Chapter Three ~ Forgotten Dawn
Sat in the storeroom of the tavern were three men. They played Aquinas. It consisted of three cards each, four pearl counters and a wooden board with a spiral painted onto it. It was a complicated and difficult game, gambling money, food, clothes and sometimes even lives. One man wore goggles, they were dirty and battered. He sat in an old three piece suit, chewed on a tooth pick. The other men looked similar, Nylo natives; battered from the fire and the aftermath of it. Wariness lined their faces however a fighting spirit emanated from them.
“What you think of the Trident Isles, men?” Goggles started, “I think they be ‘orrible, corrupt and self righteous, y’know,” He placed a card down, picked one up, moved three counters. “They inflict these rules and laws and oppress and control and are juss’ not to be trusted... bad as the canners, they are,”
“Another vigilante, are you?” One man chuckled to himself.
“You could say that, but I’m more like a terrorist, we go around blowin’ shit up,” He formed a BOOM with his mouth, shaped it in the air with his hands. “People you see, have gone complacent, unhappy and comfortable... we make people uncomfortable, ‘cos they be too easy with the govnamentals, too, too comfortable.”
The men looked at Goggles, then at each other and chuckled, shrugging their shoulders.
“We always need new men, Nylo is a death hole... gots no fooochaa, why stay and rot?” He raised an eyebrow above his cards. Peered at the men. They looked disinterested, their humorous faces engrossed in the game.
“I, personally, want to rot with it; it’s too late for me to leave,” One man replied plainly.
The other man placed all his cards down, moved five chips. “I enjoy taking all you trav’llers food y’see,” He laughed as the other men gaped at the board.
Hugo walked down the stairs. He nodded to the men. “Seen Gramps?”
“Out front, Hugo-shi,” Hugo nodded a thanks.
“Wait, sahh!”Goggles stood, arms splayed blocking the way. Hugo smiled. “Ever though of changin’ the world, sah? Fight the Trident, fight the oppressors, the govnamentals, the controllers, free the lands!”
Hugo laughed and walked around him.
His grandfather leant against the bar in the same manner as two nights before. He shot up at Hugo’s entrance, grabbed his face and babbled the same concerns. “Come back, on your way, of course, bring El again... you know your granny loves her, and Arae does too... she just misses you, like we all do...” Hugo embraced him like he did two nights before.
“Take care old man. Stay well...”
He walked outside. Smoked a cigarette. Not a single word about El, he had returned home and hadn’t found anything out. Anything except for Arae resenting him and El.... maybe she was justified, Hugo thought to himself. He did love her, he just knew she could live without him... not like El, not like his own self; he needed El and it had been too long.
“Mister Hugo! Mister Hugo!” A teenage boy, probably ten years younger than Hugo ran awkwardly with his lanky limbs splaying around. It was Rin. Rin the little boy across the road.
“Hey Rin, what’s up?” Hugo smiled warmly.
“I was just wondering why you’re here still, I saw your missus a week back, said she was heading to Kasat, heard her say it to some sailor, thought you were going with her and all...”
Hugo tuned out. El had been here. He turned to Rin and clutched his shoulder in thanks. Found his legs leading him to the docks, to a boat, any boat going further into the Wild Isles.
YOU ARE READING
Two Moons
Fantasy"Remember my child, you shall have and love the daughter of Aurora from Ona’s thousandth night, remember too, as you are destined to love, you are destined to be torn apart." Hugo is in love with El. He tells her of their destiny to be together and...
