writingreadingandwhateverelse

[writingreadingandwhateverelse]

The darkness enveloped the small village as Nicolette crept down the stairs. She knew exactly where to step as to not make a sound. She made it to the door and opened it softly, the cool air rushed at her, and she shivered, tugging her shawl closer to her. She confidently walked down the path, she knew exactly where to step even in the dark. She avoided a large tree she knew was coming up and made sure to avoid the Backberrys’s garden, they were awfully sensitive about it. She continued, accidently stepping on a flower, Brutus’s wife would be furious if she knew. Luckily they wouldn’t find out. She wound through the forest with the skill of an assassin. She finally made it out of the village, and she immediately felt free. Free of everything, of the expectation, of her parents, of the pressure, if only for one night. But that was enough. She still had a long walk to go. It was another three miles walk to the very outskirts of the city. But it was worth it. She kicked a rock down the path as she walked, humming to herself softly. This journey was the best part of her week, a time where she got to be alone and do what she wanted, a time her family could never know about. Her parents would be furious, after all journeying alone was improper for a lady and the fact that she was going to a tavern wasn’t much better. She knew her parents would never find out, she was too smart, too careful to ever get caught. She was almost caught once when her brother Charles saw her start to leave the house one night. He asked her where she had been going and she lied saying she forgot to water the vegetable garden. He believed it and was too dim witted to figure out she was lying. Who waters a garden at night? Nicolette chuckled to herself at the memory, her older brother was strong and an excellent farmer, but he was, well, not the sharpest tool in the shed. She however was as quick as an eel, she didn’t mean to brag or think too highly of herself, after all that was unbecoming of a lady, but it was true, she was far smarter than all the boys in her village. However no one actually acknowledged that. Her talents were often used for cooking porridge and tending to the garden. She sighed softly, once again wishing for something bigger, something beyond her simple existence in the village.

Nicolette suddenly yelped, “ow”, as she ran into an oak tree. She was too lost in her thoughts and momentarily forgot where she was. She rubbed her sore head, then looked up recognizing the tree. Its large spiny roots pointed in the direction she needed to go. She was close. She lifted up her skirt and ran carefully as not to trip on any rocks. She did that last time and had to make up an excuse to her parents as to why she was all bruised. She made it to the tavern and stepped inside. The sound of laughter filled her ears and the smell of ale was so strong she could taste it. It was dimly lit and the hearth did nothing for the dark, it only made the room even hotter. She struggled through all of the people, and she tried to get to the counter. A group of drunk men stood in her way, singing some song about a woman. One man wobbled, nearly running into her. She shoved him out of the way, and he turned around but was too drunk to notice it was her who hit him. He shrugged and went back to singing. She finally pushed her way to the counter, and was slightly out of breath. She sat in the chair trying to compose herself. She tied her black, now sweaty, hair back into a ponytail.

The bartender walked over as she tucked a few dark strands of hair behind her ear. The bartender walked over and said, “Ahh Nicolette, almost thought you weren’t coming.”

Nicolette said, “I always come, Thomas, you know that.”

He chuckled and said, “I suppose I do, what can I get for ya?” Thomas knew her response but he always asked anyway.

She waved her hand shooing away the question, “Nothing thank you.”

She didn’t care for alcohol it made one weak and vulnerable. Unaware of their surroundings and easy to catch off guard. Plus it made a person look like an utter idiot. Her father had come home drunk a number of times, he always acted a fool, and her mother despised it. She made him sleep in the stables once, he had blacked out, and woken up in mud, manure, and hay. She had no desire to end up like that. She preferred to have all her senses in good use.

“Are you ever going to order anything?”

She pretended to consider it and said, “no”.

Thomas let out a heavy sigh and walked away mumbling under his breathe. Nicolette smiled to herself, it was always fun to mess around with Thomas, just a bit. She turned her head away from the bar and towards the patrons sitting at tables. She watched drunken men clumsily flirt with women who disgustingly refused their advances. Men played cards, occasionally shouting at each other, arguing over the rules. The whores cozied up to men, hoping to get paid. She reveled in the noise and excitement of the tavern, it was comforting in a way. It offered some form of fun in her otherwise mundane life. She heard a loud laugh and turned in her seat. She saw a group of boys that she recognized from her village. Godrick, the oldest of the boys but certainly not the brightest. Jarl. A rather effeminate boy. And Randal, the youngest, desperate to prove himself. Of course there was their ring leader, Tieran. He was tall and muscular, practically all the girls in the village fawned over him. He always strutted around, his chest all puffed up. As if he was better than any of them. She lived a few cottages down from him, and often was caught up in his antics. What was he doing here? This was supposed to be her spot, all she wanted to do was get away, just for one moment. She watched Tieran burp loudly, which made his friends laugh, and she rolled her eyes. She turned away, she couldn’t get caught. Thieran could tell the other villagers and if it reached her mothers ears, she’d be dead. She looked back at their table when she heard a loud bang and the shatter of glass. She saw the broken glass on the floor and Tieran started at it before he and his friends burst out in laughter.

