Thank you to cndcfrazier! Candace is the best editor ever.
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"Damn you, Vargo, you're going to do that in the sight of gods and queefs?"
"The spoils of war apply to everything, Florian. Or don't you know that?" Vargo leered at Florian, moving closer. Florian took a step back, fear clear in his eyes. "I didn't mean nothing by it, Vargo. You know that."
"I do, do I? How would I know, Florian? From what I hear you're as much of a snake as the enemy that opposes us so." He narrowed his eyes at Florian. "And yet you expect me to take you at your word." He turned away from Florian, pacing back and forth before him. "The next time you question anything I do, it will be your corpse rotting on the ground, and my cock in your mouth. Do you understand me, scum?"
Florian nodded vigorously. "Yes." He nodded some more. "Yes."
Vargo turned away from him, seemingly disgusted. It wasn't the first time. To Florian, Vargo was the sort of man who couldn't feel anything but hate. Then again, if you were a commander of Ser Coochie's Army, you had no other choice.
Florian adjusted his hilt and followed Vargo, who was approaching his fellow commanders. He spared a quick look back at the corpse Vargo had just defiled.
The poor man's neck had been split open, and there was an axe sticking out of his head. His mouth was wide open, and his eyes gaped in disbelief - he looked like he'd had a great fright on his way toward death. It wasn't clear to Florian whether or not Vargo had been the one to deal the final blow.
Florian turned back around, shaking the image out of his head. Best not to dwell on it, he thought.
"A fine victory," Florian heard Commander Davos say, as he approached them carefully.
"Indubitably." The response came from Commander Seaworth, notorious for shaving the foes he defeated in battle and then sliding them naked down densely populated, inclined outlets. "We can be sure that this war will soon come to an end."
Vargo smiled. "Should we be wishing for that, Seaworth? We have them, the enemy, on their knees, staring up at us with fearful, pitiful eyes, begging for mercy. Is it the way of the ruled to ever get what they want? Should they for the sake of our political system? I am not inclined to undermine what we have. Lesser men would of course," - he looked pointedly at Seaworth - "but I am of no such quality, as you all surely know by now. Besides, even if that notion was sheer folly, I would still urge a continued fighting of the enemy. As commanders of Coochie's Army, courage is what we have. Would that I could give it up and sign peace terms with an enemy that is so pathetic it makes my bowls itch." He scratched his arse and grinned at them all. "Would that I could."
"Yes, we'd all very much appreciate that, ser," remarked Commander Pillsworth in his quiet, determined voice. He regarded Vargo with somber eyes.
Vargo's grin disappeared; he was evidently peeved. "I wasn't asking you, old man. Leave the witty remarks at the Pontificum. You aren't here on this stinking battlefield for your intellect. Perhaps your squadron may have achieved better marks at Dunville if they had a commander who was cognizant of that."
Pillsworth's mouth curled upward, hinting at a smile. "And perhaps the Saliri's resources might have been ours, if only you had showed some restraint at Dunville, and not slaughtered their Dashma. No one doubts your prowess with a sword, but there is not one among us who hasn't questioned your decisions. To say they are suspect is to say nothing at all, for it is beyond obvious in the sight of gods and queefs."
Vargo turned a bright shade of red, fury turning his eyes into slits. Instead of responding to Pillsworth, he turned to Florian. "Florian return to my quarters. See that everything is arranged." Before Florian could hurry off, Vargo grabbed him, pulling him close. "Best you be on your way, boy. I am not in a forgiving mood, so don't err."
Florian gulped and stumbled away from Vargo and the rest of the commanders. They continued their discourse as Florian hurried off, half-running in the direction of Vargo's quarters.
Upon arriving, he threw back the curtains and saw that everything was in disarray. Grapes and other berries were strewn across the floor, mail and armor were haphazardly placed, and the walls were covered with a greasy substance that looked suspiciously like blood. Adding to his dismay, Florian saw the naked figure of Lynne - Vargo's betrothed - sprawled on a large chair. She was sleeping.
Florian let out a deep breath. This was a lot of work to handle, though he was wasn't unaccustomed to it. But the matter of Vargo's beloved was troublesome indeed. Florian knew that Vargo would have his head if he found out that Florian had seen her in such a compromised state. He'd have her head as well, most like, Florian thought.
Not that that was something he necessarily cared about. Lynne had always treated him with an air of indifference, such that Florian felt invisible in her presence. She only called on him to fulfill whatever wish she happened to desire at that particular moment. Capricious she was, that was for certain. Florian much preferred Vargo's casual air of maliciousness over the blatant apathy inherent in Lynne's manner.
At least Vargo shows some emotion, thought Florian, as he stared at the young girl's figure. She never even spares you so much as a glance. I'm the third heir to Vageland...don't I deserve more? More than that at least?