Chapter 1

The night was dark. Stars sparkled in the night sky, so far away from a big city it was easy to see the true splendour of nature. There was a faint breeze blowing, it was picking up pace, and quickly. Anyone with sense was grabbing their companions or belongings and rushing back into their living quarters.

The sign of the tavern was swinging madly back and forth. When it was illuminated by the streetlamp I could see it was called “The Creaky Stairwell”. It was as good a place as any to settle down for the night. I pulled my travelling cloak further around myself and took a solitary step forward.

Then something creeped along in my peripheral vision. It made the hairs on my arm stand up. I followed stealthily. There was an unsuspecting man outside the tavern smoking a cigarette. The shadow slithered along, completely unnoticed by anyone but me. I grabbed my sword, and in one fluid movement sliced the creature in half and it disappeared in a puff of black smoke, dissipating into the wind.

The man was so startled he dropped his cigarette.

“If it weren’t for me, you’d be dead right now.” I sniffed, stamping his still dimly lit cigarette out with my boot.

He looked incredulously at the mushed cigarette on the ground.

“What the ‘eck did you do that for?” he said, gesticulating towards the ground. His accent wasn’t one that I was accustomed to. I took several seconds to process his sentence and shook my head in disbelief.

I couldn’t believe that after his encounter, his biggest concern was for the wasted smoke. I don’t know why I was still here, I needed to get inside. Yet, I continued to stand there, trying to communicate with a drunk stranger about the danger that he had been momentarily in. If you’d asked me why I wouldn’t have been able to explain it. It just felt like the right thing to do, I guess.

I frowned. “Did you not see that?”

“See what?” he asked, glancing to the right then to the left.

I shook my head dismissively at him. “It’s gone now, I killed it. Did you honestly not see it?”

The man had now started rubbing his arms and hopping from foot to foot. It took me a moment to realise that he was perhaps cold. I could barely feel the scathing cold wind due to my thick cloak. This man was dressed in nothing but a thin shirt.

“Look, man. I got no clue what you’re talkin’ about. I’m freezin’ my arse out here though.” He squinted at me. “I reckon you’ve ‘ad one ter many ter drink�"I’d tell you to go ‘ome and sleep it off. I’m goin’ back inside�"I’ve got a corkin’ beauty waiting for me inside, if you know whatta mean.” He pointed to his c**k and winked at me.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Something about me must have caught his eye as he didn’t move. He stood staring at me. I wasn’t sure how much of me he could actually see�"the lighting was very poor and he must have been a little intoxicated. Just as a precaution I pulled my hood closer, just in case.

“Why you got a sword? Don’t you know there’s a weapon ban?” he said, pointing to the gleaming weapon at my side.

I grimaced, then remembered he couldn’t see me.

“Family heirloom.” I replied quickly, my heart hammering uncomfortably. What if he went to go fetch a guard?

“Must be pretty well off to ‘ave a family ‘eirloom.” He commented, nodding smartly.

I had never been more desperate to get away from a conversation. I took a tentative step forward, toward the tavern.

I smiled politely. “It belonged to some great uncle, I think. Passed down through the family.”

The man nodded again, impressed.

“Hey. You really thought there was something earlier?” he asked suddenly. For someone who had been almost as desperate as myself to get out of this conversation he now had no problem keeping it flowing.

I nodded, then remembered again�"he couldn’t see me. My hood was so wide it covered every part of my face.

“Yes.”

“Well, whatever, man. Thanks I guess.”

I’d always known that there were people who were not capable of seeing beasts, but I had never met anyone who had been so dim. When most people come face to face with an entity, they cannot see it but their other senses tell them they’re being watched. This man had none of this.

“You must be one of them.” I muttered, almost to myself. I certainly didn’t mean for him to hear me.

“One o’ what?” he frowned.

“Nothing. Forget it. You’re welcome.” I said quickly and side stepped him to get into the tavern.

