The Lineage Ch. 07

The evening sun was barely visible over the city walls, throwing its very final rays down emptying streets. Residents of all ages began winding down and tucking in, finding refuge among their homes or the local establishments. Carts rolled by, carrying cargo and people alike. Were one to look up, the sky would be a sea of orange above the artificial streetlamps while cooling wind would blow spring air against one's skin. The air was lively, filled with the sounds of cheer, music, arguments, shouting and singing which resonated off vertical stone faces, forming a cacophony of urban life.

On one such street sat an unassuming bar, hardly noticeably amongst other watering holes which bookended it. Its name was once proudly displayed on a wooden sign hanging off a metal post which jutted perpendicular from the building. However, the sign and the bar it was attached to had existed long before any of the city's residents had even walked this world, and its name faded away, the essence of it lost to time. Of course, this mattered little to the establishment's clientele as there was a strong and steady stream of regulars who clogged its seats, tables, and counter on a nightly basis. People talked and ate quietly, laughing on occasion or throwing down coins or dice for a game.

Alexis blasted through the front as if shot from a cannon, nearly sending the wooden contraption into a patron who was trying to leave at the same time she entered. The man, bewildered, shouted something at the woman's back as she moved at a rapid pace deeper into the building, but she paid him no mind. Upon noticing that she wore the standard light plate armor of a city guard, the man shut his mouth and decided it was best to be on his way. Another unfortunate soul who dared to be in her path was also knocked forward when her elbow bumped him, causing some of his filled drink to spill. This second man met the same fate as the first, at first attempting to show his displeasure but then gave up immediately after seeing the woman's garbs. Attack one officer, and it will be paid back a dozen times over.

Upon reaching her destination, Alexis took out both of her arms and threw her fists upon the counter, eliciting reactions from those who surrounded her, namely the bartender. An old crone of an elf named Sonol, he had worked behind that counter before anyone he was serving that night could even walk, and knew each and every single of his regular's names and lives by heart. His skin was pale and had more creases than any linen, with wispy white hair just barely clinging onto his scalp. He was more bones than muscle, but those who genuinely knew the man would say he only looks weak. Cleaning out a glass as Alexis approached, his beady black eyes came off the cup and came to rest upon the woman's mud brown searchlights that sat above her sour mug.

"The usual. Go ahead and make it double," she grumbled at him, hardly even affording the bartender a fully open mouth to allow her words to fall out of.

Sonol scoffed at her, "you're joking, right? They may as well carry you out of here with just one of those things going down your gullet, and you want to double up? Get real."

"I am real, you old hag. Now pour -- I've had a long day and I'm not in the mood to chat."

The two stared at each other for a while as Sonol allowed her time to reconsider, yet she did not budge or even blink. Sighing, the elf nodded his displeasure at her choice but started reaching for a bottle to pour her drinks, "you know your choices are only leading you towards one outcome, Lexie. I don't need you ending up lifeless in some alley the morning after you graced my watering hole with your beautiful self."

"I love you too, Sonny. Give em," she tossed a handful of coins at him, clattering across the counter and into his hand. Sonol almost threw them back at her.

"Suit yourself. I just hope you have enough left in your pocket to pay the man who has to carry you home after this."

"Too much worrying and not enough pouring," she barked, clanging her fingers three times across the counter.

Sonol said no more and turned downward to focus on filling both immense mugs until the liquid was right up to the rim. Too many times in the past had he learned Alexis would accept nothing less than every single ounce she paid for, so now a task simple as filling her ale requires astronomical precision.

Nearly yanking the twin mugs from his hands as he lightly pushed them towards her, Alexis spun slowly as to keep every drop in the containers she held. Trekking away from the counter, she witnessed her favorite corner booth was unoccupied as normal. It was filthy, given Sonol almost purposely left it unkempt for days on end in an effort to scare off other customers who dared sit there. Alexis was overjoyed at his decision, however -- it allowed her maximum distance from other tables and patrons so she could wallow in utmost peace.

