LORE: A Barmaid's Grief
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Corinth
LORE: A Barmaid's Grief
Kymia backed out of the swinging doors into the loudest tavern in town. When she spun around to watch where she was going, a glass, on top of the tray she was carrying above her head, started tipping. “ Oh no! Not now. Not again. The boss is gonna kill me!” The next thing was definite. Tumbling off the tray into midair went the glass filled with a customer’s intoxicating beverage. She’ll hear it this time. This will be the tenth glass she’s broken in a month. Kymia called into the kitchen,” Will someone please clean this up for me? My hands are full.” She hurried off to the tables to deliver their orders.
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Corinth
“Here’s your drink, sir,” she said with a smile, setting the last glass on the table. A loud crash echoed from the back of the tavern. Kymia, eyes wide and jaw dropped in surprise, spun around to see what the commotion was, but a crowd had gathered to block her view. She left her tray on the nearest table and ran over to see if she could help. “Excuse me,” she shouted as she squeezed through the drunken crowd, “Excuse me!”
As she got closer, the crowd thinned to reveal two men fighting, no words being passed between them. The floor was already splattered with blood. “Who is he?” she heard a woman behind her ask.
“I don’t know. Never seen him around these parts,” a man replied. The couple were obviously talking of the man, dressed in black and standing, as if he were a god, over his opponent, in the center of the circle. He was tall and had long, black hair, and a dark tan However, people could barely tell, for his dark hair covered his face in just the right places as if the strands were obeying his every command.
His opponent, a young, strapping man of about 18, lay on the floor with blood dripping down his chin. He was a local boy who came in here only rarely. Every time Kymia served him she noticed his cunning smile, and sweet, green eyes. He always treated her with kindness, never rude or ill-mannered. “Who could possibly want to hurt him?” she thought. She had never seen such anger in this person as she did at this very moment.
All of a sudden, the boy jumped off the floor and slugged the stranger in the jaw. He stumbled backwards, and regained himself. While the young man started toward him, to deliver another blow to the back of the skull, he pulled a dagger, almost out of nowhere, and jabbed it in the boy’s stomach. Kymia gasped and covered her mouth in horror. He grunted and doubled over in pain, as the bouncers just made it to the scene. They grabbed the dark stranger from behind and struggled to pull him out the door. The crowd was hysterical. “Alright!! Show’s over, Folks!! Ya’ll get out of here now,” the bartender yelled.
The young man lay on the floor coughing up blood. He had turned white as a sheet and his green shirt was seeping with his very life. The crowds started out the door, not one of them turning to check on him. Kymia stood there a moment in a daze. She’d never witnessed such a thing in her life. Thoughts ran through her head at lighting speed. Instinct then took over. The next thing Kymia knew she was kneeling beside him. She removed his dirty, work-worn hand from the open wound and replaced it with her own. She closed her eyes. Tears started to trickle down her face. Kymia tried to clear her mind of all emotions, for she knew this wouldn’t work if she didn’t. The room started to spin and the people’s voices outside and in the kitchen turned into silence. PAIN!! Great pain shot through her body. Her eyes flew open, she held back a scream. Her hand dropped to reveal clean, untouched flesh. She slumped against the wall, exhausted.
The boy looked at her in shock and at his stomach in disbelief. “Are you okay? How did you do that?”
“Yea, I’ll be fine. Just give me a minute,” Kymia smiled, almost laughing, “ I just have the touch.”
He got to his feet and looked at his shirt. “Nope, it wasn’t a dream. What just happened really did happen.” There was the undeniable proof of his prior pain. “How did she do that?”
Kymia opened her eyes to a hand held down to help her off the floor. He was kind. That time she felt pain like she had felt no other, but she was herself again, and stood up. “What’s your name?” she asked, spellbound by those green eyes.
As she got closer, the crowd thinned to reveal two men fighting, no words being passed between them. The floor was already splattered with blood. “Who is he?” she heard a woman behind her ask.
“I don’t know. Never seen him around these parts,” a man replied. The couple were obviously talking of the man, dressed in black and standing, as if he were a god, over his opponent, in the center of the circle. He was tall and had long, black hair, and a dark tan However, people could barely tell, for his dark hair covered his face in just the right places as if the strands were obeying his every command.
His opponent, a young, strapping man of about 18, lay on the floor with blood dripping down his chin. He was a local boy who came in here only rarely. Every time Kymia served him she noticed his cunning smile, and sweet, green eyes. He always treated her with kindness, never rude or ill-mannered. “Who could possibly want to hurt him?” she thought. She had never seen such anger in this person as she did at this very moment.
