12/25/2018
The Bar, or Tavern, or whatever one would call such a drinking hole full of merry contentment, was jam-packed full of Servicemembers on passes on both sides of the war that had abruptly ended only a few months ago. While neither side could barely and mostly not at all understand the other's language there was an unspoken understanding in the enlisted and officer alike between the Donnish and Coalition. The war was over, they weren't enemies anymore, it was time to party and be thankful they didn't die or remember those that did over a shot of whatever there was to drink (which to Coalition troopers, usually meant getting the aid of a Donnish Soldier or Civilian for whatever was the delicacy through broken English). They shared the establishment with each other and even drank with each other, some were lucky enough to get an Officer who could speak English or Donnish fluently and share a few war stories.
Not all on the Donnish side were content with this easy-going peace, especially in units with the most casualties from the conflict in Soraught and those who had family members taken by "collateral damage" in the initial invasion, and those who lost homes or other possessions that couldn't be replaced by money or insurance. Then the news came in that the Urranese had claimed Victory over a war that was barely fought between them. While the Coalition may have batted an eye on it or cheered a bit, those Donnish Soldiers that had lost much from the conflict were decidedly irked by the continued but slowly diminishing the presence of Coalition Troops in Soraught. Those that didn't care enough handwaved it away as a propaganda stunt and continued drinking with their peacetime army pals.
Those that didn't handwave it, felt a growing anger and frustration every time they saw an Esgonian waltzing down their street. And they clenched their fists when they saw a Portean Officer clumsily talking up a Donnish woman. Felt for rifles and pistols they no longer carried when they caught a glance of a Rattean flag patch on a uniform. Though most with anger didn't go straight to the want of murder, the thought did grab their attention. This was amplified by the fact that once the Civil War started, the coalition didn't help Keenes, they packed up and started leaving just as soon as they came and said they won.
The bar was in contrast to these negative thoughts. It was warm, filled with laughter and talking, in every seat, stool and table there were people talking, drinking and eating. There were photos on the walls of famous places in Soraught to go to, jerseys of Soccer teams that played in the city stadium and the pictures of leaders who had visited the bar. 2 were missing, Voy (reportedly "arrested" by a drunk Coalition Soldier) and Keenes (who had not yet gotten the chance to visit the bar). 2 Rangers from the 14th Ranger Light Cavalry Division, a Division that had received the brunt of the artillery bombardment on the westernmost Hill, sat in the corner in a booth. Between them was a newspaper, one of the headlines, "Urranese claim Victory in the War".
"A war that was barely started, they sat in this city for weeks during the war and they call that a fuckin' victory?" one of them exclaimed, a corporal. "I'd rather fight them all again than see that be published in a paper," he continued in Donnish. "Now they're sitting in our bar patting each other on the backs for a job well done... Bastards."
The other, a Private, eyed around as the Corporal spoke. They were on a pass given by their CO for a night in the town. They could drink, but not get drunk. His eye fell on the Esgonian flag belonging to what he assumed was a Seargent or something talking to a group of other Coalition members whom he couldn't nationally identify. He knew a little Esgonian (and knew it very poorly), mostly from the internet, he could hear a glimpse of their conversation. Whatever it was, it had agitated him enough to throw a glass over their head in a near miss.