Taking her seat facing the bar's interior, she could survey what most of the other patrons were doing at any given time without even needing to stand. As a capital guard she had learned that backstabbing was a very real threat that had taken more than one of her fellow soldiers -- yet she refused to ever let it happen. Alexis could even see the entrance from her vantage point, should any troublemakers arrive. Sitting, both of her colossal dark drinks crashed onto the wooden table, and she swore under her breath when a single drop fell over the side.

Swallowing her words, she brought the first mug up to her lips to drown her speech. The sheer impact of the glass made her shudder. Each ounce flowing down her throat was coarse, rough, and even painful -- Alexis may as well be chugging isopropyl alcohol. The ale Sonol had served her is a cheap alternative to other mainstream beverages, but far stronger. It would hardly even be considered bottom-shelf in terms of taste and quality but had more alcohol content than anything else the city had to offer. As far as Alexis could tell, she was the only patron that even bought the stuff, so as to why the old elf still keeps it in stock is a mystery. Perhaps he just has a soft spot for the guardswoman. Regardless, she drank down each gulp with practiced intent, her tastebuds killed off years ago by the same slop she sucks upon now. It crashed into her belly and the acids within complained how painful it was. She kept drinking.

"Gooooddss yes... that's it..." she groaned as her stomach bubbled. She rubbed her abdomen a bit, encouraging it along. Drinking this dangerous grog was a threat already, but the issue was compounded further as Alexis chugged it down on an empty belly in order to get tipsy quicker. When was the last time she had eaten something? Today? Yesterday even? She could not be paid to remember - she had been too busy to bother with a real meal. Yet, hunger was not the only annoyance she was facing tonight.

There was a heavy red scar that ran down the woman's face, a gift some poor soul gave her in battle a decade prior. The young man, likely even younger than Alexis was at the time, was able to get a quick swipe on her when the guardswoman staggered. It was, however, lucky that she did trip right then -- the blade went through her eyebrow and into her cheek, missing her eyeball by a hair's breadth. In a rage the woman charged forward and stabbed the boy straight through the heart, sending him into the next world before he even hit the ground. She could have gotten the scar fixed at a healer at any point -- but Alexis enjoyed the menacing appearance it gave her.

"That's it... go away now, you little shit..." she cursed under her breath. The scar would heavily itch on occasion, as it did now. No matter -- she was becoming more inebriated by the minute, and it was fading away as her stupor rolled in.

As the minutes rolled into an hour the fatigue in her digits, bones, and scar faded away as if siphoned straight out of her. But Alexis did not feel the alcohol at all, as if fully conditioned to downing unholy amounts of the chemical. This was, however, only true for her first drink. It was unheard of for her to order a second -- surprising even her bartender. Bringing the second cup up as she lowered the first, Alexis could already tell she would either be sleeping in this chair until morning, or Sonol would have someone carry her home. The behavior was unfitting of a guard, and yet little was done to enforce or steer her away from her self-destructive tendencies. As they say, it is only a problem if someone discovers you.

Feeling an unusually large dollop clogging her throat, the guard leaned forward and slammed her drink upon the table, causing a loud crash that echoed through the bar. She sputtered, causing a flood of the toxic liquid to fall across the table like sprayed acid. Only one or two heads turned towards her before going back to what they were doing. Alexis continued to sputter as if a hair were on her tongue, sensing little drips of ale clinging to her fiery-hot mouth. The slop she consumed on a daily basis nearly made her oral cavity feel as if she chewed on peppers, but at the very least it also killed most of her ability to feel the pain. Finally, Alexis rang her head like a bell, disorienting her until she struggled to see.

Yet even as the effects of her drink truly took hold, something miraculous happened.

Clearing her vision for a moment, Alexis was struck when she saw movement in her bleary eyesight. A dark mass shuffled in from her left as it walked along the other booths on its way to her own. Even with her hazy vision, the shape stood out like a black-and-white cutout against a colored photograph. Reaching their apparent destination, the figure stopped for a moment as it considered its own actions, but then slid down until it occupied the seat Alexis was facing. It rested its back upon the wooden wall separating their newly-shared booth from the one adjacent.