Thomas marched over and said, “What do you think you're doing you fools? You’ll pay for that.”

Tieran smirked and said, “No I don’t think we will.”

Thomas grew red in the face, “You think you can just go around and break things that aren’t yours? You’ll either pay for it or work it off.”

Tieran got right up in his face and said, “Like I said…no.”

He laughed and yanked Thomas’s hat off. He tossed it to Godrick, and Thomas ran after it, and the boy threw it again, this time to Randal. Nicolette watched as they continued to throw the brown patchy hat and Thomas ran after it. Nicolette stood up and walked over. Her instinct to protect herself left, she wanted to humiliate Tieran, and at least protect a little of Thomas’s dignity. They threw the hat in the air again, and she shoved Jarl out of the way and caught it. The boys turned their heads towards Nicolette.

The fabric was rough in her hand, and there were even more patches up close. She wondered for a moment if she should just throw it away. Instead she handed the hat back to Thomas. Then turned to the boys and said , “How immature are you?”

Tieran glared, clearly upset his fun had been ruined, “Mind your own business Nicolette.”

She raised and eyebrow and said, “Pay for the glass and I will.”

She really didn’t care that much about the glass or Thomas. But the thought of humiliating Tieran was too good to pass up. He was insufferable.

Tieran clenched his jaw, clearly indignant. He said, “You can’t tell me what to do.”

Nicolette knew just how to play the game. She nodded, “You're right. I can’t. How about we make a bet instead? An arm wrestle. If I win, you pay for the glass. If you win I’ll do well…whatever you’d like.”

She wasn’t worried about losing the bet, after all she would never make a bet she couldn’t win. She was too smart for that.

Tieran said, “Why should I take the bet?”

Nicolette chuckled, ready to reel him in like a fisherman would a fish. She said, “Because if you don’t, you’ll look like a coward in front of your friends.”

His eyes widened slightly, she knew Tieran would never refuse a bet, especially one from a girl, he’d be seen as a coward. It didn’t take long for him to consider it.

He said, “Alright it’s a deal, but when you lose you have to kiss me, and I’m not talking about a little peck.” His friends laughed and slapped him on the back.

Godrick laughed,”Ha ha. Pucker up Nicolette.”

Rodney, eager to be included, said,”Yeah, pucker up”

Nicolette rolled her eyes at their mocking. She wasn’t surprised by Tieran’s request. She had seen the way he had looked at her. The long stares, the puffed out chest, and the constant showing off. She once saw him attempt to shoot a deer in front of her. He missed by a mile. He was always so confident, so sure of himself, and his friends always backed him up. She relished the chance to knock him down a peg, to humiliate him in front of his friends. She wasn’t deterred by his request, like he expected her to be, in fact, it made it easier to humiliate him.

She smirked, matching his own face, as she stuck out her hand. “Deal.”

He stuck out his own hand spitting on it, and stuck it out. She pulled hers away with a simple,”No.”

The boys howled with laughter, and Tieran mocked,”If she’s afraid of a little spit, imagine how she’ll feel when I kiss her.”

Nicolette had so many comebacks but she reminded herself to save them for later, after his defeat. He had to believe that she was nervous, if she came off too confident, he could back out of the deal. She sat at a chair across from him, Tieran put his arm up on the table, leaning forward. Nicolette followed suit, placing her arm on the table, some sticky substance made it’s way through the sleeve of her dress and onto her skin. She grimaced, this was a nice dress, and her mother would be furious. Nicolette shook her head, reminding herself she had more important things to focus on. She clasped hands with Tieran. She felt his blisters, rough against her skin, from years of working on a farm. She took a closer look at his large biceps and for a moment felt a flutter of nervousness. What if her plan didn’t work? It would be absolutely humiliating if she lost. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves, she wouldn’t lose. She had a plan and as long as she followed it she would win.

Tieran snapped, “Are you going to keep daydreaming or are we going to get started.”

Nicolette stared into his eyes, “Let’s begin.”

They tightened their grip on each others hands. His grip was so tight it was turning the tips of her fingers purple. Jarl yelled in his high voice, “Go!”

Tieran jolted his arm to the left and Nicolette had to strain to stop it from hitting the table. Her hand hurt from his pressure and it felt like her wrist was going to crack. She tried to push back but she couldn’t. She was inches away from the table and it was clear he was winning. His left side of his mouth quirked up with a satisfied smirk. His friends egged him on and Tieran pushed down even harder, his veins popping out in his arm, a dark blue against his tan skin. Nicolette's arm was shaking and she knew she couldn’t hold out for much longer. She leaned forward. Close enough to him, that he could feel her warm breath against his cheek. She positioned herself in a way where she revealed just a hint of cleavage. She saw Teiran’s eyes dart low for a moment, but then he looked forward again. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he focused on forcing her arm to the table

She leaned even closer, her lips touching his ear, “Let’s forget about this foolish competition and do something more enjoyable.”

