Evening fell over the city of Arnheim, as the light of the sun faded people ignited candles or oil lanterns in their homes. While most people headed towards home, tomorrow would be another day of work after all, those who had no obligations at home or at sunrise chose to spend the evening in one of the many taverns.
Two people walked alongside of each other. The taller, black-haired man wore the fine clothes of a nobleman. The other had chestnut-coloured hair, he wore simple and worn-out travelling clothes and he carried a lute on his back. Mikhal, the travelling bard, knew Lemitsa for a couple of years now and regarded him a friend. Even if the somewhat cold and distant nobleman didn’t show it, he too considered Mikhal as a friend, despite him being of lower class.
Like others they walked up to one of the taverns in town, laughter filled the street as Lemitsa pushed the door open. The bar-room was lit by oil lanterns, the smell of burning oil mixed with beer and sweat was a common one for places like these, even if it wasn’t the most the pleasant of smells. At least it was a smell they would adjust to easily, unlike the stench in the crypt just outside the city with the Liador, the carnivorous monkey-like creatures who lived there. That foul smell was impossible to get used to, no matter how long you would stay down there, with the proper precautions of course, those ferocious creatures had killed many people. He knew this, because he had been down there himself one day, with Mikhal.
“Do you think the father of lady Catheryn will be impressed with the amount of coins you collected so far?” Lemitsa asked as they walked through the bar-room.
“I can only hope, I did my best.” Mikhal walked up to the bar and ordered two beers. As the bartender put two mugs on the bar, he turned to face his friend again. “I will go there tomorrow and ask for her hand in marriage.”
The bartended pushed the two mugs with beer towards them. “I wish you the best of luck, Mikhal. If you manage to do that, you’ll achieve what hardly any commoner can: marry a noble.” He watched the young man smile to that. “When will you start?”
“Allow me to smooth my throat with your fine ale and then I will sing for your customers, as agreed.”
With a nod of his head the bartender gave his approval and the two friends walked towards one of the tables to sit, talk and drink a beer together. Lemitsa hardly drank anything as they talked, but Mikhal had little problems with finishing the mug, he was thirsty.
“You have hardly drunk at all,” Mikhal mentioned as he looked inside Lemitsa’s mug.
“I do not enjoy the taste of this cheap beer,” Lemitsa answered with a shrug. He turned around in his chair and tapped on an in green velvet covered shoulder. “Anthony, take this one. It is my treat.”
Anthony, another noble, turned around to face Lemitsa, his face showed the redness of someone who had a beer too many. “Thank you kindly,” he slurred as he took the mug. “Cheers!” He took a big gulp from the mug and turned back to his friends.
“That is friendly of you,” Mikhal said as he looked at Anthony’s back, “although I am not certain it was wise to give your beer to someone who obviously had his share of drinks already.” He noticed how Lemitsa shrugged to that. “Are you close with him?” He knew Anthony, but only from face and reputation. As far as he had heard, Anthony and his family had a good reputation and a decent amount of money, but status-wise they stood below Lemitsa and his family.
“Truthfully,” Lemitsa said as he leaned over to the table and lowered his voice. “I cannot stand him. But let that not be a concern to you.” He showed a smile. “When you sing, will you sing your ode to king Han again? I like that song.”
As Mikhal took his lute he nodded to Lemitsa. “Of course, let me start with it.”
Lemitsa watched Mikhal stand up and take a place between tables with a smirk. “Please do,” he muttered. He glanced towards the side where a few Royal Knights sat. Perfect. He turned his attention back to Mikhal who played the strings of the lute to produce a simple but happy melody.
“There once was a leader, a glorious man,
the wise and the fair and the noble king Han.
His reign had brought peace and prospe-”
Before he could even finish the first verse he had to duck to avoid a mug of beer that was thrown at his head. He looked at the man who rose to his feet and pointed a stubby finger at him.
“No king ever d-deserved to have their own sssong,” Anthony slurred. “Bringing p-peace and p-prosperity? Kings are g-good for nnnothing expect collecting taxes!”
“If that’s how you feel,” Lemitsa whispered to Anthony, “maybe we need to stand up against our king?”
“We hhhave to ssstand up against our king!” Anthony exclaimed. “Down with the king!”
As Lemitsa expected, the Royal Knights wouldn’t stand for that. They came up to Anthony, but he turned towards them and called them puppets and evil swordsman working for an evil king, suppressing his freedom to have an opinion. As one of them took his arm, he spat in the knight’s face. The knights were now adamant to take away and with force if they had to. He struggled and cursed, but he was no match for the knights and they took him with them. The common people all looked at each other, unsure what just happened. The people of nobility who had shared the table with Anthony looked worried, a noble being arrested for speaking about a king like that would have consequences for the nobleman himself, his family and his friends. A careless drunk statement could have a big impact on his and their status and it was uncertain how far this event would carry in their ranks.
