This was one of the few times during the year he drank ale instead of wine. It was something of a tradition; he splurged on good drink for both him and Seed out of habit. Still, something was lacking. He knew very well what it was, but was not about to let himself get depressed over it yet. Instead he enjoyed the evening with Seed as they caroused about the tavern in their new kilts. Some of the other customers had even joined in with them. They hadn’t known the words at first, but sung along well enough with the drunken pair.
Culgan glanced over at his friend with an amused look and followed suit, finishing his own tankard in record time for him. Oddly enough, the more he drank the better it tasted. That was beside the point, though. He stood a little unsteadily. “Sure.”
Once they were both standing he weaved his way over to the door with his companion, pausing just outside to breathe in the cold night air. “Refreshing…” Murmured the ex-General to himself, unaware he’d spoken out loud really.
Seed took in a quick, indrawn breath, as the frigid air of the courtyard hit him when he walked through the tavern's door. "It's not refreshing, it's bloody cold", he muttered, half to himself.
Highland got cold in winter as well, the wind bitterly cold when they had to sleep on the frozen ground, huddled together waiting for the order to march. But there was also warmth: the warmth of the fire, the warmth of camaraderie, the warmth of the blood of the fallen.
Here there was no warmth. Luca was uncontrollable. Jillia had disappeared. And Culgan...
A chuckle escaped him; that was too true as well. "Touché."
How they were staying upright escaped him, unlike Seed's logic. Maybe it was how much the setting reminded him of home. What ruined it was the local fauna; it was too different from Highland and shattered the illusion. Culgan slid his gaze to watch Seed for a moment, felt his heart wrench, and instead raised his gaze to the moon.
Seed noticed Culgan's gaze, and his eyes followed in their direction, peering into the night to see what his friend was staring at so intently. He narrowed his eyes, trying to see into the night with the glare of the tavern innundating the courtyard with light from the open door.
The moon. Culgan was looking at the moon.
He took a few steps outside, and the door swung shut behind him. Engulfed by darkness, he waited a few heartbeats for his sight to adjust itself to the night.
Not only the moon, but a full moon.
"It's a blue moon tonight", he commented, his voice hushed in the quiet stillness of the chilled courtyard
Culgan gazed at the moon in silence for a few moments, feeling almost reverent. "So it is."
Why a second full moon was called a blue moon, he didn't know, but it didn't really matter. Good luck was associated with it. Wasn't there some saying about making wishes on it..? "Aren't we supposed to make a wish?"
He felt a little guilty that his immediate thought wasn't to have their homeland back... no. It was simply that he would like to have the tension gone from their relationship. The strain was... too much.
Comments 15
Culgan glanced over at his friend with an amused look and followed suit, finishing his own tankard in record time for him. Oddly enough, the more he drank the better it tasted. That was beside the point, though. He stood a little unsteadily. “Sure.”
Once they were both standing he weaved his way over to the door with his companion, pausing just outside to breathe in the cold night air. “Refreshing…” Murmured the ex-General to himself, unaware he’d spoken out loud really.
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Highland got cold in winter as well, the wind bitterly cold when they had to sleep on the frozen ground, huddled together waiting for the order to march. But there was also warmth: the warmth of the fire, the warmth of camaraderie, the warmth of the blood of the fallen.
Here there was no warmth. Luca was uncontrollable. Jillia had disappeared. And Culgan...
"I hate the cold."
Reply
How they were staying upright escaped him, unlike Seed's logic. Maybe it was how much the setting reminded him of home. What ruined it was the local fauna; it was too different from Highland and shattered the illusion. Culgan slid his gaze to watch Seed for a moment, felt his heart wrench, and instead raised his gaze to the moon.
"I do as well. It reminds me too much of home."
Reply
The moon. Culgan was looking at the moon.
He took a few steps outside, and the door swung shut behind him. Engulfed by darkness, he waited a few heartbeats for his sight to adjust itself to the night.
Not only the moon, but a full moon.
"It's a blue moon tonight", he commented, his voice hushed in the quiet stillness of the chilled courtyard
Reply
Why a second full moon was called a blue moon, he didn't know, but it didn't really matter. Good luck was associated with it. Wasn't there some saying about making wishes on it..? "Aren't we supposed to make a wish?"
He felt a little guilty that his immediate thought wasn't to have their homeland back... no. It was simply that he would like to have the tension gone from their relationship. The strain was... too much.
Reply
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