Act 2

Ron gazes his eyes to the window, watching over the rainfalls in the evening.

Minutes pass..

..as he waits for his meal to come by.

Twenty minutes have passed, as he gets hungrier by the minute..

..when will I eat?  he thought.

"Argh.." Grumps Ron as he tries to ignore his hunger. indeed he is a tall man, and a tall man needs his meal.

Before he would call upon the two, the front door opens wide and makes a bang on the sides, revealing men—

Guardsmen.

"Ron, fucking Bearingsworth.."

Trenchant, a voice of a man reverb the tavern as he walks past to reveal himself before he;

A typical frontier officer of Empire's men—with his typical robe and his typical shiny armour, with his typical sword and his typical jewellery, he walks with clanky sounds of have-yet-to-see-war gears towards unimpressed Ron.

Empire's bitch boy.. groans Ron, he has dealt their kind long since he could ever remember. There are times when he would respect a few officers for their bravery and tactful manner, but he couldn't conjure any for this arrogant lad.. Why would he? no one should honour a man who rose between their ranks without lifting single merit.

The Officer stands near, as they keep a brief silence.

Northern bastard.. The Officer stares in despicable. Certainly, their rivalry seems precedented. It is all that he could remember of, it is all they ever talk about since—endless feuds and endless quarrel, with endless war and endless raids by their armies, sacking Empire's hard-earned colonies in hellish flames as they wave their crescent-moons flag high..

..so proud of their dishonour, spite him.

so proud of their lust for killing innocents..

The Officer then greets him politely,

"It's been two weeks, how’s your commission?"

"You want your fees Dan?" Ron raises an eyebrow.

"No need," Dan waved his hand, " we'll talk about that later." as he helps himself to sit.

The guardsmen would approach near. Officer Dan continues whilst watching over Ron sipping his pint of ale,

"You see, as it had took my attention, rumours have been circling around town. You heard what the folks been talking about right? about a certain young fellow?"

Ron shrugs, "hregh.'' and gulps his Ale which annoys Dan a bit.

"Let me be brief. This evening, a direct order have beset amongst the officers from the top—"

Ron bangs the table with his pint loudly, startling officer Dan and his guards as he yells in merry, 

"Ah! finally!" he has notice Mila enters from the kitchen door with his meal.

She came by and the guardsmen would make way for her.

She lifts Ron's meal onto the table. Her soft braided hair would fall gently overarching from her shoulder, seemingly inviting everyone to take notice of its pleasing red-amber colour. But of course instead, Officer Dan takes his chance to glance at her figure inappropriately.

"You look lovely tonight, M'lady." compliments him perversely.

"What you want Dan?" she quickly replies.

"Can’t an officer just come by and meet his buddy in the tavern?" Dan says.

"Hwe're nevher buddiehs." mumbles Ron with his mouth stuffed full of his dinner.

"Fine, I'll be at the bar if you want anything." she says.

Dan slowly grooms his golden hair back and raise a smile to her,

"Why don't you join in? I'm sure it will be more enjoyable to have beauty such as you accompanying us."

Mila slightly faces Ron, but her gaze is unmet..

..as Ron busies himself with his meal of course,

"I need to clean the kitchen Dan." mutters Mila in a nervous voice, yet confidently hides it well.

But as she takes her step, the guardsmen blocks her way.

Officer Dan smiles to her again,

"I insist."

Bothered, Mila sits down and scooches beside Ron, which deliberately annoys two of them at the same time.

"Can you move??" Glares her sharply. It is a tight seat after all, and Ron certainly isn't a small man.

"Hergh." Ron scooches, as he pulls his plate and ales alongside.

Dan rolls his eyes, "Have it your way then." as he watches two of them being passive-aggressive over their seat.

"So?" Mila folds her hands, "What were you talking about?"

"Ehum," Dan clears his throat, "We've been given information regarding a recent incident that unfortunately befallen to his Archduke's cousin, Governor Paulo. he survived, blessed thy god, but we received additional reports of a missing possession that was his r—"

"Pay attention, you might wanna learn how a cunt carries himself." Ron mutters near Mila's ear.

Dan furrows, "you want me to up your fees Ron?"

"See? a cunt!" Ron humours himself whilst Mila couldn't care less.

"Right?" Dan reaches, and pulls a paper from his pouch, as he reads it.

"The incident, apparently reported, have been presumed to be an attempt of assassination."

He then lays it on the table for Ron and Mila to see, as he continues,

"Our orders are to arrest the perpetrator and find Governor Paulo's scroll. He is to be captured alive and be sent to the governor's stronghold for further unspecified interrogation."

Ron's eyes wide open seeing the Governor's seal, as he reads the rest in disbelief.

"Mad lad," mutters him.

Dan watches him careful. But Mila quickly speaks in order to lure the officer's attention to her,

"And you presumed the perpetrator would pass through our town?"

