under the field

Karl

The Swam has always been the best tavern in the area, maybe a decade ago.It's just that I don't remember exactly when I was last here, I just remember that I came with Francis, and in that case, at least eight years.

The tavern's business has always been very good. As always, when the wooden door is opened, there will be a lot of people's voices. It seems that only it has been forgotten by time, and it has not changed at all.Very classic stone decoration, with a vast brick floor inside, high beams, and dim orange lights.

"Scream!" Nigel sighed loudly at the front, as soon as he entered the door, he could see the fire and grill in the center of the tavern lobby.On the rack tonight is a roasted lamb, exuding the mouth-watering smell of incense, while the tables, chairs and wine barrels are arranged vertically around the fire, extending to the bar counter in the innermost center of the tavern. There are people sitting at the table.

The person at the bar is no longer an old bartender, but replaced by a slightly younger face.Seeing our arrival, a woman dressed as a young woman immediately handed the tray in her hand to the tavern staff beside her, and rushed to the front of Hasting girl like a butterfly to hug her.

"I'm so glad you're here!" she smiled at us. "The tavern was so busy tonight!" She herself ushered us to a long table in the corner near the bar.

"In addition to the roasted whole lamb tonight, there is also my husband's best seafood baked rice!" At this time, a guest called her from a distant table. After she settled us down, she hurriedly left.

"I'm not interested in seafood gratin, that's my goal." Sitting beside him, Nigel turned around and looked at the grill in the middle of the tavern.

On the other side, Shay said: "I want to eat everything!" Then he glanced at me quietly and whispered: "The food in Wellsburg is too bad..." I still heard it clearly.

"Hahahahaha! If you don't come with us, we've tasted all kinds of food." Otis looked at Selena and Hasting girl from the side. "If you don't believe me, ask these two ladies."

"Yes, Otis stew." Selena rolled her eyes.Xie Yi was surprised: "You guys are so downcast that you let the princess eat stew?"

Nigel laughed. "You do have them. What are they made of? Shellfish? Rats?"

"Lizard eggs." Colin, who was sitting by the wall, said, he turned his head and looked at Hasting girl, and the two laughed together.It's really strange, at least it's the first time in the past few years that Colin Nottingham showed such a familiar look in the Wells area, laughing without any scruples, and he is still as proud as the high-spirited Nottingham son in the past A sense of superiority, and a look of fearlessness.

"I really want to know what the signature beer here is." Otis flipped through the menu on the table: "Does anyone know?"

No one at the table knew the answer.

"Fruity wine." I said.Everyone looked at me in unison, and I said, "The tavern owner has his own winery and his own orchard."

Hasting girl spoke first, "Have you been here before?" I nodded.

The young woman from just now came over, and this time she brought several waiters to serve the dishes.I looked, and there was lamprey pie, goat cheese with baked apples, butternut squash and turnip soup, and finally a seafood gratin served in a pot by the man.

"It seems that there are experts among the guests." He wiped his hands on the chef's uniform in front of him, turned his head and told the waiter, "Bring the barreled fruit puree to the gentlemen and ladies at this table." He leaned down to observe me, and when he saw me looking over, he smiled shyly, "Sorry, I just think you look familiar."

I took a sip of the fruit puree wine, which had a mixed sweetness of grapes and cherries mixed with the mellow malt wine, urging people to relax. "I've been here a few times before."

"The one sitting on the sill near the window, right?"

I still remember those days when I was still a tall kid, at least around Francis, I always looked childish and small.And he always chooses the high seat in the tavern as a prank, and enjoys seeing me struggling to get on the chair.

But at least now I'm able to sit on those high stools with ease and I don't have to jump off them recklessly to keep myself on the ground and no one sees or makes fun of me for these things anymore .

"Well, are you the boss' son?"

"Yes, my father died early in the year, and I just came back here from the southern town to inherit his tavern and winery."

"The wine is great." I raised my glass to signal to him, and he said happily, "It's a good thing the taste is still there, otherwise my father might come into a dream and kill me." He made a gesture of wiping his neck .

In the middle of the back, some guests at the table began to play the violin, and some people sang.

