Alistern took the coins before fetching a pitcher of dark ale and a full mug of the same. “Here ya go. Ya still goin’ through with it?” Alistern’s voice raised slightly along with a single eyebrow as he asked the question.
Taking a sip of the full mug to make it easier to carry, Alburet swallowed before answering. “I love her, Alistern. I’m sorry if that causes you problems, but I will not stop loving her. So you are aware, I’ve invited Almira and Grimgar to celebrate my pending nuptials here tonight. Also, a guard might be along, he and I need to talk. He hates our kind though, so he might not show up. See you later.” With a parting smile he grabbed his stuff and headed for Stewart’s table.
Stewart looked up as Alburet approached, “Did you need something?”
Alburet shook his head, setting the pitcher down in the middle of the table. “No, I just thought maybe we could talk a bit. Since Stacia is with Lilith, I find myself at loose ends today.”
Stewart eyed him for another moment before picking up the pitcher to refill his cup. “Fine, but I won’ be the best company. The last few days have brought up raw memories for me.”
Alburet took a seat, wondering what to say before deciding he would be his usual blunt self. “I heard from Ioaniss that you helped take down a world boss some time back.”
Stewart’s head jerked up, his eyes narrow as he glared at Alburet. “What would you know of it?”
“Nothing, actually. I was half hoping you could tell me about it, now that I see it’s a sensitive topic though, I will apologize instead. I am sorry if I touched a raw point, Stewart,”
Stewart drained his glass, then poured another one, staying silent for a moment. The silence stretched a bit longer before Stewart let out a deep breath, “It’s in the past but it still aches at times. It isn’t your fault. You don’t know the story. It was over twenty years ago, when we had our last great adventure, which ended in sadness and pain.”
Alburet sipped his drink, keeping quiet as he watched the emotions flicker across Stewart’s face. He wanted to hear the tale, but didn’t want to reopen an old wound more than he already had.
“Our last adventure that cost me the woman I loved, Flora.” A deep sense of loss radiated from Stewart at the name. “We had our problems, but we still loved each other. It was a very rocky relationship if truth be told. We had just gotten to level eighty and were heading for the Dead Lands for the first time.”
Alburet listened intently as Stewart spun the tale of his lover who died fighting Experiment 9 out in the Dead Lands. It took another pitcher of ale before Stewart finished as the sun began to set and the inn began to fill. Alburet wiped his own eyes a few times during the story, entranced by the emotions Stewart evoked with the tale.
“I was a wreck for a good week after that. What pulled me out of it was Alistern’s father dying. Alistern needed me to help support him, so I pulled myself out of my depression and started moving again. That’s when I started helping my best friend run this place, him running the bar and me helping train the new Summoners,” Stewart finished, draining his mug again.
“Aye and glad we were tha’ ye came out of it, me friend,” Grimgar said by way of announcing himself as he took a seat with a fresh pitcher and mug.
“Glad you made it, Grimgar,” Alburet greeted the dwarf.
“Aye lad. So, we be celebratin’ ya big day tomorrow, ya be joinin’ the extended family.” Grimgar slapped Alburet hard on the back, knocking the breath from Alburet. “Do nay worry. Iffin she be anythin’ like Lilith, ye will never be idle.”
Stewart’s sadness lifted slightly as his lips twitched up, “Isn’t that the truth. She was the one who kept pushing us to do more back in the day. Even here she jumps on anyone not pulling their weight. Be sure you want this. Your life won’t be the same after tomorrow.”
“True, it will be filled with love instead,” Almira cut in as she took a seat with a bottle and a wine glass in her hands. “I brought my own drink, as the stuff Alistern serves is much too thick for my taste.”
Grimgar chuckled as he shook his head, “Always wantin’ somethin’ more refined to drink. We be here to celebrate the lad’s pendin’ nuptials to our Stacia on the morrow.”
Stewart raised his glass, a little wobbly, “To Alburet, may he always love the child we watched grow up and if he fails, we’ll gut him.”
Laughter from the other three was the first reply then they raised their glasses in salute, clinking them together before drinking. “I would like to toast three amazing people who helped watch over the woman I love. I do not doubt that it was with your guidance and her parent’s love that she is the person she is today.” Alburet finished the toast, clinking glasses once more before they all drank.
The next hour was spent in idle banter as each of them tried to give Alburet, often conflicting, advice on how to keep Stacia happiest. A lull came as they wiped tears of laughter away from their eyes over Grimgar’s last idea when a new person stopped at their table. Glancing over, Alburet saw Wilber Gilden standing there.
“Wilber, please pull up a seat. These are Almira, who runs Tanned Hides, Grimgar of Grimgar’s Weaponry and finally but not least Stewart who helps train those of my class. Friends, this is Wilber Gilden. He is of House Gilden, but is also a guard here in the city.” Alburet nudged out a chair for Wilber as he ran through the introductions. “Please, join us in a drink,” Erin came by with an empty mug and a new pitcher, giving Wilber a wide smile as she did so.
Wilber eyed them warily, but returned Erin’s smile before taking the seat offered him. “I have come as I was asked to by Captain Roberto.”
“I wanted to apologize for my actions when we first met, Wilber. Having met your brother, I can see now why you would get upset at being called by his name.” Alburet poured himself and Wilber a mug from the fresh pitcher.
Eyes widening, Wilbur’s lips pursed as he accepted the mug. “Where did you meet my brother and for what purpose?”
“At the castle. I was the guest of Sir Jones, he wanted to ask me about an artifact I retrieved. While Sir Jones’s assistant was taking me to him, we were stopped by Skippy. Some comments were exchanged before we went on to see our host. I do believe I’ll be seeing another round of assassins, as I do believe I insulted him.”
Brow furrowing, Wilbur took a sip of the ale before taking a slightly larger drink. “You say that like my brother hired an assassin for you once before.”
Eyes narrowing slightly as his face went cold, Alburet replied, “He did. The assassin who killed me three times told me that it was courtesy of Gilden House. I figured you weren’t the type to do something like that, so that left your brother or father. Not having met your father but having met Skippy, I figure Skippy was the one responsible.”
Wilbur fell silent for a moment before letting out a deep breath, “That would have been my fault then. When I woke up after our scuffle I related to my brother why I had been brought home at the start of my shift. I was still pretty groggy, so I don’t recall his face but me being called by his name would have set him off. We don’t see eye to eye. He thinks I am besmirching the honor of the house by working as a guard.”
Alburet felt his cheek twitch slightly, as his anger at having been assassinated spiked for a moment. Pausing a moment longer to calm himself, Alburet gave a sharp nod. “I don’t blame you. If I had known at the time I wouldn’t have slandered you as I did, Wilbur. Skippy is just one of the generic names I tend to use when talking to people I dislike or that annoy me. The fact your brother is actually named that came to light later. I asked you to come here so I could apologize for calling you by his name.”