A Maiden and Her Knight

08: Knight of the Ale

     Sir Gabriel and Ashley have just reached the outskirts of Oakvale, heading towards the tavern where it is rumored that Sir Olric now spends most of his time drinking. Sir Gabriel still can't believe the rumor that he has just recently heard. A knight as honorable as Sir Olric, a drunkard? Sure, even the honorable knight does believe that the occasional drink or two is okay, but he was always against drinking in excess. Surely the old man must be mistaking Sir Olric for someone else.

     The tavern that the courting couple is approaching is known as The Dented Flagon, the establishment set up way outside of Oakvale. A lot of the regulars would often complain about how far it is outside of the town not liking the long distance that they would need to travel just to get a drink. But its placement is actually quite intentional. The tavern's location is to help prevent drunks from wandering into town and causing unnecessary problems.

     Ashley kneels in the grass, remaining close to Sir Gabriel. "So this is where Sir Olric is at?" Ashley asks, taking a good look at the building. The tavern itself isn't that large since it only receives so much business from the small town. It looks like it has been around for a while with the walls looking quite weathered. The only thing notable about the establishment is the sign that bears its name, which looks like a flagon with a huge dent in it. Almost as if it was used to bash something in.

     "Yes, this is the place." Sir Gabriel is hoping that Sir Olric really isn't in there, that the old man has him confused for someone else. He knows Sir Olric, he would never drink while he is expected to perform his knightly duties. He would need to keep his wits about him. So there has to be a rational explanation for this. Before he can think about it, he notices a patron leaving out of the tavern.

     He looks to be a young man, staggering out of the bar. He has just become legal drinking age, or at least he hopes the drunken man is at least eighteen years of age and has apparently wasted no time in getting drunk as if it is a right of passage for him. Walking out of the bar, he notices the knight who is watching him leave the tavern. He salutes Sir Gabriel with a goofy grin on his face, thinking his action to be on the humorous side. He then stops when he notices Ashley, the giantess who is kneeling next to the knight. His eyes trail up her body until he can see her face, unable to believe what he is seeing. A woman who is literally as big as a house? "That's it," he says with a drunken slur, a clear indication of just how much alcohol he has had to drink, "If I am going to be seeing giant women when I go out drinking, then no thanks. Drinking is not for me. Its a sober lifestyle for me."

     He starts to stagger back towards town, dismissing the sight of the giant woman as some sort of drunken hallucination. "Most people see pink whatchamacallits. Me, I gotta see giant women. Huge even." Only getting so far, he stops and bends over, vomiting in the grass before he falls forward and passes out.

     Sir Gabriel sighs while shaking his head, unable to picture Sir Olric like that. He looks back at Ashley, smiling up at her. "Well, guess I will head inside and see what Sir Olric is up to in there."

     Asley places a single finger on Sir Gabriel's shoulder, not wanting him to part with her. "Please don't take too long."

     He turns his head, gently kissing the maiden's large finger as a loving gesture. "It shouldn't take me that long. I highly doubt that he is even inside. Once I see that Sur Olric is not in this tavern, I will be right back out." With that he starts to head for the tavern's entrance, looking back at Ashley as he is about to push the door open. He can't help but notice how she looks a bit sad as if she misses him already. He knows that she is unable to follow him inside due to her stature, and it is something that can not be helped. Her unique stature does have some unique advantages, but some disadvantages as well. Not being able to follow him inside a building is definitely one of the latter. All he can do is be as quick as possible so that he can return to her side. Truth be told, he doesn't want to be away from her either.