Deleted Scene: Settlers of Talrega, chapter 2
Silly little captain bonding.Conversation drifted as Shiharam let himself in, kicking the snow off his boots. “You’ve never had coffee?” Tabasa was saying.
“Once, during finals.” Exhaustion tinged Haar’s voice, but whether authentic or from the memory, Shiharam couldn’t tell. “I was awake all night and crashed during the exam.”
Shiharam sat across from the hearth, an iron cauldron emitting a bitter tang he hadn’t smelled since his own academy days. Tabasa was already passing him a mug.
“If I recall,” Shiharam said, “I pulled some strings so you could retake that exam.”
Erich’s deep laugh filled the room; Tabasa smirked over the lip of his own mug. Haar glared at them both. “I’ve already thanked Lord Shiharam for his help, but since you brought it up... thank you, Commander.”
“So that’s how you were recruited so fast,” Erich said.
Haar sat up straighter. “That is absolutely not—”
“That’s enough,” Shiharam cut in. “You are all here because you’re capable soldiers.” The coffee was genuine, from what he could remember, if slightly bitter from overboiling. But the mug thawed his hands, and he would have to see about procuring them casual gloves.
Haar cleared his throat. “So what’s the latest from the top, Commander?”