Hey all!

As promised awhile back, this is a filler chapter! Although whether anyone believed me or not was the real question..


Extra Chapter: The Adventures of Kerchen and Valdemarans
How Dieder and Kerchen came to barhop

"Hey Kerchen, ya think y'can stay up fer tonight?" Dieder asked out of the blue, popping into Kerchen's room between his assigned chores for Magdee. Kerchen looked up from his book hesitantly.

Why would he ask that? the Karsite agent wondered, suspicious. There was no way the week thief would have caught onto him-or had he been too careless? No, catching me is impossible for Dieder. As though reaffirming his opinion, the sandy-haired boy waited blankly for Kerchen's response, though a bit impatiently.

"Com'un, ya don't know 'ow t'read anyway!" Kerchen pursed his lips into a pout.

"This is a number," he said pointedly, gesturing to said number.

"Yea yea-so what say you huh?" Dieder seemed pretty eager about this, and Kerchen decided he was in the clear.

"I suppose yes," he replied, thinking about the prowls he made every night. "Why?" The former thief's eyes lit up.

"Well, I was thinkin' 'bout checkin' out sum taverns," he began-and Kerchen already was having second thoughts about this endeavour- "but niver really fancied goin' to the real interestin' ones m'self-since yer a pretty gloomy guy, I figured wit' you there we'd fit right in." Though he hadn't caught every word the boy had said, Kerchen scowled.

"An insult this is, I am sure of it," Kerchen stated crossly and attempted to return to his book. Dieder hastily grabbed the book and slung his arm around Kerchen to distract him.

"Naw naw, it means yer tough!"

"Try to say that without a smirk on your face," Kerchen replied tartly, turning to Dieder to see none other than a wide grin.

"Aw, now that's a tall order."

But some way or another, he was persuaded to join Dieder in this "tavern leaping" business. All in all, Kerchen reasoned, it was probably a worthwhile endeavour. It would be like one of his usual hunts for information, except with Dieder, which would probably make him look less suspicious, really.

Dieder, to his credit, was doing an unwontedly good job of acting serious. The spy had been worried that they might get robbed, but he was reassured, at least until he arrived at the tavern entrance.

"Why here?" Kerchen asked incredulously. "Dangerous, it is." The week thief raised an eyebrow.

"So ya know 'bout the Red Barrel?" Kerchen rolled his eyes.

"Even if know I did not, one look is enough." The entrance was red and thick-its thickness a necessity to contain the rabble that was its usual clientele. Regardless, the door was beaten down in some places, some holes a testament to the brutality of its customers and their ability to turn anything into a brawl. Through the holes, the boy could tell it was one of their better nights-though that wasn't saying much at all. Dieder looked in as well, peering at the blur of scarred, shaggy, snarling and armed bullyboys.

"S'ppose yer right," he sniffed. Regardless, he still had that giddy, adventurous grin on his face, and Kerchen wondered why he wasn't more worried. Dieder opened the door anyway, and pointed with glee to an empty table by the wall.

"'ey look!" he shouted over the clamor of the tavern, "An empty spot le's take it!" and dragged the Karsite boy along with him. A hand on his knife, Kerchen settled himself warily into his seat, considerably less eager than the boy across from him. The other boy caught the attention of a waitress, whose gaudy makeup and hiked skirts made Kerchen cringe. Why did I think Dieder would have a good idea?

"Two beers, ma'am!" Dieder was hardly giving Kerchen an answer to that question. The waitress flashed a full set of dirty teeth at them.

"'course!" She accompanied this with a wink that Kerchen couldn't quite identify but knew to be nothing good. As she left, he pulled in his rowdy companion, shaking him from his fascination with the tavern.

"Dieder, what do you think you're doing!" Kerchen whispered angrily. "If you order just beer, the dirty house beer you will get!" And that would be far from drinkable-

"Yer pretty familiar wit' dis, huh?" Dieder raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Kerchen stopped cold, wondering how to approach this situation. Should I tell him the truth? He isn't a bad person-but then again, as a Valdemaran it might be his obligation to turn me in. Well, it isn't as though my target is his king or anything, just the Great Traitor-but then again, the Great Traitor has become one of their Demon Rider "Heralds," which for some reason everyone seems to admire. Though I do trust him-but wait, if he finds out that the reason why I sleep so much during the day is because I go out at night, why wouldn't he tell at least Grandma Magdee? She might not let me out so I can help out during the afternoon-well, I suppose I should do that occasionally-actually, maybe Dieder wouldn't tell her if I tell him not to. Then again, Dieder has done some pretty strange things just to wring out a laugh-

"Um," he managed. Dieder laughed and hit him on the back.

