Chapter Eight

Tavern Crawls and Barroom Brawls

The streets of Ithaka seemed deathly quiet at night as everyone was either at home or in a tavern at this time or about some questionable activities. The silence of the night was broken as the doors of a tavern in the poor quarter of the city, known as the slums, crashed open and two men ran out dragging a third man between them and throwing him hard into the ground where he rolled into the gutter covering himself in even more dirt and mud than he already was. His hair was so covered in mud the colour of his hair was unrecognisable. The man was very drunk and turned onto his back spitting out some gutter water that had gotten in his mouth, he looked up into the sky as he scratched at his unshaven chin,

“Hmm, that looks like rain…” the man muttered as the two faces of the tavern owner and his brother appeared in his line of vision as they stood over him.

“Keep out of my pub!” The tavern owner growled down at him and his brother spat on the Drunk,

“But gentlemen I have such a soft spot… for your fine…”  He stuttered as he pulled himself slowly to his feet stumbling slightly, “Well not fine establishment… more your adequate establishment…no that’s not it either… your hole!” he amended with a cheeky grin,

“Funny man eh?” the tavern owner said, “Laugh with this off you little…” He said suddenly throwing a punch at the Drunk who quickly ducked under his arm surprising them both with the speed he moved and rising back up slamming his fist into the tavern owner’s face so hard he raised him up on his tip toes and knocked him towards his tavern.

“I laughed it off.” The Drunk laughed. He raised his hand to punch the tavern owner again, “Let’s see if you do…” suddenly he was grabbed from behind around his chest pinning his arms and lifted off the ground, he tried to throw his head back but made no connection with the tavern owners brother as he held him.

“Now that’s not fair!”

“Bugger fair.” The tavern owner grumbled rubbing his chin advancing towards him.

“Oh I’m just not going to enjoy this am I?” the Drunk managed before the Tavern owner began beating him. After several blows to his head and stomach he was dropped spluttering to the ground.

The Drunk coughed and spat some blood from his mouth as more seemed to be pouring from his nose and a cut above his eye.

“I was right…” he muttered to the world at large as his attackers closed the door behind them, “I really did not enjoy that at all…”

The Gilded Lily was the roughest tavern in Ithaka, it being so far in the slums crime was very prevalent. Even the city watch rarely came that far into the slums and even then only in force. It attracted the lowest of Ithakan life, from petty gang criminals to blood thirsty murderers. The only reason it managed to operate was because the owner was as dangerous as the patrons. Robert the bar owner was a former soldier in the Tenfold war who was relieved of duty after  being found to be brutally mistreating Dourgal prisoners. He had hired several of his old army buddies after the war. Everyone knew the consequences of going too far in the Gilded Lily. Robert and his second in command were working behind the bar, Cruin was a godsend for Robert as he had an uncanny ability to spot trouble coming and therefore they were able to stop most fights before too much damage was done. He was already keeping an eye on a group of trouble makers as they laughed and jeered one of their friends known as Crippler, a skinny mean man with greasy hair and incredible clean clothes who had spent most of his life in and out of cells, as he attempted to chat up one of the bar maids. The man had a habit of stabbing people in the back if the rumours were to be believed. The door of the tavern swung open and most eyes flew to the door as most people who lead a life of crime react to an unexpected open door, most looked away after seeing an extremely dirty drunk stagger inside and head straight for the bar. His face was caked in dried blood and mud. He stumbled slightly and colliding with an ill-tempered Crippler as he tried to re-join his friends, having being threatened with Robert being called by the barmaid. The Drunk crashed into him slightly and lost his balance and fell to the floor.

“What the…”Crippler began looking down at the mud and filth on his clothes after colliding with the wet drunk.

“How on earth did I get down here?” the Drunk hiccupped from the floor,

Crippler grabbed him and dragged him roughly to his feet, feeling brave in the fact that the man he was challenging could hardly stand up,

“You dirty sod!” He snapped at him, “Look at the mess of me!”

