THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

A mug of something warming?""Just milk, thank you," Seraphina replied, her voice tinged with a weariness that contrasted with the cheery ambience of the place."Coming right up!" the woman chirped before disappearing down the creaking wooden stairs.Silence descended upon the table, punctuated only by the clinking of silverware below them from patrons and the quiet bustle of the morning.David, Luna, and Seraphina had left the Blackwood Manor earlier that morning.

After David\'s intense battle with Draven, he sought answers from Seraphina. She suggested they move to a more comfortable place, free from the lingering scent of bloodshed, to have their conversation. Beyond the immediate need for answers, a deeper curiosity gnawed at Seraphina. David had confessed his desire, the words raw and unpolished.

Now, in the cool light of dawn, she yearned to understand the tapestry woven between them. What threads bound them together? Was it mere convenience, or something more profound? This conversation, she hoped, would unravel the knot that tied their fates.The silence hung heavy around the breakfast table, broken only by the soft clinking of spoons against mugs.

Seraphina, her gaze steady and unwavering, finally shattered the quiet. "My Lord," she began, her voice a gentle rasp, "Since we will be working together..." she paused, allowing the weight of her words to settle. David, understanding her implicit question, nodded in affirmation."What do you intend for me to do?" she asked, her curiosity mingled with caution.David turned his full attention to her.

A flicker of understanding danced in his moonlight eyes. He saw the unvoiced question hanging in the air – what did becoming an ally truly mean for someone like Seraphina? A slow, almost predatory smile spread across his face, sending a tremor down her spine."Hmm," he mused, a hint of mischief lacing his voice, "quite a lot, actually." He leaned back in his chair, drawing out the suspense.

"But first things first – building trust."Seraphina\'s brow furrowed. Building trust? With this unpredictable creature of chaos? "Trust," she echoed, the word tasting foreign on her tongue. "But how do we build trust when we\'re strangers?"A glint of amusement flickered in David\'s eyes, his smile widening further. "Strangers?" he countered, his voice a teasing lilt.

"Who says we\'re strangers, Seraphina?"The question hung in the air, a challenge cloaked in veiled amusement. Seraphina felt a flush creep up her neck. True, they had shared a single harrowing night, yet she knew nothing substantial about him. With a wary smile, she challenged him back, "And just how well do you truly know me, Young Lord?"Their eyes locked, a silent battle of wills unfolding.

This question, this need to understand the person she was tethered to, was as crucial as any battle they might face together.

In that moment, the future, as uncertain as the rising dawn, hinged on this first tentative step towards forging an unlikely alliance.Before Seraphina could get her answer, the tavern waitress returned, expertly balancing a tray in both hands.****The Rusty Dragon roared with life – a haven carved from rough-hewn timber and laughter in the heart of the bustling town.

Sunlight lanced through high windows, casting dancing squares of gold across the worn cobblestone floor. The air crackled with the scent of roasted meats and spilt ale, a symphony of aromas that spoke of countless battles won and lost.Every corner whispered of camaraderie. A crackling fire cast flickering shadows in the hearth, beckoning weary travellers to huddle close.

Here, tucked away in intimate nooks draped with ivy, secrets were shared and fortunes were gambled.

The Rusty Dragon wasn\'t just a place to eat and drink; it was a living tapestry woven with laughter and spilt blood, a place where legends were born and whispered into the rafters.With a confidence that belied the strangeness of their company, Seraphina led David and Luna through the throng of patrons.

Ignoring the curious glances that followed them, she surprised both the owner and themselves by demanding the use of the entire upper floor. A single flash of Terran gold, a material as rare as it was opulent, smoothed the way. The owner, a burly man with a booming laugh, quickly shuffled some patrons and scurried to prepare their private sanctuary.

As they ascended the creaking wooden staircase.****"Here is your order, folks,"The waitress, with a flourish that belied the weight of the laden tray, descended upon their table. A symphony of aromas, a chaotic conductor leading a chorus of sizzling bacon, sweet bread, and something faintly magical, flooded David\'s senses.

His eyes, accustomed to the grim tapestry of war, widened in surprise at the sight before him. This wasn\'t breakfast; it was a declaration.A golden-crusted egg omelette, a crown jewel atop the feast, boasted a heart of wild mushrooms, smoky ham, and a dusting of emerald herbs that whispered of forgotten forests.

