Zarha was about to go out for training from her barracks when she heard that Abbott was at the door and asking for her. "Can't you just tell him I am busy on another patrol." Zarha looked at Shevon who sleeps on the bed next to her, she was two years older then her.

Giving a soft laughed. "You want me to lie to the Lieutenant so you can go out training. He won't full for it you know that right it Abbott."

There was a groan coming from Zarha's lips "Fine, I'll just train later." She walked towards the door and opened the door. "Lieutenant you asked for me." She had a hand behind her backs standing to attention.

It's a good thing she hadn't lied to him. If he found out about it, it wouldn't have bern good for her. Lying to a superior? The fact that it crossed her mind was concerning in itself, especially after Hadrian's speech.

But Zarha appeared. "Yes", he said, gesturing for her to follow him. He wouldn't explain what they were doing, and he honestly wasn't sure yet why he decided to bring her along. She wasn't meant to add anything to the conversation he would be having with the tavern keeper, but Zarha needed to leave the military wing for a bit. See the actual word for a change.

Aldrich would walk the distance to the tavern, expecting Zarha to follow him. If she asked questions on the way over there, he would decide then and there if he would answer them.

Eventually they arrived in Skia, and Aldrich walked the last remaining few minutes in silence until they reached the tavern. "You know private Johnson?" he asked her.

Just yes, nothing more, she expecting nothing more from him she just followed. Not speaking she eyed the training wing as they walked by, she kept quiet during the travel to the tavern, unsure why he brought her here, however she thought nest not to ask any questions. When he asked him if she know a private. "I might know their face, but I don't really do names sir." She doesn't know many soldiers by their names. When she training, she just training in her own world.

He nodded and turned to open the door, entering the tavern. The tavern keeper looked up from behind the bar. "Good afternoon, mister. Lieutenant Abbott, private Sliva", he said, introducing themselves. "I heard you had an situation here yesterday with one of our soldiers, private Johnson." The man came out from behind the bar to shake Aldrich and then Zarha's hand.

"Good afternoon. You're correct, sir. My name's Everett, James Everett. This soldier - Johnson, you said? - well he came in here yesterday and started drinkin', a lot. He went on to yell about werewolves in the palace, and how the king's witch is a werewolf too. All kinds of weird tales. Eventually, he jumped up on the bar and started howling like a wolf. I didn't mind that much until he started smashing most of my glasses and bottles."

Aldrich rubbed his chin, glancing at Zarha and frowning, hoping she understood this meant she couldn't say anything about @alys .

"I see. That's unfortunate, of course. We'll reimburse you for the glasses and the bottles." The costs would be deducted from the private's payment, no doubt about that. "Apart from that, I wouldn't listen to anything that comes out of the mouth of a drunken soldier. They all fear the witches, and we can't exactly blame them, right?" He laughed hearty, knowing damn well himself how curse-y they could get.

The place was still kind of... Shattered. Glass on the floor, some broken chairs here and there. It would take too much time to fetch Johnson from the palace to clean up the mess, so Aldrich rolled up his sleeves.

"We'll take care of this, Everett."

He looked at Zarha again, gesturing to start picking up glass with him, while Everett went to get them a broom.

Zarha followed him inside and shock the barkeeps hand. Hpwever when the mention of the king witch came up she didn't need to look at Abbott to know that she should keep her mouth shut and not bring this up. She still feel annoyed about that night and how the event unfolded however she kept her face straight and she kept quiet.

When Abbott asked her in his own way to start cleaning up she nodded and started cleaning up, she doesn't understand why the other private doesn't come and do it himself it was his own fault should clean up his own mess. However, she needs this job. So chose to clean instead as Abbott and Everett started went to get the brooms. Starting with the bigger pieces being careful not to hurt herself on any broken glass.

The private definitely wouldn't be getting off easily after this. Aldrich would make sure he was put in staff duty and that he would never pull a stunt like this again. Als Zarha would be awarded for helping. Everett put the broom against the bar.

"I'll be in the office in the back, call for me if you need me."

Aldrich looked up from his crouched position. "That's alright."

He went back to picking up the glass and put the pieces together on the bar so they could easily be thrown out.

"How have you been since the ball?" he asked, not looking at Zarha while asking the question, but continuing to pick up glass. He didn't like small talk, but he needed to understand her if he wanted to get a breakthrough with her.

