Not your typical barmaid

[Anonymous]

Lily gave a polite, yet obviously forced smile to the two already drunken men as she slid their mugs of ale onto the rickety, wooden table. Some of the liquid had spilled over the edge onto her hands and she brushed them along the white sort of apron she wore over the green dress beneath. The dress was blonde, yet made her maroonish colored hair stand out, although the hair had seen spun up into a messy bun, held by two sticks. She blinked and kept her eyes averted to any guests, for everyone would know a Hiroko if they saw one, and her eyes were that liquid black. Lily didn’t need that sort of attention while working.

After a few hours she went to serve the two men from before and were now literally hanging on each other, stuck in the midst of belly laughter. Her lips parted in a sigh, and she let the barrier of her mind down for the briefest moment, but that was all it took for the thoughts of the two men nearest her to slip into her mind. She physically winced and recoiled. Lily would be sure to watch out for the two of them later that night. True, it would be hard for them to snatch her away and do all of the vulgar, disgusting things that they wanted to do to her. All Lily had to do was turn into an inky black shadow, and she would be gone.

“Wench! Hey w-wench! Another ale dearest for me! And a little more if ya know what I be saying!� The man called out and his friend burst into another fit of laughter.

Lily couldn’t say or do anything. This was her job, she needed the money, and so without question she grabbed the man his ale and carried it to the table, setting it down. Her dark eyes flickered over to him and his eyes caught her own.

“Now, now, would you lookit ‘ere Skinner. We gots ourselves a pretty lil’ Hiroko. Look at them pretty lil’ eyes!� The man, apparently named Skinner, reached his hand forward and wrapped his thick, sasuage like fingers about her slim wrist, and tugged her forward. She stumbled over her feet and fell towards him. The tavern was so full of commotion that hardly anyone noticed.

“Let…let me go!� She growled out through gritted teeth, and ripped her hand away. She was able to free herself, and she took quick steps backwards.

“Now, now, lass, we was just playing. No need to get feisty with us!� Lily didn’t stay to chat. Instead she spun right around on her heel and walked over to another table, trying to push the two drunken men’s visual images of what they wanted to do to her from her mind.

[Anonymous]

"Why, oh why, do you two have to sabotage every nice meal?!" Vaughn exclaimed, the exasperation clear in his voice, trailing after his two companions as they found themselves a table in the bar.

It always seemed that they when went to a nice place to eat - somewhere where the food would be delicious, and where the chance of them being poisoned or getting sick was low - the night wound up ruined. Vaughn was, he considered, the only sane person in comparison with his two other companions. One was a transvestite, and the other was ridiculously crude and open and lacked all social grace.

"Pssht! What the hell are you talking about? I DIDN'T DO A THING! If he looked anything like a woman, we probably could have passed as a normal threesome!" Marte exclaimed, pointing at the tall, elegant, effeminate man, dressed as a woman with well-done make-up.

He sat down neatly, pulling in his chair, pursing his lips as he brought his long blonde hair over his right shoulder and adjusted his dress, smoothing out the wrinkles before looking at Marte, bright blue eyes narrowing viciously upon her.

"Pardon, but weren't you the one disturbing the peace of everyone by belching?" He asked, his voice well-trained into sounding like a woman's.

"You were the one who kept yelling at me, drawing attention to yourself," she snapped, sitting down with a thump and swinging her legs and resting her feet on the table, regardless that she wore a dress (she, however, wore trousers underneath).

"You two are so embarrassing. And stupid. And get yer goddamn feet off the table, woman!" Vaughn hissed, smacking Marte lightly in the back of the head.

"Fuck yourself!" She snapped back, belching loudly to be even more rude and obnoxious.

"Get some manners!" Ranae hissed.

Vaughn sat down, running his hands through his short, light brown hair. He looked up for anyone - any barmaid. He waved to one, raising his voice and shouting his order of 'Three Ales'. And he'd drink them all - he wasn't so nice enough to order for his bickering companions.

