Chapter 17

Mahel woke up on a particularly soft bed, in a very bright room, the light came in from an open window above the bed, Mahel got out of bed wearing only pants, the scars were uncovered, his eye burned from the light intense, she looked for her bag, found it under the bed, took the bandages and covered her arm and eye, looked for something to cover herself, found nothing clean,

-Tsk ... what a nuisance-

He opened the door out of that room, went downstairs, he felt a strange feeling of calm in that house, he didn't like that feeling, he had to be always on guard were the basics, arrived in the dining room, he found Ricliam chatting with Elsionh, when they saw him Ricliam greeted him with a wave of his hand, Elsionh instead bowed his head in respect,

-Mahel why are you half naked? Shouldn't you already be in uniform? -

-I don't have clean shirts, do you have some more? -

-I think so- said Elsionh- we should have more or less the same size- and she went to get it

A few seconds Elisabhet entered the room together with his mother, when they saw Mahel in that state, they stopped short, Elisabhet with his face becoming more and more red shouted

-Exhibitionist, pervert, fucking maniac- and it is not known where he threw a butter knife at him, which Mahel easily dodged, Mhiriam instead looked at him amiably and asked

-Tea or coffee? -

-What tea do you have? -

Mhiriam smiled- You can give me some you, don't make me feel old, we have black tea from the islands of the sun, green tea from the archipelago to the west and a rather particular black tea from the north, which one do you prefer? -

-According to Me it takes the black of the north- said Ricliam

- Honestly I prefer tea from the Archipelago, it has a stronger and more decisive flavor, the leaves from the north are practically tasteless, while those from the Sun Islands are delicate, certainly good but I prefer strong tastes-

-So why didn't you have a coffee? -

-The only decent coffee is that of the Isole del Sole and, from the smell that I hear coming from the kitchen I would say that it is not that-

While they were talking about drinks and tea leaves, Elsionh entered the room wearing a white shirt

-sorry I couldn't find her-

- Elsionh doesn't do anything, the important thing is that it's clean-

Mahel took it and put it on, it was a little wider but it didn't look dirty, put on his shirt, he walked towards the kitchen where he could smell the tea, Mhiriam was in front of an oak tray with cups and bread, she was pouring water in one and coffee in the others, Mahel looked at her from the door jamb, she hid the gracefulness of the Elves well, she must have been hiding it for years

-I know you're there, Alexander, if that's your name-

-Nothing escapes your people, too bad you are left in a few, scattered on the continent-

-Few, not weak-

-Maybe- later he saw Mhiriam's difficulty in lifting the empty tray to put it in place, his hand was shaking and his skin was wet with sweat- let me give you a hand- he put the tray back in its place

-What happened to you for not being able to lift silverware? - Mahel asked intrigued, the Woman gently, while she took her breath she replied

-A wound, while I was trying to escape from the Templars, they hit me with an arrow imbued with magic, it has been a long time now the flesh heals, but the spirit does not - then recovering - but now it is past, we leave the past to the dead, we leave to those who regret it, leave it to those who do not want to leave it- and having said this and given a look full of sadness at Mahel he walked towards the dining room

Mahel instead remained for a moment in the kitchen looking with a gesture of sadness at his right arm, indeed the choices he had made, the girls he had been with, the missions he had accomplished, the lives he had taken, children, boys, adults elderly even newborns, the crowns he had dropped, the names of those he had faced, the love of his parents, the life he had lost and could have more with, then he thought of the "Raven" a small firm point of his life and thinking about all this and the normal life he could have had if he were not born so a small red tear wet his bandage, the tear coming from sacrifices, a real tear, then as if nothing had happened he went to get the Tea.

The tea was exquisite licorice-like flavor with a salty aftertaste, but Mahel and his team had no time to waste, twenty minutes later they were clean and dressed in their outfit outside the house, Elisabhet was with them rather cheerful, she had insisted on coming it was a real hassle without limits, but it didn't matter they had to see a person.

-We go, shut yourself up in their house, they know we are staying here- he said to Mhiriam who performed without a word then walked towards the main square which was a few meters away, arrived together with the group at the entrance to the square, he went straight to an alley from 'other part of the square, they passed in front of the "Great Church" a beautiful Gothic style church with enormous finely decorated spiers, the whole church gave a sense of power worthy of the god of the Protectors Herven, arrived at the alley they noticed a small drawing at the bottom to it, the drawing represented a small crow, mahel knocked three times on the wall, then one, then three more and finally two, the bricks disappeared revealing an iron door with a raven engraved on it, a small window opened from the door and said

-Who the fuck would you be? You are not allowed to come here balls- Mahel looked almost astonished at the eyes behind the window, then very annoyed he threw a kick at the door that opened with a crash, almost crushing the boy behind who got up in disbelief

-Hey what the fuck are you doing? -

-You don't know who I am, do you? - Mahel asked

-You know how the fuck I care who you are-

A female voice that Mahel knew well resounded throughout the room, and an immense woman, at least two meters tall, with muscular arms, with tanned skin and brown hair and eyes came out of the counter.