"Dun worry ol' fren'! We gunna tavern leap tonigh', so kin't use all it up now, ya?" Kerchen had no idea what he meant and suspected only half of it was because Dieder had slipped into his incomprehensible "bad part of town" speech. "'ey look, it's our order!" And on cue, two bilious swills crashed down on their table. With another unwholesome wink, the waitress swaggered off, as though she had done them some good. Kerchen looked down on his mug of sludge with disgust.

"Don't drink it," he warned, "Saw how it's made I did-" But an impressive spurt of liquid shooting from Dieder's mouth told him his warning was too late.

"Pfffthh! Wut did I jus' drink?" Kerchen graced him with his most disapproving look, then turned his gaze down at his own mug, bubbling like a witch's brew.

"No words have I," he said crossly at the beer, folding his arms as though the beer had personally slighted him. Dieder looked over curiously.

"Wut, is drinkin' wrong too now?" Kerchen shot him a look that he then misinterpreted. "Dun worry, ain't no 'eralds gunna come t'dis side o' town."

"Perform right acts for Heralds, I do not," Kerchen stated flatly. "It is just wrong to do wrong things. Drinking is not wrong, but calling this a drink is-definitely." He grimaced, and Dieder bobbed his head up and down in agreement. Relieved to see that the boy was starting to find reason, Kerchen decided to ask him a question that had been on his mind.

"Actually," the Karsite boy started, wondering if this was a good idea, "why perform well I should in front of Heralds?" After all, they are witches and demons-is it because they are naturally attracted to wrongdoers, just like the children's stories back at home? Though if that's the case, then Heralds should be everywhere in this part of town. They speak of Heralds as if they were some kind of-city guard. I should figure out what the people of Valdemar think of Heralds-perhaps ask Dieder? Kerchen looked down at his own hands and noticed they were twiddling nervously. Sunlord, why do I do that so often? Stop it-alright. I could ask Dieder-should I trust him? I don't think he'll tell on me to the Heralds-and he likely won't even find anything suspicious. But, what if he's also a demon in disguise whose true face triggers when I bring up my suspicions-no that's stupid. Alright, well, he knows I'm from Karse, after all; since he hasn't pushed the subject on my opinion about Heralds, it probably means he doesn't care very much. So it should be safe right?

Oh just hurry up, another side of him interjected with exasperation, if he's not trustworthy you can just kill him. Though logically this did make sense, Kerchen found himself appalled by this idea. As if aware of his shock, the side added, Besides, he's not that observant. That idea set Kerchen more at ease, so he decided to ask the Valdemaran boy his real question. "Heralds-demons, are they not?" There was a pregnant pause, and Kerchen wondered if he'd finally asked too much. Worried, he turned to Dieder, only to find the latter staring at the bottom of his mug in a stupor.

"'ey, tastes bedder at d'boddum o' de mug..." he mumbled, eyes wide with drunken fascination.

"Um.." Before Kerchen could say anymore, a man as inebriated as Dieder but twice as large lumbered over, his face clearly sprayed all over with beer. Kerchen had a sneaking suspicion of who had done that-though whether Dieder realized it or not was a mystery, as his face was entirely vacant.

"You!" the man spat, with as much fury as one could pack into a slurred syllable. "Wassit you, ya bastid?" Dieder pointed and laughed.

"Aaah ha ha ha ha!" Each syllable came out in a different pitch, but the man was less than impressed.

"Know yer place!" he howled, charging as to strike Dieder. Instinctively, Kerchen kicked the table forward, knocking the drunkard back. Since the man's balance was so poor, his heavy build did nothing but plaster him to the ground and roll him ungraciously across the floor.

"Attacking a child is wrong," Kerchen admonished, though there was no point as the man was already unconscious. Although Dieder was to blame-I was a bit hasty.

