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Wearing a blue t-shirt and khaki cargo shorts with white tennis shoes, Victoria had a black apron tied on and was serving drinks to the customers. The regular bartender had requested the night off, so the brunette readily took their place. Bartending allowed her to overhear some of the gossip floating around Rose Garden and make decent Jewels on the side. Both were good things to Victoria. She liked gossip and she liked Jewels.
"Hey lady, I'll have a vodka on the rocks!" A middle-aged man in a black three-piece business suit ordered. He wore black-rimmed glasses and looked like a company executive. If he was not one already, then he was on the fast track to becoming one.
"You've got it, Mister. Vodka on the rocks coming right up!" Victoria confirmed before grabbing a bottle of Slatheron vodka. It was two grades below Albino Gander, but it was still a good brand. She was not going to cheat her customers by pouring cheap liquor. Victoria scooped a few cubes of ice into the glass, poured the Slatheron, and added lemon zest. One vodka on the rocks was given to the man, who took it and downed the beverage in one extended drink.
"Oh yeah, that's it. I like Slatheron. I'm glad you guys don't use the cheap stuff. Thanks lady!" The man said to her in appreciation.
"No problem, Mister." Victoria told him. Slatheron might be more expensive than a normal vodka, but the customer goodwill generated by using it tended to recoup the cost in a short period of time. Speaking of customers, two burly men in dark suits entered the bar and it went quiet. In strode a young woman with long blonde hair and wearing a tight red minidress with red pumps. It was Francesca Corlone, the entitled young woman Victoria had encountered during the passport job!
The businessman hastily cleared his seat as Francesca plopped down into it and her bodyguards flanked her. The blonde's eyes met her own. A look of recognition crossed the wannabe mob princess' face. Then she sneered. Her bodyguards stood behind her, one facing the door to the restaurant and the other facing Victoria.
"What does it take to get a drink in this dump?" Francesca asked rhetorically, pounding the wooden bar and drawing attention to herself. Victoria clenched her teeth. As much as she disliked the bottle blonde, she was still a customer of the Silver Moon Inn.
"What would you like to drink, Miss Corlone?" Victoria asked calmly.
"Gimme a Bloody Mary with the works! Make it snappy! I don't have all night!" Francesca ordered.
"Right away, Miss Corlone." Victoria answered as she set about making the drink. She gathered all the necessary ingredients and began preparing the drink. Tomato juice, vodka, hot pepper sauce, Worchestershire sauce, a pinch of salt, and a dash of freshly ground black pepper. It was ready. Victoria handed it to the young woman, who took a sip and frowned.
"You call this rat piss a Bloody Mary?!" Francesca screamed as she lobbed the glass at Victoria's head. Victoria ducked in the nick of time as the glass shattered behind her and the beverage got all over the area behind the bar. The brunette was not happy.
"You used that Slatheron piss! Daddy always gives me Albino Gander!" She huffed. Victoria calmed down and remade the drink, this time using Albino Gander. Francesca took up the glass and took a sip. This time she said something that almost sounded like approval.
"Well, at least you can get it right the second time." She said dismissively. Victoria kept her cool. She did not want to cause a scene in her guild's establishment.
"What brings you to Silver Moon Inn, Miss Corlone?" Victoria politely asked. Francesca leaned over the bar and slugged the brunette in the face with her fist, striking the latter in the bottom lip.
"DON'T YOU TALK TO ME! KNOW YOUR PLACE!" She screeched. Victoria put a hand to her lip. It was just starting to bleed.
"Don't think I've forgotten your little stunt in the passport line! You walked into me on purpose! You're lucky that town guard officer came along to save you!" Francesca ranted. Victoria was taken aback. She was still mad about an accident that happened almost a month ago?
"It was an accident, Miss Corlone. I wasn't paying attention and I walked into you. That's all that happened. I promise." Victoria calmly explained to her. Francesca got angry and reached over the bar for another blow to the face, but this time Victoria caught the hand. The bodyguards stepped back and reached for something in their jackets. The patrons let out a collective gasp.
"Easy, guys. There's no need for that. I'll let her go." Victoria told them before she released Francesca's hand. Francesca snatched her hand away and the bodyguards took their hands out of their jackets. A crisis was averted... for the moment.
"If you touch me again, I swear that my father's gonna make you pay!" Francesca promised.
"I was explaining something to you and you decided to take another swing at me. I let it go the first time, but not the second. That's the only reason I laid a hand on you." Victoria explained. If she had her way, the bimbo would be lying on the floor right now with a handprint on the side of her face. But Victoria could not do anything... yet.
"I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO ME! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD DELIVERED TO ME ON A SILVER PLATTER! MARK MY WORDS!" The blonde screeched.
