KieranSoares
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
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Snow blanketed Inverness, the white only broken up here and there by figures of people and wagons, and the first emerging decorations for the upcoming holidays. It was a week until the Solstice Festival began the day before the actual Solstice. The day of was also Yule for other pagans, and then Christmas would come just after the end of the festival. It was an incredibly busy week, equaled only by the Summer Solstice and the Equinoxes for Lunasians and pagans, but it was far bigger than Easter for the Christians. Everyone managed to get along fairly well and most Christians enjoyed the Solstice celebrations and involved the pagans with Christmas in return.
Being a rather bitter winter and with an early frost that took a toll on late harvests, it was going to be a bit leaner than usual. The ruling Ghis family had spared quite a sum to help keep food costs down, and were donating heavily from their own stocks to make sure the festival didn't suffer. Several businesses like bakeries and butchers and other food-providers had also received donations to keep meal costs low for the local folks. One of those businesses had been a favorite, rather rowdy tavern. The owners, Gerald and Ria, were too proud to accept a donation from their own family, so their workers simply did it for them without asking.
Ria Espios was a rather exotic woman to most Scots, being Greek with dark Mediterranean skin and ebony hair. She was a beauty, untouched by age despite being nearly fifty. It seemed every week she quite literally kicked some drunken lout out of the bar for trying to flirt or making comments about her beautiful form. Despite curves, she was all muscle from working on her ships in the harbor whenever she wasn't at the tavern.
Beside her, the true owner, was her mate Gerald. He was a rugged, handsome black Wolf who'd gladly taken her name when they properly married. His fur was littered with silver, especially around his face and mane and chest, but Ria loved to sing his praises about how handsome he was (though she often commented he wasn't good for much else beyond taking to bed). The two had a solid partnership that was well-respected.
Aside from Ria's son David occasionally coming by to help out, the usual help at the tavern consisted of Seamus and Jeanine Ghis who, except for when their family needed them at the keep or at Seamus' father Durban's home, worked there constantly. Seamus had once been a wayward soul with a vicious temper and a stubborn streak a mile wide, but Jeanine kept him tame. She was a beauty in her own right, petite and feminine with a lovely French accent and a kind word for everyone. Seamus melted like butter for her, but whenever she became the center of flirting and teasing, his temper ignited and he had more than once ended up in brawls for her. It was practically a requirement of the job, the tavern getting rowdy usually on Sunday nights. If there wasn't at least one fight, there was something wrong.
That particular Friday evening, the tavern was half-full and fairly quiet, everyone drinking to chase the chill from their bones and discussing the upcoming festival and plans for spring. There was a bit of a racket coming from a game of dice off to one side between men from Ria's ships, some locals, and a few travelers. The front door flew open thanks to the vicious wind kicking up, and in stepped two cloaked figures. One had a bit of a struggle with closing the door again, and the other hung up their cloaks.
"Alex!" Ria called across the tavern, leaning over the bar with a sweet smile to the younger man. Being her daughter-in-law's nephew, and Ria being a favorite to talk to during both the good and the bad times, Ria knew everyone in the extended Ghis family well. Alex was among the ones she knew best, as he was the man on call for whenever anyone got hurt at the tavern.
"Evening, Ria," Alex's usual, gentle tone returned. "I found a fellow stranded out in the snow after his horse bolted. Can you get him something hot to eat and maybe tea? No whiskey until he's warmed up a bit." Alex offered a smile to the stranger he'd brought in, motioning him toward the bar. The stranger thanked him through chattering teeth and gratefully accepted what Ria brought out for him.
Alex took a seat off to the side to open up his healer's satchel and check what he needed to fix or stop by home and refill. Ria brought him warm mead with a kiss pressed to his cheek, and left him to his work after refusing to take his money to pay for the stranger.
Being a rather bitter winter and with an early frost that took a toll on late harvests, it was going to be a bit leaner than usual. The ruling Ghis family had spared quite a sum to help keep food costs down, and were donating heavily from their own stocks to make sure the festival didn't suffer. Several businesses like bakeries and butchers and other food-providers had also received donations to keep meal costs low for the local folks. One of those businesses had been a favorite, rather rowdy tavern. The owners, Gerald and Ria, were too proud to accept a donation from their own family, so their workers simply did it for them without asking.
Ria Espios was a rather exotic woman to most Scots, being Greek with dark Mediterranean skin and ebony hair. She was a beauty, untouched by age despite being nearly fifty. It seemed every week she quite literally kicked some drunken lout out of the bar for trying to flirt or making comments about her beautiful form. Despite curves, she was all muscle from working on her ships in the harbor whenever she wasn't at the tavern.
Beside her, the true owner, was her mate Gerald. He was a rugged, handsome black Wolf who'd gladly taken her name when they properly married. His fur was littered with silver, especially around his face and mane and chest, but Ria loved to sing his praises about how handsome he was (though she often commented he wasn't good for much else beyond taking to bed). The two had a solid partnership that was well-respected.
Aside from Ria's son David occasionally coming by to help out, the usual help at the tavern consisted of Seamus and Jeanine Ghis who, except for when their family needed them at the keep or at Seamus' father Durban's home, worked there constantly. Seamus had once been a wayward soul with a vicious temper and a stubborn streak a mile wide, but Jeanine kept him tame. She was a beauty in her own right, petite and feminine with a lovely French accent and a kind word for everyone. Seamus melted like butter for her, but whenever she became the center of flirting and teasing, his temper ignited and he had more than once ended up in brawls for her. It was practically a requirement of the job, the tavern getting rowdy usually on Sunday nights. If there wasn't at least one fight, there was something wrong.
That particular Friday evening, the tavern was half-full and fairly quiet, everyone drinking to chase the chill from their bones and discussing the upcoming festival and plans for spring. There was a bit of a racket coming from a game of dice off to one side between men from Ria's ships, some locals, and a few travelers. The front door flew open thanks to the vicious wind kicking up, and in stepped two cloaked figures. One had a bit of a struggle with closing the door again, and the other hung up their cloaks.
"Alex!" Ria called across the tavern, leaning over the bar with a sweet smile to the younger man. Being her daughter-in-law's nephew, and Ria being a favorite to talk to during both the good and the bad times, Ria knew everyone in the extended Ghis family well. Alex was among the ones she knew best, as he was the man on call for whenever anyone got hurt at the tavern.
"Evening, Ria," Alex's usual, gentle tone returned. "I found a fellow stranded out in the snow after his horse bolted. Can you get him something hot to eat and maybe tea? No whiskey until he's warmed up a bit." Alex offered a smile to the stranger he'd brought in, motioning him toward the bar. The stranger thanked him through chattering teeth and gratefully accepted what Ria brought out for him.
Alex took a seat off to the side to open up his healer's satchel and check what he needed to fix or stop by home and refill. Ria brought him warm mead with a kiss pressed to his cheek, and left him to his work after refusing to take his money to pay for the stranger.