Fic The Song Bird pt 2 prompt 64 fall
Title: The Strolling Minstrel Part 2, Be Careful what you wish for…
’Verse: Servants Journals
Characters: Thomas, Simon
Prompt: 64 Fall
Word Count: 2675
Rating: gp
Notes: you can fall into many things. Or you can write a story set when the leaves are changing…
^^^**(*)***^^^
Part 2
Be careful what you wish for…
Two days later Thomas stood outside looking at the sign for The Cat & the Fiddle Tavern and Inn. The setting sun shined on the painted yellow tabby cat getting ready to pounce on a fiddle. He had his letters for the owner tucked inside his tunic and his pack and his precious mandolin on his back. Taking a deep breath for courage, he went in through open door.
The tavern was already busy with at least two barmaids running between the large kitchen, the bar, and the tables. The smell of fresh baked bread wafted out of the kitchen and made Thomas’s mouth water. The place was brightly lit with lanterns that sat on the long tables and more that hung from the ceiling. A huge rock fireplace took up the entire back wall of the large drinking hall.
A barmaid with bright blond hair and her chemise pulled low on her bosom spotted him standing by in the door with his mandolin and his packs. With a friendly smile she sauntered over to him. “Oh, have you come to play for us tonight minstrel?” she asked him.
“I have if you’ll have me,” he gave her his best smile, “But I probably should talk to the owner first.”
“He’s not in yet.” She looked out the door noting the setting sun and said, “Should be here soon though, if you want to wait.” Thomas found a seat near the door where he could watch the room and wait for the owner. The blond barmaid brought him over a cool mug of cider. “On the house.” She said with a wink and leaned over giving him a clear view of her breast as she set it on the table.
The Cat & the Fiddle Tavern and Inn was just inside the city limits, it was well-located for travelers just arriving or preparing to leave the city. It also attracted plenty of locals who stopped in after their day’s labor for supper and a pint before going home. Thomas watched the people come and go, thinking that this could be a good place for him. He liked the atmosphere. He hoped he could convince the owner to let him stay.
Thomas would never have thought the pale well-dressed young man with long chestnut hair tied in a tail down his back would be the owner. But he saw the barmaid directed him to Thomas’s table. Thomas was just a little taller than average, but when he stood up he was a whole head taller than the man in front of him.
“Annie tells me you want to play for us tonight?”
“You’re the owner?” Thomas asked his surprise clear in his voice. He winced at how rude he sounded. “Please forgive me, I was expecting someone older”
“Nothing to forgive, I’m used to it, it happens all the time.” The man said. “I’m Simon Ringwell, and I own of this fine establishment. And you are
“My name is Thomas Walker, Journeyman Musician. I would be honored if you’d allow me to practice my craft here tonight. I also have a letter of introduction, and another letter that I was instructed to give to you and no one else.”
Thomas handed over the two sealed letters that Maggie had given him. Simon looked curiously at them. His eyebrows rose a little when he saw who they were from. “Thank you. I read these immediately. You are welcome to play here tonight. The house will only take a 25 percent cut of course.”
Thomas had been expecting that. “10 percent”
“20”
“15”
“Done”
“Done.” They shook hands, and Simon waved over the blond woman he had talked to earlier. “Annie can show you where to stash your bags, and you can stop in the kitchen for some dinner before you start.”
Thomas hid his bags where Annie showed him in a niche behind the bar and then took him to the kitchen and introduced him to the cook, a kind older woman who scooped him up a bowl of stew and huge chunk of the newly bake bread and sent him out of her kitchen to eat it. When he was done eating he retrieved his mandolin, gave it a quick tuning and went to work.
^^^(*)^^^
It was a good evening. Thomas had enjoyed himself and the customers had been generous with their coins. It was well after midnight when the barkeeper and the waitresses pushed the last merrymakers out the door so they could close. He was quite pleased; he’d made quite a few coins tonight, even after the tavern’s cut. If the owner didn’t want a regular musician, maybe he could stay just for the winter. He could also look for other inns and taverns in the area that were willing to let him play every few nights.