[Anonymous]

There were plenty more hands smacked away from her and tons more mugs of ale passed out as she continued to work the room. Lily was used to it though, and she never once opened her mouth to complain about the work. She was the one who had decided to be a barmaid where she knew intoxicated people would be, where she knew thoughts would accidentally slip into her mind, making her want to retch in the alley. But, she had chosen this, and there wouldn’t be a single complaint about it.

Lily turned her head to look over her shoulder and lifted a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. As the day wore on, the bun of maroon hair grew more and more untidy, and more and more strands popped free to hang about and frame her face. She nodded towards the man who had called out his order and went to get the three ales asked. Some of the liquid sloshed over the edge and covered her hands, but she didn’t seem to notice. It happened daily, and it wasn’t about to bother her now.

It took a bit of fancy foot work and balance to weave her way through the tables, before she finally reached the odd party, sliding the mugs of ale in front of the man who had ordered them. She brushed her hands on the white apron and looked to each of the unique members. Her top teeth reached out to grab onto her bottom lip and she nipped gently, before taking a step back.

“Just leave the payment on the table.� She said in a polite voice, turning her black eyes to the man who had ordered, before turning around and heading back to tend to some other table, with some other drunken men or just as drunken women.

[Anonymous]

.VOLTAIRE'S evening had been somehow ruined in the midst of wandering from the wood's edges to the middle of the town. Perhaps something to do with his demon figure almost pouring itself back over him, and just when he was meeting people. Human beings could certainly scatter when they thought some monster was coming for them. Needless bickering though, not a single change could be made to the day, and come tomorrow he would practice holding this form even longer. but for now...the drowning of sorrows was at hand, and his hand needed to be full, of the strongest liquor that this place had to offer. dodging near fatal blows to the head by the flailing arms of every 200 plus pound man in the area, he quickly manevoured around the tavern almost professionally. his bright eyes were tainted by a thick silvery glaze, it reflected itself off the lights and draw most attention away from much else. in the process of avoiding the local drunks, he almost found himself in a very bad collision with the tender that evening. catching himself just before it struck too badly he found that he merely bumped into her a bit. luckily for the both of them, all glasses she held were empty.

oh, do pardon me.

.was all VOLTAIRE said as he carefully slithered past her and tucked himself away in the envelope of shadows lingering to the far corner. the less company he recieved, the better. his form didn't last long if too many people paid too much attention to him. he sat himself down, and placed his hands on the table, holding a remarkable amount of patience for the young damsel in quite a bit of distress buzzing about the tables. she was avoiding the same belching whirling obstacles that he had, therefore a wait was in order, and he held this on until she was less occupied and had time to ask if she could serve him. not that he knew that she would do that, but they had in most taverns, so he would try his chances before bellowing at her like the others.

[Anonymous]

Lily stumbled back a bit as someone bumped into her and she thought nothing of it, until he said something about it. Her pitch black eyes turned to him and she gave a smile, nodding her head.

“Oh, it’s no problem sir.� She said with a nod of her head and skittered off to the bar once more, filling the empty glasses with ale and moving to a rowdy table of men that were there nearly every day. She’d given a smile to the man for a simple reason, hardly anyone apologized if they were to hit her. It happened nearly every ten minutes, but it was normally followed by a boisterous laugh or a hand to the back side. Never a ‘ do pardon me.’

She continued to balance about the room, ducking beneath arms and such, and soon was given a free moment. She made her way to the dark corner and tucked a strand of maroon hair behind an ear, looking into the shadows with her eyes that were a similar shade of color, her hands resting comfortably along her hips.

“Can I get you anything, sir?� She asked, tilting her head to the side as she waited. The least she could do in thanks to him was give him his drink quickly, if he wanted one. She noticed a few gazes were thrown in the direction of the man, and turned to look over to him in curiosity, before noticing…something. “Oh.� She spoke out, before plastering on the shimmering smile, biting her tongue to keep from saying anything as she waited for an order.

