Forum post thread from Mari, post in progress.

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"I can't walk out like this," Mari thought resignedly.

She wiped tears from her eyes. Was she really going to last the few months needed in this place? She had a good for nothing slob and lecher for an employer, the dress code was abominable and cried for Jah's mercy, the customers would eye her with lust, often forgetting they came in to satisfy their hunger, and then she had also used violence against the very same employer after losing her wits! What was she ever going to do?

The Beef Cutlet that was frying on the pan was positively charred now; she set the pan to the side, deciding to take a break. At that moment, the door to the kitchen creaked, and she saw Site's head peek in. Before she realized it, a metallic clang issued from the door frame - she had chucked the hot pan in panic. She heard Site scream and she ducked, closing her eyes and blocking her ears. She did it again!

Tears were welling up in her eyes again, but she was jolted by someone wrenching her hands away from her ears.

"Will you .... listen ... to me for a second??" came a familiar, but annoyed voice.

Mari opened her eyes, recoiled and scooted over to the furthest away corner of the kitchen as she saw Site's labored expression.

"For Jah's sake, just calm down, will you!?" again Site's voice boomed.

She was fired for sure, now. Jah have mercy, she may have to resort to selling her body when Site kicks her out - no other place had given her a chance with what she was able to do, and now her last ditch effort had failed through her lack of self control.

"I'm sorry, Mari," she heard through her sobs. "Here come the dreaded words..." she thought as she waited for him to continue.

He sat down next to her and heaved a sigh. Mari soon realized something was off. Quickly rubbing her eyes with her hands and turning to look at Site, she read what she was not expecting on his face: concern and fatigue.

"You see, running a tavern can be quite difficult at times," he motioned with his right hand towards the kitchen, then with a sweeping gesture to the wall and the rest of the building. "People expect you to be present at any time of day and night and to entertain them." She heard him chuckle briefly. "Heck, then they want you to be their cook, guide, town information center, and to give them a discount on the ale, 'cause they know it doesn't cost as much to produce as I am selling it to them at." Another sigh and Mari was starting to feel sorry for the guy. Another chuckle issued from Site.

"And then I find out you're fond of me and shy as a result."

"HUH??" she thought, as she looked at Site as though he had just put on a pink tutu and profuse makeup. He took notice and it seemed to throw him off, as his face cycled through various stages of surprise and confusion;

Finally, to her bewilderment, he erupted in laughter. She stared at him silently as he wiped the tears now rolling down his cheeks. This guy must have fallen down a flight of stairs in his childhood, she was sure of that now.

"Oh... hahaha... too funny ..." he muttered as he continued rubbing off the tears while spastic of laughter, "...way to misinterpret .... hahaha... things..."

She was beginning to grow annoyed with his demeanor as he took a deep breath and uttered the first complete sentence in the past minute:

"Here I thought you were sneaking peeks at me in admiration, but in reality you were weary of what I might do next!"

She observed him silently as he reached into the pan she just tossed, the charred remains miraculously remaining there - that is, before he took them in his hand and started gnawing at the cutlet with his teeth. Positively alarmed, Mari recoiled and stared intently at what his further actions might be.

"If goof buf cook if a li'l flow'er" She barely understood what he said, but he took the cutlet out of his mouth before continuing.

"Relax. I know you can cook well and you're beautiful, to boot, so take your time getting used to being here, and I'm sure you'll do well." Mari felt her face flush a little - she was not expecting praise and encouragement - not after she nearly killed him, twice!

"Tell you what," he continued, "go ahead and run upstairs. I gather you need rest." After she looked at him questioningly, he added, "I'll take care of things around here on my own, so no worries. I've done this for years, so one day more won't make a difference."

Mari slowly got up, then looked back at Site.

"Yes, go on now, you need the rest, and I can deal with what tavern business comes my way." She saw him pause for a moment. "There were many taverns who competed with mine," Mari heard him continue, "and the reason mine won out is not cause I was the loudest screaming, biggest gain-touting tavern of them all. No," she heard him sigh yet again, "it was my blood, sweat and tears that attracted the customers to my presence that allowed the town to prosper." Tired with him sighing again but not able to help against it, she bore with it, and listened on. "I've a guilty conscience that I allowed the town to whittle away while I had my own moments of weakness. I need these people back and active once more!".

Mixed in emotions, Mari half smiled at Site's sprawled figure on the floor, then quickly proceeded up the stairs out of cutomers' looks' reach, before she crashed on a bed and fell asleep amidst trying to process what she'd just heard from Site.

All she knew was she wasn't fired, and maybe Site wasn't as bad a lech she thought he was. He DID go out of his way to, and to his personal peril, comfort her while she was down. He couldn't be as bad as she originally thought!

Zzzz.....
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[site_ml]

Site realized he might have scared Kimbell a little with the intro he gave for his new cook, as the conversation quickly changed to less threatening topics - "So how are your pigs going as of late? Mine were going quite well until two of them fell sick, they didn't eat for an entire day and I think it'll affect the entire cycle unfortunately," he heard Kimbell say.
"My pigs, eh?" Site mused. Before he could formulate any coherent structure of thought, the creak of the tavern door jolted him back to reality.

