Konrad woke up late in the morning, his head hurt a little after the previous day's celebrations. His roommate, Ghar a young noble from Northern part of the empire was snoring terribly. He remembered dragging him unconscious to bed yesterday, it wasn't very easy since his friend was a huge man. Konrad smiled and murmured "You'll have a hang-over of the century Ghar." Then he stood up, went to the window, leaned out and looked outside at the square on which he and hundred of his friend stood yesterday during their graduation he was now entitled to wear full plate armor, yet not being a knight. He stretched and yawned loudly. "Breakfast in fifteen minutes!" He heard a familiar voice of sergeant Krawl coming from the corridor. He was going to miss that burly old man. He was rough to them but he was a good teacher. He used to tell them that they can't sneer without permission but Konrad managed to do that few times when sergeant was not around. Konrad yawned again and started getting dressed. He decided not to wake his big friend, he had drank a barrel of ale almost all by himself after all, so he was entitled to a little more sleep that day. A huge room in which they customarily ate together was very quiet today, and almost half of seats were vacant. Normally this kind of situation would be out of the question since they all were made to wake up at dawn but this day was an exception. Their instructors were aware of all the drinking done by their pupils after graduation and they were not that cruel to have them all on feet when the sun rose. Young graduate took a plate with food from the cook and seated himself by the table with his friends. He didn't eat much this time and his thoughts drifted back home to Ringbach County. He didn't see his brother for over a year now and he wondered how Michal was doing. Life in the capital was very full of entertainment and he made many friends at the University and here in the barracks of young apprentice officers but he started to get homesick. He went back to his room. Konrad wanted to go back home as soon as possible but after a moment of consideration he decided against it. He spent this day at last chats with his fellow soldiers and went to sleep early in order to leave the city with the first brisk of light. He woke up soon before dawn. Ghar was already up "Ho Konrad!" He greeted him "Ho Ghar!" Young Von Ringbach replied. "Why are you up so early? Yesterday you slept almost whole day." He asked his huge friend and sat on the bad. "Maybe that's why" Ghar answered "And I thought that it's about time to get back home. I'm going to the bath house, coming?" "Why not, I guess it isn't really a bad idea to get clean before starting out." It didn't take them long. When they came back, they quickly packed and helped each other with their armors. Travelers usually don't wear full plate armor but all youngsters that just earned their right to wear it outside practice field, wear armor almost everywhere. After half hour, now fully equipped Konrad and Ghar took their stuff and went to the stables for their horses. "Hello Weron," Konrad greeted his big black roan "lets get back home." They rode out of the stables and then through the gate separating barracks from the rest of the city. They saluted to the guards and rode on toward the city center. "I will head on north now" Ghar informed his friend. "I'm going south. You are a good friend Ghar, I will miss you."
"I was honored to have you as a friend Konrad, farewell." They shook hands.
"Farewell my friend, maybe will meet again.
"I'm sure we will watch out there.
"You too." Konrad replied and they separated and went in opposite directions to their homes. Konrad rode towards South Gate, he passed huge, white buildings of the Imperial University surrounded by beautiful trees on green lawns, marble benches, fountains, monuments. The capital was a beautiful city it was also probably the biggest one in the whole known world, but he wasn't admiring the views all his attention was committed to the final destination of this journey, home. Mountains, forests, rivers, sandy beaches, coastline, castle Rondeleigh the home of Von Ringbach Family for centuries. He rode steadily in the southeastern direction to the city of Wandas hundred leagues from the capital. It took him a week, he rented a room, ate supper, bought some supplies and started out south from there early next morning. After fifty leagues he turned east at Dako. It was only about 70 leagues from there to Keda where he was supposed to meet his brother Michal in "Old Kolib's Tavern". This last distance form Dako to Keda seemed very long for some reason. Konrad traveled alone, having as a companion only birds, trees and his horse which didn't talk too much lately. "Old Kolib's" was a quiet sort of place, neat and clean. Young brothers were very fond of it because it was one of a few places where they could be left alone and talk. Food was always delicious there and beer from Old Kolib's brewery was of a high quality, it was very strong though. When Konrad saw the sign hanging outside the tavern a whole bunch of memories fell upon him, it was good to be back. He rode into the courtyard and handed Weron's reins along with a small copper coin to the stable boy and went inside. He noted that the place didn't change much, it was about noon so there wasn't many people inside, only a couple of merchants talking business and two young ladies at a table in the corner of the taproom, two pretty young ladies Konrad noted. "How may I help you, my Lord?" A round smiling tavern keeper asked bowing a little awkwardly. "I'll have a room good man and a hot meal," Konrad replied "and a beer, make it a pitcher" he added after a moment of consideration . "Of course my Lord" fat man bowed again "I just finished roasting a boar."