[Anonymous]

.VOLTAIRE struggled to maintain his normal, human form as glance after glance threw him just a tad more off balance. he finally retained it and cleared his throat uncomfortably. he noted the incredible hue of her eyes, and was quite tempted really to inquire as to how and why they were that way. he was unfirmiliar with most species, or groups and he really hadn't any idea why they would be that way. but needless to say the other alcoholics were growing impatient with their little conversation, so he was quick to cover his interest, dropping her gaze.

well, i am only here to intoxicate myself, so any hard alcohol will do, ...i'm sorry, what was your name?

.sincere interest dripped from each slowly spoken word, talking in a murmer that would force her to lean closer in order to hear. offering himself a better look at those eyes.a few of the commoners knew his other form by this time, so despite their foot tapping, and sighing, and other signs that this was driving them mad, there was nothing that they did to disturb them. or most of them anyhow. afterall, who wanted a demon to tell you to mind your own business?.

you seem quite busy, but if your boss ever gives you a break, you should probably come back here, maybe a drink would do you well, and it would be no expense to yourself.

.what a clever little way to ask her if he could buy her a drink, no?

[Anonymous]

Lily leaned her head in just the slightest as she heard him before giving a nod of her head, that polite smile that never seemed to leave her lips still there.

“Oh, we’ve got plenty of that here.� She replied back to him and lifted her hands to try and push her unruly hair behind her ears. At his inquiry about her name she blinked her lids over her onyx eyes, before tilting her head to the side slightly. “Oh, I’m Lily. If you need anything, I would be more than happy to help someone here who actually has manners.� She said with one of those laughs that people used when they were required to laugh, like a Lord’s joke or something similar to that.

Lily had moved to get his order of the nearest hard liquor she could find, before hearing his offer. She turned to look over her shoulder towards him, before her entire body twisted to face him. She seemed to think a moment, the flames from nearby torches and candles flickering off the surface of her inky eyes, before a slow nod was given.

“I’ve been on my feet all day. I think I would rather enjoy that.� She said with that careful upturn of her lips, and moved back to the bar. She filled up one of the nicer mugs she could find with the nearest hard liquor she could find, and twisted her way through the tables and men, nodding as they shouted orders to her. Lily always told herself it was a terrific thing that she had a remarkable memory.

“I hope whiskey isn’t too strong for you, sir.� She said and slipped the mug onto his table, table taking a hesitant step back. “I…I’ve just got to get a few more drinks out to the fellows at that table, and I think I’ll rest my feet.� She said and was off to get the other ales.

[Anonymous]

.LILY was it? very pretty name. gave off a sound of innocence. the color white, of course the virgin bride and so on and so forth. valleys of spouting white flowers, he could remember that name, yes. when she returned with his drink he smiled a bit, taking it and insisted she not rush herself anymore than she already had to. once she turned her back again, he glanced himself over being sure nothing was showing that he hadn't intended, red eyes, no. fangs, no, claws, no. his skin was the same milky complexion that it was when he came, smooth to the touch, and lacking the boils and welts of his other self. he couldn't help but check a few times. she seemed very intimidated. which was a new feeling for him in this form. standing a mere 5'11, with a baby type face, slightly pointed ears, black hair dangling in his sight - the sight of bright green eyes, it was hard to imagine her seeming so uncomfortable. reguardlessly he returned himself to the brew before him. whiskey would suit him just fine, thank you, maiden.

.VOLTAIRE tipped back the glass, letting the foam slip from the surface and slowly drain itself into his stomach. the warm tinge slipping down his body and letting him silence himself in the corner. slowly relenting to a drunken stupor. but worry not, this was only the beginning. there was no slurring, or stumbling about just yet. this was simply the warm that melted over you. the warmth that was unlike any other. the kind inside of your body. much different than that of hot water rushing over you. different than wrapping in a blanket, or sitting next to a fire. the sort that was below the surface, lingering in your skin and nearly rising it to goosebumps. the kind that say, love, would provoke and not a whole much else. except alcohol. blessed alcohol.

[Anonymous]

Lily finally exited to the back room. It had been a bit since she had talked to the man at the table, but while she worked she lost all sense of time. Her head rested along the wall and she pounded her skull against it a bit, before tucking the loose strands of hair behind her eyes.

