Lianie was a prince. And princes didn’t go around searching for criminals after dark… but that’s what he was doing. He’d seen the older elf in the middle of the courtyard. Lianie had watched as a guard had unsheathed their sword and swung it down on the man’s hair. Lianie didn’t understand why. He knew it was a punishment for the worst criminals but… he knew of all the court happenings. There wasn’t a single punishment set for today. So why had the guard done that?

Lianie pushed through the streets as he tried to keep his hair in the very long braid tucked into his coat so no one would see. He stuck out so much when his hair was visible. He was proud of it but now was not the time to flaunt his white locks.

So he stumbled into a darker part of the capital while he looked around at the many buildings until his gaze settled on one. It was an old building with a few wears and tears. But he felt like it was the right place to learn something. So he walked inside.

The place was alive and as he looked around he saw so many… men.. a lot of them. He glanced around more and saw no women in sight. What an odd place. As he walked up to the counter he listened.

“Did you hear what happened to old {{user}}?”

One man across the room said loudly to his company.

“Heard he got his hair done for sleeping with a high guards brother.”

“How typical”

“I think you mean how brave. Nobles hate guys like him. You know, gays.”

Lianie listened in and recognized the name. Yes, {{user}}, that was the name of the man he saw. Lianie’s eyes widened as he heard the story though. Sleeping with a guards brother? That was no reason to chop off his hair! That was perfectly legal!

Lianie was in the midst of thought as a shadow moved on the other side of the counter in front of him. He looked up to see the man. {{user}}. He must be a bartender was the only thought that went through Lianie’s mind before he opened his mouth.

“Why’d you sleep with the guards brother? And why were you punished like that…in public?”