Francesca jumped up. She then seized the barstool she was sitting on and flung it at Victoria. The brunette ducked just in time and heard the flying wooden barstool shatter the mirror behind the bar. The beleaguered bartender frowned.
"NO ONE TOUCHES ME, BITCH! I'M FRANCESCA CORLONE! MY FATHER OWNS THIS TOWN!" She screamed as she stormed out. Her two bodyguards dutifully followed behind her. She then stormed back in, picked up her drink, and threw it at Victoria, hitting the brunette in the chest and leading tomato juice to be spilled on her apron and shoes. Francesca then gave the middle finger and stormed out.
Victoria was hurting. She might have gotten broken glass from the mirror on her. Sure enough, a shard was embedded in her right arm. Victoria cursed as she pulled it out and dropped the bloody shard onto the floor.
"Damn! Lady, are you OK?" The middle-aged businessman asked.
"Yes, Mister. Thanks for asking." Victoria replied.
"How did you get the Corlones on your case?" He asked.
"I accidentally bumped into that lovely young woman while waiting in line for a passport. That's all it took." Victoria answered calmly.
"You'd best be careful, young lady. Francesca's got a hair trigger temper. She's also got plenty of muscle and she's not afraid to use it." The man warned her as six town guard officers came in. Victoria sighed. Why her?
"So you had an encounter with Miss Corlone?" The town guard officer asked sympathetically.
"Yes, Officer." Victoria replied calmly. The other officers set to work gathering evidence and taking witness statements. This had been a long night. It was only going to get longer.
-Two hours later-
Two guild members had cleaned Victoria's wound and applied antibiotic ointment to it. The lead officer turned away from a colleague and spoke to her.
"Francesca claimed that you had assaulted her, but all the patrons said that you did no such thing. We've interviewed everyone present and they all said that you remained calm with her and acted only when she went to hit you a second time. You acted well within the law. You won't be facing any charges." He informed her. Victoria sighed with relief. That was some good news.
"I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Her father's a big businessman here. He's bought her way out of trouble before, so she's got a strong sense of entitlement." The officer said to her. She had a strong sense of entitlement? That was like saying water was wet.
"It's OK." Victoria told him.
"Well, have a good evening." He said to her before he and the other officers left. Victoria turned around and faced the shattered mirror and the shards on the floor. She had a lot of cleaning up to do.
"The mirror's broken. Looks like I'm facing seven year's bad luck." Victoria snarked to a helpful guild member who brought over a broom and dustpan. She grabbed both and went to work. The bar was not going to clean itself up.
[Word Count: 1,455/1,000]
"Hey lady, I'll have a vodka on the rocks!" A middle-aged man in a black three-piece business suit ordered. He wore black-rimmed glasses and looked like a company executive. If he was not one already, then he was on the fast track to becoming one.
"You've got it, Mister. Vodka on the rocks coming right up!" Victoria confirmed before grabbing a bottle of Slatheron vodka. It was two grades below Albino Gander, but it was still a good brand. She was not going to cheat her customers by pouring cheap liquor. Victoria scooped a few cubes of ice into the glass, poured the Slatheron, and added lemon zest. One vodka on the rocks was given to the man, who took it and downed the beverage in one extended drink.
"Oh yeah, that's it. I like Slatheron. I'm glad you guys don't use the cheap stuff. Thanks lady!" The man said to her in appreciation.
"No problem, Mister." Victoria told him. Slatheron might be more expensive than a normal vodka, but the customer goodwill generated by using it tended to recoup the cost in a short period of time. Speaking of customers, two burly men in dark suits entered the bar and it went quiet. In strode a young woman with long blonde hair and wearing a tight red minidress with red pumps. It was Francesca Corlone, the entitled young woman Victoria had encountered during the passport job!
The businessman hastily cleared his seat as Francesca plopped down into it and her bodyguards flanked her. The blonde's eyes met her own. A look of recognition crossed the wannabe mob princess' face. Then she sneered. Her bodyguards stood behind her, one facing the door to the restaurant and the other facing Victoria.
"What does it take to get a drink in this dump?" Francesca asked rhetorically, pounding the wooden bar and drawing attention to herself. Victoria clenched her teeth. As much as she disliked the bottle blonde, she was still a customer of the Silver Moon Inn.
"What would you like to drink, Miss Corlone?" Victoria asked calmly.
"Gimme a Bloody Mary with the works! Make it snappy! I don't have all night!" Francesca ordered.
"Right away, Miss Corlone." Victoria answered as she set about making the drink. She gathered all the necessary ingredients and began preparing the drink. Tomato juice, vodka, hot pepper sauce, Worchestershire sauce, a pinch of salt, and a dash of freshly ground black pepper. It was ready. Victoria handed it to the young woman, who took a sip and frowned.