“Lily?� She heard and pushed herself from the wall to see the old woman whom she worked for. Lily’s shoulders immediately dropped to a slump and she gave that smile. She always made an effort to keep the guards up in her mind around the woman. She would hate to invade the privacy of her thoughts, but sometimes she simply couldn’t help it, so the extra walls and barriers were used around her. “Hang up your apron.� The woman said and turned around. Lily did just that.

After she had washed her hands out back and moved into the bar, she filled up another mug of whiskey, and she brought it to the back table with the man sitting there. She gave that guarded smile to him and slid the whiskey across the table to him.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you sooner. It’s rather busy here, if you hadn’t gathered already.� She spoke out, her hands fumbling with the front of her modest dress. Her tongue ran along her bottom lip as she continued to stand there.

“I noticed…I noticed a lot of people staring over here. I don’t mean to be rude or anything, but, why? You don’t seem dangerous to me, and they normally tend to stare when they want to whip out their weapons.� Her hand lifted up to brush a persistent strand back as her dark eyes stared down at him from her standing positon.

[Anonymous]

.his first drink was just finished as it was readily replaced by the maiden he'd just met, LILY. he smiled a bit and listened to her question rather thoughtfully. taking no offense, or none that was shown anyhow. he'd been asked the same question a million times in different words. therefore it didn't really bother him anymore.

i noticed that it was busy, don't worry yourself over my drinks, take your time. this is supposed to be your workplace, not your enslavement. they look at me that way because this is only one of my figures. my other is not nearly so handsome.

.he laughed a little, obviously the arrogent remark was only his joking. he didn't actually think himself handsome, but certainly not intimidating either.now that he had sort of, half ass-ed an answer for her, he hoped she'd half ass a little in return. her eyes were the only thing his mind was really stuck on at the time. such a deep, inky obsidian hue. rich with color and at the same time lacking only a color of any sort. deepened beyond the point of ending. it was like wandering into the wilderness at midnight, and staring to the heavens, just simply blackened and endless. a glitter from a star, or in her case, a bar lamp, every so often. but other than that just an undisturbed, flawless surface. he dropped his gaze once more before persuing the answer he sought.

so then, LILY. i presume that it is my turn to inquire a little about yourself? curiousity has me - how on earth did these people bribe you into working for them? certainly you are capable of much more.

[Anonymous]

Lily gave a nod of her head as she slipped into the seat opposite him, folding her dress about her lap as she lifted her dark eyes to him. At his answer she couldn’t help but give a sort of laugh, brushing a maroon strand of hair behind her ear, yet she never seemed irritated by the persistent pieces.
 
“Ah, well, I suppose that’s reason enough, for now.� She replied back to him, drawing small, unknown pictures along the surface of the table with the fingertip of her index digit.

At his question about herself she shrugged her shoulders, pressing her lips together as she continued to design certain objects in the grain of the wood. After a few moments she lifted her eyes from her invisible masterpiece to look directly at him.

“You don’t get a lot of attention, and normally it’s so hectic that you can keep your mind off of other things.� She gave a grin, one that may have been a bit more automatic than forced. After a few moments that followed her response to his question she asked one of her own.

“Beg your pardon, sir, but I don’t believe I ever received your name.� That was an open invitation for him to give a name, if he so desired to.

[Anonymous]

((I’m going to be leaving on vacation to Georgia early tomorrow morning. Tuesday and Wednesday I won’t have access to a computer, but on Thursday I should be at my cousin’s house and she has a computer that I’ll be able to use. So by Thursday I should be able to reply to a post, if you make one. After Thursday I will have access to a computer, but I don’t know how often I’ll be able to get onto one. I’ll be home on Monday though. So six days of sporadic posting and then I’ll be able to post more frequently.))

[Anonymous]

.my appologies, I am VOLTAIRE. You may, however call me whatever you like. I have not been here long, so I am not quite classified with the town drunkards yet. therefore, i still have my attention span. I'm sort of eager to meet new people, myself. I haven't been anywhere near here in...oh, quite some time actually. of course she would never know that his former dwelling was commonly refered to as hell. he preformed rather well, was very good with patience recently, and was actually looking forward to his new stay here, for as long as he managed.

