Volsten wasn’t a regretful man. Rarely did he dwell on past doings, regardless of how much he could learn from them. He saw no need for it. Each situation was unique, he told himself. There was little use in applying knowledge gained in a similar, but ultimately different situation to another.

Well, that was stupid, and he certainly felt regret now, lying in one of Hilda’s comfortable beds. Days had passed since he visited Ensgar, not even a week, and the road called.

He sat up and pushed the red curtain from the window, affording himself a view of the street below. If he almost broke his neck, he could see Henric stacking hay to the left. Much easier to see were the people milling about the walks, going about their lives without a care for anything else. Tradesmen, fishermen, workers. All bound to the city with iron chains, no hope of seeing things outside of it.

Volsten shuddered at the thought. Staying in one place for more than a few days drove him to near insanity.

He’d asked Henric about that, some time ago. How was it that a man even younger than him stood to do the same thing every day? Up before the first light of day, moving hay as if it was all he cared for. The big bastard simply laughed and patted him with a great paw. “Not everyone can be a knight, sir,” he’d said. “Some of us need to work.”

The logic held. Henric was right. But then he thought of himself waking to the same ceiling, the same bed, and the same haggard, unhappy woman within it. That was as far as his thoughts could go before his mind revolted against further imaginations.

He sighed and swiped at the stray blonde hair that covered his face. I should dress. There wasn’t much of that to do. Hilda was rather bullish about Atusa last night, so he’d spent it alone. That meant all but his trousers had come off.

Volsten was particularly annoyed. Atusa was always great fun, but these nights she was different. She moved on him like he hadn’t seen before. As if she wanted something. He didn’t know what, but he’d do his best to never give it to her if it meant she’d stay this voracious.

How easily she bowed to her mother in that. He thought it would be nothing for a grown woman to set her foot down. But knowing Atusa, this was no surprise.

Just as he began to stand, the door opened. Stepping in were two short figures. Tetira and Hikile. Each had their evil little hands on one side of a silver tray. The tray itself held only one cup, which was odd with how big it was.

That was secondary on his mind, however. “That door was locked,” Volsten said. He found this intrusion embarrassing, in a way. Had it been Atusa or even Hilda, he wouldn’t have cared, but he didn’t want these children to see him shirtless and bootless.

“A spare key for all rooms,” one of them said. Volsten was unsure which.

“I’m…not sure Hilda would approve of its use.” He watched as they slowly balanced the tray to the small stand next to his bed. It settled, and the twins turned to face him.

Now it was obvious which was which, at least to someone who saw them often. Both dressed the same down to their boots, and both styled their hair the same-braids on one side, scalp on the other-but, ah, that was the difference! Tetira’s braids ran down the right side of her head, and Hikile’s the left.

Inera help him if they ever switched it up.

“She doesn’t know, and you won’t tell her.” Hikile said that.

Volsten crossed his arms. “Try me. I’m a bit of a big mouth at times.

“You won’t tell her because we’ve done you a favor,” Tetira said.

He didn’t like the sound of that. “By bringing me a small cup?”

“The cup’s not empty, you-“ Hikile pressed her lips into one. “It’s some of our-our mother’s brew.”

“Fresh,” Tetira said with a smile. “We know you like it.”

Well, they were right about that. Hilda’s beer was the best in the city, and perhaps the best in the kingdom. It was a tragedy that she reserved it for special occasions, such as her and her daughter’s birthdays. And he found it hard to believe that today was any of their birthdays.

“Kind, but I must wonder why two children pay so much attention to a grown man’s drinking habits.”

That was the wrong thing to say for some reason, because Hikile looked ready to swing. “We only know because you drink everything on our birthday, then pass out on the tables!”

She wasn’t wrong.

“Does it matter?” Tetira interjected. “We’ve done something nice for you. Drink it.”

And that’s why I’m a little worried. Nevertheless, he took the cup in his hand. It was a little warmer than he’d have liked, but Tetira was right, if a bit insistent.

Volsten held the cup in front of him and stared down into it. A deep amber abyss stared back. He looked up at the twins, who clasped their hands innocently on their white dresses. Both had wide smiles on their faces, and had he not known them to be the imps they were, it would have been adorable. Well, perhaps not Hikile. They had the same face, yes, but Hikile’s smiles always made her face look like a human mask, something her sister didn’t struggle with.

There was mischief afoot, but Volsten couldn’t place it. With a shrug, he brought the cup to his lips.

He paused. Something was certainly wrong here. The aroma was more…pungent than he remembered. Now, that may not have been enough to stop him, but the unmistakable grunt of a held in laugh put strength to his observation.

“Ah,” he said, lowering the cup. “I can’t drink in front of such young, impressionable ladies.” His tone was knightly.

“Oh, we don’t mind,” Tetira said. “Patrons drink like beasts in front of us all the time.”

“You’re one of them!” Hikile’s mouth almost didn’t move. She was still trying her best to give a human smile.

“It’s a new rule of mine. Out of respect for Hilda.”

“That’s such a stupid rule!” Hikile dropped the smile to her usual scowl, and Volsten relaxed a little.

