Masks of Society

Chapter 2

    After an hour of walking down the pathway, the two girls managed to arrive at the tavern, where her brother was drinking. Unfortunately, by the time that the friends got there, Quara's brother, Julian, was already intoxicated beyond calming sense. Despite the severity of the situation, the mage, Solia, couldn't help but be impressed at the fact that the prince has yet to blow his cover. When Quara went to grab her brother, she was oblivious to the fact that Solia left to investigate something that grabbed her attention.

    "Hey... Sister," Julian greeted his sister in a droopy speech that sent multiple red flags to Quara about the state of her brother. "You're just in time for the party." He then handed her his half-full cup of rum, ignoring his sister's concerned face. 

    "We have to go home," Quara told her brother as she took away his cup of rum and tried to help him up. "If people notice that we are gone, we will be in trouble." Unfortunately, just as Quara got her brother off the table, he collapsed on the floor. But, not before causing his sister's cloak to fall, exposing her identity to those in the tavern. 

    Quara tried to put her cloak back on her, but it was too late. Just as she reconnected the cloak's pieces together, some people from around the tavern came up to them. Knowing that they were in danger, she quickly picked up her intoxicated brother and tried to carry him out of the tavern.

    "Hey, what's a princess like you doing around here?" one drunkard asked with breath so fowl it was as if a skunk was taking residence in his mouth. 

    "We were just leaving," replied Quara as she guided her brother out of the tavern. She was almost out of the tavern when she was stopped by another drunkard with teeth so yellow, they could have been confused as bits of corn. 

    "Yeah, well let you go," The corn teeth drunkard said as he stared at her necklace. "Provided you give us that pretty gem of yours." 

    The necklace in question was a gift from Solia for Quara's 16th birthday a few weeks back. Despite Solia claiming she found the simple blue gemmed necklace on the floor of the library covered in dirt, Quara decided to wear it often and refused to part with the gift. 

    "I'm sorry but this necklace is not for sale," Quara replied. And with that, Quara guided her older brother out of the tavern and placed him near a tree to rest for a while. She then went to look for Solia to head back to the palace, when she noticed smoke from a fire nearby. Believing this to be Solia, Quara left her brother and went towards the fire pit. 

    "Forgive me for asking this your highness," a man in a fancy black coat and pale skin spoke. "But what exactly are the oldest and youngest of the royal family doing at a tavern known for riots and criminals?"

    "Wait a minute," Quara then realized. "You're one of the suitors that are supposed to be at the party tonight. Why are you out here as well?" 

    "Touche," the pale suitor replied. "And if you are going to talk to me, please call me by my name, Lord Ardon." He then moved to the side of the log he was sitting on to silently offer Quara a place to sit.

    "Well I should get going," Quara said oblivious to the offer. "I need to find my friend and get my brother back to the palace."

    "Well allow me to at least give you a ride in my carriage," Ardon offered. "It'll be easier to get your brother back to the castle than you carrying him all the way down the path." He then went to pick up Julian and load him up into the carriage, while Quara went to find Solia. 

    "Solia," Quara called out as she kept looking outside for her friend. "Solia, I found Julian. We need to head back before we get in trouble or those brutes come out here to find us." Before Quara could say anything else though, she heard a scream coming from the other side of the tavern area. 

    Worried about her friend's safety, she immediately rushed to her where her friend might be. When she got there though, she was partially surprised to discover that the screams were from the two drunkards who tried to take her necklace and that Solia had beat them up. Upon seeing what her friend did, Quara was left speechless at her friend's actions.

    "What?" Solia asked while starring at her friend's reaction. "You expect me to watch those guys try to steal from you and not do something about it? I thought you knew me." She then walked up to Quara who immediately smiled at her once the shock faded. "Now you found us a ride back you said?" 

    The two friends then met up with the Lord and Quara's unconscious brother, loaded up into the carriage, and began the trip back to the castle in silence. When they returned a half-hour later, they were greeted by a furious Queen Crimson and King Lenoard.