“...fuck me sideways. So Elias wasn’t just pulling some bullshit to get you off his back? They really found you in Esulmor?” Guardswoman Vara asked, bewildered and a little too loud for my taste. Her booming voice made me glance around at the passers-by as we made our way through the city to the barracks. It wasn’t so much the cold, dirty cobbles on my bare feet that bothered me as the weird feeling on the back of my neck, the stares boring into my hide, gave me. It was just impossible to shake off, and some of the looks, particularly those from Terr’dens, even sent shivers down my spine.

“Yeah.” I nodded, pleading with my eyes for her to keep her voice down and not draw any more attention to us.

Alas, the woman either didn’t get the hint or simply wasn’t capable of speaking any less vocally. Be that as it may, when she leaned closer, bumping into me with her shoulder, her voice attracted no less attention than before.

“What was it like there? Full of moss? Dangerous, as they say? I heard that even the squirrels over there can rip your face off.”

‘They what?’

“W-well, they s-sure gave me a hard time...“

“So, you met them? You seem fine to me, though.”

“I h-healed; besides, they’re not...“

“Oh, so they did mess you up? How badly? I got into a brawl once, and this one fucker busted out all my front teeth. I even pissed myself...“

“Could you not go there, Vara? It’s bad enough that I know about all the...lame, dumb shit you’ve done.”

“Lame, maybe, but fun. When’s the last time you can say you did something fun, huh?”

That was a bloody good question. Not directed at me, but still something to think about. When was the last time that I did something fun? No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn’t remember - Eleaden was one big ride of anguish, and my memories of Earth were already shrouded by the mist of oblivion.

“Like yesterday I...“

“No, no, no...not the “lame” shit involving me. Something you did on your own, Elira."

“Well...“ The blue-eyed Guardswoman paused, now a little red in the cheeks, frustrated and trying to come up with something. “...not everyone’s idea of fun is to get wasted.”

“Lame excuses, I say...“

“Ah, look who graced us with a visit. Vara Fucking Barfly,” a man’s voice came from in front of us, cutting off whatever the overly loud Guardswoman sought to say.

Snapped out of the maelstrom of my gloomy thoughts, I found myself gawking at a gate with two uniformed men stationed in front of it, no doubt guarding the entrance to the barracks. Wedged between the corners of two massive buildings, one running along the way busier main street than the first one I set foot on in this city, all the way towards another city gate and the other running perpendicular to it, the barrack’s gate together with the set-back surrounding buildings formed a small plaza.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Barfly is not my fucking last name, Vallis,” the Guardswoman Vara barked back, not offended, instead enjoying the banter. “Hope you’re going to the Drunken Filly tonight.”

“Need someone to pay for the drinks? Nah, I had enough yesterday - that is, unless you grew the balls to try and down a Dragon Fart?”

‘Dragon Fart?’

What the bloody hell was that? They couldn’t have meant the actual...fart of a dragon, could they? Sure, there were beasts like mossbears, but...dragons?

“Not sure they’d be happy to see me back in the infirmary so soon. What about you, Tal?”

Following the other man’s thoughtful gaze, my curious eyes found a tavern on the other side of the main street. Not a small building, but not really that eye-catching either. Well, except for the hanging emblem depicting a horse with tangled legs. Nevertheless, despite its lack of prominence on the street, there was no denying that the tavern’s location was more than convenient.

“I’ll go - if Elira goes.”

Put on the spot by the man, the blue-eyed Guardswoman flinched, going on the defensive. “Hey, leave me out of this. I already have my own plans. Fuck you, Vara, don’t give me that look. I can do whatever I want in my spare time.”

“Sure, but will it be fun?”

“Not every day has to be fun, Vara.”

“Says who? You better do crazy shit while you can; that’s what I say. Speaking of,” the auburn-haired Guardswoman said, glancing back at the two men. “Anything interesting I should know about? I was hoping to catch some news in the mess hall, but you know how the streets are at midday; they’re as packed as shitters when Paham’s cooking.”

The one named Tal smirked. “I haven’t seen him do anything but wash dishes since that little mishap.”

“And if they have any brains in the kitchen, they won’t let him near the food again,” City Guard Vallis growled, his face twisting at the memory of the obviously unpleasant experience. “Anyway, the city - nothing much happened, Vara.”

“Oh, come on. There’s some shit going on every day. It’s just that I’m never there.”

“Well,” he grumbled, thinking. “Some merchants had a dispute in the Palace District, on Egerton Plaza. And the master guards had to step in to deal with the seekers in Labyrinth Square.”

“Damn, I wish I could see that.” Guardswoman Vara sighed wistfully, to which her friend just rolled her blue eyes tiredly.

“Heard there wasn’t much to see. So, like I said, nothing much happened. Except,” City Guard Vallis raised his voice, holding up a finger. “...for the two of you being here when you should be patrolling the other side of the city.”

“Yeah, fucking right,” the other one chimed in, his eyes on me. “What’s with the silent half-Terr. Did you arrest her for stealing or something?”

“I wish.”

“No,” Elira added to another sigh from her colleague. “She is a refugee, seeking citizenship here.”

“I tell you what...some dickhead saw on the report that she had tits and figured it would be better if someone with tits escorted her. I call that bullshit. I mean, seriously, as if Whitcut and Mokerks wouldn’t do the same job,” Guardswoman Vara fumed, still pissed off about having to escort me, but then she put her hand on my shoulder and grinned. “At least she’s an interesting one.”

“Not one I’ve seen before for sure,” City Guard Vallis remarked, the other one nodding with him. “She’s in for quite a wait, though. Not half an hour ago, they brought in a large group of unprocessed refugees from the north, that entered through the Ravenhear Gate.”