Legacy of the Crown

03

    I ride Shadow up the ally between the tavern and a small shop. I never tied Shadow upfront, in case some fool thought it would be a good idea to run off with him. Even if some fool came to ride him off in haste theft, Shadow would become a bull. I trained Shadow to go nuts on any rider who wasn't me. It's kind of sad to think that one of my best friends is a horse.

"I'll be back boy." I pat Shadow's flank before walking around front to enter the tavern.

Within five feet of the door, I am overwhelmed by the smell of sweat and alcohol mixed with the slight stench of urine. I scrunch my nose. You'd think that after years I would finally get use to it. Nope.

I walk into the tavern silently, stepping over passed out hunks of bodies and side-stepping the arms that fly out holding a half-empty mugs of ale, yelling to others. I avoid looking toward the couple that looks like they are molding themselves together. So maybe I didn't avoid looking, but it's hard to ignore it when they are on a table.

I walk over to a free stool in a less crowded area. I slide onto the seat and pull my hood off, feeling bare without it. I looked up to find Danny walking towards me, his dull plain clothes covered in stains and his wary face that made him look way older than he is.

"Busy night?" Danny says as he pulls a glass out from underneath the bar, filling it with an amber liquid.

I pick up the cup, taking a big gulp. "Probably not as busy as you having to run this place." Glancing over at the rough crowd, I sigh.

Danny nods and silently leaves the bottle in front of me before leaving to attend other customers. I sigh and thank Danny for knowing me so well.

I never drink to get drunk, only enough to feel numb. Drinking dulls the senses that are vital to me. There are to many rewards on my head to ever let my guard down. Having the bottle by me makes me feel secure in no poisons being placed in my drinks. I fill my glass up a quarter of the way before really taking in my surroundings. The moldy wood walls stand out among the lamps that lit the tavern up. The tables and benches weren't as bad as the walls but still looked like crap. I wonder if Danny is saving all his money he earns to soon flee this screwed upland and King instead of fixing his place up. I know he has to have a reasonable amount by now.

Looking at the people around the tavern I find Daren Nathumnh groping Brisha Yeats breast. I scoff at them. Daren was married and had three children. It was disgusting to watch or even think about. Rolling my eyes, I look away from the drunkards on the floor.

I passed my eyes over the crowd, recognizing everyone except for the four men grouped at the back table. I look over their faces, trying to figure out who they are and nothing rings a bell. The first flare of curiosity and danger hit me.

My mother once told me about a boy who saw a black figure in the woods behind his house. The boy let curiosity get to him and instead of fetching his father, he went to find the mystery figure. Wandering into the woods, he found the mystery man who intended to rob the house. His cover blown, the robber 'disposed' of the boy.

Caught up in my thoughts, I almost didn't notice that one of the men at the booth had his eyes on me. Brown eyes that were practically spelling 'LUST' was staring at me. He flicked his overgrown, sandy blond hair out of his eyes. I gave him a dismissive stare and finished off my drink before looking away. I need to get going.

I was pouring my last serving of rum when I felt movement on the stool next to me. His knee brushes my thigh as he leans in. "Hey there pretty thing." I laugh inside my head at how boyish his voice sounded. I didn't say anything as I turned to look at him. It was that same man that was staring at me from the table in the back. "Want to head outside..." he says to me and nods to the back door.

I saw the smug grins on his companions' faces that are watching us. I look him straight in the eye and give the nastiest look I can muster. I snap at him, "I'm not a whore you can fiddle with once your disgrace of manhood gets lonely."

I watch as his once leering eyes flip to anger. He looks at me as if I was the shit in the horse stables. I wish he would just get up and walk away, but he has to run his mouth."Say, why are you hanging around a bar filled with men? Shouldn't you be at home, crying that your husband left you because you weren't good anymore? Maybe that you-"

White little dots speckle my vision and at some point, I stop listening. I get up to leave before I bust his face up against the bar. Maybe I can knock some angles into his round face. I wish I hadn't promised Danny that I wouldn't start another fight, after what happened last week. Also, getting banned from here wasn't on the top of my to-do list.

As I twist myself to leave, I feel the man's hand clamping around my arm. That snaps me, respect or no respect. Before the man could see what was coming, I twist my arm and grab his bicep at the same time I bring my other hand to the back of his head and slam it down on the bar.

People fall silent as they watch. I lean down towards the man's ear and whisper, "I'm no ordinary woman."

I saw him look behind me and I felt someone approaching. Letting go, I spin to catch the fist that was aimed for my head. Surprise flickers across the man's face. I snort and connect my other hand to his nose. I hear a nasty crack and watch as he falls back onto the table behind him and fails to get up.

At that point, all hell breaks loose in the tavern.

******************
Vote and comment!