Duty Over Honor? [Verci and Heiyuu]
 

Noones allowed to posty posty but us! ]:<

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The grinding of glass against wood was not the only sound in the inn that day. The whole room was bustling with people-- travelers, boozers, citizens. You name them they were here. Luckily for Alice the man that just ordered was the last. With a sigh she leaned upon the counter on her elbow and lightly tapped her chin with her finger. The next group to walk in didn't approach her but quickly darted off to the left where some friends awaited them.

"Hey there, been a while since I've seen you!"

"Same to you how have--"

The voices of the people seemed to fade into a constant murmur, and Alice ignored them. She closed her eyes and let her thoughts float away as she thought of secret things, things between her and her friend. A smile spread across her tan face, a slightly off smile it was. Her little daydream was interrupted by a voice.

"Hey!"

She snapped open her eyes to see a burly man standing there. She made a face and tended to his order, and after he was served and had walked off Alice stamped into the back and leaned on a wall. A self-proclaimed break could do her good before walking back out to deal with customers. She rubbed her temples and sighed, making that usual 'ugh I have a headache' face she would so often be seen making.

Franya had been running the Queen's Delight inn for three years now, since her father's death, but she knew that look of exasperation well. She followed Alice into the back, sighing softly and putting that sympathetic smile back on her face. "Long day?" Her voice was barely a whisper--the woman'd had a bad run-in with a wolf when she was a lass, and it had left a scar across her neck--a few more were hidden on her body, but it was the neck and the large gape in her right shoulder people noticed.

Without more to say, she poured Alice a cup of water and offered it to drink along with a feeble smile.

Opening an eye Alice looked at the other woman, her eyes were glassy and tired and dark underneath from lack of sleep. She grumbled and scratched her dreaded hair which wasn't even made as tame as it could have been this morning. It was as if Alice had just rolled out of bed without any care to spruce herself up before coming in. Even her clothing was dirty, usually dirty for someone who tended to be as vain as Alice was.

"Long day, long night... long night again." She was used to the womans quiet voice now, and seemed to pay no attention to her scars. Alice had no concern or care. She reached out and snatched the glass of water, the coolness of the water felt good against her hand.

"Thank you" She downed it quickly and set the glass down. She opened her mouth to say something but before she could the voices of people waiting to be served called out.

"Ugh"

"Is there anything I can do to help?" The offer was sincere, as always. Everyone in town knew that Fran was the gentlest, kindest soul around. When the doctor was not available, she did patchwork. When someone couldn't afford bread, she still worked to get them a solid meal.

Often out of her own pocket.

"Actually, never mind you that. I'll got grab their orders. You, rest a while longer." With a decisive nod, she turned and walked out toward the room. From behind it was painfully obvious she was losing weight again--she looked sickly thin most of the time. If she were a horse, very few would have taken a second look at her.

"Not really, I just need a long time to myself to sort out this headache" Alice sounded like she didn't want to elaborate the reason as to why these headaches came. Secrets were only kept secret when the secret remained untold. She shook her head and let her messy hair fall back into its usual place after having messed it up with all her scratching. Alice pulled away from the wall but paused, the lady had passed her to take the orders instead. Hey, less work for Alice. She shrugged and walked over to a water barrel and splashed herself in the face with it.

Returning to the wall she peeked through the door at the woman. Her face in the shadows from the point of view of the customers.

She kept her expression polite and kind, but nights like this wore on her. And it seemed that the tall man in the blue-and-scarlet uniform of the Kingsmen was eyeing her as time went on, even if she never approached his table but in passing.

A larger man began to bellow for his meal to come, and she scurried toward his table, tripping over the hem of a gown and falling onto the wooden inn floor. The man proceeded to stand, marching over to deliver a sound kick to Franya's ribs.