The food tasted nothing short of divine. The table with food was a feast consisting of savory poultry, steaming hot potatoes, freshly baked bread and a stew he would happily drink from. The first plate had gone down within a handful of minutes along with two cups of ale. Although he was much more focused on the food than the drinks. 

Seeing that more food was constantly being served, he went for a second serving quicker than he knew was right and proper. But upon seeing others gobble down their own food to immediately go and get more he decided to do the same. 

Lliam devoured his food in such a haste that it came to a point where he had to stop just to catch his breath. When his lungs had gotten their fair share, he went back to eating his third serving without giving his speed any thought. 

When looking up suddenly, he noticed Mae staring at him. Instantly he became very aware of his mouth and how it was filled with partially chewed food. His cheeks bulging out to fit it all of the food he had stuffed in it. 

Mae's upper lip was drawn up a bit and revealing just a hint of her teeth. It was impossible to miss what his terrible manners had stirred in her. Nausea. Her dark eyebrows were furrowed and her nose was scrunched along with a hand half-covering her mouth told him he was being disgusting. Something he thought was not achievable after having seen how others ate on the other tables, but somehow he had managed to outdo them all. 

He put his clenched fist in front of his mouth and cleared his throat apologetically while trying to chew his current mouthful as quickly as he could. This did not seem to ease Mae's discomfort because the expression in her face stayed the same and her food seemed to have been left somewhat untouched for quite some time now. 

Did she lose her appetite right away or between my first and second serving? He wondered, a bit embarrassed. 

"My apologies." He spoke hoarsely and wiped grease from the corners of his mouth and some from his chin as soon as he noticed it. Mae tilted her head, unimpressed, at his apology and still with a disgusted look on her face. "It is delicious." He spoke, trying to come up with something positive about what he had done to his food. 

"You eat like you haven't seen food before." She said, a hint of offense in her tone, and took a swig from her cup of ale. Lliam could not help but to notice how smooth and effortless the motion was, perfectly describing that Mae was very skilled at... drinking. He instantly figured that she could probably drink some of her fellow Guild members under the table without effort. "Which you have. I know you have." She continued after having emptied her cup without him noticing, drawing him back into their conversation. A thin stream of the amber colored liquid did not make it into her mouth and ran down the side of her mouth to her chin before she noticed and wiped it away with the back of her hand. 

Lliam let out half a chuckle as he compared the food he had gotten delivered to the one he was eating now. 

"What?" Mae snapped as if the chuckle had been a personal attack. "You have been fed, you cannot say you haven't." 

"Who makes this food? And who makes the one you have been giving me up until today?" He chuckled happily and pointed excitedly toward the stew with his spoon. "Because they cannot be the same person. One is a cook and the other-" 

"I made some of it." She told him plainly and turned her head to look out at random Guild members who were staring freely and openly at the two of them. Those gazes she met quickly found something else to stare at. 

Lliam blinked at his misstep when he understood what she had said, and that he had insulted her cooking. 

"Mostly your breakfasts." She filled in when he desperately tried to come up with what would be the most meaningless and useless excuse he would ever utter. However, no words wanted to form in his mouth. His lips refused to let him speak. The guilt and shame coming over him was not something he was used to and it made him want to throw up everything he had stuffed himself with up until now. Normally, he was so well behaved and did not speak his mind so crudely and thoughtlessly. From the depths of his mind he could feel something reach out and strike him in the back of is head, causing him to flinch instinctively. 

"I did not mean to offend you... or your food... I uh..." He began to apologize but failed halfway through the process. Feeling sweaty and nervous he let out a heavy breath to compose himself. Deciding that a clean start would do the trick. "I... uhm... I merely meant-"

"Speak normally." Mae told him harshly. Completely ignoring his apology while simultaneously sounding unbothered and untouched by it. "Hearing you speak like that makes me want to punch you." She said and got up. "In your face." She added and took a deep look into her mug. Finding it empty, the disgust in her face morphed into disappointment and displeasure. "In case you wondered where." Her eyes sliced across the table, fixated on him as she got up. 

Lliam pressed his lips together in an attempt to keep whatever impulsive insult that could slip out of him from doing just that. Silently, watching her walk over to one of the other tables, grab a large jug of ale and return to her seat in front of him. The owners of the jug shouted slurs after her that she did not even seem to notice as she made herself comfortable. She poured herself a new drink and downed the half of its content straight away. 

I have to see her go up against one of the others... He thought, amused and slightly impressed. 

"We do not eat like this every night, just so you know." She finally spoke, rolling her eyes at him when she noticed that he was deliberately not speaking. "So I suggest you savor it and don't complain when-" 

"What's so special about tonight?" He asked. Forcing Mae off the topic of the food and deeper into the reason to why they were holding a feast. 

Mae's deep brown eyes was already looking at him when he remembered her previous instructions. No questions. You do not get to ask any questions tonight... or tomorrow. She seemed like she read the words he was thinking by simply looking at him. Something softened slightly in her expression for a second, only to swiftly disappear behind a strict mask in the blink of an eye. However, he had caught enough of what hid underneath it to see that she knew she would have to explain it to him... sooner or later. 

