19th of Summer, 513AV
18th Bell
Tsukiko walked among the tables, stopping to chat here and there as she went by, having gradually grown somewhat at ease among the strangers that passed through the doors of the Rearing Stallion. Some, she had begun to recognize as regulars, many coming from diverse walks of life; from off-duty knights, to some of the seedier company. This evening, she had noticed an odd feeling, as if there were something or someone watching her. It was constantly putting her on edge, though she tried to disguise it with smiles. She did not like the feeling at all, not liking the thought that she had gained the interest of someone she could not see. Nervously, she began to hum under her breath to calm herself, and her way back to the bar while her tone changed in quality when she reached the higher notes, her tenseness causing her throat to constrict ever so slightly.
'Huh,' she thought, pausing at an abandoned table to pick up the empty mugs, wiping it down a damp cloth. 'Why am I so nervous? It.. It's not like this is the first time...' With that in mind, she did her best to ignore the sensation and got on with her work. She brought the mugs to the bar, passing them over to be cleaned, before returning to the floor, heading for a raised hand near the dais on the northern end of the tavern. It belonged to a girl who seemed quite flirtatious to say the least, as she was sitting in the lap of a burly man. "What would you like?" she asked as she reached the pair. No sooner had she asked, the pair gained some come company in the form of a similar pair and a lone cove. As they group payed their pleasantries, Tsukiko looked around the room, noticing that she no longer had the nagging feeling from moments ago. "Come to join us from the other side? Hmm?" giggled the girl to her new company. Tsukiko glanced at them out of the corner of her eye, observing that they seemed to belong to the seedier side of things. Seeming to recall that the barmaid stood there, the girl asked "Ah, what would you like?" turning her gaze to her companion, who upon a closer look, seemed to be slightly dazed, though from what, Tsukiko could not tell as man shrugged in response. "Two beers and an ale here," said one of the newcomers, this time the man accompanied by a girl. At least this one seemed to be older, she thought, mentally noting down their orders. "Mmm, then a beer and an ale," replied the first girl as she shared a wink with the other man. "Alright, be right back," she said before weaving her way back to the bar.
Calling out her order to Kevith and the other bartender, she collected her cargo as it came, balancing them on the tray she carried so they would not spill, and made her way back to the group, careful of any obstacle in her path. She had grown used to the weight of the mugs, which had been quite the surprise on her first day, with their sturdiness and contents. It had taken days for her arms to grow used to lifting and raising her arms with them in order to dodge a head here and a storytelling hand there. If anything, she had even gained some muscle from it, as she wove her way among the customers. At least her foot work had improved enough that she no longer tripped on the misplaced feet or luggage in her path, even if she was not quite looking for it. One of the only things that caused her any trouble was the stray hand that went for a feel where it had no business going. As friendly as she could be, she was also quick to anger, though for the sake of her employer, she had been doing her best to keep her temper in check. Usually, a simple pat, pinch, or steely smile resolved the situation, but she had heard from the other two that there were others that did not take the hint. Tsukiko had admired the way in which the other two handled such customers, having found their own way of untangling themselves out of such grips; whether it was with an unfulfilled promise, a playful scolding, or even a lusty wink. It was skills like these that she slowly tried to mimic, even getting a few successful results.
Reaching the table, she began to pass out the mugs while they talked animatedly. She stood beside the lone man, who turned to look at her as she set them down. He smiled in a way that was friendly enough, though something about him made her uncomfortable, though she couldn't quite place it. That is, until she felt a hand stroking her discreetly out of the view of other patrons. He seemed to be in his later thirties, perhaps forties, sporting an few nasty scars and a breath like the stench of a carcase. The cove's smile had turned from friendly to a smirk, and she couldn't help but have the urge to slap him across the face. Instead, she recalled something she had been told by the other maids and Kevith when they had instructed her on what her job entailed. "A barmaid is someone who helps the tavern run smoothly, someone who keeps the customers happy; not someone who causes a brawl to break out." Keeping that in mind, she forced her temper down, taking a few deep breaths as she placed the last mug on the table. Straightening up, she looked down at the man, smiled sweetly, and asked in a tone that could cut steel, "Is there anything I can help you with?" The man's smile widened, either at the prospect of a challenge, ignoring her hint entirely or perhaps not catching on, replied, "I don't suppose you are new here? How about taking a seat and having a chat?" making a show of looking around the table, he turned back to face her. "As there are no more seats left, I suppose you could have a seat here?" he said with a brow raised, a cocky smile spreading across his face as he indicated towards his knee. 'Ooo, he is so asking for it,' she thought, temper surging once more. "Ah, sorry, I have to get on with my work," she replied, not apologetic in the least. "Oh, don't be like that! You could spare a few moments," he said as he reached for her wrist, probably to tug her towards him. Thinking quickly, she tried one of the tricks she had seen the other two use. Moving his target out of reach by placing her hand on her tray, she smiled, "Perhaps later, when things die down some? I wouldn't want to get too behind, or I'll never keep up!" Before he could reply, she hurried off, feeling his eyes on her back the entire way.
