(Two nights before her talk with Bran)
Tabitha enters TrollSkull long after sundown from an evening of checking on potion herbs and accessories at a couple of the local shops. She had spent her first day wearing the newly attuned Witch Hat and she was still getting used to the new spells. She strolls toward the bar to finish off her night and plan her meeting with Bran Blackwood's essence. Marnic is just finishing washing some glasses from the evening rush. As she enters the tavern, hoping for a quick drink of Ely's moonshine before bed Marnic raises a glass.
"Something to drink before bed, Miss Tabitha? And, may I say, that is a very sharp hat!" Tabitha smiles coyly at his noticing her and she graciously accepts his offer. "Why yes...thank you Marnic. Very kind of you to share a drink with me...please sit." Tabitha pulls one of the chairs away from the counter area and sets her bag down on the counter as she sits and gets comfortable. "Oh yes, the hat. I am glad you like it," she nods toward him appreciatively. "It is a very special hat from old Witch lore." Tabitha notices Marnic seems a little nervous as he is talking to her.
"Well... funny you should mention that. Young Eron says, well, please don't be angry at him, he's a good boy and he needs this job but, he seems to swear that you're a witch." Marnic didn't make much eye contact since she had sat down, but he looked her straight in the eye for his next question.
"He says he saw you doing some magic with Nat. Is it true, are you a ... witch?" While the question hangs in the air for a second, he pours a drink for Tabitha.
Tabitha can't help but be taken in by both of their naivety, as a big smile appears on her lips. "Why yes, I am a Witch. I started in the coven oh..."her eyes look up while she remembers the years. "Since I was about 8 years old I would think." She takes the glass and casually takes a sniff of the liquid inside. She has spent many nights working with Ely and she has tasted all of the varieties of drinks she makes. This subtle check is to verify that the drink has not been tainted in any way. Tabitha does not believe Marnic or any other of the staff would betray them, but nowadays everyone has become suspect until proven otherwise.
After checking the drink, she casts her eyes upon Marnic. She noticed him when he was first hired...he is a good looking man. Now that she sees him up close with time to pass, he doesn't seem more than 18 or 19. Of course, it is so hard to tell with elvish blood.
Marnic is certainly nervous. There is nothing about the drink that seems tainted but his behavior is ... off. The more Tabitha thinks about it and pays attention to his reactions, the more she figures out, he is actually scared of the witch, not Tabitha. Likely he has never encountered a witch and only has nursery rhymes and fairy tales to compare her to. He seems very interested in what ... well what a witch really is. Over the years she has grown accustomed to being judged by those that do not understand witches and who they are and what they do. They are just something parents use to scare their children into behaving. Tabitha motions for Marnic to sit. "Relax Marnic..it is fine. Witches are like everyone else, we just follow a different path of magic and lifestyle." He blushes a little and comes around the bar to sit next to her. He brings a bottle and a glass for himself. "I'm not sure this is ... Well, may I?" he indicates to his own glass.
He is very cautious and wants to make sure that pouring himself a drink from the Trollskull inventory is ok. Tabitha adores his manner and shyness, she motions with her hand for him to proceed.
"Absolutely...a lady should not have to drink alone." He places the glass on the bar and pours himself a small portion. He picks up the glass and tilts it toward Tabitha. "To that amazing hat." He waits for her to toast with him. She raises her glass to meet his and she nods.
"To you, Marnic." They lock eyes for a second, then they both take a sip of their drink. "So, I do have a few questions, Miss Tabitha, if you don't mind." He looks directly at her in a very professional manner and appears to be very-much the tavern manager he is. Then he gets slightly nervous, as if the question is inappropriate and looks down. Suddenly he looks no more than 17. Damned elvish blood. "We have sort of 'overheard' that you all are preparing to go out of town. I'm sorry to even ask this, you must have so much on your mind right now but... are we to continue running the tavern or will you be closing for a time?"
"No no, you can ask. Yes, we will be taking a short trip West to meet with someone." She finishes her drink and sets the glass on the counter. "We will be counting on you and the others to take care of the place in our absence. And watch over the urchins as well, please. I will instruct Nat before we go to take care of her 'brothers', but they should still rely on your all's help." Without missing a beat, the expert bartender refills Tabitha's glass almost before she realizes it is empty.
"Very well, we appreciate the continued work. Um.. has there been any discussion on how.. well, I'm sorry to ask, but on how we will receive our pay? To be honest, we've only really dealt with Lord Neverember on these things but he's be clear that you are our employers so.. well.. I'm not really sure how this is supposed to work...."
