Tatiana or more commonly known as Tate was an Icelander who saw the beauty in everything, literally. She saw the beauty in starvation and being abandoned, maybe because she was an unusual child, the only one who had run-ins with the man from the sea...
It had been years since the fish man had helped us, my mama had passed and sadly I had taken her place in the tavern as the main bar tender. I was now the only girl not married in the town so men were out to get me, I'd had three already today and my shift had only just started,I was determined not to marry a fisherman, I'd only lose him to veiðiferðin sem við munum muna fyrir (the fishing trip we'll be remembered for). Several men had offered to take me with them on the journey, then I'd be lost as well, it didn't help I was quite attractive to the eye, but was I to the soul? Not as much. Overtime my name had gone from 'tat' to 'tia' but most people call me Tate.
I served a man his shot of vodka and caught his staring down my cleavage "Eyes up here" my accent hadn't faded at all, I just felt abandoned by the fishman and lost hope that he would return, I'd also given up hope of hiding my scars. A man walked in, one that I didn't particularly like, he's the only one who still calls me 'Tia'. He took a seat with his crew at the table near the bar "c'mon Tia, let's order up" I rolled my eyes and leaned on the bar, all the girls here knew I didn't respond to 'Tia' and I worked the bar, not the tables, a few wolf whistles were heard til I turned and went to where all the alcohol was. I normally came here when the boys got too much.
One of the girls saw me and went out to speak to them "Bjarki, Tate is worth a lot more than you fífl (idiots)" she came back just before I was about to get out my razor, I thought it was over but I heard him step closer to the bar, Katrin was the girl who helps me with them "Katrin, Katrin,is that anyway to talk to customers? Tia would never talk to us that way" I swayed out and leaned against the shelf of bottles "you really are an rassgat (asshole), all of you,rassgats. And that means I have the right not to serve you"
he smirked and to his crew "you hearing this boys? Meminger doesn't want to serve us. Gunnar would of served us" this hurt a lot but I kept a blank face "Gunnar died when I was ten, I said I wouldn't serve you so leave"
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I turned and went to the back as I heard the bell above the door ring. I was cutting myself in the back because I couldn't take it anymore, my mama being right about me not being able to make Iceland proud, everyone abandoning me, and people thinking I was just a pretty face. I wrapped my arm in gauze and put my razor in my back pocket. Normally the gauze would sting my cuts as the fresh blood was absorbed but this time, I'd had enough of the pain and i didn't acknowledge it, so I told myself I didn't feel it. I heard someone tap the bar signaling they were ready to order.
I went around to the bar and saw a face I hadn't seen for at least ten years, the fishman stood there fully unaware of who I was, I've remembered his order since I was a child, since my half hour shifts in the tavern. I grabbed a glass and placed a bottle of whiskey on the table, he looked surprised then slowly smiled . It turns out the men from earlier hadn't left "Tia, c'mon baby. How can you serve a man who hasn't even ordered and turn away one who would like to" Katrin knew I knew him and stepped out to take care of the boys
"she just did, maybe if you called her by her name, she'd serve you. Everyone here knows she doesn't respond to Tia" he sneered, then the fishman spoke "is Gina not in today?" Katrin was there when my mama had passed " Gina sadly passed a while ago, Tate took her place but she's pretty good at remembering orders. But what draws men in is the fact she's the only single woman left in town" I heard her giggling "Kat, c'mon seriously? They come for the drinks, they know I don't accept sailors"
He started smirking "How about a sing-song sweetheart? If you won't accept us, give us something to remember you by" I rolled my eyes then katrin nudged me "maybe they'll leave after...just one?" Before I could answer the whole bar was chanting my name "Tate,Tate,Tate" i started laughing "alright, alright, just one." I went to the chart at the side and wrote down the song I was gonna sing 'How you remind me''Avril Lavinge' I smirked as this was one of their favourites. One of them went up to the fish man and nudged him "Aww your gonna love her Arthur, she's an angel with a heck of a tounge" I ran a hand through my hair as the music started then sang until the music ended.
I walked back behind the bar "How'd you know I'd ask for whiskey?" I smiled "I worked here as a child" he looked as if he was trying to remember "everyone has one chance at life, live it how you want to or there's no point living it" a grin grew on his face "Tatiana Meminger, the girl who ran" I smiled "Arthur Curry, the man who doesn't age. The fish man" his grin stayed "in Atlantis, you don't age, I stayed for ten years because I couldn't see you suffer" I tilted my head "so you left" he looked down at my wrists "and you suffered" Katrin must of been listening in "change that to still suffering, those cuts are fresh today, found her about an hour ago" I turned towards her "now your selling me out? Who's side are you on Kat?"
As she walked away laughing, he asked a much preferred question "so why won't you serve them?" I smiled "Bjarki over there and his crew, none of them know how to treat a lady, they much prefer wolf whistles and cat calling, they also want my hand in marriage. I won't marry a man I will lose in a few years" he turned to them as they eyed him" you done flirting with the bartender?" I watched him grab Bjarki and press him into the wall "I'd stop talking to her like that if I were you, or I may have to deal with you" I looked down as he returned to the bar "I can handle myself Arthur "his grin faded into a sweet smile "I know, I've seen, but you shouldn't have to "
