Private Tales On The Town

[Talus]

Vel Anir - The Raging Rabbit
Ademar Acero

Dreadlord Apprentices were rarely ever allowed to relax.

Back at the Academy the occasion for down time was...well none at all. Just about the only quiet moments were when they were expected to study the histories. Other than that everything was pretty much a nightmare. Always there was something to learn, something to train, some beating to endure.

Now that he had graduated things were different.

His mentor, Fen, didn't particularly care what he did as long as he made sure to be around for missions and whatever tasks he was set on. The man had even given him a small stipend to spend how he saw fit. It was a generosity that Talus had never quite experienced, and in the first few weeks he hadn't been sure how to respond.

Now he found himself sitting in a tavern

At the same table was another Apprentice, one that he had found surprisingly...useful.

Ademar Acero had proven himself more than capable at the beastly siege of Vel Ciruk, the man smashing through a palisade wall in order to assure their victory. He was of the blunt sort, but Talus had come to like him. "I think this is the firs time i've been in a tavern outside a mission."

Talus commented as he looked around, clearly a bit stiff.

 

[Ademar Acero]

There was always some barrier between the Dreadlords and the rest of Vel Anir, although they were never segregated unless they were not human; especially to elves that Ademar saw as filthy scum. They behaved and acted differently, Apprentices not exactly knowing how to handle their emotions as to say love for another. They were all taught to be hardened, indomitable warriors for Vel Anir and barely had time to explore the mysteries of life.

So to say both Talus and Ademar being stiff and not knowing what to do in a setting like this in a tavern was not uncommon to see from Dreadlords; however, they did not dress in armor or any attire to would distinguish themselves as that profession they were bound to. Instead they dressed as commoners with better apparel than the average common born.

“Do we just drink and end up like them?” and motioned to a group of male patrons, their ale already gotten them drunk and acting not like themselves. He had never been to a tavern and was allowed to be on short leave with Talus after their success at Vel Ciruk. He had always been in battle missions on orders from the Academy, his massive figure not optimal for stealth missions or something that required discreet assassination.

A woman with attractive looks, much like to the other women serving their customers, approached their table with a smile on her face and beaming at the two Apprentices.

“What can I get you, boys,” almost a flirt in her tone.

“Uhh,” and looked at Talus for help, not knowing how to respond her question.

 

[Talus]

"I guess so." Talus answered quietly, clearly still somewhat nervous as he looked up at the girl and offered a return smile. "Ale."

That was really he had to offer.

It was clearly not enough however as the girl looked down at him expectantly. A frown touched his lips for a brief moment, and in the few seconds that passed he couldn't help but wonder if she was judging him somehow. "The...best you have?"

That seemed enough of an answer and the barmaid quickly turned around on her heel. As she walked her hips swayed form side to side, the sight more than a little appealing.

She glanced back over her shoulder, offering a small smile as she saw Talus watching.

"Ademar." Talus said quietly. "I'm not sure what we're doing here."

The fact of the matter was neither lad knew how to have fun.

 

[Ademar Acero]

The fuck is ale

His mind in total wonder when he heard that word as Talus gave their orders to the barmaid. And not just any ale, but the best this establishment had to offer. Some part of made him take a quick look at the retreating barmaid, catching her hips swaying. He did not understand what made him take a quick glance at her or why he felt all strange within him. Sorcery? A rogue mage amongst them. He did look around the room seeing to catch something out of place, but it was just men getting drunk with few of them flirting with the girls attending them.

“I’m not sure either, Talus,” he replied back to his compatriot. “What is this whole point of this...place? You just sit down and drink...ale? What the hell is ale? A potion?”

Several men gave them odd looks, probably because of their grand height. Ademar and Talus were very tall, with Ademar being much taller by two inches exactly. They were the tallest out of anyone inside the tavern, taking up more space at the circular table they sat at.

Ironic they were stiff and tense in a peaceful setting as this as opposed to the missions and battles they’ve participated in. “What...what do you think of the woman? Does she look like a mage to you?”

 

[Talus]

"It's a drink." Had Ademar even been outside of the Academy aside from the few missions he'd been on?

Talus suddenly realized that of the two of them he was the one more wordly. The very idea of that shocked him, mostly because he was used to being the idiot that had no life experience. Lips thinned for a moment, and he shook his head.

"No." He clapped Ademar on the shoulder. "She's just a woman."

There were no rogue mages in Vel Anir, either they were Dreadlords or they were foreigners. That woman was most certainly not a foreigner.

As the barmaid returned and placed the flagons of ale on the table Talus clapped Ademar on the shoulder.