The inside of the tavern was bustling with people, and yet despite that had a nice, homely feeling to it. Lanterns flickered along the walls, casting everything in a strange half-light. I could hear the crackling of a fireplace somewhere. Tables, chairs and big plush armchairs adorned the room. The whole room smelled like sweat, cheap alcohol and the sickly perfume of what I’d later come to recognise as the scent of prostitutes. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

The low rumble of conversation followed me as I moved forward. My ears picked up the faintest notes of music somewhere. It sounded like an accordion.

I took a seat at one of the bar stools. I didn’t want to remove the safety of my hood but I felt as though I had little choice. The room was stifling. I looked to either side of me. I was surrounded on both sides by pudgy middle aged men. I rolled my eyes. They were both busy hungrily glugging alcohol and flirting with women.

I removed my hood, keeping my eyes fixed at the bar. I noticed it was stained, beer maybe? The wood was scratched. I ran my finger along the indentation in the wood, trying to gouge how it must have happened and why.

I was so trapped in my thoughts that I didn’t notice the silence that descended upon the room. I had a suspicion it was because of me. I knew I ought to make some smart comment so people can go back to their business but I found I couldn’t care less. Most of these people would be too hungover in the morning to remember me.

When I refused to lift my eyes, the customers got bored and went back to their own individual activities.

The barman, a tall, somewhat handsome man was wiping the inside of a glass clean. His eyes scanned the people, obviously looking for someone who looked as though they needed another drink. His eyes raked across people, not taking anything in when he met my eye. He dropped the glass. It splintered on the ground. Blushing like a man with terrible sunburn he mumbled something I couldn’t hear and disappeared under the bar.

He resurfaced, holding the remains of the glass in a cloth. He vanished.

I was aware of the presence of someone before they spoke. Their breath was right in my ear. The waft of a combination of wine, beer and vomit was so overwhelming I almost threw up myself.

“What’s a purty girl like you doin’ here all alone on a night like this? Don’t ya know it’s unlucky to leave a man alone on the eve of a storm?” His sweaty hand reached towards my hair, as though to tuck it behind my ear. It was so repulsive I fought the urge to pull away.

“That’s an old wives’ tale.” I responded, as calmly as I could muster.

His hands were on my face now, trying to get me to look at him. His hands were so sweaty you probably could have wrung them out like a sponge.

“Come on now. You’re attractive�"I’m attractive and drunk�"what’s the matter?” he pleaded, his hand now sneaking down to my neck.

I reacted without thinking. I reached inside my cloak and pulled out my dagger and held it at his throat before he even knew what was happening.

I finally turned to face him. I knew my face was contorted with anger. He gasped and tried to pull away but I grabbed him, pushing the knife further toward him.

“Listen here you pathetic waste of space. I am not here to get leered at by some grotesque excuse of a human being. You speak to me again, or even if you so much glance my way again for the rest of the evening or do anything else I’ll consider a nuisance�"I will not hesitate to slit your throat whilst you sleep.” I spoke quietly and quickly.

There was blind panic in his eyes, and despite the thrill of sick pleasure it gave me I did not remove the knife.

“Do you understand me, you Neanderthal? Or do I need to speak even slower so I get through that thick skull of yours?”

He nodded vigorously.

“I said do you understand me? Maybe it’s too loud in here but I didn’t hear you.”

“I understand�"I understand! Jesus, don’t hurt me, please!” he looked on the verge of sobbing.

I was about to release him when the barman came back. His eyes widened when he saw what was happening.

“Now, I don’t know what’s happening here but I don’t tolerate violence of any kind in my bar. You let him go about his business and I don’t need to get involved, okay?” he said in a calm voice.

I shoved him away from me with so much force he tripped over the bar stool and sprawled on the floor. Nobody went to go help him up.

He scrambled away from me, dragging himself along the floor, his pudgy eyes never leaving my face.

I twirled the dagger until it was facing me and stashed it back in my inside pocket before anyone could question me.

“Can I get a drink or what?” I asked, a bit too sharply, staring at the barman.

The barman stared back at me, he seemed to be entirely over the shock of my appearance. I felt a flush crawl up my face as I became aware of his muscled arms. I swallowed in fear, he could easily break a bone with little to no effort on his part.

