. "Yes, her name was Akane." With the recollections swirling within his mind, a strange sense of joy begins to boil within his chest.

Gregory crosses his wrists with his left hand grasping his right wrist and presses them against his lower stomach and tilting his head. "Hmph." Swallowing his saliva and gesturing a fake cough, he asks a subsequent question. "Orpheus, you speak of her in the past tense, has she passed away as well." Dipping his head forward and furrowing his eyebrows with a considerate gaze his sincere voice carries to Orpheus.

Pausing for a moment his facial expression doesn't change as he replies in a monotone voice. "No, I'm sure she is alive, I doubt there is anything that can kill her." With a piercing and pressured gaze, he speaks with absolute confidence in his words. Gregory begins to listen intently as Orpheus continues speaking. "Akane was the strong one in the group, she never backed down from a fight." Orpheus speaks as he tilts his head to the right as if looking off into the distance.

Further memories begin to flood Orpheus's mind as he continues speaking. "Hmm, I remember the time..." Suddenly a loud thud could be heard from behind them, causing Orpheus to cease mid-sentence. Turing around whilst still seated, his gaze casts upon several men entering the bar. The four men shuffle into the bar in an uncoordinated fashion as they bring in a steady stream of laughter from there drunken demeanours.

The four drunken men stumble towards a large round wooden table with five chairs spread evenly around it, the table is situated to the left of the entrance near the corner. Stumbling to pull the chairs out from under the table, they each take a seat and evenly surround the table. One of the four men stops just short of pulling out his chair and immediately cease his action, turns to the bar and starts walking towards it. His stature was quite short, around five feet tall, with a pale complexion and slender body. His hair was a short and bright blonde with specs of brunette hidden throughout, his face was ordinary with large dark blue eyes.

Meeting the bar, he stands to the left of Orpheus whilst acknowledging his presence he pays the man to his right no mind. He grasps the edge of the bar with his left hand and gestures forward with his right palm, his gaze fixed to the bartender he begins to speak in a hoarse voice. "Hey barkeep, four ales for my boys and be quick about it." His words filled with disrespect as if commanding the bartender to do his bidding, he grabs several copper coins from his pocket and places them on the bar. Spurned by the man's request, Gregory begins grabbing several tankards and filling them to the brim.

Orpheus casts his gaze nonchalantly to the left as he sizes up the man next to him, he is wearing a greyish tunic with a long flowing hooded black coat, concealing his innermost body. Turning his dark blue gaze to the right, the short blonde-haired man glares at the staring Orpheus and with an aggressive and harsh tone he speaks. "What are you looking at boy?" His violent demeanour was spewing forth from his very words in an intimidating manner. Orpheus remaining unfazed by his very actions continued glaring back at the man with the same intensity.

Orpheus remaining unresponsive as Gregory fills the last tankard and watches with frightened anticipation, the short blonde-haired man, lifts open his side coat and reveals a short sword tied to his hip. Orpheus and Gregory's eyes glance down to the deadly weapon wielded by the intense man before them. Spurned by this aggressive intent, Orpheus reaches to his right hip with his right hand, expecting to grasp his runic sword for battle. His eyes suddenly become wide with concern as he grips nothing but air as if his sword was not there, turning his gaze to his waist he witnesses the absence of his weapon.

Lifting his gaze to the penitential enemy in a quick and thrusting manner, he begins to ponder how his weapon may have been taken, a moment passes and he recalls leaving his sword on the carriage he had taken to bury Kyran. With his internal thoughts chastising himself for such an incredibly stupid action, he hears a loud thud as Gregory suddenly slams the tankards onto the bar. "That will be four coppers please." With both their eyes suddenly darting to the tankards placed on the bar and then to the stoically faced Gregory.

The short blonde-haired man expression flickered with contempt as he closed his cloak, placed four copper coins on the bar and grasped the four tankards in his hands. Turning away he slowly shuffles back to his table and places the drinks down. "What's wrong Butch?" A dark-haired man with green eyes and a scar below his left eye speaks to the man just arriving. The man looks to be in his mid-thirties, wearing a brown tunic with a grey vest over the top with a dagger sheathed on his belt.

Butch places the four drinks in the centre of the table and takes a seat opposite to all the men, he pauses for a moment before speaking. "I didn't like how the guy looked at me." Butch states with an aggressive tone of voice with a fit of now obvious anger displayed on his face. With his words, the other three men furrowed their eyebrows in contempt.

The dark-haired man to the left crosses his arms and speaks up as his gaze shifts to the back of the seated Orpheus and then to Butch. "Do you want me and the boys to teach him a lesson." His tone of voice was almost silent and just below a whisper as he leans forward. All four men lean forward and receive his statement with glee upon their faces.