A Winter Drink

[Henry Renold]

Henry clapped his hands together in an effort to keep warm. His thin clothes were barely enough to keep him warm at the best of times, and in the depths of winter he came close to freezing.

It was not unusual for slum dwellers or "lows" as they were often known, to die in the colder months of the year, especially the old or very young and it was one of the main reasons Henry hated the upper classes and magicians. He just couldnt understand why the magicians couldn't use their powers for the good of the people.

He shuffled up as another boy joined the line at the bar of the inn and he grinned as he saw it was someone he knew.
"Hey there Ranel! Haven't seen you about for a few weeks, been away?"
Ranel smiled back although with a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"Been out in the country, on a bit o'business. Ya know?"
Henry laughed. He knew exactly what that meant. A business trip in the slums almost always involved a theft of somekind, Henry himself had been on several of those trips himself over the recent months.

Stealing was not seen as a crime in the slums. It was the only way to survive and it meant the difference between eating or starving, living or dying.

As the bar keeper rang the bell signalling last orders Henry nodded to Ranel and left the small inn. It was bitter cold outside and he pulled his thread bare cloak as tight round his shoulders as he could, though it made little difference. He looked back at the building and realised it wouldnt be long before it was uninhabitable. The boards which made up the front wall were rotting and many had fallen off completely which left the room where the inn keep and his family slept, open to the elements. He thought about the baby taht lived there and shook his head. Life was not fair.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gill had left her horse tethered outside the dingy building. She was unsure whether to leave him there as the streets were dark and close, and the people that shuffled past were questionable to say the least. I'll just stop to ask directions she thought, one hand on the dull brass door handle. Then she had a change of heart, she doubled back to Argus, and loosened the straps that held fast the saddle bags. They fell to the ground with a soft thump. She picked up both bags and slung them over her shoulders, fastening her cloak over the top, she would feel safer with her belognings on her. She suppressed a laugh as she caught sight of herself in the dirty pub windows. From a distance, she looked like a hunchback.

Even with a light touch, the door swung open easily, the hinges were loose. Somewhere in the dark room a bell rang out, causing the inhabitants of the room to swing around and look at the newcomer. Gill was glad for her cloak covering her body and obscuring her face.

The room was fairly warm, as Gill's eyes adjusted she noted partially melted candles that flickered with life, lighting the room with an ethereal orange glow. The grimy windows would allow little light to filter through, even in daylight. Gill walked up to the bar, removing her hood as she did so, she could feel that her cold nose was bright red.

"Excuse me," she directed her words toward the bartender to catch his attention. "...sir" she added, when she saw him scowl.
"I...I was just wondering if you would...be so kind as to direct me to..." she faltered.
"Na'more orders" he replied gruffly and turned away.
She felt around her dress pockets for her coin purse, intending to buy the information from the man... but her hands grasped air.

"Wha.." she clutched the folds of her dress frantically. Her full coin purse, all her money, vanished. She scanned the unswept floors, hoping that it had simply fallen to the ground. No luck. She felt self conscious, and fervently wished she didn't have so many pairs of eyes on her...

[Henry Renold]

Henry was just about to turn away from the inn when he remembered that he had meant to ask Ranel whether there were any "jobs" to be done. Ranel was said to have his fingers in many pies and he was always Henry's first point of call when he was short of work. Somehow the man always knew who required a heavy or a thief and Henry was excellent at being both.

He pushed the creaky door open again and darted his eyes to the end of the bar that he had been standing at previously. There was no one there now. Most of the customers had left and the few who were still here were either heading upstairs to use the inns other "facilities" or finishing the last of their drinks.

"Get out'a the way!" Henry was shoved backwards as a large man with a black eye and several missing teeth pushed his way to the door. His appearance was nothing out of the ordinary in the slums and Henry didnt give his actions a second thought either.

Finally Henry spotted Ranel. He had his hand in the pocket of a girl who definitely didn't belong here. Henry narrowed his eyes, she was clearly from a wealthy family although whether she was noble he couldnt have said, either way he instantly decided he didnt like her. He watched as Ranel slinked away from her, eager to see what his treasure contained.