She took refuge at the bar, pointedly looking in any direction but the table. Inside she fumed at the thought of the cocky son of a... no. She shouldn't think like this. Feeling someone give her a gentle bump, she glanced up to see Brucila, one of the other barmaids, who gave her a knowing look. "Looks like you've got yourself tangled up," she stated, tilting her head slightly in the man's direction. "Those types don't give up easy once they're set on something. Especially when they are bored and are looking for something to do; they enjoy the challenge." Sighing as if she were recalling something, the other woman surveyed the room. "But, as Kevith said, it is our job to keep things running as smoothly as possible, whether or not the costumers make it easy," she added with a wry smile, picking up her order. Dipping close, she whispered, "However, Kevith isn't one leave a damsel-in-distress, so don't worry if things get a bit serious." With that, she gave a small wink before heading off and calling out to her customers, meeting some replies and laughter.
Tsukiko admired the way with which the other barmaid handled herself, and absently wondered if she could do the same.
Still, despite the small pep-talk, she could not bring herself to go near the man, and tried to avoid their table entirely, serving tables on the opposite side of the tavern for as long as she could, though she knew she wouldn't be able to keep it up for the entire night. Any time she neared him, they repeated their little dance, each time the aggravating cove becoming more and more bold, to the point where even a few tables around them were shooting him glares and earning her some sympathetic looks.
Eventually, she had had enough, her pinches and steely glares having no affect on his overly curious hands, other than a few red marks, and she considered mentioning it to Kevith. This was quickly discarded, Tsukiko deeming it not worth the retired knights time, instead deciding that she would beg an early night off before she did something stupid, like bashing the cove's head with her tray. Leaning against the bar, she waited until she got his attention. " Uh... Ummm... would it be alright if I got off early?" she asked, not sure how to breach the topic, mumbling nervously, "I.. was hoping to get some fishing in, since I haven't done so for quite sometime..." berating herself silently for coming up with a lame excuse. It was still about four bells before her shift was over, around sunset. He considered her for a few moments, his eyes unreadable. If she thought about it later, she would have realized that the retired knight had likely seen her exchanges with the unrelenting man, and had probably seen many similar situations. Turning to wipe some mugs, he gruffly replied, "As long as you make up the time..." seeming to take pity on her. Relieved and nodding quickly, she replied, "Definitely! I'll bring some fish to Remi as well," she added grinning. "Deal. No off with ya," he replied as he turned his back to her as he took an order from a waiting customer, for all appearances dismissing her. "Thank you!" she called, slipping her apron and tray into their respective places before collecting her things, and escaping out the kitchen door.
18th Bell
Tsukiko walked among the tables, stopping to chat here and there as she went by, having gradually grown somewhat at ease among the strangers that passed through the doors of the Rearing Stallion. Some, she had begun to recognize as regulars, many coming from diverse walks of life; from off-duty knights, to some of the seedier company. This evening, she had noticed an odd feeling, as if there were something or someone watching her. It was constantly putting her on edge, though she tried to disguise it with smiles. She did not like the feeling at all, not liking the thought that she had gained the interest of someone she could not see. Nervously, she began to hum under her breath to calm herself, and her way back to the bar while her tone changed in quality when she reached the higher notes, her tenseness causing her throat to constrict ever so slightly.
'Huh,' she thought, pausing at an abandoned table to pick up the empty mugs, wiping it down a damp cloth. 'Why am I so nervous? It.. It's not like this is the first time...' With that in mind, she did her best to ignore the sensation and got on with her work. She brought the mugs to the bar, passing them over to be cleaned, before returning to the floor, heading for a raised hand near the dais on the northern end of the tavern. It belonged to a girl who seemed quite flirtatious to say the least, as she was sitting in the lap of a burly man. "What would you like?" she asked as she reached the pair. No sooner had she asked, the pair gained some come company in the form of a similar pair and a lone cove. As they group payed their pleasantries, Tsukiko looked around the room, noticing that she no longer had the nagging feeling from moments ago. "Come to join us from the other side? Hmm?" giggled the girl to her new company. Tsukiko glanced at them out of the corner of her eye, observing that they seemed to belong to the seedier side of things. Seeming to recall that the barmaid stood there, the girl asked "Ah, what would you like?" turning her gaze to her companion, who upon a closer look, seemed to be slightly dazed, though from what, Tsukiko could not tell as man shrugged in response. "Two beers and an ale here," said one of the newcomers, this time the man accompanied by a girl. At least this one seemed to be older, she thought, mentally noting down their orders. "Mmm, then a beer and an ale," replied the first girl as she shared a wink with the other man. "Alright, be right back," she said before weaving her way back to the bar.
