Tale Thirty-Four, Why Do People Drink This Slog?

A harsh question, but a fair one. After all, the tavern in Boulderfall's commoner district wasn't known for serving high-priced snifters of whiskey. No, they were known for serving high-priced flagons of watered-down ale. Of course, while still higher priced than a mug of wheat water should have been, it was more affordable than the damn snifter.

Yet as Therion slammed the money on the bar to pay for his drink, he didn't think the ale was more affordable by much.

As the tavern keeper smiled through his mustache and took the thief's coin, he said, "Pleasure doin' business with ya."

Then, he lumbered off to sell another pint of falsely advertised alcohol to the next sap who wanted to use their hard-earned leaves to drink themselves into a stupor.

But could Therion blame them?

"No, not really," he muttered into his mug before taking a sip.

He grimaced.

"There's more water in here this time…"

Disappointed, Therion slid the flagon out of reach and returned to the real reason he had returned to this pit of a city. After parting ways with the Octopath Travelers, and after much coaxing from Primrose and Alfyn, Therion conceded to setting up the tavern in Boulderfall as a place his traveling family could send him letters and he'd pick them up. In his hand was such a letter, sealed with the familiar crest of the Church of the Sacred Flame. No priest would dare reach out to a man like Therion, he knew.

Which meant it was only one person who could have sent him that letter and for one purpose.

"It's been a year already?"

"That it has."

The voice spoke from behind Therion, but the thief didn't turn around and only smiled.

"Surprised to see you here, Wilding," the thief replied.

Without any more preamble, H'aanit joined Therion at the bar, taking the seat next to him. Linde decided to wait outside and sunbathe before they moved on to their next destination on this impromptu journey.

Therion waved the unopened letter in his hand. "I assume you're here about this?"

H'aanit nodded. "Linde and I thought 'twould been the time to travel once more. Thus, we find ourselves here first, as we maken our way through Orsterra to Flamesgrace."

"Quite the trek just for a one-year anniversary don't you think?"

"Yes, yet it seemed the correct action to take."

"Can't say I don't disagree with you there," Therion admitted.

H'aanit chuckled. "Thou hath becomen more sentimental?"

The thief shrugged nonchalantly.

The huntress pressed further, "Or mayhaps thou wish to see a certain dancer?"

That caught Therion off-guard. He finally turned his gaze towards the woman. Besides the cat-like grin that belonged more on Primrose than H'aanit, the huntress hadn't changed, which wasn't much of a surprise. Only her red hair had grown longer, but she still tied it back into a braid so it wouldn't get in her way.

"Seems Primrose has rubbed off on you more than you thought…" the thief murmured.

Therion turned fully to the huntress, showing he had forgone his purple poncho for a cloth cape of similar color. Otherwise, he wore much the same attire and scarf, and his white hair stayed the same length to better hide the man's face from view when he needed it.

Therion leaned against the bar. "So, catch me up, Wilding. What's the plan here?"

"Not so much a plan, just a journey we were to make and I thought 'twould be best to do so together," H'aanit explained simply.

At the same time, the tavern keeper brought her a flagon of ale. She nodded her thanks and placed a few coins on the bar top. The man returned the nod with a shit-eating grin, knowing he had tricked another customer into buying his water-laced-with-ale. Therion didn't say anything, waiting for H'aanit to take a sip of the foul liquid.

It didn't take long for her to do so. Once she had taken a drink, she slowly replaced the flagon on the bartop. With a still expression not betraying her feelings, she sullenly muttered, "'Tis not ale…"

Her calm demeanor and disapproving words caused Therion to chuckle. Hawk-like eyes zeroed in on the thief as the huntress stared him down.

"Thou knew?"

Finishing laughing, Therion replied, "Yeah, figured you needed an initiation into this place. It's your first time here, after all."

Despite the lingering aftertaste of the swill she had just indulged in, H'aanit could only softly smile.

"Thou hath not changed," she commented.

"Don't plan on it either."

Therion, used to the tavern ale, finished off his drink in one more go, downing it like water.

"Then, I guess we should be off, shouldn't we? We have a long way to go, made even longer by trying to find our merry band of misfits, again."

Therion tucked the unopened letter into his cape, out of view from anyone else. Then, he stood up from his stool, ready to go.

"Thou wouldst join us, then?" H'aanit asked to confirm his intentions, though she needn't do so.

"Why wouldn't I? Have to make our way to Flamesgrace, might as well do it together, like you said."

The huntress smirked. "And I thought thou wouldst preferen traveling alone."

"Maybe in the past, but what can I say? You guys are pests and got under my skin. Can't very well just say no to one of my own," Therion admitted, his back turned towards H'aanit. "Besides, if I didn't, Alfyn and Sister would give me a pretty stern lecture, wouldn't they? Not happening again."

For a brief moment, the two Travelers simultaneously thought about the many exchanges the apothecary and cleric had with Therion's thieving and selfish behavior. It all culminated in their last such interaction with the thief. After Therion had completed his journey and decided to distance himself from the rest of the Travelers that very evening, Alfyn and Ophilia made sure he received a lecture on trusting their traveling family the next morning.

Even though it had been over a year, H'aanit could see the impact the Octopath Travelers had on Therion. She couldn't help but smile at his hidden earnestness to do as she had planned and travel Orsterra once more.

H'aanit stood from her stool, joining Therion. "I was wrong. Thou hast changed."

"Yeah, maybe I have," Therion admitted. "Still all of your fault."

The huntress couldn't help but guffaw at the embarrassed response she received.

She patted his shoulder comfortingly. "I wouldst not argue. Now, come, I assume thou art prepared already?"

Therion sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get this show on the road and go see if Mountain's back in the Highlands."

Without another word, the thief started towards the door, his fingers twitching subconsciously as he moved.

H'aanit couldn't help but match Therion's sigh. She would have to keep him in line, or their journey would meet a quick end behind iron bars.