Be Our Guest! [Open]

Jayden Heartly

Lively was the eve today at "The Sinking Galley" that people poured into for their rounds of ale and mead. Adventurers and their Familia sought alcohol and the greatest of entertainment. Men at the bar with their bears soaking in drink and mutton, whilst the glorious sword masters from across the city sated themselves with wine and song. From out the serving entrance came three beautiful servers.

First was a woman named Aliss, a blonde beauty with a bust to rival even the goddesses of their time. She was blessed with great looks and a greater mind. Her logic was strong and her mind was resilient, though her disposition was cold. One might call her a wench with a slap on the arse to keep her attention high, though she'd likely rip your skull out of your head if you tried anything fancier than that maneuver.

Second was the smaller of the three, Jennise. She was adorable, clearly the house favorite too. Her smile brought blush to the warriors, and her praise made even the burliest of axe-man break into a chuckle and enjoy the merriment of the eve. It was her that most of the softer-hearted people sought out. She was the bright light shining in the center of the stage.

Finally, was Jayden. They were a pristine example of surface beauty, adorning perfectly tended black locks and a smile that took breath away. Their shoulders were perfectly shaped and proportionate to the rest of their body, decently sized hips, though lacking in the bust department. Their voice was smooth aphrodisiac to listen to at serving time, and they were swift on the uptake.

Today Jayden was serving tables at light speed, their blue serving gown tight to the frame today. It was a strange anomaly, mostly because many didn't realize what hid under that cerulean cloth was not what many would expect of the person serving them.

"Whose neeeeext?"

 

Jayden Heartly

The call of duty returned! Jayden adorning their gown rushed over across the mahogany floor. Today was a rather crowded day, the evening was strikingly booming this particular night. Maybe it was because of some great venture in the Dungeon, or just a particularly big celebration for a few groups of people. Blends of cultures and faces all consumed the tables around, not many looking like they come from the same place. A blending pot of Orario.

Jayden approached the table where the peculiarly yellow one called for their attention. Producing a small pad, she flashed a large grin to her and the rest of her tablemates. It clearly must have been a totally packed house tonight given the subtle lack of familiarity between the individuals here. It looked as if they didn't particularly know each other, given their disposition, but that might just be Jayden taking a completely wrong judgement call. Though, as they approached the group seemed to quickly take a liking to Jayden's presence, save for the one who called for them who had yet to react to the oncoming.

"Mmm-hiya! I'm Jayden and I'll be serving you this eve."

Jayden produced a peculiar greeting before then reaching out for their little stick of lead to write down the order of the group.

"Alright, what can I get you all?"

As Jayden spoke up to the group, a rather group of rowdy individuals hauled through the door of the tavern, three or four of them with crudely fashioned axes and fur armors. Most of them wore scarred or burned faces and tribals markings up and down their arms. Some burlier than others, only one seemed out-of-place, which was a younger blonde half-elf who strode behind them silently, keeping his gaze behind the frames of his glasses and nowhere else.

​

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

Jayden's grin became slightly tense as the eyes of Marzipan took observation. At first Jayden tried to simply ignore it and take the order as swiftly as possible, but they sent word of conversation, which planted them back to the floor. Their mind sort of blanked on the question for a good moment or two, before the men finally went around the table and took a seat with Marzipan and the rest of the tablemates.

Bad apples, the lot of them. Most had vying eyes for the waitresses and waiters out here, or they simply had no respect for anybody else but themselves. That undeniably obvious pride of theirs was what usually got them in trouble, especially on nights like these where everyone has had a bit of their fill and is rearing to go out and take something down with all their might.

These kinds of nights, despite being the most festive and lively, often made Jayden uncomfortable to be working in. He was young, in fact younger than generally required to be working in the bar and service industry, but it wasn't uncommon for drinkers of Familias from the ages of fourteen and up to show their faces around here and not be questioned. His age was fine, it was the way he looked because of it that set people off. Because well...