Calling out her order to Kevith and the other bartender, she collected her cargo as it came, balancing them on the tray she carried so they would not spill, and made her way back to the group, careful of any obstacle in her path. She had grown used to the weight of the mugs, which had been quite the surprise on her first day, with their sturdiness and contents. It had taken days for her arms to grow used to lifting and raising her arms with them in order to dodge a head here and a storytelling hand there. If anything, she had even gained some muscle from it, as she wove her way among the customers. At least her foot work had improved enough that she no longer tripped on the misplaced feet or luggage in her path, even if she was not quite looking for it. One of the only things that caused her any trouble was the stray hand that went for a feel where it had no business going. As friendly as she could be, she was also quick to anger, though for the sake of her employer, she had been doing her best to keep her temper in check. Usually, a simple pat, pinch, or steely smile resolved the situation, but she had heard from the other two that there were others that did not take the hint. Tsukiko had admired the way in which the other two handled such customers, having found their own way of untangling themselves out of such grips; whether it was with an unfulfilled promise, a playful scolding, or even a lusty wink. It was skills like these that she slowly tried to mimic, even getting a few successful results.
Reaching the table, she began to pass out the mugs while they talked animatedly. She stood beside the lone man, who turned to look at her as she set them down. He smiled in a way that was friendly enough, though something about him made her uncomfortable, though she couldn't quite place it. That is, until she felt a hand stroking her discreetly out of the view of other patrons. He seemed to be in his later thirties, perhaps forties, sporting an few nasty scars and a breath like the stench of a carcase. The cove's smile had turned from friendly to a smirk, and she couldn't help but have the urge to slap him across the face. Instead, she recalled something she had been told by the other maids and Kevith when they had instructed her on what her job entailed. "A barmaid is someone who helps the tavern run smoothly, someone who keeps the customers happy; not someone who causes a brawl to break out." Keeping that in mind, she forced her temper down, taking a few deep breaths as she placed the last mug on the table. Straightening up, she looked down at the man, smiled sweetly, and asked in a tone that could cut steel, "Is there anything I can help you with?" The man's smile widened, either at the prospect of a challenge, ignoring her hint entirely or perhaps not catching on, replied, "I don't suppose you are new here? How about taking a seat and having a chat?" making a show of looking around the table, he turned back to face her. "As there are no more seats left, I suppose you could have a seat here?" he said with a brow raised, a cocky smile spreading across his face as he indicated towards his knee. 'Ooo, he is so asking for it,' she thought, temper surging once more. "Ah, sorry, I have to get on with my work," she replied, not apologetic in the least. "Oh, don't be like that! You could spare a few moments," he said as he reached for her wrist, probably to tug her towards him. Thinking quickly, she tried one of the tricks she had seen the other two use. Moving his target out of reach by placing her hand on her tray, she smiled, "Perhaps later, when things die down some? I wouldn't want to get too behind, or I'll never keep up!" Before he could reply, she hurried off, feeling his eyes on her back the entire way.
She took refuge at the bar, pointedly looking in any direction but the table. Inside she fumed at the thought of the cocky son of a... no. She shouldn't think like this. Feeling someone give her a gentle bump, she glanced up to see Brucila, one of the other barmaids, who gave her a knowing look. "Looks like you've got yourself tangled up," she stated, tilting her head slightly in the man's direction. "Those types don't give up easy once they're set on something. Especially when they are bored and are looking for something to do; they enjoy the challenge." Sighing as if she were recalling something, the other woman surveyed the room. "But, as Kevith said, it is our job to keep things running as smoothly as possible, whether or not the costumers make it easy," she added with a wry smile, picking up her order. Dipping close, she whispered, "However, Kevith isn't one leave a damsel-in-distress, so don't worry if things get a bit serious." With that, she gave a small wink before heading off and calling out to her customers, meeting some replies and laughter.
Tsukiko admired the way with which the other barmaid handled herself, and absently wondered if she could do the same.
Still, despite the small pep-talk, she could not bring herself to go near the man, and tried to avoid their table entirely, serving tables on the opposite side of the tavern for as long as she could, though she knew she wouldn't be able to keep it up for the entire night. Any time she neared him, they repeated their little dance, each time the aggravating cove becoming more and more bold, to the point where even a few tables around them were shooting him glares and earning her some sympathetic looks.
Eventually, she had had enough, her pinches and steely glares having no affect on his overly curious hands, other than a few red marks, and she considered mentioning it to Kevith. This was quickly discarded, Tsukiko deeming it not worth the retired knights time, instead deciding that she would beg an early night off before she did something stupid, like bashing the cove's head with her tray. Leaning against the bar, she waited until she got his attention. " Uh... Ummm... would it be alright if I got off early?" she asked, not sure how to breach the topic, mumbling nervously, "I.. was hoping to get some fishing in, since I haven't done so for quite sometime..." berating herself silently for coming up with a lame excuse. It was still about four bells before her shift was over, around sunset. He considered her for a few moments, his eyes unreadable. If she thought about it later, she would have realized that the retired knight had likely seen her exchanges with the unrelenting man, and had probably seen many similar situations. Turning to wipe some mugs, he gruffly replied, "As long as you make up the time..." seeming to take pity on her. Relieved and nodding quickly, she replied, "Definitely! I'll bring some fish to Remi as well," she added grinning. "Deal. No off with ya," he replied as he turned his back to her as he took an order from a waiting customer, for all appearances dismissing her. "Thank you!" she called, slipping her apron and tray into their respective places before collecting her things, and escaping out the kitchen door.