All of a sudden, the boy jumped off the floor and slugged the stranger in the jaw. He stumbled backwards, and regained himself. While the young man started toward him, to deliver another blow to the back of the skull, he pulled a dagger, almost out of nowhere, and jabbed it in the boy’s stomach. Kymia gasped and covered her mouth in horror. He grunted and doubled over in pain, as the bouncers just made it to the scene. They grabbed the dark stranger from behind and struggled to pull him out the door. The crowd was hysterical. “Alright!! Show’s over, Folks!! Ya’ll get out of here now,” the bartender yelled.
The young man lay on the floor coughing up blood. He had turned white as a sheet and his green shirt was seeping with his very life. The crowds started out the door, not one of them turning to check on him. Kymia stood there a moment in a daze. She’d never witnessed such a thing in her life. Thoughts ran through her head at lighting speed. Instinct then took over. The next thing Kymia knew she was kneeling beside him. She removed his dirty, work-worn hand from the open wound and replaced it with her own. She closed her eyes. Tears started to trickle down her face. Kymia tried to clear her mind of all emotions, for she knew this wouldn’t work if she didn’t. The room started to spin and the people’s voices outside and in the kitchen turned into silence. PAIN!! Great pain shot through her body. Her eyes flew open, she held back a scream. Her hand dropped to reveal clean, untouched flesh. She slumped against the wall, exhausted.
The boy looked at her in shock and at his stomach in disbelief. “Are you okay? How did you do that?”
“Yea, I’ll be fine. Just give me a minute,” Kymia smiled, almost laughing, “ I just have the touch.”
He got to his feet and looked at his shirt. “Nope, it wasn’t a dream. What just happened really did happen.” There was the undeniable proof of his prior pain. “How did she do that?”
Kymia opened her eyes to a hand held down to help her off the floor. He was kind. That time she felt pain like she had felt no other, but she was herself again, and stood up. “What’s your name?” she asked, spellbound by those green eyes.
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Nickole
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Nickole
Corinth received her answer, but not from the lad.
"Tim!!" A lovely girl burst into the bar with her blue eyes flashing. Her mouth was downturned with worry as she was directed towards the lad by many of the bystanders. Obviosly well-known, she had met only helpfulness when she had asked for his whereabouts.
Spotting him from about 10 feet away, she called for him... "Timrien..." She rushed to his side and placed her hands on his chest, his stomach, and his back as she examined him with hurried care. The left side of his smile turned up in slight amusment.
When Avera looked up to check his face, she spotted the smirk. She seemed to stop breathing as she narrowed her eyes at him and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, are you okay or what?" she asked.
"Tim!!" A lovely girl burst into the bar with her blue eyes flashing. Her mouth was downturned with worry as she was directed towards the lad by many of the bystanders. Obviosly well-known, she had met only helpfulness when she had asked for his whereabouts.
Spotting him from about 10 feet away, she called for him... "Timrien..." She rushed to his side and placed her hands on his chest, his stomach, and his back as she examined him with hurried care. The left side of his smile turned up in slight amusment.
When Avera looked up to check his face, she spotted the smirk. She seemed to stop breathing as she narrowed her eyes at him and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, are you okay or what?" she asked.
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Corinth
" Yea, I'm fine. That bastard stabbed me, and this young lady healed my wound," Tim turned around to Kymia, who was already trying to straighten tables," Oh, yea, and thanks. I don't think you told me your name."
With a dish towel in her hand and leaning over slightly to wipe up a beer that had tipped on the table Kymia replied," My name is Kymia, and you are very welcome. I don't know why I did it...I just did it. I guess instinct over powered me." She sniffed back tears
With a dish towel in her hand and leaning over slightly to wipe up a beer that had tipped on the table Kymia replied," My name is Kymia, and you are very welcome. I don't know why I did it...I just did it. I guess instinct over powered me." She sniffed back tears
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Nickole
Avera looked around her brother's wide set of shoulders at the blonde girl who looked like she were stretched too thin... every day.
"Hey... y'all watched this mess happen and (she placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at some of the guys) SOME of you probably had a part or two in it. So, let's help this girl clean up," she finished with a smile.
Everyone fell in to help, and they had the bar really straight in no time. Avera could hardly believe the improvement. Wow, she thought I wish it looked this presentable all the time. Then again, it is a bar.
Looking across the room, Avera spotted Timrien setting a table upright. He quickly straintened up and headed for Kimya and helped her set up towels on the top shelf that she was trying to reach. Avera rolled her eyes before instructing... "Hurry, home, Timiren Bortain..." She left the bar and headed down the cool, dusky street.
"Hey... y'all watched this mess happen and (she placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at some of the guys) SOME of you probably had a part or two in it. So, let's help this girl clean up," she finished with a smile.
