30 - Chapter 3: Blessings

Nightfall, the Tarnianians had turned in early that night, leaving the tavern the only place bustling with life.

Jun stepped out into his courtyard and looked up into the sky, “Ahh, the night skies of tarniania, how beautiful…”

A pair arms wrapped him gently from behind.

Jun placed his arms over hers, “Don’t worry Ivy, I won’t be long…”

“Who?” It was Erika’s voice.

Jun jumped, “Oh, nothing.”

“Why’re you in your climbing gear, and why are you carrying such a huge pouch of gold?” Erika asked.

“Oh, I’m going to climb the mountains to the altar at the top, where the high priests reside, and this pouch of gold, it’s to buy those greedy and lecherous priests’ blessings. Damn, I hate climbing.”

“Well, good news I guess, it’s Tuesday, ladies’ night, they should be in the tavern.”

“Oh, cool, I’ll go there then.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Ivy.”

“Who?”

“Oh, nothing, you my dear.” Jun turned around, kissed her forehead and scurried off to the tavern, whilst thanking the gods he had a stupid wife.

No one noticed Jun entering the tavern as everyone was drunk and partying. It wasn’t difficult to spot the high priests as they have boils all over them ---- the boils serve as a mark of the priests, the bigger the boils, the more powerful the priest is. Indeed, Jun found them half-naked in a dark corner, surrounding a young man. The young man looked like Oswald to Jun but he shook the idea off as Oswald seemed like a decent boy.

Jun grabbed the leader of the high priests -identified by the ridiculously large boil on his forehead- by the throat and dragged him out of the tavern.

“Blasphemy! Jun! It is a sin to man-handle a servant of the Gods!”

“Screw the Gods, screw you.” Jun bellowed at the Priest’s face.

The music had stopped and a crowd gathered, profanities could be heard from amongst the crowd made up mostly by drunkards.

Jun grabbed the priest by his collar and lifted him off the ground. “Listen to me filthy Ming and listen well, the Frankians are going to lay siege on Tarniania soon, and if we don’t make battle plans, I’ll see how many lads’ behinds you will be able to take to the grave with you.”

“Let me go, imbecile. We shall consult the oracle.” Ming replied calmly.

Jun laid the scrawny man back on the ground. Ming turned and gave a signal to the rest of the high priests and they gathered around him, leaving the Oswald-look-alike by himself at the corner.

Jun took a closer look, the lad is Oswald, no doubt about it.

Ming mumbled some incoherent words and the lad fell almost immediately into a deep trance.

Ming took two steps back; everyone’s attention was on Oswald. All of a sudden, he stripped and started dancing even though there’s no music to dance to. It carried on for some time before the lad fell back to the ground, motionless.

Ming ran over to him and bent over, placing his face just over the lad’s. He ran his lips over his smooth left cheek lustfully and gave him a small peck on his lips. The sight was horrendous to bear even for the blind. The lad came to and whispered some words into Ming’s ears.

Ming stood up and turned to face Jun. “The oracle has spoken, foolish Jun. Tarniania shall not go to war.”

Jun moved up to Ming, grabbed him by the collar again and pushed him right up against the wall. Their faces so close they could feel each other’s breaths.

“Listen here, fool, Tarniania WILL go to war. I come to seek your blessings, not your permission. Name your price.” Jun scowled.

Ming took advantage of the situation and sneaked a peck on Jun’s lips. Jun’s face writhed in terror, he spat at Ming’s face and jumped back instantly.

Ming smirked and showed Jun a five with his left hand.

Jun nodded and tossed a bag of gold coins in front of Ming. Ming looked down at the bag of coins, then focused his gaze back on Jun as he tried to hide his smile.

“Not enough? That’s five thousand gold pieces, don’t go overboard, sharkfood.”

Ming seemed unfazed by the insults, instead, he smiled. “I wasn’t referring to gold coins, Jun. I want five bunches of bananas.”

Jun was furious when he heard Ming, “Bananas do not grow in Tarniania! Don’t try and play the fool with me, Ming.”

Ming folded his arms and sneered, “Well, no blessings from the high priests then, goodnight, m’lord.”

Jun pointed straight at Ming’s face, “Fine then, Tarniania will go to war, and win the war, with or without your blessings.”

With that, he turned and left the tavern, slamming the door behind him.