The guard squinted her eyes to force herself through the alcohol-induced haze, placing extra mental facilities to fight through the fog clouding her mind. The figure came into focus, but their details were minimal. They were dense, almost orb-shaped in how they sat. They wore a dark brown cloak far too large for them, cascading down their body as if someone buried the individual in mud. Every so often a little pale chin was visible from under their hood, accentuated by the nearby candlelight.

The guardswoman was in obvious disbelief; her look of confusion was visible across the city. A lifetime passed, yet the intruder made no sound or movement, as if they had fallen asleep. Alexis looked past them and scanned her clearing vision across the bar. There was a row of booths on each end spanning from the entrance to the counter, as well as a quartet of low four-seater tables haphazardly thrown down the establishment's middle. Even though she only looked around for a moment, Alexis could see at least two open booths and another table completely unoccupied. Whoever this person was could have easily sat by their lonesome, yet they were clearly on a mission to antagonize the guard. She curled her fingers a bit as this fact came into fruition.

Looking back to the hooded figure, she growled, "not in the mood today. Go find your own seat."

Her voice was gruff and punctual, Alexis even taking some additional effort to grind her teeth together as if sharpening a sword on a whetstone. Despite her sheer intentions, the figure did not respond, making her fingers curl even more.

"You deaf? I said bug off. Table's taken."

The figure again did not respond, causing Alexis to huff and nod her displeasure.

Who the hell thinks they can share a table with me on a whim? Plenty of open seats for you to park your ass in. Can a woman not enjoy her drink in peace? Or are they just this dense? Stupid idiot can see my armor still snuggled around me. I could throw them in jail for the night just for disobeying my lawful command.

"You must be new around here if you don't know what this suit means," Alexis pounded her fist into her chest, a metal clang on each impact, "even if you don't speak my language, you should get my point. Even if you're deaf -- you can clearly see me, given you found my booth so easily. Get moving. If you want to sleep in your own bed tonight, I suggest you leave me to my sorrows. Last time I ask nicely."

Nothing happened for a few more moments as the guard waited for anything to happen. Just when she thought the individual truly was deaf, Alexis heard them sigh, "I... am new around here... and I know exactly what that suit means."

The guard blinked a few times, blindsided by their answer entirely. Whatever plan she was preparing in her head was shattered to bits immediately. This was not the answer she was expecting -- nor the one she should have received. Alexis nearly thought she had hallucinated the response, given how it almost knocked her to the floor. This was all due to the fact that not only did the individual admit to being a foreigner who sees no trouble in harassing a town guard, but the voice also carried the warm timbre of a young woman, rather than the harsh and beaten voice of a tried-and-true ruffian.

Despite her train of thought derailing for a moment, she put it back on tracks before the intruder thought her weak, "then you know of the power this outfit entails," Alexis moved her hand down and gripped at her sheathed blade with one hand while the other still wrapped her mug, "and all the privileges bestowed upon those who wear it. I am asking you politely to find somewhere else to sit, young lady. But if you refuse to obey, I can find less polite ways of making you move. Beat it."

The lady gulped, "but... does that outfit not also entail you are someone who helps people? I could be on the run from someone, and I need a woman like yourself to help me. Why would you send me away if I might be a person in need?"

"Because I'm off-duty," Alexis swatted the girl's argument straight out of the air, "and when I'm off-duty, the only help I care to offer people is directions. If you want anything more than that, find another guard. There's plenty on the street for you to choose from. Now then, I'll give you one last chance to move your sorry ass before I move it for you. Make the right choice, girlie."

Her confidence defeated, the woman's head dipped lower until it was almost parallel to the table they shared. Clearly, she was unwilling to vacate, despite Alexis' warnings. Still, she shuffled under that flowing cloak she wore as if hiding something -- or was immeasurable nervous. Contemplating her options, Alexis decided she was neither in the mood nor the state to arrest someone. Even calling for backup would be an effort she did not feel like making. Either way, her second drink was half empty, and Alexis planned on rectifying that situation before the night was over.

