In Need of a Pint (Open)

[Uhtred Einarson]

Letting his horse find it's own way through the darkened streets, Uhtred brought him to a halt in front of what looked to be one of the busier taverns. It was late evening, and most of the shops had closed, so the taverns weren't hard to spot. Always a good idea to drink where the locals do, he had learned over the years. Nudging Adrifen to a post by the door, he dismounted, and tied the horse, automatically surveying everyone about without appearing to. Not that he was worried about anyone trying to take the beast. Adrifen was a brute of a horse, with a tempermant to match, and anyone foolish enough to try mounting him would be lucky not to be stomped to death under hooves the size of dinner platters.

But the years had also taught him that the place where locals drink is oft enough also the place where they fight, and a stranger in a strange land best always be aware of who's around him, lest he end up a dead stranger. However, the locals seemed friendly enough, or at least not outright hostile, which was basically the same thing. Besides, it had been a long road, and the smells of the tavern were already luring him in. Aye, he thought. A pitcher or two of ale, an' a joint of something no' long dead, that'll do fine.

Stepping inside, he blocked the door while he took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the light, as well as scan the room. It was busy, as he had expected, but the crowd seemed to be mostly locals. His axe and shield were slung on his back, but his spear, as ever, was still in his hand. It got a few looks as he started towards a table, but the chain mail, bearskin cloak and scars were apparently enough to stop most from commenting. Choosing a table at the side, where he could sit with his back to the wall, he dropped into the chair, leaned his spear against the wall next to him, and stretched his back and shoulders with a grunt as he looked about for a server.

[alexis]

Alexis roared with laughter along with several drunks in a corner. She had become a common sight in the Ram during the nights and especially the weekends. She wasn't there to drink, though. She was there to have fun, laugh, joke, and dance along with the other townspeople. After getting tired of just going to work at the castle, then return home to sleep, she decided to spend more time out with others. Already, she had made several friends and enemies alike. But, seeing as her normal memory span for most things was that of a goldfish's, she forgot quarrels by the next day. She took a sip of the beer in her hand to stop her laughter, then stared around at the group, grinning and listening to the talk. She wasn't drunk. She rarely got drunk. She could best most men in a drinking contest without any consequence, as long as she didn't have work first thing in the morning.

The door to the Ram opened, and she glanced to see who the newcomer was. She wouldn't have paid him much mind, but he was different from the average pheasant or soldier who patroned the place. Turning back to her friends, she completely forgot about him. That was, until a fight broke out between two of them. The rest jumped into the fray immediately, and Lexi found herself pushed and shoved aside. She staggered and slipped, crashing into a chair and toppling it, the mug of beer flying out of her hands. Lexi jumped to her feet and righted the chair, sitting down in it as if nothing had happened. Looking back at the fighters, laughing to herself, she didn't realize who was opposite her. It was that newcomer fellow, the one decked out in fancy armor and weapons. She giggled to herself.

"Gotta love drunk friends," she told him, her eyes sparkling with joy. She wasn't at all daunted by the man. Few daunted her. Those who usually daunted most made her giggle frantically, but she controlled herself and tried to make herself appear as civilized as possible with a tangled mass of dark blond hair, a dirty face and wrinkled, beer-stained clothes. She stuck her hand across the table to him. "Alexis Gadia, just Lexi, though, if ya like," she introduced herself.

[Lady Aslinn Draconis]

Entering the tavern had been the last thing that Calen had wished to do. He was tired from Aslinn dragging her about the town all afternoon. She had wished to acquire new fabric for a gown to be made. After arguing about the color to the cost, Calen gave in. He wasn’t a pushover; it’s just that arguing with Aslinn for a better part of the day was just not what he wished to do. He knew when to hold firmly to the reins, and when to loosen them. He looked at Aslinn as they climbed the steps to the Ram. This was not the type of place a lady came to get a meal or a drink. Sure a soldier or perhaps the lower breeds that lived in the lesser districts of Camelot, but a lady of a court. What did she think she was doing?

A long annoyed sighed came from Calen as he made a mental note of what to write back to Aslinn’s father. He was allowing her too much freedom here. It seemed she had no one to answer to. At least in Mercia she had her mother. Calen shivered, not even he wished to face Aslinn’s mother. ~Best to leave that letter unwritten. ~ He told himself as he held the door for her. It was not long before they slipped inside.

