Now then!

Since Julia has had two entire sessions to tell her version of events, it’s now time for me to take over again.

We all know that you love the excitement and pure awesomeness I bring to the party.

Of course you’re awesome dear, just in a different way.

Anyway, in this session I’m going to tell you about my first shift in the bar, and how it led to some abuse from Julia, of course completely unnecessary.

Of course it was unnecessary my dear, I clearly didn’t flirt with anyone.

I did not!

Julia seems to think that me being friendly with people is me flirting with them.

So what if the people I was friendly with were a couple of very pretty elves, that doesn’t mean I was flirting with them.

I’m not that kind of man.

Anyway, that’s enough of an opener for you guys I guess, otherwise we’re going to be told we ramble on for too long before we get going.

***

So after my meeting with Worick I had a little bit of time to prepare myself for my first shift at the bar.

By that I don’t mean that I had to prepare myself emotionally for the huge amount of people I would have to communicate with that night.

Because as you know, I’m an excellent communicator.

But I could go and do my spot cleaning again— I was really craving a bath though.

And about an hour later I was standing behind the brand new bar, waiting for our first patrons.

About another hour later the rush started to stream in, and surprisingly they actually chose to spend some time at the bar before finding tables for their meals.

I say it was surprising, but actually I wasn’t surprised at all, I mean if you saw a charming man such as myself behind a bar, wouldn’t you choose to spend some time there instead of rushing toward a table?

My very first customer was actually a very friendly middle aged elf, who introduced himself as one of the farmers that lived on the outskirts of the village.

Obviously he thanked me profusely for getting rid of that damned tiger for them, and just continued to tell me how awesome I am.

Which we all of course knew even before he told me, so I just played it off.

Naturally I wasn’t playing it off because all of the compliments were making me nervous as hell, and I just wanted them to stop coming.

No, no, no, that had nothing to do with it at all, as you know I’m a very confident person who absolutely loves compliments.

Within moments my little corner bar in the waiting room of the inn’s diner was packed with customers.

I was running around like a headless chicken trying to serve everyone, very elegantly and composed of course.

I poured wine and ale in that time that made me feel like it was going to start running from my ears in a while.

Finally when everyone who was in the waiting room was served things started to calm down for me for a bit, which is of course when people wanted to start talking to me.

Now as you know, that is the space and environment I am the most comfortable in.

So obviously, it’s also where my most charming self emerged for the night.

"How did you know that the underbelly of the tiger was its weakpoint?"

"How many elements do you have affinities with?"

"How long have you practiced magic to become that proficient?"

"Can you teach me magic?"

The questions just kept on piling up, I didn’t even get a moment to answer one question before the next one was already asked.

Of course I stayed perfectly composed and calm throughout the entire interrogation, not for a moment did I start drinking because I was feeling overwhelmed.

Not at all!

The only reason I started drinking was because I wanted to, no other reason.

As I downed a glass of wine, just so I could get myself on the same wavelength as my customers, I felt a small hand squeeze mine.

I looked to my side to find Julia standing there looking up at me with those beautiful blue eyes of hers.

Now if you ask me how she even got behind the bar, or right next to me for that matter, I couldn’t tell you.

I was definitely not drunk enough that anyone could simply sneak up to me like that.

But I’d have to say that those eyes of hers, and the softness of her hand definitely had a calming effect on me.

With her hand in mine I started answering the questions one by one, some of them I answered completely honestly, and with the others I might have twisted the truth a bit.

Within minutes I had charmed everyone there, naturally.

I told them the story of me heroically saving Julia.

How we had battled our way to the village.

How my natural charm had won her over.

My stories had them eating out of the palm of my hand after a couple of hours.

"Can I get you another drink, my lady?" I asked the charming elf lady sitting in front of me.

She wore a dress that accentuated her rather... generous proportions quite beautifully, but of course being the gentleman I am, I pretended not to notice this at all.

"That would be very kind of you, my good sir." She responded wearing a smile that could melt the poles of earth.

I poured her another glass of wine, with the charm and elegant movements of an absolute professional.

Of course how was I supposed to know that she would lightly caress my hand as she handed me the copper coin.

It’s not like I could rip my hand away... that would be very unprofessional.

It’s not like that move from her had me blushing, and goosebumps covering my entire arm.

I absolutely did not enjoy the touch at all.

But apparently Julia didn’t see any of that my way, because in the next moment she had ripped my hand from the caress of that beautiful elven lady.

"I would suggest that you keep your hands to yourself you elven who—"

"Now, now, my love." I interrupted her before she could start slandering my customers.

Obviously I thought that me calling her ’my love’ before all of these people would calm her down, but I learned just how wrong I was when she gave me a glare that would freeze those melted poles right back up.

And along with that look came a fist in the side that felt like it had cracked a few of my ribs.

"Don’t you dare call me ’my love’ you philanderer." she whispered in my ear, as I keeled over.

I have to admit that her skill in abusing me without anyone even noticing was fantastic.

To our customers it looked like I was leaning down to give her a hug.

Which of course made me look like the romantic and charming person, I actually am, to them.

But in that moment all I could feel was my lungs trying their damndest to draw in a breath, without any success, and Julia softly caressing the back of my head.

"I think that we should start training you in close combat from tomorrow," she whispered in my ear. "You might have been able to outmaneuver that tiger with magic, but the moment someone gets close to you you’re as helpless as a child."

Now this might seem like a very generous offer from her.

But I doubt you would feel that way if you were in my shoes, and heard the tone of voice she used at that moment.

To me those words sounded like a death sentence had been passed.

A shiver ran up the length of my spine, and it was definitely not the same shiver I always had when Julia was around me.