"... a five and a six." Stated Gabriel "Try beating that!"

The Red Cohort liked playing dice. They tended to find it a nice way to blow some steam off, especially after a campaign.

"Furthermore..." He continued, boldly proclaiming to everyone in the inn "If I lose, everyone gets a drink at my own expense. Note that."

"Already noted." Cheerfully replied the nearest waitress.

That display of hubris was met with cheers by the other people there, who nodded approvingly. Honestly, Gabriel could and maybe would probably pay for drinks for everybody either way. He felt somewhat generous today. Also "Yellow Rose" was one of those taverns in Krestensguard that were owned by the army. He could just give an order and the result would be the same.  

"There is always some chance." Smirked Ivo Aled. A rather muscular young man from western Voreth, he roughly resembled Gabriel in his youth in appearance. Ivo grabbed the dice. Before casually throwing them, the man asked his comrades. "Whatever. I wonder what you, guys, are going to spend your money on. In my case there's that one girl that's caught my eye. Some jewellery is bound to win her over."

"Sorry, a three and a one. So much for your talks of possibilities." Said Gabriel dismissively upon checking the results of the dice roll. "Personally I'd suggest more than just some jewellery, if you want her to bear with you. As for me..." He sighed "I will probably send most to the kin. Your turn Greater."

His name was actually Vernan Mosht, but since the Cohort had another captain by the name of Vernan Smaith the two were most often called just Greater and Lesser based on the age difference. A man nearing his late fifties, he was by far the oldest person there.

Greater moved his hands in a gesture showing his empty palms.

"You know what-I will skip this turn." He said. "...as for the question on hand. You know, sooner or later I will need to retire. This is what I am planning. Saving for a nice plot of land..."

"You? Farming?" Lesser laughed aloud. "I can't imagine that."

"Well... maybe I am also going to buy some slaves too. Or have the land be one of those that's paired with serfs and a noble’s title. Just let the elderly have their dreams, lad."

"That sounds more realistic." Lesser raised his glass for a toast. "This one is for your health. As for my money... I don't see what's wrong with just enjoying my best years. I have nobody to take care of, so there aren't any problems." He then threw the dice. "A six and a one. Welp, Gabriel's not losing anytime soon. Your turn Gleb."

"Me? Unlike you, guys" Gleb looked at them in seemingly stern, even though it appeared as if it was costing him a great deal of effort not to laugh or giggle "I do have a loving wife and a family. I'm immediately running home after this game. Alva and I... have a lot catching up to do. Hey, Gabs, you're close to the king, do you know whether we'll be receiving any assignments soon? I'd love it, if the answer is no."

Gabriel shook his head.

"Sorry. Haven't talked to him yet. I planned to do that after this gathering is over."

"Oh, sorry for asking." Gleb said. "Let's throw these dice now. It's a five and a... three. Apparently you win this turn."

Everybody who had played gave Gabriel three Silver Leons.

 

 

From that point on, everyone left the inn. Gabriel directly took a carriage to the castle. Since the coachman turned out quite talkative and a nice company, he chose to tip her rather generously.

"Greeting. I believe you've solved the issues we've been having with the Eyran College." Stated Aesar after Gabriel had entered the little throne room, a not too grant of place for His Majesty and his advisors to talk. It served no ceremonial function whatsoever: just a throne and a long rectangular table of marble. There were also several bookshelves that for the most part contained either travel or history literature, a handful of philosophical works too. A map of the Mainland together with Vepirea to the north and the various major islands in the Silent Ocean in the east hung on the wall behind the throne.

The situation he was talking about had proven to be quite the pickle for Gabriel, actually. Some twelve years ago the queen of Eyra, an island to the south of Voreth, died without leaving a proper heir. Thus Aesar who was distantly related to her managed to gain support from big enough chunk of the nobility and proclaim himself king of Eyra on the condition he promised to respect and protect their rights and liberties. Long story short, despite being gained through diplomacy and also not being ravaged by war for the more than a decade, it was one of the more rebellious provinces in Aesar's growing empire.

As Gabriel saw things this is where all the issues there stemmed from. Not a year or two passed without some noble or other type of influential person deciding that their country would be much better off free from Vorethian rule, preferably with them in charge. This time it was the local mages that had been causing troubles. As soon as the reports of some of the rather... controversial views the Archmagus of their College of Sorcery reached His Majesty, Gabriel had been sent to deal with the mess.

