Killing On Command

Chapter 7

"That went a lot better than I expected, I must say," Grogg told the girls as he lead them back into the Inn. It was packed full of people, and although everyone knew about the occasion, they didn't seem to be too bothered. It relieved Alex a lot. She felt a little sick, having pondered the experience at the Miller's Manor with Lady Lamia on the slow, uneventful and bumpy ride home in the white carriage. She looked around at her home, and although it was a relief to be home, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in it. Seeing as she had witnessed the grandeur of the Manor and now knew what she was missing out on, she felt a little unprivileged to live here, but was thankful nonetheless. 

Alex took a seat at the bar, where John, who was standing in for Scarlotte that night, served her a drink. He was a cheerful halfling who had vibrant blue hair and cheerful features to his face. Despite the heat, her drink was cold and refreshing, and she savored the taste of the liquor as it burned her throat.  He asked her how her night had gone and she shrugged. 

"I can safely say that I would be perfectly happy with my suitor, as long as he has a sack over his head." She joked. "Bitch pulled dibs on the eldest, although I don't have any intent on going through with this." She also told him. John laughed.

"Do I sense jealously 'Xan?" He asked sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and finished her drink. 

"Definitely not." She told him, smirking a little. The squealing she could hear from across the room was beginning to irritate her, and she turned to see her sister jumping up and down on the spot in delight. The commotion she was making was not being accepted too well by the customers in the room.

"I can't believe I'm getting married tomorrow!" She screamed in delight, a large cheesy grin on her face. Unlike the possibility of Alex being excited, it didn't look fake at all. She continued, jumping up and down on the spot. "Me! I can't wait! I'll be Mrs Scarlotte Miller, and I can't wait for-"

"Oh shut up," Alex said irritably. She was already annoyed with her father, and Scarlotte was just getting on her nerves and pushing her over the edge now. She began to whine again, ignoring her sister's words as though she had never said them. "Silence yourself, before I rip your internal organs through your throat before you get to use them-"

"Girls, enough!" Grogg told them, stepping between them, as if he knew what would have happened. A group of men in the corner laughed at Alex's comment, and lifted their drinks to her, she lifted hers back, draining the last drops of the Whiskey inside it. It warmed her chest as the liquid flowed down her throat, and she sighed, content. Grogg stood behind the bar now, facing her. "I'm sorry I'm doing this to you Alexandria, but its for your own good." He told her. She laughed, grabbing another drink and drinking again.

"If you wanted me to be happy, you'd let me keep working at the 'smiths, you know I'm happy there," She told him. He tried to speak, but she interrupted again. "You wouldn't have sold me off to those snobs if you really cared. You're doing this for your own financial benefit and nothing else!" She shouted, grabbing a customer's drink and downing it before she walked away toward the stairs. Grogg opened his mouth to reply, but the door slammed shut before any words could leave his lips. Alex began to ascend the stairs as she heard a faint apology through the door. She ignored it.

Her bedroom was left exactly how she had left it earlier; the candle unlit on her desk, the desk chair in the centre of the room, her bed unmade and scruffy, and Artie, hooting in delight as he saw his master. She walked over to the cage and slid the bolt open, letting the tiny bird hop onto her forearm. She stroked the feathers on his head with two of her fingers and let him nip at her finger tip lightly. She placed him on the desk as she shut the door, watching him attempt to fly across the room to her bed, but falling a few meters short. He hopped onto her foot, where she picked him up again and placed him back into his cage.