"Lady Umholtz, you're not going to win. Come on! Let's just leave and act like nothing ever happened."
"Madison, wait outside... I'll be damned if someone speaks such filthy words about the captain and walks away unharmed."
"Oh, did I upset the princess?"
The man's question was answered with the laughter of his surrounded drunken allies.
"Rrrrrgh!" The sound of a girl who has just risen into adulthood being pissed off.
The surrounding patrons gasped as the woman quickly stomped towards the table, the sound of metal ringing throughout the room before she reached her destination, slamming her rear into the wooden chair and resting her plate-bound elbow upon the oaken surface. Esther glared at the antagonist who was now facing her at the opposing end, they exchanged grunts, people began to question if the woman was sober herself.
"Is she really going to arm wrestle that man?"
"Poor girl, she's going to make a fool of herself."
Luckily, Esther's close friend and junior member of the holy order, Madison, was there to appease the crowd of their impolite and.. FALSE accusations. She quickly appeared before the questioning patrons, innocent bystanders whom she wanted to save from her dear friend's rampage.
"No-no, Esther is sober as can be. She's a woman of the cloth, a Paladin, like me. Those men were just speaking hurtful words about Crusader Taelen, the captain of the holy order and she tends to have a short-fuse on things about the order."
With the crowd quelled Esther's mind was now at ease. Letting out a deep breath of relief and amplifying her aggression towards her enemy. She reached her arm out, the man responded by place his own elbow to the table and extending his own arm in return. They clasped their dominant hands together tightly, the tension in the woodwork of the table could be heard as the boards creaked at the weight of their strength. The bartender who had been quiet for the most part walked casually towards the table, garbed in semi-classy finery and an apron, he was also wiping a mug with a cloth to fulfill his role even more so~ such a gentleman.
"Let's have a good clean match today you two.."
"Let's..."
""Aye.. hic!"
The man was visibly losing consciousness by the moment, the best definition for his state of mind would be too drunk for justice. The crowd was clearly on her side now that Madison had explained the situation, but this man was so.. out of it, that he wouldn't even know what was going on. He would have been punished for his crimes without even realizing it, such a waste of time. But before Esther grew too disinterested in the whole ordeal, the bartender slammed his hand against the table signaling for the match to start.
At that moment the man belched in surprise, attempting to react to the woman's swift, bonecrushingly strong grip and slamming motion towards his end of the table causing it's center to splinter. Though his efforts were fruitless, the man's arm was now bent in a way that it shouldn't be. With his thumb now able to touch the back of his disgusting shoulder, the man grumbled standing from the table. Numb from the alcohol he beckoned his friends, who were looking at the armor-clad woman in sheer terror.
"You watch what you say about the Holy Order, and especially it's leader! Cause the next time... I'll have your head mounted in the Abbey!"
"Lady Umholtz, calm down.. You're scaring everyone."
"Fear not innocent denizens of the The Musing Mare! I have defeated evil once again.. Now.. Now.. There is no need to thank me, I am just a simple Paladin looking for some ale. Huh?"
A small boy approached Esther's side, in his right hand a rolled paper that wore the mark of the church. He tugged at the loose cloth just below her armor at the waist, she couldn't tell if he was actually trying to get her attention or just sneak a peek at her undergarments. Nonetheless though, she turned to the curly-haired boy and accepted the paper, patting his head with her heavily armored hand.
"A message from the church?"
"No, Madison... Can you get in contact with Talen for me?"
"Sure, but we're already in the capital so why?"
"I-I'm too excited to run, I-I can't move..."
"Were you poisoned during your arm-wrestle Lady Umholtz?! Hold just a second, I know a sp-!"
"This is no sorcery! My body, is just.. letting out all of it's fear."
"Fear?"
"Yes... For I can't be burdened with such a thing, a great evil has arisen.. MONSTERS!"
As Esther announced the contents of the paper, the crowd stared in confusion- as this had been old news for several hours.
"Uhm.. Yes, the monsters on the battlefield.. Such news, good thing brave warriors are going to combat them."
A vain visibly pulsed on Esther's forehead, rising from her chair and looking at the fellow paladin with a somewhat ominous look. She approached the small brunette woman, towering above her, staring into her bright blue eyes as they moistened with fear.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you! I knew you'd want to go so I, so I.."
The woman calmed herself, giving the notable hand-over-heart salute before passing Madison towards the door of the bar, and exiting. Within the capital, people were discussing the monsters with little fear in mind. This was good, if there was fear within the holy city many would resort to flooding the doors of the grand church asking for god's word and protection for the people. It was troublesome, but what was more troublesome is the fact that she was likely the last person to hear about the monsters, the ceasefire hadn't even crossed her mind, even though it was also written on the manuscript.
"Oh, Essie.. What're you doing at a bar, you don't drink?"
"Tae- I mean captain! By the light, I'm glad you're here. I'd like to take part in the monster-exhibition-slaying of evil-event-of-virtue-please-allowmetogo... Sir!"
The heavily armored, and presently helmed man looked at the girl with a deadpan expression. Not really knowing how to react he just looked around, and then at the white-stone floor. The silence became overbearing, and just as Esther about lost her wits and was just going to turn away he lifted his faceguard revealing an innocent smile and deep brown eyes.
"Okay, just don't get ahead of yourself kid. You're one of our best, and your siblings wouldn't appreciate the loss either. Since you hold that old heirloom."
Esther looked at the spear scantily bound to her back, and then back to the man who she held the most respect for. Again placing her hand over her heart, she bowed and looked at him with a dedicated expression.
"Yes sir."