As she worked picking up what she can she wanted to get this done sooner then later, However when Abbott asked her hows she been, she was a bit confused, like why does he care how she been since the ball. Something has to be going on, it Abbott, he planning something. "I've been okay." It was sort and simple. like she could be worse off, she could of been dead.

She is here cleaning up what should of been the Private johnson last job before getting fired for talking about the kings witch, that annoys her but she wasn't going to let it show.

Great. Sliva obviously didn't feel like talking, and he asked himself why he even bothered to bring her along. This girl had been all over him at the ball and now barely spoke a word. Not that he wanted that kind of attention from her.

He stopped picking up the shards of glass for a moment to look at her. He could sense that something was bothering her. "What's on your mind, Sliva?"

Zarha looked up at Abbot with confusion in hr eyes like why is he bothered what on her mind. She carried on sorting through these glasses. "Why are we here Lieutenant? If I wanted to clear up a tavern, I would of been a bar keep." Her voice was soft she wasn't questioning his choice just more confused. Like why is he asking all these questions? He acts like he doesn't care? but now with these questions. "I could of been back at the military training cause training cause clearly we need it."

He sighed. "Being a soldier isn't all about trainin', Sliva. It's also about keeping the kingdom and the people safe." He got up from his crouched position and leaned against the bar, looking over it. He then went around it, grabbed a still intact bottle of whiskey off the shelves and filled two glasses. He was an honest man, so he left some coins on the bar for when the Everett returned.

Aldrich walked over to Zarha and handed her one of the glasses. "I don't know how else I can continue to tell ya, but you don't need to be trainin' all the time." He took a sip of his whiskey and waited until Zarha would do the same. "We're here cleaning up the mess one of our own has made, and that's also part of bein' a soldier. We're not individual soldiers, we're a goddamn military." The Lieutenant kept his eyes on Zarha, studying her facial expressions. "And apart from bein' a soldier, you're still a human, you're still a witch. You can't be training all the time, Sliva. There's more to life than that."

"I know it also about keeping the people safe sir" She wanted to shout. Why does people keep on telling her stuff like this? She watched at Abbott go over to the Bar and got two glass of something. "I have to decline sir, last time I drank well you know what happened." Face straight.

She carried on cleaning as Abbott spoke to her. "I know we are a military and we have to work as one and all that." She knows she push people out from getting close to her, it safer though then getting too close with them and for them to die. "Being a solider, being apart of the military is the only life I know sir." Her face is still, expressionless.

"Yes, I know what happened. You were smiling and outgoing for a change, Sliva." She hadn't done anything wrong at the ball, she had just been able to let loose a little and enjoy herself. So even though she declined, he still held out the second glass to her. He wouldn't order her to drink it, nor force it down her throat, but he hoped she would simply take the glass and have one drink with him. Just one.

The typical kind of story. The only life she knew. It got tiring after a while to hear all these soldiers tell him the same thing. He pulled back a chair from a table and sat down, gesturing at the chair on the other end of the table as an invitation for her to sit as well.

"Listen, Sliva. I'm only going to say this one more time. A soldier that doesn't know another life, doesn't have something to fight for. You need to find out who you are apart from training." He put his glass down in front of him on the table. "It's going to sound harsh, but if you don't find out who you are, you're going to live your life and die alone and bored. I've tried time and time again to get you to pace yourself, to come out of your shell, and you don't do it. I don't have the time to help soldiers with their individual personal growth. Drink some whiskey, sit back a bit and think about what you like. Do you have family? What do you do together? Do you like to read, to swim, to knit? You need to find a hobby, girl. You can't go on like this."

She looked at him like he must know that not what she meant. However, she looked at the drink in his hand before she looked at him again. She walked up to him and take the glass, "Thank you sir." She give what was a small attempt at a smile. Before she took a sip, it was strong whiskey. As he guested her to sit down so did what was ask.

She listened as she look at the whiskey in her hand, Dying alone doesn't sound too bad however she chose not to say that out loud. I have four siblings. We don't do a lot together." She explained, what does she like doing? she doesn't know. She like training, she have fun training but she can't say that. Taking sip of her drink. "I.. I enjoy watching people dance. I don't know how to dance myself, but the few times when I've been on patrol and walked passed a tavern well music being played I watch people dance. I know that sounds odd."