Perfume

Hybrid Fairy

Note: Well, Eve is here! Ellen will be next chapter. (She's my favorite, so I'm saving her.) Then I'll be done with this little series forever! –dance- I love you all, really, but I'm suffering from writer's block, and using what little inspiration I have to wrap things up in my stories.

Thank you for all your support. You guys rock my world. Do me a favor, and check out my other Harvest Moon story (a Next-Gen. Fic!) which is seriously lacking in reviews.

"So, what'll it be, sirrah?"

She tended to slur after a couple of drinks, and it was nearing around 12, which was her peak time. She was saucy and lewd sometimes, garbed in that tight scarlet dress, the sleek coils of golden hair resting upon her creamy shoulders. She was easily described as beautiful, but the man sitting in the corner considered her goddess-like.

He had been watching the barmaid with very little interest until she'd given off a deliciously golden laugh, and the drunkard near him had pointed out the beauty she possessed, and suddenly, he'd found himself entranced. He was new in the town, and each girl's beauty surpassed the next. Clearly, this had to be the last girl, because he was sure if he found another one, she'd be the actual Higher Being, or something or other.

And now she was standing at his side, hand on shapely hip, hair tossed haughtily over one shoulder. Her breasts were pressed up against his shoulder, and he flushed slightly as she leaned over, breathing into his neck. She smelled of some rare perfume, perhaps primroses or lilacs.

"The wine," he said glibly, feigning control. "Thank you."

She nodded, winking at him as she took his order, hips swaying side-to-side. He studied the sultry way she walked, the flash of murky blue eyes as her lids settled over them.

He glanced around blearily until she came back with a mug of hot wine, topped with a cinnamon stick. It was a custom of the town he wasn't used to, so he hid the stick in his pocket, sipping his wine. The barmaid watched him, still standing there, an expectant smile on her face.

"How is it, sir? You like it?" she said, giggling. He watched her mouth curve, red as blood, exposing the straight white teeth she possessed. He gave a quiet smile in return, sipping his wine.

"It's good," he said simply, turning to face her. "It's unlike anything I've ever had."

"Of course!" the barmaid said jubilantly. "We're famous for our wine, sirrah." She gave a gentle laugh, and a girly 'hic!' escaped her mouth. Drunk as she was, she still had the grace to blush.

"I'm Jack," he said, taking another long drink. "I'm the new farmer here."

"Oh, that's YOU?" the barmaid said, scrutinizing him. "Aren't you a bit young, Jack?"

"I'm twenty-six," came the dry reply. "Thanks for the warm welcome."

The barmaid didn't apologize, only squished herself into the seat opposite Jack. "I'm Eve. Barmaid." She said this in a matter-of-fact way, and Jack still felt himself entranced by her beauty. "At least we have some fresh men in this place." She gestured toward the drunk, who gave several hiccoughing laughs before slumping over his table. Jack averted his eyes.

"Not many young people here, huh?" Jack managed to say, feeling the wine get to his head. "Only those other four girls?"

Eve nodded grimly, tossing her thick hair behind a shoulder. "We were starting to wonder when we'd get someone new around here." She coughed into her hands; Jack noted they were large, which contrasted with her petite figure. "Nobody to marry around here, you know?" She hic'd again, not giving another blue, and dug her nail into the grime of the table.

"It's getting late," Jack said, feeling slightly uncomfortable by the direction of subject. "I'll be going now."

"Suit yourself," Eve said, standing up; then she offered her hand to him. He took it, expecting a handshake, but she curled herself around his body, giving him a quick hug. He blinked in surprise, the pungent scent of primroses reaching his nose.

Eve noticed his reaction. "It's my grandma's perfume," she explained. "I keep a bottle, but these were my last drops. I don't think they make anymore."

He nodded, as if understanding. "I'm sorry. Do you use other perfumes?"

"Yeah," she said, suddenly becoming rather shy. She turned her face from him, and he could see the scarlet flames on her cheeks. "But I wanted to use the last drops to make a good impression on you."

Jack glanced at her unsurely, and exited the bar with a good-bye to the bartender. Eve sighed, as if the night had gone wrong, then curtly ordered a mug of beer, which she quickly downed.

She was going to be surprised when she woke up the next morning and saw the little rose bottle on her dresser. She was going to be even more surprised when she saw the little card:

I heard you needed more perfume. Pretty girls should always smell good.

-Jack

She wouldn't be surprised when she felt her heart soar.

Author's Note: I considered that mediocre at best. I have no idea why I called it perfume, but it just popped into my head. Grr. I'm losing my touch you guys. Help encourage me. I desperately need beta-readers... or a muse. xx;