by Iaz Grant
Everyone had been busy talking about the tourney and he had been no exception. He came here specifically to gather information from the grapevine so he can know how best to prepare and enter into the tourney. Who knows? Someone might get too high on spirits and leak something useful. As a result, he had struck up a conversation with the goblin who was tending his drinks at the bar.
Having gathered enough for one night, his eyes were busy scanning the crowd in the tavern for a gorgeous female to spend the lovely night with when the most delightful creature he had ever set eyes upon sashayed in. She was a human unlike any other he had met. She glistened all over her body and despite looking travel weary, her beauty was unequalled. She was wearing a trouser skirt as were getting common these days in Albion; the skirt was short and reached only mid-thigh while the trouser was skin fitted and in her case, showcasing her long legs. She had on a straw blouse that was firmly tucked into the waist of the skirt. Across her high breasts was a sling of a bag where he guessed were all her belongings. She was indeed a site to behold.
The mysterious woman was standing at the door of the tavern, looking much like a wandering gypsy and it took some time before Abel noticed that the inn had gone silent. They all noticed her too, he noted. All creatures, male and female, were staring at her but she was blissfully unaware. She started to walk down to the bar in a glide and he saw many eyes follow her. Her walk was almost fluid-like as if she literarily floated. If not for the conspicuous absence of the luminescence for which all Fairies were distinctly recognized, he would have thought her one. He could also imagine he saw many mouths water.
"Finder's keeper," Abel quoted to himself. He would like to believe that he saw this beautiful woman first and so should get the prize. He quickly got up before he was beaten to it and met her halfway to the bar. One has to be smarter than the rest of these things. He was sure others were waiting for her to take a seat before making their move. Well, now, the game is over.
"Hi, beautiful," He said as he came up to her, giving her his widest smile. "May I have the honour of guiding you to a seat?" He added, already grabbing a hold of her hand and leading her towards the chair he had just vacated.
"Thank you, kind sir." She said. "But I am no imbecile and can take my own seat without your help."
She cleverly eased her hand out of his and walked ahead of him to the chair he indicated.
"Obstinate as well as beautiful," He muttered under his breath. She was so beautiful that he could easily forget her insult. It was no problem, he thought to himself, I like women who played hard to get. He quickly rallied up and went after her. This might get to be a great night after all.
He joined her as soon as she sat on the heart-shaped stool beside his, just as he wanted it to happen precisely. Great mind connection was what happened, as far as he was concerned.
He sidled next to her and plopped nonchalantly on his seat. He could feel rather than see the resentment of another eligible male as he did.
"What would you know? That was the exact seat I had reserved for you. A little fairy already pre-empted me of your August arrival. Fate, don't you think?" He said smoothly.
He actually saw the corners of her lips quirk up in a little smile. Maybe she is not immune after all. It was when she turned to him that he knew that she mocked him. This one didn’t give a damn for his rich humour and fine face for which many of the female creatures here have been coveting all night.
"I wouldn't call it fate," She said, that little smile still playing on her lips. "It was the only available seat closest to the bar," She stated, pointing out the obvious.
He was entranced by the smile on those lips. Rather suddenly, he felt like sucking those full heart shaped lips just to see if it would taste like the nectar of the wild dandelions he remembered from growing up. The lips looked so sumptuous. Meanwhile, he snapped out of his fantasy to reply her. He looked up into her eyes first instead and saw that she already caught him staring.
“Call it whatever you like, mon Cher, and I will call it whatever I like. I maintain that it is fate that a beautiful one such as you came upon a handsome one as myself tonight.” He winked into her lovely eyes.
She rolled her eyes heavenwards as if pleading with the fates to deliver her from him. It wouldn’t be so easy. Not if he also pleaded with the same fates to leave them be.
She ignored him and ordered a drink. It was the same he had been drinking before she walked in; floated in more like. Maybe they had more in common after all.
“Tell me; are you half fairy and half human? I have been wondering about your beauty and couldn’t come up with a better explanation. Your beauty is unequalled by all in this tavern, as I am sure you have noticed.”
In his experience, he never saw a female who flattery had failed to woo.
She turned to him and he was stunned anew by the colour of her eyes; they were ocean blue, dark, deep, ocean blue that made him think of under waters and swimming deep below. She was an enchantress, he was sure. He was already feeling discomfited down below.
“I am not what you think, so you can stop taking a guess already.” She snapped.
He was about to open his mouth and say something else when she rudely held up a hand.
