He was the last patron in the pub. He was hunched over his table staring at his tankard of ale, his dark lanky hair covering his face. She's seen him in the pub for the past two weeks; he would get drunk stay until closing time and leave. She still hasn't worked out his story; all she knew was that he was the Sheriff's right hand man.
"Sir, it's closing time" she said
"Leave me alone" he murmured "I want to stay here, I'm not drunk yet"
He was right for the first time he wasn't drunk before closing time, in fact he only came in an hour ago. She sat down opposite him, pulling her blonde hair out of it's bun and letting it loose/
"You can stay here if you tell me your story" she said
He looked at her "my story isn't a fairytale for little girls" he hissed taking a swig of his ale.
She glared at him "I am no little girl" she said "I am sixteen, a grown woman"
He snorted "you're no woman, not yet" he took another swig, finishing a drink "get me another one and I'll tell you"
She took the steel mug from him and went over to the bar filling it up, she wandered back and placed it in front of him "tell me" she said
His steel empty grey eyes meet her big baby blues "when I was five my dad went to the pub more and more…one day he began to hit my mother. When I was eight he decided I was big enough for beatings…my mother tried to protect me…when I was ten she died for me, leaving me in my father's grasp"
She swallowed and made a hand gesture for him to continue on. He took a long swig of his ale and made a big act of putting the tankard down and wiping his mouth.
"I was thirteen when I was rescued. My father was killed before my eyes, he was in a middle of beating me when a man stabbed him with a sword, the man said 'I don't like children beaters' the man offered me a job as a stable boy and I took it. That man was the sheriff"
Her eyes widened "well it's now understandable why you're loyal to him" she murmured
He nodded "I got promoted again and again the more I proved my loyalty. You heard about my engagement to Lady Marian?" she nodded "I killed her two weeks ago…I didn't mean too…she was rubbing in the fact she loved Locksley more than me and I lost it…I drove a sword into her stomach"
To his surprise the blonde girl wrapped a hand round his; they sat there for a while. In silence.
"Tell me your story" he said
"My story is no fairytale either" the girl said, looking down, covering her face with her blonde hair. "My dad left before I was born…he came back after and stayed awhile and then he left and took me away from my mother. I lived with him and my grandparents for awhile occasionally visiting my mother"
He looked disgusted.
"I wasn't born out of wedlock" the girl said hurriedly "their marriage wasn't working out…they couldn't stand being in the same room as each other"
"A marriage is a commitment till death" he said sharply
The girl snorted "not in this story sunshine" she said "my mother didn't want anything to do with me in the end…doesn't matter I prefer living here with my true family, I have some amazing friends, Mira who works in your manor, Deanne who works in the castle, Pauline who lives in a farm not far from here, Debra whose an apprentice to the baker and Stephanie who owns a little stall here"
The girl sighed "I'm worried…my grandmother is very ill and I don't think she has much time left. I'm working here in hopes of raising enough money to take her to a physician in London"
He was silent for a while "you're right" he said finally "you're no little girl"
She sat there in silence, her hand still holding his.
"You haven't told me your name" he said
"My name is Celeste" she said "but friends call me Cee"
"Well Cee" he said "you're a good person…thank you for listening…and not judging me"
"You're a hurt soul" Cee said softly "a beautiful soul that needs someone to love them"
He did the unthinkable, and kissed her.
15 years later.
"Dad"
He turned to see his four children sitting comfortably by the fireplace, his thirteen year old girl, his ten year old boy and eight year old twins.
"Yes children" he said softly
"How did you and mum meet…bet it was lovely?"
He looked at his ten year old boy who looked exactly like his mother, golden hair in spikes and big baby blue eyes.
"Well son it was no fairytale"
Authors note: dedicated to my friend Cee from the RRA. Yes Mira is Mira and Allan, Deannie is deanparker, Pauline is paula545, Debra is zebrablonde and Stephanie is me.