Clap, clap...

My footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.

That's right, it's Friday night and I still didn't leave this damn castle.

- Soldier Brum presenting myself to serve the Lord's summon! - I declared with conviction to the four guards guarding the iron door at the end of the hallway.

- You may pass, Soldier Brum. - One of the guards said, looking at me in the same way you would look at a starving street dog. A look filled with compassion and pity.

I nodded, sharing the same glance towards him.

'I know your pain, brother.'

As soon as I entered the Lord's room, I kneeled myself to one knee.

- Soldier Brum, responding to my Lord's summons. - I repeated the same bullshit from before.

- Brum, you may stand up. - Replied an old voice. The Lord's voice.

And so I did.

- Brum, I shall be honest with you. Soldier Vernick's wife came this morning with a letter signed by the physician. Unfortunately, Vernick has fallen ill last night and... -

No, don't continue! By the love of all the Gods!

- And your services are required today for the night shift as well. - Said the Lord, without skipping a beat.

God fucking damnit!

- I understand my Lord, this one will serve the castle's needs with great joy. - I had to reply.

- My Lord, if I may, this one understands that double shifts are usually rewarded at a different rate and... - I tried, but didn't finish.

- Brave soldier Brum! I have always admired your eloquence and ability with words, but today's matters must be treated with urgency, for at this very moment that we speak lives could be at risk! You shall go now, minor details will be taken care of later. - The Lord spoke, showing his single pair of teeth in a wrinkled smile.

- ...Yes, my Lord. - I turned to take my leave.

I left through the same door I came in.

It wasn't exactly a door that you could call it thick as the Lord didn't want to spend extra coins on that. So the moment I walked out of the room, I could feel the sorry looks of the soldiers on my back.

I was left with not much to do besides complaining and cursing my dear Lord's entire generation.

In a place like this, where nothing happened, soldiers in my position would only check the same usual places.

So I began to take a stroll through the town.

I passed by the butcher's shop and nothing seemed to be out of place, with the exception of the man's surly face, that was something out of place at any place.

Butcher had a bald head and a scar that came from the top of his head until the tip of his chin.

A big and scary old guy.

- Hi there, butcher. - I greeted the man from a certain distance.

- Eat shit. - He replied while chopping the bones of an animal - perhaps those could be the bones of a man, but this was something that I wasn't going to investigate.

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- A great night to you as well, good citizen. - I happily said and kept my fast pace out of there.

Going down the cobble street, passing by a few houses, the next shop there, was the one that annoyed me the most.

The witch's shop.

An old lady walked out of the store as soon as I got close to it.

- Young warrior, walk no further. Your destination does not lay on this path. - She whispered using a mystical weird tone.

I kept going.

- I see blurs of a future filled with magic and adventure, dangers and rewards, pleasure and pain. Come inside so I can take a better look into your very soul. - Her old voice continued to ring.

- I have no money. - I said out loud.

These few words made the woman completely lose her mystical posture and walk back inside grumbling something that my ears couldn't catch.

Tonight we had eleven guards on duty, four of them being assigned to protect the old man's chamber while the others were patrolling the town, a group which I was now included.

This number, was, of course, a joke. Even a group of drunk men would give the exhausted Lord's guards the battle of their lives, and if I didn't know those four poor souls and called them my friends, I would pick a bottle of my own and help the fellows from the tavern.

Speaking of taverns, I should probably pass by Lou's tavern, there's always some folks trying to cause problems there.

Once I got there, I couldn't believe my eyes.

- This ain't right, there was a pair of kings on the table just now... - I could hear him speaking.

I put my hand on the shoulder of the talking man who was now sitting at a table with two others.

He ceased talking and turned his head towards me.

- Hey there friend, putting your dirty hands on a trained soldier such as myself might be the single worst mistake you made... Oh, Brum, it's you! Wanna take a sit with us? - Said the man.

Then I punched him hard with my fist. The hardest I had punched someone in a long time.

I saw the guy flying out of his chair and landing on the floor while his tooth flew to another table.

A raspy voice coming from somewhere within the tavern reached my ears.

- You two! Stop this little quarrel before I end it in a way that your heads won't be in the same place they were when it started. - Lou got out of the chair that he used to take orders behind the counter, at the other side of the tavern. He was coming in my direction with a weird type of weapon that he didn't have in his hands a second ago.

Lou was a man of a very short height, covered with beard, bold words, and many tricks up his sleeves. He was also the owner of this place.

- Sorry Lou. It's me. - I replied loudly.

- Ah, Brum. And who is the individual that you are pounding up today? Ah, Vernick. I see. I see. Alright boys, go ahead without breaking anything if ya will. - And he went back to his chair as if nothing had happened.

Vernick took some time and stood up.

- Damnit Brum! Come on mate, that was one of the last good ones that I had, Melissa is gonna be mad with you... - Vernick said, with a hand covering his mouth.

- You worthless bastard! I got a double shift today because of you! - I remembered the situation I was in and angrily shouted.

Vernick and I have been good friends for four or five years since we both started training to become soldiers. But oftentimes he would find a way to make me question that friendship of ours.

- Oh man, wasn't it George today? - He had the balls to ask.

- No, Vernick. Friday it's always me. - He was supposed to know this.

- I'm sorry, ok? I thought that prick was the one on duty today. I will make up for this, alright? - He promised.

- And weren't you sick with something? - I kept my cool.

He gave me a cheerful smile with half the teeth one might expect a person to have and pointed at the table.

I realized that one of the men sitting there was the town's doctor, seemingly low on poker chips.

I've got to admit, Vernick has always been a wit fellow.

- So you're still with the butcher's daughter, uh? - This was a surprise, knowing Vernick as well I did.

I saw that ugly smile widen even more at my question.

- It's been four months now and she still didn't run away with George or tried to lit my house on fire. I'm telling you, Brum, I found the right one this time. - He replied.

- And how are you dealing with the old man? - That was something which I was really curious about.

- You would be surprised! Butcher is quite the caring man. As long as he doesn't see me nor hears my name, I don't feel in danger at all! -

We both chuckled.

- I'll get going, Vernick. You owe me for this one. - I made sure to remember him that while I was preparing to leave.

- Alright, man. Take care. - He said and got back to his chair.

- Gentlemen, I apologize for the break, let's get back to... Hey! You didn't have so many chips before... - I could faintly hear his voice as I walked out of the tavern.