The Drunk looked him up and down,

“You appear to be quite dirty sir… maybe you should go wash up…” he said turning away, Crippler grabbed his arm pulling him back,

“I’m not laughing! I think I'm owed an apology and perhaps some compensation if you didn’t want to get hurt…”

“Apology accepted!” The Drunk interrupted, “No need for compensation sir I was quite dirty already… now where is the bar… ah there it is!” and before Crippler could respond the Drunk staggered towards the bar.  “Ale bar keep!”

A second man entered the tavern wearing a long black hooded coat with the hood up and he screamed trouble to the bar tender who could see a brawl coming and reached for his peace keeper under the bar, a move seen by Robert who looked up to see who had caught Cruin’s eye. The man walked quickly into the tavern and made straight for the Drunk, he reached the bar at the same moment as Crippler went for him too. The man grabbed Crippler’s wrist as he reached for the Drunk and struck him hard across the chest with his arm knocking the wind out of him as he twisted his arm behind his back and slammed his head down onto the bar twice then let him go so he could fall back with a gurgle onto the floor. The man stepped over him and lowered his hood. The Drunk looked up and sighed looking down at Crippler,

“We just cannot take you anywhere can we Azrael? He said turning back to the bar and drinking from his tankard,

“Do you know how long it has taken me to find you, Aldur?” Azrael said sharply,

“Ha. My dear cousin I don’t even know what day it is.” Aldur replied,

“Look at you Aldur. You are in some state.”

“I’m in some state?! Aldur replied incredulously, “That man over there’s dogs drinking his ale!”

Azrael looked around and did indeed see an old man collapsed drunkenly over a table with a gruff, mangy little dog licking the ale from its unconscious owner’s tankard.

“That’s some state… actually in fact he hasn’t moved since I’ve been here… you don’t think…” Aldur said suddenly,

“I don’t care Aldur.”

“A prince who doesn’t care… isn’t that a fine thing?” Aldur giggled,

“What the hell happened to my little brother?” one of the larger men from Crippler’s group shouted seeing him crumpled on the floor,

“Who the hell did this?” he demanded swaggering over,

Aldur turned round and laughed loudly drawing every ones attention,

“Was it you?”

“Sir I can barely stand…” Aldur said with a smile, “But my cousin here may be able to help…”

Azrael rolled his eyes and sighed, he began to unbutton his coat as Crippler’s friends spread around them,

“Is that right…?”

Azrael took his coat off and laid it on the bar, he was wearing a white tunic under a leather jerkin and had no weapons other than a plain dagger in his boot. He rolled his sleeves up and looked around at the men. He took a deep breath using a mental technique he learned as a mage to calm himself. He took a deep breath and the scene around him seemed to slow down as he took in the details of the men around him, one of the men stood more on one leg than the other indicating a weak leg. But then Azrael saw the way they were standing. The one in front of him stood between two tables attacking him first and jumping through the gap would make it difficult for the others to get to him as they would collide with each other. Satisfied with the course of action he raised his hands and muttered,

“Let’s get this over with then.”

“Four against one? That’s not very fair cousin.” Aldur remarked draining his drink,

“You could always help cousin.” Azrael replied not taking his eyes off his opponents,

“Fair enough.”  And with that he swung his tankard connecting with the back of Azrael’s head making him dizzily stagger forward into the men, who caught him.

“Now it’s fair. Now you have a chance,” he said to the attackers, “You are welcome.”

The men looked confused as Azrael stood up rubbing his head.