Aslinn’s dark navy blue eyes fluttered about the tavern. Wishing to take everything that she could. This was her first time visiting such a place. Her father would have her head if he knew she were in such a place. But she knew that Calen would not tell, for he would be in just as much trouble if not more. She smiled to Calen, before making her with further inside. Her robes billowing about her as she made her way toward one of the empty tables. She would remove her robe and toss it over the back of a chair. Calen was quick to take her robe up and replace it about her shoulders. She furrowed her brow at him. “Calen?”

“Please, miss. This is not the place for you. Can we leave?” He told her, knowing it was his back he wished to share from the knives waiting to be plunged into it.

Aslinn would look at him, and forcefully take her rode off. “I’m staying. Calen. It is only a drink.”

“Your too young to drink.” He tried to have her see his way was the right way.
“Calen, stopped treating me like a child. I have come here to see what this place is about. A drink then I shall go.”

Calen groaned knowing too well what could happen in that short length of time. He furrowed his brow, shaking his head before taking up a chair.

Aslinn smiled and took up a chair as well. It was in the midst of them finding a table that a fight broke out. “Oh Calen look a fight. Have at it?” She told him, with a nudge.

Calen groaned and shook his head. “I think I shall pass.”

“Your no fun Calen.” She stated, and waited for a barmaid to come.

[Uhtred Einarson]

When the fight broke out, Uhtred was instantly on his feet and alert, pale blue eyes narrowing to slits as his hand flashed to the seaxe at his belt. Realizing that it was fairly good natured, however, a bar brawl rather than an actual battle, he relaxed somewhat, and settled back into his seat, although remaining alert and ready. He was watching the fight with some amusement when the blond woman who had been with the participants was tumbled over a chair, righted it, and sat down across from him.

"Gotta love drunk friends," she told him, her eyes sparkling with joy. She wasn't at all daunted by the man. Few daunted her. Those who usually daunted most made her giggle frantically, but she controlled herself and tried to make herself appear as civilized as possible with a tangled mass of dark blond hair, a dirty face and wrinkled, beer-stained clothes. She stuck her hand across the table to him. "Alexis Gadia, just Lexi, though, if ya like," she introduced herself.

Cocking an eyebrow at her, he gave a lopsided smile, and the eyes that had been cold and ruthless a moment before sparkled with a flash of humour and mischief. Reaching across the table, he engulfed her much smaller hand in a ham-sized fist. "Well, Alexis-just-Lexi, good to meet you. I am called Uhtred, and it would seem I'm already in your debt. When you go to a strange tavern, it's always hard to know the right way ta get a pint. So thank you for showing me."

With that, he got up, and went over to where one of the brawlers had just knocked another to the floor. Grabbing the standing man by the back of his shirt, he reached down with his other hand, hauled the second man up from the floor, and promptly cracked their heads together. Not hard enough to do any real damage, but enough to leave them both slumping to the ground. That done, he grabbed a full pitcher of ale from the table, where it had managed to not be overturned, and an empty cup, and strolled back to where Lexi had seated herself.

"An' now, lass, let me repay that debt, as you seem ta have lost yours." He sloshed some ale into the cup, handed it to her, and with a wink tilted the pitcher to take a long pull directly from it. A jug, a lass an' a fight, an' I haven't been here an hour, he thought. This Camelot's na' bad at all. "So, Lexi lass," he said as he sat back down, "how would a hungry traveler go about getting a joint of meat, or do I knock someone's head for that as well?"

As he took another swig from the pitcher, he noticed that the woman who had just entered seemed to be encouraging her companion to join the fighting, something he did not seem inclined to do. That she was a noblewoman was obvious, and he was likely more servant than companion, though if that was her idea of a bodyguard, then this was likely as close to any fighting as she'd ever been. If she or he gets into this, they'll have the guard out in a shake, he thought, eyes scanning automatically for a potential back door.

[alexis]

Lexi grinned when she noticed how huge his hand was. For some reason, in her slightly drunk state, that really amused her. Little things always amused her for reasons she couldn't explain and nobody else understood. wondered. Watching him stand, she wondered what he meant by that. The crack that ensued made her purse her lips in thought, wondering if those two, whose names she had long sense forgotten, would have brain issues from that. Well, they already pretty much brain-fried from drinking so much, she guessed. A little more wasn't going to hurt them. Not too badly.

