by Eden Redd
The sun elf opened her eyes and looked into Jon’s eyes. “I will save my parents. I will save Aquris’s people from the Empire and I will love you until the very heavens fall from the sky. You have my word, my honor, and my heart.”
Jon’s hands touched the elf’s waist, holding her close to him. “Lilly, you have my word, my honor, and my heart. You have my trust and my confidence. I will stand by your side, save your parents, break an empire, and love you till the heaven’s fall.”
Lilly’s eyes drank in Jon’s genuine words before she licked his chin. “We will make a captain out of you yet. Now, let’s get back to the crew. I believe drinks are in order.”
The elf stepped from Jon’s embrace, smacked his butt and started walking.
Jon smiled as he moved to her side, the sky a gentle pink and the sun halfway setting beyond the horizon.
Ten
The last rays of sunlight died behind the horizon. A brilliant flash filled the sky before it dimmed, night casting her long cloak across the world. A cool breeze flowed over Soul Drink Isle as townsfolk and visitors made their way to their favorite drinking holes, eager to wash away the pains of the day with drink and laughter until the morning.
The Laughing Rat stood, an almost non-descript two story building. The front door was plain, just as everything else except for a simple sign. There were no words or symbols, just a carved picture of a haggard rat with an eye patch over one eye and a frothy mug in its hand. The ugly rat had its mouth open and appeared to be laughing or crying.
Jon stared at the sign of the Laughing Rat. He couldn’t tell if the tavern was not taking itself seriously or they just didn’t care. After another two seconds, he decided they simply didn’t care as Lilly slammed her palm against the door, forcing it open.
Jon followed the pirate elf as she sauntered in like she owned the place. Rough laughter and shouting stopped. Jon stepped in behind her, the door swinging close. He drank in the view as many elves, orcs, and a few halflings looked in their direction with annoyed eyes.
The main room was plain. It had a simple bar to the side. A roaring hearth warmed the chilly evening air away. Plain wooden tables and chairs filled the main portion of the room and a simple set of stairs led upstairs to the second floor. A mangy cat crawled out from under a chair, sauntered over to Jon and began rubbing its head against his leg. It purred like a machine, breaking the sudden silence.
Lilly stared at the room, her head moving slowly from one side to the next. Her gaze pierced every person in the room. Many of the patrons lowered their gaze. Some looked away. An orc got up, bowed his head, slipped past Lilly and Jon and rushed out the door. Lilly’s penetrating gaze lingered until her mouth formed a small smirk.
Heads nodded and bobbed, conversation filling the tavern once again. Life returned to the drinking hole as Lilly and Jon stepped further in. The orange cat followed, trailing behind Jon and meowing after him.
Lilly spotted a table in a corner, Zelda and Syndra sitting with several frothy drinks in front of them. They made eye contact as their Captain and Shullkar approached. The pair sat down in the empty seats.
“How did it go, Captain?” Zelda asked simply.
“We’ll have our answer by morning,” Lilly answered.
“Do we really need her?” Syndra asked before taking a deep sip from her wooden mug.
“The burden of healing should not always fall on you,” Lilly said as she leaned back in her chair.
Zelda turned her gaze to Jon. “Did she… see your soul?” Zelda asked with a razor grinned.
Jon smiled. “She did. Thanks for not warning me.”
Zelda barked out a laugh and slammed her webbed fist on the table. Syndra’s eyes narrowed as she put her drink down.
“Eryn does have a sense of humor!” Zelda laughed.
“Yes, she does,” Syndra said, not amused.
“You’re not still bitter about it, are you?” the sea elf leaned in closer to her shadow elf friend.
“If she doesn’t join us, it won’t be a major loss,” the witch’s mouth twitched before drinking from her mug again.
Lilly looked to Jon and clamped her hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get a drink!”
The red-headed elf was up from her chair and making her way to the bar. Jon was up and following. He glanced around to a number of elves looking him over.
They look like they are sizing me up for a fight. Maybe we should have gone back to the ship?