“Not exactly what I had in mind…” Azrael said crossly before punching Crippler’s brother hard across the temple flooring him. The rest of the men reacted immediately and flew for Azrael, who jumped back through the gap in the tables. fortunately the attackers collided with each other as he had predicted which enabled Azrael to be able to strike them each once before any of them could untangle themselves from each other, the first one through the gap yelped in pain as Azrael kicked his weak leg and he fell to his knees and received a knee to his face knocking him down. Azrael received a strong punch to his jaw, from the next opponent through, turning him from his attackers.  He turned back around at the sound of running feet, a strong body ran into him as he stood there regaining his senses. He was lifted into the air and landed on a nearby table with a thundering crash. He felt hands grab him and pull him to his feet. All he saw was a punch thrown at his face and managed to block and whip his hand out connecting hard into the nose of a burly opponent the man’s blood poured down his face. Azrael jumped up pulling his feet up and kicking out, drop kicking the man who flew backwards colliding hard with another combatant.

“Well done cousin.” Aldur called appreciatively drowning himself with more ale.

The night had been pretty boring for Constable Colin. He was a deputy in the city watch and had been assigned to assist Prince Azrael, he had been excited at the assignment until he found out this meant he had to walk around all night from tavern to tavern as the Prince entered each and left again. This was not what he had expected from the life of a watchman. He had dreamt of midnight chases across roof tops, foiling criminal schemes… he had never dreamt of standing outside a tavern. He had been waiting outside the Gilded Lily for longer than any of the other taverns now.

“This place looks horrible.” He said to himself, “Well it can’t be much worse than it smells.”

He found it hard to believe the Prince liked such a place. The sounds from outside seemed quite barbaric he thought as he listened to lots of cheers and crashes.

“Enough of this!” Robert cried, he had expected the fight to end quickly, but the man had managed to do quite well against the superior number of attackers, which antagonised his attackers further. He jumped over the bar and shouted, “Cruin!”

The bar tender nodded to Robert pulling a wooden club from under the bar and jumped over heading for Azrael. Aldur stuck his leg out tripping him. The man fell forward and Azrael jumped over him hoping his pursuers would trip over the fallen man.

“You’re welcome cousin!” Aldur cried jumping over the bar and grabbing a bottle of cheap wine and yanked the cork out with his teeth .

“Come here you!” Azrael ducked another punch, he heard a loud “Oomph.” As Robert punched a spectator behind Azrael by accident.

“Hey!” Azrael was grabbed from behind and thrown out of the way as the assaulted man and his friend joined the fight looking to avenge his swelling eye. They swung wildly for Robert who blocked one but took a hit from his friend.

Azrael pulled himself up and leaned on the bar,

“I think we should be leaving.” He muttered to himself,

“Come on,” Aldur popped up from behind the bar, startling Azrael, swashing wine from a bottle in one hand while filling a tankard of ale with the other, “It’s just getting interesting.”

Azrael tried to respond but Aldur cut across him,

“Chat time over.” He said pointing over Azrael’s shoulder.

He heard the movement. The whisper of a footstep to his left. He turned, lashed out blindly, felt his fist connect with muscled flesh, he didn’t wait springing forward past the folding man and kicking to the side he hit someone else in the stomach. A chair flew over his head crashing into a group of men watching the brawl. One of them was knocked unconscious the others looked round and seeing Azrael ran into the fray swing punches. Azrael blocked several and took some on his arms but his head cracked back as one made it through as he fell backwards a man behind him swung the bar tenders club connecting hard and a man dropped like a stone, making a slight whimper.

As Azrael pulled himself up with the table he knocked over a tankard, suddenly he heard a growling noise

“Easy... Nice dog.”

The dog continued to growl and then launched itself from the table. It landed next to him and sank its teeth into his leg. Azrael cried out and punched the dog then aimed a kick but it yelped and retreated under the table the old man jumped up and shouting obscenities he threw his tankard at Azrael who ducked.

“Look Azrael, He isn’t dead!” he heard Aldur shout with glee,

“I can see that cousin.” Azrael shouted back punching a would-be attacker hard causing him to fall back into the owner and dog who both began to attack him.