"Oi, look, it's lil' Bluh' Jay! Haha-haaa! Why ya' wearing that pretty lil' dress, eh? Couldn't get very far as a "manly hero" could ya'? Thought maybe you'd get more attention as a lil' priss? A bit more praise?"

Jayden's face lit up rather quickly as he breathed through his nostrils, disregarding their gaze and mockery as he took the order of Marzipan and the original couple of people she seated with. His breath was a tad off now, on account of immediate embarrassment and obvious agony. Generally Jayden was a very feisty type of person, but these are the people that stripped that energetic combative nature from him. They crippled his spirit.

"M-mead and uhm... uh, right, mutton. Yep, just a second-"

One of the burlier of the bunch that was with them stood, slamming a fist into the table. His face was contorted with a wry and gross grin. His eyes beading down one Jayden who was now desolate on the face.

"Oi, boyo, you forgot our orders. Bloody dreg."

He sat down, laughing heartily and obnoxiously. Jayden grit his teeth, his fist balling so hard his nails might pierce the skin of his palm. He was furious and demoralized at the same time, but had to stick to the orders. He nodded, listening to each order which he wrote down in chicken scratch, caring less what they said and more about disappearing from the equation.

"Coming... right up."

​

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

The atmosphere was growing further and further intense as the conversation proceeded. That taunting was redirected now at another patron at the table now, and Jayden's embarrassment became somebody else's issue. This was something he simply could not stand for, and felt immediate shame for even being an issue for them in the first place.

"Miss, this isn't your fight. You don't have to--"

As Jayden attempted to put a cool on Marzipan for the issue, the men further caused ruckus. After all, that's all they were good for, in the eyes of the other Adventurers. Making life a further hell for all those who attempted to succeed and further themselves. They were a kind of disease on the city, especially this wing where they loitered and struck at people venomously and without the slightest semblance of remorse. Truly the most pitiable of existences, now only here to breath existential crude humor and spew insults at the locals.

"Haaah! Listen to the lil' guy, oops, I mean lil' girl, and keep your own trap out of this, punk!"

They spoke down to Marzipan, seeking to cause more problems than solve. Jayden had yet to even leave the table yet to send in the order before another waitress showed up to Jayden's side, taking his wrist. She whispered in his ear about something, but was immediately interrupted by a hollering from the bartender.

"Shut it, will ya?! If you've got a problem, you can all take it to the alley or get outta here!"

The waitress darted her eyes to the bartender, then nodded to Jayden, who now wore a look of puzzlement. He nodded back to her, as she handed him something wrapped in a long black washcloth. Jayden turned to the men, who were now ferociously cackling at Jayden's intense blush of embarrassment. His arms shook, gripping that object in the cloth with fury. It looked as if at any moment he was going to burst.

​

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

Snap. The sound of a slice emerged through the air, but no skin flayed nor blood shed. Without Jayden even noticing at first, simply indulging himself in a moment of subconscious delving, one of the barbaric marauders had launched their axe from its sheath and right into the wood of the table, feinting a challenge at Marzipan, almost seeking to take her hands off or something.

As soon as Jayden came to his senses, he boiled, shaking. The other tablemates who wanted originally just to grab a drink were now getting a show. The bard stopped playing his lute and the other tables began to hush themselves, as Jayden opened his mouth, releasing what some might have called a boyish shriek of sorts.

"Alright, that does it! Get out, NOW! Or so help me I'll--"

"You'll what?!"

As Jayden was interrupted once more, he tossed the black cloth off the object he was handed, revealing a blade. It was his sword, Smiling Jack. He kept it in the back during work hours, as it was unsightly for a waitress (or in this case, waiter) to keep their weapons on-hand during serving hours. He brandished the blade towards him, it gleaming red and black from hilt to tip. His eyes glowed like blood, a boiling dark crimson. The black locks of his hair now framed around his shoulders menacingly.

"We'll take it outside, alright bo-zo?"

