“You must come eat with us,” Leo said, pleased with the response. Yet again, Danais found himself faced with turning down a magician. He’d only managed to walk off half of his drinks, and now the prospect of having more was upon him. Then again, he was starving.
“Okay.” So he followed them into an establishment he had never been able to go into. He sat at one of the best tables to drink fire orange wine out of a bottle he was sure produced red.
“You put a spell on the wine?” Leo asked.
“Yes,” was Barton’s immediate response to Leo’s question. Leo found no fault in merely changing the colour. If that was what Barton had to do to amuse himself, then it was what it was.
“So you are silent?” Leo asked Danais.
“Yes, sir.”
“And you love your wine,” Leo said before he ordered another bottle.
All Danais’ good sense was screaming that his body couldn’t handle the shock of so much expensive liquor, but it tasted so good. Leo, on the other hand, was enjoying watching the inner struggle. Clearly, this young boy was having a problem deciding if he should refuse, or just throw all caution to the wind and ask for another glass. Rather than wait, Leo decided for him and just poured another one.
“So, Mr. magician, sir. Do you have a name? I’d like to be able to thank you properly someday.”
“Leo.” Barton gave him a look after hearing Leo say his name. To be that informal to a peasant meant a hidden agenda. Barton was quite sure he knew what it was. Danais was also taken aback; magicians shouldn’t give him a first name only.
“Do you have a name, young sir?” Leo asked.
“Danais.”
“After the God of Moon and Water.”
“Yes. Though I’ve never actually been on the ocean. I only look at it from the docks. I’m a farm boy. Milk cows, unearth vegetables, pick fruits. Grunt work. What is it that you do?”
“He beds people,” Barton said before Leo could respond.
“Barton!” Leo said, trying to control him, but Barton could not be sidetracked.
“Yes. Just this week it’s been eighteen.”
“Fourteen,” Leo said, falling right into Barton’s trap.
“Okay, fourteen. But it’s only the fourth day.”
“Sounds like he’s a regular Toma,” Danais said with a hearty laugh. “Maybe he’s secretly Atorathian.”
“Only in his dreams. I think it’s just because he’s tall.”
“Bah! Height has nothing to do with skill,” Danais said as he took another swig of wine.
“See. I told you so Barton,” Leo said.
“However, I’m sure with you it does have to do with height. Specifically, the height of your manhood,” Danais continued. Barton snorted wine out of his nose at that comment and went into roars of laughter.
“Ah, I take it I am right then. You’re not just tall as in from the ground,” Danais said, which only increased Barton’s laughing fit.
“How do you know I’m not just skilled?” Leo asked, trying to turn the discussion around.
“Your friend laughs at my jokes. I must be accurate.”
“You are only repeating the same jokes he throws at me. Therein lies his amusement,” Leo said, and then gave Barton an evil glare.
“Well, what true friends can’t make fun of each other?” Danais asked.
“I raise my glass to that,” Barton said. And he and Danais raised their glasses in a toast to friendship.
“So since we’re talking height, how tall are you?” Danais asked with a coy smile. Barton took another sip of wine and waited to hear the response. Nothing like a good double entendre to keep the mood flowing.
“I only put my manhood on display when it’s about to get action,” Leo said.
“Ah, so you’re the modest type.”
“Are you always this forward?” Leo asked with a chuckle.
“Not with Richies, but I’ve never had expensive drinks before today. My body has been put into overload, and it’s affecting my tongue. A few more days of this and I’ll be able to handle it like the cheap stuff. Then again, I am Atorathian. Sex speech is far from beyond the norm here.”
“Well, in answer to your earlier question, I’m a musician.”
“So you get to travel and get paid for it.” It was more of a statement than a question on Danais’ part.
“Yes, he does. And I can say he is quite good. So maybe there is some truth to this skill and height business.” Danais and Barton laughed. Leo just rolled his eyes.
“Why are you encouraging me to drink, seeing as I was already half-drunk? You get to see me relaxed but not me you. I’m at a disadvantage. Salinor’s phoenix! Is this whole leg of lamb for me only?” The sight of food disrupted Danais’ train of thought.
