Shambles

During the fighting she had hid amongst the barrels of ale, stacked up high in the provisions tent. Covered by the tents gloomy shadows she had sat and listened to the slaughter going on outside. Whatever the outcome proved to be, Lissa knew it wouldn’t matter to her. All men were the same, the moment they learned that she was a whore, any previous allegiance of hers would be thrown out and they would line up at her feet to beg for her pleasure. Sometimes the fighting made the men too rowdy, their blood would run piping hot and they’d forget what little decency they possessed. Lissa hoped today wouldn’t be another one of those days, last time she had ended up with her dress all in tatters and with nasty bruises covering her body, making her unable to work for a month.

“Have you seen the mess they’ve made of things? All the camps in shambles, order is completely gone. Just now I saw a couple of spearmen carrying of a sheep’s carcass I had meant to save for the captains! When I told them off, they just told me to bugger it. Bloody unruly bastards.” Lissa sat with folded arms inside Monty’s round canvas tent. The camp cook had been blabbering on about disorder and destruction for quite a while now, yet she did not mind. He was on the clock already and any second he wasted complaining to her about whatever it was that worried him, were seconds he paid for handsomely.

“Aww Monty dear, you worry too much. Please, you know how important you are to everyone… right?” Long ago Lissa had learnt to keep the cook of whatever camp she followed as a friend. On the road a hot meal was often hard to come by. Monty was a nice fellow, a bit of a strange one, but then again, most men Lissa had met were rather strange. Monty had a short stature but was enormously round. Whenever he stood up he had to heft up his heavy belly, before finding his balance with his short, stubby legs. He was greying ever so slightly, both the receding hair on his head and his bushy muttonchops were sprinkled with white hairs. “Now, my dear, was there anything else you needed from me? I’m afraid there’s quite a line forming outside…”

Monty had agreed to let Lissa use his tent after the battle had been won. She barely had to ask him, he even seemed excited about the prospect. Just outside the tent Lissa could hear excited voices begin to brag to one another. One must’ve told a raunchy joke, as laughter suddenly erupted. “No, just the usual. Please.” The cook was very polite, but only to her. And as always, he paid her for a very specific purpose.

“Really Monty, with the money that you pay me, I’d let you have your way with me however you please. Are you sure you only want the usual?”

“Yes, very sure, thank you. Shall I begin letting them in?”

Lissa shook her head as she spotted the excited grin forming on Monty’s face. “Ok dear, one at a time. And don’t forget! They need to pay before hand.”