“I think it quite gentlemanly.” Volsten placed the strange beer back on the platter, and four eyes followed the cup as if it was their prized possession.

The twins looked at him, and one became the other. They twirled in unison so that their backs faced him. It was quite the feeling to be in nothing more than trousers with two creatures whispering in front of you.

They spun back around.

“We hope you regret that rule,” Tetira said diplomatically. She moved behind her sister to the tray.

Hikile eyed him, and then moved to the end of the tray closer to him. Too close, really, obscuring his vision with white. And she stood tense, more tense than one needed to be to handle a-

She pounced. Volsten was taken aback by how quick she was. Before he could realize that he was under attack, she’d managed to grapple her way onto his back and lock his left arm between her legs. Her arms wrapped his right one, trapping it against her upper body.

“What in Inera-“

“Open his mouth, Hikile!” Tetira said frantically. She stood before him, brown cup in hand.

“I’m busy!” Hikile’s voice grunted with exertion.

Why does she grunt? I haven't even attempted an escape!

“Uh…” Tetira stepped closer to him. Lines of worry were etched into her young dark face.

“Unhand me or I’ll tell your mother.”

“Shut…shut up liar!” Hikile grunted.

Liar? What have I…oh. Hilda’s angry face was foremost in his mind now. “It was a small lie…”

“She beat us!” Tetira said.

“So this is retribution. Will this foolishness end if I apologize?”

A unified “No!”

Tetira reached for his mouth with her free hand. Volsten placed a foot on her stomach and gave a light push. Well, he thought it to be light, but a grown man’s strength was multitudes greater than that of a little girl and Tetira flew back with a squeal.

Oops, he thought, but I’ve already begun. Might as well finish. He rose from the bed with ease, Hikile and all. It was at this point that he realized how precarious a sight this was. The door was still open, so anyone who walked past would be able to see. Two Khebian girls, one stretched out across his back, the other rubbing her backside as she rose from the floor.

And he was half naked. What if Atusa saw? She would have questions. Inera forbid Hilda saw this foolery.

Tetira had gathered herself. She still held the cup in her hand, and from what he could see, not so much as a drop of its contents had spilled. Tetira wasn’t usually the angry one, but his foot seemed to upset her quite a bit, for she ran at him this time.

Your mistake, girl. Volsten fell backwards like a pushed scarecrow. Hilda’s beds were soft, but the weight of a grown man proved too much for Hikile, for her legs uncoiled and her hands released him.

On the lower side of him, Tetira ran into a raised foot. He allowed her some leeway; he hadn’t stiffened his leg as to not harm her. She pushed his knee close to his chest, and for a moment they locked eyes. Victory, revenge, determination. All swirled in her dark brown eyes.

All vanished when she realized that she was as close as she was going to get. Volsten smiled and pushed. She stumbled backwards but balanced herself before she fell again. The cup survived.

She holds that cup as if it contained her soul!

Volsten sprang from the bed and to the open space near the foot of it, eyeing his attackers. Hikile was already off of the bed, and Tetira stood with an iron grip on that damned cup.

But, in a way, this was fun. He’d never had little sisters. Is this what I’ve been missing?

“Ladies,” Volsten said, placing an arm behind his back. “I understand that I’ve committed a great betrayal of your trust, but is this necessary? How would your sis-“

“Shut up!” Hikile sprinted for him.

Volsten waited for her to leap, but she didn’t. Instead she reared back a booted foot and aimed it between his legs. He wasn’t quite expecting that. Training gave him the bare reflexes to slow her leg, but the tip of her boot grazed its target.

The pain was immediate. Volsten made a sound that beat against his closed mouth, and within a moment he was bent over.

He heard a girl’s voice shout, and the stomping of boots on wood as someone approached. A hand grabbed at his mouth.

Well, this was fun. A tap between the legs was hardly the winning shot these girls thought it was. He grasped the offending hand with firmness. He lifted his head to see Tetira raising the cup, and Hikile’s angry face as she held his cheeks. I’m quite angry myself, you know.

Volsten pushed Hikile. It wasn’t a light push, and the girl flew from the foot of the bed to its middle.

Now he turned his attention to the other. He snatched the cup from her hand. “You’re insistent on making me drink this, but I have a better use for it!”

Volsten raised the cup high above Tetira’s braided hair.

She looked up at him, true fear in her eyes. “Wait!”

Too late. He tilted it, and the amber concoction poured in a stream onto her waiting head.

Hikile gasped. Tetira stood motionless until the cup was empty, until it ran down in disparate streams across her face and stained that long white dress. Her shoulders were raised, and every muscle in her face seemed to be cringing.

When it was finished, Hikile stepped over to them. She didn’t look angry. She did look at him as if he’d killed someone, however.

Volsten shrugged, then handed her the cup. “It’s beer, Hikile. She’ll be fine.”

Tetira began an ear-piercing wail.

“Inera’s grace,” Volsten sighed. “A bit dramatic, no?”

“Beer?” Hikile said, incredulous. “You just poured horse piss on my sister!”