Brooding in the dark, a snuffling, scratching noise thumped consistently against the barren patch of dirt, adjacent to the towering cobblestone walls, looming higher twenty feet nigh. The beaten cobblestone, weathered with age, marked the defeat of the last great battle, long since past.
The stench of blood seeped into the stone, and the foggy gray air, permeated wistfully, eerily, sending uniform chills down each traveler's spine.
Levi Matthew Harris shivered as the heavy door swung open to the bar, the air a pleasant scent of fire whiskey, strong enough to heat the bones. The glass wall of alcohol loomed over a rotting table, on which tankards of beer foamed.
"What can I getcha?"
A gruff voice boomed directly behind him. Harris whipped around.
"A pint."
He replied testily to the bartender. Harris drifted in his thoughts, as he scanned the room, speculatively. His eye caught on an attractive blonde woman, drowning herself in wine. He admired her stunning eyes, as they seemed to glimmer intelligently and intently over every object in the room, as if scanning them for flaws. Her nimble pearl white fingers gracefully skimmed the air wherever she set them. A becoming sheet of silvery blonde hair hung down her back, airily breezing whenever the heavy bar door swung open. Indifferent to the lusty glances of weary travelers, she drank a considerable drought from her tankard, and rolled her eyes in apparent annoyance. A lopsided matted picture aloft in the rafters above depicted a city, alight with lanterns. Absorbed in thought, Levi rested his stony gaze upon the intricate bronze welding on the frame. Soon he became aware that he was being watched. The feeling eerily gnawed at his stomach, as he stretched his legs upon an old packaging crate of empty tankards. Nearing his fifteenth tankard of whiskey, he began to feel himself drowsily drifting to an undisturbed sleep, the merry ambiance of the bar fading with the pleasant shouts of drunk men. A tap on his shoulder awoke him from his trance. Whirling around in annoyance, he knocked the whiskey glasses stacked upon the crate next to him askew.
"Oww..."
He recoiled in pain as the dismembered glass shards cut through his trousers. Shouts of laughter resounded through the bar, as the bartender stared with the utmost loathing.
"I ain't your mam, I want this floor squeeky-clean!"
Red with embarrassment, he attempted to dispose of the shards of glass scattered on the planked floor.
"How graceful."
A cynical female voice warm to the ear spoke. Levi gazed at her in amazement, drinking in her appearance, in doing so, scampering to his feet.
"Yes m'am, that us'lly is me. I ain't a fool."
"Never accused you."
The woman replied, smiling in mild amusement. As Levi disposed of the shards, she began to assist him.
"Aw, miss no need to help, I'm an efficient worker. It ain't right."
Levi began to protest. She haughtily ignored his pleas, and continued to work, her silvery blonde hair now grimy with the silt concoction gathering on the wood. The two worked steadily, catching preposterous glances from onlookers.
"If you don't mind my asking, who are ya?"
Levi inquired tentatively. The words seemed to catch in his throat.
"Yulipskatya, Katarina Yulipskatya. I'm travelling to the United States from my homeland, Russia."
A haughty voice, obviously proud of this issued, as if rehearsed countless times before. Intriguing, Levi thought.
"Whatcha doin' caught all the way nigh in Ireland then, miss?"
"If you must know, I am not on speaking terms with my family. I was disinherited. Soon after my father cut me off. Couldn't buy a ticket all the way, so I asked the sailor to drop me all off... well, here"
She glanced away, blinking determinedly.
"What are you doing here then?"
"Aw gee, sorry miss. Didn't mean to make ye sad. I'm here 'cause I'm supposed to be seein' my Uncle. Don't worry yourself about your family. I'm sure they'll come round."
Levi shot a comforting glance at her. Katarina flashed with anger, and whipped the sheet of trailing silver behind her.
"What I meant-" Levi hurriedly amended, was that folks aren't always reasonable. Ye can't force plain logic on 'em or they'll buckle over."
Katarina pondered this, and as a lightning flash, kissed him on both cheeks. Levi quickly reddend.
"Golly."
His voice came out hoarse.