This made Leo smile. The genuine look of amusement on the young man’s face was worth all the wealth Leo possessed. Danais’ eagerness to eat it was also encouraging. Danais went straight at it with his fingers and didn’t pick up a fork until he dropped a particularly hot piece of sliced carrot back into the plate. And the garlic mashed potato with parsley and caramelised onions was definitely something he didn’t eat every day.
“Are you enjoying the meal?” Leo asked.
Danais managed to grunt out a “yes” between swallows of food.
“This is the last stop on our tour of Atorath. We have a few more stops to hit before we actually get to Nera. You can—”
“No. I’ll pay. I’ve already accepted too much. My uncle has probably heard of my day already. I could be getting in trouble as we speak for taking advantage.”
“I’m glad you accepted then. Some hot cider to wash down the meal. Peach.” Leo didn’t wait for a response and ordered a second bottle for Danais to keep. It was strong, probably even stronger than the wine. But something about the warmth and mixture of sweet and spice just made it feel harmless.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, but we’ve been here almost long enough to go into dinner,” Danais said as he wobbled to a stand and prepared to leave.
“Can I take you home? You seem a little unsteady.”
“I’ll take him home. And no protests from either of you,” Barton said to Leo.
There was something very finite in Barton’s tone. It wasn’t harsh, but both Leo and Danais seemed to hear it, and neither put up much fight. Barton managed, at a very slow pace, to get Danais further up into the mountains to the farm, reaching their destination only just before night.
“So what happened to my nephew?” Torak asked Barton. “And no matter who did it, you’re going to fix him.”
“Sure. It will sweat out of him. He’ll be fine. A little repugnant though.”
“So what brings you here? Haven’t seen you in almost twelve years now.” Barton made sure that Danais was out cold, and worked a sound spell so no one who approached from outside could hear.
“Orange wine.”
“So it has begun.”
“Yes. The spell on them will slowly start to unravel. Soon we will have to act.”
“I know. But he’s still a child. Only a few cycles from his eighteenth name day.”
“I know, Torak.”
“And you shouldn’t have said what you did say on the ship. I understand though, and I trust the serving girl.”
“So you know. Indeed, your eyes do stretch far.”
“Yes. And you still don’t have to worry about what you’ve told the girl, or what you’ve just now told Leo.”
“How do you know what I told the girl?”
“I stopped the message and delivered it myself to make the news go over more smoothly.”
“To think I doubted you for this task—fought against it even.”
“You were a lot younger then. And I was well aware you only did it because you thought I had fought against you in this task.”
“You didn’t?” Barton had assumed as such, but didn’t feel up to the challenge of directly asking, considering how badly he handled the situation in the beginning.”
“No. I’m sure a lot that went on in those secret meetings has found its way back to you. I was not part of anything said against you.”
“And I’ve always disrespected you since then. But—I feel ashamed. I don’t usually let anger get the better of me, but with you—you were like my mentor, and I thought you abandoned me just like the rest.”
“It is as it is. I knew what you thought, but I couldn’t fuel your hate. I knew you’d figure out in time. Even if you were never bold enough to come right out and say it.” Torak smiled before continuing. “And you have exceeded my expectations. And as you well know, have proven to others, beyond a doubt, that you are every bit as capable as the person who put your name forth said you were.”
Barton really did feel ashamed. Torak was a man who was his friend and mentor, and Barton had turned against him out of retaliation. How could he even bare to stand in the same room as him?
“I’ll heal him and be out of your way. I’m not much of a healer, but I can do this.” Barton did his task but wasn’t allowed to leave.
“You should stay. See if he’s okay. You don’t have to rush somewhere, do you?”
“No. I do not.”
“Then stay. Let’s talk like we used to.” Barton knew it was as much a command as it was an old friend knowing he needed to talk. How long had it been since he’d actually expressed his feelings on anything?
“It’s been a while. I was merely a boy in comparison to the man I am today since we last spoke—since we last really spoke.”
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