Picture for a Frame

Chapter 6: Frenemy Mine

Flame walked into the bright, candle lit tavern room situated in the pinnacle of Camelhot's tallest tower. Passing through the wafting vapours of alcohol, she passed Sir Burnevere throwing darts at a target on the wall opposite.

Nearby she saw Sir Hotbreath recounting a story to Sir Galahot on a couch. She chanced to hear a fragment of their conversation.

"So," Sir Hotbreath said with no end of gusto and continued. "I said back to him 'that's not a sword'" he paused and pulled out his broad sword from his scabbard and held it aloft to dramatise the story and continued. " I told him, ' now, that's a sword!' "

Sir Galahot gave a hearty laugh.

As Flame made her way up to the bar, and took a seat on one of the available stools, Cinder and Clinker took note of this unusual guest.

"Princess Flame!" exclaimed Cinder and continued. "It's a rare sight to see you in here!"

"I wasn't even sure you drank!" added Clinker, accenting this punch-line with the crash of a cymbal.

Flame rested her elbows on the bar and her head in her hands, feeling dismal about things.

"Yes, rarely...and tonight is certainly one of those times." she said unenthusiastically.

Cinder cleaned a glass with a drying towel. "Very well, your highness, what'll it be then?" he questioned with his usual all pervasive energetic tone.

"Just a sherry, thanks." replied Flame in a very muted manner, her position unchanged.

Cinder and Clinker nodded and moved to the other end of the bar to obtain Flame's drink.

Flame, not used to being in this space of the castle, turned to her right to take a look around. Her field of vision was nearly immediately taken up by a slumped over Sir Loungealot sitting one stool over from her. He was an unimpressive sight, having his head nestled into his crossed arms resting on the bar.

"Sir Loungealot?! What are you doing here? I thought you'd still be hustling back and forth doing errands for Flicker." Flame questioned, surprised to see him here.

Loungealot lifted his head immediately, seeming startled. "Oh, uh, your highness....I'm sorry I...I didn't see you come in!" he replied.

"I think you're getting me confused with Draxia, I'm not the one who expects you to do a song and dance whenever I enter the room. But enough about that, what about all those errands you were going to get to for Flicker?" Flame questioned.

"Oh, um, well m'lady.....I think that....seeing my exhaustion at completing all of those many tasks so precisely....Flicker, being the Honourable Squire that he is, gave me the rest of the night off." Loungealot explained in the most circuitous way possible.

Flame wore a knowing look. "Oh, I see....you mean he asked you to stop doing favours for him, didn't he?" she clarified the situation.

Loungealot looked slightly more deflated. "Um, quite, m'lady." he paused in embarrassment and then continued. "So, with nothing left to do, I came here...to drink as much as I needed to forget about tomorrow's ceremony!" he said emphatically, pounding his fist down on the bar.

Flame looked at Loungealot quizzically for a second. "You're...you're really going to miss Flicker, aren't you, Loungealot? It isn't just the chores he does for you...or the accolades he wins for you...you really do see him as a kind of friend, don't you?" she said in a surprised tone of voice.

Loungealot looked both right and left before responding. "Well, truth be told your highness, yes, I will miss Flicker. I have to say he is the best squire I've ever had, but, it's true, there's also the fact that he is an amiable kind of fellow...you know, all his going around doing good deeds and promoting the code...kind of rubs off on one after a while." he explained.