Disclaimer: I own nothing except the characters I create.
"What the hell is going on here?" Atria hissed at Corey. Not waiting for a response she continued her tirade all the while getting angrier and angrier. Corey opened her mouth to explain, to apologize for her obscene display when she realized that she had done nothing wrong in protecting herself; she shouldn't have to be sorry, and hell, she knew she was going to lose her job; why leave meek and cowered into a corner?
Everything seemed to be warped and blurred as the people in the room faded and Corey remained alone with her thoughts. Propriety, respectability, dignity- all were part of her past; it was time to lay it to rest. This was a different world- a tough world and to be weak meant death and she did not want to fall victim to it. However as much as she needed her job at Atria's tavern, there was nothing to be done and she was at peace with that. This knowledge filled her with a strength she was just coming to terms with and slowly a smirk formed on her face as she turned to face her opponent.
"What's going on here you say?" Corey sneered, "You call me stupid, you call me slow and yet you're obviously more dimwitted than you would like to believe. Well, I'm so sorry for your disability so I shall explain. You see, this 'gentleman' obviously had a little to much to drink and his hand accidently slipped and ripped half of my dress off," she continued as sarcasm filled her voice with every word.
"Don't try to act superior to me girl; ya place is in the gutter and it's only a miracle that I've kept ya here as long as I have. Why, ya ask? Well, call it pity for your pathetic situation; lord knows ye need ev'ry shillin' and ev'ry coin your little claws can git a hold of" Atria shot back in an attempt to humiliate Corey. The attempt, instead of humbling her into a subserviant manner, fueled the fire of hatred for everything her life had become.
"Double standards, don't you think? It is alright for these drunken bums to brawl and cause damage that I have cleaned and yet when one of those men try to damage me, I have no right to defend myself. Do you expect me to put up with it? I am not a whore and I refuse to be treated as one. You may tolerate men touching you because that's the only affection you receive, but I have pride and self value and I won't sell out just because I'm alone. You are nothing but a used, soiled toy that soon no one will want to waste their time, or in your case, their money on. I may be alone, madam but at least I can gain the satisfaction knowing that I actually worked instead of taking the easy way out."
Corey's last words hung heavily in the air as everyone in the tavern watched, mouth agape; no one ever defied or insulted Atria without facing severe effects. Titters filled the room as they waited for the inevitable. The inevitable came. . .
"Why you lil' scoundral-" With those words Atria swung her fist at Corey, her physical strength clearly superior for Corey fell to the floor. Refusing to remain on the ground in her submissive state, Corey gripped a table to pull herself off and met a hand of a drunk who shoved her back to the ground, obviously joining forces with Atria. It was soon apparent to Corey that she was alone; none of those men would help her. Why would they? She was a mere barmaid who'd only been working there for a short time while Atria owned the joint and had for some time. Despite her jumbled thoughts, Corey continued to try to get a bit of leverage but all seemed futile. Every time she'd grip a table, a chair, something, she'd be pushed down.
"Think ye can still mess with me and git away with it? Don't forget I control things around here. You are nothin'. Ye here me? Nothin' " Atria taunted while standing above her. Not one to let advantages slip by, Atria bent down and pummeled Corey's ribs and collarbone until she was gasping to break free and screaming because the pain was so intense and brutal. . .
~~~~~~
Jack tried to push his way into the middle of the crowd, but he couldn't find an opening to slip through. It was as if his presence, his part in this scene had been forgotton as the fight between the girl and Atria had erupted. Desperation filled him, a feeling unknown to his usual laidback nonchalance, but he knew that as surely as the girl needed help; he knew that no one in that drunken mass would defend her and that most likely she'd be beaten to death unless she got out of there. Jack wasn't sure why he felt he had to jump in and save the girl, after all she had given him a bloody nose, but somehow he knew that that was unintentional; most likely it was a reflex on her part because he'd startled her. She needed someone; he could tell just by looking into her eyes- jade, and so sad and yet so fiery. She was special- and she needed him.
Finally finding an opening, he pushed aside some men and grabbed onto Atria's arms that were swinging madly. Pulling her away from the mob of people, Jack felt relief overcome him; the hardest part was over. Moreso, the fight was over and soon everyone would disperse. Sure enough, his predictions were correct and the men, with their entertainment now gone began to sit back down at their tables and resume their consumption of alcohol, of course not before getting in one last kick or spit at the girl's crumpled figure. Damn, she looked to be in a worse state than thought. . .
"Jack," Atria's throaty voice purred, "don't tell me you're actually sidin' against me. Don't ye think your doing that could put a damper on our evening?" she asked suggestively.
Jack looked at Atria's pretty face and raven hair and despite its beauty, all he could see was a hag and he was disgusted suddenly by her innuendo.
"Ye are," he began, his voice fake with admiration, "ev'rything she said ye are- a whore," Jack finished with a sneer. Turning he bent over the still form of the girl, noticing for the first time the pool of blood that blended in with the dirty floors. Cursing under his breath he gingerly picked Corey's unmoving figure up and placed her in his arms and carried her out of the tavern and into the night.