"Kerchen," Dieder trailed, staring with disbelief at the heap of drunkard on the floor, "Yer the violent type, eh?" Kerchen was about to object but a flying mug told him that now was not the time for idle talk. Their scuffle had somehow caused a chain reaction across the tavern, and Kerchen did not envy getting further caught in the crossfire. Grabbing hold of Dieder's wrist, he bolted out the door, pausing only to throw some money on the table. Though that sludge was hardly worth anything..

He ran for only a few streets, half dragging, half carrying his inebriated companion with him. Dieder had sobered up in the meantime, and eventually Kerchen pulled him over to have a talk with him.

"You listen," he began, but was cut short by Dieder's airborne finger.

"'ey man, look! Sum'ow we got t'the next stop!" Dieder pointed in the direction of, incredibly, yet another tavern. As if that wasn't enough, this tavern had an unmistakable logo that made Kerchen stare at Dieder in disbelief.

"Go into the Broken Arms, you want?" asked Kerchen incredulously, as he tried to stop his eye from twitching. "Worse this is!" Too gone to wonder how Kerchen knew this, Dieder simply swung an arm around his shoulders and lighted up with a wide grin.

"Yea man, gotta live a lil'!"

"Much living in here there is not!" I barely survived the first, and last, time I went here. Unfortunately, his companion was already heading in with a misplaced glee. "D-Dieder? Come back!" Kerchen rushed after him, but not in time to stop him from saying the two words he least wanted to hear.

"Two beers!"

"What did I say about ordering just beers!" Unfazed, Dieder settled himself at a table and patted the spot next to him.

"Com'ere, com'ere..." he cooed, not stopping his beckoning until Kerchen took the spot. No match for Dieder's antics, the Karsite boy pretended to settle in his seat, surveying the room cautiously. He could already feel the hairs on his neck rise, as his eyes scanned thug to thug to sellsword, though those often were just a bigger thug. The group here wasn't quite as rowdy as those at the Red Barrel, but that only meant they didn't have to be. They were bigger dogs that barked less, and Kerchen was not inclined to being in the midst of so many of them. Certainly, he had punished one or two in his spare time, but he knew his chances inside the tavern were not good. It's best if we keep low, and keep Dieder away from others. He looked askance at Dieder, who was obliviously rummaging through his clothes, apparently looking for something.

"Now that in a dangerous tavern we are," Kerchen remarked, unable to keep a dry tone out of his voice, "you want to do what?" A grin indicated he found his item, and the boy quickly flourished a deck of cards.

"Me an' m'ma play a game called Fetchin' Tricks, wan' me t'teach ya?" He pulled us in here just to play cards? Kerchen stared crossly at Dieder, hoping his consternation would be very clear.

"Why in here must we play?" asked Kerchen, aware of how often he was complaining today. The other boy simply shrugged.

"'Cause taverns are where y'go t'play cards?"

"Er..." Surprised by this response, Kerchen trailed off and looked around. Well, there were quite a few card games going around-perhaps it was true? From observation, he had always assumed that card games in taverns were some kind of scam or prelude to beating someone up-but perhaps that was just due to the type of people who played? Kerchen looked back at his companion shuffling cards, seemingly devoid of hostile intent. If the game itself is harmless, then it should be fine if we are the two playing. Wait, but what if it isn't, and he just likes playing stupid games? He glanced again at the cards. If Dieder punches me at the end of this, he isn't going to live to regret it. Though the last time Dieder pulled a prank on the Karsite, it ended with his clothes pinned to the wall by a knife, so it didn't seem likely that he would try that kind of stunt again. It should be alright to give him a chance. "I-I suppose?"

"You'll 'ave fun, trus' me!" Dieder flashed a toothy grin, though it didn't reassure Kerchen all that much.

Surprisingly enough, they did end up enjoying themselves (a feat he thought impossible in the Broken Arms), and Kerchen ended the night relatively early, right after he saw Dieder off. One or two days should be alright-and I was at least enlightened about bars as a result. I had always assumed those were only places for bullies and bandit-types, but I guess I was wrong. Perhaps taverns aren't all that bad?

Though that was the last time he thought that, it was far from the last time he partook in Dieder's "tavern-leaping."