Poisonous Fox

One of the foreman crews from the Pit side came in.

While they were hardly regulars, Marianne recognized them all the same. There were only so many ‘foremen’ in the Pits, and there were even fewer that spent their hoards on the Hill. Most of them kept to the slums, where their Cee stretched further.

Jackie had already grabbed the menus and had begun to step towards them, when Marianne intereceded. “I’ll take the table,” Marianne said.

“Why?” Jackie asked, a bit suspiciously.

“Well…” Marianne said awkwardly, looking for a good reason, other than the actual reason, of course. “I know them.”

Jackie glanced towards the men, with their gaudy but cheaply made garments, and then towards Marianne, with a skeptical face. “You know, you’ve been acting strange since you disappeared earlier today.”

“Eh-heh…” Marianne forced a chuckle. She still had yet to find a good way to break the news to Jackie. Oh, Marianne totally would do so, she just hoped to find the right time to do it.

“So?” Jackie asked. “What’s going on.”

“Can I tell you later?” Marianne asked.

“You’d better,” Jackie said, handing the stack of menus to Marianne.

“I will, promise!” Marianne said. “And thanks!” she added as she hurried over towards the foremen.

After serving the men their drinks and taking their orders, Marianne nodded to one of the younger foremen that she had the best rapport with. When she was sure she had his attention, she nodded towards the entrance hall, where shadows abounded for private conversations.

At least, if anything was ever private in Ma’Ritz in the first place.

“Yeah, Mari girl?” Looming in, smelling of oil and blood, with a smattering of smoke and stale drink worked in.

Marianne leaned in, coming much too close to the source of smell for her tastes.

“Any new blood?” she asked. Marianne felt sick just asking.

“Plenty.”

Her spirits lifted in hope.

“From the North?”

“Eh? Well, maybe, not that I saw–”

“-Giants? Elves?”

“Ah. You still on about them? Nah, Not seen any of ‘em. Why you on about those particular races. You don’t strike me as the type to buy, an’ I know you don’t need help findin’ pleasure.”

“My reasons are my own,” Marianne said, leaning away from him before his arms encircled her. “I need to get back to work.”

“But we just got out here!”

When Marianne returned to the tavern, she found a surprise. Tiffany was leaning over the table, pouring another round of ales from a hefty pitcher. A completely unnecessary move, except it allowed the men to see her cleavage. Which was odd–Tiffany was not working in the tavern, she never had, at least as long as Marianne had known her.

Forcing a smile upon her face, Marianne approached both the table and Tiffany.

“Everything alright here?” Marianne asked.

Tiffany laughed, a feminine tinkle with just the right amount of husk. “Oh, we’re fine here, aren’t we boys!”

“I’m surprised to see you down here! What’s the special occasion?”

“I just happened by and saw these fine men suffering thirst, and thought I’d step in.” Tiffany affected a fearful frown. “That’s alright, isn’t it?”

“Course it is, beautiful! This lil tease was just off doing that, teasin’ me,” the man grumbled as he reclaimed his seat.

“That right?” Tiffany asked. “Well, Marianne’s a bit young to know how to treat a man right. Why don’t you swing by later?” she pushed her bust out slightly.

“Yeah…” the man said, licking his lips, “I just might do that.”

Marianne hurried away from the table, having to pretend that she had more work to do. It would be a bad look to gag.

As Marianne reached the bar, Jackie met her. “So?”

“Hm?”

“Why’re you acting off? Should I be looking for another job?”

“What? No!” Marianne assured, then hurried to finish, “There isn’t enough work in the mornings for us both to handle the tavern, and closing is a one woman job, so Ma was planning on giving you different duties.”

“Like?”

“Well…” Marianne led off. “I’m not exactly sure? But I think either she or Esmerelda will come pick you up some time after the rush ends.”

“Ok. But why is that causing this tension?”

“Because it’s dangerous!” Marianne hissed. “What if they make you fight? Or… do gross stuff?”