Several of the tables started cheering for the defense of the waiter, feeling some sort of mob pride, though immediately hushed themselves when the four thugs stood up and nearly towered over Jayden. They grinned, looking to make mince-meat of the small fry.

"Oh, yeah? You and what army? Can't say it'd much fun putting you six feet under without even a tassel to toss about, right laddies?"

His band of bastards erupted into laughter, all brandishing overtly large axes or warhammers. Jayden grit his teeth, feeling the overture of fear creep down his spine. They were right. Jayden wasn't even really an Adventurer. His skills were subpar at the very best, and without much of gear, he was practically asking to have his head chopped. His head glanced for any takers.

So far, only one. The boy with the thick frames that came in with the lardsacks stood up, brandishing his own small war-axe, rusted to across the edge, the bolts of it hammered in jaggedly.

"Ye, me. I'll fight with 'im."

The barbarians stood astonished, not sure whether to laugh harder or truly consider how a comrade could want to fight against them for any reason. Though, suffice it to say, even the bartender found a bit of pride in his employee now.

​

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

Jayden took note of Marzipan's apologies as she stood and began exiting towards the door, the four thugs, now three in number, suddenly feeling a tad bit of angst eat at their spine. For once they faced cognitive adversity; people knew of their intentions and wanted to fight back this time. Whether or not they knew it, they too felt a bit of fear like Jayden did for the up coming account. Jayden kept the blade pointed at them from behind as they trekked out into the refreshing evening air behind the very-yellow Marzipan.

As they reached the dirt road, the wind was blowing at a gentle yet distracting pace. Jayden's blue serving gown and white apron were flapping obnoxiously in the breeze. The small guy in the glasses, most likely a Pallum, had his war-ax and now produced a small, wooden plate shield. They stood in two rows of three, one side consisting of all non-humans, as Jayden's horns were no longer being donned and his ears popped out from the original place they once sat in. If anyone knew any better, they would have first assumed some racial discrimination, before they knew it was just some absurdity of insults and disgrace.

"A'rite, less' get on with it then!"

The man in the center, likely the leader as he called most of the shots at the table, stepped forward with a fist outstretched to get the attention of the other three. He wasted no time calling out his associates to 'take 'em down', as he says.

The one on the far left sought to swing at the Pallum, cleaving right down at it him, but was met with the plate shield narrowly deflecting the attack. He used the force of momentum, swinging the shield off to the right so the blade of the axe could not cut through it, and would be deflected.

On Jayden's side of things, he took the guy who was putting out names. It was his past-chum anyways, however they used to knew each other, Jayden would have preferred to promptly forget and never remember. He looked to Marzipan, the face which once blossomed red with angst, now wore a toothy (or fangy, if you want to be specific) grin.

He mouthed, "No apologies necessary, we'll talk after, yeah?", back to Marzipan.

He then turned back to the grime-ridden, filthy excuse of an Adventurer, and launched himself right at the him with a horizontal slash directed at is his abdomen. It didn't connect, as the leader of the group was a bit more agile than anticipated, and got a good left step back and seeking to return diagonal cleave in Jayden's direction.

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

The half-elf boy, who Jayden completely mis-raced in his head, was actually far faster than he lead on. His strength was nothing remarkable, but he was able to duck, dodge, dip and dive around each of his own comrade's attacks. Every attempt was met with the flaw of missing speed and abusing its brunt force far too much. The half-elf even called out a battle cry as he used the handle of the axe, which the blade had stuck into the dirt, by running up it and giving a clean gash to his opponent with the corner of the axeblade. The wound was hideously surgical for how quickly it was delivered.

A crowd even began to form from customer's inside the tavern, watching as the bloodshed erupted within the small skirmish of six. Many Adventurers left their half-full plates and barely sipped drinks to get a watch of the heartless and the hopeful.