Lilly reached the bar and grinned. An old elf woman with a clipped ear stood. She spit in the mug she was cleaning and wiped it down with a rag.
“What can I get ya?” the elf grinned, several teeth missing.
“A bottle of your finest rum,” Lilly beamed.
The old elf nodded, reached down under the counter and pulled up a dark brown colored bottle. She slid it to Lilly.
“You want cups?”
“I think we will drink from the bottle,” Lilly said as she grabbed the bottle and handed it to Jon.
Jon grabbed it and held it to his chest.
“Darling, be a dear and bring the bottle to the table and start drinking while I settle our tab,” Lilly said sweetly.
Jon nodded, feeling odd that the sun elf was acting so nice. She was sometimes a little hard with the crew, but she seemed like a different person.
She’s happy we talked. I shouldn’t read into things so much. Have a drink and relax. We have the evening.
Jon made his way back to the table, pulling the cork out of the top of the bottle. As he sat down, the aroma of the rum wafted into his nose and his eyes dilated. Staring down at the bottle in his hand, he could not believe how delicious it smelled. The rum scent overpowered his senses and his mouth began to water.
“Take the first sip and pass it!” Zelda laughed.
Jon nodded, lifted the bottle to his lips and began drinking. Sensations blasted his nerves and immediately hugged them. It felt like a warm blanket wrapped around his body as heat glowed along his core. It was so overwhelming, he began to guzzle.
Zelda’s smile faded before she reached across the table and snatched it from Jon’s hand.
“I said pass it!” the sea elf smiled again before she took a long guzzle.
Waves touched Jon’s vision as the room began to spin. The rum felt marvelous and soothing. Muscles relaxed as Jon nearly slumped in his chair. A golden light glowed from his inner mind as his heart beat a little faster.
Zelda pulled away the bottle and handed it to Syndra. “AHHH! Nothing like elven rum! Urth rum is good, but nothing beats good old elf rum.”
“We should bring a few bottles back home,” Syndra said with a slight slur before she drank deeply.
“Is it… always… this… powerful?” Jon said, but the words came out a little weird.
Zelda eyed him. “It’s good, but it’s just rum. You should be fine.”
The rum is really messing with me. Was I poisoned? Am I dying?
Jon let out a long, hard laugh.
“I’m not dying! This is great!” Jon shouted.
Syndra and Zelda each lifted an eyebrow.
“Did you just say something out loud that was meant to be in your head?” Syndra asked.
“You can hear my thoughts?” Jon’s mouth forming a wide grin.
Syndra and Zelda blinked before they started howling with laughter.
“The rum must affect you differently from us,” Syndra said through tears in her eyes.
Across the room, Lilly leaned over the bar, a package of coffee in her hands. The old elf eyed her as the Captain opened the package.
“It’s from the Urth Realm. They call it coffee. I can guarantee your patrons will pay gold through the ears to taste this,” Lilly grinned.
The old elf sniffed at it. “It smells good, but what am I supposed to do with it?”
“Give me some cups and hot water. I brought filters to show you how the alchemy works,” Lilly smiled with bright teeth.
Back at the tabl
e, Jon nearly snatched the bottle from Syndra’s hand and took several gulps.
“Save some for us,” Zelda said in a low tone, concern touching her brow.
Jon put the bottle down on the table. Seething through his teeth, he never felt so alive in his life. Power and serenity flowed into every muscle and he grinned like a maniac. Lifting up his hand, he curled his fingers into a fist and flexed them open again.
“I feel… GREAT!” Jon shouted the last part.
Syndra and Zelda’s smiles disappeared.
“Jon, maybe you should slow down,” Syndra said with concern in her red eyes.
Jon stood up, his eyes half-closed and a smarmy smirk on his face. “Slow down? Like how the rest of the world is slowing down?”
The rum sloshed against Jon’s spirit as he weaved a little from side to side. The effects were immediate and he felt like he was hovering above his body. It delighted his inner light that he was chuckling and could barely stop.