Beside it, a slab of crispy bacon, its edges catching the sunlight like captured flames, sent tendrils of smoky temptation towards David\'s nose.A ceramic bowl overflowed with enchanted forest berries, their skins catching the light as if dusted with morning dew. Legends whispered of their vitality-boosting properties, a welcome boon after the night\'s ordeal.

A wedge of aged dwarven cheese, its sharpness a counterpoint to the sweetness of honey-glazed bread, sat beside the berries, a study in perfect balance. The bread, still radiating the warmth of the oven, begged to be devoured.For his drink, a steaming mug of spiced cider, its colour reminiscent of a fiery sunset, promised warmth from within.

The tavern, it seemed, brewed this concoction using apples harvested under the glow of a full moon, imbuing it with an otherworldly potency. The final flourish – a slice of cloudberry pie.

Its delicate crust, a canvas of golden perfection, held a filling that shimmered with an ethereal glow, as if the very essence of the clouds had been captured within."Compliments of the chef," the waitress chirped, her smile as warm as the rising sun, before disappearing into the bustling tavern crowd.

David and Seraphina exchanged glances, a silent acknowledgement of the unexpected generosity.A smile, as warm as the butter glistening on the bread, played on Seraphina\'s lips as she addressed David. "I trust this delights you, young lord?"David, his usual stoicism momentarily shattered by the extravagant spread before him, practically vibrated with excitement.

He fought the urge to let out a whoop of joy, settling instead for a nod that bordered on manic, "Not too bad.""Dig in," Seraphina urged, a genuine warmth radiating from her. "It\'s my treat."Luna, on the other hand, her gaze flickering suspiciously between the human delicacies and her own sharpened senses, seemed less than convinced.

"Young Master," she began, a hesitant note in her voice, "I fear this... sustenance... may not agree with me."David, ever the enthusiast, snagged a strip of crispy bacon, its edges catching the sunlight like miniature spears. "Nonsense, Luna," he coaxed, the playfulness in his voice mirroring the way he might tempt a skittish kitten with a dangling string.

"Try it, it\'s divine."Luna, accustomed to her raw meat diet, found herself torn. While the tantalizing aroma of the food teased at her senses, a wariness of unfamiliar human cuisine lingered. But faced with her master\'s unwavering insistence, she cautiously accepted the offering, taking a tentative bite of the bacon.A blush, as sudden as a burst of flame, flooded her cheeks.

Her eyes, usually as sharp as flint, widened in surprise at the explosion of flavor. The salty, smoky essence danced on her tongue, igniting a new sensation unlike anything she\'d experienced before.

With a low growl that hinted at both apprehension and delight, she snatched the bacon from David\'s hand, devouring it in a single, savage bite.As Luna, with renewed determination, began to dismantle the meal like a miniature whirlwind, David and Seraphina burst into laughter.

This unexpected moment of shared amusement, fueled by Luna\'s ravenous hunger and David\'s unbridled enthusiasm, created a warmth that transcended the delicious food on the table. It was a warmth that promised a bond far stronger than a shared breakfast in a bustling tavern.While David revelled in the unexpected bounty of breakfast, a storm brewed far beneath the bustling tavern.

News of his rampage, the shattered fingers of the underworld top guild, spread faster than a panicked imp on roller skates. Panic pulsed through the obsidian veins of the criminal network.Somewhere, sometime later in a dimly lit chamber, a benefactor, his face cloaked in perpetual shadow, received the news.

A vein throbbed in his temple, mirroring the rhythm of the blacksmith\'s hammer that had shattered his plans. This upstart, this unknown man, was a wild card, a predator stalking the fringes of his carefully constructed web.The air in the chamber crackled with a dangerous energy. Time, a concept as fluid as molten gold in this realm, was now David\'s most cunning adversary.

Would the benefactor, his tendrils gripping every corner of the underworld, be able to crush this rebellion before it even bloomed? Or would David, fueled by defiance and a taste of victory, tear through the carefully constructed shadows, leaving a trail of chaos in his wake?

Only time, and the clinking of plates and laughter echoing from the Rusty Dragon above, could tell.****A/n: thank you, everyone, for reading TGD, please continue to support me: tickets, powerstones, good reviews and gifts, anything to make this lowly author happy and I promise to tell you a tale fitting of your coin.note: I owe you guys bonus chapter courtesy of Sil3nt_1, saddle up for the updates today.