Some other points of view

Josephine

Josephine winced as she walked into the bar, the ever present pine wood was really beginning to grate on her nerves. Wherever she went it was always pine wood and dark leather, she wanted to be home. She just didn’t want to be here any more! Slumping down on one of the chairs and burying her face in her hands, Josephine felt the pain in her body keenly, hoping that the bar was self service, the redhead shook her head and stood, ready to try to hop over the bar to start pouring herself drinks when out of a patch of shadow that seemed too small for someone that tall to hide in stepped Victoria.

Josephine instinctively took a step backwards, memories of what had been inflicted on her rushing through her brain as far as she could blink. “You! What are you doing here you crazy bitch!”

Victoria laughed and smiled her too wide smile again, Josephine only noticing now that rather than the white dress the other woman had been wearing in the shop, now she was in much more casual clothes. “Little bit rude to the person serving your drinks tonight isn’t it pet?” Victoria’s eyes flashed just a slightly brighter shade of red as she tilted her head. “Now…shops all shut up for the day…so what can I get my first customer? Something to dull the pain? Something to make you feel good? Maybe…something to give you courage that will last until tomorrow night?” Victoria laughed cruelly, pouring a large drink for herself and swallowing the harsh **** without flinching.

Josephine gingerly perched now on one of the bar stools, wincing in pain. “Wine? Do you have that…I mean do you even know what wine is?”

The glare Victoria shot her could have stripped paint as the older woman smile stretched even wider, showing off more teeth than should be able to fit into a human mouth. “I was from the nobility you know, so why don’t you stop acting the spoiled brat and try to maybe…just maybe…make one single little ally around here pet.” Pulling a bottle from under the bar, Victoria pulled the cork out one handed and filled a glass, pushing the glass of white wine over to Josephine and putting the bottle down next to it.

Josephine’s mouth flapped for a few seconds, then she glanced down at the bottle and said in a very quiet voice. “Thank you Victoria.”

Delilah

Delilah groaned in pain, her arms ached like nothing she’d ever felt before as she slumped down at the table in the dining room, needing to grab something to eat after the intensive workout she’d done all that morning and afternoon.

Charlotte and Delilah had tried one of the other doors, just a 50BP cost one after being unable to get into the library and they’d been confronted by an honest to god Paladin. Whilst neither girl was as surprised as they would have been if they not looked out the window in the library to see basically a version of Charlotte’s home brewed fantasy world, it was still more than a little shocking to be confronted by a fantasy character. After they’d answered some riddles…after Charlotte had answered some riddles…the armoured lady said they could ask for something from her and they could…’progress’ past her. Charlotte and Delilah had decided that today was not the day, but whilst Charlotte had asked for the Paladins bravery (no surprise if she was going on a date with Rose) Delilah had asked for something she’d always wanted to do in real life, learning to fight with a real sword.

She blew out a breath that was a mix of a moan and a groan, every muscle screaming ‘why’ at her. Tucking into her big bowl of stir fry, Delilah grinned to herself, she was damn well going to make the best of being at this lodge.