She took the offered cup and took a small sip from it, winking back at him. Holding it in her right hand, she propped her left elbow on the table and put her chin in her hands, studying Uhtred. "I'm sure you could go bash the cooks' heads together, but I doubt that would be much appreciated," she said, with a laugh. After taking another gulp of ale, she continued, "Or you could, perchance, wave one of the bartenders over like this." Setting the cup down, she got to her feet. Scooting her chair back, she stepped up on the chair, then onto the table.
"Oi!" she shouted, above the crowd. She waved her hands like a madwoman. "We gots a hungry man over here in need of some meats!" Some of the bartenders glanced at her but didn't come over. Crossing her arms angrily, she shouted at them, "Or does he need to go bash in the cooks' heads like he did those two blokes?!" and gestured to the two unconscious men on the ground.

One actually decided that it would be best to scurry over, and Lexi hopped to the ground. She noticed something odd. A lady dressed in fine clothes and a man were talking, the former seemingly excited while the latter was reluctant. Shrugging to herself, she sat back down. It was none of her business. Picking up her cup, she said to Uhtred, "Honestly! People, these days! Can't get nothin'!"

The barman finally made his way through the fight to them. "Can I help you?" he asked, sounding tired. "You can get this man whatever he wants," Lexi said, pointedly, still a little annoyed at the lack of good service for the newcomer. But she grinned at the barman. They did the best they could at this time of day, with this many people. It wasn't his fault. She studied Uhtred again. Was he foreign? He sounded like it. Even looked it, a little. Didn't look like the average bear, but acted like it, at least. Not cold or harsh, as he had seemed at first.

[Uhtred Einarson]

Uhtred laughed out loud when he saw Lexi scramble up onto the table and wave over a server. She looked like a handful, this one, but definitely interesting. "Meat," he said to the barman. "A joint of anything you've got roasted, hot if you have it, cold if not. And bread. And another pitcher of ale." He took some coins from his pouch, enough to cover a meal and drinks, and more to spare. "Keep it, and don't keep us waiting."

As the barman hurried off to get the food, Uhtred looked around the bar, still drinking straight from the pitcher. "A busy place, this." He glanced again at the noblewoman and her companion. "And an odd one. You don't oft see nobles tilting cups with common folk. At least, not where I'm from. The nobles and warbands mostly drink in the halls, and only the ordinary folk in the ale-houses." He offered the pitcher, in case her cup needed topping up.

"So tell me, lass, since you seem to know the tricks of this place, what's a traveller need to know about this Camelot? I wouldn't want to get into trouble by knocking the wrong heads together!" He flashed her a smile, showing a mouthful of even white teeth, surprising for a warrior.

[Rebecca Stewart]

The Ram tonight was as busy as every other night. Rebecca as usual worked as much as she could- usually she enjoyed her work, but tonight seemed to test her limits slightly. She ran from table to table doing the usual taking requests and delivering food but also making every attempt to avoid the men with roaming hands. Those men she usually left up to some of the men that worked there. At the sound of the tavern door opening she looked to see a man who obviously knew how to protect himself- he was decked out with weapons- swords and spear as well as chainmail and frightening looking clothing. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as he found a seat and once he was ready she was about to head over in his direction when a fight broke out at the table next to him. Great just what they needed. Tankards of ale were thrown aside, a few punches were made, squabbling and yelling. Couldn't they make it through one night without a fight breaking out? At least the items were of durable enough material that nothing would break or get ruined- other than the smell of the ale permeating the building.

In the midst of the fight, she noted another couple come in- it was a young woman- who was obviously of a better status that she was, and a man who was accompaning her. Her father, who had emerged from the kitchens at the sound of the tankerds flying nodded his head in the new couple's direction-although she could handle herself if the fight somehow dragged her into it, she knew he hated her getting involved. Rebecca made her way over to the lady and curtsied. "Good evening m'lady, What can I get for ye and your companion?" When she had the lady's order she curtsied again and headed off towards the kitchen.

