Chapter 8. Drinks and a Favor

Their indifferent glances at one another gave away their dislike of King Taeyer. General Wey seized this opportunity to gather more information about the Southern Kingdom. To possibly find a way out for his people. He considered it for many years now, and with this sudden meeting today, it could only mean the Gods wanted this.

"King Zehan and General Ryas do you have somewhere to be right away?" General Wey asked. He needed to find an opportunity to get them alone.

Zehan glanced over at his general. "We don't have anywhere to be. We're not leaving until tomorrow morning," he answered.

General Wey exhaled deeply. "I've missed my daughter's wedding already, and my attendant informed me everyone's left. Yuliah was my only child." His eyes drooped towards the floor. "It'll be hard to go back to an empty house." He turned his gaze upward at them. "Why don't you both have a few drinks with this old man and keep me company for a bit. I'd like to hear more about the Southern Kingdom?"

Being on the road for over four months now, Zehan needed time to relax, and he wanted to see more of the Northern Kingdom, "Why not, we could spear some time. We're not leaving until the morning, anyway." He patted Ryas on the back. "Let's go, General."

"I know a perfect place where we can have a few drinks." General Wey walked them out.

Once they left the palace, he took them through the city and pointed out every major part and the history behind it. Then they headed off to The Gentlemen's Parlor.

A high-class brothel for the rich and socially affluent. The rich had a certain standard for their whores. Classy and expensive. They didn't want just any street whore. Or ones that even their servants could pay to bed, and so the Gentlemen's Parlor satisfied their more tasteful needs.

He usually visited late at night to drink or when he wanted to escape being a General. Other times he came when he missed Yuliah's mother, to drink away the memories, but tonight he came to socialize.

A waitress in a skin-tight red dress gave King Zehan and Ryas a flirtatious look. Her hips swayed sideways, and her heels clicked on the marble staircase that spiraled up to General Wey's private room.

General Wey had a large room with a balcony view. It overlooked the downstairs and stage. A group of musicians played a soft melody, as several young women in tighter dresses, with the cracks of their bosoms exposed, danced around teasing the men.

The waitress licked her lips. "How many..."

"No company tonight just wine please." General Wey told her.

"Again! You say that every time you come here." The waitress pouted.

"Next time for sure." General Wey smiled at her.

"What about you two?" She flashed a seductive grin at Zehan.

The young King had never been to a brothel before. Being King, he never had a need too, but he could see the appeal it had on men. To be surrounded by beautiful women in tight dresses, who threw themselves at you, no matter how hideous or old you looked, as long as you had the coins to pay for it. You could drink as much wine and sleep with all the women you could afford. It had its appeal, and he would enjoy it while he could.

"Just wine." Ryas' brash voice interrupted.

Hearing the unfriendly tone in the Generals voice, the waitress nodded and sauntered away.

They chatted among themselves until the wine arrived, General Wey poured everyone a glass.

"I'm not drinking." Ryas pushed his glass back. He preferred to be alert and had a higher tolerance than most and would have to drink his weight in man's wine even to feel a slight high.

General Wey glanced over at the young General from the South. Who sat with his arms folded and a face so emotionless he could have passed for a statue. "As a boy, I grew up hearing stories about King Ryas from the Ethereal Forest with his glowing eyes and strength. They said he could cut down three hundred Nomens with just one swing of his sword and rip the heads off of their beasts with his bare hands." General Wey gulped from his glass. "I remember training for months as a young boy trying to get his speed and strength." General Wey laughed.

Zehan gave his General an amusing look. "No, no, no that's exaggerated. He could only kill thirty at most and the beasts, they have a thin layer of skin connecting their heads to their body. If you can jump onto their backs and pull hard enough, it's easy to rip their heads right off." He glanced over at Ryas who did not look amused, "Isn't that right General?"

With his closed expression, Ryas replied with a simple. "Yes." He didn't care for their conversation. His thoughts were still on King Taeyer's proposal earlier.

General Wey only grew more curious as he continued to look at Ryas. In his entire life, there were rumors about Ryas, and he did not recall anyone else with that name. The Southern King, also commented as though Ryas and King Ryas were the same. "I wonder are you related to King Ryas?" He poured Zehan and then himself another glass of wine.

Zehan chuckled and leaned over the table towards General Wey. "No, he is the original Demon King Ryas."

"That would make you close to 2000 years old. Impossible!" General Wey shouted.

They both laughed then glanced over at Ryas, only to burst out into a stream of laughter again.

Ryas usually found conversations like this unproductive, but he knew Zehan needed allies in the North, and said nothing.

They continued late into the night drinking, exchanging stories, and talking about life, like two old friends meeting up again after a long time until Ryas scolded Zehan.

"Zehan. It's late, and we have an early ride ahead of us tomorrow."

"Oh, yes. Your right General. Thank you for the reminder." Zehan set his glass down then slid his chair back.

Not wanting to lose this chance, General Wey bolted from his chair, "How about one more drink before you leave?"

Zehan could make out his Generals slanted eyes from beside him. "Maybe another time. It was a pleasure meeting you, and if I'm here again, we will have more drinks." He leaned towards the General. "Maybe even enjoy the company of some of those young women here." Zehan winked and tapped General Wey across the shoulder.

It could have been the wine or just King Zehan's compelling personality. He had a way of garnering the trust of those he talked too.

It started to rub off on General Wey. Who suddenly dared to ask him what he had wanted to ask him all night. "King Zehan, I have a favor to ask of you."

A few drinks and hours together had turned them into the best of friends. The King sat back down and lifted the glass to his lips again. He took an even bigger gulp of wine. "Sure, what is it, General?"

General Wey scooted his chair closer to the King. "Since the death of the old King, his son Taeyer has a different way of doing things. I'm in a position where I have too many people to protect. So I go along with his demands, but there is someone that I must protect that I can't. Not here. Can you possibly take this person with you to the Southern Kingdom?" His relaxed face had turned serious. "This person will have money, and a means to survive once down there. They only need protection traveling down the roads and through the Ethereal Forest. Too many bandits and Nomens roam unchecked through the North nowadays; she won't make it on her own. Can I ask this favor of you?"

"She?" Zehan smiled amusingly but Ryas pulled him aside before he could ask a question.

"No. We're not doing this. Risking the Kingdom and everything your father built - for a woman? I won't allow it." He scolded Zehan. "A few drinks together and you trust him already. For all, we know it could be a ruse by King Taeyer."

"Yes, I've had too many drinks, but I'm still the King here, General Ryas." He responded. "I'm capable of reading people just as well as you." He had challenged Ryas for the first time. "I trust him. He doesn't seem like the dishonorable type," Zehan said. "Besides, we need eyes in the North, and we can't trust this King Taeyer, but I trust his General."

Zehan turned back and walked over to a nervous looking General Wey. "I'll help you. Tell me what you need."

They discussed a time outside of the Kingdom where Zehan would pick up General Wey's person. The only problem now was how General Wey could get this person away and out in time to meet Zehan.