7 Chapter 7. Drinks and a Favor

General Wey could see from Zehan and Ryas' displeasing looks towards King Taeyer that they did not agree with his proposal, but he wanted to take this opportunity to gather more information about the Southern Kingdom and possibly find a way out for his people. He had been thinking about it for a while now, and with this sudden meeting today it felt like fate. He had to seize the opportunity.

"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 first.

"We don't have anywhere to be. We're not leaving until tomorrow morning," Zehan answered.

"Well by this time the wedding party has already left, and Yuliah was my only child. It'll be hard to go home to an empty house," he sighed. "Why don't you both have a few drinks with this old Man and keep him company for a bit. I'd like to hear more about the Southern Kingdom?"

They had been on the road for over a week now, and Zehan needed time to unwind and wanted to see more of the Northern Kingdom so he agreed, "I supposed we could spear some time. We won't be leaving until the morning anyway," patting Ryas on the back, "Let's go General."

"Great! I know a place where we can go for drinks," as General Wey leads them out. Once they left the palace, he took them through the city pointing out every major part and the history behind it. Then they headed off to The Gentlemen's Parlor. It was a high-class brothel for the rich and socially affluent. The rich had a certain standard for their whores and disliked the typical street whores that even their servants could pay to bed, and so the Gentlemen's Parlor was created to make them feel more sophisticated while satisfying their primal needs.

General Wey usually visited late at night to drink or when he wanted to escape the stress of 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 tight red dress gives King Zehan and Ryas a flirtatious look as she leads them up the stairs and to General Wey's private room. It's was a large room that had a balcony which overlooks the downstairs and stage. They could see a group of musicians playing a soft melody, as several young women in tight dresses, with the cracks of their bosoms exposed, danced around enticing the Men.

"No company tonight just wine please," General Wey tells the waitress.

"Again! You always say that every time you come here," the waitress pouts her lips.

"Next time for sure," General Wey tells her.

Then how about you two," she smiles seductively at Zehan.

Zehan 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. Being surrounded by beautiful women who threw themselves at you. Drinking as much wine and sleeping with all the women you could afford. It had its appeal, and he would enjoy it while he could.

"Just the wine like he asked," Ryas' cold brash voice interrupts. Hearing the unfriendly tone in Ryas voice the waitress nods and quickly leaves.

Once the wine arrived General Wey starts to pour them all a glass.

"None for me," Ryas refuses. The wine was not something that Ryas wasted his time drinking. His tolerance was much higher than everyone else. He'd have to drink his weight in wine to even feel a slight high.

Curious about Ryas, General Wey starts talking, "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 single swing of his sword and rip the heads off of their beasts with his bare hands. I remember training for months as a young boy trying to get his speed and strength," General Wey laughed.

King Zehan starts laughing with General Wey, "No, no, no that's a bit 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 looks over at Ryas who is not amused, "Isn't that right General?"

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

Still a little curious about Ryas. General Wey jokingly asks, "Are you related to King Ryas," as he pours Zehan and him another glass of wine.

Chuckling Zehan leans over the table towards General Wey, "No he's not because he is the original Demon King Ryas."

General Wey did not think Zehan was series serious, "That would make General Ryas over 2000 years old. Impossible!" They both started laughing looking over at Ryas only to burst out laughing again.

Ryas usually found this type of banter unproductive, but he knew Zehan needed allies in the North, so he allowed this waste of time.

They continue for hours late into the night drinking, exchanging stories, and talking about life, like old friends meeting up again after a long time, until Ryas reminded Zehan, like a scolding wife that it was time to go.

"Zehan, we must get going now. It's late, and we have an early trip ahead of us tomorrow."

"Yes, your right General Ryas. Thank you for the reminder," as Zehan sets his glass down preparing to get up.

Not wanting to lose this chance General Wey tries to convince them to stay, "How about one more drink before you leave?"

Seeing Ryas slanted eyes forming Zehan decided it was time to go, "Maybe another time General. It was a pleasure meeting you, and if I'm here again, we should have more drinks and maybe even enjoy the company of some of those women," Zehan laughs and stretches out his hand to shake the Generals.

It could have been the wine or just King Zehan's compelling personality and way of garnering the trust of those he spoke with, that started to rub off on General Wey but he suddenly had the courage 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 as Zehan sits back down and takes another gulp of his wine, "Yea sure asks me anything. What do you need General?"

Leaning in close to Zehan, "You know I don't always agree with King Taeyer and today was one of those times, but I'm in a position where I have too many people that I need to protect. So I go along with his demands, but there is someone that I must protect that I can't. I need you to take them with you to the Southern Kingdom. This person will have money, and a means to survive once down there. They need protection through the Ethereal Forest and traveling the roads because of bandits and Nomens nowadays. Can you do this for me?"

Ryas pull King Zehan aside, "Zehan, we can't do this. A few drinks together do not mean you can trust him. For all, we know it could be a ruse by King Taeyer."

Yes, he had one too many drinks, but he was still capable of reading people just as well as General Ryas was, and so he disagreed with the General, "No I trust him. I don't think he's the type that will deceive us. He's a General, and he comes off too honorable. I'm going to help him. Plus we never know when we'll need eyes in the Northern Kingdom, we can't trust this King Taeyer yet, but I trust his General."

Turning back to General Wey, Zehan agrees to help him, and they discuss a time outside of the Kingdom where Zehan will pick up General Wey's person.

The only problem now was how General Wey was going to get this person away and out to meet Zehan.