As she wove her way through the tables, she noted that the first man got up from his table, after talking to a young woman who had frequented the tavern many times, and proceeded to knock the heads of the two brawlers together so they fell to the ground unconcious. There were many a night when Rebecca wondered why her father had ever started a tavern business and this added another question to that pile- had he been insane when he came up with the idea? The man took one of the pitchers from the previous table and filled the lass' cup then finished the pitcher. With the problem seemingly resolved she slipped through the door and entered the kitchen. "I say it agai'n me father must have been crazy when he came up wit' the idea of a tavern..."

Meanwhile out in the tavern, the young woman who had been pushed over during the brawl had apparently stood on her chair to get the barman's attention for food. Rebecca emerged with food for the first couple and seeing that she had her hands full he pushed his way through the ensuing fight to their table. "Meat, A joint of anything you've got roasted, hot if you have it, cold if not. And bread. And another pitcher of ale." With the order taken and the money given he went off to fill it while she set the food that she was carrying down infront of the noblewoman and her companion, curtsied and left the table to go take care of other customers.

[Lady Aslinn Draconis]

Aslinn made her way to a table. Of course as she ventured forth Calen followed. He seemed rather concerned by the stares that she was receiving by those present in the tavern. He looked less then pleased to be here. Why did Aslinn always have to press these types of situations? Class distinction was the way that this world worked. How she ever thought that it should or would be any different was beyond him. He stood watch over her. As young and naïve as Aslinn was, she did not deserved to be taken advantage of. That was where he came in. her watcher, her protector by royal decree of her father; well it might as well be by royal decree. If he failed in his task it would be his neck on the block.

He shrugged off her attempt to get him involved in the fight that had transpired just moments ago. He watched as tall man stepped up and took two of the ruffians that had started the fight by the head and banged them together. He could all but flinch at the sound the skulls made. He then watched as he tossed them to the ground like dolls. Between him and the other young woman that climbed upon a table next and bellowed out to those within the tavern. Calen could not help but scold himself for allowing Aslinn to talk him into allowing her to come in here.

Aslinn took up a seat at the table near the hearth. She wished to warm her bones by the comfort of a large roaring fire. This one would do, or she hoped that it would. She had taken a seat under the watchful eyes of every member of the tavern. Why was that? She pondered, raising a hand to her cheek. Wondering if there was something on her face. She then looked down at the front of her robes and tunic. Had something spilled upon her? No, nothing at all. It was her ranking. She was a lady and she looked every bit a lady. Long flowing dark locks, clean and washed, unlike many present in the tavern at the moment. Her skin tone pale, though it held a little olive ton to it thanks to her mother’s side, but still showed that she was fairer and lacked being kissed by the sun, since other of nobility saw to remaining out of the sun, while commoners worked in it almost of the time. Or so Aslinn was accustom to.

She sat there looking about the tavern. She took note of those that stared at her. Was she really all that interesting for having simply just set foot within the establishment? She hardly felt that she was. She came to the deduction that they looked upon her as the rich look upon the poor who are out of their element. Her gaze drifted across the many faces until it came to the man that had been staring at her upon entering, along with the dark blond woman. She would turn her head slightly to the side and speak to Calen.

Calen stood at full attention. Leaning slightly in so he could hear what she said. He would furrow his brow, speak harshly at her, not to her, and then go across the tavern floor amongst the rogues of the establishment to retrieve a drink for her. He knew she did not trust her drinks with stranger, so Calen was ordered to watch them carefully as it was drawn. She remained seated, waiting, and watching.

[alexis]

She nodded agreement to the statement about the strange two. Turning to look once again, she saw a familiar-looking woman taking the order, then scurrying off. Lexi thought she might have known the woman, but couldn't remember. She was horrible with names and hardly ever remembered faces. She had probably just seen the woman several times before. Her gaze went back to Uhtred in time to hear the question, then her mind snapped imminently to Prince Arthur. If she ever remembered anything, it was that boat ride. People still have her funny looks because they had heard rumors that were way more exaggerated than the little kiss that had been shared between the Prince and her. Heck, she even still had the royal jacket he had left in the boat, which she probably needed to give back... Ah well. She hadn't seen the Prince since. At least, not within four yards of him.