"Come on, drink up and we'll be ordinary for once." He tried to be encouraging, deciding that if both of them were negative this wouldn't be a fun night at all.

 

[Ademar Acero]

What is must be to be ordinary. Was it fun? Dangerous? Exciting? Boring? Something he wouldn’t know, his childhood was just being in the Academy and trained harshly to become what he was. He did have some memories before taken away, always asking himself what could’ve been if he was not gifted or cursed with these powers.

The barmaid returned with their drinks, giving them a smile, one that was probably mischievous or somewhere along the lines of flirt. Ademar looked at Talus as he clapped him on the shoulder and looked at his drink contained in a wooden cup. There was foam and its color amber. The foam did look pleasing.

“Well,” and picked up his mug of ale, “to more success in our lives,” the only thing he could think of toasting to. Everything about being a Dreadlord was to be successful, causing competition amongst them to be at a pedestal of power that no one could question. He lifted his mug to his lips, able to smell an odd scent coming from the ale. A second of hesitation before taking his first sip of this drink. He brought it away from him as the alcohol was swallowed, making a face that questioned the bitterness of it. Bitter, but still flavorful to drink it.

“Very strange, a bit bitter but it’s not so bad,” another drink followed.

“Have you ever been ordinary, Talus?”

 

[Talus]

Talus took a swig of his ale, echoing Ademar's toast before slamming the mug half empty down onto the table.

He did not really like the taste of Ale, but he found that if he drank it quickly the substance wasn't really all that bad to consume. Oddly enough, it also made using his magic easier than usual, something he'd never really thought about.

"No, not really." He admitted with a shrug.

Talus could remember being a child back in Vel Luin. Not his entire life, but small snippets of his time before the Academy. Even back then he had been anything but ordinary. Other children had avoided him, and even his parents hadn't exactly looked at him like his siblings.

Only his sister had been kind. "I suppose that's our fate though."

He shrugged.

"Above everyone else." He smiled ruefully. "But below the top."

 

[Ademar Acero]

“Aye, I suppose,” and another swing of his ale he drank. He was, without a doubt, awful at socializing or trying to be something he never had a chance at being. He didn’t know jokes or anything to talk about aside from their lives as Dreadlords and their time at the academy. He never dreamed of being, well, different or act out of conduct. A loyal grunt, but with combat intelligence when it came to war.

He looked around his surroundings again, that same feeling in his stomach which urged him to look around for the barmaid. Somewhere attending others probably. A few seconds passed and didn’t enjoy how quiet it was between them, but what to say?

“Do you...do you always do this when on leave? I know some of the others go off and do something...strange.” And that strangeness he referred to was when their own peers went off to find pleasure from the flesh, finding someone to warm their beds.

“It’s when they, I don’t know how the hell it’s called...it’s when they have someone else in their beds,” and those words have enough information that Ademar was still a virgin to this day.

Never tasted ale until now, and has yet to taste a woman’s lips. Not that he ever thought of it.

 

[Talus]

Talus raised an eyebrow. "Sex?"

He had never visited one himself, though Luther had brought it up a few times when the Proctors had given opportunity. Such a thing had never really appealed to him.

His own...experienced had come from his time with Alloi.

Talus still remembered her well. Her face, the time they'd shared, and of course the eventual plot he and the others had taken to frame her. They were not actions he was proud of, but at the time it had been his only solution to stop her from killing them both.

Still, Ademar's ignorance was enough to make Talus realize he was likely far more wordly than most Apprentices. The luck of his mentor and the missions he'd been on.

"I spend most of my leave back at the Tavern Fen and I say in." He answered. "Trying to get better at reading."

Something he wasn't very good at.

A frown touched his face, then he looked at Ademar. "Do you want to go to a brothel?"

Vel Anir had several dozen.

 

[Ademar Acero]

“If that’s what they call it, then I guess,” he said rather plainly, not being weirded out at the mention of the word. It was a topic that was discussed privately between closed friends in the world of commoners that he was unfamiliar with. Something he didn’t know and assumed it wasn’t exactly a topic to discuss freely in public. The lad was just a simple person trained and educated in having one view of the world and pursue something for the betterment of Vel Anir.

Tonight was showing him how complex the society of these normal citizens were. It confused and intrigued him. Perhaps the thing that confused him the most was how these people were able to live without orders. Orders was what kept him alive for the most part with some wit involved which was used in dire situations. These people lived freely without structure, or so it seemed for Ademar.

“A brothel? Sure, if it’s any fun I suppose. Do they also serve ale?”

How ignorant he was of such things. A brothel was always busy, men and women seeking for pleasures from the flesh. The sin of lust didn’t exactly find Ademar as the others went out to worship such sin.

