[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/357353496057610242/531937501057777664/sym1A1.png?width=240&height=301[/img] FP: 01 MP: 05[/center] “I’ll cut his balls off.” D’Bran slammed his wooden tankard onto the sticky table. His announcement caused a roar of laughter behind him, but Renevin (Who sat opposite of him with a tankard of his own) simply stared. Bringing a hand to his face, he pinched the bridge of his nose, “You’re not-- no.” D’Bran sulked in his chair, contrasting the grinning, laughing and otherwise elated faces of the other tavern dwellers. The red cheeked man tapped his finger on the metal band of his cup, any sound being drowned out by the now overly intoxicated lute player in the corner and his very round vocalist. Finally the man let out a long sigh, “Nope, I am. I’m gonna cut his balls off.” “Whose balls are we cutting off?” The bright haired Swedren slid in next to Renevin, two tankards in her hands. She slid one to D’Bran who barely acknowledge the new drink. “Your step fathers,” D’Bran announced. “What?” Swedren looked to Renevin. “No one’s balls are getting cut off” Renevin hid his face in his hands. “Why are we cutting off my father’s balls?” Swedren turned back to D’Bran. “No one’s balls are-- the balls are safe!” Renevin unniciated loudly, inciting a snorting laugh from Swedren. The woman took a gulp from her cup, and turned back to Renevin while D’Bran sulked in his new one. “What’s the problem?” Swedren sipped at her beer, gently swishing the liquid in her cheek before swallowing. D’Bran furrowed his brow. “What was that? Why’d you do tha-” Renevin swatted D’Bran’s slurred inquiry away with a waving hand, “Your father said no.” Swedren pursed her lips, her eyes hardening. She turned her head away from the pair, a habit she was fond of when attempting to hide her anger. Renevin sighed and scooted a little further away to give her space, “He said I have no prospects, and you were better off-” “Well, what does that fat pig know?” Swedren turned back to Renevin, her face a maddened red, “The man isn’t even my real father. We can go to a different town.” “They’ll want the permissions too,” Renevin cooly answered, “I thought it all out. With Nopoitis’ reputation, we are out of options unless we want to travel to Hephakia.” “We shouldn’t have to,” Swedren growled. “I know,” Renevin put his hand on the table, palm up. D’Bran stared drunkenly at it, while Swedren glared with fury. Finally she gently slapped her own hand on his, her face clearing ever so slightly. “So what now then,” The woman huffed. Renevin shook his head, “I haven’t gotten that far, but we will think of something.” “We will,” Swedren was all but calm now, her wave of anger ending as quickly as it started, “It just really irks me that he has a say in it at all.” “I never understood it myself,” Renevin blunk, raising his cup to his lips. D’Bran shrugged. “Because you’re orphans,” D’Bran slurred. “What?” Renevin looked over at the man. “I don’t agree with the system, but I think I understand it a little more. Hearing about it since I was a boy.” D’Bran let a hand fall to the table, pointing at Swedren, “You were, what, fourteen before Nopoitis married your mother? Rule didn’t apply to you until four -- five years ago, why know it, why care?” “Still a really stupid rule,” Swedren answered, “Mother was better off.” Cocking his head, Renevin’s eyes blurred in memory, “I mean,” he looked back at Swedren, “You can’t say it didn’t do us any good.” D’Brans eyes widened as Swedren slanted her brow. “My life for some bread isn’t exactly my idea of an amazing bargain,” She stared the man down, taking her hand off his. “You know that’s not what I meant,” Renevin pleaded. “Say what you mean.” Renevin looked at D’Bran who gave him a pitiless face. Renevin made a face back and turned to Swedren, “I just mean, things weren’t looking to good before he came along. Remember the winter before?” “It was hard,” Swedren stood her ground. “I ate a bug,” Renevin pushed, “A lot of bugs! Until…” He trailed. “Nopoitis invited my mother over for dinner and I stole away with his desserts for you,” Swedren finished his story, “I get it. I just don’t like it.” “Well balls, I hate it,” Renevin raised his brows and gulped at his drink. “I thought you said no balls-” “D’Bran!” The sandy haired man sulked once more, “Still unfair.” “We know,” Swedren and Renevin said at the same time. “Renevin, D’Bran,” Hondros suddenly slid in next to the drunk, his cheeks a bright reed and his breath in a huff, “Swedren,” he gave a nod to the lady. Renevin jutted his chin, as if gesturing him to continue. “You remember the dragon the king managed to round up for the drake stables last spring?” The entire table nodded. Hondros continued, “He escaped, just as I said would happen. Guess what?” “What?” Renevin sipped at his cup. “Big reward, enough to stock the fort for a long time. Just need proof of it’s death or capture,” The Praxian rattled his sword, “Lyghtur gave us the go ahead.” “But a dragon,” Renevin put his cup down, “Dragon’s are-- well have you ever seen a dragon?” “No,” Hondros shook his head, “Have you?” “No,” The table agreed. “I can’t force you, it isn’t an official quest, but” Hondros peered around the table. “Let’s do it,” D’Bran slammed his now empty (again) tankard down onto the table, “For glory and the Brother’s Harmony; let’s bag a dragon. Renevin?” After a long while Renevin nodded, “A dragon it is.” Swedren looked over her partner with a raised brow, “With jobs like these you’re gonna turn me into a priest with all the times I visit in prayer for your safety.” “It’s an honorable profession,” D’Bran nodded, causing Renevin to nod in agreement. “The moron has a point.” Swedren punched her fist into the man’s shoulder, “Simpleton.” [hider=summary] Renevin and D'bran are getting hammered when Swedren comes by The trio discuss the recent events of Nopoitis turning down the marriage Hondros pops in with a quest to hunt down a dragon and they al agree to go [/hider]