Day 9: The Tale of the Master of the Hounds
Title:
Author: kira
World: Madrona (capital city)
Characters: Tom Harris-Master of the King’s Hounds, Rob his assistant, Rosie a barmaid he likes and various unnamed characters
Borrow: Yes
Word count: 1016
Rating: PG 13 brief adult language
Summary: Tom wanders around the marketplace during Vine Fest and ends up dancing with the girl of his dreams…
Author’s note: This is unbetaed, so any mistakes therein are my own.
Author’s note 2: This was written for the 12 days of Ficmas & Madrona Project.
Author’s note 3: A Lurcher is cross breed dog, generally a sight hound and terrier or collie mix. They were originally bred to be hunting/poaching dogs.
Author’s note 4: This was written for Vine Fest, but if you squint hard enough, Pirate Fest is there too.
Tom Harris, Master of the King’s Hounds, walked the temporary marketplace which was set up for Vine Fest. He was followed by Sadie, a grey lurcher bitch, who was Tom’s favorite of the king’s dogs. Tomorrow, on the second to last day of the festival, the king was holding a hunt, and any and all game would be distributed to the poor. So Tom decided to enjoy himself, leaving the details of the hunt to his assistant, Rob.
He and Sadie entered one of the many makeshift taverns, which were nothing more than a large canvas tent full of people, enjoying a tankard of beer or two. Because of the heavy summer storms this year, Pirate Fest coincided with Vine Fest, so the place was full of farmers rubbing shoulders with would-be buccaneers. Not that Tom minded. Good drink and pleasant company was always welcome. He sat down at one of the many long tables set up. While he waited for a barmaid to come and bring him a beer, he listened to the man, sitting next to him, regale his fellow patrons with a story of daring-do on the high seas. Sadie sat obediently by his side.
“Aye… she was a bonny lass with huge tits and thighs! And she could fuck like a fish!” the man said amid the raucous laughter from his audience. “Me and the lads like to take turns fu-” he was rudely cut off by Tom, who had elbowed him in the ribs.
“Watch your tongue! There’s a lady present.” Tom nodded at the barmaid, who came over to get their orders. He thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen,
“Oh, Tom!” She giggled.
Tom glared at the man until he said, “Beggin’ yer pardon, milady.”
“It’s okay, I’ve heard worse,” she said and the table erupted into laughter again, except for Tom.
Growling softly at his fellow patrons, Tom looked up at her and smiled. The color rising in his cheeks at the warm smile she gave him, he said, “Rosie, if you don’t mind I’d like a pint of your master’s best ale.”
“For you, Tom, anything.” Rosie winked and everyone laughed like before. “Would any of you lads like something?”
“If milady doesn’t mind, I’d like another one.” The story-teller raised his tankard and smiled. As soon as Rosie was out of earshot, he continued his tale much to Tom’s disgust and his fellow patron’s delight. When she returned, they quieted down and paid her.
“Tom?” Rosie said. She smiled sweetly at him.
“Yes?” Tom could feel his cheeks heating up again.
“You doing anything later? Master Boyce is closing early so us girls can go to the dance…” She sighed wistfully, hoping he would take the hint.
“Uh no. Would you like to go?” Tom looked down at his beer as he spoke, his ears a bright pink. He was mortified beyond belief as he had the feeling everyone within ear-shot was hanging on his every word.
“I’d love to!” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “See you later, Tom!”
As Rosie sashayed away to take care of the other patrons in the tent, Tom became the center of much good-natured ribbing. He could not finish his beer fast enough, before leaving the tent and melting into the crowds, Sadie dogging his heels. Finding a quiet corner in the busy marketplace was no easy feat, but Tom somehow managed to do so.
He was excited and happy to be going to the dance with the girl of his dreams, even if he had all the grace of a bumbling oaf. Then it hit him. He was supposed to go on the hunt with his king; he was Master of the Hounds after all. Looking down into Sadie’s soulful eyes, Tom said, “What am I going to do? I want to go to the dance with Rosie; I really do, but the hunt…” He sighed as he gave her a couple of pats, before scratching behind her ear.
Sadie let out a soft whine. He foot thumped on the ground as Tom scratched her. She shook her head when he stopped.
“What am I going to do, girl?” Tom said.
“You could to the dance, sir,” Rob said as he sat down next him.
“Hunh?” Tom felt his cheeks heating up as he looked over at his assistant.
“You can go to the dance with that barmaid you keeping mooning over, sir.” Rob patted him on the back. “The hunt’s tomorrow, remember?” He grinned at his boss.
“Oh yeah!” Tom smacked himself in the head. He could not believe his stupidity.
“Just go and enjoy yourself, sir. I’ll look after Sadie for ya.” Rob patted his leg, calling the dog to him.
“Grinning at his assistant, Tom said, “Thanks, Rob!” He got up to go.
“No worries, sir. Just go and have yourself a good time. Sadie and me’ll see ya later!” He also got up to leave. “Come, girl.” Sadie trotted obediently after him as Rob headed off to the right to wander the stalls in that direction.
Tom headed off back to the makeshift tavern where Rosie worked. He found her waiting outside for him. Hand in hand, they slowly made their way through the crowds to the town square, where the dance would be held. When they arrived, the band was warming up. Several couples had already made their way onto the dance floor.
Putting his hand on Rosie’s hip and holding the other one up, Tom danced Rosie out into the middle of the square. His cheeks heated up at her delighted giggles as the waltzed around the square. He smiled shyly at her and his heart seemed to skip a beat when she smiled back at him. He thought she looked beautiful, her face flushed with excitement as they danced. All too soon the song end, but it was quickly followed by another one. Round and round they went, not that either one minded as they were both thoroughly enjoying themselves as they danced the night away.