"Oh, well, you can pretty much tell who you need to avoid who not to easily. I haven't been here long myself, but every body's pretty nice. Just avoid most nobles if you can help it." Personal experience with cranky nobles had been speaking that last sentence. Then again, they might have been really angry because she had caused numerous trouble around the castle in the two, three weeks she'd been working there. Still, in her book, that gave them no reason to start shouting and threatening her. She just didn't understand nobles, and never would.

"Some of 'em are good, don't get me wrong, like the Prince, he's a nice fellow. Oh, and don't, NEVER go sneaking into anyone's home or workplace, 'cause you will get caught." She, herself, sneaked into places all the time, but she wouldn't advise that for anyone else. Mainly because, if everyone was doing it, it wouldn't be as much fun for her. "But, anyway, especially don't mess with the nobles unless you have a really good reason. 'Cause they will extract their revenge. But as long as you don't get caught, or they don't see your face, you can pretty much do whatever you want..." She trailed off as she watched the strange lady's companion go to the bar and watch the drink being poured.

"Too weird," she said quietly, more to herself than Uhtred. Then sure did speak to him. "Probably gonna get themselves into a heck-load of trouble before they get outta here. Pickpockets, drunks, look at the way they're all lookin' at her!" She shook her head. "That one man won't be able to protect her easily if things get interesting." Well, if they did, she had full intentions of being in the middle of it all. On the lady's side, of course. The numbers that might be up against the lady would be unfair. Lexi might not be able to do much in the way of help, but she could fight hand-to-hand pretty well.

[Uhtred Einarson]

Listening to her comments about nobles, Uhtred nodded his head in agreement. "Aye, nobles can be prickly sorts, true enough. And it's probably good advice to avoid them if I can. Unfortunately, I'm actually here looking for one of them, so I won't be able to avoid them entirely. Still, she's only sort of a noble, more like the ones back home, not so much these posh types." He shrugged, "anyway, I'll deal with that when I have to."

"As far as sneaking around, though, not much danger of that. I'm not really the sneaking type," he laughed, and flashed her a wink. "Not really built for it, if you know what I mean." As he laughed again, his huge frame hulking over the table as he took another gulp from the pitcher, it was indeed hard to imagine him being able to sneak into anywhere.

He grew more serious at her comments about the noblewoman, however, and then thoughtful, as he absently scratched at the scar on his cheek. She has a point, he thought, gaging the way some of the less savory types in the taproom were eying the young noblewoman and her companion. That could turn badly pretty quick. Well, it has been a long journey; would be good to shake some of the kinks out. And as prickly as nobles are, they usually come around when you haul their arses out of the fire. Usually. And what about this one? Would she appreciate it, or call the guard on him as well as the rest? And then there's the staff, he added to himself. He had heard the comments of the serving lass as she went into the back. The owners daughter, by the sound of it, and she didn't seem too impressed with fighting going on in here. Of course, I'd wager she'll be less impressed if the wee noble lass gets herself in trouble in her establishment.

As he watched the young woman's companion returning from the bar, one of the patrons made his decision for him. A small, greasy-looking man with a counterfeit smile was approaching the man, and Uhtred would have bet his shield he was a pickpocket. But more than that, two bigger, burly types were flanking the man from behind, and the poor fool probably wouldn't notice them until he felt the knife in his back. That decided, he stood up, and favored Lexi with a huge grin, pale blue eyes glinting with a mischievous, if dark, humor.

"Well, Lexi lass, sneaking I may not be made for, but this I surely am!" With two long strides he had met the pickpocket shoulder to shoulder in a half charge. The little man was barely more than half Uhtred's weight, and the force of the impact literally sent him rolling over the table next to him, spilling cups and pitchers over the people seated at it. Without a pause, Uhtred continued at full charge to one of the would-be backstabbers, whose hand was already going to the knife at his belt. He would have been better to have braced himself for the impact, as Uhtred hit him like a charging bull, sending him backwards to the floor. As he fell to the ground on top of him, Uhtred brought his knee up, letting all the force of his momentum drive it into the man's groin. Hitting the ground, he rolled forward over his shoulder, up-ending a table in the process. The man he'd landed on was curled into a ball, moaning and retching, as Uhtred scrambled to his feet, trying to ready himself for the second man's attack, while also keeping an eye out for where the sneak-thief had landed.

