Disclaimer- still poor, nothing to sue from me…absolutely nothing…
So first off, I would like to apologize for my extended leave of absence; my first year at college was soooo busy. I left you all hanging with the very last chapter of my story, and I vowed never to be one of those authors that never updates…but well, I suppose shit happens.
Basically, the other day I picked up Restoring Honor and decided that it was time to finish this thing. I re-read all nine chapters and the part of chapter 10 that I had already written, made some minor revisions in 1-9, and finished this chapter; despite the way it looks, this story is nowhere near done! I haven't even reached the main conflict of the story-it's more than just a Sain/Florina romance. I still need to get back into the swing of things, so this chapter is a little shorter than I would have liked, but more is on the way soon! I really do promise.
Here it is…the 10th chapter of Restoring Honor!
Restoring Honor
Chapter 10- Three Years
Sain sighed and picked up his half-empty mug of ale, swishing the contents around idly as he looked at the various bottles lining the back of the bar. Damn he was an idiot…not only was he an idiot, but a scoundrel…how dare he? How dare he…how dare he! How dare he, a scoundrel, mar her perfection, her innocence, her purity!
The dishonored knight looked down at the contents of his mug…he needed something stronger…to forget the pain…the longing…everything…
"Aye, laddie, can I get ye anything else?" A gruff voice behind the bar asked.
"Hmn?" Sain looked up–it was just the bartender. "Umn…sure…something…strong…I think…"
"Ye sure lad? Ye don't look to well…" The tender set down the mug he was currently cleaning with an old rag and looked at Sain.
"I'm sure…"
"Alright, ye the customer after all…" The tender grabbed a smaller mug and a bottle of 120 proof whisky. "Will this be alright?"
"Yeah…I think so," Sain replied before pushing the half drunken mug of ale away in favor of the hard liquor.
"Tell me when…" The tender placed the mug in front of Sain before filling the cup to the brim.
Sain gave a half-hearted grin, "When…"
The tender cocked a brow, "Ye sure ye can drink all that, laddie?"
"Yeah, I'm sure…" The green knight picked up the mug and proceeded to drown over half the cup in one gulp.
"Woo! Damn lad, I never seen someone so young drink so much in a single gulp!" the tender stood back, hands on hips, and a look of awe for the 22 year old caviler.
Sain snorted, "Well 'ou obviously don't see'ery many knights around 'ere then…"He took another gulp of the hard drink, not even wincing at the burning sensation in his throat.
"Ah, that be true lad, not many knights around these parts…" The tender took a quick glace around his bar; two merchants half asleep in the corner, an old fisherman with graying beard at the other end of the bar, and a couple ragtag farmers drowning their sorrows in a couple drinks at a table across the room. It was a quiet night...
Sain slammed the empty mug down on the bar counter, "Another…"
The tender cocked a brow, "Sure thing…" The old man poured the knight another mug of whisky, before pulling up a stool.
The knight picked up the mug as soon as it was placed in front of him.
"Woah there lad! Not so fast…"
Sain snorted and proceeded to take another large swig of whisky. He could feel the alcohol start taking effect…
"So what's ailing ye lad, ye look like shit." The tender perched on the stool behind the counter.
"Like 'ou'd care…m' troubles are m' own…" Sain took another gulp, anything to get rid of this cursed pain!
"Aye, lad, I been around a while, why don't ye tell me what happened…if anything, it might make ye feel a little better."
Sain drowned the rest of his drink and set the mug back down on the counter, his head was feeling light…and airy, another drink was in order. "Kay…but 'ou have to get me ano'der…" The knight pointed toward his empty mug.
"Aye…" The tender grabbed another bottle–as the last whisky bottle had been finished off–and filled the empty mug. He waited a couple of minutes, waiting for Sain to realize that the mug had been refilled.
The knight in question blinked at the mug before picking it up. "'hanks…" Sain took a sip from the newly filled mug of whisky.
"Name's Gavin, and I been a tender at this bar fer years upon years…"
The green knight set the mug down, "Sain, my mo'der…use'to own a bar…she's gone…now…"
"Sorry to hear that lad. That why ye drinking ye self silly?"
"No…passed…two'ears go…" Sain frowned at the mug in front of him…how many bottles had he been through? This was number four for today…
"Girl stomped on ye heart and left ye fer another man?"
Sain grabbed up his mug and took another gulp, "Some'ding like 'at…" Was his speech slurred? Maybe…maybe four bottles was enough…nah. "M' 'ault really…"
Gavin rubbed his bearded chin, "Well, if it's ye fault, why are ye drowning ye face in alcohol? Ye should make up with her."
Sain chuckled, "'eah right…wronged'er bad 'id…" The green knight looked mournfully at the mug of whisky. "Never'et 'er'ack…"
"Ah, don't say that lad! What could ye have done to end it so badly?" Gavin looked at the dejected young man and felt his heart wrench at the look on the knight's face…it looked like he'd given up all hope…
"I slept'wif'er…'at's'what…" Sain laid his head down on the bar counter; everything was just numb now…
"Aye, can't be that bad if she loved ye," Gavin piped up, scratching his bald head. This young man was so very hard to understand, and he had listened to the sorrows of many pass though this town for a good number of years.
Sain closed his eyes and sighed, "We're 'oth'runk…'ats what…I'ook…advan'age."
