The Mist and the Lightning. Part II

"She is pretty, a commoner cannot be beautiful."

"Why didn't we see her before?" Orel asked.

"Did you want to? Are you interested in theater, Orel?"

"Well, I'd like to see her playing."

"Fine, I'll tell Mily."

"I liked her brother, you can't say he was burnt looking at him. He looks good and his hair is long. Why do you let him have such long hair, like a nobleman?"

Enriki shrugged.

"So what, he still is a commoner and he is short."

"Why are all commoners short," Tol asked, "but Lis and Nikto are as tall as you?"

"First of all, they are half-bloods," Orel said. "Besides, Lis's father was not a commoner and Nik doesn't even know who his parents were."

"Anyway, Nikto and Lis are shorter than we are," Enriki added.

"Yes, Lis is the shortest," Tol said.

"I'm not much shorter!" Lis said starting getting nervous.

"Much shorter than me!" Tol said.

"I don't even mention you, you're abnormally tall, like your trees!"

"You are a tree yourself!"

"Fine, don't start! Let's go back to the castle." Orel got up abruptly and grabbed his damaged eye hissing in pain.

"Easy, you fool," Lis laughed.

"You're a fool! Let's go to the castle!"

"What shall we do in your castle?"

"What are you doing here? Watching the mountains?"

"Let us rest."

"Shit, you're crazy," Orel hobbled to the castle.

"Arel, stay with us!" Tol shouted at him.

"Fuck you," Orel didn't even glance back.

"Now he's going to drink himself senseless," Lis said, "and fell from the stairs."

Everyone laughed.

For a while they say silent.

"Fuck, I'm so tired," Squint-Eye said at last. "I'm tired of this shitty castle and its owner."

"We all are tired," Lis said.

"Except Orel," Squint-Eye said. "He is never tired."

Asa asked Lis something in Unclean. He answered.

"What are you talking about?" Tol asked.

"She asked what we said," Lis explained. "I told her we're tired."

Tol looked at Nikto seeking confirmation to Lis's words. Nikto nodded at his questioning stare. Lis smirked but didn't say anything.

"Ask her what she thinks about us," Squint-Eye said.

Lis laughed. "As if she'd say," but translated.

Asa said something.

"She says we're the worst of anyone she's seen, except for Tol, that is."

"Hey, you can't say that about my friends!"

"Come on, Tol, she's right," Squint-Eye said. "At least I won't argue with her."

"But it's bullshit! Don't listen to her! We're the best!"

"Yeah," Squint-Eye drawled and they laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Tol was exasperated a great deal. "Didn't we beat up Bey? A little more and we'll crush him!"

"Yes, Tol, it's cool," Squint-Eye said calmly. "We beat up Bey, we're tough…"

"Aren't we?"

"Yes, Tol, yes, calm down."

"Enriki, aren't we? Why are you silent?" Tol started looking for support.

"I don't have anything to say, Tol. My arm hurts."

At these words of Enriki Nikto turned to him, he seemed to feel like saying something but then changed his mind and turned away.