[Lady Aslinn Draconis]

It was starting to irritate her as she sat there waiting for Calen to return with her drink. She was in no hurry, though the constant stares from folk were starting to wear thin on her. Her gaze would drift to the many faces within the tavern. It was busy and only getting busier as the evening progressed. She had to shift in her seat several times as she was bumped from one side, then the other. Her left hand remained curled against her slender form; close to her coin pursue to be on the safe side of things. Her deep blue eyes darted from one face to the next. Should she be worried or concerned about this place and the people in it? She was starting to think yes.

Aslinn’s gaze turned toward the pair at another table. Their wandering gaze seemed to travel to her all the time. She wondered if they were the ones that had designs upon robbing her and Calen? She shifted upon her stool, thinking to get up and go find Calen and get out of this place. She only managed to swivel about in her chair, glancing to the pair. They spoke to one another and stared at her. They had to be talking about her. She was not an idiot like most people that she didn’t know when she was being spoken about.

Her gaze had traveled from the pair to see Calen returning to her. Two mugs in each hand as he moved through the crowd. There was little room for any to move least of all himself. His eyes darted from side to side, then toward a large frame of a man that came barreling toward him. Calen’s brow knitted tightly upon his brow as he heard the crack of bone when the two men collided. Calen’s gaze darted to where Aslinn was seated. His intension to make it back to the table was now delayed. “What is the meaning of this?” Calen regretted saying anything the moment he opened his mouth. His attention was locked upon Uhtred, then to the man upon the ground.

All the while, Aslinn was standing and pressed back into a corner by the crowd of people about her.

[alexis]

Lexi smiled in return to Uhtred's, and followed him up, but only stood to watch for now. He might be able to take care of it, and if he couldn't, she was close enough. A grim smile spread over her face as her new friend took down the little man that reminded her of a rat. The smile spread into a dangerous grin as the second man was felled. The poor manservant looked very out-of-place. Some people scattered from the scene, the people who weren't drunk and who didn't want to get into the fight. They were few in number, but they left space for fighters to also take their chances with the strange foreigner.

Her gaze went from the brawlers to the noble lady. She was backed into a corner, with people surrounding her, some looking very much like rats. Lexi's smile vanished as she slipped through the crowd toward the corner, drawing her knives and hiding the blades up her sleeves, so that they would stay without having to be held. The sight of bared weapons would only bring more panic and more weapons out, which was the last thing the poor Ram needed today.

Lexi snatched one particularly nasty-looking rat and dragged him back from the noble. He quickly regained his balance and faced her. He grinned at her, revealing missing teeth, and, what teeth were there, were stained brown and black in some places.

"I don’t fight women, but there's a first for everything, dear. Now, be a good girl, and run along before things get… ugly." Her lip curled up in distaste. "You won't fight women, but you'll take their money at the blink of an eye. How noble of you." Sarcasm dripped in her voice. She had never been good at sarcastic comebacks, but they came every now and again.

His smile disappeared as he punched out at her. He may have been a rat, but he knew some hand-to-hand, she saw. Ducking easily, side-stepping the follow-up punch toward her ribs, it was more than easy to return two blows successfully to the stranger's gut. He staggered. He was a decent fighter, he had just been going easy on her. A hand on her shoulder startled her, as was the force that pulled her back and shoved her against the wall beside the lady. She grunted, the knives slipping out of her sleeve and into her hands. "Good evening, ma'am," she said out of the corner of her mouth to the other woman.

The one that had dragged her back must have been in league with the first rat-face, and the other goons surrounding them probably were as well, for they all blocked any escape route without arguing among themselves about who got the goods. Lexi didn't move in front of the lady, for she had learned that nobles weren't has helpless and stupid as they seemed. Sometimes. Hopefully, this one had been smart enough to bring something to wield.

The larger man sneered at the cornered two. "Just hand over the money and you can go on your merry way," he said, holding out one hand palm up. He must have been very stupid to not notice that there was now a full-scale riot behind him… Again. Which included people trying to get the thugs away. But there were too few of these, and other thugs kept them worried about their lives as weapons were drawn. Lexi knew they, and the whole place, were in big trouble. Well, heck. This just bites.

