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The life of a Soldier
Chapter 8 : A trip into the city pt2

Chapter 8 : A trip into the city pt2

The rest of the day was spent going through the store's, eating good food and last but not least drinking in the tavern. The tavern they found themselves in at the end of the day was named The Waddling Boar. Like its name suggested it was quite a rowdy place with alot of sounds of enjoyment and amusement pouring outside.

There was no particular reason why they had chosen this tavern to spend the night other than they just happened to be passing it by in the street, that it smelled like good food and last but not least because the sounds of laughter and music made them like the place already.

They entered the tavern through the traditional swinging double doors that were seen on nearly all the taverns and inns in the city. Entering into the cozy beer hall of the tavern they took a seat at one of the table at the far end of the wall. Beer hall was wat the people called the largest room in a tavern were all the customers came together.

On the small elevated platform there were a few musicians toggling away at their instruments with a pretty girl singing a song. The girl seemed to be one of the barmaids that worked at the Boar. The song however seemed to be a popular one. Even more so with her being the one singing it. The rowdy customers were drinking and singing as hard as they could. Swinging along arm in arm to the rhythm of the song.

The song was about a lady of royal standing falling in love with a rough soldier who was refused to let her drag him into a relationship. The girl was a bit entrancing to listen to if Dorian was being completely honest. Her voice made all his trouble seep away, her brown hair swing over her shoulder tied together in a loose double tied pony tail. Dark brown eyes with a promise of laughter sweeping around the hall. A mouth that hinted at a mischievous streak grinned at the costumers singing along with her.

To soon the song was at an end and the girl told the customers that she had a job to do, that the owner would scold her if she didn't work properly. The customers booed a bit but eventually let things be and went back to their drinking, dancing and occasional game. The barmaid put on her working apron and started to collect orders, and pass out drinks.

Another girl came to their table and asked for their order. This girl was on the rather small side at about 160 centimeters and had a long black braid that was only partially visible outside her clothes.

Black eyes and a pale skin made her cute to look at. The way she spoke only made her seem more fragile than her appearance already made her look.

"M-may i h-have your orders p-please" She stuttered nervously looking at Vor and Blaitz from the corner of her eyes. Dorian guessed that blaitz with his beastly appearance and Vor with his sheer size would be intimidating for anyone who did not know them.

"I would deeply appreciate a large sized keg of clear water if you could provide thus." Vor said in his deep rumbling voice. The first time Vor spoke up the poor girl flinched and almost took a step back before controlling herself and paying attention to the order.

"An Ale for me please!" Blaitz said next with that undertone of a growl he always had. Once again the girl flinched before nodding.

"O-one water and one A-ale" She said reciting the order so far. Vor and Blaitz nodded at the poor girl, who once again seemed like she was on the verge of fainting. Taking the orders of Ístril and Arin was alot easier for her. They each asked for an Ale, Ístril as it turned out had never had an ale, or an alcoholic beverage of any kind for a fact. So at the insistence of Arin she decided to try out an ale.

"W-what would you like sir?" She asked Gladiel, who gave her a dramatically flirting look and said. "Anything a beauty such as thyself would deliver upon my table is a beverage i would enjoy to its utmost potential. What would such a divine being such as thyself recommend for a man such as I." Whilst speaking the words Gladiel had grabbed the hand of the girl and placed himself on one knee before her.

Before it could go any further Dorian grabbed Gladiel by his shirt and put him back down on the bench. "Excuse my idiotic friend, he will have an ale. As for myself i would like a milk if you please." 

The girl stared at him for a minute before nodding and heading to the bar to get their order. "What were you thinking Gladiel!" Dorian said scolding him. "The poor girl was a nervous wreck. Probably her first day on the job and you pull something like that."

"Well i couldn't help myself she was really pretty after all." Gladiel said letting the scolding flow over him as if he was a rock in a river. "Besides what is a man to do with all these internal desires welling up inside himself, if one cannot even compliment a flower like that."

Dorian sighed deeply, he knew very well that his friend did not mean any harm. He actually meant all those absurd sounding compliments he threw around. "Well just try not to give her a heart-attack."