At least he was enjoying the ale and yearned for more.

 

[Talus]

He blinked. "I mean...probably?"

Talus himself had never been to a brothel.

Such pleasures had never really appealed to him. He'd always preferred...connection when it came to those more intimate moments. Of course since Alloi that hadn't actually happened, but...well now wasn't the time to think on romance.

Without another word Talus grabbed the mug of ale and downed it in one swift motion. The liquid roiled in his stomach, and then he stood from the table.

"Come on." He told Ademar with a light clap on the shoulder. "Let's go find out how the other side lives."

This was meant to be relaxing, right?

 

[Ademar Acero]

“Very well,” and brought the mug of ale to his mouth and chugged whatever was left of it without making a stop. Some of the ale drooled from the corner of his mouth and spilled on the floor. The mug was then slammed on the table with such force, without any use of magic, causing some of the patrons and barmaids to look over their way. A small, yet loud belch came from his mouth.

The classic, stereotypical tall, tough man that one would hear from tales.

The moment he stood up, however, he was a bit light on his feet and took a moment to regain his balance. His eyes widened in reaction of how light he felt. His stomach feeling weird as it processed the ale in his guts.

“Onwards to this...brothel, then,” and began walking out towards the door of the tavern, taking time in his steps to not stumble on the floor.

 

[Talus]

Talus felt his head sway slightly as Ademar pulled himself up and headed out the door.

The young Apprentice watched his companion for a moment, then glanced around the room. There was something...odd about this. Perhaps because he was simply not used to adventures on his own, or ones that weren’t dictated to him anyway.

A shrug eventually rolled over his shoulders and he followed Ademar out the door.

Vel Anir was a massive city, and during the peak times of day it could take hours to cross. However this late at night the challenge was lessened, and the two Apprentices made their way through the entertainment district quite quickly.

Within just a few short minutes the street lamps turned from bright blazing yellow to a soft pale red. ”I think it’s this way…”

Talus said as he stepped to turn down a narrow street.

 

[Ademar Acero]

The night was still young as the two walked on the well built cobblestone road that led them through the entertainment district of Vel Anir. The emotion of walking wherever he willed to go without a Dreadlord commanding him was strange and unwelcomed. Already he felt lost while trusting in Talus’ navigational skills through the city. Their life was tough and full of unforgiving events, but this life for normal folks, for commoners was...perhaps tougher than the one they knew.

Oh, sure, maybe in their early days in the Academy they dreamt and imagined the idea of freedom. Freedom beyond the walls and courtyards of the Academy; freedom to do whatever they pleased and return to their previous lives, and not face fears everyday when the sun rose on the horizon. And now, well, those ideas and imaginations were erased and then replaced with what they are.

Much like a wild beast that would be domesticated. Once it was tamed and released out in the wild, they would have no idea what to do. They’d die in a short amount of time as they never developed any skills to hunt or survive on their own intuition.

The two companions continued to walk, Ademar then caught sight of a couple. It appeared to be a man with his body pushing up against the woman against the building. It appeared they were snogging with intensity.

“What the hell,” his voice one in wonder and confusion which matched his face. He’d never seen such thing like that until now. The man had never flirted with a woman even one that trained with them. Maybe there were instances where women showed interest in him and left obvious hints, and it was unfortunate to say he never picked up on those hints. Always offering serious answers which seemed to annoy them. Annoyed at giving them honest answers?

“That is fucking unnatural, Talus. Is it some sort of witchcraft? Should we intervene?”

 

[Talus]

"No that's just sex." Talus commented dryly, frowning slightly at the sight.

They were still on the street...

He and Alloi had always needed to hide themselves away in the archives or the armory. Making sure to hide from the Proctors had been one of their greatest challenges, to see people being so...open about it all made him somewhat angry.

"Come on." He nudged Ademar forward. "We're going somewhere nice."

Dreadlords weren't really paid a wage or anything, but Fen had made sure that he was more than well set up for anything he might want to do.

With just a few more steps Talus and Ademar would find themselves at the entrance of an upscale brothel. A fine wooden door barred them, though Talus simply walked up the steps and landed three heavy knocks.

 

[Ademar Acero]

“Interesting,” he commented while raising a quick brow as he heard a feminine moan from the couple. By the sound of that it sure did seem it was some sort of witchcraft. The man seem to be taking the woman’s life force or something more sinister. He’d listen to Talus and take his word that they were doing this...this sex.

More steps followed before coming to an establishment with a nice appearance from the outside. To Ademar it meant it had good business and a steady rate of oncoming customers. The thing they came to buy was this thing he never understood. In some cases it was bliss to be ignorant and this was one of them. He did not want his soul be drained from a mage due to what he saw on the streets with that couple.