Tieran looked up at her searching for signs of deceit, his hand loosened slightly. She saw a flicker of desire in his eyes. She had him. Time to reel him in.

She smiled seductively, “Come on, I know you want more than a simple kiss.”

That was enough, his hand loosened significantly and she tightened hers. He noticed but it was too late, she shoved his hand to the table with a thud, and she smiled triumphantly. Tieran’s eyes flickered from her to his hand on the table, then back to her, his mouth slightly agape.

Nicolette smirked and said, “I win.”

Tierans friends were silent now. Randal shuffled awkwardly, and Jarl opened his mouth to talk then shut it again. It was clear they didn’t know how to respond to the situation. For the first time, someone had outsmarted their leader. And worse, it was a girl.

Tieran stared at her, not seeming to comprehend what happened, then he scowled and said, “You cheated.”

Nicolette knew this response was coming and she was prepared, “I didn’t cheat.”

He yelled, “You lied to me!”

The entire tavern went quiet looking at him for a moment before turning back to their chatter. Nicolette said, “Would you like to tell your friends what I lied to you about?”

His friends looked at him curiously. Tierans ears turned bright red. He looked furious but remained silent, not wanting to embarrass himself anymore.

Nicolette patted his cheek and said, “Now I believe there’s a glass you need to pay for.”

Thomas smirked from where he was watching and said, “You heard her. Pay up, boy.”

He just stood there and Nicolette teased,”Come on Tieran, don’t be a sore loser.”

He growled from his throat and took out a small coin pouch, filled with coins that he had clearly been saving for a long time. He slowly placed it in Thomas’s hand and the pouch clinked as it fell.

Tieran turned to Nicolette, his eyes were like the fiery pits of hell and they bore into her soul. He said, “You're a lying whore.”

Nicolette smiled innocently, not scared by his intimidation, “And you're pathetic, losing to a girl.”

Randal let out a small and Tieran glared at him. He said,”I’ll get you for this Nicolette, I swear it.”

She rolled her eyes, he wouldn’t dare touch her, the village was a very tight knit community after all. She said, “Yes I’m sure you will.”

She sauntered out of the bar laughing to herself. Tierans face when he lost was something she never wanted to forget. She had humiliated him, would he even show his face at the village? She nearly tripped over an overgrown tree, and awkwardly looked around before continuing to walk. She only walked a few feet when she heard someone running after her. For a moment she was worried. What if Tieran was really coming after her. She bent down and picked up a rock to defend herself. She turned around, raising the rock only to see Thomas.

“Nicolette! Nicolette!”

She sighed but stopped, and set down the rock. She knew he wanted to say thanks but she really didn’t want to hear it. She tapped her leg quickly and crossed her arm. She had to get home soon before someone realized she was gone.

Thomas was slightly out of breath, clearly not in good shape. He said, “I just… wanted to thank you…you didn’t have to…do that.”

She responded,”Your right I didn’t.”

He shifted awkwardly, that wasn’t the response he was looking for. He said,”Right…well drinks on me anytime.”

She doubted she would ever take him up on that offer. But she could tell he obviously wanted her to respond graciously. She decided to give him what he wanted, “I might take you up on that, thank you.”

He beamed, “Have a goodnight, and be careful out there.”

Nicolette walked away and said, “I know, I always am.”

She didn’t bother to listen to his response. She could see the sun peeking through the trees. She had to get home now. The veil of night had lifted and it was time to go. Nicolette lifted her skirt and ran, barely keeping herself from tripping over loose stones and twigs. They cuther legs and leaves tangled in her hair. If her parents found her like this they would definitely ask questions. She ran even faster, gasping for breath. She was close and she didn’t even bother to stop herself from stomping on the Backberry’s yard. She made it to the small cottage she called home and quietly slipped through the door and into the kitchen. No one was up. She took a deep breath, the air refilling her lungs. She ran her fingers through her hair trying to make it semi presentable. She looked down at her dress, it was covered in dirt, and that strange substance from the tavern, it was torn at the edges. She would be in a lot of trouble. That wasn’t the only thing she was worried about. It was the look in Tierans eyes, his promise of revenge, he looked so intense, so serious. No…no. He wouldn’t try that, he wouldn’t dare, he wasn’t that stupid. She took a deep breath to calm her racing thoughts. She was about to head up to her room, hide the evidence, and get some rest before breakfast when a voice said, “Where have you been?”