"Whatever. Just sit there and leave me be then," Alexis raised her mug up to her face, feeling the room-temperature ink-black sludge impact her tongue again, but did not even taste it as it splashed down her esophagus.

Silence, aside from the loud gulping noises Alexis made, blanketed their booth for a few minutes before the intruder interrupted, "why are you drinking so much? It could hurt you."

Again, the guard almost thought she hallucinated the voice speaking to her in her depressed state, "good observation. It very well could hurt me," Alexis' face grew a little smirk as she took another swig in defiance.

"Why then?"

"What do you care? Town guard can't enjoy a few drinks during her time off after a long ass shift?"

"It just seems a bit much... even from over here my nose hurts with all that alcohol wafting from you. You smell like a brewery."

Alexis' smirk grew larger, "that's the idea; thank you so much for noticing. And if the smell irritates you, please park yourself elsewhere," she threw her left arm out, swinging it across the bar in emphasis of the many empty seats. It wavered a bit as alcohol pounded through her veins.

"I'll suffer through. Please tell me why."

The guard laughed a bit, making her belly throb, "how about instead, you tell me why you care about my drink, girlie?"

In the dim lantern light Alexis could have sworn the woman's chin lifted a bit, as if a tiny smile hatched on her face. The officer was perturbed that she seemed to have pleased the woman somewhat.

"I think you want to hurt yourself."

The guard whistled appreciatively into the open air, making a few people glance at her, "give the girl a prize -- she's earned it."

"I would like my prize to be your answer, miss," she answered without skipping a beat.

Alexis killed her appreciation and grimaced heavily, having walked herself into the trap this girl had set for her. She was pissed at the girl for using wordplay against her, yet she was even more pissed at herself for falling for it. Maybe it was the alcohol clouding her thinking. Still, sighed out, "goddamn it, you're really not going to leave me alone until I tell you, huh?"

"Please," the girl answered on the exhale.

The guardswoman again nodded her disapproval, but then decided she lost nothing by conversing. After taking a moment to collect her thoughts, she began, "the whole city's been on high alert for days now, and the palace has all guards working overtime. We may as well be in a state of war with how much they're hyperfixating on this one little issue. Whole lot of horseshit if you ask me."

The girl tilted her head a bit, "how is the city in an uproar? It seems all quiet and normal out there."

It was now Alexis' turn to smile again, "thank you, then -- that means us guards are performing our duty to the letter. Palace wants us to keep this very hush hush for some reason. Were word of this to reach the masses, it would compound our situation massively. While the rest of the common folk are going around their daily lives without a care in the world, us worker bees have been oiling this machine of a city until it is damn near dripping."

The girl tilted her head farther, "but what even is the issue? Why all the secrecy?"

Alexis smiled more fiercely, "the reason is none of your beeswax, girlie. Buzz buzz."

"Well... then everything you have told me seems like something you should keep to yourself. Why are you telling a stranger?"

The smile stretched across the guardswoman's mug immediately faded away, "because the young lady won her prize. But like I said, it's all horseshit, so I don't really care who knows. I barely care to follow them, but orders are orders, and I am following them the best I care to."

The girl smiled a bit, "you sound quite capable in your work, miss."

Without warning Alexis' head leaned back into her shoulders, making way for the gutbusting laugh that roared up her throat. Those around the booth stared in her direction as the noise she emitted covered their conversations entirely. Even as a few tears sprinkled in her eyes, Alexis had to use her arms to hold herself upright. Had she been staring forward, Alexis would have seen the figure leaned her head up to look right at her. But the moment the guard's head started coming down, the woman dropped her own head again.

"You think I'm 'capable'? Hardly! I do just enough to get by. Just enough to keep my belly full of this shit and a roof over my head at night to sleep it all off. How I've not been fired these last few years is a miracle... or maybe I'm just lucky, who's to say?"

The girl's jaw throbbed a bit with uncertainty, "I... I don't know..."

"Me neither. Does any of this answer your questions, or are you going to keep pestering me?"

"You... um... you told me why you're drinking so much, but even with a long day... this seems excessive."