"We know he seeks refuge here," officer Dan then loudly taps the written description on the paper to Ron,

"171cm tall, short brown hair, silver eyes, rings anything inside that thick head of yours?"

Ron continues his meal, ignoring him.

Mila compose a deceiving smile, trying to dismiss Dan's confrontation albeit her cold-sweat,

"I don't think we have seen anyone that is described as of late." states her awkwardly.

"You seem to be taking a liking to this bounty hunter, are you that easy?" Dan snarks.

"Just cut to the chase Dan." Ron says.

"Heh, you're the one to talk." Dan says back.

"Care to explain what you said to me?" Mila glares him straight centre.

"Oh?" Dan leans back, " I just thought you already knew about his past."

"Whatabout him?" says her.

"Hmm. not much really. He was a decorated war hero though." Dan says

"So I have good taste, is that what you're trying to say?" Mila squints her eyes.

"Maybe.." Dan glances over Ron's Ale and sips it afterwards. He then continues,

"..During our bloody period of seven years war, our young Ron rose among his fellow men in the kingdom of the crescent moons up north. He proved to be a good commander despite his age, and a good commander he was; winning battles against all odds, saving his army from Empire's reach, ambushes and undermine every single move we took to dissolve Ileandia, into submission.."

"Thanks for the compliment, chief." Ron says.

"I'm not finished," Dan grins a smile with a blink,

"You see, Ron has this bloodlust inside him, he likes to kill soldiers when they're on their knees."

Mila speaks, "So was every kingdom? even you Eudorans would take no survivors from time to time, as to my own witness."

"Oh, but not as much thirst as Ron." says Dan as he leans closer to her,

"Tell me.. have you heard the incident of Red Barron Fields?"

Mila sees Ron stop his eating—His look turned hollow, emptied of its rapture he had shown early. She then mutters to Dan with a lower voice, "What is it.."

"Approximately one thousand and three hundred men, age range from forty, down to 'lads' as young as sixteen." says Dan whilst glaring at him.

"The sky was clear as a sunny day.. as the Empire's men are rounded up by his army in the grassy fields of Moorin's plain, unable to escape for their lives as his cavalry waits to charge them if they do so.." Dan glances back to Mila.

"..They stripped naked with their hands tied behind their backs, and forced to march in the middle of hot blazing summer. How humiliating they must have felt, one of the 'lads' must've pissed and cried over themselves.. Surely.."

Dan continues,

"Then it begins.. His archers knock their arrows.. Slowly.. Steadily.. then aims towards the white.. bright.. Sun—"

Ron raise his voice in anger,

"That's enough!"

His shout echoes the tavern, shocking everyone in mild fear. One of the guardsmen grips his sheathed sword with a trembling hand.

"Heh." Dan huffs, then leans forward to Mila again,

"If I were you, I wouldn't want to sit anywhere near him." He winks, as he takes another sip.

"You finished?" spite Ron.

Dan puts the pint, "Oh, have you heard the news about your king, Ron?"

"Ugh, what news?"

"Your majesty has given up the crown, and would begin to hand over your kingdom to add as our newly edition of federal-state." says Dan grudgingly.

Ron slowly raises his ale from the table, and gulps it.

"Hergh." he burps, as appears uncaring to what had been said.

"So much for your 'war efforts'." Dan says.

"Now then," Dan continues, "You should be familiar with our laws, about harbouring Empire's fugitive?"

"Yes.." Mila says.

"Then those to be proven guilty of harbouring one would be sentenced the same punishment as the fugitive,

“And Ron? since you are now no different from Empire's citizen, you should understand that we will treat you as such."

Ron and Mila kept quiet of his statement.

"But, I can make an exception if you tell me where he is." Dan offers.

"Who?" Ron asks.

Dan is annoyed, "Barnaby? of Buckingsdale?"

"Don't know him, sorry for wasting your time. " Ron says.

"Grr!" Dan then pulls a bag that was under their table in frustration,

"Then who's this belong to?!" and drops it above revealing the leather bag with his name ‘Barnaby’ delicately carved on it.

..Barb, who was hiding and listening behind the bar this whole time, has just realised his bag was still below his table and would mutter regretfully, "whoops.."

Mila sigh away her stress looking at the name, as her ears mused by Ron's mumbling cuss, "Barb you son of a bi—"

Officer Dan stands and would raise his voice to exert his authority.

"I hereby declare Ron Bearingsworth and Miraelle Lothmine as the criminal of Empire's domain as I have proven them guilty of harbo—"

"Hragh!" Ron quickly pulls up the table and push it towards Dan, making him fall to the floor on its weight,

"you're so going to pay for this Barb! HAHA!"

Ron roars his devilish might as he stands tall before them, frightening everyone. He grabs his two axes, ready to fight anyone that dares to lay their sword on him, seemingly thrilled as to what will unfold.

The only one in the tavern that doesn't seem to be terrified is Barb, as he still hides behind the bar, which instead, adding more to his imagination of 'bullying' fees his madly insane friend would ask of him later on.