“This is getting ridiculous!” Azrael shouted looking around at the warzone in the barroom, he jumped up and ran forward jumping onto a table and turning using the table as jumping point and jumped kicking out smashing into someone’s head. He flipped back crashing into more men who all continued to fight each other.  Azrael ducked as a bottle flew over his head. He looked up and said “For God’s sake!” as he saw Aldur sitting on the bar taking a swig from a bottle then throwing the bottle into the fight before grabbing another and repeating the process, a fighter crashed into the bar and he smashed a bottle over his head.

“Ha! And down you go!” He laughed as the man slipped to the ground, before someone punched him and he flipped over backwards behind the bar. The man smiled and turned away which stopped him from seeing Aldur pop back up and throw a bottle at him then duck back down behind the bar.

“I need to get him out of here!” Azrael muttered under his breath, “Whoa!” he cried ducking as someone swung Cairn’s club at him, he kicked him away from him and jumped away from the man with the club. He grabbed a fighter and pulled him round into a punch aimed for Azrael then turned away and ran the length of the bar punching wildly not even sure most of his hits connected. Then he dove over the bar landing hard on the other side. He sat for a second catching his breath, he saw movement beside him and he raised his fist and looked up only to see Aldur sitting on the floor drinking wine staring into space.

“He made a mistake…” he said sadly. “He didn’t have to die… why did he have to die?”

Azrael opened his mouth to answer him when he felt his hair being grabbed and pulled him to his feet. He looked into the face of Crippler’s brother Azrael smiled humourlessly for a second before he felt the man's fist smash into his jaw sending him into the gantry behind him.

“You look tense cousin have a drink.” Aldur muttered and held up the bottle, Azrael grabbed it by the neck and swung it round breaking against the head of Crippler’s brother knocking him out.

“Thanks.” Azrael said tossing the remains of the bottle away and then he grabbed Aldur, pulled him to his feet and launched him over the bar and jumped over after him. By this point a lot of men lay unconscious on the floor as Cruin wrestled his club from a man still trying to swing it. He pulled it free and cracked him on the head with it.

“You!” Robert cried wide eyed looking at Azrael, dropping a man who he had been beating even though he had already lost consciousness.

“Okay, lets calm down, I just want to take my cousin out of here. “ Azrael said holding his hands up as Aldur stumbled next to him.

“You’ve made a right mess here cousin…”Aldur said looking around at the heaps of broken furniture and unconscious bodies,

“Leave? Leave? You want to leave?” Robert snarled,

Azrael heard someone moving behind him, he turned to fight but two men grabbed him by his arms and two more grabbed Aldur. Robert pulled his money pouch from his belt,

“Well this will pay for most of this.” He snarled, feeling the weight of the purse.

“Fine, Fine.” Azrael said, struggling against the men holding him, “So we can call it even then?”

“Even… yes we can call it even.” Robert said with a manic grin, “Cairn please show these esteemed gentlemen out.”

“What a nice man.” Aldur said,

“This isn’t going to be good.” Azrael said struggling harder.

Colin had wandered over towards the lily as impatience was starting to irritate him. He could be out catching criminals or working leads or even with his sweet heart Betty… instead of standing in the cold holding his breath.

“Gods I wish he would hurry up!” He grumbled.

Suddenly the window in front of him exploded outwards as two bodies flew through the air crashing into him as all three of them hit the ground amongst glass and limbs he heard a voice shout,

“And stay out!”

The two men who had crashed down on top of him turned out to be Prince Azrael and Prince Aldur. Colin quickly disentangled himself from them realising his liege lords had been assaulted, he drew his truncheon and opened his mouth but Azrael hissed at him,

“Put that away! Unless you want to fight everyone in there.” Azrael stood, up brushing the glass off and stretching his back, he then rubbed his face.  He felt very abused at the moment.

“We need to get out of here before more people wake up.” Azrael pulled Aldur to his feet and they both put one of his arms around them and dragged him away from the tavern were they could hear more bodies being thrown into the street.

