A long time ago, there stood a village near a mountain. It was a small village yet it thrived easily. 

   The men were strong, gallant and hardworking. The women were beautiful, tender and succulent. Their children were healthy, energetic and pure. Their livestock were fat, powerful and ever breeding. Their fields were flourishing, ever green and ever yielding.

   The morning was busy as always. Ravea's mother owned an inn near the center of the village. Although people spent more time drinking there than they did lodging. But when they did lodge, the inn usually put the Red light district to shame.

   Ravea, a brown haired, white skinned, almond eyed beauty and her sister had helped run the inn for as long as they could remember. Even during the shenanigans filled nights. She had learnt a lot from her time there. At 17, she already knew how the mind of a man worked, how to utilize her feminine aura and how to use it to get what she wanted. But regardless of how experienced she thought she was, her mother always warned she and her sister against men, "The world we live in is unfair to women. Know your worth as a woman but don't interwine yourself with a man more than needs be. Because if it comes down to you and him in a predicament, you'll end up paying more for his crimes." 

  Ravea always felt she understood what her mother was trying to say, and she liked the meaning she had in her head, so she put it into practice.

   Ravea stood idle at the door of the kitchen when a man waved at her. She walked over with a smile of familiarity on her face.

   "Hopas!", She greeted.

   "Ravea my love", Hopas replied, trying to hold unto her hand.

   "I told you not to call me that, what if my mother or sister hears you?", Ravea complained.

   "I saw you mom at the butcher's shop, I hear pork is scarce, quite a long line there, she won't be coming back anytime soon." He held her hand, she shock free.

   "And my sister? You still haven't compensated her for keeping quiet."

   "I've been low on money for a while now. I haven't been getting much game during my hunt."

   "Awwn, that's bad. But it still doesn't help your chances."

   "Why do you keep behaving like this?" He took a deep breath, "Okay, how about we make a little income right now, hmm?", He winked.

    "That's actually not such a bad idea and I feel like today's the perfect day for it", Ravea smirked.

   "Really?"

   "Mhmm, you see that empty table over there?", Ravea gestured towards the table in a far corner of the room with her eyes.

   "You mean the one that's neater than mine?"

   "Yes, that one."

   "What about it?"

   "My father's hosting a member of the village elders today, right there at that table. So I was thinking maybe you could work your magic", Ravea winked twice.

   "Aah, say no more milady, your wish is my command", Hopas replied then went over and sat in the table.

  At high noon, her father was hosting a member of the village elders. They were a group of noble men chosen by the gods to act as a leading figure in the village. The man in question was one of them and he was exceptionally wealthy.

   Her mother had instructed she and her sister to save a clean table in preparation for the man's arrival, and they did, until Hopas arrived.

   A couple hours later, her father returned, and with him was the Elder. As planned, her father led the Elder towards the table that was meant to be empty, but it wasn't.

   Ravea's father was shocked on seeing Hopas sitting and sullying the table that he had instructed his wife and daughters save for his meeting. He called Ravea's younger sister who was attending to a customer.

   "Rima, I thought I told you guys to keep this table clean and empty? What is this drunk doing here?", He asked, very annoyed.

   "We told him he couldn't sit there countless times but he wouldn't listen", she replied.

   Her father turned to the Elder who had been standing quietly by his side, "My apologies, this is an unforseen predicament. Bear with me for a little while and I'll solve it."

   "It's okay Mr. Semira", the Elder calmly replied.

  Just then, a young man walked into the inn. Tall, dark hair, grey eyes and dim white skin.

   "Peter!", Mr. Semira called out.

   The young man turned and looked, "Mr. Semira!", He answered, then ran over.

   "How are you faring?", Mr. Semira asked.

   "Quite well, sir", Peter replied.

   "Praise to the gods. I'd like you to meet Mr. Dernewt, our humble Elder."

   Peter turned and faced the Elder. "Honor to meet you sir", he bowed slightly.

   "A pleasure to meet you. My son has told me quite a bit about you. You're friends rights?", Mr. Dernewt replied.