Everyone fell in to help, and they had the bar really straight in no time. Avera could hardly believe the improvement. Wow, she thought I wish it looked this presentable all the time. Then again, it is a bar.
Looking across the room, Avera spotted Timrien setting a table upright. He quickly straintened up and headed for Kimya and helped her set up towels on the top shelf that she was trying to reach. Avera rolled her eyes before instructing... "Hurry, home, Timiren Bortain..." She left the bar and headed down the cool, dusky street.
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Corinth
"So, why did you help me?" Timrien asked after placing the towels on the self, barely noticing what his sister had said. "I will," he shouted over his shoulder as Avera walked out the door.
Kymia smiled, not knowing how to answer. She had now stopped crying, yet her eyes were still red. She had never had a man's life in her own hands before. The events that just took place were more intense than her mother had told her they would be. Kymia was definitely the person to say I know how you feel because she could. " Oh...I don't know. You didn't seem the type to deserve being stabbed. (scoffs) I don't know who started the fight and I really don't care. It's just, you've come in here more than once and none of those times did you seem like the kind of person that would ever do anything to start a fight. You could have died! I just thought I'd help, because what he did wasn't right."
"Thank you, again. I wish I could repay you somehow," he said, putting his hand on her forearm.
Kymia smiled a little sweeter," I'm sure you will in the time to come. Hey one day, if I need a favor I'll come to you for help."
"Alright," he winked at her," You do that. Just go see Avera in the stables and ask her where I'm at. I'd better go. See you later, Kymia," he said and made his way out of the bar.
Kymia stood where she was for a moment. "GOSH,...those eyes," she thought," I hope that fight won't run him off from around here. I hope I see him again...soon."
She grabbed her things from the kitchen, said goodbye to the chef and other girls, and started home to a cozy, little cottage outside of town. It was very dark that night. Kymia wished she had brought a latern with her for she had the weird feeling someone was watching her.
Kymia smiled, not knowing how to answer. She had now stopped crying, yet her eyes were still red. She had never had a man's life in her own hands before. The events that just took place were more intense than her mother had told her they would be. Kymia was definitely the person to say I know how you feel because she could. " Oh...I don't know. You didn't seem the type to deserve being stabbed. (scoffs) I don't know who started the fight and I really don't care. It's just, you've come in here more than once and none of those times did you seem like the kind of person that would ever do anything to start a fight. You could have died! I just thought I'd help, because what he did wasn't right."
"Thank you, again. I wish I could repay you somehow," he said, putting his hand on her forearm.
Kymia smiled a little sweeter," I'm sure you will in the time to come. Hey one day, if I need a favor I'll come to you for help."
"Alright," he winked at her," You do that. Just go see Avera in the stables and ask her where I'm at. I'd better go. See you later, Kymia," he said and made his way out of the bar.
Kymia stood where she was for a moment. "GOSH,...those eyes," she thought," I hope that fight won't run him off from around here. I hope I see him again...soon."
She grabbed her things from the kitchen, said goodbye to the chef and other girls, and started home to a cozy, little cottage outside of town. It was very dark that night. Kymia wished she had brought a latern with her for she had the weird feeling someone was watching her.
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Emora Deen
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Zachary was walking calmly down the open street of J'ra, passing a pretty woman, turning his head slightly to look back at her. He grinned and was about to turn around and start walking again when a man, dressed in ragged clothing came out. He looked very desperate... for money it seemed.
He had a dagger, and was pulling on the girls arm just as he was about to bring the dagger to her throat.
"Stop!" Zac called and did an about face, turning and strolling to the theif, moving with quick grace he grabbed the hand and yanked the man from her.
"Get up, go rob another person you own size fool," Zac spat and kicked at the theif, who scrambled to his feet and dashed off into the alley.
"Are you alright?" he asked with every bit of charm seeping from him.
He had a dagger, and was pulling on the girls arm just as he was about to bring the dagger to her throat.
"Stop!" Zac called and did an about face, turning and strolling to the theif, moving with quick grace he grabbed the hand and yanked the man from her.
"Get up, go rob another person you own size fool," Zac spat and kicked at the theif, who scrambled to his feet and dashed off into the alley.
"Are you alright?" he asked with every bit of charm seeping from him.
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Corinth
"Oh my God, yes! I don't know what I would've done had you not come along and saved me," Kymia exclaimed, eyes wide with terror. Out of weakness, I guess, Kymia through her arms around Zac," Thanks again. Could you like walk me home?" she said pleadingly," Please, and what's your name. I'm new around here in case you didn't know."
