Completed Barmaids and First Aid (Shiress)

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Winter 39, 513 AV “Oww!” Tourmal exclaimed as he slid his shirt over his arms, then he followed with pulling it over his head. He was getting dressed after taking a bath. He did so after every day at work. The only difference, today he leaned up against a hot iron unknowingly and it left a nasty burn. He didn't have anything at his house to wrap it up with, he never was good at caring for wounds. Generally he would let them be until they either healed on their own or if they started looking worse he would go see his buddy Orion. Orion was a doctor and an old drinking buddy of his they met shortly after Orion lost his wife. He didn't recall her name but the man was a mess. And that's all that mattered. To make a long story short, the two drowned his worries with ale together their friendship was created and the rest was history. Unfortunately for Tourmal his friend was out on a patrol or whatever squires do. Thats right the doctor had changed course and decided that being a knight was a better path than a doctor. Normally Tourmal wouldn't care but all his buddies squire duties got in the way of the two of them getting sloshed and trying to pick up some tail. Especially with the new dancer at the Stallion. Once the man was dressed he was off to the Stallion. His and Orion's drinking establishment of choice. He needed something to numb his senses. The stinging pain from his arm was soon to be intolerable. So long as nothing touched it he was fine. As he slipped out the door he instinctually kept his right arm near his side, as not to catch it on the door frame. Suprisingly the man got to the tavern without any further injury. Then as he put his hand out to grab the door handle the door flew open and one man came stumbling out of the door followed by another looking to take care of business. Tourmal side stepped. And the one man who had apparently been shoved out of the door, grabbed for Tourmal and clung to his arm “Please... Urrhgh.” Was all he could get out before Tourmal punched him in the face with his left hand, wrenching his right free of the man's grasp. The pain was so bad he didn't think twice about it, his body just acted on it's own. “Thank's mate, but I can handle it on me own.” The other man looked at him saying with his eyes that if he continued he would be feeling just like the unlucky sap laying on the ground. Tourmal nodded and walked inside to the bar and took a seat. “I'll take the usual.” he said signaling to the barmaid behind the counter with his right hand. He took a look at his arm. And it looked far worse now. The burn had blistered up before he left is house and now the blister was popped and there were a few fingernail scratches that dug in deep enough to draw blood. “Aw Shyke!” He said “And thas me drinkin arm too” The man noticed the barmaid coming with his drink. So he pulled out a GM to pay for his mead,like always and placed it on the counter.

[Shiress]

Shiress stood behind the bar, hair swept up around her head in a neat braid, thin, brunette ringlets framing her face. A black apron covered a loosened light blue blouse and like colored skirt. The tavern was loud with drunken conversation, but it was a commotion at the entrance that lifted her head from the freshly washed mug.

She brushed a curl behind her ear with raised eyebrows as brightened emerald eyes followed a rather tall and rather tanned individual as he stepped through the door. Beside her stood Carmen, eyes just as bright and brow just as high as she too watched the handsome man take his seat. The two stood dumbly silent as he waved his order, then, coming to their senses, they both simultaneously reached for the same mug. "You don't know what his usual is." Carmen noted to Shiress "It's a tavern." Shiress answered in a chuckle "there's not many wrong guesses"

The bartender's hand plunged into her apron pocket and withdrew a single silver miza. The barmaid flashed a sour face as her hand too disappeared into her apron and withdrew a coin. Both turned to the bar and with a tap and flick the coins were spinning against the worn wooden counter top. Shiress' coin was spinning graciously as Carmen's coin hit a splinter and began to wobble. Shiress smiled innocently and slid her eyes sideways as the barmaid's coin began to vibrate against the bar before coming to a sudden halt. The girl swiped up her coin with a feigned sigh "Maybe next time, my friend" she said nudging her friend playfully with her hip as she passed by.

Before reaching the man's table the bartender spread a more serious and less flirty, or so she hoped, smile across her lips before she spoke "I do hope this is your usual" There was a slight blush to the girl's cheeks as she placed the amber liquid filled mug in front of the man, green eyes lingering as they searched the man's features before her hand released its wooden handle "Do let me know, sir, if there is anything else at all you may need." She added with a grin and slid the coin from the table and started to turn away.

It was a double take given to the arm beside where the coin lay that brought an audible gasp from her lips, possibly a lot louder than she should have as several nearby patron's lifted their heads from their mug's and merriment from the neighboring tables. She moved around the empty chairs to the man's side and touched what skin on the man's forearm that looked less painful. Biting her bottom lip her eyebrows furrowed "Good god's, man, what have you done to your arm!?"