The staff was finishing their closing chores and drifting off to their beds. Thomas was about to unroll his blanket near the when Simon appeared and beckoned for Thomas to follow him into one of the back rooms. He was a bit surprised, as he had not expected to see the man until the next evening.
Smothering a yawn, Thomas followed Simon to a small office tucked behind the taverns kitchen. Bees wax candles set in sconces on the wall provided light and gently scented the air. A big desk stood in the middle of the room, leaving little space for anything but the two chairs that filled the rest of it. His letter was open in the middle of the desk. Simon took his chair behind the desk, and Thomas remained standing until Simon asked him to sit.
“Maggie’s letter says that you are looking for a permanent position. That you would like to settle in one place and get of the road.”
“That’s true sir, the wandering life if starting to loose its appeal.”
“Maggie has good timing and instincts about people. My house musician quit just two weeks ago. He went to go teach at the conservatory. Maggie seems to think that you and I would work well together.”
“Was I good enough for you tonight?”
“You did very well. Any tavern would be happy to have you. I would have been tempted to offer you the position even without Maggie’s letter.”
Relieved, Thomas smiled, “Then can I consider myself employed sir?”
“You can. But there is more in this letter than just you playing music in the bar, Master Thomas. If what Maggie’s letter says is true, and I have no reason to doubt her, then you and I shall be getting to know each other very well. And she has given to me a great gift.” Simon paused, seeming lost in thought for a moment. His next word seemed to be spoken more to himself then to Thomas. “Maggie’s right though, this could work very well for both of us. There are few others of us with which you could be content with.”
Thomas was confused by that very cryptic remark. “What are you talking about?”
“Where shall I start?” Simon looked up at the ceiling, planning what to say next. “According to her letter, a few years ago a friend of hers discovered of a very unique young woman. Since then she and Jacob have been searching for more humans like her. By tracing the girl’s family they found a few more and from those few they found you.”
Confused Thomas asked. “What’s that got to do with me getting the job?”
“It has nothing and everything to do with you getting the job. You have the same gift that the girl has. And it will be a very valuable gift to me.”
“What gift might that be, and how do you know?”
“Maggie says it is your eyes that mark you as being immune to our bite. And just to make sure Jacob and Maggie tested you before sending you to me. Had you not been immune you would be dead.”
“Immune? Tested? What are you talking about?” Thomas was getting confused and a bit nervous at the intense way Simon looked at him. He didn’t like people noticing his eyes; he’d beat the hell out of more than one childhood bully for teasing him about them. Maybe it would be best if he left now. But he really wanted the job.
“Maggie tested your immunity by feeding you some of her blood. It had no effect on you. Except for you and the few like you, humans will start changing after we feed from them. Unless someone is deliberately being turned, we don’t allow the change to be completed.”
Thomas wanted to laugh. This was some cruel joke being played on him, only it wasn’t funny and he’d had enough. “Well thank you for talking with me but I think I’ll be leaving now.” Thomas started to stand up, intending to get out the door and far away as fast as he could.
“Sit down. You won’t make it out the door if you try.” The chilling certainty of Simon’s voice made him freeze half way out of the chair. He sat back down, beginning to fear for his life, and stared at the man sitting on the other side of the desk. He saw two long, sharp fangs slide into full view from behind the man’s regular teeth. Fear swept through Thomas all the way to his finger tips and held him still, unable to look away when he recognized what he was seeing. Several tense minutes passed. When Simon made no attempt to reach for him, Thomas forced himself to ask,” What do you want from me?” though he was sure he wasn’t going to like the answer.
“To drink from, of course.” Simon had a slight lisp from talking around his fangs. Simon let his fangs slowly retreat back up onto the hidden pockets in the roof of his mouth. “You won’t get sick like a normal humans do, and I won’t have to kill you.”
“Except if you drain me dry!”
“That wouldn’t do me much good would it?” Simon said, “I won’t drain you. You’re of no value dead. I plan to have you around for a long time. And from what Maggie says of the first woman they found, your blood will renew itself much faster than normal humans.”
“Whether I like it or not?”
“This can work for you too Thomas. It’s what you wanted: a respectable and profitable position as the resident musician in a successful tavern with all of the perks that go with it.”
