Guardian's Redemption

Chapter Two

Ashley gave attention to her normal tables as the tavern began to fill up for the day. Rose and her switching on and off until the tavern began to be completely full of customers later in the day. When what food orders did come in, Rose's father would retire to the kitchen to cook while the two women would switch the bar tending position. Today was the one day that it was busy. Residents were piling into the tavern, exhausted from the mining jobs they had. Ashley thought it odd that most people were digging a tunnel in the far corner of the town.
 
Her head would always wander to the front door when she heard the wind outside. The dust storms were horrible here. Always causing issues, one of the buildings had fallen over recently from the force of nature. When the doors were closed the roaring wind could be slightly heard among the laughter and arguments beginning to take place.

Ashley looked up from wiping down one of the last couple of empty tables to see the tavern double doors revel a skinny man with hair the color of fire. Dust swarming into the building from around him. His hair color was not the typical redhead but a bright red as if he had dyed it every night before he went to bed. Those murderous thick eyebrows were the same color as his hair, but those green eyes didn't fit his theme for even his clothing was red. Four roughneck men stood behind him laughing and smiling with infected twisted teeth at some cruel joke. Everyone in the tavern became quiet as the red haired man stood there scanning the tavern population. This man ran this town. Ashley couldn't help but look at him in disgust as his eyes locked on her. The toothpick of a man had a stupid name that she knew he had came up by himself, The Element.

Whatever this piece of trash said went, no exceptions unless you defied him openly. Every piece of gossip that Ashley had overheard ended with a person disappearing after stirring up trouble with the Element. She didn't hate anyone, even in the past. Sure Ashley had disliked people, for instance her brother in law who was a brute that would tease her. Those two very rarely came to terms on a situation and usually ended up arguing. Ashley truly hated the Element though.

The worst part for Ashley is that the Element favored her. Carl always seem to guard the woman from the man, coming up with excuses for why Ashley could not be anywhere but the tavern. The Element hated that. For some reason Carl was the shining light that the Element would not press. The Element's group would always sit on Ashley's side of the tavern, forcing her to eventually wait on them. There were moments when she caught Carl staring from the kitchen door, his eyes locking with the Element's. Neither of the men said a word to the other. Today the group of men sat near a large ruined stove like fireplace that burned with flames of madness when the Element sat. Sighing to herself Ashley went over to the men.

"How we doin' tonight doll?" The Element's scarred face was smirking as he gave Ashley a look up and down. His face was covered in dirt smudges, just adding to the ugliness of the man. "Cum to see what's in my pants?" His men went roaring in laughter at the comment, one even went so far as to pound on the table. It was the same comment every time he came in and it wasn't funny.

Ashley gave a deadly glare to the man, "What the hell do you want?" She didn't care how she talked to him. There had been times when she heard gasp from other tables at her disobedience.

"Ya know, nobody else talks to me like that," The Element snapped at her.

Ashley held her ground. "I ain't everyone else."

"No love you're not and that's I like you woman. The same as usual, oh and show old man Carl this." The Element handed her a rough-cut coin. Normally the man never paid, this was an odd action for him. Its edges were a bit sharp and it almost cut her near the pinky finger. "Tell him it's payment from now on for everyone." The man's voice rising so that all in the tavern could hear him.