The girl looked terrified. Although Henry couldn't see her face, she was searching every crease of her dress she could find before she moved to the floor. He couldn't help but smirk , it was always funny to see rich girls get their comeuppance an this once looked especially lost. He sidled over to Ranel and they soon forgot about the stranger, getting deep into a discussion about jobs that were available.

Suddenly a movement by the bar caught Henry's attention, someone was heading towards the girl with a knife and he was huge.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gill felt tears prick at her eyes when she realised what had happened. She should have expected no less in a place like this. You stupid, stupid girl she berated herself. Now she was lost in the slums, with no money, surrounded by thieves and worse. She had nothing to bribe the barman with for information anymore, well, nothing she wished to give up. A large man at the bar watched her; something in his eyes burned. Whether it was lust, greediness or simple curiosity, Gill couldn't tell. She hoped it was the latter. She ignored is penetrating stare.

Perhaps using her politest voice in a place like this was just looking for trouble. These were people who lived rough. They would have no time for her. Whilst her plain dress was no finer than any here, cleaner perhaps, that was all. And now she was penniless. The few coins her father had sent her to Camelot with, gone. But she did not allow the tears in her eyes to fall. She had never set much store by possessions, and she did not want to leave without the information she came in for. She'd lost enough for it already.
She leant across the bar,
"Please" she asked the barman again, "All I want is directions." Her eyes portraying the pleading that her collected tone did not.

At that moment a rough, calloused hand gripped her shoulder, turning her away from the bar. Shocked words were caught in her throat; her eyes widened.

"What do we'av 'ere" the deep voice drawled, pulling her away from the light, further into the shadows. Gill feared the worst, but the hands had already let go of her. It was not her he wanted. The large man then returned to where she stood. Picking up the saddlebags, he began rooting through them, a wide grin on his face. Without thinking, Gill lurched forwards and snatched them back; the adrenaline coursing through her veins caused her to address him in a much louder voice than she intended:
"Will you let go?!" she cried, dark hair flying wildly around her shoulders. "Do you really want the contents of this bag? Do you?" In a rare moment of delirium, she grasped the leather upside down and shook it roughly, allowing her meagre possessions to fly out. A heap of off-white undergarments, petticoats and a worn green overdress formed on the floor in-between them.
"I don't think these would fit you sir." she continued mockingly, "They're womens' clothes you see. Just because I've washed in the past year, does not mean that I am carrying jewels and petticoats sewn of gold!" her voice had reached a high, squeaky pitch. Inhaling to regain composure, she continued, her words softer.
"You have taken enough from me today." she said, addressing the whole pub rather than the large man.
As she bent down to pick up her clothes from the floor, she froze. the man in-front of her had drawn a worn knife from his belt.

[Henry Renold]

As much as Henry hated haughty, stuck up strangers (which was what he believed the girl to be) he couldnt watch someone harm one. Although it pained him inside to do something to help her out he knew that it was right, just.
He reached his fingertips to his wrists where he could just feel the tips of each of the blades that he had hidden there. He rarely went out without them, and if he did it was because he had another weapon concealed somewhere on his person. Now, he slipped the catches on each blade so that they slid down into his hands. He was ready.

He almost leapt to where the girl stood, planting himself firmly in front of her and holding both his blades where the oaf could see them.
"Get out of here Jaffrey." He sneered and with an authority that surprised himself. Jaffrey was massive and Henry was not entirely sure he could take him in a fight, but he was still willing to try.
Luckily Henry had an advantage. He had seen the pile of undergarments on the floor and he knew that if he could just distract Jaffrey long enough...

"Come on then FATTY!" He yelled taking a few steps back, "Show me what you've got!"
The man lurched forwards a step or two, with an angry moan and Henry hopped back again, just out of reach. One more time... he thought.
"I'm'a kill you!" Jaffrey hissed and finally took the step Henry had been waiting for. His forefoot caught in a particuarly frilly petticoat while his back one slipped on a pair of the girls underwear. If Henry hadnt been so anxious, he probably would have found the sight quite hilarious.
Jaffrey wailed loudly as his entire weight fell backward and he smashed his head into the stone floor. Knocked out.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gill watched from the sidelines as the scene unfolded, surprised with the sudden assistance.