“But I will be a prisoner.”
“I don’t keep prisoners, Thomas. But there are others of my kind that don’t mind keeping prisoners locked up in their cellar. If you don’t stay here with me, and don’t try to leave or tell anyone what you know about me, you will be free to do as you please. Plus with me, you will be under my protection. And you can trust that no one will challenge me for you and win.”
“As long as I let you drink form me whenever you want to?”
“To be blunt, yes. You will be here for me to feed on whenever I please.”
“No. Let me go. I won’t cooperate. I don’t want this.”
Simon was not unsympathetic, but he wasn’t going to let Thomas go either. “I’m sorry. I won’t do that.”
Thomas was moving before he could think about it; he knew that he had to try. He bolted for the door, tipping over the chair in the process. Simon was there before him. He shoved him back into the room, and he fell over the tipped chair. Thomas narrowly missed hitting his head on the corner of the desk. He landed hard on his back on the floor and before he could roll away Simon was on him, pinning him to the ground.
Despite Tom being the larger of the two, he couldn’t shove the vampire off. “You had to test me didn’t you?” Simon’s voice was dangerously close to his ear, “It’s okay, I’d probably have done the same. But do you see? You can’t win.”
“What’s to keep me from plunging a wooden stake into your heart during the day?” He asked still trying to get away.
“It’s not that easy. I don’t suggest you try. I’m a very light sleeper.” The scary part was that he sounded amused and completely sincere rather than angry. Simon’s fangs were visible in the flickering candlelight. With one hand, he pulled open the collar of Tomas’s shirt, baring his neck. Before Thomas could say anything more, Simon went for his neck. The twin sharp points stopped above his collar bone, just touching the skin. Panic rushed through Thomas, and again he tried to push the small, lighter man off of him. Though he did manage to roll them over a few times, he was unable to push the smaller man away.
It was only after he was out of breath and too weary to keep fighting that he realized that not once during the entire struggle had Simon’s fangs left his neck or punctured his skin. Thomas lay helpless and tense with anticipation under his captor.
“Are you done?” Simon asked him calmly. He didn’t answer. Tomas closed his eyes and waited every muscle in his body tight with expected pain. He heard Simon whisper in his ear, “If you don’t want this to hurt like hell, I suggest you try to relax.” With no further warning Simon sank his fangs into Thomas’s neck with one swift painful jab. Pride kept him from screaming after his first involuntary cry. He tried to relax like Simon suggested, but he could feel the wound throbbing as Simon drank his blood.
When the blood stopped flowing freely, Simon licked the wound clean and wiped his mouth. Gracefully he rose to his feet and held his hand out to help Thomas up off the floor. For a long moment Thomas simply glared at the vampire, ignoring the offered hand. Somehow he realized that Simon’s offer of a hand up was a simple courtesy. There was no malice or contempt connected to it. Eventually, he took the offered hand and let Simon pull him to his feet. He felt a little light headed, and his neck hurt, but over all he didn’t feel as bad as he expected.
Snuffing out all the candles except the one he carried, Simon waited for Thomas to follow him. Thomas followed, too exhausted to do anything else. They went through the dark tavern and up a flight of stairs to the rooms above the tavern. Simon led him to a room at the end of the short hall. As he handed him the candle, he said, “This can work to both of our advantages if you’ll give it a chance. Until tonight Thomas, sleep well.” Simon closed the door, leaving Thomas alone in the room. He heard the faint click of a lock being turned.
Waiting until he could no longer hear Simon’s footsteps in the hallway, he tried to open the door; it was no surprise that it was locked. With a tired sigh, he looked around the room he was trapped in. It was larger than he had expected it to be and very clean. His packs and instruments were already piled in the corner. A small table with a sturdy chair held a pitcher of water and a bottle of wine along with a loaf of bread, a chunk of cheese, and an apple wrapped in a napkin. The bed had a thick mattress with a goose feather pillow and a thick wool blanket. It was the most inviting thing Thomas had seen in a long time.
Rubbing at the scabs on his neck, Thomas took a long drink of the water and accepted the bed’s silent invitation. But as tired as he was, it was a long time before he slept.