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Winter 39, 513 AV The man hadn't noticed the game the two girls were playing behind the bar. His attention had been averted by the mess on his arm. He was so focused on the pain that when the drink came he missed what she said about not knowing his usual.The man grabbed it and took a sip. “Petching...!” He slammed his right fist on the table further injuring himself. Luckily he caught himself before he said anything else. The man collected himself. “I'm sorry maa'm, this is ale. I normally drink mead.” He looked up at her and saw she was not who normally worked when he came to drink. A tick later her beauty hit him and left him speechless. Unfortunately he had a thing about not getting involved with workers at the Stallion. He wouldn't want to ruin his time there by adding extra drama. After nearly half a chime he realized he was staring, and shook his head trying to get out of the daze he was in. He looked down to the mug. “You know it's an easy mistake, most these fellers drink ale so why wouldn' I righ?” He laughed. “Serves me righ' fer bein weird.” The woman walked off after reassuring him that she was at his service. Then she looked back and caught a glance of something that worried her. The woman returned to the table and took the seat next to him. Something he didn't mind she smelt wonderful. He was glad he had made it a habit to bathe after work. When her fingers rested on the uninjured portion of his arm, it gave him a warm sensation. The man had an internal struggle and it went something like this 'Settle down Tourmal, I know it's been a while, but you know the rules' one side said. 'But she is so pretty and she smells good, and, and look she is touching me too. Come on just this once.' the other side said. 'No absolutely not! Yeh are not about to ruin our favorite drinking establishment for a bit o' sugar.' 'Oh come on now look at her hair and her eyes, her eyes are just like mine, wow!' Heh, yeh got a point. Wait now... No, no, no an thas final!' 'Fine then... Yeh mind if I flirt a bit?' 'Ok just don't cross the line' After the small commotion that Tourmal had created slamming his fist. And the woman's reaction to his arm. Most the crowd had looked at the two of them. He looked back “Sorry bout thah” and smiled apologetically. He looked back to the barmaid “Me arm is just fine lass. I'm just in need of some good mead and maybe a doctor or somethin. Only problem is my doctor is out of town.” He grabbed his mug and downed half of it. “Ah...Fer now this'll do.” he said looking to his mug. He lifted it in the air and half yelled. “To the Rearing Stallion, and to Kevith.” With that there was a resounding cry of approval. At once the tavern went silent as the customers drank to their host and his establishment. After he took another gulp he lay the mug down on the table. Looked the unknown barmaid in the eye and said. “You know if beauty could heal my arm, yeh would have had it healed by the time I stepped through the door.” The man gave her a wink and a grin. “What's yer name oh beautiful maiden?”

[Shiress]

"Your arm is not fine, sir." insisted Shiress, pulling the man's sleeve back to expose the burn further. She winced and bit her lip. The flesh encircling the wound had turned pale, while the scorched flesh was a glistening red, swollen and blistered. "I fear you will need more than ale or mead to tend this arm"

The handsome man was playing off his wound well, lifting his mug with a solute to the owner. As the patrons quieted and returned to their own conversations, the bartender returned the strangers smile and shook her head, a red flush settling in her cheeks.

Not bad..

"If a lousy pick up line would see you leave with company this night, you, my friend, would wake up a happy man in the morning" she laughed "besides" she continued, brushing a curl behind her ear with a toothy grin "if beauty would see a burn healed, I can't imagine you'd been injured in the first place" she hiked a brow " Kevith would reward your honor with a mug of our finest mead I'm sure, but he's not here, I am and I want you to see about that arm, please.

Shiress knew the sting of a burn and she knew also the sickness that can spread through it if left unattended and she also knew men and knew that this one would not do anything unless pressured, she saw it in his eyes "it's a deep burn and the blisters have broken, it has to be painful and will be more so if you don't see to it. Come" she said, standing to her feet "I'll show you the way to Soothing Waters, surely a healer there can take that sting out quickly for you"

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Winter 39, 513 AV The woman responded to his come on lines quite well. She had obviously gotten much attention from the regulars and was used to dealing with this type of flattery. She retorted saying that Kevith was not there and that his arm needed to be seen to. The bartender explained how his wound was not something he could shrug off and it would get better itself. Then she stood. And told him she would take him to a healer. Tourmal was in the middle of another drink. And decided to finish the mug. When he was done “Ahhh.” he said then wiped his face with his left arm. “That hit the spot.” he said satisfied in his beverage. “Look now beautiful, I don't have the coin fer a healer so yer just going to have to deal with me here drinking my pain away. He looked at his arm. It looked for the lack of a better term, angry. It throbbed in pain slowly 'Maybe she is right' He thought but he couldn't do anything about it at the time. The man was used to Orion seeing to all his wounds for free. With him out doing gods know what he had no one else to go to. “Look me doctor is out on patrol and I can't get a hold of him. If he wasn't I woulda seen him first.” He said apologetically. “Now please be a doll and fill me up again. I know me miza ain't run out yet.” He looked at the sultry barmaid her beauty only getting more potent as the alcohol went to work. “Please.” He smiled and raised is eyebrows as a 5 year old child would when asking their mother for a toy at the market. “By the way Yeh still haven't given me yer name. Is that how yeh show yer customers hospitality?” He smiled and raised an eyebrow. “If yeh need mine first, It's Tourmal, but yeh can call me Honey, on account I'm so sweet.” His smile grew from ear to ear. Maybe he was pushing his luck hopefully he didn't offend her too much.