The barman’s arms were crossed against his chest�"a defensive movement. He still held the rag in his hands. He was clutching it so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

“Not until you tell me what that was about. Look lady�"you’re obviously from outta town, but this is a peaceful establishment.” He said, leaning his elbows onto the bar.

I rolled my eyes.

“Well?” the barman prompted.

“He was hitting on me.” I said stubbornly, choosing to speak to the shelf of drinks above his head.

He snorted in disbelief. “That was reason enough to pull a knife on him?”

“I don’t like being drooled over by drunk men.” I said defensively.

“This is a bar. What else do you expect? These are people who are desperately unhappy�"they’re stuck in loveless marriages, s****y jobs and they come here at the end of the week to unwind a little. Can’t blame them for that, can you?” the barman explained patiently, as though this was a speech he gave often.

My face wrinkled with contempt.

“I ain’t here to pass no judgement but if you think this place is below you�"the door’s that way sweetheart.” He said, an edge of anger coming into his voice.

I suddenly flashed him my best charming smile. “Your establishment is wonderful. Very quaint.”

The barman squirmed a little at this, but he looked pretty pleased with himself nonetheless.

“Well you know�"I’m one man, but I try my best.” He tried his best to not look too pleased with himself and failed miserably.

I laughed, though it wasn’t particularly funny.

He cracked a smile too, his face pink. “Say, what’s your name?” he said, looking at me with renewed curiosity.

My smile froze on my face. Did I give him my real name? What if someone came looking for me?

“V�"violet.” I said, stammering slightly, cursing myself silently.

“Violet, eh?” he said and I might have imagined it but I thought I saw a hint of scepticism cross his face.

I nodded and smiled again. “Yes, that’s right.” I said trying to convince not only him but myself as well. The lie hadn’t slipped off my tongue with ease and my new name took some getting used to. It felt heavy and unfamiliar in my mouth. I thought it would burn my tongue. Dishonesty was something I avoided�"though in my line of work that wasn’t really possible.

“What’s yours? I can’t exactly call you barman if I’m going to talk to you.” I said with a little giggle.

“Lois.” He said without any preamble and I envied him. How it must be to not have to look over your shoulder constantly and live a simple life without deceit. My heart contracted painfully with longing.

“Lois the bartender.” I smirked, liking the way that it sounded.

He nodded approvingly. “It does have a ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“It does.” I agreed.

“So can I get that drink or what?” I asked, smiling sheepishly.

Lois the bartender slid over a beer. I didn’t technically drink any sort of alcohol but I took it and pretended to be grateful.

“On the house.” He proclaimed.

I smiled in appreciation.

“Say, how about we take this outside? It’s a bit too crowded in here for my liking.” Lois states.

“You’re the bartender. You can’t leave your customers without service.” I objected. He seemed nice but the last thing I needed was to get chatty with some stranger.

Lois shrugged. “They’ll be fine. They’re all drunk enough as it is.”

I tried to hide my discomfort as best as I could.

I stood and straightened my cloak out to remove creases. Call me vain, but I am. Lois edged his way out of behind the bar and grabbed a brown leather jacket that hung off a hook in the wall on his way out.

We stepped out onto the chilly night.

He led me out toward the back of the inn. There was a small porch there. You could just about see the glimmer of the rest of the town from here. The yellow pin pricks of light seemed to flicker in an ominous manner. Lois sat down on the edge of the porch, his long legs resting on the first step. I followed suit, though it was really the last thing that I wanted to do.

Lois sniffed and scratched his nose, staring out at the horizon as though there was something there I couldn’t see. I drew my cloak further around me. The wind had died down, though a faint sprinkle of rain was falling down, causing the surroundings to look as though a mist had descended onto it.

“Cigarette?” he said, pulling out a packet.

I almost went to decline but then decided against it. Why not?

“Sure.” I said nonchalantly. I hadn’t smoked in a long time.