’Verse: Servants Journals
Characters: Thomas, Simon
Prompt: 64 Fall
Word Count: 2675
Rating: gp
Notes: you can fall into many things. Or you can write a story set when the leaves are changing…
^^^**(*)***^^^
Part 2
Be careful what you wish for…
Two days later Thomas stood outside looking at the sign for The Cat & the Fiddle Tavern and Inn. The setting sun shined on the painted yellow tabby cat getting ready to pounce on a fiddle. He had his letters for the owner tucked inside his tunic and his pack and his precious mandolin on his back. Taking a deep breath for courage, he went in through open door.
The tavern was already busy with at least two barmaids running between the large kitchen, the bar, and the tables. The smell of fresh baked bread wafted out of the kitchen and made Thomas’s mouth water. The place was brightly lit with lanterns that sat on the long tables and more that hung from the ceiling. A huge rock fireplace took up the entire back wall of the large drinking hall.
A barmaid with bright blond hair and her chemise pulled low on her bosom spotted him standing by in the door with his mandolin and his packs. With a friendly smile she sauntered over to him. “Oh, have you come to play for us tonight minstrel?” she asked him.
“I have if you’ll have me,” he gave her his best smile, “But I probably should talk to the owner first.”
“He’s not in yet.” She looked out the door noting the setting sun and said, “Should be here soon though, if you want to wait.” Thomas found a seat near the door where he could watch the room and wait for the owner. The blond barmaid brought him over a cool mug of cider. “On the house.” She said with a wink and leaned over giving him a clear view of her breast as she set it on the table.
The Cat & the Fiddle Tavern and Inn was just inside the city limits, it was well-located for travelers just arriving or preparing to leave the city. It also attracted plenty of locals who stopped in after their day’s labor for supper and a pint before going home. Thomas watched the people come and go, thinking that this could be a good place for him. He liked the atmosphere. He hoped he could convince the owner to let him stay.
Thomas would never have thought the pale well-dressed young man with long chestnut hair tied in a tail down his back would be the owner. But he saw the barmaid directed him to Thomas’s table. Thomas was just a little taller than average, but when he stood up he was a whole head taller than the man in front of him.
“Annie tells me you want to play for us tonight?”
“You’re the owner?” Thomas asked his surprise clear in his voice. He winced at how rude he sounded. “Please forgive me, I was expecting someone older”
“Nothing to forgive, I’m used to it, it happens all the time.” The man said. “I’m Simon Ringwell, and I own of this fine establishment. And you are
“My name is Thomas Walker, Journeyman Musician. I would be honored if you’d allow me to practice my craft here tonight. I also have a letter of introduction, and another letter that I was instructed to give to you and no one else.”
Thomas handed over the two sealed letters that Maggie had given him. Simon looked curiously at them. His eyebrows rose a little when he saw who they were from. “Thank you. I read these immediately. You are welcome to play here tonight. The house will only take a 25 percent cut of course.”
Thomas had been expecting that. “10 percent”
“20”
“15”
“Done”
“Done.” They shook hands, and Simon waved over the blond woman he had talked to earlier. “Annie can show you where to stash your bags, and you can stop in the kitchen for some dinner before you start.”
Thomas hid his bags where Annie showed him in a niche behind the bar and then took him to the kitchen and introduced him to the cook, a kind older woman who scooped him up a bowl of stew and huge chunk of the newly bake bread and sent him out of her kitchen to eat it. When he was done eating he retrieved his mandolin, gave it a quick tuning and went to work.
^^^(*)^^^
It was a good evening. Thomas had enjoyed himself and the customers had been generous with their coins. It was well after midnight when the barkeeper and the waitresses pushed the last merrymakers out the door so they could close. He was quite pleased; he’d made quite a few coins tonight, even after the tavern’s cut. If the owner didn’t want a regular musician, maybe he could stay just for the winter. He could also look for other inns and taverns in the area that were willing to let him play every few nights.
