Calathus

Chapter 2 - A Sarcastic Drink

Sianna gaped at her. "Leitn—"

She cut Sianna off. "Stop calling me Leitnant. You are one too now. Call me Meryl."

Aldermeck grinned when their pitchers arrived, accompanied by already filled mugs. She pulled her gloves off and stuck them into her belt before grabbing her mug.

Sianna wasn't sure how to react. "Le—Lein—"

"For fuck's sake, Sianna. Just have a drink!" She shoved the other tankard to her, spilling some of the foamy mess on the bar plane.

"Leitnant Aldermeck!" Sianna gasped at hearing her superior curse. That was only reserved for times when the Leitnant was unsatisfied with a subordinate's work. And they were always uttered with a cool fury that iced the recipient's blood.

Well, the Leitnant isn't exactly my superior anymore.

Sianna started laughing. She bowed her head, loose strands from her side braid falling over her face as she brought a hand to her lips.

"That's the spirit, Leitnant Rayoss!" Aldermeck cheered and raised her drink.

Sianna did the same between her dying chuckles. It was when she noticed her wounded arm, dried blood fanned on her skin like red rainbows.

"Wine!" she demanded. "Boil me some wine for these wounds!"

This time Aldermeck was the one caught in a fit of laughter. When the wine was delivered, Sianna pulled her shredded uniform sleeve to expose the gashes in their entirety.

"Pour it on me," she ordered the young serving girl. "Make sure to keep to the wounds."

"Whut, miss?" she asked, a horrified expression crawling over her red face.

"Do it, Meeka," Neil told her. "And she is no miss. Call her ser."

The girl nervously nodded. "Um, ser. Are you sure?"

"Yes," Sianna said, "or do you wish these to get worse?"

"No, s—ser."

The serving girl placed a metal serving plate under Sianna's outstretched arm and with her dirty apron clutched the hot handle of the wine pitcher. Her thin brown arms shook as she poured it over Sianna's injuries.

Sianna let out a hiss as the hot liquid smoldered her skin and filled her gashes. With her other arm, she reached across to her mug and began chugging her ale. Even after she finished her drink and the wine had dried on her skin, she could still feel the flaming lick of the hot wine. Maybe she should have waited it to cool some more.

"Sianna," Aldermeck said with a smile that could only be described as beautiful, "I'm sure the Citadel did well in choosing you as a Leitnant."

She refilled Sianna's cup and they both toasted to warmer days.

◌-◌-◌

Sianna's vision was a blurred flurry of serving girls coming and going and most of the noises she picked up were muffled snippets of laughter and nonsense, but she was sure the tavern evening rush had fallen. At least she was three pitchers sure which was three pitchers less than what Aldermeck had drunk.

She was folded over the bar, eyes glazed and plump lips pulled into a permanent smile. Aldermeck eased herself to stand and staggered to an empty chair from a nearby table. Sianna wasn't sure if Aldermeck had missed grasping the chair four of six times before she brought it over and plopped on it.

Sianna giggled. She had always found Aldermeck—No. Meryl now, right, Leitnant?—attractive. She sat with an adorable tilt to her head. But then again, Meryl was always attractive especially when her warm breath in the cold air would billow around her face like a white veil christening a gorgeous bride.