-Be calm and respect this man Valht, you will also be a recruit but you have to know him, he is Mahel, that Mahel, bow and apologize, he might bite-

-I don't bite Gilh, - said Mahel looking at the woman, then with a half smile he squeezed the woman's hand with a powerful squeeze, which was reciprocated with equal force- you have not changed one iota, always with the grip of a brown bear -

Meanwhile Valth, the boy who guarded the door, was wide-eyed, ensando, - that boy was Mahel, the Mahel who had climbed the ranks of the crow in a week, the one who had killed the old chief, that who had never failed a mission, and while thinking about all this, Mahel took off his eye patch, as soon as he saw that scarlet eye, swirling like an abyss of darkness, Mahel's gaze changed from being almost cheerful, to look at the boy with such coldness that, unparalleled terror gripped his bowels, sweat began to drip from his forehead, he wanted to scream, run, seek help, but he could not move, Mahel approached him and looked him in the eyes, with only his bandaged hand he stabbed him in the belly, but when he blinked, Mahel was still talking to Gilh, he had gazed at him for a single moment, could not help himself and vomited

-Valth, what are you doing ?! He just looked at you, are you really unrecoverable, how long have you looked at him? -

-For a moment or so, I didn't think the recruits had gotten so weak, since you left, the trainers have gotten more and more mediocre, -

Elisabhet instead had approached the boy and was supporting him while looking at Mahel very angry

-Mahel why did you do it? -

-To see the quality of the crow's recruits, and I must say I'm surprised, in the negative-

-You have exaggerated Mahel, you are very bad-

-Tsk ... you're a nuisance- he said as he looked at her very crossly- anyway Gilh where is he? -

Gilh looked at Mahel and then pointed to a small room watched by two men, mahel was grateful towards the door, he was about to walk towards the door, when a severe pain in his chest and head hit him, the voices in his head started screaming, he fell on the ground as a thick foam began to come out of the corners of his mouth, his eyes rolled back, his body began to tremble, the convulsions became stronger and stronger, the voices of his companions came from so far, he could not hearing them, Muninn's voice was louder but he couldn't hear what he was saying, only hear the voices in his head, but they all said one thing, one thing, he also heard Mhiriam's voice telling him not to have regrets , he heard his mother's voice calling him, silenced Mhiriam and his mother and listened only to the voices, and understood what he had to do, he woke up wet and cold, his men and Elisabhet were in front of him, while Gilh and ... Hikaru, Hikaru was in front of him, Mahel jumped up, his head was spinning but he paid no attention.

-Hikaru, I see you came-

-Yes your crow told me everything, since I know that you are a man of your word, I came, now tell me what you want? -

Now let me take a second, but then we have to talk privately-

Hikaru, looked at him for a moment then looked at Gilh who with a half smile, went behind the counter to prepare drinks, mahel instead rubbed his head, the pain was excruciating, snapped his fingers and pointed to Gilh who understood immediately, took a bottle and a glass and poured a dark liquid into it, Mahel went to the counter took the glass and drank the entire contents in a single gulp, then lit a cigarette

-Hey! you don't smoke in my club! - shouted Gilh, Elisabhet instead approached Mahel, then as if to play down he said:

-You really know a lot of bartenders !, right Mahel? -

-True, but only because bars are the richest places in "Ravens", besides it is always better to have liquor experts as friends-

Elisabhet looked at Mahel as if looking at someone with alcohol problems, he hadn't looked at anything when a large mug of beer appeared in front of him.

-Sorry but I didn't order anything-

-The house offers it- then with a look that explained everything and a very eloquent smile, he looked at her and then Mahel, elisabhet understood suddenly and, when he realized he was blushing, he began to drink beer greedily, Hikaru instead took a small glass with a transparent liquid, perhaps Sake, looked at him from a few meters away in a very annoyed way, when he finished drinking, he took a cigarette but when he was looking for matches, mahel handed him a lit lighter, Hikaru said nothing, lit his cigarette and he started to smoke, but Gilh was not very happy, he took an empty bottle and with a smile smashed it in front of icaru who rolled his eyes and put out his cigarette, looking at Mahel who smiled,

-You really are an asshole- Hikaru said

-A beautiful asshole- Elisabhet replied

Mahel and Hikaru looked at Elisabhet, who in the meantime was already starting his fourth mug,

- Did you train her? - Hikaru asked

-Yes, but apparently he hasn't learned the alcohol resistance part-

-No one can do it, only we, of our generation have managed to learn it-

-Yes, Tsk ... what a nuisance, -

-Okay but tell me something, have you met Milin? -

-Yes-

- Did you do what you were supposed to do? -

-Yes i did it-

-Instead, with this girl? -

-No, I didn't do anything- and while giving this vague blush, which did not escape Hikaru, it colored his face

-Ooooh, and why not? -

-...-

-Don't tell me that you, Mahel, have a crush on this girl-

-...-

-Why don't you say anything Mahel, do you want to agree with me? -

In the silence of the bar, while Elisabhet had fallen asleep on the counter, after the sixth mug, Mahel said:

-Maybe ...- and after saying this a real blush tinted both cheeks

-Ohhhh! - Hikaru exclaimed that from serious he had become very cheerful, while Mahel after another glass said

-Tsk .. what a nuisance- and looked at Elisabhet, immediately looking away blushing.