The Red's Tiger

After an hour, we stepped out of our carriage.

Familiar brick buildings cast solid unflinching shadows on the well trodden streets. I could feel everyone's eyes briefly glance at us. Royal carriages were a rare sight around these parts, and so whenever one bothered to come, it was at least worth a curious glance. Maybe Olivia, Leopold, or even the king could appear after all.

Yet, today, they’d have to deal with little old me.

But unlike my normal excursions, their eyes didn’t immediately lose interest. Instead, it felt like every single person was staring daggers at Mai.

“Come on,” I urged Mai along. Their stares were not all filled with malice–far from it. Most felt akin to a curious child’s, not the hate I’d come to know as the status quo. Still, if we stayed in the spotlight long enough, eventually, the same people who’d screamed during Mai’s arrival would find us.

We left Broad Street, taking a turn onto Malon Lane.

Unlike the pompous air of Broad, here simple, everyday shops and taverns lined the streets. They still had the same brick exteriors but without the air of extravagance. Wooden signs replaced silver tapestries, everyday clothes instead of suits in the windows, and instead of a quaint air, the restaurants here felt alive.

Mai’s tail gently swung behind her, ears perked up as she looked around. Even just seconds ago she’d felt cold and distant. Now, just a simple scene change brought her back to the Mai I knew.

“Sorry about that earlier. Broad has always attracted the less savory types.”

“Of corse it does, that’s where all the fucking money is, right?” She asked, staring greedily at a nearby fruit stand. “Arhonia’s not very different in that regard.”

“You want one of those apples?” I asked.”

“Well, if you insist, who am I to say no?” Yet despite her nonchalant attitude, her swinging tail broke the facade.

I rolled my eyes, picking up the second juiciest apple I could find and tossed the merchant a silver coin. “Face it, you’re practically drooling over this.”

“Am not! As a princess, I have a reputation to uphold.”

“I still have yet to meet a princess with such a foul tongue, though I must confess my heart does flutter every time you expand your vocabulary. Besides, I don’t think your tail has gotten the memo.”

She blushed, tail freezing in place. “Fine… Is a girl not allowed to be hungry?”

“Nope, hate to say it but that’s illegal in Mikin,” I said, taking a massive bite out of the apple I’d picked out.

“You’re such an ass,” Mai said. I could nearly see the tears forming in her eyes.

“And proud,” I said, picking out the best apple of the lot and tossing it to Mai. “I was just checking for poison. I can’t have our Arhonian representative die under my watch.”

“You’re so chivalrous,” Mai rolled her eyes.

We walked further along Malon Lane, getting closer to our final destination. As we walked along towards the city outskirts Progans' luster began to fade. The bricks gained a worn, dusty feel, people's clothes changed from well fitted yet casual shirts to patched up piles of cloth.

The occasional beggar began to appear on either side. At the sight of my royal uniform, most turned their heads.

Not that I blamed them a single bit. The only reason a noble would bother to travel out here was to find some… squishy targets to practice against. Most of these people weren't citizens either.

I noticed that Mai seemed to walk closer and closer to my side the further we went along. But there was no danger here.

Unlike the drunken oafs on Broad, these people didn’t have a death wish

“Here we are,” I gestured toward a shabby wooden bar. “The Red’s Tiger.”

From the outside, the bar was anything but impressive. Weather had long since worn down the front, dirt stained the rickety door, and whatever paint once covered the wooden exterior had dissolved a long time ago.

A small sign hanging from a chain was the only semi-modern part–a crudely drawn tiger with the bar's name etched in red above.

“It’s certainly… rustic,” Mai said.

“That’s more praise than I’d give it.” I pushed open the door.

The inside wasn’t much of an improvement. While clean, the wooden floors still felt uneven, the bar chairs wobbled, and the collection of bottles behind the counter didn’t inspire much confidence.

Two small lanterns on either side of the counter lit the otherwise empty bar, illuminating the singular other person behind the table.

“Rio! Nice to see you,” Ben said. “Who's your lady friend?”

Ben was a bear of a man. His forearms were the size of my chest, and he was one of the few people in Mikin to approach me in height. His black hair gave way to a clean shaved, friendly smile. If anything, he was much closer to a teddy bear than the real thing.

“This is Mai Arhonia, second princess of our greatest friends.”

“Holy breeze you’ve been up to a lot Rio,” Ben said, giving a bellowing laugh. “Welcome to the Red’s Tiger Mai. What can I get you two to drink?”

“I’ll take the usual. Mai?”

“Blue wine, on the rocks.” She raised an eyebrow at Ben. Not many people would have the confidence to address a foreign princess like that.

“Smart choice little lady,” Ben reached back behind the counter and poured a pint of frothy beer. “Now then Rio, mind telling me how you got a princess in my shabby bar?”

“I figured I should show her around, and is there a better place to learn about Mikins than here?”

“Depends what she wants to learn,” Ben said, pouring a deep blue liquid into Mai’s glass. “Tell me, what's your opinion on this sorry excuse of a country we live in?”

Our eyes met as Mai’s ears perked up. “Don’t worry about Ben, he’s someone you can trust.”

“If you say so…” Mai grabbed her drink, downing the entire glass in one gulp. “You know what I think, Rio? I think this country is one big fucking mess.”

“That's the spirit!” I said as Ben refilled her glass. “Cheers.”

Mai and I clashed our glasses together, both emptying our glasses in seconds.

Time passed, our glasses rising and falling like the tide. Alcohol washed over me, a familiar buzz ringing in my head as I melted into my chair. I didn’t want to know how flushed my cheeks were.

Yet somehow, next to me Mai was holding her alcohol twice as well. “Oy Ben, how strong is that blue wine?”

“Thirty proof, a bit stronger than your fizzy water boy.”

“To the breeze, Mai, is Arhonia full of alcoholics? How the hell are you still standing?”
“Hard fucking work! You wouldn't know much of that, bitch.” Mai said, before proceeding to collapse on my lap.

“Maybe scratch that,” I said, fully aware of the slurring in my own voice. “I guess Mikin’s win again.”

“Like hell… I’d slap you if you weren't so hot. It’s fucking annoying.”

“You’re one to talk! How do you expect me to live when I can barely keep you out of my mind Mai?”

“Bitch.”

“Wha-” I crashed towards the floor, Mai on top of me. I could feel her heartbeat, her warmth as our eyes met. Both our hearts beat faster than a shooting star. I took a breath, then another as both of us leaned in and our lips touched.

Fireworks exploded in my head as we parted. I could still feel her touch, a phantom warmth that spread to every inch of my body.

Behind me, Ben was hunched over, laughing his ass off. “Not bad Rio, not bad.”

He walked over, giving us both a hand up. “Shut it,” I said.

I caught Mai as she stumbled back, letting her lean on me. “Ben, you find letting this fall on my tab?”

“Gladly. Do you two need any help getting back?”

“We… got it from… here.” Mai stuttered out, pushing off me and standing on her own two feet. “I'm part cat! If… there's one thing I can do… it’s keeping my balance.”

“Sounds good to me,” Ben opened the door, letting us outside. “Don’t have too much fun you two.”

“We would never!” I said as we started the long journey back to our dorms.