The Demon and the Elf (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty One pt 1

Chapter Twenty One

(CW for the whole chapter: alcohol)

When the sunset skies turned a dark blue, the twinkling of star lights glittered the skies. The breeze chilled cheeks into a rosy glow. Silence contrasted the shuffling of boots on dry grass.

For the rest of their visit, Gru had not opened his eyes again— the rise and fall of his chest becoming the only tell of his life.

K'ra had met back with the group later with their usual cheerfulness, not even swollen eyes to break the mask. What a puzzling reality this was. Drokn had not mentioned what he had seen earlier with K'ra, but thinking of that moment had brought a tightness to his chest. A sense that he wished he hadn't seen what he had. It was too uncomfortable of a feeling.

At his silence, Eial had asked him at one point what was wrong. But Drokn didn't have an answer. What was wrong? He felt distressed, confused, and he couldn't understand what he needed to do to make it go away.

With these uncertain feelings, the four of them left the health facility to return back to K'ra's home. They passed the noisy, cheerful streets, seeming to mock their own heaviness. The lanterns brightly lifting the night. Loud yells, laughs, echoing among the hazy air.

Vrona smacked the backs of Drokn and Eial, gathering them at their shoulders. "We're going to stop there for a bit," the demoness said, pointing with her chin at a tavern.

Of course, Drokn had no interest in such endeavor. Scoffing, he opened his mouth to retort, but before he could utter a sound—

"K'ra said they wanted to take you there." Vrona winked and at Drokn's lack of response, she knew she had won.

Eial tugged on Vrona's cloak and shook his head. Although she couldn't see his eyes through the cloth covering them, she could understand his distress.

"Don't worry, Eial. We'll be right next to you. And besides, everyone is drunk out of their minds here. Even if they find out you're an elf, they'll think they're dreaming. Not to mention—," Vrona smirked, "What happens in a tavern, stays in a tavern."

Still anxious, Eial turned to K'ra, who smiled at him confidently as if to say that it would be okay. His heart continued to thump hard, but he was weak to others. He wanted to listen to K'ra's wishes after what had happened at the health facility.

Before he could decide one way or another, a stranger saw the group staggering outside the tavern entrance. Swaying side to side unsteadily, cheeks and nose bright red, a burly demoness laughed and grabbed Drokn across the shoulder. Drokn tried to shove her off, flicking his arm to detach himself with swears, but the burly demoness cared none of it and dragged Drokn into the tavern, forcing him to join.

Eial's protective and concerned instincts immediately overtook his nerves, and he weaved himself inside, chasing after his bond, gripping down on the hood of his cloak to make sure it didn't fly off. Vrona and K'ra followed right after, keeping their eyes on the younger two.

Oh, what a mess this was. The tavern was mildly crowded, patrons chatting, guzzling large mugs of beer and wine. Unwillingly, Drokn had been dragged to a bar stool and had a drink ordered for him. Eial had somehow made his way to Drokn's side, on the other side of the burly woman.

"Drink! Drink! My treat! 'Is yer first time here?" the woman slurred.

"Get your arm off of me this instant!" Drokn roared, completely being thrown off guard.

And finally, the woman let go, grabbing her own drink and chugging half the mug in one swing, burping loudly at the end. "You talk like the fucking royals!" she laughed and playfully smacked Drokn on the shoulder with all her strength before burping some more.

Drokn had stared at the uncouth display in horror. Not only by her, but all the patrons. This behavior was unheard of at the palace where everyone was dignified. Where drinks were sipped and savored. He'd seen taverns, but had never entered one, himself. He thought he would be found or someone would take notice of a prince in their presence, so he had avoided the crowd.

But of course, he should have known.

Like anywhere he had secretly visited outside the palace, no one had actually recognized him. This tavern, the same. The consequence of his father hiding Drokn's existence in shame. That stirred another flame inside him. He was ready to stand up and march off when another pair of hands shoved him back to his seat. This time, it was K'ra, who stood right behind him.

"K'ra!" the woman shouted. "He a friend of yours? He's real funny! What're yer names?"

To the side, Vrona, who stood behind Eial, responded next. "This is Drokn and his bond," she introduced, omitting her and Eial's name on purpose. With an arm over Eial's shoulder and her other arm's elbow resting on the bar counter, Vrona curved a side of her lip. "And you are?"

The stranger widened her eyes and looked at her acquaintance. "Oh, she's a cutie, K'ra!"

K'ra nodded. Drokn almost barfed.

"I'm Lahzo," the stranger said and eyed Eial for a moment. "I use to have a bond," she laughed and finished her drink before ordering another serving for herself and another for Vrona and Eial, or in her words, "The sxrol over there."

Sxrol? That word seemed distant and familiar to Eial. He slowly turned to face Vrona and whispered his question, "What does sxrol mean?"

Drokn, who could hear Eial's voice despite the loudest of crowds whipped his head to face them, eyes slightly more open, body tense.

"Well, in its truest form, it's a very demeaning slang in demon tongue to call someone who's short. But people also use it teasingly like our friend here."

After listening to his mother's explanation, Eial eased left to look at Drokn straight in the eyes, giggling an, "Oh."

A nervous sweat went down Drokn's neck. He had used the word when the two had first met, and he knew exactly what his intent was using it at the time, not caring about Eial as a being at all. But things had changed. And at this moment, the elf's innocent stare and giggle felt grandly terrifying.