[Uhtred Einarson]

As Uhtred scrambled to his feet, the second of the burly types came at him in a rush. He was no pickpocket, and was obviously supposed to be the muscle of the outfit, but the kind of muscles you build robbing townsfolk and travelers couldn't really stack up to the kind you get from years in a shield-wall, with armies trying to kill you. At the last moment, Uhtred's left fist fired straight out, and exploded into the man's face in a spray of blood, teeth and cartilage. The force of it made his feet literally swing out from under him, as his whole body kept going forward while his face was going backwards, and he almost did a back flip before dropping to the ground.

In the meantime, the little pickpocket had apparently recovered from being bowled over a table, and was now coming in with yet another man beside him. Uhtred wasn't sure if he was with the original gang of thieves, or an unrelated thief, or just some patron jumping in on the action, and either way it didn't really matter; if he was coming in, he was going down. As he readied for these two, he caught a flash of steel out of the corner of his eye. It was just the briefest glimpse, but it triggered a warning in his head, and his eyes scanned automatically for the weapon, before he realized it was Lexi.

Good girl, he thought. Always best to be prepared. And with that, he turned his attention back to the two coming at him. He saw the little one already had a knife in his hand, but Uhtred didn't worry about the seaxe at his belt; he didn't need that yet. When you're in the shield wall, you have to have the courage to stand still and wait. As the enemy approaches, and in the pit of your stomach you feel like every spear is pointed at you, every nerve and muscle is screaming at you to run. Either to run away, if you're a coward, or, if you have courage, to break the line, and charge at the incoming wall, and get it over with. Only time, and training, and experience teaches you to school those urges, to hold your place in the wall, and wait. But that was when you had your mates to either side, shields interlocked to form the wall that was your best defense. Here, there were no shields, and no mates; here there was no need to wait.

As the smaller man advanced carefully, brandishing his blade, Uhtred bellowed and charged like a boar, grabbing a wayward chair as he went, and swinging it with his right hand in a vicious sweep. Instinctively the pickpocket threw his left arm up to block it, but the force of the blow swept him off of his feet, and at the same time Uhtred's left hand grabbed the wrist of the thief's knife hand in a vice-like grip. As the cut-purse was knocked to the ground, the warrior let go of the chair, which went hurtling across the room, and stomping on his assailant's mid-riff, grabbed his wrist in both hands, and gave a massive upward yank. The shoulder was dislocated with a sickening pop, and the knife slid from now numbed fingers, just as the second attacker hit Uhtred with a wide round-house swing that crashed in to the left side of his face.

This was no robber playing at being tough, and the tremendous force of the blow staggered Uhtred backwards. A blacksmith, he thought, shaking his head to clear his vision. Or maybe a farmer, who makes his way by wrestling it from the earth. Either way, he knew, this man would be some contest, for what he lacked in skill, he made up for by hitting like an ox. Grinning at the prospect, Uhtred brought his fists up and waded in. For several minutes the two stood toe to toe, trading blows to body and face.

The farmer, if so he was, was no trained warrior, but doubtless the veteran of countless bar and barn brawls. This was not a contest of skill, but brute strength and endurance, and Uhtred was loving every minute of it. Roaring and laughing, he took a wicked blow to his side, and countered with an uppercut that lifted his opponent up to his toes. The blow to his side had been like being hit by a tree, and Uhtred knew he had cracked ribs, if not broken ones, but his own hit had left the man gasping for breath. With a bellow of triumph, he crashed his fist into the others jaw, and saw the eyes roll back into his foe's head, just as the knife sliced into his back, right behind his right shoulder.

Roaring now in pain and rage, rather than triumph, Uhtred spun around, his right arm whipped out, forearm smashing into the back-stabber's face, while his left drew the seaxe from his belt. As the other struggled to regain his balance from the hit, Uhtred grabbed his shirtfront and yanked him forward, at the same time thrusting forward and up with the heavy-bladed knife, gutting the man on the spot. Ignoring his shrieks of agony and terror, Uhtred pushed him away, letting him crumple to the floor to die, and surveyed the room. What had begun as a simple bar-brawl had turned decidedly darker and uglier, and with his head still ringing from the blows of the fistfight, his shoulder on fire from the knife still lodged in it, and his ribs lacing every breath with searing pain, Uhtred was in no more mood for pleasantries.