"We are celebrating." She explained without giving him any details. Lliam remained silent, waiting for her to go on, despite her obvious unwillingness to do so. "One of our packs came back with good news..." She slowly fell into silence as if hesitating to tell him more, as if it would be more than he was supposed to know.

"Packs?" He queried.

"We call the groups we send out 'packs'." She explained calmly and took another mouthful of ale. 

A sudden burst of voices caught both of their attention. They looked out over those celebrating loudly when hearing that a brawl was not breaking out. The people were cheering, singing, eating and toasting. The life of them filled The Hall. 

"And the good news is?"He urged her to go on when a couple of seconds had passed. 

"That they had a good raid..." She explained. "... and came back with gold and intel of where there is more to raid." When she was finished she looked at him from underneath her lashes, studying him closely. 

Raid. The word rang darkly in his mind. Caused something dark and disapproving to stir within him. Contempt rose in his throat, tasting like bile. They are outlaws. He thought even though he had already known... deep down he had known that they were living outside of the frames of honor and law. They pillage and steal. Do they rape and murder as well? 

"What?" Mae asked straight on when he did not speak. 

"So you are outlaws." He stated, stopping a squirm before it came to life. 

"Yes." Mae answered coolly, putting down her cup, not a tremble in movement nor voice. "If you want to put a word to it." Crossing her arms, elbows leaning on the table, she met his eyes with an indifferent expression. As if he had been talking to her about the weather.  A steadfast look rested across her face when she spoke again. "And? There are lots of outlaws across the continent." 

He swallowed while thinking of what to say next. There was nothing that would do him any good and he was not tempted to try Mae's temper at the moment. Especially not when he noticed that the entire Guild seemed to be getting drunker by the second. Who knew what they were capable of if agitated while being pissed and free of a sober mind's restraints?  Who knew what a drunk Mae would do if pushed just a little bit too hard? Since he had no idea, he decided to not pursue the subject anymore. 

"Just observing." He said and buried his contempt deep inside and went back to his food. He could always revisit the subject on a later occasion and when he was alone with her. When he could stand a better chance if she decided to pounce on him. 

"Just observing..." She reiterated. Mocking him with his own words followed by a scoff. Her voice was lowered now for some reason. Did she not want the others to hear them? And if so, why not? They knew what they were... Did they not like it when people pointed it out? 

"Just observing." He answered her and stuffed a lukewarm potato in his mouth. 

"Are you too good for us? Is that what you want to say?" Mae asked, forcing him back into their coming squabble. A squabble that could become something much worse if he did not watch his tongue. 

"I said no such thing." Lliam defended himself. "Neither would I." 

"Because?" 

"Because you saved my life." He answered, his jaws clenching as he spoke. He did not want to be indebted to an outlaw, did not want the risk of being asked to do something for her in return if it meant going against want he believed in. Something he could not stand for... like thievery or murder. "I owe you my life, I do not think I am better than you." 

How could you? You do not remember what you have done in your life. Perhaps- 

Mae was just about to bite back when the doors to the Hall was flung opened and a group of six men poured in. Following them, Evor entered. He scanned the hall, taking the view of his celebrating men and women in with a content half-smile on his lips. Going from face to face he acknowledged them all. 

When the grey eyes caught a hold of Lliam he gave him a simple nod that could easily have been taken for nothing if one did not pay attention. 

"Friends!" Evor's voice boomed out over the faces. He held out his arms in a warm welcoming gesture. "Eat and drink all you can! Niko and his pack came  back victorious and this is cause for a feast! The first in a long time!" A rumble of happy shouts went through the crowd. "Tomorrow we are sending out Hagan's scouts to see if there are greener pastures where Niko himself have gotten information of a loot that can feed us through winter and long into spring!" Fists hit the tables in approval of the strategy and the outcome if they succeeded. "If Hagan finds something worth raiding, we will send Mae in after him to keep an eye out while they report back to us." 

Lliam's eyes sliced over at Mae when he heard a silent scoff coming from her. Was she going alone? Did she have her own so called pack? 

"Is that what is happening tomorrow?" He asked her quietly. Her eyes did not leave Evor as he answered questions from the others, holding everyone's but Lliam's attention. 

"Tomorrow we are sitting pretty until we get more information from Evor." Mae seethed quietly. 

"You want to go with them." He said after hearing the poisonous tone in her voice. She was upset that Hagan was going and she was not. 

"I want to go instead of Hagan." She hissed with a degree of contempt and jealously only rivalry could fuel. "The idiot can be spotted as easily as a fish on dry land." 

"Why not go with-" 

When Mae suddenly looked at him he knew it was time to stop talking. Her eyes were fuming, the lips in i a hard line and her jaws clenched No questions. Her eyes hissed at him. The promise of a fist to his face became apparent and very much real to him now. 

"Why are you not going with them?" He asked after having gathered some courage to go agaonst her orders. Gambling with his life with every word that made it past his lips. "Why do you have to stay here?" 

"Because of you." She growled, finished her ale and walked off. 

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Thank you so much for reading! 

I hope you liked this chapter! 

All the best, 
Jenny