"Yea'?"
Tisan looked at the doorman and sure enough there it was - two slashes on the right side of the face. "Evening, bub."
"Yea'?"
He needed to be careful, that scar was from a Wrecktooth. Any man still breathing after an encounter with that beast should not be taken lightly. That and this place was notoriously picky for who it let inside.
"I, umm, was told I could enter?" Tisan didn't know what to say really, he knocked in the rhythmic way they told him. Wasn't that the signal? Wasn't that enough?
The doorman didn't seem to think so. "Password?"
"P-password? Wasn't the knocking the password?"
The doorman didn't flinch. "You got the knocking down, that lets you see me. Now tell me the password and I'll let you in."
"I, uh, hmm." Well, plan B it was then. Just for the giggles though: "Breadsticks!" The door shut in his face.
"And why do you want to get inside?" Sylla was sharpening her longsword. "Tisan, that's not a tavern, you know that right?"
"It's not?"
Sylla sighed, then chuckled. "It's a posh hangout for snobs. Not for the likes of us."
Tisan bit his lip. "Sylla. Please! Please help me..."
"Again, why? You won't have fun..."
"They..." Tisan looked to the side, looked down, exhaled, looked at her face. "They have this elixir I've been meaning to try for a while."
Sylla raised an eyebrow. "Is it...?" Tisan nodded. Sylla shaved her sword and patted him on the back. "Alright, let's see if those noble shits know how to drink."
"Nobles? So it really isn't a tavern?"
"Are you deaf? You think a tavern would have that drink?"
Tisan shrugged, he never really thought of that. "Just watch out, the doorman is intimidating."
"How so?"
"He has this scar from a Wrecktooth!"
"And?"
"What do you mean and? Have you seen those things?"
Sylla couldn't help but let out a single cackle. "Oh, Tisan. I went a whole winter off of the meat of those things."
"R-really?"
"Come on, let's see this scary doorman."
Sylla smiled, the doorman was indeed scary.
"Yea'?"
"Hey, big guy. You know who I am?" No response. Sylla coughed. "Me and my friend here would like you to step aside."
"Sure. Password?"
Sylla smirked revealing her sheeted blade. If this man was any man of worth, he would know the markings on the hilt. "I am sure you don't want any trouble. You see this? This is your password."
"That ain't no password. That's a swordmaster's blade." He said it so nonplussed that Sylla frowned. "I told your friend earlier, no password, no entry."
"Look here, you - do you know who I am?" Sylla stared him down.
"A bully?" He shrugged. "No password, no entry," and the door slammed.
Sylla exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Tis. That isn't a Wrecktooth scar."
"What is it?" Tisan asked, aghast.
"A Brand..." Sylla turned to leave. "This place must be some establishment if they have a Branded man as their doorman..."
"What - What's a brand?"
"Better you don't know. Come on. We're finding a way inside for sure now."
Tisan nearly ran to keep up with Sylla's long strides. He had a pretty good idea where they were going.
"A Branned man? Really honey?" Serje didn't even look up from his book.
"You'll know it when you see it!" Sylla paced inside the small reading room. "You have to cast an enchantment tonight when the owner is present, near the base of the hill so we know the -"
"Wait, what hill?" Serje finally put down his book. "The hill over the Dredhe Bridge?" Sylla nodded and Serje sighed. "Oh, love. We don't need to read his mind. Come on."
Tisan and Sylla looked at each other, shrugged, followed.
"Yea'?"
"Flowergate," Serje said without missing a beat.
The door swung open and the doorman stepped aside. "That your woman, Serje?"
"That my woman." Serje nodded.
"She ain't very nice."
Serje grinned and leaned over to whisper. "I know."
The place inside was indeed posh. No stools, no tankerds of ale. Comfy couches and oiled paintings. A bard was singing in one corner, and a man was juggling in the other. Sylla and Tisan exchanged a look.
"Stop gawking you two. Come on. Let's have a toast at the bar."
"Love. You've been here?"
"Whenever I can."
"You - you never told me that -":
"Love, I have." Serje laughed. "You said, and I quote. no one is able to have fun in that chicken coop."
"Chicken coop?" Tisan asked.
Serje shrugged. "Barmaid! Three specials!"
"I don't remember that conversation..." Sylla said, still amazed at the luxury they were sitting in.
"Is the special... is it the..." Tisan couldn't speak.
Serje grabbed his shoulder, swaying him. "It is, Tis. It is. You haven't had it yet, have you?" Serje grinned. "I should call Simon to have a drink with us!"
"Simon?" Tisan asked tentatively.
"Yeah, the doorman! Oh, that's right. You thought he was Branded!"
"Love, you cannot convince me those are Wrecktooth scars. They are too wide and -"
"Wrecktooth? They are alley cat marks, love." Serje burst out laughing. "I thought... I thought you were a hunter!"
"Shut up."
The elixirs arrived and each grabbed a flask - one gleeful, one scared, one angry. They toasted all the same:
To good times and good friends!
Obligatory shout-out to the 🍕PIZZA🍕 gang, 🤙 gang. 🤙
Where will we find Serja and Sylla next? 🤷♂
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Stay safe out there, and be strong. 😌
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