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When the girl came back with the drinks she handed wat seemed to be a bucket to Vor. The bucket seemed to be something they had especially for larger customers like Vor. Blaitz, Arin and Ístril got their Ale's aswell. She then gave Dorian his milk before moving to Gladiel. Gladiel reached out his hand to the girl.

"Might i ask your name, lovely flower" He said in his own dramatic way. The girl panicked when Gladiel grabbed for her hand again and instinctively jumped back. accidentally spilling the contents of Gladiels beverage over Dorians head and shirt. Dorian sat there surprised and completely drenched, his hair soggy over his face and his shirt felt like it was sucking itself onto his skin. Most of all it felt sticky.

The others at the table stared at Dorian for a few seconds. The girl was trying to apologize but before she could even get the words out the entire table burst out in laughter. Arin burst out in a roaring laughter that she didn't even try and hold back. Pointing at Dorian and nearly falling out of her seat in laughter. Blaitz was in the same state as her laughing so hard he was gasping for breath. 

Gladiel just stared at Dorian for a second before joining the other 2 in their mirth. Vor seemed to be trying to maintain his stoic composure before he let out a booming laughter that drowned out the sound of the other 3. The sound made even the other customers look at their table, seeing wat had happened they also joined in the laughter.

Ístril was the only one who seemed to be keeping her composure. That was untill Dorian looked her in the eyes and she started giggling. Eventually the giggling turned into a slapping of the table and gasping for air. Dorian looked at his friends annoyed.

Meanwhile the girl was still trying to apologize to Dorian. Dorian gave her a freindly smile and told her not to worry about it. Accidents happen after all. If anything he blamed the bluehaired idiot for it and not her.

The words seemed to put her at ease a bit. She stared guiltily at Dorians hair and wet shirt though.

That is when the other Barmaid appeared, the one that had been singing before. She introduced herself as Mori, the shy girl was Tolu. Tolu explained what had happened as quickly as she could. Stumbling her way through sentences.

Mori smiled at the girl and told her these things happened and aslong as the customer wasn't that troubled by it neither should she. Dorian quickly added that he was not troubled by it at all and that she shouldn't worry. Tolu nodded and seemed a bit more at ease now.

"You could let your shirt dry at the fire if you wish, we have a few pegs there exactly for occasions such as this." Mori told him. 

"That would be alot more pleasant than sitting here with a wet sticky shirt." Dorian said with a small smile.

Dorian put his hands underneath his shirt and pulled it out over his head. Tolu and Mori stared at him while he was doing so. Not that he noticed of course since they were behind him. Eying his body which had a sheen because of the spilt liquid. Dorian had always had a good set of muscles, working in the forge and running 4 hours a day would do that to you. Right now the barmaids were enjoying those hardened muscles with a bit of a blush.

The blush wasn't that small on Tolu though, she went red as a beet. Arin and Ístril also saw him taking of his shirt and hanging it on the peg. Their eyes lingered for only a little though as they had seen the guys without shirts often enough.

After the small event, they simply went on to enjoy the food and the drinks the Boar had to offer. Eventually Arin got into a drinking match with some other costumers and beat them easily. She proudly exclaimed that her dwarven blood would not loose in the terms of processing alcohol!

Eventually one of the larger customers was brave enough to challenge Vor to an arm wrestling challenge. Vor who seemed to actually be enjoying himself, gladly accepted and about a second after the match had started it was already done. Vor's power was simply beyond those of any normal person.

The singing dancing and overall revelry went on long into the night before they finally headed to their rooms to crash into their beds for some long needed rest. The boys went into a larger room with 4 beds. The girls got a separate room with 2 beds.

It didn't even take a minute for the tired gang to fall asleep.

The next morning they were woken by a shriek, Dorian with his reflexes honed by his father was out of his bed and in the hallway in the shortest of moments. His knife in his hand he ran to Mori who was standing in front of a door with her hands pressed against her mouth a deeply shocked expression on her face.

Dorian rushed to her side and looked inside the room. There was Arin, lying unmoving, in a pool of her own blood.