Around the table, the three adventurers shook their head.
"Obviously not," said the cavalier, his thin
lips twisting sarcastically. "Or we wouldn't be having this conversation.
Right?"
"Eric, don't be a dick," said Diana. She picked
picked up her own drink, something fiercely alcoholic, and took a swig.
"Sorry about him."
Allen waved a hand, dismissively. "S'allright,"
he muttered. "I understand."
"So, how long have you been trapped in the
Realms?" asked the ranger. Allen thought he would have been handsome with
a haircut and a shave.
"Dunno. Four months? Maybe six? Kinda lost
track."
Diana glanced at her two companions and asked,
tentatively, quietly. "What...what year was it back home?"
He told them and saw their faces register the shock.
"Guess there's no point in us even trying to get
home now," said the cavalier. "Everybody probably thinks we're
dead."
"Albert had the right idea," mused Diana.
"He was a member of our party," she explained to Allen. "He got
tired of endless quests and settled down, got married."
"Oh. Good for him." Allen took another sip of
his drink. "How many were in your group?"
"Six," said Hank. "Us three and Albert,
Sheila and Bobby."
"Don't forget Uni," said Diana.
Eric groaned. "Don't start on that fucking
unicorn."
"What happened to 'em?" Allen asked. "You
said the one guy settled down and you three are obviously still adventuring
together...."
"They died," said Hank.
"Badly," added Eric.
Diana gave him a look that could have killed.
"Sheila was a thief," said Hank. "She got
caught robbing a nobleman and they hung her."
"Bobby was her little brother," said Diana
quietly. "He tried to rescue her."
"The town guard shot him full of so many arrows, the
kid looked like a porcupine at the end," said Eric, bitterly. He raised
his hand, attracting the barmaid's attention. "Bring me a bottle of wine.
The good stuff."
"I'm sorry for your friends," said Allen.
"What about your party?" asked Diana.
"Where are they"
Allen shook his head. "No party. Never had one. Came
alone."
The three of them looked at each other, aghast. Hank
leaned forward. "And you've made it this long, on your own?"
Allen shrugged. "Tougher than I look." He
plucked the fruit from his drink and swallowed it, wincing at the bitter
alcohol. The barmaid came over with a bottle of wine for the cavalier, and
Allen asked for another Rainbow Serenade.
"Look," said Hank, "if you're interested,
you could party up with us." He glanced at his friends. Eric rolled his
eyes and poured a generous amount of wine in his glass. Diana frowned at him.
The barmaid returned with Allen's drink, and the
bill. Hank glanced at it, scowled, and
pushed it toward Eric. "Your turn to pay, moneybags."
The cavalier looked at the bill and gaped. "Holy
fuck. This wine cost six gold?!?"
"You did tell 'em you wanted the good stuff,"
reminded Diana.
Eric pulled out a coinpurse and waved at the
barmaid. He paid her, scowling.
"Any decent brothels in this town?"
"Eric!" Diama scowled at him.
"What?" The cavalier glared at her. "I
need to unwind."
"I wouldn't mind unwinding myself," said Hank,
a wry grin shining through his beard.
"God, you guys. . . ."
"I'll pay for it," said Eric.
"Count me in," said Diana.
Her companions laughed.
Allen removed the umbrella from his glass and tossed back
the contents. "If I join up, do I get free whores too?"
"When Eric's paying for them," said Diana,
snorting.
Eric protested. "Hey! Don't make me regret my
generosity!"
"Think I'll pass," said Allen. "On the
whores and the offer to party up. You guys seem cool, but I'm not really a
joiner."
Hank nodded. "Then, we'll part ways here," he
said, rising to his feet. "But if you ever change your mind, let us
know."
"Yeah," said Diana. "You can reach us
through the guildhall in Steadfast. Just ask for the Three Dungeoneers."
They left, arguing with each other as only old friends
could. Allen watched them leave and shook his head. The barmaid, Maise, came
over and started cleaning away their used mugs and glasses.
"Friends of yours?" she asked.
"Nah. Just . . . fellow travelers." Allen
fished the fruit ouf the the bottom of the glass and chomped on it.
"They seemed nice." Maise piled the empties on her tray and
vanished into the back.
Allen considered the empty glass in front of him. As he
did so, a small wizened figure in a long red robe appeared from around the
corner of the booth.
"Excuse me, adventurer," he began, a salesman's
smile plastered on his gummy face.
Allen's dagger was in his hand before he realized it. He
didn't look at the gnome as he spoke. "Unless you're going to pay my bar
tab, shortass, you can fuck off."
The gnome's eyes widened, but he quickly nodded and
vanished.
"Fucking gnomes," muttered Allen.
He slid out of the booth, waving to Maise as he lurched
toward the street.
"Onward," he mumbled, raising his fist weakly
in the air. "To a'venture!"
Then he tripped and fell forward, flat on his face.
