A/N
Thanks for your patience everyone. I'll be putting the next chapter up shortly, I promise. Just trying to make it as accurate as I can, so it's taking a little while to get some of the minor details done. Hope you enjoy!
The tavern was fairly simplistic in design as they stood in the entrance way of the main floor. To their immediate left was a corner table with a fireplace a few feet behind it. To their right was the main dining area. It was an open concept room with square tables and chairs spread out across the floor.
The bar itself was located directly in front of them against the back wall. It wasn't the typical long bar that had come to be associated with modern day taverns but was a cage bar instead. It essentially formed a small room against the back wall with a high counter top. Bars would extend from the counter top to the ceiling, forming a cage, with a small window for the bartender to stand at. Then after last call they could seal the bar off completely by closing the window, ensuring that no one could steal the liquor that was behind the bar. There was a door behind the bar that led to a private room where the bartender would emerge from when they were ready to serve drinks.
To the left of the bar was a staircase leading to the second floor while to the right of the bar, a little further down the wall, was set of double doors that led to the kitchen.
It was extremely busy in the tavern tonight as almost every table was full, filled mainly with white men, both young and old, as they appeared to be engaged in heated conversations, creating a steady hum in the room. The barmaids were being kept busy as they were moving from table to table, bringing food and refreshing drinks.
"And once again I'm the only black man in the room. Terrific." Rufus muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as the three of them were getting a few stares.
"If we want to avoid drawing attention I should probably wait outside. . ." he began as Lucy spun around to face him, shaking her head vehemently to the side.
"No, absolutely not. You are not waiting out there by yourself. You're much safer in here with us, trust me."she replied as Rufus saw a look of fear flash across her face.
"Do I want to know what's got you so spooked?" he asked as Lucy let out a deep breath.
"Slave traders. It didn't matter if you were a free man or . . . belonged to someone else. They'd take whoever they could find, so wandering around by yourself right now is out of the question. It's just. . .it's just best you stay close." she said, giving him a tight lipped smile.
"Fantastic. Have I told you already how much I hate this century?" Rufus grumbled as a barmaid started towards them. stopping in front of them as she gave them a smile. She looked young, no older than twenty, with dark curly brown hair tucked underneath a white cap. She was dressed in a similar fashion to Lucy but her clothes were a little more tattered and a dull brown color.
She was petite girl, short as well as thin, had a small round face with rosy cheeks and bright green eyes.
"Good morrow to you sir. I offer my humble apology for the wait. We art busy in hither tonight as thou can see." she said, smiling shyly at Wyatt.
"Tis no problem. Is there anything available? We hath traveled quite far and are very hungry." he asked, flashing her a smile as she blushed ever so slightly. Lucy couldn't help but roll her eyes as she fought back a quick pang of jealousy at the interaction. Completely irrational? Sure, but it was still there. Which irritated her even more. . .
"Alloweth me see what I can doth. The barmaid said, walking away hastily as Wyatt looked over at Lucy and Rufus.
"What?" he said defensively as Rufus was chuckling.
"Must be nice having women do whatever you want by just smiling at them." he replied.
"Hey, I'm just trying to help us out. Besides, how is it any different than Lucy flirting with Ian Fleming to get him to help us?" Wyatt replied shooting a glance over at Lucy and grinning as she was looking at him with an indignant expression on her face.
"I did no such thing, he was flirting with me!" she protested as she folded her arms across her chest, Wyatt raising an eyebrow at her.
"I. . ." She faltered slightly as she looked over at Rufus was also looking at her skeptically.
"Okay fine. Maybe I flirted a little to get him to help us." she admitted.
"But can you blame me? He was charming and dashing and those eyes. . . ." she trailed off, a small smile on her face as she was reminiscing while the grin slowly faded off of Wyatt's face.
Truth be told, he'd been a little jealous when Fleming had been hitting on Lucy. It had sent his protective gear into overdrive watching Fleming try and put the moves on her and he hadn't liked it one bit. For some reason ever since he'd met Lucy he'd felt this overwhelming desire to protect her, to keep her safe that went far beyond his duty as a soldier. He didn't know what it all meant yet but for now, he needed to push these feelings aside if he wanted to stay focused on stopping Flynn once and for all. Once they did that then maybe he could figure out just what Lucy meant to him. . .
"Alright, can we just get back to the matter at hand please?" Wyatt interrupted, snapping Lucy out of her reverie as she cleared her throat, nodding her head in agreement.
"You're right, we need to focus." Lucy replied as the young barmaid reappeared, standing in front of them once more.
"Thither is a table over there. . ." she began, pointing off to a table to their right, tucked away in a corner.
"Wilt. . ." she trailed off, looking over at Rufus and then back to Wyatt.
". . .he beest eating with thee? Tis most unusual." she said as Wyatt tensed up at the comment, anger beginning to build.
Lucy could see that he was about to say something that he'd most likely regret and so she slide her arm through his, gently squeezing his arm to remind him to take a breath as she looked at the young barmaid.