.the drink was tipped back, small bubbles of condensation goosebumped the sides of the tall glass, smearing into slick sheets of water as his fingertips slid along the sides to grip it. the cool liquid sloushed about in the glass a bit before slithering down his throat and increasing the intoxicating wamth that it instilled. You are the only person that I have ever seen with such magificant eyes. obviously still unable to focus else wise.

[Anonymous]

Lily watched him, leaning forward to rest her chin within the palm of her hand as he spoke. Every so often her eyelids would fall shut in a blink, but soon after they would rise and her inky eyes would be revealed to him once more.

“It’s a pleasure, Voltaire.� She replied politely with that plastered smile, white teeth flashing and the edges of her eyes crinkling gently from the lines of constant grinning.

When he mentioned her eyes, she seemed to become flustered for a moment, dipping her head down and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, before once more looking up and giving her shoulders a light shrug.

“I’m a Hiroko, we’ve all got black eyes. I hope it’s not too distracting or anything.� She quickly let the words spill from her mouth before her teeth clamped down on her bottom lip to silence herself. Lily was hardly embarrassed or ashamed of the fact that she was chosen to have an animal spirit, but the fact that it was noticed, well, she was almost flattered.

[Anonymous]

.He smiled a little as she looked almost flushed at the comment. she seemed a little embaressed about it, but he figured differently. perhaps she really wasn't used to male attention. hopefully, his advances weren't met with discomfort. any moment's shush would have stopped all persuit. but her eyes were the place where his attention was naturally drawn and held, almost captive really. where else would one look? there was no trace of emotion, soul. the window to one's soul, to her was complete mystery. and somehow this wasn't meant to insult her. it was mezmerising.

no really, distracting there is a wonderful thing for a maiden such as yourself, why without those to notice, men's attention may find itself elsewhere. this way you know that you have their attention, rather than your body?

.made sense to him, only because perhaps without her gaze to keep himself busy, his eyes would wander about, playing along the curves of her body as any hundred-year hungry male would be. he tried to keep himself at least a little charming. but at the same time his expressions gave away a few of the less desireable thoughts he was having...but, controling. so some credit was still due. besides, without being completely in her face about it, an obvious desire should have been just that, flattering.

what time is your manager expecting your services again?

[Anonymous]

Lily couldn’t help but let a small laugh escape her lips, brushing her fingers back to the mess of the bun along the back of her head, which she was starting to feel slightly self conscious about. Well, at least he said her eyes drew attention away, so perhaps the mess of maroon hair wouldn’t be noticed. Although she didn’t fix the mass at the back, she did manage to fight with a few of her longer bangs and free strands, and get them to rest behind her ear, and stay there.

“I suppose so. Half the time the men here are too drunk to tell left from right, let alone an eye color. Although, the more sober ones seem to notice, and manage to keep their eyes on mine.� She gave a thankful smile towards him, one that might not have been as forced as her usual grins. Perhaps she was really smiling. Then she stopped and her attention was shifted to her mind. She would hate to have one of the thoughts of this man slip into her own mind, seeing as how he was being so polite and kind to her.

Lily allowed herself to simply look to him for a few moments and enjoy the company of someone who could hold a sentence and not manage to drip ale all over her. At his question she was snapped back to reality and her throat was cleared, dark eyes turning down to stare at the table top as she was sure her fair skin was painted with a delicate pink. Moments later, however, it disappeared and she knew it was safe to look up to him once more. She’d have to make sure to not stare so much the next time, if there happened to be a next time.

“For today I should be finished, but I normally start working if it gets too crowded for the other bar tenders and maids to handle.� She gave a simple shrug. Working took up most of her life, and she didn’t seem to mind. The other half she was jumping through the forest in the form she was lucky enough to have, the form given to her when she was tattooed and chosen to be a Hiroko, a tiger.
 
After she answered she let her eyes search to almost gauge how crowded it was at the moment. Her hand came up to press her fingers to a temple and rubbed soothingly for a moment, before her hand dropped down, her attention turning back to him.