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Emora Deen
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Zac wasn't surprised in the least that a woman would throw her arms around him. He smiled charmingly and eased her back. "Its the least I could do for a pretty lady," he told her.
His hand touched her cheek for a moment and his green eyes sparkled with mischeif. He took her hand and kissed it with a devilishly handsome grin. "Zachary Bortain," he told her. "I wouldn't mind walking you home just as long as you give me your name first."
His hand touched her cheek for a moment and his green eyes sparkled with mischeif. He took her hand and kissed it with a devilishly handsome grin. "Zachary Bortain," he told her. "I wouldn't mind walking you home just as long as you give me your name first."
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Corinth
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Emora Deen
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He started walking with her, not even bothering to ask where she lived he would get to that in a few minutes. "Well, its nice that I happened by when I did, usually J'ra hasn't got a problem with theives, but they become an problem since he Border attacks..."
He stopped at a cross section where four roads met. He turned down a road, though her house could be on another road. "My," he said, looping her arm with his. "It seems I never asked where you live? Care to tell me?"
He stopped at a cross section where four roads met. He turned down a road, though her house could be on another road. "My," he said, looping her arm with his. "It seems I never asked where you live? Care to tell me?"
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Corinth
Looking around at the foreign like walls of buildings towering over them, sqeenching her nose, Kymia let out a lite laugh," Ha Ha. How foolish of me. I just let you lead me off. For all I know you could have tried to rape or kill me, too. I'm too gullable," she shook her head, and looked down at the ground, wondering if she should really trust this stranger. After all, her night had been filled with surprises. "My cottage is on the other side of town." She whirled him around and they started retracing their steps. "So, Mr. Bortain, or should I call you Zac, are you from around here?"
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Emora Deen
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Zac did an about face with her and smiled. "The other side of town?" he asked and nodded more to himself. "Okay, I didn't know a cottage took up the whole other side of town... Thats kind of nice I guess," he said in a sarcastic, but yet charming sort of way.
"Oh yes, I'm from around here. I know I don't have shiny gold skin..." he said, smiling still.
"Oh yes, I'm from around here. I know I don't have shiny gold skin..." he said, smiling still.
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Nickole
Avera patted the black steed's nose as she paused at the overly-tall stable doors. His stall was close to the front doors, so she could see the people walking in the moonlight just outside. Out of the corner of her eye, a familiar gait caught her attention. Pretending to be a "damsel in distress," Avera rushed towards the man.
"Oh, kind, sir, would you please help me? I promis eto save you in return...(she stood up stright and matched her brother's gait)... again," she joked.
"Cut it out," Timiren said in a low, deep voice as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Here, let me help you with that stuff."
"Nah, that's okay," Averan replied. "brought Buck up here tonight so her could be shoed. I'm gonna ride him home, I guess. I was thinking about takeing a... detour," she said softly, "but I'll give ya a lift home if you want."
"I've got energy to burn," he explained, his green eyes practically glowing in the dark.
"Suit yourself," Avera shrugged as she watched Timiren lift the leather saddle onto Buck's back, but she was glad that he had declined. She was looking forward to some down-time. "I'll see you in the morning, bud, she said and gave him a hand-slap as they parted ways and she climbed onto her buckskin horse.
Avera situated her warm brown cloak over Buck's back and her legs. "Hey," she crooned softly as she guided Buck backward and headed up the hard-packed dirt street. Up ahead, she could see two apparent love birds walking along slowly on one side of the street. She reached up with one hand to pull her cloak down half-way over her face so that she wouldn't bother them as she rode by.
"Oh, kind, sir, would you please help me? I promis eto save you in return...(she stood up stright and matched her brother's gait)... again," she joked.
"Cut it out," Timiren said in a low, deep voice as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Here, let me help you with that stuff."
"Nah, that's okay," Averan replied. "brought Buck up here tonight so her could be shoed. I'm gonna ride him home, I guess. I was thinking about takeing a... detour," she said softly, "but I'll give ya a lift home if you want."
"I've got energy to burn," he explained, his green eyes practically glowing in the dark.
"Suit yourself," Avera shrugged as she watched Timiren lift the leather saddle onto Buck's back, but she was glad that he had declined. She was looking forward to some down-time. "I'll see you in the morning, bud, she said and gave him a hand-slap as they parted ways and she climbed onto her buckskin horse.
Avera situated her warm brown cloak over Buck's back and her legs. "Hey," she crooned softly as she guided Buck backward and headed up the hard-packed dirt street. Up ahead, she could see two apparent love birds walking along slowly on one side of the street. She reached up with one hand to pull her cloak down half-way over her face so that she wouldn't bother them as she rode by.