Three heavy knocks and the door opened with an attractive woman, whose facial features were enhanced by makeup, gesturing them to come in. She was wearing provocative clothing. It was not like what the other commoners wore from what he’s seen, and it didn’t bother her. She seemed to be content with the smile on her face.

“Two big boys in the house, huh,” with a mischievous grin aimed for Talus and Ademar, her eyes with a glint of pleasure in them. “I’m sure the ladies will enjoy something more...big, for them; whoever is lucky to get their arms around you two.”

The Apprentice made a quick glance around from what he could see inside the brothel. There were other ladies with clothing alike to the woman attending them, and most of them seem to have a male companion with them. Everyone wore a smile and moans could be heard from the back in private rooms being occupied.

All this did concern him. Was Talus sure this was safe?

“You seem to be missing some garments on you, ma’am,” he politely said to the woman in obvious remarks of her choice of clothing. The gal seemed to be taken back with a confused look, but then replaced it with a small laugh and the same smile she had. “You don’t like that? Maybe a corset and a silk dress will please you?” there was a tease in her voice for the most obvious thing that went over Ademar’s head. He gave quick look to Talus and hope he had an answer for all of this.

 

[Talus]

Talus had to try and stop himself from breaking into laughter.

He had always thought himself as inexperienced, but walking into this situation with Ademar was a stark contest of the truth. It was almost like he was ordinary at this point. Running a hand through his hair Talus stiffled a laugh and shook his head.

"Madam, my friend and I come from the Academy." Anyone else might have displayed a brief flash of fear, but just as he'd thought this place was used to their kind.

Proctor often sent apprentices to places like this in times of…growth, and it came as no surprise that the woman on front of them was used to such things. Her eyes turned to Ademar with a knowing smile, a hint of something else behind them.

"I would be grateful." He pulled out a bag of coins. "If you and one of the other ladies showed him around the way."

His language was gentle, but in truth he was trying not to laugh the entire way.

This entire situation was all too bizarre .

 

[Ademar Acero]

His head jerked to look at Talus when he disclosed to the woman where they came from. They had dressed as commoners and little did anyone know whom they exactly are until now. He’d expect the woman to have a face of fear taking hold, but instead flashed Ademar a smile. Almost as if the fact that they were Dreadlords didn’t change her opinion about them at all.

Something he could appreciate. Most commoners, even if they did try to socialize with them, would avoid them out of fear.

He was exactly confused when Talus pulled out the bag of coins from his cloak and set it on the table. Everything tonight was just an oddity for him. Why was he giving them his money? They were exactly buying anything, all they did was just enter the establishment and talk to a woman.

“Two for one, hmm. Lucky, lucky,” the same mischievous smile shot at Ademar. “Come on then, tough guy,” she slid around and her hands went to grab Ademar’s hand and foreman, tugging gently as if to guide him. “Mei and I love sharing a well bred Dreadlord, especially,” and her words stopped there as she bit her lower lip.

“Talus, what is she doing. What’s the money for,” his face for Talus was a face of lost and confusion. Where was he being taken to? Did Talus just...sold him off?

“Talus, help.”

 

[Talus]

"You'll be fine!" Talus called after his friend.

At this point it was time for them to part for a little while. Talus had absolutely no desire to see or even heard anything that was about to Ademar. The very idea of it made him want to vomit.

Lips thinned and he shook his head. "Don't be intimidated, listen to the nice ladies."

Those were the last words that Talus said to Ademar before a pair of large double doors were shut and his companion was dragged away to a private room.

Talus himself was left standing in the lobby, a few of the courtesans still lounging on soft plush sofas. For a moment he simply lingered, then slowly sidled up to one of the women nearby.

"Hello there." He offered with a smile.

 

[Ademar Acero]

I’ll be fine, he says?

Bullshit. These women were dressed in a way commoners wouldn’t. What kind of clothing was this? The cloth witches wear? His mind began racing with actual fear, fear in what these females with luscious looks would do to him. Those looks were probably illusions, illusions that drew him in more to their devices. One of them even grabbed his hand and had it grabbing her by the arse; a chill went through his body and felt odd, yet good.

By then he was led to a private room with the doors closed and locked.

This is it, I’ll be sacrificed to a blood ritual

With surprisingly no blood stained on the walls or floor, and no knife imbued with magic at the ready. Not even a pentagram was ready. No, all there was was just a large bed to fit more than two people. Things got weirder by the second.

And more so when one of the women stripped her clothing off, leaving her bare. It shocked Ademar and didn’t know how to react.