He saw Lexi and the noble woman backed against the wall, ringed by a gang of thugs, and it didn't take any trained instinct to know that situation was about to get very bad, very quickly. With a snarl he snapped the seaxe in an overhand throw, catching one of the men in the side of the neck, right below the skull. The impact spun him sideways, and he twirled as he fell, his severed jugular spraying a fountain of blood. Meanwhile Uhtred rushed to the table where his weapons still sat. When another tried to block his way, Uhtred simply grabbed him by the throat, crushing his windpipe, slammed his head against a table, and picking up the now unconscious form, threw him bodily out the door and into the street.

Reaching his own table, he ignored the spear and shield, and instead grabbed the axe. Taking it in two hands, he spin around, and whirling the five foot battle axe above his head, roared out his challenge as he charged at the backs of the men who pinned the two women in.

[Lady Aslinn Draconis]

Aslinn stood with her back pinned to the wall. She didn’t bare move or venture forth. Calen had taught her to guard her back, and that was what she did. She had not thought as to a way to escape the corner. She looked for a nearby window, but there was not one. She pressed her palms into the wood behind her. Her fingers flexing as her nails raked across the wood. Her eyes frantically scan the room for Calen but he seemed to have vanished in the crowd. “Calen.” She called out, but her voice was drowned out by the ruckus occurring a few feet ahead of her. Chairs were kicked over, tables over turned. In the midst of it was that very same man that had been speaking to the blonde woman, who was not presently beside Aslinn. She turned when she saw the glint of light reflect off her. Did she have any weapons? Aslinn was empty handed. The woman’s greeting seemed ill timed. It was then that Aslinn saw the knives in the woman’s small hands.

Aslinn was skilled at many things. At this moment she did not see how horseback riding, nor archery would help. She had no horse to escape this place. And as for the archery, well she had never shot at a living target, nor did she have her bow handy. Calen was her brawn, what need of a sword had she? She did not see what use a woman had against a man. They were often three-times large in height, strength and weight. Looking at the woman next to her, she looked like she weighed 90 pounds soaking wet. What could she do? Aslinn watched as one of the dirty rat-faced men grabbed the woman and threw her back against the wall next to Aslinn.

Aslinn’s gaze lifted to a larger framed man that now appeared before them. Her breath caught in her throat as she took note of the sheer size of the man, and the seriousness of his words. “I have no coin on my person sir.”

“Silence, wench.” The man retorted, his hand moved quickly to Aslinn’s robes. He would tug it from her shoulders, causing Aslinn to be jostled about. She held the edge of her robes about her trying to keep them. But the man was taller and stronger. It was not but a moment before she was standing there without her robe. It was evident that there was no money belt upon her person. “See I told you I have no coin.”

The man looked beyond annoyed. He grit his teeth, or what teeth he had tightly together. She inched back, noting that there was little else place for her to go. Her hands pressed against the wall behind her. Slipping along toward the corner, searching for something anything that she might be able to use against the man.

[Rebecca Stewart]

Rebecca had been back in the kitchens picking up an order for one of the other patrons when the fight broke out. Although fights were fairly common, it always meant more work as things undoubtedly got broken, chairs went flying and depending on how bad the fight got there could even be blood...or worse dead bodies. As she stepped out of the back kitchen, a tankard came flying her way and she quickly ducked so as not to be knocked out by the incoming object. She heard it hit the door frame behind her and clatter to the floor. "Good grief! Can we not have one night without a brawl or fist fight?" One of the other barmaids nodded her head as if to say I wish...

She skirted her way around the tables to deliver the food to the customers before it got knocked out of her hands. "Can honestly say the entertainment here is wonderful.." Rebecca momentarily laughed with the man but then began to imagine again the amount of work they would have later. "Personally I wish the entertainment was less fistfight based..." He laughed and gave her a coin for the food. With a nod of her head she headed over in the direction of the fight. As she got closer she saw the noblewoman, without her protector, pinned in a corner with a man standing over her. The woman was trying to inch away but seemed unable to go too much further and she was also robeless now. On one hand it served her right for frequenting a place like this, but on the other hand, it was her family's tavern and she wouldn't have rumours spread that nobility weren't safe. Rebecca stepped up behind the man and gave a whistle. She hoped he would turn enough to let the woman slip away. Rebecca was agile enough and had space to move that she was pretty sure she could stay out of his grasp but she did know that the woman was getting closer and closer to the walll with no chance of escape.