Chapter Seventy: Probably Won't End Well

"Good evening Meg, same as usual?"

"Please."

Perry was stood at the bar, and greeted Meg as she came in. It had quite some time since he had returned home, and he had settled into his new position as the head of the inn quite nicely.

"It's been a while since you last came in."

"Yeah, I had a fair amount of work to do, and then had to write it all up before I forgot about it. Be prepared for Tim to be a little... more, than usual. I've been putting him to work recently and he's been looking forward to unwinding."

"...I'll have another cask brought up. Do you have any letter you want sending off?"

"Oh, yes please."

Meg handed Perry a sealed envelope, which he took and placed in his pocket.

"Well if that's all, I'll let mother know you're here. No doubt she'll want to speak with you."

"How is she?"

"She's doing better. Taking the work off her shoulders has given her plenty of energy, a little more than is helpful mind you, but she hasn't been having any issues of late."

"That's good."

"Hey Perry!"

"...Hello Tim."

Despite Tim's cheerful disposition, Perry was still not completely comfortable with the man after the talk they had regarding his mother.

Not that it made any difference to how Tim acted in the slightest.

"I want three kegs of whatever you've got." Tim said, slapping his arms on the counter and leaning across it.

"All at once?" Perry asked, eyebrow raised. "Surely you can pace yourself."

"Nope. You have no idea of the suffering that I have experienced, the endless waves of torment I have had to endure, the pain of having every fibre of your being forcefully rended and detached! The only thing that has granted me solace in my darkest of hours, is the sweet allure of the fermented fruit. I beg of thee, do not forsake me my pleasures this night, or I shall lose myself in despair, and a crazed passion for retribution."

"...What?"

"Gimme booze or I'll kick your arse!"

"Just give in or he'll be like this all night."

"...I'll send it over."

"Thank you, kind sir!"

With that, Tim turned around and happily strode over to a table. After giving Perry a shrug, Meg joined him.

"I understand you're stressed, and you've been very helpful recently, but could you try to contain yourself tonight?"

"I promise no such thing."

Meg sighed as a waitress came over with the drinks they'd ordered, and Tim downed the first in one go. Luckily they were soon joined by the matron of the inn, who was always on hand to calm down any situation, because she wasn't allowed to do anything else.

"Hello you two, it's been a while." Helen said happily as she joined Tim and Meg.

"Hey Helen."

"I am here to drink and you can't stop me."

"Well, you're not wrong. I've been told I'm not to busy myself with work anymore so you go ahead and drink as much as you like."

"Sweet."

"Please don't encourage him like that."

"Well if my son thinks he can run this place perfectly fine then we'll just have to see how well he copes, won't we?"

"I agree, NEXT ROUND'S ON ME!"

A cheer came from the other patrons, and Perry shot a disapproving glare in Tim's direction, but Tim took no notice.

"So how've things been with you two?"

"Horrible, Meg's been abusing me mercilessly."

"That's rich coming from you, I don't particularly enjoy getting shocked every time I sit down you know."

"I do. That's why I do it."

"You know, if you don't want people to know you practice magic you shouldn't say things like that so loudly."

"Yeah probab-... Wait, how did you know?"

"Seriously?"

"I mean... yes?"

"Well for one whenever you order supplies they always come through us, dropping by and making sure they're going the right way. Plus, considering what you've said and rumours from the area, it isn't hard to work out where exactly it is you live and what you do."

"...I guess."

"Plus that young man from before, Thomas, was it? He's very talkative."

"Speaking of young men, where's Charlie?" Tim jumped into the conversation.

"He's away at the moment. He was clamoring for work to do so Perry has him helping out our supplier for a while."

"Not a bad idea, he wants to travel he should get used to it first." Tim swung back his head and drained his drink. "I'm going to go get another drink."

"Wha-? How have drunk all three already? The food isn't even here yet."

"You were talking, back in a minute."

Tim quickly headed off back to the bar, with Meg shaking her head at him as he went. When he got back, dinner had been served, and they ate whilst talking to Helen. Once they finished, Tim asked for any news.

"Yes, some major news actually." Helen said, and leant forwards as the tone turned slightly serious.

"Oh? Do go on." Tim replied, the alcohol having kicked in somewhat.

"There has been a large upset in Athene, the king has been overthrown."

"What?" Meg asked in shock, and Tim's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"I am not saddened, but I am shocked." He said, leaning back in his seat.

"I know, would have thought there'd be such an event in this day and age?"

"Oh I'm not surprised it happened, I'm surprised I missed it." Tim said, taking a gulp of his drink. "I usually catch stuff like that."

"...Your age is showing."

"Eh, fuck it."

"We just giving up on that whole thing?"

"Yup."

"...Well okay then."

Meg took a drink with a look of resignation, while Tim continued to knock back the alcohol like he had a hole in his throat.