“Mikhal!” the bartender said to the baffled bard. “Please finish your wonderful song.”
By that request Mikhal seemed to regain his composure and he started over.
There once was a leader, a glorious man,
the wise and the fair and the noble king Han.
His reign had brought peace and prosperity for all,
from the oldest to the youngest, the tall and the small.
People were jealous and wanted his wealth,
they tried to get closer through force and through stealth.
No man was able to touch the good king
for he could take on what any foe could bring.
None was more cunning, more clever or smart,
the swing of his sword was a form of art.
And the mighty king Han had men on his side,
all loyal and strong and they stood there with pride.
His foes did he conquer, his foes found defeat,
the king could sit down on his ivory seat.
The glorious leader, a victor once more,
his men erupted in a praising galore.
Here comes the tale of king Han The tale of king Han comes here to an end,
for always remembered by foe and by friend.
As the customers clapped for the song, Mikhal bowed to them and he started another song. After five more songs he collected some coins from the people and he returned to the table where Lemitsa still sat.
“Let us go,” Lemitsa suggested. “You can stay at my place again.”
Mikhal nodded and followed his friend outside. The city was a lot more quiet at this time of the evening and he looked up at the star-lit sky. “It is a shame what happened to your friend.”
“I told you, Anthony is not a friend.”
“Indeed you told me,” Mikhal said as he frowned at Lemitsa. “Why exactly did you want to hear the Ode to king Han again?”
Letmitsa didn’t answer to that, but the pleased smile was all Mikhal needed to see.
“You gave him more beer so he would be properly drunk when he would hear that song and you know how he feels about our king. You knew how he would react.” He narrowed his eyes slightly. “You do not care how people think about our king, you just wanted him arrested and punished, because you do not like him.”
“You are a smart man, no wonder I can see you as a friend, but that is not all.” Lemitsa looked at Mikhal. “His upcoming wedding with lady Margareta would push his status closer to my own, I did not like that idea. And I wish to court his sister, but he does not approve. Now I can do as I please.”
“What about lady Trialca?”
“I got bored of her, we are not together anymore.”
Mikhal stared at Lemitsa. “This is the second time you used me to get what you want! Did you ever consider this could have a serious impact on me? What if he or his father will blame me and my song for this? Do you know much a noble can hurt a commoner? Did you even consider that if his family will come after me it could damage my chances with lady Catheryn?”
“Of course I considered all that.”
“And still you did this? You set this scheme up for your own personal gain and you used me for it? This is not how friends should behave! I should-“
“What? You should what? Go to the sheriff and tell him about this? Do you think the word of a common man weighs up to the word of a noble? I will tell the sheriff I had nothing to do with the unfortunate incident and he will believe me. And I will tell you this: before we went to the tavern I told my friends I do not like your simplistic ode to a fictional king and since it was the bartender who requested you to finish the song, people will assume that if the song had been requested and not chosen by you, he will be the one who requested it.” Lemtisa looked at Mikhal with a smirk. “You have no proof I set this up.”
“But you did! If you planned around my song so well, I know you planned to have Anthony in the same tavern as some Royal Knights when we were there, and you know about Anthony’s drinking habits! Nobles can overlook the drinking, even if they do not agree with it, but they cannot overlook this.” Mikhal let out a resigned sign. “But I have no proof,” he agreed unwillingly.
The smirk made way for a more serious look and he nodded. “You are correct when you say you have no proof,” Lemitsa stated.
It was bitter to admit it, but Lemitsa was right, there was no way he could go to the sheriff and explain what happened when things would go down-hill because of the event. Lemitsa would make his life even more miserable. Now he was just collateral damage, if he would be the target of Lemitsa’s scheme he would be crushed. If he wanted to avoid that, he had to remain silent about this. And not just that, Lemitsa was a friend and even though he pulled stunts like this, he couldn’t bring himself to hate him. Lemitsa had been a good friend to him in the past, a real friend and not materialistic, and he valued his friendship with him. He didn’t want to lose that too.
They stopped walking and looked at each other. “I used you,” Lemitsa finally said. “That is what I do, I use people around me for my own benefit. You know that. Maybe it is wise to reconsider your friendship with me.” He nodded a greeting. “I wish you a good night, Mikhal.” With that, Lemitsa walked away, leaving Mikhal behind to deal with the results of his action.
*** © Mariska Bekker ***