The staff was finishing their closing chores and drifting off to their beds. Thomas was about to unroll his blanket near the when Simon appeared and beckoned for Thomas to follow him into one of the back rooms. He was a bit surprised, as he had not expected to see the man until the next evening.
Smothering a yawn, Thomas followed Simon to a small office tucked behind the taverns kitchen. Bees wax candles set in sconces on the wall provided light and gently scented the air. A big desk stood in the middle of the room, leaving little space for anything but the two chairs that filled the rest of it. His letter was open in the middle of the desk. Simon took his chair behind the desk, and Thomas remained standing until Simon asked him to sit.
“Maggie’s letter says that you are looking for a permanent position. That you would like to settle in one place and get of the road.”
“That’s true sir, the wandering life if starting to loose its appeal.”
“Maggie has good timing and instincts about people. My house musician quit just two weeks ago. He went to go teach at the conservatory. Maggie seems to think that you and I would work well together.”
“Was I good enough for you tonight?”
“You did very well. Any tavern would be happy to have you. I would have been tempted to offer you the position even without Maggie’s letter.”
Relieved, Thomas smiled, “Then can I consider myself employed sir?”
“You can. But there is more in this letter than just you playing music in the bar, Master Thomas. If what Maggie’s letter says is true, and I have no reason to doubt her, then you and I shall be getting to know each other very well. And she has given to me a great gift.” Simon paused, seeming lost in thought for a moment. His next word seemed to be spoken more to himself then to Thomas. “Maggie’s right though, this could work very well for both of us. There are few others of us with which you could be content with.”
Thomas was confused by that very cryptic remark. “What are you talking about?”
“Where shall I start?” Simon looked up at the ceiling, planning what to say next. “According to her letter, a few years ago a friend of hers discovered of a very unique young woman. Since then she and Jacob have been searching for more humans like her. By tracing the girl’s family they found a few more and from those few they found you.”
Confused Thomas asked. “What’s that got to do with me getting the job?”
“It has nothing and everything to do with you getting the job. You have the same gift that the girl has. And it will be a very valuable gift to me.”
“What gift might that be, and how do you know?”
“Maggie says it is your eyes that mark you as being immune to our bite. And just to make sure Jacob and Maggie tested you before sending you to me. Had you not been immune you would be dead.”
“Immune? Tested? What are you talking about?” Thomas was getting confused and a bit nervous at the intense way Simon looked at him. He didn’t like people noticing his eyes; he’d beat the hell out of more than one childhood bully for teasing him about them. Maybe it would be best if he left now. But he really wanted the job.
“Maggie tested your immunity by feeding you some of her blood. It had no effect on you. Except for you and the few like you, humans will start changing after we feed from them. Unless someone is deliberately being turned, we don’t allow the change to be completed.”
Thomas wanted to laugh. This was some cruel joke being played on him, only it wasn’t funny and he’d had enough. “Well thank you for talking with me but I think I’ll be leaving now.” Thomas started to stand up, intending to get out the door and far away as fast as he could.
“Sit down. You won’t make it out the door if you try.” The chilling certainty of Simon’s voice made him freeze half way out of the chair. He sat back down, beginning to fear for his life, and stared at the man sitting on the other side of the desk. He saw two long, sharp fangs slide into full view from behind the man’s regular teeth. Fear swept through Thomas all the way to his finger tips and held him still, unable to look away when he recognized what he was seeing. Several tense minutes passed. When Simon made no attempt to reach for him, Thomas forced himself to ask,” What do you want from me?” though he was sure he wasn’t going to like the answer.
“To drink from, of course.” Simon had a slight lisp from talking around his fangs. Simon let his fangs slowly retreat back up onto the hidden pockets in the roof of his mouth. “You won’t get sick like a normal humans do, and I won’t have to kill you.”
“Except if you drain me dry!”
“That wouldn’t do me much good would it?” Simon said, “I won’t drain you. You’re of no value dead. I plan to have you around for a long time. And from what Maggie says of the first woman they found, your blood will renew itself much faster than normal humans.”
“Whether I like it or not?”
“This can work for you too Thomas. It’s what you wanted: a respectable and profitable position as the resident musician in a successful tavern with all of the perks that go with it.”
