Warm and fed at the Inn again,

Leave the sword at home, John.

Warm and fed at the Inn again,

Leave the sword at home, John.

I think of what's their next move as I sat on this corner of the wall near the fireplace where -- along with the fireplace -- light lived on several candle powered lamps where soldiers removed their helmet, ate heartily, and sang songs of comradely.

I, along with them, used knife and hands to gather the bits of meats and vegetables.

While I face my own meal of hot sheep entrails with leafy veggies in it. The smell is a bit repugnant, but if one passes it's stinging aroma they would be surprise of it's rich taste that speaks of the hardy, yet rich life they are enjoying... Probably.

Come on lads louder! Eyyy!!!

Long we've fought on the battlements,

Now we're safe and home, John...

Don't forget the one's who fell.

Riddle fiddle little rye eye doe

That was what I thought as I ate alone on this corner where I could see these men and women on how they live. I was seated her by May, where in I a monopoly of a window that, although shows a scant view of the dark blanket night above -- which I was aiming -- it showed the life of this town. Parents scolded children who were still running around the dirt street, three men with straw hats pulled carts with sacks, and the candles that betrayed the shadow of two lovers that alot of us did notice, but didn't care about much of the moans. All the while I saw the glowing eyes -- torches -- of the wall that surrounds this world.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

I dropped my knife as I didn't notice the addendum of plates of meat, rice and cooked entrails placed before me.

“Oh, come on captain, you know Anna doesn't like -- Oh!”

Behind her was blonde man that paused and gave me a tipsy smile. This blonde haired and bearded man, wearing a plate armor inspected me close as the innkeeper sat down to me drinking a mouthful of her own local brew.

“It's a miracle he is! Ha!”

He laughed, bombarded me with alcoholic stench, and ruffled my head after inspecting me with great length.

“Welcome back son! By the great goddess, Ellena is truly blessed! Haha, re-re-remember me son?”

The reeking gentleman knocked on his armor as he asked. I shook my head in reply as I held my breath.

"Ahem!"

“Y-yes! Ma'am!”

He suddenly hid his tipsy face with a flash as the the innkeeper coughed and hit the table.

“This is a family table, Edmund, so keep your problems with your lover far away from this table.”

With that, the blonde guy marched back to the other men that laughed at him. Who, in turn raised their mug induced with alcohol towards us. May did the same. Copying her, I raised my own wooden bowl of soup in response.

“Eyyy! To the captain's son!”

“Yeeeaahhheees!!!”

They drank in unison. Gulping, gulping, even the innkeeper drank with end at this huge wooden mug without stop! I could see the bulging movements of the poison going down their necks.

*Thud!*

*Burrrrrpppp!!!*

Everyone then began chortling and laughing as if they won a fight or something... It was intense to see this synchronization from the soldiers. That's precisely why I laughed with them as one another patted the others back. The room is sure filled with the smell of alcohol and companionship and joy, the very same atmosphere in Sandy's.

“Edmund! Serve the bar!”

Says May aloud.

The blonde guy who went near us pointed himself with a questioning face.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“On the double!”

She hit the table that shook the wooden bowls and my core.

“O-on the way Ma'am!”

“Huh.”

He kinda reminds of our new waiter back home.

“Here,”

She then placed a slab of roasted breast of chicken on my bowl

“I saved it for you.”

“Thank you... M-mom.”

Even at that almost monotonous thank you I gave in my entire life, she still manage to give a genuine you're welcome to me as she rubbed her hands and said let's eat. And eat she did, she didn't pause and wait, nor did she let up as she bit the hard bread with enjoyment and ease. Savored the veggie soup with entrails and meat, all the while gulping down her drink. She was definitely fast paced as my mother, where in fact, she gulped her mug, spooned her last, and wheezed out her happiness as I was halfway on my soup and hard bread.

“Ah... It's been a while since I ate this good.”

She picked her teeth as she smiled at me.

“Thank you for the meal.”

I tried to bite faster and swallow faster as I stuff h face with food until my cheeks were those of a hamster.

“Elfien, mind your manners. Look.”