[Shiress]

Shiress leaned her hip against the table and lowered her gaze. "Your doctor friend is out on patrol, you say? Orion is whom you speak of, no doubt." she straightened again with a chuckle "That explains a lot"

She listened silently as the man spoke again, stubborn thing he was. He really had no clue of the severity of his wound, but Shiress did and so wound Orion if he were here. The girl didn't answer his inquiry, but only played her fingers against the table top and turned away toward the bar.

Stepping up top the counter the bartender threw a reluctant, sideways glance to Carmen "I need a.. she began "Mead?" Carmen quipped, finishing her sentence. Shiress rolled her eyes "Yes, mead please and give me that towel there, too. she added, motioning her hand at the cloth on the bar. Carmen turned and filled a mug with the sweet liquid, grabbed the towel and handed them both to Shiress. "I'll pay attention next time" Shiress said smiling, then turned and disappeared into the kitchen.

After a bit of arguing with Cook Ron, as Shiress calls him, a man who is as round as he is tall, the girl exited the kitchen, red faced and satisfied, holding a trey of various items, her eyes locked ahead on Tourmal.

"OK" she said as she approached the table "Here is your mead and I do apologize that I didn't have it right the first time" she placed the mug on the table in front of Tourmal and the tray she placed on a neighboring table. "Be right back" she said pulling a towel and empty bowl with her as she turned and headed for the door.

A cold breeze stirred the hair against Shiress' face as she stepped outside. She shivered and moved quickly to a heap of snow by the door, plunged the bowl into the icy powder and made her way back for the warmth of the tavern. "God's it's cold"

Thanks to the endless hours of shadowing her nurse mother in Zeltiva as a youth, Shiress knew a thing or two about these type injuries, though, a burn was in no way the worse of the ailments that she witnessed her mother tend. It was a burn that Shiress was left to tend for herself so many seasons ago in Sunberth, a deep wound that spread a fever through her body that nearly took her life and it was in this memory that she would tend this stranger's arm, whether he wanted it tended or not.

Shiress pulled a chair by Tourmal's side and pulled his arm toward her "You'll need a good, long pull from that mug" she warned "Oh and my name is Shiress, you'll need to know that for when you curse me" She scooped some snow out of the bowl "Ready?" she asked, but she didn't wait for the man's answer. Her tongue slid slowly across her bottom lip before she held it between her teeth, and, with a breath, she pressed the snow firmly onto his injured arm

"Im sorry"

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Winter 39, 513 AV “You know Orion?” Tourmal was surprised for a tick, then he thought about it if she worked here then shew old have likely run into Orion sooner or later. “Whats that supposed to mean?” The woman left to fill his order. Then came out of the back with a tray a rag and his mead. She handed him his drink along with an apology. “Tis fine I won' hold it against ya.” He was wondering what was going on but decided it was best to drink instead of wondering. The man took a long drought and downed half the mug in one go. “Thas better.” He smiled. Though the mead had not started working yet he thought he felt the pain subside. Then the woman ducked outside for a tick and returned with a bowl full of snow. Tourmal looked at it perplexed. 'What is that for?' he wondered. She insisted he take another drink before she started whatever it was she was going to do. So he did. The man lifted his mug and took a gulp. Just as the second was filling his mouth the woman pressed the snow onto his wound. The man sprayed the mead all over. His head started directed away from the woman, but naturally in reaction to the pain his head turned and the woman caught the last of it. That was the second time this happened this season. “AHHH! SHYKE! PETCH, PETCHING...!” The man held his breath for a bit. “WOMAN!” That was the last of his outburst. “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?” Well not quite. The man lowered his voice to a fervent whisper. But by then he and Shiress had the attention of the whole bar. “Do you have any idea how bad that hurt? If my tongue weren't in me mouth I'd a bit it off.” Tourmal was exaggerating of course, he just wanted to get his point across. “Gimme better warning next time.” The man thought for a moment. “Wait now. Yeh aren't no doctor, who said yeh can work on me arm?” He paused again. “Are you training under Orion?” Then he realized what he just said. “Heh” The man chuckled. “I bet ya are training 'under' him alright.” He laughed some more. Despite the pain the mead he had drank was starting to kick in. The man looked around just now realizing the even larger commotion the two had started. He had been so caught up in his pain and anger that he didn't realize that he was being stared at. Then some of them started to snicker. Slowly the room moved from a hushed giggle to loud unabashed laughter. The room was in an uproar at the hilarity of a huge Drykas man put in such pain by a little barmaid. “Tourmal yeh wanna tissue?” Someone yelled. “Yeah, would yeh like me ta kiss yer boo boo?” Someone else added. Tourmal turned beet red. Angry at himself and the woman who caused this. The man looked her in the eye and with his left index finger he lifted her chin so their eyes met. “Do yeh mind if we take this somewhere more private.” He motioned with his eyes toward the back. Surely they had a store room here. He had worked so hard at being thought of as the ladies man, or as someone yeh don't wanna mess with. Now it was all gone.