"So, what are your plans for the near future?" Helen asked, looking to see if she could get anything interesting from the pair, now that Tim had made it clear he wasn't bothered about hiding anything.

"Well I'm absolutely certain Meg had plans..." Tim said, and smirked at the women as he took another gulp. "But they're going to have to be pushed back."

Meg winced with realisation, and asked in a pleading tone, "Please don't drag me to a recent war zone..."

Tim thought for a moment, looking out across the room and through the walls into the distance in his imagination, swilling the drink in his mouth around before swallowing, and responding.

"No."

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Immediately after they were done in Riben, the two set off for the East, Tim adamantly dragging Meg with him to the capital city of a kingdom that had just undertaken a coup. Tim hid it with manufactured excitement, but whenever he didn't know Meg was looking at him, she noticed a grim seriousness come over him. Seeing this, she decided it might be best if she joined him after all, if only to make sure he behaved himself while there.

It took them a while, but they finally arrived within the walled city whose name was forgotten to Tim. As the sun set, and they headed for an inn, they could feel a feverish excitement in the air.

Entering the inn, Meg firmly remembered the local population's opinion of magic users, and hung back, waiting for Tim to finish dealing with Holly before entering. The two went inside together, and walked over to the bar.

"Evening barman." Tim said, drawing the man's attention to him.

"Afternoon, what can I do you for?"

"Two rooms, two meals, two drinks, and some information if you please."

"That first lots simple enough, but what information are you looking for?"

"Oh you know, local news, prices of goods, gossip... And also that little thing where the king was deposed and the city's all worked over something still."

"Ah yes. Well the king never did have much of an influence with the public, and with the rumours about him being involved with magic it was only a matter of time until someone decided enough was enough. It's not the first time it's happened here. Hell, even the last king was descended from a usurper."

"I did hear about that."

"Yeah, so that wasn't too surprising and everyone just moved on pretty quickly. The real shock came when we found out that most of the nobles that rebelled against him were conspiring to make slaves of us! Can you believe that? The bastards that garnered support of the working people of this land were just manipulating us to gain power, they didn't care about doing what's right in the slightest."

"Really? Where are they now?"

"Didn't you hear? They were executed last night."

Tim and Meg's eyes widened in shock, and they glanced at each other.

"So wait, who's in charge?" Tim asked.

"Baron Themil and Sir Cos learned of their plans and had them arrested. The Cos family has always held a great deal of influence within the army, so it wasn't long before they were captured. After that they were tried and executed for their treachery."

"...Is that so." Tim's voice reflected his distrust, but the bartender didn't notice in his excited state.

"That's right, and damn the lot of them to hell for what it's worth. Now what did you want? Rooms, meals and drink?"

"Please."

"Right away."

The two sat and ate for a while, but the mood was heavy due to the knowledge they'd learned, and they turned in early.

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Meg woke up some time later than usual. The day before had been long, with little rest, and the walled city backed by a mountain range allowed little of the early morning light through.

Squinting at the bright sun that was now blazing through her window, Meg readied herself for the day and stepped outside her room.

"About time! You must have been tired."

"...How long have you been waiting outside my door?" Meg asked Tim, who had been leant against the hallway wall until she exited her room.

"Far too long. Now, which one's better for a formal meeting, blue or green?"

As he said this, Tim held up two trim cut sets of aristocratic clothing, one blue, and the other a pale green.

"The blue one..." Meg said, confused, and Tim through the green set to the floor, where it disappeared into his storage space.

"But why though?" She asked as Tim began to do up his hair into a tight ponytail with a blue coloured hair tie. "I thought you hated dressing up?"

"I do, but I am willing to endure for the sake of enjoying myself."

"Doing what, exactly?"

"Espionage."

"Espio- Tim, what are you going to do?"

"Do not call me Tim. I am guilr Kolos, diplomat of Thalas, here to speak to the usurpers of the late king Magnus."

"Why?"

"Because no one uses the old names or even knows what they mean anymore, and Abby beat that knowledge into me so by my overly demanding Goddess I'm gonna use 'em."

"No, I meant why are you doing this?"

"Because I want to see how the new ruler acts with people he isn't aware could crush his skull like a tomato."

"Well, whatever." Meg sighed while thinking about what consequences Tim's antics could have this time. "Just don-"

"And you!" Tim cut off Meg before she could dissociate herself from the ordeal. "Are my attendant and travelling partner."

"...Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"But I'm not used to coming up with lies on the spot like you."

"That's fine, you won't be doing anything dangerous. You'll sit in the side room while I'm talking to the boss. Just act like yourself and you'll convince everyone there that you aren't worth being uptight around, and you might be able to find out what they really think for me."

"You're a weaselly little bastard."

"Thank you."