* 15 * 4/9/12

The inn was nearly empty. Bishop had decided to take a room to himself and was sipping on a tankard of ale with his legs kicked up on a table when he heard the clinking of unnecessarily heavy and likely unbearably shiny silver armor at the entrance. He turned his head.

Bishop decided to play his game and meet him outside in the main room. He set his tankard down on the table and grabbed his falchion.

Sure enough, the paladin was waiting for him.

"Well, well, what a surprise to see you, the Admirable One, ambling in here all entitled and self-righteous. Let me guess, you want to damn me to hell and, oh, let's not forget tear my every limb from my body. Or did you want to kiss me, too?" he chuckled.

"Damn you, ranger, you know exactly how that happened."

"What I know doesn't matter. Nor do I care. I'm not the one you have to reason with after what you did. But as far as I know, there's never been any favor there to rebuild, anyway," he finished nonchalantly.

That insinuation cut to Casavir's core. Certainly he didn't actually believe their Leader felt nothing at all toward the paladin. The bastard was just using those words to disconcert him, and Casavir had to admit it was working. He hadn't felt entirely confident in himself since returning from Ammon Jerro's Haven the second time, but he wasn't about to become easy prey for the scoundrel in front of him.

"What exactly did you do back there, besides take my loss as an opportunity to gain her favor?"

"What did I do? Back off, Great One, you make it sound like I raped her. Yeah, I comforted her when you did something stupid. I didn't realize that was enough reason for the uptight knight police to hound me down."

Casavir stayed silent, staring with an exceedingly unkind expression at the unapologetic ranger. He wanted to grab him by the throat, sink his fingers into his jugular and squeeze out his meager existence.

Just then, Qara entered the tavern, presumably to tell them something. It took her no more than a split-second to figure out what was going on between them, despite not having been present at the Haven. "Um, I know you two hate each other and all, but you'd both look pretty stupid if you got in a fight the one night everyone's throwing a party for his health," she taunted, waving her head at Casavir.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Bishop answered, starting back toward his room, but holding his weapon at the ready as to be prepared in case he had any unwelcome company joining him.

Qara put on her hostile, matter-of-fact face. "She wants everyone there, including you, Bishop." Casavir growled.

Bishop stopped. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be there."

Casavir already wasn't planning on skipping the celebration, but now he definitely wouldn't. He was tired of feeling submissive, hopeless. It was time to take action, and tonight felt like no other to do it.