"Yer a silly lad, both of ye were drunk fer crying out loud!" Gavin stood up from his bar stool. "Yer an idiot! Just talk te her!"
Sain slowly lifted his head from the table and looked at the tender with bleary eyes. "Gav…'ou don'ders'and…"
Gavin clenched his fists. "Hell lad! If any of these rabbles here," the tender pointed at the other bar patrons, "if any of them had a chance like ye! They'd take it! Yer being an idiot!"
Sain bit his lower lip as he felt the tears well up in his eyes, "I-I-I…I can'd…'yndis…sis'ders…'hey'd kill'e…"
"Lad! If yer any kind of a decent man, yer gonna go te her! And yer gonna make it right! Look at ye! Yer a coward!
Sain wiped at the tears dribbling down his face, " bu'd…I-Ican'd…"
"Laddie! Yer never gonna find out unless ye try! Do ye wanna end up like them?" Gavin pointed over toward the two merchants passed out in a corner. "Do you?"
Sain glanced over at the two men and shook his head no, of course he didn't want to be like them.
"Aye! Lad, just go te her! Everything always turns out alright in situations like this…go te her."
Gavin stood watching as Sain sat motionless for several minutes. The green knight looked to be fighting with himself…
Sain swallowed hard, his throat felt dry, "I…I…" The green knight peered into his mug of half-finished whisky. Could he? Could he do it? Would she take him back? They'd been so close…maybe…maybe, it could be put right…and he would ask her…and they'd be happy again…like before…
Gavin looked at the young man intently; he knew almost nothing about this lad, but there was something about him…something in his eyes…so much pain…this lad…he deserved better, a better life than that of a lonely drunkard…
"I will…" Sain pushed his stool away from the bar and stood up on shaky legs. "I will."
Gavin smiled and crossed his arms. Maybe, just maybe this lad would be alright. "Best of luck te ye lad."
Sain nodded slightly before stumbling backwards a little. "Gav, 'ank you…"The knight turned on his heel, nearly knocking over the stool he had been sitting in before making his way out the door, albeit rather clumsily. It was a long walk back to Ostia town proper…best to start now.
"What?" Sain sat there staring at Florina, stunned.
Florina bit her lower lip, unsure of how the former cavalier was taking the news. "Sain…please don't be mad…after…after the incident…" The small Peg knight looked away from Sain's stunned gaze. "After…I found out that I was pregnant…you're the only man I've ever been with…so I knew…" Florina blinked the tears from her eyes.
Sain looked down at his hands, still shocked at the revelation. He had a daughter, a child of his own…a child that didn't know him…a child that would probably hate him.
It was too much… The former knight collapsed back into the bed, soft sobs escaping his chapped lips, and then came the tears. Sain brought his hands to his face. Oh what a terrible person he was! He was just like him! He was his father's son… The thought made him want to puke.
"Sain?" Florina moved over to the bed, worried about the father of her child. "Sain, I'm sorry…" Would he want any part in their daughter's life? Florina's brows knit with worry…if Sain wanted nothing to do with her, she wasn't sure if she could go on if that happened.
Sain's lanky form was wracked with sobs and the occasional hiccup. "Do-don't be sorry…I-hic-should be sorry…sorry f-for not being there…for l-hic-leaving…I abandoned you…you and my daughter…"
"Sain…no, you never could have known, I thought you were dead…but, but you came back to me Sain…" Florina wiped at her eyes as she sat next down to the broken man on the bed.
"I'm…Florina…y-hic-you have no idea…this…this makes me like him…" Sain's sobs started to subside somewhat, but his emotional pain did not. "Florina…I…I'm no good for you…I have a bounty on my head…I…I'm no good for you…" The tainted knight closed his eyes and slowed his breathing…he could not panic.
Florina's lower lip started to tremble…three years…three years of heartache….because she overreacted…this was her fault. She broke the one man that couldn't be broken, the one man who was always cheerful and upbeat even in the direst of situations…she broke Sain… Once the tears started they didn't stop. "S-sain, n-n…no…Sain…I-I love you…please…y-you…can't…can't leave me…I-I don't think I can do it without you…not a-anymore…now…now that you're alive…I-I can't."
The petite knight could feel her whole body shaking as she let the tears fall into her lap. This wasn't how it was supposed to be…this was never how it was supposed to be, and then warmth…warmth?
Strong arms encompassed the small Peg knight and pulled her against Sain's bare chest in a tight embrace. Florina felt her shoulder getting damp. Sain was sobbing against her.
"Florina…I-" Sain bit his lip. "I-you won't have to be sad any longer. I will stay with you….if that is what you want…then I will stay with you for all eternity, I promise to never leave your side."
"Sain…" Florina twisted around in the caviler's embrace. She gently took his chin in her small hand and looked up into his eyes. So much emotion…so much sadness…so much love…and a promise of a new beginning, a future together.
Florina let out a small cry of happiness. "Sain…Sain, I love you…I love you so much…thank you."
Sain gave a small half smile. Just maybe…maybe everything would be ok. "I love you too Florina, more than anything…"
Florina parted her lips ever so slightly and closed her cerulean eyes as the green knight leaned in, closing his own sea-green orbs for a passionate kiss. For the first time in three years, both former traveling companions felt an overwhelming sense of absolute and utter happiness.