Suggest a nearby brothel

A piece of ass? This is what goes for “nobility, chivalry, and honor”?

Alex looked at Roderick, questioningly. Surely, he must have misunderstood his master’s words.

Roderick laughed. “What’s the matter, boy? You think it’s easy traveling from one part of the kingdom to another all the time, fighting dragons, and defending the Crown? A fellow has to live a little! It’s been over a week since I felt the soft, supple breasts of a woman. I don’t mind telling you that I was sorely tempted to bend your mother over my knee and give her bum a good feel! I dare say you took your time getting weaned, didn’t you? No sense rushing to solid food when you’ve got titties like those offered to you three times a day, right, lad?”

Roderick roared with laughter and retrieved a flask from his saddle bag and took a long gulp before handing it to Alex. Alex took the flask and lifted it to his lips and nearly choked. His throat felt like it was on fire, and he was so alarmed by the sensation that he momentarily forgot the lewd remarks his master had just made about his mother.

“What’s the matter, boy?” laughed Roderick. “Haven’t you ever had fire water before? We’re going to have to toughen you up if you’re going to make it as my squire!”

At Roderick’s urging, Alex took another drink from the flask. It still tasted vile, but it didn’t hurt his throat nearly as much this time. He handed the flask back to Roderick, who said, “Now, about finding that piece of ass.... Where’s a good place around here? A young, strapping fellow like yourself should know every pretty young thing who is willing to spread her legs, right?”

In truth, Alex was even less experienced with wanton women than he was with fire water. His mother’s warnings to him about the two were essentially the same: don’t go there.

Not wanting to disappoint Roderick or have him think less of him, however, he offered a possibility — a place his mother warned him about many a time. Although, as a warm feeling began to develop in Alex’s chest, numbing the burning sensation from the drink, her warnings did not seem nearly as urgent, for some reason

“Well, there’s this tavern down by the river by the sawmill. It’s called, ‘Kelly’s.’”

“Ah, that sounds like just the place to go, lad!” bellowed Roderick, who urged his horse on with renewed urgency.

Soon the two men topped a hill and were able to look down toward the river. Alex had been there several times, but steadfastly went straight to the sawmill, not daring to venture too close to Kelly’s. Now, looking at the establishment, he wondered what could possibly be so dangerous about it. From his vantage point, it appeared to be no different than the tiny inn at the center of his village.

“Oh, that looks like just the place, boy!” said Roderick. “I admire your taste. Let’s go down and do a little window shopping, shall we?”

As they approach Kelly’s, Alex’s perception of it as a simple inn begins to change. The first thing he notices is the difference in the clientele. Unlike the inn back home, there is a notable absence of women and children killing about. Actually, that’s only half true: there are women, but not the type Alex is accustomed to seeing. These women all have an abundance of makeup, and they are decidedly less modest in their manner of dress. Alex feels his face grow hot as he sees more cleavage in five minutes than he has seen in his 18 years.

Roderick thrusts the flask into his hands again. “Take another swig, boy. You have earned it by bringing us here!”

Alex takes another drink, bracing himself for the effect, but strangely, this time the fire water goes down rather smoothly, and fuels the now-pleasant warmth that is radiating from deep within him. He returns the flask to Roderick just as they arrive at Kelly’s. Roderick and Alex dismount, and Roderick hands the horse’s reins to him.

“Tend to the horses, boy,” he commands. “I’m going to see how the fillies look on the inside.” Without so much as a glance back, Roderick bounds the steps to the establishment, leaving Alex to care for the horses.

He finds a place to secure the animals and then supplies them with food and water. Once done with this task, he looks around. Several people are milling around. He sees workers going to and from the sawmill. He sees men going in and out of Kelly’s, and he sees a woman standing outside the door where Roderick entered.