“Huh.” Jackie narrowed her eyes. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see…”

As the evening slowed down, with more patrons leaving than coming, Marianne began shooting furtive glances towards the new girl. It was stressful! Marianne could hardly stand the wait. Just what would Ma send Jackie off to do, would it be dangerous, and would Marianne see the other girl again? And how beneath all the gods’ gazes was Jackie so calm?!

It came as something of a relief when Esmerelda entered the tavern and moved towards Jackie. Marianne dropped the order she was taking and moved her way over to intercept both of them.

Jackie had just finished carrying an order out and had been returning to the server station, making it easy for Esmerelda to pull her aside.

Marianne arrived just after Esmerelda.

“Room and board will still be covered?” Jackie asked, unprompted. It appeared that Jackie wanted to get in front of the conversation by asking what was probably the more important question.

“Of course,” Esmerelda said. “Same deal as before. Just… different work,” she finished answering in a carefully guarded and neutral tone.

Marianne winced. From the tone in Esmerelda’s voice, it was clear that the work was worrisome. Otherwise, Esmerelda would have sounded positive or stern.

“And the nature of this work?” Jackie asked, apparently undaunted.

Esmerelda glanced around at the tavern, frowned at Marianne, then scoffed and shook her head. “There are better places to cover the details of it, but the duties will be a mix of barmaid and guard. During the tavern’s busy hours, you’ll be here helping Marianne. Then in the later hours, or into the night, you’ll be helping to guard the building.”

“Oh!” Marianne exclaimed, clapping her hands over her mouth.

“Don’t you have duties?” Esmerelda asked Marianne.

“Uhmm yes. Definitely!” Marianne blushed. “But I needed to, uhhh, come and make sure Jackie knew I would cover her tables, and figure out if any instructions were outstanding for any of her tables.” Marianne patted herself on the back, figuratively, for coming up with a legitimate reason to stop by and listen in.

“Uh-huh,” Esmerelda said. She turned back to Jackie. “Anything you need to share before handing over your tables?”

Jackie narrowed her eyes slightly as she slowly shook her head, as though considering. “No,” she answered carefully. “Just ensure to check their drink orders. One of them is running low.”

“Right. Back at it then,” Esmerelda said, once again shooing Marianne off that day.

Soon after, both Esmerelda and Jackie left the Tavern, heading out the back.

That night, Marianne closed the tavern alone.

It was lonely work, which made it slow work. At least it seemed that way. In reality, it only took a little longer to finish mopping the floors and wiping up the glassware. In reality, Jackie had only helped close the tavern that one time. But still… now that Marianne knew what having companionship was like–the absence was all the worse for it.

Soon after finishing her work, Marianne retired for the evening, too exhausted to do much besides change to her nightclothes.

Throughout the night, she had seen scant sight of Jackie. Though, Marianne often barely saw Esmerelda either.

She hoped the other girl was staying safe, and staying out of Ma’s night business. It might seem lucrative, it might seem easy, but there was a hidden cost there for the girls Ma employed.

She really wished someone would have told her just what Jackie would be doing!

She groaned into her pillow, attempting to excise her anxiety. The exercise helped marginally, but not enough to actually fall asleep. Just, why was Jackie not back yet, and what was she being forced to do? Marianne built scenarios in her mind, each one worse than the last.

That was why, when a distraction came, it brought relief. Even though that distraction came from questionable voices on the street below. As her quarters were on the third floor, and as the shutters were only partially opened, the words were difficult to parse. In fact, if not for her father’s blood, she would have failed altogether.

But Marianne’s ears were sharp. She strained them and she listened. She thought she might have recognized one of them, a man. No, strike that, she definitely recognized the bastard.

“-all we’re saying, lass, is give us our honest due for our honest work.”