Aldur snapped to consciousness suddenly as his entire body temperature dropped like he was encased in ice. He tried to call out but as soon as his mouth opened it filled with a cold foul tasting liquid and he realised he was in freezing dirty cold water. Aldur kicked his feet and he broke the surface of the water, spluttering and gasping for air he tried desperately to get some sort of balance.  He managed to get to shallower water as he felt mud under his feet. The mud below churned into the water as he tried to walk, turning the dark water into a mix of dirt and algae. The smell coming from the water was enough to make a man retch his dinner. Aldur looked around his eyes trying hard to adjust to the night. The darkness seemed to surround him as he saw two darker shadows in the gloom looking at him, one was taller than the other. He could hear muffled noises, he thought one of shadows was speaking but the water still clogged his ears so all he could hear was a muffled voice that seemed vaguely familiar. The area was not a pleasant one, there was no light source to speak off except form the spillage of some houses looking over the harbour. The temperature of the water seemed to only be matched by the coldness of the night air, finally coming to a standstill, he looked around shivering and recognised the tall harbour wall at the end of the dock. It was built high to avoid flooding and to protect the cities harbour district from runaway ships which would crash against the wall rather than the buildings, the steep steps from the city led down the mouldy damp brick wall to the wooden docks on the water. Then one of the silhouette came into focus, he recognised it as Azrael his hand held out from the dock. He grabbed it and was hauled from the water.

“What the hell happened?!” He asked shivering from the cold.

“What happened? Well this did.” Azrael said and grabbed Aldur and punched him sending him over backwards into the water.

“Sire… I don’t…” Colin said uneasily,

“Go home deputy. This is a family matter which might take a while.” Azrael said as they watched Aldur swim to the dock and haul himself out of the water. He looked up.

“Ah my dear prince of the realm is a funny man.” Aldur said clearly still drunk,

“Nope.” Azrael said and punched but Aldur caught the arm and punched back but as Azrael stumbled backwards Colin pushed Aldur in the chest with two hands,

“Sorry my lord…” He called regretfully as Aldur fell for the third time into the water.  He then helped Azrael to his feet shrugging, “Something tells me my lord Aldur needs this…”

Azrael nodded, they turned as Aldur pulled himself out again and marched towards them,

“My lord…” Colin began but Aldur simply shoved him off the side of the dock. Colin yelped as he fell into the water. Aldur just stood and stared at Azrael,

“You may think this is funny cousin but trust me I am not amused...”

“Nor am I.” Azrael replied evenly.

 “What do you want?” Aldur shrieked jumping at Azrael who grabbed him and tripped him flipping him down onto the dock. Behind them they could hear Colin pulling himself out of the dock spluttering.

“I want you to snap out of this! And act like a man!” Azrael shouted, holding his head against the damp wood of the dock, Aldur forced himself up then rolled over on top of Azrael throwing an elbow back into his stomach so he let him go, 

“A man? Act like a man? My father was murdered! My mother was murdered… by my baby brother! And now my twin… the one man in this world that I always thought was a mirror of me has murdered my baby brother!” he screamed and turned walking back to the harbour wall, to the steps leading back to the city.

“I Know. He was my uncle and he was my cousin,” Azrael said, following his cousin “I am hurting too! Sebastian is hurting! But we are not common men Aldur! We have responsibilities! We are facing invasion on two sides! The people need us!”

“Well the people can go to hell.” Aldur said climbing the steps but Azrael grabbed his arm and pulled him around as he turned Azrael punched him hard in the stomach then pulled the folding man down the stairs.

“You are a Galla!”

“Get off your high horse Azrael!” He shouted pulling himself to his feet, “You abandoned the throne of Ithaka to go practice your magic tricks! And for what? You hardly use them! Even in a fight!”

“I have many failings Aldur.” Azrael said simply, “You have always been one of the best of our family. You are cut from the same cloth as my brother. Sebastian is cut from my cloth…”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means we would kill anyone for the kingdom but men like you and my brother would save the kingdom. We do what must be done. What good men cannot!”

Aldur snorted derisively and turned away, “If you don’t mind cousin my clothes are wet.”