"Do you mind sir? I have a painful headache and would like nothing better than to lay my head on a soft pillow tonight."
Abel's imagination was going overdrive. The mention of soft pillow and sleep already got him dreaming of hot, wild sex with this incredible specimen of female species. He leaned over her to tell her just how he would ease her aching head.
"You know," He started, "There is an old tale of men relieving women of their ailment just by having them suck their shaft for a night time?"
There! He thought he finally had her attention as she raised her eyebrow with shock and attention.
"Oh trust me, I had no idea it worked until I saw it myself." He leaned his seat towards her and made sure that he was so close, she could feel the warmth of his breath as he spoke. He didn't manage to raise his voice anymore. He quietly dropped his voice to a faint rhythm and told her everything about the old tradition of Neymarcha.
"The old erotic fairies called it the Neymar darling," He whispered softly, wishing he had, at least, the magic of the fairies. With their dust, he could easily have her under his spell as he whispered so seductively.
“But over the years, I guess the name coined and turned until it became “Neymarcha”. It was an old tradition developed just for sex and sex alone. Sex so hot and blazing that only men and fairies could be seen doing it. They went completely naked and antiquity had it that the fairies sometimes shed their wings just to complete the cycle of mating and mating until the entire energy of the earth and their body fuse into a single and soulful plane of pure madness.”
He stopped and took a gulp of the liquid in his cup. He thought that this should really get her anxious and ready to listen to the rest of his tale. He knew everything was hogwash anyway. But she seemed to be falling for it.
“Of course, this tradition only happens to cure fairies of ailments that cannot be ridden for millions of years. Sex, it would seem can be the only force that can get them safe and healthy. And I bet Albion’s gold and riches that men of the time had their long and big shafts in and out of Fairies like it was nothing. Fairies could be so sweet the creatures.”
Quite satisfied with the story he had cooked and tabled, Abel decided it was time to go for the kill.
“I can get you so fast on a comfortable sheet darling. I have to admit, I know nothing about Neymarchar, but I can get in good and out and you won’t have to do nothing but moan and groan until you can’t get enough.”
Abel knew that she listened with the much rapt attention that he had no doubt that he had her caught in his palms already. Just then, she looked him straight in the eyes with an enraged fierceness.
"Mister, I would rather prefer you not talk to me at all sir. I find you to be much of a tal
kative and quite annoying. It would be of utmost pleasure to me if you can do me the favour of finding somewhere else to cast your net. This female is highly insusceptible to your wiles."
As soon as she delivered this rebuke wrapped with insults to his manhood, she promptly turned, giving him her profile once more. Before long, she started shaking her blonde head to the music of the Fairies, which had resumed in the corner. He could be a pesky little fly for all the attention she paid him right now.
That stung, he thought, almost holding his bruised heart for the show. He had never met any female that was this immune to his sweet talk and especially the wonderful gift nature had deemed fit to bestow upon him- his magnificent face and body. Much female from all races have told him so, especially as he made wild, passionate love to them. They always wanted more from him and were always sorry to see him go. This one bruised his ego and for the first time, he was at a total loss for a smooth come back. Even the Neymarchar story didn’t work?
"Fine," He said. "I will leave you in the hands of the Hawks already eyeing you here. Let's see how you fare with them once I leave your presence."
She didn’t bother with a reply as he guessed she wouldn’t. He decided to review his former opinion about her- she was obstinate, beautiful and proud. He ordered one more drink and left her at the bar.
Damnation, he hadn’t even learnt her name.
He looked around the tavern and saw a vacant seat very close to the bar. It was within hearing distance and it suited him just fine. He wanted to see and hear how she would treat other males he knew would come flocking as soon as they saw he was out of the game. The seat he saw was next to a female Sidhe. She was seating alone and looking directly at him. Why not? He walked down to her and took the seat.
"I believe this seat is mine," He said.
ϖ
Tanya was exhausted. It had been so stressful trying to convince Maya to let her go. The little one could be so adamant when she set her mind to it. As soon as her husband left for the farm in the wee hours of the morning, Maya had stuck to Tanya like the gum from a tree. It was hours before Tanya left the cottage, thanks to the scheming little wife.
She had then proceeded to trek the distance out of Albion. She ensured to keep her ears and eyes wide open in case she heard or saw a thing or person even remotely associated with the tourney. She was almost crossing the boundary of Albion into Farhen when she heard music and voices from the tavern in the distance. Having come from the other end into Albion about two weeks ago, she didn't know of the place and she had never come this far in her walks to happen upon it. Perhaps she could hear something about the tourney from the crowd judging from the loud conversation that was emanating from the tavern even from the distance where she stood.