It was one of the peacekeepers, one of the baron’s soldiers that maintained order on the Hill. More than that, the man was part of the group that had come in the day previous, that had made something of a scene as they harassed Jackie, the new girl. Remembering that caused Marianne to grit her teeth. What were they doing here, Marianne wondered.

“You want me to pay you?” A woman spoke in a soft voice, though still managing to sound scandalized. The speaker sounded almost like Jackie, but what would Jackie be doing out there on the street, and why would the peacekeepers be bothering her again? As Marianne wondered these things, Jackie scoffed with clear contempt and finished her thought. “Normally that would be preceded by an actual service rendered. What have you done for me?”

Marianne hurried to the window to peer out and perhaps listen in a bit better. Why was Jackie out there, and why were the peacekeepers attempting to collect a bribery from her? None of it made sense. Marianne briefly considered running to get Esmerelda to help Jackie, just in case the situation grew violent. But Esmerelda was working. And Marianne wanted nothing to do with that type of work. It was gross. Besides, Jackie could fend for herself. Marianne hoped.

“Lass,” the speaker’s voice took on a note of irritation. “That is not an option. The services were already rendered.”

“Yeah!” one of the other men added, sounding mockingly helpful. He was the one that had tried pawing at Jackie the previous day, at least so Marianne thought. But it was hard to tell with the men wearing their uniforms–they all looked the same sometimes. The scoundrel continued speaking. “Maybe she’s confused? We could help her understand–”

“-Ha! Yes!” One of the other men slapped the second speaker on the back, cajoling him onward in his stupidity. “Maybe she isn’t sure what that honest due is? Eh? Maybe you wanna help teach her? Or you worried she’ll give ya the slip again?” The man broke out laughing, partly encouraging, and partly mocking. “Haven’t laughed that hard seeing a brother in arms fail in a long while!”

“Enough,” the first speaker said, cutting into the other man’s fun. The first speaker must have been in charge of their ragtag group. Maybe some sort of captain or sergeant or elected peacekeeper… Marianne really could not be bothered to learn their rankings. “What about it, lass?” The first speaker asked. “If you’re short on Chargers, you could always pay in other ways.”

Marianne cringed. There was little doubt what the man was alluding to. Marianne prayed that Jackie would resist–though it would be understandable to give in and roll over beneath the pressure.

After a moment’s hesitation, likely getting her thoughts in order, Jackie replied, “...No.”

Marianne sagged in relief, before tensing back up as Jackie continued speaking.

“I don’t think that I will,” Jackie said. “And I remain unconvinced that you’ve done any ‘honest work’ for me either.”

Stop antagonizing them! Marianne thought furiously, clenching her jaws.

“Maybe she’s daft?” the ‘helpful’ one asked.

“Seems the case,” the first answered back. “At least if she thinks it’s still a choice.”

They were crowding in around Jackie now, though not touching her, they were within yards of her and cornering her against the walls of Ma’Ritz. Marianne gulped. This looked bad. She wondered if shouting down would help at all. Let the peacekeepers know there were witnesses about. But then again, when had the peacekeepers ever cared about that before?

Jackie made a weak attempt at de-escalating the situation. “Shouldn’t you be watching for troublemakers right now? Or are you all off-duty?”

“Why?” the second asked. “You think we’re not?”

“Yeah, why?” another of the men tacked on. “You worried about our lieutenant's scruples? The man ain’t above letting us get our peckers–”

“Gross,” Marianne gagged, not that anyone below on the street heard. Jackie might have gagged as well. Marianne hoped so, at least.

“Amusing, but no,” Jackie said. “I am, however, on the clock. On duty. Working. And since I’m not currently breaking any laws, you men would be better served by patrolling elsewhere.”

“Tellin’ us how to do our jobs then, eh?” the second speaker said, probably looking for an excuse to escalate to violence.

“No,” Jackie said without inflection. “Your jobs should be obvious, even to you.”

“You and your godslickin’ tongue, woman!”