“I...uhm,” and stutters came from his lips.

“Mmm, it seems we have ourselves an innocent one, Mei,” and giggled afterwards.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a untainted one, lucky us. I wonder if he’s even tasted a woman’s lips before,” deducing more of Ademar’s lack of experience after a stun face seeing them naked.

“Taste lips? People eat lips?” which caused both females to laugh, conforming their suspicions. He was confused and was getting agitated from being so...well, naive.

“Hush, let me show you,” and the woman named Mei went up to Ademar, her hands brushing his body before pulling him down to meet his lips with hers. From there the lad was surprised at first and then entranced. He didn’t know how to follow up, but the ladies knew better and guided him with their experience by pushing him on the bed.

 

[Talus]

Talus meanwhile found himself not a slave to the desires of two women, but instead quietly conversing with only one.

She was a smart thing, smaller than most of the others but very obviously more cunning. There was an air to her that already told a story of the same torture that Talus had been through. Her eyes were alight with a certain fire, one he'd seen before.

"Your friend will have to be careful, lest they get carried away."​

Talus smiled. "I'm not too worried about him."

Ademar would be fine, and the truth was he was far more concerned about himself right now. This was supposed to be a night of fun and joy, a time of relaxation, but Talus found it near impossible to drag himself from that headspace.

There was something to be gained here, something more than just pleasures of the flesh.

"Why don't we go to a private room?" He suggested.

 

[Ademar Acero]

“So what do they call this again,” he asked to the two prostitutes, one each to his side. The whole act lasted for a fair amount of minutes, both women showing him...things he’s never known before until now. It was as if Talus paid them to give him a small session of sex ed; education as in how to please a woman through the flesh.

“It’s called sex, darling.”

“And It’s not a onetime thing, is it,” a bit of concern in his voice which caused both females to laugh.

“Goodness, no. The world would eat itself alive if it deprived us from lust.”

He couldn’t think why the world would go insane if the next day a man couldn’t bed a woman, but then he remembered how good it felt. A valid reason for folks to go crazy.

“So...can we go again?”

Both women chuckled.

“I think you’re afforded a couple more rounds, so yes. Think you can go longer this time?”

 

[Talus]

"ADEMAR WE HAVE TO GO!" Talus shouted as the double doors to the room were kicked open.

Half of the young Apprentices armor was gone, and the sword that he had carried was entirely gone. In his hand was a bloody knife, the weapon glinting slightly in the light of the lamps all around the room. His eyes appeared bloodshot.

Behind him a scream erupted.

"COME ON!" He told Ademar. "GET UP!"

Talus used his free hand to tear the blanket off the bed.

 

[Ademar Acero]

He had fallen asleep alone, no longer feeling the warmth of the women he had intercourse with, and his slumber was broken by the yells of Talus. When the door was kicked open Ademar’s eyes opened slowly and didn’t yell out for the disturbance. He was...a bit too happy after last night.

When Talus tore the blanket from the bed Ademar didn’t jerk in embarrassment for being naked unlike normal people which was a norm for them.

“What the hell, Talus,” he began getting up and absorbing the situation unfolding to his senses. Casually he began to retrieve whatever clothing he found find belonging to him, still not noticing some of business effects missing.

“I had a good dream, I think I was in a brothel with all the women throwing themselves on me and...” his sentence fell off when he truly knew what was going on, or part of it. He could hear a scream outside of the room, Talus having a bloody knife, and worst of all his personal belongings.

“And where are my effects,” he said with confusion and frustration mixed in. His mind then thought of the only practical hypothesis that happened. Once exhausted from having sex with the two whores they probably blindsided him by robbing his sword and half of his armor. Betrayal and being robbed were scummy traits he deeply abhorred, traits he came across during his years at the Academy.

“Fucking wenches,” he screamed and threw over the bed in anger. After that he threw a punch at the wall and left a hole in it.

Two women robbing him. What an embarrassment. He’d rather be defeated in a duel than this.

 

[Talus]

"Fuck all that." Talus said quickly as another scream echoed out from behind him, one quickly followed by the loud twang of a crossbow.

There was panic in his face, the half naked Talus quickly taking three steps into the room and turning around as he brandished the bloody knife. Odd wisps of blue smoke rose from his skin, magic flowing through him as he stood there.

"Someone tried to kill me." He told Ademar. "They're still here. Twelve I think, didn't get a good look."

One of the men stepped into the doorway that Talus had kicked in.

There was a small crossbow in his hand, but by the time he turned to try and fire Talus had already phase-walked over to him. His blade plunged through the man's throat, fingers grasping him and quickly dragging him to the floor.

What in the fuck was going on?