"Greetings fine Sir's...how are things?" Rhodri had stepped in and waved towards Kimbell and himself. "First pigs, now things," Site mused, "this about to become quite the interrogation in a hurry!"

"RHODRI!," Kimbell's shout startled Site out of his daze again, "what's going on my friend?, we were just talking about ranching amongst other things.. Well... I was at least" He watched as Kimbell gave the Rhodri a quick slap on the back and then sat back down to resume his meal.

Nevermind even musing now, however: before the tavern door managed to close again, Chereisa walked through it and behind the counter to start her shift. Site thought that maybe it was his imagination, but he was positively feeling a draft from the outside nipping at his ankles. Who's next? the Count? the King? ... Mari? Site shuddered at both the chill of the draft coming from the closing door as well as the thought of distraught Mari potentially throwing more hazardous objects his way. "My luck and skill will run out at this pace," he mused, before he got interrupted again by Chereisa's words:

"Hello, Kimbell and Rhodri!" Site saw her attention turn to him, "Good evening, good to see your a little busy."

"Bout time you rocked up, what good is a tavern without a bartender?" he heard Kimbell say to Chereisa. And then words to him, "I'm telling you Site, ye need to seriously consider hiring me... I mean, I come inside and BAM! your tavern is overflowing with people"

Before Site could reply, Kimbell went to order more from Chereisa as he had finished his meal, "Che, how about a round on me. I think we could all use a drink"

"Make that two on top of that, Che, it has been a long day!" Site finally found his words.

Catching sight of slippers and pink pant legs on the stairs, Site decided to call Mari on her sneak attempt, against all reason. "Come on down, Mari, make yourself comfortable! You're off duty for all intents and purposes."

Grinning at being able to add another soul to the merriment, his expression slid to a look of terror - he realized quickly, though alas too late, that he had committed a grave mistake. He gulped in apprehension of what might come next. At least his life was not in immediate danger - for now. Mari was in her comfortable clothes, and she was visibly NOT happy at having been called down, by his own person no less, and especially after the earlier happenings.

He watched as she very deliberately and slowly descended down the staircase and situated herself behind the bar counter before he spoke again.

"Everyone, this is Mari, my new cook." Gulping down all three drinks that had arrived by his side to add a little to his waning courage, he continued, "I apologize for the attire, but I had instructed her to get comfortable upstairs, not anticipating the noise we would all make..." Site could swear he could see a glint of satisfaction in Mari's eyes. At least maybe it meant he'd live a little longer. Keep it up! Pointing with his arm to each of them, Site introduced them, "Mari, this is Kimbell, Rhodri and Chereisa," He paused for a moment, "interestingly enough, I don't believe I had the chance to introduce you to each other. Sheer dumb luck and overlooking on my part, I apologize."

Mari looked to Chereisa and nodded, then shifted more comfortably in her seat before uttering a greeting, "Hello everyone..." And then, the unthinkable happened: she grabbed the lone ale mug on the counter and downed it in one fell swoop. Except Site knew it wasn't ale - it was his "strong stuff" he kept at the ready for when he needed a good knockout after a day's hard work. It was his secret stuff that made him famous for snoring away any time of day ... and she ingested this concoction in a heartbeat.

Site looked around in alarm, but it seemed to him no one yet has caught on as to what had transpired. He secretly hoped Mari could handle this stuff at least as good as he could, though chances were slim on that.

[site_ml]

She had been soundly asleep, but a series of noises and shouts from downstairs had awakened her. Resigned to not being able to sleep anymore, she crawled off the bed and made her way down the hallway. She paused on the third stair down when she realized just how many different voices were involved and that she somehow managed to change into her comfortable clothes before passing out. Too late, as a split second later she heard the last voice she wanted to hear - Site's:

"Come on down, Mari, make yourself comfortable! You're off duty for all intents and purposes."

Run? Like heck, Site had made sure her presence was known, and she would not stand to cower away from an invitation like that. She slowly descended the stairway, stopping herself from cringing at being exposed in her comfortable clothes every step of the way, and then gave Site a long, meaningful look as she settled herself behind the bar counter. He would pay for this. She took a little satisfaction in how his grin gave way to a look of terror, but remained stern and indignant at being ripped away from her comfort zone yet again by Site. He may have proved his worth, but he will pay for her humiliation one way or another!

"Everyone, this is Mari, my new cook." Mari took satisfaction in seeing Site gulp down all three drinks that had arrived to him before he continued, "I apologize for the attire, but I had instructed her to get comfortable upstairs, not anticipating the noise we would all make..." Not good! She must have looked satisfied as Site relaxed a little and started introducing the people present, "Mari, this is Kimbell, Rhodri and Chereisa," He paused for a moment, "interestingly enough, I don't believe I had the chance to introduce you to each other. Sheer dumb luck and overlooking on my part, I apologize."

Mari looked to Chereisa and nodded. She looked friendly, at least, and she was the only other female present - the other anima... er... people were men, over the bar counter and away. Mari shifted more comfortably in her seat before surveying the situation more closely. At last, she decided against being mute and began with a greeting, "Hello everyone..." before grabbing the lone mug of ale on the counter and downing it. Something told her she would need the liquid courage. It did not taste like ale, and she noticed Site grew even more alarmed, if that was even possible. Oh dear.
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