"What the hell is going on here?" Atria hissed at Corey. Not waiting for a response she continued her tirade all the while getting angrier and angrier. Corey opened her mouth to explain, to apologize for her obscene display when she realized that she had done nothing wrong in protecting herself; she shouldn't have to be sorry, and hell, she knew she was going to lose her job; why leave meek and cowered into a corner?
Everything seemed to be warped and blurred as the people in the room faded and Corey remained alone with her thoughts. Propriety, respectability, dignity- all were part of her past; it was time to lay it to rest. This was a different world- a tough world and to be weak meant death and she did not want to fall victim to it. However as much as she needed her job at Atria's tavern, there was nothing to be done and she was at peace with that. This knowledge filled her with a strength she was just coming to terms with and slowly a smirk formed on her face as she turned to face her opponent.
"What's going on here you say?" Corey sneered, "You call me stupid, you call me slow and yet you're obviously more dimwitted than you would like to believe. Well, I'm so sorry for your disability so I shall explain. You see, this 'gentleman' obviously had a little to much to drink and his hand accidently slipped and ripped half of my dress off," she continued as sarcasm filled her voice with every word.
"Don't try to act superior to me girl; ya place is in the gutter and it's only a miracle that I've kept ya here as long as I have. Why, ya ask? Well, call it pity for your pathetic situation; lord knows ye need ev'ry shillin' and ev'ry coin your little claws can git a hold of" Atria shot back in an attempt to humiliate Corey. The attempt, instead of humbling her into a subserviant manner, fueled the fire of hatred for everything her life had become.
"Double standards, don't you think? It is alright for these drunken bums to brawl and cause damage that I have cleaned and yet when one of those men try to damage me, I have no right to defend myself. Do you expect me to put up with it? I am not a whore and I refuse to be treated as one. You may tolerate men touching you because that's the only affection you receive, but I have pride and self value and I won't sell out just because I'm alone. You are nothing but a used, soiled toy that soon no one will want to waste their time, or in your case, their money on. I may be alone, madam but at least I can gain the satisfaction knowing that I actually worked instead of taking the easy way out."
Corey's last words hung heavily in the air as everyone in the tavern watched, mouth agape; no one ever defied or insulted Atria without facing severe effects. Titters filled the room as they waited for the inevitable. The inevitable came. . .
"Why you lil' scoundral-" With those words Atria swung her fist at Corey, her physical strength clearly superior for Corey fell to the floor. Refusing to remain on the ground in her submissive state, Corey gripped a table to pull herself off and met a hand of a drunk who shoved her back to the ground, obviously joining forces with Atria. It was soon apparent to Corey that she was alone; none of those men would help her. Why would they? She was a mere barmaid who'd only been working there for a short time while Atria owned the joint and had for some time. Despite her jumbled thoughts, Corey continued to try to get a bit of leverage but all seemed futile. Every time she'd grip a table, a chair, something, she'd be pushed down.
"Think ye can still mess with me and git away with it? Don't forget I control things around here. You are nothin'. Ye here me? Nothin' " Atria taunted while standing above her. Not one to let advantages slip by, Atria bent down and pummeled Corey's ribs and collarbone until she was gasping to break free and screaming because the pain was so intense and brutal. . .
~~~~~~
Jack tried to push his way into the middle of the crowd, but he couldn't find an opening to slip through. It was as if his presence, his part in this scene had been forgotton as the fight between the girl and Atria had erupted. Desperation filled him, a feeling unknown to his usual laidback nonchalance, but he knew that as surely as the girl needed help; he knew that no one in that drunken mass would defend her and that most likely she'd be beaten to death unless she got out of there. Jack wasn't sure why he felt he had to jump in and save the girl, after all she had given him a bloody nose, but somehow he knew that that was unintentional; most likely it was a reflex on her part because he'd startled her. She needed someone; he could tell just by looking into her eyes- jade, and so sad and yet so fiery. She was special- and she needed him.
Finally finding an opening, he pushed aside some men and grabbed onto Atria's arms that were swinging madly. Pulling her away from the mob of people, Jack felt relief overcome him; the hardest part was over. Moreso, the fight was over and soon everyone would disperse. Sure enough, his predictions were correct and the men, with their entertainment now gone began to sit back down at their tables and resume their consumption of alcohol, of course not before getting in one last kick or spit at the girl's crumpled figure. Damn, she looked to be in a worse state than thought. . .
"Jack," Atria's throaty voice purred, "don't tell me you're actually sidin' against me. Don't ye think your doing that could put a damper on our evening?" she asked suggestively.
Jack looked at Atria's pretty face and raven hair and despite its beauty, all he could see was a hag and he was disgusted suddenly by her innuendo.
"Ye are," he began, his voice fake with admiration, "ev'rything she said ye are- a whore," Jack finished with a sneer. Turning he bent over the still form of the girl, noticing for the first time the pool of blood that blended in with the dirty floors. Cursing under his breath he gingerly picked Corey's unmoving figure up and placed her in his arms and carried her out of the tavern and into the night.