Felicity – Two
~ Town ~
Date
Three weeks and everything was going spiffing, as they would say in the Old World. The gang had st up at Little Cross perfectly! For today Matthias and I had rode into the town to pick up some supplies for camp. It was nice to head out with someone other than the girls. Matthias was very different to the rest of the boys. I think out of the gunmen he was one of the only person not to be a pervert, Solomon was just a gentleman but the other guys always like to eye up the girls.
We needed some more cooking supplies and other bits and bobs, plus I wanted to pic up some new clothes. I really wanted a new hat as the one I had now was looking a little worse for wear.
So as Matthias and I rode into Darksnag about mid-morning before splitting up to do our own things.
“So what you’re going for Matt?” I asked as we stopped just off the main road into town.
“I got some tools to pick up for… erm…” Matthias bit his lip and chuckled. “And yea, I got a few things to pick up for the others. Mail to hand in and check. Want to ride back together?”
“Sure, I’m going to get something to eat before I do, meet at the saloon?” I asked back.
“Sure! Yea! See you there!” Matthias turned his horse and headed off down the road.
It wasn’t long for me to do what I needed to do in town, Darksnag was a small town, a general store, a saloon and an Inn. There was a bank here too so the boys would want to rob that at some point; best time to do that would be when we were leaving once again, however long that would be.
The town itself only had a dozen or so buildings but was settled in the middle of two large hills, on one side was an expanse of fields and open land; slight rolling hills that settled out into the horizon. The New World was like this, most of it rolling hills and fields, or at least the bit I had seen.
I heard that to the south was a Kingdom of Dragons, ruled by Dragonkin and flying demons. I didn’t believe it, the last Dragon I’d heard of had been killed in some fight back in the Old World.
Then again a lot of strange things had been discovered in the years the Empires of the Old World had searched the New one.
Gideon had told me of a land to the East, a land of strange Aşağı and cultures. He had so many books in his waggon; him and Zachariah were our lore keepers, our book keepers, our teachers.
Anyway, back to Darksnag. A nice place, a general store at the middle of the town alongside a saloon. Both had been the first things to be built out here in the empty fields that now became the town. It seemed the town had stretched out from there and thrown the Inn next door, a bank was one of the latest additions with a few extra stores here and there. A n Alchemist, a hunters lodge and other giff and gaff that would end up sold in a place like this.
The train lines had not made its way here, that was further north around the gorges that way; why build a bridge over the hole when you can simply go around and avoid it all together. With no train line passing through here, the post was delivered by horse to the next town; I could see the postman loading up his carriage for the outward journey not to far away from the doors of the post office.
My first job was to order some supplies for Wilburn. He needed fresh veg and some other spices, he was always wanting to make sure the meals were perfect; apparently ‘back in the navy’ he was the best damn cook in the fleet.
Yea, maybe the Merchant Navy, not the actual military. I’d never see that man in the military, too much a coward and looks after his own skin more than anything or anyone else. Might make a good General come to think of it.
Say what you say about the cook, his food was damn good. I think I would have starved to death if we had relied on someone else to cook for us.
I had enough cash to put down on the supplies at the general store, about Ten Shillings worth. I told the owner, an older gentleman with a bit of a limp, that we would come back with a cart tomorrow to pick up everything.
Handing over half the cash now, I headed for my next appointment.
There was one thing that I missed while being out here in the planes. A nice hot bath.
It was only a few Coppers at the local inn and you could get yourself scrubbed up by some serving wench for a few more. I was in no rush and decided to decline the offer for now. I just wanted to relax in the tub.
A copper tube big enough for the fattest pig to comfortably relax inside, it was filled up nearly to the brim with warm water pumped in by a pipe from outside. With the pull of a handle more hot water came out of the heated tank.
“Oh yeah! Now that’s what I call a bath.” I sighed and relaxed my head back in the rose petal scented water.
After I was done with my bath I redressed and headed back out to finish shopping. I got my new hat and headed for the tavern.
Making my way into the saloon, I approached the bar top and rested my arms against the wood surface. I could not see Matthias anywhere but the saloon was full and packed. Men, woman, children all getting their daily meals. A lot of the men were getting more than their daily food, downing their sorrows into their tankards.
Deciding to take a table in the corner, I would wait for Matthias here.
It wasn’t long before shit began to kick off, it always did here in these saloons and taverns in the outskirts and the out country. Some arsehole had decided to flirt with some guys girl and a quick fight had started out.
“Pathetic.” I mumbled quietly and shook my head, sipping at my tankard of ale with a slight sigh.
“Hey girl, you on your own?” A voice spoke at my side, preceded by the horrifying scent of stale alcohol, sweat and the Gods only knows what else. It almost had me gagging as I turned my head and raised it to look up at the source of the foul stench.
An Orc stood with one hand inside his pocket, the muscles of his hand gently moving as if scratching or… Gods knows what else. He looked like the offspring of a communion of a bear and his mother. Double chinned, patchy hair and was that gravy smeared on his cheek?
Urg, I thought I was going to actually throw up.
“No friend, I’m with someone. He’s just on his way now.” I spoke, struggling to breath through my mouth with the foul stench even settling on my tongue.
“Oh I’m sure you need company while you wait for him eh?” The foul oafish Orc asked and tried to sit down at the free seat to my side, his arm going to rest on the table.
A slight nudge of my foot pushed the chair slightly out of the way of his fat arse, which in hind sight was a grand achievement in of itself with how much space it took up.
I had my drink in my hand, so I did not have to worry about spilling it as the oaf collapsed back onto the wood slats, his body almost bouncing if my eyes caught it right. He made a sound like a thick steak being dropped on to the kitchen floor. The table went up on its side thanks to his entire weight put on his arm. Sipping my drink, I had to stop myself from bursting out into a fit of laughter; the entire saloon filled with howling laughter.
“Look at Ol’Gil there, Can’t even sit down straight!” One voice called.
“He so fat that he ate the chair!” Another quipped.
The oafish Orc looked around, saw the chair behind him and then looked up at me quickly. Managing to get to his feet, and only just doing that without tearing his trousers in half, he squared up and spread his shoulders out; making himself even wider in front of me.
“You bitch! You kicked the chair out!” He snapped, sending spittle flying everywhere as his fat lips moved.
“I would never do such a thing.” I lied, shrugging as I idly spun a lock of my red hair on my finger. “That would be such a naughty thing. You missed it.” I lied again, smiling and sipping my drink.
“You bitch! You fuckin’ whore!” The oafish Orc yelled and slapped his hand, open palmed at me. Sitting back just enough not to have the beefy hand to hit me in the face, my tankard was slapped out of my hand and threw it flying across the floor. Staring at him, I glared up at the fat oaf.
My tankard was almost three quarters full!
“You cunt!” I yelled and kicked out the same foot I used to kick the chair.
I wasn’t aiming for it but it seemed that my aim was true.
My boot connected with his crotch.
And it wasn’t gentle either.
Every man in the saloon let out a long hiss and bent forward in a shared pain.
“Bitch!” The oafish Orc yelled, “Whore!” He snapped and swung his fist at me. With one hand clamped around the ankle of my boot, I couldn’t pull back.
This was no open palmed slap, this was a full swing.
The fist connected with a wet slap, a leather hand gripped the fist in a wide embrace.
“I think you should apologise to the lady for your words.” A gruff voice spoke calmly from my right. Looking up slowly, my eyes met the gruff face of Solomon Sinclair.