"Great, thank you"
Konrad seated himself two tables from those lovely ladies, just opposite the stairway and a blue eyed wench with big breasts handed him a fair-sized pitcher of golden ale, a metal tankard and a plate with a huge loaf of roasted boar with some bread "Anything else?" She asked smiling. "No, thank you. That would be all for now." He replied. "If anything just call for Lona"
"That will I do, thank you Lona"
Lona smiled and went away. Konrad poured himself a tankard full of beer and started drinking, the beer tasted great. "Konrad, is that you?!!" He hared a familiar voice, turned around and saw his sleepy-looking brother. "Michal!" He shouted rising to his feet "Brother!" They said in unison and embraced each other. "Sit down Michal," Konrad told his brother and turned around to the bar "Lona! Bring us another tankard and some food for my brother!" "So how was it at the University? Judging from your armor you have graduated." Michal asked. "Yes I made it. I am an officer of His Imperial Highness Army." Konrad answered with a certain amount of pride in his voice "Temporarily out of duty." He added grinning broadly and lifting his tankard. "Well said brother mine," Michal replied also lifting his tankard "all the way!"
"All the way." They chocked their beer and Michal rose to refill them. "So tell me, how's life in the capital?"
"It's nice," Konrad concluded. "very nice. And how‘s life in our County?"
"About the same, quiet." Michal replied "Oh, and Count Maurice's been quacking something about reclaiming our favorite tavern, Under A Tall Oak " he added. "Reclaiming?! It never belonged to him!" Konrad burst with fury. "I know, but he has some problems with understanding the word boundaries, he keeps saying that it's inside his County." Michal explained. "But that's totally a lie! What an ass! I think we ought to give Count Maurice a little lesson in geography, with a fist or a sword perhaps." "My feelings exactly" Michal said grinning. Brothers sat there and talked and drank for a long time and after second or third pitcher they found themselves talking to those two young ladies from the corner table, who were now sitting with them. "So what is currently in fashion in the capital?" One of the ladies asked Konrad. "Well, all my friends were wearing steel the last time I saw them." They looked at his armor and laughed. "Other then that pony tails and bed poetry," he continued "every girl wears her hair in a pony tail and reads poetry for some reason and all the courtiers wear very bright clothes. It makes them look like parrots. I once made this remark to my friend when we saw a couple of those rainbow-clothed youngsters. They all felt offended for some reason and one of them drew his rapier and started shouting something about demanding satisfaction" "Oh, what did you do the?" The other girl asked with a worried look "Did you kill him?" "Oh no" Konrad laughed "I hit ‘em with my fist. I hared that he was unconscious for over three hours." Michal howled with laughter. "I see that you had fun in the capital. But you also wrote in your letters that you had to study a lot and that the training was very hard." "Oh, yes." Konrad replied with an innocent look "but I always found time for a drink or two with my friends" "A drink or two?" Michal asked suspiciously. "Yes, speaking about barrels." Konrad told his brother. "That's my brother for you." Michal said pouring himself another tankard. They drank, ate, talk and laughed for a whole day and a good part of the night. They went to sleep just before dawn and woke up late afternoon. "Oh, God my head hurts like if somebody used it for an anvil and hit it with a hammer a good number of times" Konrad complained with a pained expression. "Welcome home then brother." Michal teased. They bathed, ate paid the tavern keeper and started out towards Von Ringbach County, their home.