He handed me one and lit it with a lighter. I inhaled deeply, feeling the smoke travel through my body. God, I’d missed this. How long had been since I’d just sat outside somewhere with a cigarette and some company? The last person I’d done that with was Pharus�"and he was long gone now. A deep sadness filled every part of me. I wondered where he was, sometimes, when I wasn’t fantasising about sticking a knife into him.

“Why does everyone here smoke? Is it some kind of a fad?” I asked, taking another puff.

Lois shrugged. “Dunno.”

He paused. “That was a pretty heavy sigh. Sounded like you got the world on your shoulders.”

I froze. I hadn’t even realised I’d done that.

I gave a hollow laugh. “Close enough, I guess.”

“Who broke your heart?” Lois asked suddenly, staring at me. I hadn’t noticed what an intense shade of green his eyes were. Or maybe it was the moonlight reflecting badly off them, making them seem more beautiful than they actually were.

“Who said anyone broke my heart? I have no heart to break.” I deflected.

“Come on, pretty girl like you? Ain’t no way you haven’t had your fair share of heartache.”

“Don’t you start assuming anything about me.” I shot back.

“Look�"Violet. When you’re a bartender, you start to read people. There’s only so many tragedies that befall a human. We’re pretty repetitive that way, you know?” he stopped to inhale his cigarette.

“And how’s that?” I asked, looking at him. I could feel the wind ruffling my hair.

“Anyone desperate enough to come to a bar only has a possibility of three things that ail them: loneliness, heartache and loss. You got a problem that stems deeper than that, then no amount of alcohol in the world can make you right.”

I thought for a moment.

“Maybe not, but it can make you forget.” I countered.

“Forgetting isn’t mending.”

“The only reason things stop hurting is because you forget about them. You don’t accept anything, not really. You pretend to accept it because sometimes there’s no other choice.”

Lois didn’t respond, only snuffed out his cigarette.

“You have an accent, where you from?”

I glanced at him. “I don’t think that’s any of your business. Like I said, don’t assume you know anything about me.”

Lois shrugged. “Alright, alright. I’m just tryin’ to make conversation.”

Another moment of silence.

“How’d you learn to use a knife like that?”

My face warmed at the compliment. “It’s…it’s…complicated.” I said eventually, after a painful silence.

“You never give straight answers, do you?”

“Nope.”

“Alright then. You got somewhere to stay tonight?”

I intertwined my fingers and glanced at them in the moonlight. They looked so pale they could have been translucent. I stared at them, as though I was mesmerized by them. I had no idea why I was doing this, I wasn’t one for fidgeting. To me, any movement without purpose was void.

I shook my head.

“I got rooms upstairs. Room three is free. You’ll stay there. I don’t like the thought of a pretty young thing like you wandering around all alone.” He got up heavily with a grunt and when I glanced at him he replied: “Knee problems. An old injury.”

“Ah.” I paused. “Why are you worried about me? I think I proved myself more than capable earlier.”

Lois almost smiled at me. He towered over like me this.

“There’s a storm brewin’, love.” He eyed the horizon nervously.

I glanced at the black abyss. I could almost feel the thunder clouds rolling in. The air felt heavy, like it had to shed its skin. I shivered, though I wasn’t cold.

“Yeah, so they say.” I said, my eyes not leaving the sky.

Lois looked at me for a while without saying anything. “Don’t take this the wrong way, love�"but you’re kinda freaky lookin’. Attractive, don’t get me wrong, but freaky too. Scary.”

My eyes flashed up to meet his gaze. “So I’ve been told.”

“I don’t think it’s nuffin’ to be ashamed of though. Too many people look the same, if you ask me. It makes for a boring view.”

I snorted. “If you think I’m ashamed of how I look then you aren’t as great at reading people as you like to think.”

Lois laughed at that. “You’re one of a kind, Violet. I can tell that much. See you inside.” He said and left me.

 

Author's Note

Any feedback would be much appreciated!

Reviews

[Ashish]

My goodness! It's interesting...
Though I took Lil more time to complete it as many words are non familiar with me..still I enjoyed this..
Learnt new words..
I like Violet and her boldness...
I like the little descriptions which u have used fantastically

Waiting for chapter-2