Ash came out of the kitchen door wearing a thin apron, over his clothes, tray in one hand with three steaming bowls of stew with bread and butter. Weaving his way through the crowd he made his way over to the trios tabletable.

  ‘Sorry for the wait gents, we have three bowls of our mouthwatering stew, please do enjoy the bread particularly baked fresh by our culinary genius Chef Cookey’

  The three men eyed him as he lay down the bowls, plates and cutlery.

  ‘Where’s Rose?’ Said Barriston leaning forward

  ‘I do apologise my dear gentlemen, Rose the poor dear is certainly rushed off her feet as you can see we are right in the middle of an evening dinner rush, by means of apology may I bring you all ales, on the house of course’ Ash said smiling a smile you can only develop working in a customer facing service job.

  Ash had indeed spent a few years working in a restaurant, starting on the floor, the bar and even helping out in the kitchen from time to time. He had developed his ‘customer voice’ over this period and it worked wonders in dealing with customers of the Barriston persuasion.

  ‘Sod, your drink where’s the girl?’ said lackey number one.

  ‘My apologies sir, as I said, Rose is quite rushed and I’m sure she will be over just as soon as she can, I can assure you that I am more than qualified to meet your serving needs in the meantime’ Ash smiled

  ‘Our needs are best attended by the pretty young girl’ said Barriston

  ‘Most assuredly good sir however the lady in question is otherwise engaged so you may have to forego the girl and young and settle for just pretty’ Ash smiled an impish grin

  ‘Talk to us like that and you won’t even be pretty’ said Lackey number one

  ‘Well now, such a compliment to be called pretty by a man of your calibre, I’ll be right along with that drink’ Ash spun around and headed back to the bar.

  The men at the table looked bewildered by the interaction, and stared at the waiter with a look of mirth, annoyance and confusion.

  ‘They alright?’ said Burt

  ‘Nothing I can’t handle’ smiled Ash ‘You got those special orders from the kitchen?’

  ‘Yeh, why do you want day old bread cut up like that?’ Burt asked

  ‘I’m going to feed it to them’ Ash as he made his way back towards the table.

  ‘He’s gunna get us all bloody killed’ Murmured Burt

  ‘Gentlemen, here are your drinks, and a specialty from the kitchen a dish of my own design for the discerning gentleman’ Ash said ‘ Feel free to sample as they are or drop a few into your stew for a lovely texture’

  ‘Listen you’ said Lackey number one ‘I didn’t mean..’

  ‘Please sir, save the flattery, can’t you see your colleague is getting jealous’ Ash smiled nodding at lackey two.

  ‘I aint jealous’ he protested bringing his mug to the table hard.

  ‘Of course not, not with a big strong chin like that’ Ash smiled amusedly

  ‘Hey wait a minute’ started Lackey one

  ‘Don’t worry, you’ve got the eyes’ Ash said.

  ‘And what is it that I have food boy?’ said Barriston menacingly

  ‘Personality and the patience of a saint, now if you will excuse me boys I really must get back to my duties’

  As ash was making his way back the screeching of chairs sounded across the room, the two men making their way over to Ash.

  ‘Trying to make fools of us are you?’ Lackey two said

  ‘Look fellas you are lovely but you are going to have to sort this out between yourselves, come on your friends don’t fall out on my account’ Ash smiled brightly at them.

  Lackey one threw the first punch which was caught by Ash bringing up the serving tray, flipping it around and bringing it across the man’s face.

  ‘Oh dear silly, I think your friend needs some attention’ Ash said to Lackey one gesturing to his peer lying prone on the floor.

  The room suddenly started emptying as the man barrelled down at Ash, who held out the tray like a matador while spinning, the man flying straight past into a full table, food and ale dripping down the front of his armour.

  ‘Ole!’ exclaimed Ash stamping his foot

  The man took another run at him but this time as Ash went to spin he felt a hand grab hold of his ankle, it was the other lackey he had downed earlier. With no time to react Ash was barrelled into and knocked over to the floor, landing sorely on his back against the wooden floor, he got back to his feet and held his hand to his head and looked down at his fingers coated in a thin layer of crimson.