Jayden took a slash to the thigh, ripping the lower end of the waitress outfit to near smithereens. He sneered, reaching for where the wound was. The burly assailant snickered, seeing the gash across Jayden's calf. The girly-boy took the bottom half of the outfit, ripping the remaining threads holding it together apart, now turning the large gown skirt into a mid-skirt, just above his knees now. His legs were... also very womanly. Sheesh, this guy really didn't very much come into his own in the "manly department."

Tossing the ripped skirt at the guy as a distraction, he spearheaded right at him, using his blade as the point on the left side. Due to the elapsed time it takes to ready his axe for the retaliation, Jayden managed to secure a long slash against his assailants side with a forward lunge, whiplashing the blunt side of the axe into the ground. The time to strike was now, the iron was hot...

... Yet Jayden simply pointed his blade at the now kneeling marauder, at his chin. to keep him from any sudden movements. Jayden's leg was bleeding very badly, and he was nearly limping now. What more is that the slash might have damaged the bone, though Jayden tried his hardest to mask the pain on his face by holding his opponent to a kneel. He grumbled, pissed off. He held his side, standing up and picking up his axe with a spare hand.

"A'rite, ya bloody dragger, we'll be on our way," he grumbled, clearly pissed off and tending to his wounded pride.

He stood up, motioning his boys to stop. The two he came with that were fighting both begrudgingly came to a halt, though they clearly were no longer on familiar terms. It was the one locked in combat with Marzipan that may or may not have had different plans in the way of ending this fight. The other tavern inhabitants anticipated the outcome of their quarrel as well. Jayden watched carefully, holding in the pain of the gash on his leg. The blood was not quite pouring, but slowly approaching that state and he felt the dizziness begin to set in his head and the heat in his throat.

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

Jayden grit his teeth, watching as Marzipan was mercilessly assaulted by the gang member who couldn't seem to take orders from his own leader. His pursuit on Marzipan however was met with defeat regardless, thankfully. She was definitely stronger than her appearance leads on, Jayden had thought. Though given his own appearance, it was likely the Hume Bunny could say the exact same to him. He wanted to chuckle at the thought, but instead he was met withe noise from behind him.

The goers of the The Sinking Galley were now erupting in cheers and praise as the rowdy marauders took their leave of the area, three-fourths wearing wounds and defeated pride. The smallest of them looked back to Marzipan and Jayden, nodding with a very small smile on his face. His stoic expression replaced it once more moments later as he turned back to the group. How he could stay with them was incredibly strange to both Jayden and most in the crowd. Though it mattered not, for honor was being tossed their way in bounds.

So why did Jayden only feel worse? His impulsive and impatient nature took hold of him again, throwing him into the face of danger again. Not only that, but now the aggression was adopting itself into his work ethic and that somewhat frightened him. He looked at his sword, now one edge being lightly coated in blood. He blinked, sheathing it as he heard Marzipan's voice to his left.

"Huh? Ya' think so? I was going to say the same to you-- Ahh!"

Jayden took a step closer to Marzipan to inspect any wounds she had, but as he stepped the adrenaline from the battle wore off and the pain from the fleshy gash on his leg sent shocks up his lower body. He took his sword, planting it into the ground as a crutch, holding himself up using his palm planted into the blunt end of it.

"Err, excuse me. Could you help me into the tavern? A-actually, scratch that. I've put you through way too much, I think. You helped me out when I needed it, so thanks."

Jayden once more flashed his toothy grin at Marzipan, if only in a vain attempt to coat the agony he was facing right now. Sweat was already beading on his forehead as the waitress from before, the one who handed him the wash cloth, emerged from the crowd with a panicked look on her face. She too sent thanks to Marzipan for her aid dealing with the brutes.

"Oh, I uh, I never caught your name. Mind if I got it? After all, I introduced myself at the dinner table. I'd like to know who to send drinks on the house to next time they seat themselves here."

Of course while he felt that was the least he could do, the waitress told Jayden to shush in the event the proprietor of the establishment could not hold up that end of the deal.