A side door opened and several scantily clad elves stepped out. Three females and one male made their way into the tavern and looked around. An elf in another corner, lifted an instrument and began playing. The tune was vibrant and haunting as the four elves began to dance seductively, moving about the main room.
Elves lifted gold coins and handed them to dancers. The dancers would take the coin in one hand and touched chins and cheeks with the other. The air took on a seductive charge as the mood shifted.
“Dancers,” Jon smiled.
Two dancers made their way to him. Their oval eyes were wide and smiles bright. They touched his face and neck as Jon looked up to them with a stupid smile.
“He doesn’t have any gold,” Zelda informed.
The two dancers kept touching him.
“We don’t want his gold. He is so bright and having fun,” one of them said.
Lilly poured the last of the hot water through the filter and coffee. She drained it into the cup and shook it a little. Mist floated up from the dark brew as she slid it toward the old elf.
The bartender sniffed at it before she took a gulp. Old eyes widened as she looked down at the cup and drank some more. A pointed tongue slid out and licked wrinkled lips before she guzzled the rest.
Lilly watched as the old woman slammed the cup on the bar top.
“Give me every package you have! I’ll pay you handsomely!” the old elf nearly shouted.
“Gold first,” Lilly stated.
The old woman reached under the counter. A moment later, a thick bag of gold was plopped on the bar top.
Lilly didn’t bother to count it. She took the bag in one hand, lifted her satchel with the other and dumped eight packages of coffee. When the satchel was empty, she placed the bag of gold in it and secured it shut.
“If you have any more, send it my way. If no one is here, just tell them it’s for Helga,” Helga grinned before her arms scooped up the packages.
“Pleasure doing business with you, Helga,” Lilly smiled before turning around, her eyes widening a hair.
Jon was dancing with two elves by their table. The young man moved like a snake, smiling and laughing. The two dancers laughed with him, running their hands along him with lingering touches. Zelda and Syndra watched, smiling and laughing as Jon writhed.
Lilly made her way closer, eyeing Jon. When she was about to step past him, Jon’s hand lashed out and took hold of her hand. Jon pulled her close and danced with knowing eyes.
“You are beautiful,” Jon grinned, the elf dancers touching his face.
“You’re having fun,” Lilly said, fighting back giggles.
Jon nodded. “Have some rum. It’s delicious.”
“I will,” Lilly said as she snatched the bottle, lifted to her lips and drank.
Jon watched as her throat gulped down the elven rum. When she finished, she slammed the bottle on the table, pressed her lips to his and squirted rum into Jon’s mouth. Jon’s eyes rolled into his head as rum filled his mouth and he gulped it down. When Lilly’s tongue slipped in next, he clutched at her waist and kept her close.
“I want a turn,” a dancer said as her hand smoothed over Jon’s head and accidently pulled off his bandanna.
Several elves watching the show noticed Jon’s lack of pointed ears.
Lilly pulled back and snatched the bandanna from the elf.
“He’s an Urth man. I’ve never been with an Urth man before,” the dancer said with a breathy whisper.
“Nor will you,” Lilly said as she tied the bandanna back onto Jon’s head and tucked his ears into it.
“I’m sure they know all about Urth men. It’s a party! We should all be dancing!” Jon grinned.
“Jon…” Lilly began when several figures stood up.
The music stopped as five elven men stepped closer to Jon and the others.
Lilly faced them as her hand reached for the small of her back. Syndra and Zelda were up from their seats. The male elves glared at Jon as he continued to dance to an unknown beat.
“Is this what is becoming of our world? Urthling tourists seeing our squalor and enticing our women!” the leader growled.
Lilly gripped the pistol handle when Jon danced in front of her and faced the five elves.
“Hold up! I thought this was a party. Shouldn’t we all be dancing and drinking,” Jon smiled.
The elf clenched his slender jaw. “We should be. Not you.”
Jon’s smile drooped. “That’s not the party spirit.”
“Leave, or you will be bleeding in the gutter,” the elf said with a menacing edge.
Zelda and Syndra were about to step around the table when Lilly made a hand signal behind her back. The witch and sea elf saw it and stayed where they were.