Marianne wanted to laugh. If she were confident that the men down below could not hear, and if she was worried less about missing part of the discussion below, then she would have. Allowed herself to laugh, that is. It was a near thing.

“If you would move along,” Jackie said without irony. “I’m here to prevent trouble from occurring, and you men are creating a spectacle. It’s bad for business.”

That time, Marianne was unable to stop herself, and she snorted out a laugh, cringing at the same time expecting the worst of possible reactions. She was surprised when the worst that came from the men was just a series of verbal retorts.

“Oi!” one said.

“Hey!” the first said.

“This–this–cunt!” the serial groper complained.

“Again, not to sound rude,” Jackie explained calmly, being quite rude from the men’s perspectives, Marianne was sure. “I’m employed by Ma’Ritz to–”

“-enough chatterin’!” the second one, the one that failed to keep his paws to himself, the serial groper, whined. “We can’t just–just–”

“Easy Phillip,” the first speaker said, resting a heavy palm on Phillip’s shoulder. “We won’t hear the end of it if we do this here and now. You don’t wanna be banned from Ma’s, yeah?”

“Ugh, ‘course not! But that’s easy for you to say!” Phillip complained. “You aren’t the one she humiliated earlier!”

“I did no such thing,” Jackie argued, “Or at the very least, I’m not responsible for your humiliation!” Implying that the man did that all on his own.

“Yes you are responsible!” Phillip sputtered. “First you embarrass me in front of everyone, then you try making me look foolish now! This cannot–!”

The first speaker, with his hand still on Phillip’s shoulder, squeezed even more tightly while giving a ‘friendly’ squeeze.“And it won’t Phillip, and it won’t.” Left unsaid was the ‘shut up and let me deal with it.’

What were they planning? Marianne wondered, worriedly.

Fortunately, Jackie must have had similar thoughts, as she voiced the question, “And just what does that mean, exactly?” Jackie asked warily, before shaking her head and scoffing. “It sounds ominous.”

It is not a scoffing matter! Marianne thought. Why had Jackie scoffed?

“Ha!” the first speaker forced out a bark of a laugh. “You ‘n that cheek o’ yours will be finding out, lass. Now, come along Phillip,” he said as he squeezed Phillip’s shoulder hard enough to make Phillip gasp. “We have our rounds to finish makin’ tonight. No reason to keep dawdling.”

“Have a pleasant evening then,” Jackie said, sounding as though she meant it. Marianne could not tell if Jackie was serious or not, but she certainly sounded it. Which meant Jackie was an amazing actress. Which meant Jackie had been holding out in the tavern. Which meant this entire mess could have been avoided! Jackie’s words not only caught Marianne off balance, but also the peacekeepers. They had not been expecting a friendly farewell either.

“Yeah,” their leader said, almost politely, which meant it must have been by reflex. He made up for it by coughing to clear his throat, and then adding a much more menacing sounding, “You too.” Amusingly enough, one of the men clapped their leader on the back to help clear the throat.

A moment of surly glares passed, and then the peacekeepers departed, heading down the Hill towards the rest of the city. Jackie watched them leave from where she was leaning against the walls, until they were well out of sight. She scratched at her right arm beneath the sleeve of her uniform’s jacket, before mumbling under her breath, something about her mother.

Marianne kept watch for a while longer, to see if anything horrible would happen, such as the peacekeepers returning out of uniform to issue their own brand of extra-legal justice. But a half hour later, Marianne’s eyes grew heavy, and her worries were largely abated. She made her way back to bed, tucking herself in properly this time.

As her head hit her pillow, she wondered when Jackie would be turning in for the night herself, and if Jackie would still be sharing a room with Marianne. Soon, Marianne’s eyes closed, and she drifted off to sleep. That night, she had curious dreams of big eared and poofy tailed girls dancing through a battlefield also full of tavern tables with seated patrons. The girls all had lilac colored fur.

Dreams seldom made sense.