"There was a rock avalanche which just blocked us into the valley with the ogres." The tankard of ale resounded onto the table as Lot looked up at the splash which was already there on her newly pressed apron. It was never clean after she had done her night shift at the pub. It was dirty like everything around them. Always there was a slight bit of blood. She didn't just have the humans to worry about as now there were ogres everywhere come to join in on the drinking and devilry.
Only she was brave enough to serve them.
She knew they were the people who had come to kill them, but she hoped for this small kindness that she and her ailing son could be spared. She really hoped her adventuring husband had survived the last dungeon raid to be able to be here for them. There life would have been so much different if only she could pull everything together.
She turned then heading back to the bar where she could see her boss leaning over the wood tab to look at her. "You know you would probably get better tips if you loosened your blouse a little bit, Lot. I know you got something good in there that a lot of the ogres would really like."
Lot shook her head. "I'm not interested in doing anything more than giving out mead and meals."
"But I need to get more gold from the ogres. It's not like any of us is getting out of here because of that rock avalanche. There is always a need to be prepared in case I need to have a funeral. I have no family to make sure that I'm buried well. I might as well pay the ogres."
Lot's chest heaved as she put the orders and the meads and ales onto her platter. Both of her hands were full as she tried to keep from rolling her eyes. It didn't matter to her anymore when men would try to talk to her like this. It was still exhausting when she got to dealing with it again.
"I can manage it all myself, thank you sir. I'm sure it's not too difficult to do it. And even if it is difficult then I need to try. I need to try . . ."
"Oh Lot, I don't mean it like that…"
How did you mean it? Lot wanted to say. But Lot had already turned around at the raucous gathering of men who were singing beer songs and starting to throw their daggers at the ale barrel. She could tell it was going to get a lot worse before it got much better. She made eye contact with the guard to put a stop to it while the owner was looking down a bar maid's dress.
She sighed as she check the timing. It was sweet salvation as she rushed over to the bar and rushed into the backroom.
Lot put her hand over her heart as she felt it beating wildly. She then locked the door behind her as she heard the raucous shout of the ogres as they started beating their ale against the table. It wasn't her problem anymore to deal with their grimy hands and their curses.
She changed quickly checking the time again before she unlocked the door. She looked much more drab now, as she was covered in several layers of shawls and petticoats. Lot's son had often told her that she looked like a mushroom with all the layers of red and brown. She thought about him as she tightened the shawl around her head, and left through the back entrance.
She lit one of the lamps on the back awning and then taking the handle it was attached to, she started to walk down the long twisting path. This path was one that was not frequently by his patrons as it was the way to the dungeon. Lot shivered a bit as she briefly imagined what the ogres would look like in battle. Their horns were strange on their strangely colored bald heads.
I can't think about this, Lot thought to herself, I have to get home to my family as soon as possible. She only had a short dagger to protect herself.