Chapter 26:

Feli, local celebrity and barmaid of the Merry Crescent, surveyed the crowd of patrons as they milled into the tavern. From the looks on their faces it had clearly been a long day. The autumn harvest was taking place around the entire Dusk Valley, which meant more work for the commoners of Hollow Shade, including Feli. The tavern would no doubt be busy tonight. That meant lots of smiles and charm while trying to kindly turn down the men’s coquetry. She probably wouldn’t get off work until early in the morning, she sighed to herself. At least she lived in a room upstairs. No commoner wanted to travel at night with the undead sentinels prowling about, nameplate or no nameplate.

In terms of trade skills, Feli was sorely lacking. She had barely managed to get a job in the Merry Crescent thanks to her looks, about two years ago. Since then, Feli had worked hard for two goals. The first was to become a skilled barmaid, someone who could charm others easily. The second goal was a little more complicated. Feli’s parents hadn’t left her older sister or her anything before they threw their lives away.

After years of carrying their drunk father home from one tavern or another he had gotten too sick to even go work. The family had spent what little savings they had to hire a doctor. It hadn’t helped, he was too far gone, or so the doctor explained. Had a white mage looked at him, then perhaps her father could have lived. But, it was impossible. As if a few simple commoners could ever hope to enlist the help of a mage. Magi were practically gods walking among mortals to the average commoner. Capable of defying the natural world and smiting any who dared oppose them. At least that’s what Feli had heard. She had only caught the rare glimpse of a mage from afar while shopping in the trade district. It's not as if an actual mage would ever care to visit a tavern in the commoner district.

After Feli’s father died, her mother couldn’t handle the loss. One night she had left without a word and without her nameplate. Feli and her sister never saw their mother again. Neither of them knew what to do. They were penniless and without a trade to practice. Feli’s older sister chose to stay with her boyfriend, leaving Feli out in the wind. The next few days had been hard for Feli. She had gone from one establishment to another, hoping to find work. She didn’t even bother trying her hand in the trade district; that was a place for family owned businesses, an outsider stood no chance. So, Feli tried applying for any jobs in the commoner district, seeing if someone was willing to take her on as an apprentice. They hadn’t. The only quality anyone seemed interested in was her looks. She was seventeen at the time, but she had already grown into a beautiful woman. Feli could have gotten a job in the brothels, but she knew how long those girls lasted. Hollow Shade didn’t treat prostitutes well, or commoner women for that matter. Most whores would be abused horribly and would end up in the streets, addicted to one drug or another, given by their own previous employers.

The tavern master of the Merry Crescent had taken her on as a barmaid despite her lack of training, thanks to her beautiful appearance. Lucky for her, the tavern master’s wife had also helped stave off any advances her husband tried to make on Feli. It had been a difficult first year, but Feli worked hard learning and getting to know her customers. Before she knew it she had become the main attraction of the tavern. People loved her. Feli prided herself in her ability to charm the men with ease. It turned out most men were quite simple, only taking the smallest of gestures to win them over, a smile or a brush on the shoulder.

After her first year at working in the Merry Crescent, Feli had met her sister again, lying on the street. Her sister had been kicked out from her boyfriend’s place after she had been caught cheating. She told Feli it was because her new lover had a better job and more money. She had wanted a more stable life, and her new lover had promised it to her. Of course it had been a lie. Her lover had left her too. Without anywhere to go or a job to help, she had been left with only one choice. The world was a cruel place to a powerless woman. She had joined a brothel. At some point she had gotten pregnant and been kicked out. She lost the baby and was left to wander the streets as an addict of opioids, hoping to forget her past. By the time Feli had found her it was too late. Had they had the help of a white mage, but no, there was no one. Her sister passed shortly after.

In many ways Feli hated her sister for abandoning her when their parents died. But Feli understood why she had done it. She wanted a better life, away from the shit hole that was a commoner women’s world. Most women were expected to marry someone and support the family from home. If you couldn’t, a job at the brothels was common. You’d have to have strong connections to ever score a job in any of the higher districts. A job like a barmaid wasn’t particularly desirable either. Feli was tired of dodging the hands of gropers and ignoring the catcalling. Feli sympathised with her sister, but she had gone about things in the wrong way. Her sister shouldn’t have slept with just any man who promised her a little better living. She should have gone and found an actually wealthy or powerful man and married him. That way she could have spent her days in the lap of luxury, relaxing and enjoying herself, instead of working herself to death.