   "Yes, Jerome Dernewt, he's a good friend of mine", Peter affirmed with a smile on his face.

   "That's good."

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   "I and Mr. Dernewt here were in the middle of a meeting, we were just about getting on with the necessary procedures when this happened", Mr. Semira shifted to allow Peter see Hopas.

   "Don't worry, I'll handle him", Peter replied. He walked up to Hopas, grabbed unto his arm and pulled him out of the table. "It's too early to be this drunk sir, are you not ashamed of yourself."

   Hopas was a bit compliant this time. He got up and followed calmly behind Peter, belching and stumbling like a baby goat. Then he suddenly stopped.

   "Lookie bur here, it's an Elder. What's a bur man of your calibuuur doing in this rundown joint?", Hopas' belch accompanied breathe reeked of booze and stupidity.

   Mr Semira was angered, "This isn't a joint, it's an inn, an honorable one for that matter, it's men like you that belittle it's reputation!"

   Peter pulled Hopas.

   "Hold on hold on, bur before I leave, I want to at least touch the Elder, I hear bur the blessings of the gods rest in thy garments." Hopas immediately shook free from Peter's grip and hugged the Elder.

   Everyone was startled. "How dare you! You insolent-", Mr. Semira was saying when suddenly, Hopas belched deeply then threw up on the Elder.

   "Aaah!! What manner of idiot are you?!", Mr. Semira screamed, "Get him out of here now!"

   "I haven't paid my bill", Hopas said, honestly. 

   "Like you ever do! Get out!", Veins were throbbing on Mr. Semira's head. He turned to the Elder and bowed slightly, "I'm so sorry, Mr. Dernewt. He is only but a useless drunk, I'll make sure he pays for what he has done."

   "It's okay Mr. Semira, you'd be surprised at how many times things like this have happened to me", Mr. Dernewt, the Elder, humbly replied.

   "But you don't deserve such treatment."

   "Well life isn't fair, is it?"

   "Shall we?", Mr. Semira gestured at a seat.

   "We shall."   The meeting was going smoothly. Food and drinks were served and both men were having a jolly time.

   "It's not everyday I laugh this much", said Mr. Semira.

   "Likewise, you're a brilliant host Mr. Semira. But as they say, all good things must come to an end. I should be taking my leave soon", Mr. Dernewt replied, calmly putting an end to the mild merriment.

   "That's a shame", Mr. Semira lamented.

   "Don't worry, I'll see to it that you get the best land my family has to offer." Mr Dernewt slipped his hand into his trouser pocket and slipped it out empty-handed. He looked puzzled. He slipped it into the other pocket and slipped it out again, still empty-handed.

   Mr. Semira noticed Mr. Dernewts movement and realized he was about to do the unthinkable. "Oh no, that's not necessary. Everything is on the house, you don't have to pay."

   Mr. Dernewt stood up and grabbed unto his puke stained jacket, "No, that's really kind of you Mr. Semira but I insist, a token of my appreciation for your fine hospitality." He slipped his hand into his jacket's pocket, trying not to touch the puke stained areas, then slipped it out again, still empty-handed. He became alarmed. "That's odd, I can't seem to find my purse."

   "What? That IS odd", said Mr. Semira, perplexed as well. "What does it look like?"

   "It's the color of bread, with gold and silver lining around it." 

   They both began searching for it around the table for a while, but it was no where to be found. Mr Semira called his daughters and asked if they'd seen it, but they both claimed otherwise. "Are you certain you didn't leave it somewhere else?"

   "Yes, I am." Mr. Dernewt replied, beads of sweat now forming on his forehead, "This is quite shameful."

   "No no no no no, I told you, everything is on the house."

   "Thank you Mr. Semira. But I'll send my son to come over and settle the bill as soon as I get home", Mr. Dernewt insisted then left before Mr. Semira could say anything.

   It was just about sunset outside. But the streets weren't any less busy. Lights were being turned on in people's houses and a good lot of them lit up the road. Men were returning from their various workplace, many of them retreating to one bar or the other. The women were returning home as well, some with little children. It was almost dinner time.