"You call this rat piss a Bloody Mary?!" Francesca screamed as she lobbed the glass at Victoria's head. Victoria ducked in the nick of time as the glass shattered behind her and the beverage got all over the area behind the bar. The brunette was not happy.
"You used that Slatheron piss! Daddy always gives me Albino Gander!" She huffed. Victoria calmed down and remade the drink, this time using Albino Gander. Francesca took up the glass and took a sip. This time she said something that almost sounded like approval.
"Well, at least you can get it right the second time." She said dismissively. Victoria kept her cool. She did not want to cause a scene in her guild's establishment.
"What brings you to Silver Moon Inn, Miss Corlone?" Victoria politely asked. Francesca leaned over the bar and slugged the brunette in the face with her fist, striking the latter in the bottom lip.
"DON'T YOU TALK TO ME! KNOW YOUR PLACE!" She screeched. Victoria put a hand to her lip. It was just starting to bleed.
"Don't think I've forgotten your little stunt in the passport line! You walked into me on purpose! You're lucky that town guard officer came along to save you!" Francesca ranted. Victoria was taken aback. She was still mad about an accident that happened almost a month ago?
"It was an accident, Miss Corlone. I wasn't paying attention and I walked into you. That's all that happened. I promise." Victoria calmly explained to her. Francesca got angry and reached over the bar for another blow to the face, but this time Victoria caught the hand. The bodyguards stepped back and reached for something in their jackets. The patrons let out a collective gasp.
"Easy, guys. There's no need for that. I'll let her go." Victoria told them before she released Francesca's hand. Francesca snatched her hand away and the bodyguards took their hands out of their jackets. A crisis was averted... for the moment.
"If you touch me again, I swear that my father's gonna make you pay!" Francesca promised.
"I was explaining something to you and you decided to take another swing at me. I let it go the first time, but not the second. That's the only reason I laid a hand on you." Victoria explained. If she had her way, the bimbo would be lying on the floor right now with a handprint on the side of her face. But Victoria could not do anything... yet.
"I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO ME! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD DELIVERED TO ME ON A SILVER PLATTER! MARK MY WORDS!" The blonde screeched.
Francesca jumped up. She then seized the barstool she was sitting on and flung it at Victoria. The brunette ducked just in time and heard the flying wooden barstool shatter the mirror behind the bar. The beleaguered bartender frowned.
"NO ONE TOUCHES ME, BITCH! I'M FRANCESCA CORLONE! MY FATHER OWNS THIS TOWN!" She screamed as she stormed out. Her two bodyguards dutifully followed behind her. She then stormed back in, picked up her drink, and threw it at Victoria, hitting the brunette in the chest and leading tomato juice to be spilled on her apron and shoes. Francesca then gave the middle finger and stormed out.
Victoria was hurting. She might have gotten broken glass from the mirror on her. Sure enough, a shard was embedded in her right arm. Victoria cursed as she pulled it out and dropped the bloody shard onto the floor.
"Damn! Lady, are you OK?" The middle-aged businessman asked.
"Yes, Mister. Thanks for asking." Victoria replied.
"How did you get the Corlones on your case?" He asked.
"I accidentally bumped into that lovely young woman while waiting in line for a passport. That's all it took." Victoria answered calmly.
"You'd best be careful, young lady. Francesca's got a hair trigger temper. She's also got plenty of muscle and she's not afraid to use it." The man warned her as six town guard officers came in. Victoria sighed. Why her?
"So you had an encounter with Miss Corlone?" The town guard officer asked sympathetically.
"Yes, Officer." Victoria replied calmly. The other officers set to work gathering evidence and taking witness statements. This had been a long night. It was only going to get longer.
-Two hours later-
Two guild members had cleaned Victoria's wound and applied antibiotic ointment to it. The lead officer turned away from a colleague and spoke to her.
"Francesca claimed that you had assaulted her, but all the patrons said that you did no such thing. We've interviewed everyone present and they all said that you remained calm with her and acted only when she went to hit you a second time. You acted well within the law. You won't be facing any charges." He informed her. Victoria sighed with relief. That was some good news.
"I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Her father's a big businessman here. He's bought her way out of trouble before, so she's got a strong sense of entitlement." The officer said to her. She had a strong sense of entitlement? That was like saying water was wet.
"It's OK." Victoria told him.
"Well, have a good evening." He said to her before he and the other officers left. Victoria turned around and faced the shattered mirror and the shards on the floor. She had a lot of cleaning up to do.
"The mirror's broken. Looks like I'm facing seven year's bad luck." Victoria snarked to a helpful guild member who brought over a broom and dustpan. She grabbed both and went to work. The bar was not going to clean itself up.
[Word Count: 1,455/1,000]