Tabitha stops him in mid sentence by raising her hand. "Masters Dhann or Barrett will see to it you all get paid before we leave and then again upon our return."
Marnic seems glad to hear that. "Ok, well I'll speak with them then. I just thought... well, ..." *He pauses, and the 17 year old face blushes before the older face returns.
"Will you be in danger?" She sets her glass down as he continues expressing his thoughts. "Pardon me for asking but... well, there was a dragon here just a few days ago,
and a beholder trying to get in from what I've heard." She nods and takes a deep breath. "You're information is indeed correct. Yes there was..a dragon and a beholder showed up to the benefit. It appears our event was more widely spread in gossip than we thought." Tabitha feels his concern and she is touched by it. She reaches out her hand and puts it on his forearm. "It seems like I am always in danger, but I promise to be careful." She looks into his eyes and leans forward in her seat.
"You know, all the nobles in here... they were all asking about you. Well, you and the others. It seems you all are the talk of the town. I don't mind saying, I received some pretty great tips that night. Apparently, the women who thought I knew you all well were pretty inclined to add an extra coin or two to the jar. Well, and even a few of the men." He blushes innocently. "It was a little odd to say I didn't really know you all very well and that I just work here."
He pulls back a little from Tabitha's touch on his arm, not really sure about the propriety of the situation. "Miss Tabitha, technically, you are my employer. I need this job, Miss, if you don't mind me saying. I wouldn't want anything to jeopardize that." Tabitha seemed a little disappointed with his hesitation, but she understands.
"You are good at your job. As long as you are loyal to us and you don't steal from the tavern, your job here is safe." She reassures him. "Promise?" He looks down and then into her eyes with a mischievous grin. "Well, in that case, some magic!" He hops from his barstool and runs to the back of the bar, he grabs something from under the counter, and glances up at her with a smile in the corner of his mouth. He comes back out from behind the bar, refills both of their glasses and starts, "So, there is a prince, and he's in love with a maiden from the woods.... "
He goes on to tell a tale of towers, curses, dragons and ... witches. At the end of the tale, the only thing that will save the princess is a black rose, the rose that was destroyed by the evil wizard but then... Marnic produces a single black rose from behind Tabitha's hat! Of course, she sees through the trick immediately but that doesn't reduce the charm at all as he produces the rose. At the same moment he holds it up for Tabitha, Eron, the 14 year-old boy who serves as waiter and bus boy, comes from the back and throws his bar towel at Marnic. "I'm out" says Eron. Then he notices that Marnic has a black rose in his hand... he winks at Marnic, and quietly leaves the tavern.
Tabitha is surprised and delighted at Marnic's display as she giggles and her cheeks blush red. Marnic waits for Eron to leave and shoots him an angry but mischevious grin. As soon as the door closes, he stands to start finishing the cleanup. For a half-elven boy, he is surprisingly tall. His shoulders and cheeks are also very square. For a moment, Tabitha wonders which was his human parent, his mother or father. He reaches out, and removes Tabitha's hat and places it on the table. "I can't compete with that."
He leans in and Tabitha notices his smell. He smells like a hardwood forest and even though he has almost finished his work for the evening, the heat from his chest radiates between them. He leans forward, and gives Tabitha a very gentle kiss on her neck. He takes a moment to judge her reaction then takes her hand.
"Perhaps we should take this bottle somewhere else." Tabitha let's him remove the hat and when he ls close she closes her eyes and accepts his kiss. No flinching,
no surprised reaction, she just enjoys his touch and takes all in. She opens her eyes and interlocks her fingers with his."Perhaps we should." She stands and allows her
body to rub against him as she does. "So in your story...am I the princess, or the witch?" She winks seductively as she turns and faces him biting her lip. She then turns as they walk up the stairs and she lets him lead her where he wants to go. He grabs the bottle in one hand with Tabitha's hat and takes her hand in his other. He leads her toward the stairs toward to the residence. "You'll forgive me, Miss Tabitha." The 'miss' this time is more playful than authoritative. "I've never been to the residence. You may have to help me with directions to your room." His 17-year old charm combines with his bravado and he moves forward to the second story. Tabitha smiles and nods taking him to her bedroom door.
She opens it and lets him in. Midnight turns to face them and he lets out a screech. "It is fine Midnight, he is ok to be here." She flips off her shoes and leads him into the middle of the floor. She relieves him of the moonshine bottle and her hat and sets them on the table blowing out a few candles in the process. She wraps her arms around Marnic bringing him close and looking deep into his eyes. Without warning she kisses him firmly on the mouth, deeply enough to where he can feel her heat, her desire and her passion.
She needed this very much and she is happy to finally experience it with him.