Lilly stepped back, energy tingling against her very senses. She took her place closer to her crew, all three women watching the exchange.
Jon lifted a finger. “I don’t think you're in the party mood. I say, you leave and sleep in the gutter… or dirt… or wherever elves sleep who are party poopers,” Jon slurred and stabbed his finger in the elf’s shoulder.
“What is a party pooper?” the elf asked with a growl.
“It’s you! You’re the party pooper! It means you poop parties! Uh, I mean, you party in poop! I don’t know… but it’s bad!”
“You have made an enemy for life,” the elf glared with rage.
“No… no. I made a party friend for life. Be my party friend,” Jon laughed.
The elf’s blood flashed with fury as he grabbed a dagger from his belt and pulled it out. Jon’s hands were already reaching out, one grabbing the elf’s wrist and twisting it while the other snatched the dagger and threw it. The elf cried out as the dagger spun and stabbed into a wall.
“I said, be my party friend!” Jon shouted as he held the elf by the wrist.
The elf swung his other fist, missing Jon’s head as he bent it to the side. Jon didn’t let go as the elf tried to land a punch. Limb moving in a blur, everyone watched in stark amazement as Jon’s head also blurred, dodging every strike. A sigh fell from Jon’s lips as he twisted the elf’s wrist and a crack filled the air.
The elf screamed as Jon let go. The elf stumbled back, clutching his broken wrist to his chest.
Jon lifted his hands. “I am so sorry! Let me see if I can help,” Jon said and took one step closer.
The other four elves rushed him and an odd bedlam erupted.
Lilly, Syndra, and Zelda watched as fists flew in a flurry. Jon’s body blurred and spun, moving like a miniature tornado. He chuckled as every elf missed him several times. Legs kicked out and fists tried to land a blow, but instead, they touched air.
Jon’s body contorted and shifted as the four tried to rush him at once. Stabbing his foot out, one elf tripped and went flying onto his belly. Another missed grabbing the Urthling, tripping over his comrade and hitting the floor. The last two took measured steps and punches, trying to land a hit on Jon.
Jon’s legs bent and he jumped, his body
spinning in the air and landing on a nearby table. Jon lifted his legs like he was dancing on the table, dodging punches. The elves growled as they tried to land one strike or blow, only touching air. Jon kicked up a drink into his hand and guzzled the frothy ale as he danced and dodged the elves.
“I can do this all night!” Jon sang as he didn’t spill a drop of ale.
The elf with the broken wrist moved to the dagger in the wall. He pulled it with his remaining good hand, turned and threw it. The dagger spun until the pommel landed squarely in Jon’s hand. Jon hefted the dagger as the two elves tried a different tactic and reached out to grab him. Jon threw the dagger back across the room, the blade stabbing into the elf’s shoulder.
“ARRGGHHH!” the elf shouted as blood bloomed.
The fighting stopped as everyone looked to the wounded elf.
Jon’s eyes widened. “I’m really sorry! I was aiming for your shoulder.”
“It’s in my shoulder!” the elf shouted before he whimpered and tried to pull it out.
“Oh, well then, um, sorry,” Jon shrugged.
The two elves that tripped were back to their feet. The other two tried to grab Jon again. The young man leapt off the table and landed about ten feet away. Feet moved from side to side as he tried to keep his balance. He moved like a drunkard as he couldn’t stand still.
The four elves rushed him, fists raised. Zelda’s fingers curled into fists, but Lilly held up a hand, her green eyes drinking everything in.
“Guys, I’m really sorry for what I’m going to do next,” Jon slurred as he weaved on his feet.
The entire tavern watched in disbelief as elves threw punches and Jon turned sideways, each one missing. Arms shot up, curling around extended arms and Jon ramming his shoulder into them. Two elves went sprawling to the floor, hard. The remaining two tried to turn, but the last thing they saw was two palms speeding toward their eyes and slamming into them. Bodies flipped back like ragdolls and crashed down on their friends. Grunts floated up as Jon weaved on his feet with a bewildered look.