  ‘Okay guys, first blood, you win’ said Ash shaking his head

  ‘No I’m gunna make you really bleed’ Said lackey number one pulling out his sword and charging at Ash

  Ash kicked up his tray and held it as the sword pierced his impromptu shield, the point of the sword scratching across his chest. He gripped the tray and spun it so the sword came out of opponents his opponents hand, throwing it around and catching the handle he held with both hands as he brought the makeshift mace across the mans head. The force of which shattered the tray into splinters and sent the man backwards onto another table.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Lackey number two came at him, his own sword drawn swinging wildly. Ash noticed that in comparison to Alastair this guy was like a child with a pointy stick moving in slow motion. Every blow was either blocked or parried, easily outmatched when it came to footwork and when one strike was particularly over extended Ash grabbed his wrist and with a flourish rolled the man forwards over himself to land flat onto the floor so hard it shook the planks shaking dust into the air.

  Ash looking rather happy with himself turned to see the look of horror in Burts face.

  ‘Sorry Burt, I may have to pick up a few shifts to cover this one’ Ash said cheerily

  Burts jaw was hanging open and all of a sudden his eyes darted from Ash to just behind him. The wind was suddenly knocked out of Ash, he fell to the floor and from behind him Barriston walked around, a sneer across his face that turned to a sinister smile as he made his way Infront of Ash.

  ‘Impudent little wretch, how’s that smart mouth of yours now while I rend your very core?’ Barriston spat

  Ash looked up at the villain hand out stretched ‘Suffer my wrath’ he pronounced and a red light emanated from his outstretched palm. Ash’s vision was starting to blur as the pain radiated out through his body, he could almost feel his last grip on consciousness slipping away when all of a sudden a high pitched tone rung out loud through his head.

  ‘YOU ARENT GOING TO LET A LITTLE PAIN STOP YOU ARE YOU?’ Came the voice as if it was bubbled out by tar.

  ‘Not you again, why are you here’ Ash said

  ‘YOU CAME TO ME?’ said the voice

  ‘I don’t have time for this, I’m kind of in the middle of a thing’ Ash said

  ‘I WILL LEND YOU A PORTION OF MY POWER, LET YOU HAVE A LITTLE TASTE’ laughed the voice

  ‘You know you come across as really creepy’ Ash said

  His vision began returning but did not lose its fuzz. Ash raised up off all fours, raising one knee to kneel head still hanging low, he then pushed off the floor and stood swaying on his feet until he stood statue still.

  ‘How are you doing this?’ Barriston cried out pushing out both palms enhancing the pulsing scarlet waves. Ash slowly raised his head, brow now covered by blood matted hair when the front door swung open suddenly.

  Alastair was suddenly in between the two men.

  ‘Victor, this man is under my protection, kindly stand down’ Alastair said firmly.

  The red light faded and Barriston looked at the pair with distain ‘Your man offered us insult and caused some not inconsequential injury’

  Alastair looked at Ash who stood stoic behind him ‘Come on Victor, this lads new to these lands, doesn’t know our lands or the rules of them’

  ‘His misconduct must not go unpunished’ said Bariston

  Alastair reached for the side of Ash’s head to get a better look at the state of him, the moment his hand made contact his wrist was caught in a vice like grip, he hadn’t even seen him move and while wincing from the pain held his other hand to Ash’s forearm. The grip was released and Alastair cleared his throat while massaging his wrist, turning to Barriston he held up his blood covered hand.

  ‘Id say things are pretty even, why don’t you take your boys back to the garrison for healing, looks like they were well in their cups and made a mess’ Alastair said

  ‘He…’ Barriston began

  ‘Couldn’t have possibly bested your well trained men, look at him a simple tavern boy, that would be mighty embarrassing, so Victor let’s leave it there and go home I do believe its closing time right Master Landlord?’

  Burt stood staring at the scene of chaos in front of him, trying to make sense of what was happening, he became very aware of the saliva in his mouth as the two men looked his way and swallowed.

  ‘Well, seems like that is that’ Said Alastair ’ I do believe that Lord Renwick was requesting your presence, if you leave now you can drop these two back on the way’.

  The two men picked themselves up off the floor slouching behind their leader.

  ‘Very well, but I will not forget this slight, Alastair, you’ve got yours coming as well don’t you wait and see’ Barriston sneered

  ‘I think its time you three were on your way’ Alastair said turning his back on the trio

  One of the lackeys made to move towards Alastair but Barriston held up a hand ceasing the movement and then led the way out the door, one of the lackeys kicked over a chair and spat on the floor on the way out.

  Alastair breathed out a sigh of relief, ‘Sorry Master Landlord, we will put the room right again.

  There was a sudden noise of furniture being knocked over and Alastair looked around and saw Ash on the floor.

  ‘Ok I guess I will put it right, would you be so kind as to lock the door and help me with my friend here.