The Mist and the Lightning. Part II

Squint-Eye lifted his hands and squeezed Enriki's fingers.

"It's all right, Rik, I'm in control."

"Where is your ring?" Lis said to Orel suddenly.

"Lis, leave me alone. Go away, all of you! Go!"

"Where is your ring?" Lis raised his voice. "If you don't tell me now, I'll punch your other eye, you know I have a heavy hand!"

"Just try," Tol interfered. "If you touch him, I'll knock out both of your eyes."

"What are you doing?" Enriki cried out in exasperation. "Let's keep at least some decency!"

"Nikto beat Orel up and took his 'royal' ring! And you talk about decency!" Lis was in rage.

"You also beat Orel up and more than once, I know!" Tol stood by Nikto.

"Only when he was begging for it!"

"Nikto didn't beat me up!" Orel yelled. "And I gave him my ring!"

Everyone stared at him.

"Are you complete mad?" Lis asked.

"I'm not going to explain anything! It's my ring, I can do whatever I want to it, got it?"

"I got it," Lis nodded. "You paid Nikto with your ring. You couldn't come up with anything better. I'm disappointed."

"Yes, I couldn't come up with anything better," Orel said quietly. "And I couldn't do anything else, I needed him, I was ready to pay any price, anything to be with him."

"So why isn't he with you now? Why did he take the ring and run?"

"He didn't run. He'll come and heal me! I believe him, do you hear?"

"Wait," Tol interfere. "Wait! I don't understand anything. What does it mean pay Nikto with the ring? Isn't he already with us?"

"He is with us but not with our lord Orel personally," Squint-Eye smirked. "So, you bought him like a whore, for a ring? Cool!"

"What?!" Tol got pale.

"No! No! Don't dare think that! I wanted to do it," Orel pressed his palm to the bandage soaked in blood. "But he hit me – that's why he hit me. It's my fault, I insulted him with my offer."

"So, you offered Nikto to sleep with you for the ring and he beat you up," Enriki said. "I was always afraid something like that would happen. I asked you not to harass him but it's useless to talk to you!"

"Oh my," Tol whistled. "That's something."

"He didn't beat me up, he just punched me slightly – and even that he did because he was full of drugs. He felt bad and I woke him up, nagged him…"

"It doesn't matter," Lis shook his head. "He didn't have the right to beat you, whatever happened. We talked about it, he promised me not to do you any harm and I believed him like a fool! Fine, I won't make this mistake again."

"I think he just couldn't control himself," To said. "I'm sure he didn't want to."

"Yes," Squint-Eye said. "Perhaps he believed it himself when he promised you but then he got angry and forgot about it for a moment. And when he came round, it was too late."

"He is not you," Lis muttered. "Nikto never forgets anything and he controls himself, you won't make me change my mind. I'm absolutely sure Nikto knew what he was doing when he hit Orel. And I'm sure he remembered his promise. But he did it nevertheless, he didn't care about me and our agreement. I will never forgive him that!" He stared at Orel. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Squint-Eye laughed suddenly, he was rolling in laughter like a madman. Everyone stared at him.

"Fuck! Bert, you said you're in control," Enriki said disapprovingly.

Squint-Eye covered his mouth with his palm, compressed his lips together with his fingers in expensive rings. Lis glanced at him quickly, then looked at Orel.

"Yes," he said. "I did a tremendously stupid thing believing Nikto. How could I even think one could negotiate with him about anything. I'm an idiot. It is written on his face that he is a traitor and can't be trusted."

"Stop it," Orel moaned. "You just wanted to protect me."

"Yes, yes, I did. But I didn't manage! And it is not for the first time, right, Arel? He hit you before, he hit you every time you harassed him, that's why you had that stupid idea to give him your ring. Oh gods! How could it even come to your mind? Where is your pride? Where is your pride, prince Arel Chig? Why did you harass him, followed him like a dog, debased yourself in front of this bastard who has shit instead of blood! He is a commoner, he isn't fit to hold a candle for you. Is it the way true princes treat slaves? You put yourself below him! You, you… you're really a fallen prince! Yes, you are!"

Orel got pale.

"Yes, Orel, that's how low you fell. Your friends say such things in your face, do you like it?"

"I don't say that," Tol said.

"Orel, you haven't been such a fool, what happened to you? Where is your brain, up your ass?" Lis was shaking.

"Get out," Orel whispered. "Get out, I don't need you."

"We are not leaving, we are not like someone else who ran away. We don't ditch our friends!"

"He didn't ditch me!" Orel shouted. "He'll come back!"

"If he comes, I'll sort him out," Lis didn't stop. "And I don't care about those scary tales of him!"

"Just try to say something to him! I'll kill you!" Orel growled.

"You're defending him," Lis smirked. "And he is an evil, lying bastard. And a thief!"

"I gave him the ring, I gave it to him!"

"Do you think he is not coming back?" Enriki asked Lis.

Lis shrugged. "I don't know. It depends on what he wants. If he wanted the ring, we won't see him again."

Squint-Eye got up and came up to the bar.

"Why would he need the ring? It's bullshit!" He poured a drink.