Azrael grabbed him from behind and pinned him to the harbour wall forcing his head against the wet mould on the brick, he pulled the dagger from his boot and put the blade to Aldur’s throat forcing the tip of the dagger into his skin. Aldur felt something wet run down his neck.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Aldur struggled until he realised the cold against his throat like a cold trickle running across his neck was a dagger.

“I like you Aldur. You were always my favourite cousin. But understand my meaning if it served the kingdom for you to die… your blood would already stain the brick of this wall. I would slaughter you without a second thought if the kingdom needed me to. As it did with Christopher. He betrayed the crown, the Kingdom and his family! He had two options by law! The rope or by your brothers kindness!”

Aldur listened intently, wondering what was keeping the watchmen from defending him.

“Do not try to judge or even understand me or your Sebastian. You and Samuel are the men we compare ourselves too and we know we do not match up but we know the world needs men like us… but it needs men like you more! For the people to see there are men worth looking up too! Men worth idolizing!”

“Why must I be so great? Why should I have the burden of being the one everyone looks too?”

“Because you are the hero we need. As my father was, as my brother is. It is just who you are Aldur.” Azrael said releasing his cousin and sheathing his blade, “It is the cloth you are cut from.”

Aldur looked at him with eyes full of tears as he slid down the wall to sit on the lowest step.

“I have done horrible things cousin. The only difference between me and the enemy is that I do not do these things for greed or for power or scariest of all because I enjoy them… I do them because they are the right things to do.”

“Would you have killed your brother?”

“If he betrayed the kingdom?” Azrael asked, Aldur nodded, “If he betrayed the kingdom it would take more than a crown to protect him from me.”

“How can you live with yourself Azrael?” Aldur asked,

“I must live with the memories of my actions, it is not easy and I must watch Sebastian in case he cannot.”

Colin walked over  to them pouring water out of his boots. They both looked at the soaking wet deputy.

“I fear I deserved that my lord.”

They began to laugh at the sight of him, Azrael sat next to Aldur.

“I am sorry the losses you have suffered, but you will survive this. You will remain the man of good you are.”

“How can you be so sure?” Aldur asked, but Colin responded,

“It’s the type of man you are sire. You cannot be anything else.” Colin said simply, “Of the Royal family the people of Ithaka love you the most for that very reason.”

Azrael held his hands up indicating Colin to Aldur,

“Isn’t that what I have been saying?” Azrael said with a smile. “Everyone seems to know who you are except you.”

“Yes you all do.” Aldur shrugged, “I just can’t see a way out of this darkness cousin… it’s all around me. Its suffocating me… until I feel like I cannot breath!”

“I lost my father last year sire… I remember the darkness that you speak of. It almost destroyed me.  I found  the best way to deal with the pain I felt was to remember my father, to remember how much he loved me… to remember what he expected from me and to make sure I live up to that expectation. My father’s love lit the darkness for me.” Colin said sadly,

“Well Aldur, what do you think… would Arter want you to fester like this? What about your mother?” Azrael asked.

“I do not know what they would want.”

“Well you will have plenty of time to think it over on the ride.” Azrael said. Aldur looked up confused, “We ride for Malik high in two days. We have an invasion to stop.”

Aldur looked intently for a moment then nodded,

“And you.” Azrael said to Colin. “Your days as a constable in the watch are over. We will find a more useful place for you in the palace…”

“My lord…” Colin stammered. Azrael held his hand up silencing him,

“With my family we won’t be able to tell if you will be happy about it.” He said with a smile. The cousins stood up and began walking up the  harbour steps with Colin following behind.

“One question… Did you have to throw me in the harbour?”

“Oh yes. No offence Aldur but after a four day drinking binge with no bathing you stunk!”

“Oh come on…”

“With all due respect sire, you still smell a bit just now…” Colin’s voice came from behind him.

“That kind of honesty will do us well in court… might annoy some powerful people though.” Azrael said with a grin.

“More than likely.” Aldur laughed as the made their way back to the palace.

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