Which finally led Feli to create her second goal. Feli didn’t want to spend the rest of her life working amongst all of these idiotic perverted men. Her appearance had brought her far and she would use it to find a rich patron and marry him. Then she could leave this pathetic district and move to a better home than her small rickety room upstairs.

Feli greeted the customers as they entered the tavern. She wandered about, chatting with one or another. They were all tired after a long day of work and were happy to see her. Feli smirked, people loved her. After working here for two long years she had learned how to manipulate the crowds quite well. It wouldn’t be difficult to seduce a rich patron and have him begging to marry her. The problem was that no rich people visited a tavern in the commoner district.

Feli noticed a small goblin walk in. He headed towards an empty table towards the back. It was hard to forget the exotic looking goblin, Feli recognized him as the one who had outdrank Rorik a few nights prior. Now there was a catch. Rorik was a captain of the guard in the trade district! He was also from house Polamtal, a middle-class martial family. Sure, he wasn’t wealthy compared to a city lord, but compared to any commoner, the guard captain was a king. When Feli had first met him she had set her sights on seducing the drow in the hopes of marrying him and leaving this place. It had been working too, Rorik was definitely head over heels for her. But the guard was in an equality marriage, his wife wouldn’t let him take on a lesser wife no matter how much he may have wanted too. Still, it hadn’t stopped Feli from trying, she’d whisper sweet nothings into his ear when he occasionally dropped by.

Feli had wondered who the mysterious goblin was when Rorik had brought him. She doubted he was a guard, there were no goblin guards, but she was still curious. She shuffled over in a sultry manner. Feli played with her purple hair and smiled at the goblin, “Welcome back, what brings you here tonight?”

Stryg stared at her breasts with obvious lust. Yet unlike others, he made no move to hide his gaze.

What a strange man, Feli thought a bit uncomfortably, though she hid it well under her practiced smile.

After a few moments of ogling he finally spoke, “I’d like a drink.” He grimaced, “Do you have anything without alcohol?”

“We do have minotaur milk, brought in fresh this morning,” Feli offered.

The goblin sat in his seat pondering, “...Yeah, I’ll have some of that.”

“Of course, they say minotaur milk has energizing properties. You’ll be able to last twice as long on your guard shift, with just a few glasses,” Feli proclaimed.

The goblin tilted his head, “I’m not a guard.”

“Oh, sorry, I just assumed you were, since you were with captain Rorik the other night. Please forgive me, I thought you had to be a guard with that muscular build,” Feli pandered, of course she didn’t confuse a scrawny goblin for a guard, but it was a good way for him to open up. She reached out and grabbed his arm lightly, men loved when she did this, but she faltered. She actually felt taut muscles beneath his sleeve. The goblin pupils widened at her touch. She took a step back in surprise.

Feli cleared her throat, “You seem tired, can I get you something to warm you up on this cold evening? Maybe our chef’s special, shepherd’s pie?”

“Is it tasty?” The goblin asked intensely.

“Uh, yes. I’d say so.” Something was definitely off with this goblin.

“Then yes.” He nodded.

“Great, a wonderful choice in my humble opinion. Long day at work huh?”

“I guess you could say that. My master made me fetch her some strange items. Do you know what scented blue ore smells like? Nothing. It literally smells like nothing. Why would they call it that?” The goblin complained.

Ah, so he was just an errand boy, nothing more. Perhaps he served Rorik’s wife or maybe someone at the guard barracks. Either way it meant he was poor with no prospects and of little influence. A nobody, not worth the effort.

“I’m sorry I wouldn’t know. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go grab your order,” Feli spoke in a quick manner and left.

Stryg watched the beautiful barmaid walk away. After a few hours of roaming around lost in the trade district he had succeeded in buying everything on Loh’s list. He was left with a couple of silver coins and had decided to get something to drink. He only knew one tavern, though. It took some time but he managed to find his way here. Of course he could have just gone and asked around for another tavern, but he wanted to see the beautiful barmaid, Feli. He had heard how she wasn’t interested in any suitors, but it didn’t stop him from staring.

Feli returned with the food and drink, “Here you are.” She placed the plate and mug on the table.

“Thank you.” Stryg said before taking a tentative taste of the drink.

It was sweet and refreshing. He remembered how the goblin Karen had gushed about it. He sighed into his mug, at least she hadn’t lied about this.

“It really is tasty,” he muttered.

Feli was no longer paying attention. Her eyes were scanning the crowd, hoping to find a new customer, one with actual potential. Unfortunately, she didn’t see any.