   Mr. Dernewt realized it was going to be troublesome for him to walk on the main streets, it was unbecoming of an Elder to have retch on his garments, so he slipped into an alleyway and stealthily made his way back home.

   The areas around his house were a lot less busy and a lot more quiet. Some other Elders lived there so the people around tried not to cause a ruckus. His house, a 2 storey wooden duplex, stood on a little hill a couple feet away from the main road. Behind it was a huge farm.

   The smell of plantain porridge garnished with assorted spices filled the air outside and inside the house. There was no one in the living room when he stepped in, so he went to the kitchen. His wife was by the window, probably tired of the smell of her own cooking. Then she turned and looked at him.

   "I knew I smelt something different. Is that retch on your jacket?", She asked.

   "It is. But is that anyway to welcome your husband and Elder home?", Mr. Dernewt replied.

   "I swear I'd have hugged you if it weren't for your new and disturbingly visible perfume", she chuckled.

   "Tch. I'll take it off." He took it off and flung it outside the kitchen.

   "Better", she said, then walked up to him and kissed him. "So, care to tell me how that happened?"

   "It's a story not worth telling."

   "Well I want to hear it."

   He picked up a cup. "I went to see Mr. Semira about the land he wants to purchase from us and some unruly drunk puked on me. Not only that, I also lost my purse." He went over to a barrel and fetched water into the cup, then just stared at it.

   "That's horrible. I'm so sorry", she said, then hugged him.

   "Thank you." He drank the water.

   "But the purse, you know Jerome went through a lot to get it for you, he'll be devastated if he finds out about it."

   "Who cares about a silly purse, I could just get another. It's what's in the purse that matters to me", he slammed the cup on the barrel.

   "You mean money?"

   "Not just any money, my hard earned money", He corrected.

   "You're an Elder. A couple silver coins shouldn't matter much to you", his wife complained.

   "It's this your attitude I dislike, you think money is easy to get?", He asked, mildly irritated.

   "I know money isn't easy to get, I'm just saying, it's wrong to put value on a couple of silver coins over a gift your son gave to you when you have safes stock filled with gold coins in your room."

    "A simple housewife wouldn't understand the value of a couple silver coins!", He blurted out.

   She didn't say anything else. She simply went back to her cooking. 

   "Hilma, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that", Mr. Dernewt apologized.

   "Dinner will be ready in 5 minutes, Jerome is in his room if you need him", she plainly said.

   Mr. Dernewt knew it was useless trying to apologize at that point, so he just let her be. On his way out, he picked up his jacket and dropped it in a bucket by the lobby. Then he climbed the stairs, all the way up to Jerome's room.

   He pushed on the door but it wouldn't open. He tried again and again but his efforts seemed meager. He paused and begun wondering if he'd forgotten wether the door was a push or a pull. He pulled, it didn't open. So he knocked.

   Footsteps quickly slammed on the floorboard as they hurriedly approached the door before opening. "Father", Jerome said in mild disbelief.

   Mr. Dernewt forcefully walked into the room and looked behind the door, "Since when did you put a lock on your door?", He asked, holding tightly unto the poorly installed lock.

   "This afternoon sir, while you were out", Jerome replied, then took a step back.

   "I thought I forbade you from doing such?"

   "You did sir."

   "Then why did you disobey me?" Not waiting for a reply, he sent Jerome falling with a blinding slap to his cheek.

   "I'm sorry sir", Jerome replied, rubbing his cheek.

   He took a deep breath, "You know I dislike hitting you, don't you?", Mr. Dernewt came closer to him.

   Jerome shifted back.

   "Everything I do for and to you, I do it because you're my heir, my first son. All this, my wealth, my houses, my lands, my livestock, my businesses." He bent down and stroked Jerome's head, "All of it, you'll be the one to inherit it. And you have to be properly disciplined to make sure all of this, doesn't go away, okay?"

   "Y-Yes sir", Jerome stammered.

   "Good boy, so don't disobey me again." He got up and walked towards the door, held tightly unto the lock before ripping it out of the door. "There's 2 gold coins on the desk in my room. Head over to the Semira inn and give it to them, tell them your father sent you.