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

Taking the shoulder of Marzipan, Jayden let his weight sink onto her as they passed through the hollering and hooting crowd and back into the well-lit tavern. As the bar-goer who had the bandages approached, Jayden tucked his blade under his arm flexibly and took the bandage wrap in his own hand. He nodded towards a table, then attended to the remainder of the crowd.

"Alright everyone, get back to your meals. You're still paying goooood money for this, so don't think of skipping out on account of the circumstances."

Jayden gave an annoyed pout to them, causing them to disperse. Though, the true emotion simmering in his gut, as he was lead by Marzipan to back table by the bar, was something entirely different. While he should be bearing his pride in combat on his sleeve and feeling glad that the atmosphere of the tavern was now much more comfortable, he hated the way it happened. He initiated further aggression by brandishing a weapon, when he could have just had some of the tavern staff help escort them out. In fact, all he and Marzipan really did was cause further repercussions for them in the future.

As he was seated, the girl who joined Marzipan and he helped prop up his injured leg. Jayden nodded to her, requesting for a pail of water from the back. Jennise should be able to help her with that, he added.

Facing Marzipan, he awkwardly looked off to the side, holding out the bandage wrap.

"E-erm... would you mind? Wrapping the wound I mean. I can't reach all way the wound without bending the leg."

Jayden's blush returned a bit, this time due to lack of ability. He wish he had the ability to simply do all these things himself. Independence was a heroic trait, which he clearly did not have at this moment. It was becoming apparently clear that Jayden definitely could not take care of himself, and his obliviously timid nature that flared up from time-to-time was emerging now that the bloodshed was over.

"I mean, you don't have to. Jennise can always do it for me when she gets back. Just figured. Ah, sorry, sorry I'm rambling again." Jayden waved a hand in front of his face, motioning for Marzipan to simply forget everything he's said up until that moment.

@Marzipan Loaf

 

Jayden Heartly

Jayden watched as Marzipan delicately wrapped the bandage around his leg. While to her it could have been an entirely autonomous and not entirely thought-provoking event, Jayden took the moment to decompress and relax. He shut his eyes, leaning against the table lightly. His eyes wandered around her figure, taking note of the person he was just serving only moments ago. It had been all of maybe thirty minutes since this debacle started, and now he had her tending to a gash wound from a fight he instigated.

How fate twists lives like this sometimes. Jayden realized he was staring a bit much at her, shifting his gaze away as he heard Jennise's footsteps approached. She stared at the two, giggling as she handed Jayden the pail of fresh water and rags. At the same time, she looked to Marzipan, then back to Jayden and raised an eyebrow. Right as Marzipan finished up, her stomach seemed to growl begging for the order she had placed before that ordeal broke out. Her stammering and blushing caused Jennise to take a glance at Jayden, who started shaking both hands, now also turning red again. He motioned for her to go away, but instead simply leaned over close to Jayden, whispering something that might have made the poor kid lose his head if it wasn't for the fact that he was still in pain.

"Jennise, stop with that! Aaah, could you at least be useful and get us-- er, her some food. Mead and mutton, right? That was the order?"

Jayden poked over to the now embarrassed Marzipan for confirmation, but before he could even get a response from her, Jennise had skipped off with a womanly laugh accompanying her back into the kitchen. Jayden put his head in his hands, now shaking his head somewhat furiously, his hair shaking wildly.

"I'm, sorry about her. And, y'know all of this. You really shouldn't have gotten dragged into it." He leaned back in the chair, taking a rag with the pail and dampening it, attempting to reach the bandage to help clean up the spare blood, but couldn't get to it without bending his leg. He looked around suspiciously, plopping the rag on the side of the pail and instead ignoring it altogether. He already had to have the poor girl help with the bandaging and that sent blood to his head as it was, there was little chance he could stand resistance to her cleaning the other bits of the wound too.

"I hope you didn't get hurt or anything...? Jayden peeked over at her for injuries, only catching wind of her hand.

"Is it okay? Your hand, I mean. It looks really painful.

@Marzipan Loaf