“But I will be a prisoner.”
“I don’t keep prisoners, Thomas. But there are others of my kind that don’t mind keeping prisoners locked up in their cellar. If you don’t stay here with me, and don’t try to leave or tell anyone what you know about me, you will be free to do as you please. Plus with me, you will be under my protection. And you can trust that no one will challenge me for you and win.”
“As long as I let you drink form me whenever you want to?”
“To be blunt, yes. You will be here for me to feed on whenever I please.”
“No. Let me go. I won’t cooperate. I don’t want this.”
Simon was not unsympathetic, but he wasn’t going to let Thomas go either. “I’m sorry. I won’t do that.”
Thomas was moving before he could think about it; he knew that he had to try. He bolted for the door, tipping over the chair in the process. Simon was there before him. He shoved him back into the room, and he fell over the tipped chair. Thomas narrowly missed hitting his head on the corner of the desk. He landed hard on his back on the floor and before he could roll away Simon was on him, pinning him to the ground.
Despite Tom being the larger of the two, he couldn’t shove the vampire off. “You had to test me didn’t you?” Simon’s voice was dangerously close to his ear, “It’s okay, I’d probably have done the same. But do you see? You can’t win.”
“What’s to keep me from plunging a wooden stake into your heart during the day?” He asked still trying to get away.
“It’s not that easy. I don’t suggest you try. I’m a very light sleeper.” The scary part was that he sounded amused and completely sincere rather than angry. Simon’s fangs were visible in the flickering candlelight. With one hand, he pulled open the collar of Tomas’s shirt, baring his neck. Before Thomas could say anything more, Simon went for his neck. The twin sharp points stopped above his collar bone, just touching the skin. Panic rushed through Thomas, and again he tried to push the small, lighter man off of him. Though he did manage to roll them over a few times, he was unable to push the smaller man away.
It was only after he was out of breath and too weary to keep fighting that he realized that not once during the entire struggle had Simon’s fangs left his neck or punctured his skin. Thomas lay helpless and tense with anticipation under his captor.
“Are you done?” Simon asked him calmly. He didn’t answer. Tomas closed his eyes and waited every muscle in his body tight with expected pain. He heard Simon whisper in his ear, “If you don’t want this to hurt like hell, I suggest you try to relax.” With no further warning Simon sank his fangs into Thomas’s neck with one swift painful jab. Pride kept him from screaming after his first involuntary cry. He tried to relax like Simon suggested, but he could feel the wound throbbing as Simon drank his blood.
When the blood stopped flowing freely, Simon licked the wound clean and wiped his mouth. Gracefully he rose to his feet and held his hand out to help Thomas up off the floor. For a long moment Thomas simply glared at the vampire, ignoring the offered hand. Somehow he realized that Simon’s offer of a hand up was a simple courtesy. There was no malice or contempt connected to it. Eventually, he took the offered hand and let Simon pull him to his feet. He felt a little light headed, and his neck hurt, but over all he didn’t feel as bad as he expected.
Snuffing out all the candles except the one he carried, Simon waited for Thomas to follow him. Thomas followed, too exhausted to do anything else. They went through the dark tavern and up a flight of stairs to the rooms above the tavern. Simon led him to a room at the end of the short hall. As he handed him the candle, he said, “This can work to both of our advantages if you’ll give it a chance. Until tonight Thomas, sleep well.” Simon closed the door, leaving Thomas alone in the room. He heard the faint click of a lock being turned.
Waiting until he could no longer hear Simon’s footsteps in the hallway, he tried to open the door; it was no surprise that it was locked. With a tired sigh, he looked around the room he was trapped in. It was larger than he had expected it to be and very clean. His packs and instruments were already piled in the corner. A small table with a sturdy chair held a pitcher of water and a bottle of wine along with a loaf of bread, a chunk of cheese, and an apple wrapped in a napkin. The bed had a thick mattress with a goose feather pillow and a thick wool blanket. It was the most inviting thing Thomas had seen in a long time.
Rubbing at the scabs on his neck, Thomas took a long drink of the water and accepted the bed’s silent invitation. But as tired as he was, it was a long time before he slept.