[Shiress]

Well, that went well.

Shiress' eyes grew wide at Tourmal's reaction, she had expected it to be so, but the mead on the other hand, she didn't expect. The girl jerked and snapped closed her eyes as the warm liquid sprayed her face. Loud cursing erupted beyond the darkness and Shiress slowly opened her eyes and began wiping her now sticky face with her apron. "I'm taking care of your arm!" she retorted "seems you don't care to and no, I am no doctor." she looked curiously at Tourmal "Orion training me?" she let out a hardy laugh "I think not, the only thing that man has ever taught me is to mind my alcohol consumption and hold my knees closer together" she paused thoughtfully and dropped her gaze "He has saved my life a time or two." she whispered, then fell silent in a brief reflection before collecting her thoughts with a sigh "but" she added, tilting her head with a long blink as her lips drew sideways "can not say so much for my dignity"

Her musings were interrupted with an unexpected touch. She hadn't even heard the insults being hurled their way from neighboring tables and when the mans hand touched her, she winced. "Oh, of course" she said, scanning the room, thinking. There was a storeroom, but Cook Ron stood in the way of that. Shiress frowned. "Well" she said, looking back to Tourmal "there is a storeroom, but before that there's the cook and he's an ornery old thing, but we can try convincing him. He may be OK with it, s'long as you don't steal any of his potatoes"

Shiress flashed a grin and lifted herself from the chair, pulling the tray with her as she tuned toward the kitchen. "Act like you are in a lot of pain or something, maybe he'll feel sorry for you" She said, glancing over her shoulder before stepping into the kitchen

Gods, let Cook Ron be in a good mood

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Winter 39, 513 AV When the woman spoke of Orion, Tourmal chuckled to himself. “Sounds like me boy.” The once doctor turned squire had a name for himself of being quite he charmer. The two of them often tried their luck at going home with the women who were, what they thought lucky enough to walk into their bar. Of course it wasn't theirs, but it was their stomping grounds and if not already spoken for the two would have a go and any beauty. He smiled. When she mentioned losing her dignity though his smile drew serious. The man wondered if what he said was over the line hoping not to offend her too much. Even though the woman had just not quite put him through torture he still felt bad about what he said. Now She shoulda known that Orion got around. She could have asked any of the other barmaids and they would have told her. Shiress mentioned a Store room and the smiths ears perked. She said that it was behind the cook and it all depended on how Ron was doing. Tourmal was familiar with the man he had regularly sent him compliments on the dishes he ordered from the man. And occasionally greeted the man when he would take a break from cooking, which tended to be later in the night after the patrons were well on their way to a nasty headache the next morn. “No problem.” he said thinking nothing of the situation. Tourmal walked back to the opening to the kitchen and poked his head in. “Ron...” He took in an exaggerated whiff of air. “Smells great tonight, wish I hadn't brought supper to work tanigh. Then I coulda had whatever it is that smells so good.” Unfortunately Ron was none too happy.

[Shiress]

"No, now out-OUT!"yelled the cook, his chin quivering as he waved Shiress through the door with a wooden spoon. "I just.." insisted Shiress, backing herself out of the kitchen "OUT! he demanded again, leveling his gaze and pointing his would be weapon at Tourmal "and you, if you call me Ron one more time I'll see that you never set foot in this tavern again." the cook gave Tourmal a lasting stare before he turned and waddled back to his pot.

Shiress grabbed Tourmal by the shoulder and pulled him around "Don't mind him, he barks harder than he bites" She threw a sour face over her shoulder toward the cook "I should have known better than to expect anything different"

Shiress glanced at the door as it swung open "Ah good" she said waving to the woman stepping through "Brucila is here which means my shift just ended. she turned back to Tourmal glancing down at his arm "well, if you insist on not going to Soothing Waters" she paused reluctant to speak what was coming "my apartment is just down the street and, if you are the gentleman that you seem, I can tend your arm there."

Gods, did I really just say that?

Stepping behind the bar she grabbed her bag and slung it around her shoulder and turned back "unless you know of somewhere else?"