So, it was with a light heart and empty stomach that Tanya opened the door to The Hut. As soon as she did, she noticed that the room went silent and she guessed at the reason. Encantados glistened luminously when they sweated or if water comes upon their skin and right now, she was drenched in sweat. This, added to the fact that Encantados turned to extraordinarily beautiful women when they touched human soil, was always an incredible sight to behold. Knowing this, she ignored the stares and proceeded to the bar to quench her thirst.
She was midway when a very handsome man stopped her. She wasn't in the best of moods for any small talk and was irritated at this interception. She was quick to discard of his unwanted attention and continued on her way. Truth be told, if she had been anyone of such lustful females, she would be flattered by his attention as he was so pleasing to the eye. His flirtatious stories, however, irritated her. And her mind was mostly on The Louvre and not on such things as the easy lay she was sure he sought.
As soon as she sat at the bar, he was at her side again. This time around, she wasted no time in been succinct; politeness was lost to the air in her reply to his rather insinuating remarks. She smiled triumphantly when he left in a huff. She wasn't moved at all by his threats of other male coming her way. She could handle them just like she did him.
“I believe this seat is mine.” He had said. She shook her head in wonder. This was one male creature who would go for anything in skirts. Looking over at the Sidhe, she was gobbling him up like he was a potentially tasteful meal too. Fools, them both.
She was shaking her head to the fairies' music and keeping her ears open when true to his words, a short smartly dressed goblin sat on the stool the handsome human just vacated.
Without batting an eyelash, she proceeded to ignore him blatantly. The goblin was so thrown at this that he remained mute for a long while. She could feel the hard stare of her first companion from where he sat next to the Sidhe. Soon enough, in her vigilance, her ears caught on his conversation with the Sidhe and she sat perfectly still.
“…. heading to Sheelah for the tourney." She heard him say to the red-head Sidhe.
By this time, the goblin had mustered his lost courage and had started talking but she already turned away from him entirely.
"I see no cheer with you, I could be your cheer." She heard the Sidhe reply temptingly to him.
From where she sat, Tanya could see the Sidhe rub her legs up and down his crotch from under the table, and the brainless fool was smiling indulgingly at her antics. She quickly glanced at his muscles beneath the tight fitting shirt he wore and saw that he was fit. She judged him to be well-trained in the arts of war. Quite nimble on his feet too, she had seen when he walked up to her the other time. Maybe …. She quickly made up her mind.
She stood so suddenly that the goblin seated next to her jumped. Without paying him the least attention, she walked straight to the handsome human and his new acquaintance.
"He has a cheer and this is she," She said in her most dangerous voice.
ABEL AND TANYA
Abel looked up from where he sat and raised his eyebrows in surprise. That, he hadn’t expected. She was willing to be his cheer? Now, he was curious. Just some few moments ago, she couldn’t stand his sight, now she was fighting to be his cheer?
“You heard me.” She hissed at the Sidhe. “Now, scoot.”
She looked so serious and dangerous that the Sidhe hurried off without even giving him a glance. Her look was much like one staking out his territory. She took the seat that the Sidhe vacated and looked directly into his eyes. He was soon mesmerized by them once more. Now, he had her full unwavering attention.
“You were heading off for Sheelah, you said?” she asked unabashedly.
He didn't know what that has got to do with anything especially as she has just sent off a potential bedmate. That ought to get him angry at her, but odd enough, he wasn't in the least bit angry. He was just merely curious as to what changed by the time he left her at the bar.
Perhaps she considered him a better company than the dandified goblin that took over when he left?
She was looking at him expectantly and he remembered she just asked him a question.
“Yes, so what if I am?” he asked belligerently. He wasn’t going to make this easy for her, beautiful woman or not.
“I will be your cheer.” She declared with finality.
He couldn’t keep his mouth from hanging open. That was it? She meant it when she said she wanted to be his cheer? What was this?
“You do realize that the warrior and the cheer have to be lovers, don’t you?” he asked to bait her.
"I heard no such objection when that redhead was saying the same thing," She stated.
She raised her brows mockingly and added "Was that as a result of her feet wrapped around the length of your crotch? Should I do the same?" she asked innocently.
He suddenly had the urge to cover the object under discussion with a thick layer of cloth. He wasn’t sure he could keep his cool if she ventured anywhere near it. Her smooth, velvety voice was already making him undone.