Crack

She peered around the lean frame of the stranger to see the man with the dagger fall to the floor. The entire pub was silent. He didn't move. Somewhere in the shadows someone laughed, and as one, the pub resumed it's previous level of background noise; the customers seemingly unperturbed by the showdown.

Rather than immediately express thanks to her knight in not-so-shiny armour, Gill quickly stepped past him and dropped to her knees. Placing two fingers at the unconscious man's neck, she felt for a pulse. The slow insistant throbs assured her he was still alive. Her fingers moved to hover over his belt, deftly removing his coin purse. An eye for an eye, she reasoned. Still on the floor, she gathered her now dirty petticoats into a rough ball under her arm (leaving the one caught up on her assailant's foot) and standing upright, turned to face the mysterious man.

Their dark eyes met as she opened her mouth to thank him. She paused. Whilst this man had helped her, he could be no better than the rest of thieves in the inn. This was his world, the underworld, and all she wanted was to leave it.
Still, a sense of gratitude rushed through her.
"Here..." she began, handing him the pouch "For my life, I am indebted to you sir, and I hope this and a maid's thanks will be enough." She moved swiftly to peck him on the cheek, but was slightly too short. His chin felt rough, unshaven.

Gill pulled back, giving an odd, half courtsey to the stranger before her and hurried from the inn. As she emerged daggers of icy air stabbed at her skin. Soothing to her flushed cheeks; she embraced the feeling. Running a hand shakily through her hair, Gill's warm breath misted the cold night air, as she gave silent thanks to have left the inn with her life, if not the directions she went in for!
Argus whinnied. Relief rushed through her when she realised he was still tethered outside. For comfort more than warmth she pressed her cheek against Argus' warm neck.

Through the slats of the inn window, she could still see the dim silhouette of the man that had saved her.

[Henry Renold]

Henry felt satisfied. There was still no love lost between himself and this girl, but he knew he had done the right thing, and the warm feeling that it gave him was something he very rarely experienced.

However the feeling that saving the girl had given him was nothing to the one he felt when she kissed his cheek. He had never been thanked, not like this, not by someone who meant it. Sure the innkeepers and business men who hired him "thanked" him but it wasn't the same. He was so shocked that he didnt even protest when she put the coin purse in his hand, he just stood there.

She left the inn and Henry finally came to his senses, he marched over to Ranel and snatched the girls own purse from his hands.
"Oi!"
Henry stared at Ranel, until he dropped his gaze, then satisfied, he went after the girl.


She was outside the inn with her horse and Henry suddenly felt awkward. No matter what he had done in the inn, she was still not from the slums and she was better than him. He knew it and he knew she knew it too. He tapped on her on the shoulder and gruffly muttered "Here." Pushing the two purses into her hands he smiled a quick smile and legged it.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gillianne jumped as a hand touched her shoulder. Being in the slums for even a brief period had made her skittish. Her heart rate slowed when she saw it was the stranger from the inn. She had barely turned to face him when he roughly handed her the two coin purses. Before she had time to react in any way, the man had disappeared into the shadows of the dimly lit street. As his footfalls faded into silence, Gill was left standing beside Argus clutching both coin purses to her chest; a bemused look spread across her face.

She wanted to shout after the man, thank him again or... see him again, ask his name perhaps. At that moment someone opened a small wooden window one story above, and hurled the contents of a chamber pot out into the street below. Gill grimaced at the sight, then squeezed the full purses with glee, hurriedly stuffing them down the top of her corset. I'd like to see someone steal them now! she thought smirking to herself.
Then quietly: "Come on boy." She walked close to Argus' side as she led him away from the inn, the opposite direction the man had left, and headed towards the brighter city lanterns in the distance.