"The Swam's permanent 'guest in residence'." The tavernkeeper smiled, reminding me of this continuing tradition.It's partly because of this that I haven't set foot in the tavern again in all these years.

People who love to play musical instruments often come here. They control the happy atmosphere here. When children are present, cheerful folk songs are played. Sometimes it can be a night tune, which makes people enjoy the rare quiet beauty in the bar.People like this tavern not only because it has simple wine and delicacies, but also because it is a corner where people temporarily forget their identity and troubles. Most people who can dance to the music forget important things and responsibilities.

For a long time when Francis came here, he would put his arms around any beautiful girl who came to ask for a dance, and then teased me who was sitting on a high stool and ignored no one: "A girl who really likes you doesn't do it because of you." I made fun of you because I couldn’t get off the high stool, Karl.” He never let go of any opportunity to educate and laugh at me. He sat here one day and said to me, "Carl, I think I'm in love with someone."

He said that if his life was gray and black, the encounter with this girl would be the only bright and bright color, "I think you know it too, Joyce Nottingham of Runrun Castle." He drank Taking a sip of fruit puree and malt, "You often fight with her brother." He added with a smile: "You often lose."

They soon got engaged.On the night of the engagement party, they sneaked here from Wellsburg. In the cheerful performance of the band, the two danced happily, like two children stealing candy, and then got drunk Drunk, hugging each other and sleeping on the floor next to the grill, Colin later described Joyce as coming home "smelling like roast lamb."

Later on, Francis became a father, he was always fast, he was a role model, he was always ahead of me, every step of his life, and I just had to look at him as a role model, because he has always been Yes, a man who is trustworthy, entrusted and relied on means that every word he says is serious, and what I can do is to obey him, because I believe in him, even if the environment is disadvantaged, people have already Can't see the odds.

The imperial army was about to break through the siege, and he was covered in filth in his armor. Obviously, he had no time to worry about whether he could take a bath in the air.

"Carl, my dearest brother." He said, "I'm here to tell you good news and entrust you with a task." He joked as usual, but his face was never serious.

"They are about to come in." Francis wiped the dirt and blood on a sword with a cloth, and said quickly, "Of course this is not the good news I want to say."

"The good news is that you are going to be an uncle, and I..." He patted his chest with a smile, "I'm going to be a father!" His hand was firmly on my shoulder, as if he had put all the chips on my shoulders To me, "Carl, I need you to bring Joyce and the boy back to Runrun for me."

"Impossible, I won't leave!" I couldn't believe it, "We agreed to fight together!"

"I know, Carl. But right now, I can only trust you. The person who can walk away, I trust you the most." He stared into my eyes, his eyes deepened: "You have to do this, they It's about to come in."

"I can stay, you can take them away!" I retorted.

"No, Carl." He still looked at me calmly, "This is the first and last time I'm asking you to do that."

"Please bring Joyce and the baby back to Runrun Castle for me, and I will stay and fight with Colin."

"No..." I looked at Francis.

Colin came in from the gate, he looked at us hastily, and said to us: "If you want to leave, you have to take advantage of tonight, the city gate will be completely closed tonight, and one of the last batch of people is a minister's mistress. Go, you can take the opportunity to leave here with them."

"Carl." Francis looked at me with pleading eyes.I picked up my sword and cloak, and he came and hugged me tightly: "Be careful." Then he let go of me and strode away.

Colin walked up to me, "Joyce will leave you alone."

I nodded, seeing that he looked no less embarrassed than me. In the past, we would have ridiculed each other like a prodigal dog without mercy, but in the most urgent situation right now, we are not even sure whether we will meet again in the future up.The queen regent bloodbathed the eight families that participated in the uprising, leaving only the few soldiers of Nottingham and Lovett and the remaining rebel organizations.

"I'll take care of Joyce for you, and you take care of Francis for me," I said.

Colin took the hand I extended to him: "I'll bring him back."

Frances hugged Joyce tightly, she bowed her head and sobbed in his arms, but they had to let go.He kissed her forehead, then knelt down on one knee and kissed her belly.Then, they let go of each other's hands for the last time, and Joyce never looked back. With a stubborn soul like Francis, she supported her and their children to leave there.

And then I don't want to think about it, I just remember that there is no later.