Before he could say anything, Gabriel sensed a sudden hug.

“Oh, nice seeing you, too, girl.” He greeted Princess Elena, Aesar’s last living sibling.

Gabriel took a confused look at his sovereign. He had not expected to meet the young girl here.

“After her birthday I’ve been taking El to some council meetings. I don’t think you’ll mind.”

“What took you so long?” The princess interrupted her brother, slapping Gabriel in the process.

“There isn’t much to say. Crossing the sea was a real nightmare, though.” He admitted. “Two hundred armed men can’t just come without raising some suspicions, can they? The rest wasn’t troubling. The college’s head was beheaded.” Both members of the royal dynasty appreciated the pun. Gabriel felt pride for coming up with it. “As for the other conspirators… I found banishment to be a fitting punishment. A well-respected citizen of the Fleas’ Borough was put in charge of the place.”

“You really did put some leper in charge… thought you were exaggerating in your letters.”

“He can and does say “yes” to orders. There’s no need for much beyond that.”

Gabriel also thought that those wizards deserved some slap in the face for disrespecting His king, but that wasn’t an opinion worth sharing. It was probably obvious.

 “What have I been missing on while I was away?” He asked instead.

The heiress’s eyes lit up to that question. Gabriel could guess what had happened just by the sheer pride in her expression. The princess had always been keen on imitating the men she had grown around.

“Brother finally relented.” She smiled. “It’s finally been decreed that I’ll will be getting a knightly order to lead. I just can’t wait for everything I have planned. There are so many ideas constantly wandering through my head. In to time we’ll be fighting the enemies of the realm just as you. At this point all I have left is coming up with a good enough name. It needs to invoke the colour red. Preferably with alliteration. How does Scarlet Sisterhood sound like?”

“She been bugging me for it since she was sixteen… That’s two whole damned years.” The king admitted quietly. “There’s no more stopping her.”

“Whoa, little one. Think slowly and then speak.” He said. “You can do that, can’t you? I need to hear quite a bit more explanations before you get me convinced that what you’re doing is reasonable. What are your recruitment plans?”

She stood up on her toes in attempt to be as close to face to face as possible.

“Do you have even the slightest clue what lengths most people in this court are willing to go through to be in the heiress’s good graces?” She asked in return. “At least some will be of use for me. I can easily demand that everybody should equip themselves at their own expense and they’d still do it.”

Gabriel decided not to argue any further, waving his hand in the process: “Very well. Will you need to any help?”

“Thanks for asking. There’s no denying it.” She admitted. “I don’t expect most of my recruits to know how to use a weapon even in the slightest. Will you help fix that?”

“I could always offer some of my men to help with that. Actually, I remember Gleb mentioning something about wanting to spend some more time here. What do you say?” He gave a suggestion.

“Sounds great!”

“Ahem…” Aesar interjected. “There are a few things I’d need to discuss, too.”

“What troubles have sprouted now?” He asked.

“We’re trying to run a state after all.” The king snorted. “Let’s begin with the more urgent matter. Do you remember Tesha Havick?”

Gabriel started to think. The name did sound familiar.

“She was an apprentice sorceress, wasn’t she? Black-haired? Acts as if most people are walk-through?”

“I’d say that you’re thinking of the right person. In short, she recently an expedition to the Dead Lands…”

Gabriel immediately cut him off after hearing the name of that cursed place. The only good experience he had ever had that was related to the ancient battlefield was leaving it.

“She’s dead. I assume at some point you’ve stopped receiving reports from her and you want me to investigate. I can give you a simple answer immediately: she is dead.”

“You’re close, but not right.” Aesar raised hand in gesture to calm him. “Tesha is alive. She was indeed attacked, but managed to fend off her pursuers and write of the events. Her wellbeing is the least that worries me.”

“It wasn’t the undead that attacked her, was it?” Gabriel made a guess.

The king nodded: “Humans. Presumably worshippers of the Lich. I’d like you to retrieve Tesha, but more importantly to investigate the whole ordeal. There’s no desire for enemies on yet another border.”

“Very well. I will be setting off as possible."