Malinda

Could a heavy set barkeep be fallen for within such a short time?

Malinda passed through the group of dancing gypsies and grimaced. How anyone in that shape could possibly think themselves attractive in near nakedness was beyond her. She was approached by one of the largest women, who smiled up at her and reached for the hem of her skirt. Malinda shook her head quickly and began to walk away as quickly as she could when she heard a round of laughter behind her.

The large, toothless woman had sauntered up to a lone city guard and had pulled her skirt up over her waist. Malinda couldn’t help herself and tried to force back a laugh as much as possible.

The guard was so taken by surprise that he fell with a poof of dust to his backside. The other guards near by hurried the ugly woman off and helped their fallen friend up with a hearty laugh.

“Ay!” The one that had fallen shouted, pointing a leather gloved finger at Malinda, “I’d much rather have a gorgeous dame like you under me!” He thrust his hips forward suggestively and doubled over in laughter as Malinda walked back to his group.

“That may be, sire; but I’m afraid a lowly city guard like you couldn’t afford me!” Malinda smiled sweetly as she turned on her heel and walked away with her head held high, smiling to herself as she caught the eye of one of the other guards who had been standing off to one side.

Hmm, she thought, he’s handsome… Oh, Malinda, what are you thinking about his looks for. You’re a bar keep that has the curves of one of the Seven Goddesses, no knight would want you…

She sighed aloud and continued to walk to the tavern where she worked from noon until night fall, the owner, her father Phillip; wouldn’t allow her to work when the knights came in from the wall. He feared they would try and take her honor. Little did he know that the men of the wall were all afraid of the “inn keep” and wouldn’t dare lay a hand on her. Sure, they’d cast their remarks about taking her and making her theirs, but in the end she went to bed cold and alone.

The sound of shattering glass made her run toward the main room of the tavern, where she found a fight between to balding men erupting.

Ducking, Malinda barley dodged a flying tankard as she entered the chaos.

“

What is going on?!” She yelled, her face becoming warm from her level of frustration rising.

“

We’re just having some fun, love!” The biggest man said, the tendons in his thick neck bulging grotesquely, his face red and sweaty. There was a thin stream of blood running from his eyebrow down his cheek.

“Fun? You call breaking hundreds of dollars worth of things fun?!” Malinda ran a hand over her maroon curls and took a deep breath. Calm yourself, she thought. You know what Da would do if he found out.

“Oh, come on love,” the second man said, walking toward her, a smirk coming across his bloodied face, “we’re only tryin’ to win the night of a lovely lass like yerself.” He reached out quickly and barley brushed her ample bust before she had her dagger unsheathed and held against his throat.

Her breath was rapid as she fought to control her anger. “You are to leave this place, and never come back. Do you understand that you filthy mutt?” Pressing the blade just deep enough to make her point, someone cleared their throat.

The men looked as though they had seen a ghost and turned pale as Malinda released the man from her grip.

In walked a knight of the wall, dressed in full armor with his long sword strapped over his shoulder, the emblem of the rabbit of the king’s house stitched in silver and reds on his breast plate. His hair fell to his shoulders in a black so dark it looked to shine blue in the dim light. Malinda felt her heart beat once hard against her chest.

“Out, men. I will see you in the barracks before your shift.” The two men scattered like scared field mice as the knight walked toward Malinda, who stood shakily with her dagger at her side.

“Are you alright, miss? My name is Roddick, and I apologize on behalf of them and of the royal family.” He held out his arm.

Malinda just looked at his out stretched arm. “Name’s Malinda. I’m fine, thank you.” She shook her head and began walking toward the middle of the room where the majority of the mess laid. Sighing, she looked around.

“This’ll take me hours to clean, my boss’ll have me head for it. Though I don’t know why he doesn’t just fire that harpy he hired. She’s as useful as a sword is to a tadpole. Infatuated with her, he is. Well, I don’t like her. She’s a tramp. And she’s ugly at that. My Da deserves a beautiful woman. Not an ugly tramp with scars on her face.”

The knight cleared his throat uneasily. Malinda looked up in surprise. “you’re still here? I apologize. I thought I was alone with my thoughts again.” She smiled at him and offered him an empty stool. “I thank you for telling them to leave, but I assure you; I have handled much worse from the likes of those men.” Roddick looked at her, his gray eyes wide.

“Those men are under my watch. If I had ever thought they would be capable of such disgusting behavior I would have reprimanded them myself.” He bowed to her, showing her respect which made her face flush with surprise.

“Would you like a drink, sir? We have other drinks aside ale if you like.” Malinda didn’t know what to do with her dagger while he was standing there. Roddick made her feel oddly self conscious. Normally, she would have had no problem hiking up her skirts and sheathing her dagger in her thigh holster, but today. Today she felt as if she were being treated like a lady, not as a lowly bar keep. It made her head spin.

“Just a water, my lady,” he said, his dimples presenting themselves as he smiled at her, “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, sir.” Malinda turned to hide the grin that was spreading across her face.

What am I doing? She thought, I can’t fall for him… it isn’t like me! Pouring the water she plated him one of her famous pastries and smiled genuinely. “For your help, kind sir. Not to sound too cocky, but they’re the best pastries around.” She giggled girlishly and reprimanded herself mentally.

He bit into the pastry and closed his eyes, “Malinda, these are better than even the royal chefs!” He took another bite and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, brushing the crumbs from his beard.

“Why thank you, sir.” She smiled again, thinking to herself that she hadn’t smiled this much since…well, she couldn’t remember.

Roddick stood, and bowed to her again. “Sadly, I must leave to watch the wall. But, may I be so bold as to speak my heart?” Malinda nodded silently, her curls bouncing against her shoulders.

“I feel as though… I am falling for you as foolish as that sounds. Please, do not think less of me. I am a hopeless romantic with my old grans stories of knights and maidens running through my foolish head. But please, do my heart a favor. Keep a pastry warm for me tonight. I’ll be back to call on you at sunset.

Good day, my dear Malinda. Please, think over what I’ve said.”

The knight left before she could answer him, leaving her with her mouth slightly open and her heart hammering against her ribs.

someone… falling for me? Like in the old stories… I wonder if it could be true…

Malinda set aside two extra pastries that day, and wasn’t disappointed when the knight came in right as the sun was setting in the windows.

“I’ve been waiting for you, love,” she called as he entered the doorway.