"He wilt. He is our servant and travels everywhere with us. My husband and I are quite fond of him." She replied, emphasizing husband as the young woman's face fell slightly.
Rufus couldn't help but smile slightly at Lucy's passive aggressiveness. She might appear timid at times but she was definitely a force to be reckoned with.
"I see. Wend ahead and taketh a seat. I'll beest with thee at which hour I can." She replied as she hurried off towards the kitchens.
"Look you guys, I understand how . . . troubling their attitudes are but we can't let it get to us. Let's just grab a seat and focus on finding Elizabeth okay?" Lucy replied softly as Rufus nodded his head.
"Alright, let's do this. The sooner we find Flynn, the sooner we get out of this hellhole." he replied.
"Agreed." Wyatt said as the three of them began to walk towards their table.
As they began to approach it, an older man suddenly stood up from his table and stepped into the aisle, blocking their path. His eyes were bloodshot as he was swaying ever so slightly on his feet, displaying signs of being intoxicated. He wore an outfit similar to Wyatt's but was dressed in navy blue. He had brown hair that fell to his shoulders, a pudgy face and small, beady brown eyes.
"If thee wilt excuse us. . ." Wyatt began, making a motion to move past him but the man wouldn't move out of the way. He stood his ground, a smirk on his face as he looked over Wyatt's shoulder at Rufus.
"Thee art early. The auction for slaves isn't until next week." He replied, his voice slightly slurred. Rufus looked down at his feet trying to avoid eye contact as he clenched his fists tightly at his side. As much as he wanted to sock this jackass in the mouth, he knew the mission came first and so he kept himself in check.
Wyatt, on the other hand, did not as he had had enough and he was going to do something about it. He knew Lucy had warned them to remain calm and not let it get to them but this was too much. . .
He grabbed the man by the front of his shirt, pulling him towards him.
"What didst thee say?" Wyatt demanded angrily, the man turning to look at Lucy.
"Woman control thine husband!"" He demanded as Lucy looked at him in disbelief.
"Excuse me?" She began but was interrupted by a female voice calling out to them.
"What is going on hither? I wilt not has't fighting in mine tavern!"
Lucy and Rufus turned to see a young woman coming walking towards them hastily, an angry expression on her face. A man trailed quickly behind her, as he appeared to be about the same age.
"This man insulted mine servant and mine wife." Wyatt explained as he let go of the man, giving him a slight shove backwards.
"He doesn't belong in hither." The man sneered, pointing towards Rufus.
"The only person who doesn't belong in hither is thee. Thee art clearly intoxicated and it's time for thee to wend. If thee don't leeveth, mine husband Thomas wilt throweth thee out." The young woman replied, gesturing towards the man standing next to her as he folded his arms across his chest, leveling a glare at the drunk man.
The drunk man put his hands in the air, pushing past all of them as he made his way towards the exit, grumbling and muttering as he went.
The young woman turned to face them, an apologetic look on her face.
She looked to be in her mid to late twenties with blonde hair that hung lose in waves past her shoulders as she had no cap on to cover her head. She was tall and thin, with a heart shaped face, soft chin and sharp, piercing blue eyes.
Her husband was tall as well, around six feet, and muscular. He had a square face, ridiculously well defined cheekbones and a strong, sturdy jawline. He had dark brown hair, warm brown eyes and a small scar just above his left eyebrow.
"I apologize for that man's behavior. Not all of us think bethink like him." She said, offering an apologetic smile as she looked at the three of them.
"Tis no worry." Wyatt replied, giving her a warm smile in response.
"If't b true thee needeth anything, just asketh." She replied as she turned to walk away.
"Actually we doth. Art thee Elizabeth Very by chance?" Lucy asked hastily as the young woman turned around to face them once again.
"Aye, that's me. What of it?" She asked.
"We wast hoping to speaketh with thee actually." Lucy replied.
"And who art thou?" Thomas interrupted, folding his arms across his chest defensively as the couple looked at the three of them.
Lucy and Wyatt exchanged slightly panicked looks as they hadn't come up with names yet. Slight oversight on their part. . .
"Mine name is. . . " Wyatt began, trailing off as he struggled to come up with a name. Suddenly an idea popped into his head that he knew Lucy wasn't going to like, but he couldn't wait any longer.
". . . .Darrin Stephens. This is mine wife Samantha. . ." Wyatt began, gesturing at Lucy as she was trying extremely hard not to glare angrily at him, forcing a smile instead as she looked at Elizabeth and Thomas.
". . .and our servant Rufus." Wyatt finished as Rufus placed a hand over his mouth, trying to hide a smile.
"I'm a sheriff from a neighboring village. We art looking for a dangerous criminal that has escaped and believe that he hath come here. We wast hoping to speaketh with thee to see if thee might beest able to help us findeth him but I'd rather we talk in private so as not to beest overheard." Wyatt explained, Elizabeth and Thomas exchanging wary looks before looking back at the three of them.
"Alright. Followeth us into the kitchen. We can talk more in thither." Elizabeth replied as Wyatt nodded, the three of them trailing after Elizabeth and Thomas as they led them towards the kitchen. . .