Dead end

Thesi wiped the sweat off her forehead with the only clean part of her rag. Her head was swimming with exhaustion and the noise inside the inn wasn't exactly helping her fatigue disappear. Only two hours more until closing time. She stretched her back for a short moment before returning to cleaning the table before her, which, judging from the soiled surface, had suffered a severe drinking bout. Her feet kept skidding over thrown-away bones, and although she had been working at the inn for almost six months, she still couldn't abide the rank smell of sour ale mixed with month-old sweat on dirty jerkins and dried scrap of old food.

It was a weekend night at the Happy Pig, and tonight's guests made the name of the inn true, as they behaved less and less like the farmers, merchants and craftsmen they were.
'Hello there, lovely! How about a nightcap in my room?' The man who spoke grabbed one of Thesi's buttocks and squeezed tightly. Thesi automatically swung around towards the neighbouring table with a left-over tankard, still half-filled with lukewarm ale, and skillfully made the crash against the man's head look like a very unfortunate accident. His partners-in-drinking roared with laughter and pounded him heavily on his back, while the man himself glared at Thesi, evidently not used to being humiliated. Thesi tossed her head and went back to wiping off her table.

'That wasn't too smart', Sheela whispered at her in the kitchen a couple of minutes later. 'That was Meged Kemmerlin, and he's not known for his mild temper. Watch out for him tonight!'
'You taught me the "drunkard swing" yourself!' Thesi objected indignantly. 'Just because he's hot-headed, he certainly shouldn't think he can...'
'All I'm saying is: watch out for him tonight', repeated Sheela quietly. 'Keep your eyes and ears open'.

The rest of the evening was rather uneventful. Thesi got plenty of tips and had almost forgotten the Meged incident when she packed her things to leave for home. Out in the autumn darkness she pulled her cloak around her, and hurried down the street in the rain. She was looking forward to the warm fire in her landlady's main room with a hot cup of honeyed tea cradled by her frozen hands, and a light meal later on.

Her heels echoed against the cobblestones, and she slipped on the nightly dew. The darkness was almost overwhelming, but her feet remembered the way home. As her thoughts wandered, she was suddenly reminded of Meged, and the intense glare of malice that had followed her as she waited on the tables through the evening. She glanced furtively over her shoulder. In the dim light of the street lamp she saw only shadows of the houses in the street and silhouettes of parked wagons. As she turned forward again, she almost stepped into a huge mass of man. The little light there was showed that Meged stood before her, still inebriated, but surprisingly steady in foot and eye.
'You little whore', he wheezed and stretched out huge callused hands towards her. 'I will teach you to show respect to elders'... Panic-stricken Thesi swung around and fled into the nearest alley. It was a street she didn't know yet from her explorations, but the choice was made and she'd had to trust her luck. She heard heavy steps thundering and sliding behind her and took a right turn, away from home and safety. She hadn't run far until the darkness before her solidified and she slowed down only to stop with her hands against the inner city wall. Trapped! Cold when realizing this, she still heard the inevitable pursuer behind her, with resolute steps and heavy breathing.

Thesi took one slow breath and closed her eyes to gather strength and concentration. Her hands opened and closed, and she turned slowly around to face Meged fully. She waited, still as death, until Meged was close enough before she bared her fangs and buried them in his waiting throat.