She then went near me and wiped off something on my cheek.

“Don't mess up you're face, ok. Enjoy the meal, little one.”

“Y-yes Ma'am.”

I tried to smile a bit to off set my awkwardly tone at her.

“Heh. Could you repeat that?”

She held her mouth that wanted burst out something but couldn't contain her facial expression.

A tear rolled down her left eye.

Gulping down what good inside my mouth,

“Yes Ma'am!”

I said a little louder.

“At ease my love. At ease.”

She wiped off the emotion off her eye.

Since we left from the captain's Inn,

Two months gone or nigh, John,

Was there ever chum mates, now,

Such as you and I, John?

Long we've fought on the battlements, now we're safe at home, John...

Don't forget the the one's who fell,

Riddle fiddle little rye eye doe.

“What are they singing?”

I said as my bowl now empty and the hard bread I manage to finish.

“It's our song, don't you remember?”

She stood and began clearing the table which I, instinctively, did the same.

“It's ok, it's ok. I can do it. I prefer that you sing your favorite song with them.”

“Favorite?”

Her hands tremble a bit as she picked up my bowl.

“Y-yes. You always sing that... With me...”

She stuttered a bit when she jumbled the wooden dish away with haste as I could her sniffle away from me. Into the crowd that cheered her name as the she pushed forward with her own smile.

After that I sat and waited. May continued to serve the bar with the blonde guy, Edmund, all the while drinking with them. Almost all men inside this inn was flushed pink on the cheeks while the others were either snoring or going from awake to asleep. Then there were the unlucky ones who got their ears pulled out of the Inn when enraged women entered the Inn and called out their name.

Whatever fun, or entertainment, I had while waiting for them to end is when one man -- bushy mustache, long and dripping nose like a broken tap -- told me to keep the fire fed and roaring and gave me a half bent silver coin in exchange.

Woods were stacked near the fireplace where as the hour passed by the number of wood dwindled as did the men. Time wasn't relevant to any of us, I was used to a clock that I don't even have a clue if it's midnight or pass midnight. It feels like an eternal night as the candles inside the lamps began to flicker and sleep. Only the flames and embers of the fireplace kept the cold, darkness and my sleep away.

The low murmur of May and some men still had their mug and talks on a far table. There were meat and drinks stories and miseries as I watch the embers.

“Edmund and company!”

With a bang on the door that jumped my heart. A large old man, wearing the same armor as every soldier in here, entered with a frightful hoarse voice.

Men who were snoring woke up with widen eyes, and the company around May stood up.

“Sir!”

They all saluted as if they sobered up. Yet this professionalism faded after he stood their for a minuet of silent. Almost all returned to sleep and bobbed their head up and down.

“Damn younglings... ”

He muttered as he went to the nearest table and raised his hands.

“Officer at the present, you damn dogs!”

Roared May as her hair wrinkled and face turned red, mouth a gape like lion's maw.

All the men, the old large man even, and me, scattered ourselves selves up on out toes to attention after such thunderous roar.

“Ma'am! Yes! Ma'am!”

It felt like she commanded the entire world for a moment there.

She didn't seem to care as her head bobbed around from awake to asleep. As for the old man he drop his salute and ordered the men to leave.

“Right, boy.”

He called out to me and cocked an eye at me as the last of the men left.

“Y-yes sir,”

I said in stutterers. I was petrified when I met his deep, black, bottomless abyssal eyes. The very sight of him shouts an angry white mustached man ready to hit you if given a wrong answer. Anyone would feel engage when you stare at his aged veteran face.

“Don't do that you're a townie,”

“... A what?”

I squeaked.

“A townsmen, son, so put down your hands.”

Which I promptly did and said my sorry.

“Do you still know me, boy?”

I hear him say in a low tone as he turned his back and began to take to the doors.

Which, like the man named Edmund, I shook my head.

“I just want to say it's good to see you, Elfien. And please do take care of the captain and,”

He pointed at the whole area.

“My men's mess.”

After nodding to him he walked off, I could hear him slapping a soldier who he caught pissing.