The Mark

Chapter Four

After five more miles we found a village called Mintoprica.We left the horses tied to a post and went into the tavern named the Lone Wildfire, not that the name was a horrible coincidence, but we went in and sat down, everyone was quiet.We heard people sing off key, beers clinking, people chattering, the whole 'Friday night' thing.

Alison was the one that broke the silence, "Okay...I know what we saw was horrible...but we.."She trailed off.

I knew what she was going to say, 'but we have to keep moving...' I looked down, I really need some whiskey, whiskey always gets my nerves down.

A waitress came over to us, "Would y'all like something?"

I nodded, "Whiskey, please.." Alison looked at me as if I said the same thing she was thinking.

The waitress nodded, "Anyone else?"

Hector order some ale for him and Al, Bella and Penelope wanted water and Alison got scotch.

Similar drink, if I may say..The waitress took our orders and left.Good, I don't like talking right now...I remember when my parents were killed, and my brother leaving with me, then the explosion...

Alison got me out of my thoughts, "You alright Max?"

I wanted to say yes, but I knew I would be lying.

I shook my head, "No, I don't think anyone is either..."

She nodded in agreement.The waitress came back with our drinks, "Anything else?"

"Yes, do you have an inn?"Hector asked.

The waitress shook her head,"Not for another twenty miles...the closet was Sleepy Burrow and..."

She looked like she was gonna cry, "Yeah, we past through there.."I said.

She sighed, "Yeah..It was weird though, A wildfire, killing all those-"She shook her head, "Sorry.There's a temporary camp ground in the next mile, you can stay there.."

I nodded, "Thank you.."

She smiled faintly and went back to work.I took a sip of the whiskey and felt a little better knowing this town knows about it.I hate to be a bearer of bad news...I didn't even realized I finish my drink, and Alison was looking at me.

"Damn Max, it must have got you that hard huh?"To be honest, it did...But I'm not gonna admit it though.

"Nah, just lost in thought..."

She nodded her head, but I knew she didn't believe me.I asked for another one and drank that up too.Eventually I ended up having three glasses to feel nothing.I looked around, you know, To see some of the scenery.I saw our waitress, she was trying to leave a table of guard men where one of them wouldn't stop being grabby-grabby.For some reason, it made me pissed, so I got up and went to the table, and punch the guard in the middle of his face.The other men were shocked and the one I punch got up to throw a punch, but a dodge it, tripping him as I dodge.The dude must have passed out because he didn't get back up.The waitress mouthed, 'Thank you!'and hurried to the bar counter, I turned back to the guards.

"The reason I kick his ass, was that he was dishonoring the guard code, and if any of you do it too, I'll kick your asses as well!"As I walked away I yelled.

"DISGRACE THE LOT OF YE!!!"I sat back down with a thump.

It took me a second to see that everyone was staring at me.

"What?"

Alison, who was shocked, or was trying to not laugh."was that Guard training or Thief training you just did!?"