The Red Gathering

Bacon and Triskelion

My shoulders felt like they were dug in by metal clamps. Carrying that spear all night had taken its toll, but no degree of soreness was enough to discourage me from walking all the way from my tent to the tavern, where Chef was preparing his famous bacon, eggs, and sausages. I even arrived on time to hear the man's cleaver silence a squealing pig. He had several more eating flooded troughs behind the tavern.

I sat myself by the same table as last night, though this time it was loaded by several axes, swords, and bows. I also then noticed that there were already plates of ravaged bread, eggs, and bits of bacon.

"Meridias," a gruff voice rumbled behind me. I turned to it and found a man as hairy as he was brawny. He also carried a longaxe over his shoulder, which tightened as he glared down at me. Drengr, the leader of the Gael faction.

"Morning Drengr!" I smiled.

"This is the Gael table."

"Is it now?" I chuckled. "Well I didn't notice. I was here all night!"

"You should move," the hulking man sharpened his glare at me.

I paused. "Well can I not stay? The Gael always have nice stories to tell."

They were also not fond of Decimals, which was probably why the man warned me against it, but I didn't worry. I'm as much a Decimal as a man who visited the region for a week. Still Drengr grumbled at my stubbornness, and with that I began to pack my things.

"Hey, let him stay," an auburn haired woman in Celestine blue approached us. Belladonna Rue, Drengr's one and only.

From there the Gael's voice fell into whispers for her, his hard glare now soft and understanding. He turned to me with a grumbling nod and began to make his way to the line. Belladonna smiled to me with spectacled eyes that said I'm sorry and You know how he is. I nodded and settled down my things once more.

The rest of the Gael soon returned to the table, smelling of dirt and whatever animal was wrapped around their bodies. For a group of men and women from one of the larger savage nations, they managed to keep their voices hushed and attentive. Diplomatic even. They spoke of enemies, conflicts, and other looming threats their faction might face both in and out of Tear. In respect to their hospitality on the table, I did not write any of it down, but believe me when I say that it was probably a good reason why Drengr didn't want a chronicler anywhere near it.

***

The Gael left once the last man eating, gobbled down two sausages and four strips of thick bacon at once. No matter how messy it looked, it made me envious. The line was still long, but at least the table was now opened for more Returned to come by.

The first was Jasper - at least I thought it was. I met the man a gathering ago in Solace. He didn't seemed to be anything beyond an efficient healer for a Newly Returned, but now I had no idea. Two long grey ears stood from his head and a long tail with a bushy end hanged behind his trousers. He even sounded different. Like if bleating had its own language.

"MeEEErry!" Jasper said, startling me. "HOOw have you been?"

"Fine," I said trying to pry my eyes out of his twitching ears. "You look...different?"

"Yeah I know," he shrugged. "These things just sort of hAAAApened."

"What is it?"

"I don't know, you know?"

"You don't know?"

Jasper shuffled his hands about as if I had said the most obvious thing. "Yeah they just staAAArted growing on me and before I know it, they went full blown!"