Author: kira
World: Madrona (capital city)
Characters: Tom Harris-Master of the King’s Hounds, Rob his assistant, Rosie a barmaid he likes and various unnamed characters
Borrow: Yes
Word count: 1016
Rating: PG 13 brief adult language
Summary: Tom wanders around the marketplace during Vine Fest and ends up dancing with the girl of his dreams…
Author’s note: This is unbetaed, so any mistakes therein are my own.
Author’s note 2: This was written for the 12 days of Ficmas & Madrona Project.
Author’s note 3: A Lurcher is cross breed dog, generally a sight hound and terrier or collie mix. They were originally bred to be hunting/poaching dogs.
Author’s note 4: This was written for Vine Fest, but if you squint hard enough, Pirate Fest is there too.
Tom Harris, Master of the King’s Hounds, walked the temporary marketplace which was set up for Vine Fest. He was followed by Sadie, a grey lurcher bitch, who was Tom’s favorite of the king’s dogs. Tomorrow, on the second to last day of the festival, the king was holding a hunt, and any and all game would be distributed to the poor. So Tom decided to enjoy himself, leaving the details of the hunt to his assistant, Rob.
He and Sadie entered one of the many makeshift taverns, which were nothing more than a large canvas tent full of people, enjoying a tankard of beer or two. Because of the heavy summer storms this year, Pirate Fest coincided with Vine Fest, so the place was full of farmers rubbing shoulders with would-be buccaneers. Not that Tom minded. Good drink and pleasant company was always welcome. He sat down at one of the many long tables set up. While he waited for a barmaid to come and bring him a beer, he listened to the man, sitting next to him, regale his fellow patrons with a story of daring-do on the high seas. Sadie sat obediently by his side.
“Aye… she was a bonny lass with huge tits and thighs! And she could fuck like a fish!” the man said amid the raucous laughter from his audience. “Me and the lads like to take turns fu-” he was rudely cut off by Tom, who had elbowed him in the ribs.
“Watch your tongue! There’s a lady present.” Tom nodded at the barmaid, who came over to get their orders. He thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen,
“Oh, Tom!” She giggled.
Tom glared at the man until he said, “Beggin’ yer pardon, milady.”
“It’s okay, I’ve heard worse,” she said and the table erupted into laughter again, except for Tom.
Growling softly at his fellow patrons, Tom looked up at her and smiled. The color rising in his cheeks at the warm smile she gave him, he said, “Rosie, if you don’t mind I’d like a pint of your master’s best ale.”
“For you, Tom, anything.” Rosie winked and everyone laughed like before. “Would any of you lads like something?”
“If milady doesn’t mind, I’d like another one.” The story-teller raised his tankard and smiled. As soon as Rosie was out of earshot, he continued his tale much to Tom’s disgust and his fellow patron’s delight. When she returned, they quieted down and paid her.
“Tom?” Rosie said. She smiled sweetly at him.
“Yes?” Tom could feel his cheeks heating up again.
“You doing anything later? Master Boyce is closing early so us girls can go to the dance…” She sighed wistfully, hoping he would take the hint.
“Uh no. Would you like to go?” Tom looked down at his beer as he spoke, his ears a bright pink. He was mortified beyond belief as he had the feeling everyone within ear-shot was hanging on his every word.
“I’d love to!” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “See you later, Tom!”
As Rosie sashayed away to take care of the other patrons in the tent, Tom became the center of much good-natured ribbing. He could not finish his beer fast enough, before leaving the tent and melting into the crowds, Sadie dogging his heels. Finding a quiet corner in the busy marketplace was no easy feat, but Tom somehow managed to do so.
He was excited and happy to be going to the dance with the girl of his dreams, even if he had all the grace of a bumbling oaf. Then it hit him. He was supposed to go on the hunt with his king; he was Master of the Hounds after all. Looking down into Sadie’s soulful eyes, Tom said, “What am I going to do? I want to go to the dance with Rosie; I really do, but the hunt…” He sighed as he gave her a couple of pats, before scratching behind her ear.
Sadie let out a soft whine. He foot thumped on the ground as Tom scratched her. She shook her head when he stopped.
“What am I going to do, girl?” Tom said.
“You could to the dance, sir,” Rob said as he sat down next him.
“Hunh?” Tom felt his cheeks heating up as he looked over at his assistant.
“You can go to the dance with that barmaid you keeping mooning over, sir.” Rob patted him on the back. “The hunt’s tomorrow, remember?” He grinned at his boss.
“Oh yeah!” Tom smacked himself in the head. He could not believe his stupidity.
“Just go and enjoy yourself, sir. I’ll look after Sadie for ya.” Rob patted his leg, calling the dog to him.
“Grinning at his assistant, Tom said, “Thanks, Rob!” He got up to go.
“No worries, sir. Just go and have yourself a good time. Sadie and me’ll see ya later!” He also got up to leave. “Come, girl.” Sadie trotted obediently after him as Rob headed off to the right to wander the stalls in that direction.
Tom headed off back to the makeshift tavern where Rosie worked. He found her waiting outside for him. Hand in hand, they slowly made their way through the crowds to the town square, where the dance would be held. When they arrived, the band was warming up. Several couples had already made their way onto the dance floor.
Putting his hand on Rosie’s hip and holding the other one up, Tom danced Rosie out into the middle of the square. His cheeks heated up at her delighted giggles as the waltzed around the square. He smiled shyly at her and his heart seemed to skip a beat when she smiled back at him. He thought she looked beautiful, her face flushed with excitement as they danced. All too soon the song end, but it was quickly followed by another one. Round and round they went, not that either one minded as they were both thoroughly enjoying themselves as they danced the night away.