Kingdom of Ruin

I could feel a shift in the air the moment I crossed the border into Kiif. It wasn’t just the lack of vegetation, a byproduct of the constant campaigns of war its leaders launched. It simply felt heavier. Kiif had been fighting a war against Corr for years now in an attempt to expand their borders. Now, if the ruling class of Tacs could be swayed, it would be a war on two fronts. I felt pity for the civilians caught in the mix of it all, especially in Kiif.

I was born and raised in Tacs, this time at least. My father was a cruel nobleman who had no love for his wife or child. Truthfully, we had no love for him in return. He beat us both viciously, scarring my back up with his cat-o’-nine-tails whip and forcing my mother to ‘clean’ my wounds with lemon juice and salt. Finding ways to torture both of us at the same time seemed to be his specialty.

He caused my mother’s death by exhaustion and starvation, so I caused his with a dagger to the heart. I took everything I could, sold it, and never looked back. The bastard had no shortage of ruthless enemies, so I staged the scene to be particularly bloody. Last I heard, they were still looking for my body.

Adjusting the grip on the reins of my horse, I continued further into the dusty and destitute outerlands. There was something else in the air that had my hackles raised. Something I both longed to find and desperately wanted to avoid. The Gods are cruel, but I’m also a glutton for punishment. I want to see her. I want to be with her. Fuck, even if it’s a limited time. Even if I know how it will end. My incessant need for her outweighed any good sense. It was possible she was here, toiling away in one of these backwater towns.

What would she be this time? A baroness? A whore? A soldier? Or would she just be some farmer’s daughter, milking emancipated cows and longing for one of her father’s fellow farmhands to notice her? She’d be beautiful, there was no doubt about that. Gods, she’s always so fucking beautiful.

I rode on through the day, lost in my thoughts until I came across a faded, grimy inn. The weathered sign on the front read “The Eagle Helmet Inn” and featured a crude etching of a helmet made to look like an eagle’s head. A small stable was attached to the side, so I slid off my horse and led it there. Curled up on the hay inside, snoring with a bubble of snot rising and receding with each breath, was a small boy.

Deciding against waking him, I found an empty stall and tied my dapple-colored horse up. Then I made my way back to the front of the inn, pushing the batwing doors forward and making my way inside. It was far from crowded and didn’t look like the years had treated the inside much better than the out. It was clean, though, surprisingly enough. Waiting for my eyes to adjust, I looked for the owner, or at the very least, the barkeep.

“Do you think you can fix it?” A gruff voice huffed from behind a screen past the bar area.

“Ach, I don’t know,” a younger boy’s voice replied. “I think you’d best have Thack look at it later, Mr. Cast.” There was a shuffling of bodies before their conversation continued. I listed in taking a seat on one of the stools. I could wait.

“Aye,” the gruff voice, presumably Mr. Cast, agreed. “It’ll have to wait until the evenin’ then.” He huffed. “Thanks to ya anyway, Pip.” I could hear them coming closer. “Go on and get ya a nip of supper on yer way home, ya look like ye’ve not eaten in a week.” Pip laughed.

“It’s all the runnin’ they’ve got me doin’ now.” They started around the screen, only paying attention to one another. “Danny working out for you?” Mr. Cast laughed at that, and I got my first good look at the pair. The man was robust, balding, with a large bushy black beard. He wore an apron over a grey shirt with black pants and grey boots. It wasn’t fresh, new clothing, but it was still better than the tattered clothes his companion wore.

Pip had mousey brown hair that was slicked back into a ponytail. His shirt was a faded white, and his pants looked like they’d been handed down multiple times. His boots were so worn down, I could almost see his toes. This town was certainly paying the price of its leader’s wars. It sickened me.

“Oof!” Pip nearly jumped as he spotted me. “Sorry! Mr. Cast, looks like ye’ve got a customer,” he nodded his head at me. “If I see Thack, I’ll let’er know to come down.”

“No need,” the older man waved his hand, walking up to where at sat at the bar. “Thack’s fillin’ in for me here, Gemma’s still out.” Pip nodded again, then made a swift exit. Pulling a tankard up from behind the bar, the man gave me a quick smile. “Sorry about that, got a bit of an issue with some of the works in the back, nothin’ to worry about though.” His head bobbed as he continued. “Welcome to The Eagle Helmet, how can I help ya?” He began to pour an ale and passed it along to me without a word.

“I put my horse in your stable and I was hoping you had a room for the night, maybe two?” I asked taking the tankard and sipping it cautiously. It was surprisingly good, not the typical swill like the last few taverns I’d stopped at served.

“Of course,” he nodded. “Of course! Would you be liking meals as well?” My stomach growled, quietly at least, as I considered a real, hot meal. I don’t care if it is slop, just something freshly prepared.

“If you would, yes,” I reached into the small pouch on my hip, pulling out a few gold pieces and handing them over. “Fresh hot water as well, I’d like to wash some of the road off.” Mr. Cast took the gold and stashed it somewhere under the counter.

“We’ve got plumbing,” he beamed with pride. “It’ll be as hot as ye like it and ye don’t have to wait once you’re up there.” I couldn’t help but smile as I took a longer drink of the ale. This was a man proud of his place. The bar wasn’t sticky, and while there were some cobwebs here and there, for the most part, it was kept clean. That was something most taverns just weren’t.

“Even better,” Chuckling I offered my hand to shake. “Vandle Shasserre.” He took it with an iron grip, just another thing about him that impressed me. Hidden under the fat was muscle and a strength that was a holdover from his youth.

“Varn Cast,” we shook and then he started cleaning tankards under the bar. “I’ll have me girl bring yer supper in a while. We’ll be havin’ a stew tonight,” my mouth started to water. “They’ll be fresh bread as well, would you like any drinks?” I thought about that for a moment.

“Actually,” I took another gold piece from my bag. “I’ll have a bottle of your best wine.” He looked at me like I’d grown two heads but, as an intelligent businessman, he didn’t refuse my money. I know I’ve overpaid, but I like this man and his place. As much as I hated Kiif in general, places like this, and people like him, made me think there’s still some good in the world.

I finished my drink just as he handed me a key. “It’ll be the third room on your right, upstairs. Just ring the bell by the door if you need anything.” I started to step away, then turned back.

“My horse-”

“I’ll make sure Danny feeds and waters him, takes the saddle off, and all that. Don’t worry.” He smiled again. I saluted him with the key and headed up to my room.