Work Text:
The night was filled with excitement within the small tavern of the village that Wilbur and his group was traveling through. Like most taverns, the night was always most preferred when visiting one. And so Wilbur was drinking, as were his friends, some more so than others.
“Oi! Wilbur! You should play a song!” Connor slurred out, more sober than the others, which really wasn’t much to said about. Wilbur laughed and shook his head.
“No, I’m good mate!” Wilbur cackled, but apparently, that wasn’t the last of it.
“Give it a shot Loverboy! Women like a man who can play!” Schlatt inquired, jabbing the man in the shoulder. Wilbur shot him a look.
“Who says I wanna impress a girl?” Wilbur asked, a cocky smirk lifted onto his face. Schlatt rolled his eyes.
“Well whatever ya want man! Just play!” Schlatt was always the heavy drinker in the trio. Wilbur sighed, his guitar was seated next to him, too large to properly sit in the wooden chairs with it on his back.
Well, he was already drunk. Why not?
Wilbur set his guitar up, hearing the hollering support of his friends, which only prompted him to get more excited. A long array of songs plastered through his mind, thinking about which song was to be sung tonight.
He hoisted himself onto the table, a set of strings being played to gain the attention of the boisterous tavern, in which once they realized there would be entertainment, they quieted down. Something about the way that the tavern had grown silent just because of Wilbur, made him feel powerful.
And so he took a deep breath, ignoring the cheers of his friends, and started to play. Sure, a little mistakes here or there, seeing as he was drunk off his ass, but once he got more in tuned with the instrument, he swiftly gained the full attention of the tavern.
He wasn’t playing anything with lyrics, none of his singing for tonight, but he played whatever he was feeling. Letting whatever note come next, he didn’t really know what he was playing, he was just stringing the guitar however he wanted.
Apparently, it was soft enough for some of the crowd to start dancing with the people they were around. Wilbur saw the people begin to softly dance with one another, all faces of laughter and joy. Something else about that, made Wilbur feel so powerful. He could make people happy, and that was important to him.
That was when he saw her.
The soft red locks should’ve been more obvious to him when he first arrived in the tavern, and to only see them now, well, he certainly felt like a fool.
Her eyes were gentle auburn, staring happily at the man on the table who seemed to be making a fool of himself. Her dress was a light salmon colour, and her ears, almost like fins, were perched in amusement.
When Wilbur stared at her, she smiled at him. That sent flares into Wilbur’s heart. Something he’d never felt before. The obvious confusing in his face must’ve been obvious, as she started to laugh. Wilbur couldn’t hear it over the playing of his guitar and the soft murmurs of the crowd as they danced with one another, but he could only guess that it was beautiful.
A surge to dance with her was prominent.
Schlatt and Connor had been laughing in their seats, enjoying the way that the tavern had seemed to light up, but Wilbur wasn’t paying attention.
Wilbur was paying attention to the beautiful barmaid who was smiling at him so gently. He smiled back at her.
He focused back onto his guitar, wanting to play and finish the song so that he may talk to the barmaid that was leaning against the counter. A greedy part of him hoped that she was waiting for him, but Wilbur had to be realistic.
The dancing started to recite as Wilbur started to slowly finish the song. He made sure that there was still enough of a finishing line for the couples who were all dancing with one another, but he felt so impatient.
A roar of cheers and clapping echoed through Wilbur’s ears when the song had finished. Wilbur took a humble bow, jumping off the table with force.
He didn’t wait for the chatter of his friends before Wilbur was off, heading towards the counter, where he had seen the beautiful barmaid.
Red hair swept through the crowd, and Wilbur followed it. He’d at least have to get her name, or else he felt as though he’d regret it for the rest of his life. The red haired barmaid finally stopped near the wall of the tavern, which Wilbur hadn’t noticed, but it seemed to hide the two people.
“Well hello.” The barmaid spoke, which Wilbur was finally able to hear. It didn’t sound like a melody, it didn’t sound like all those stories where he heard of pretty women speaking with gentle voices. In fact, it sounded a bit hardened, an unknown accent thick on her lips. Wilbur found himself preferring that than of a gentle voice.
“Hello.” Wilbur found himself saying, standing abit awkwardly. The barmaid laughed.
“You seem to have a good music taste.” The barmaid seemed to tease, causing Wilbur to blush.
“Simply my job.” He laughed somberly. The barmaid nodded, crossing her arms around her chest.
“And what job would that be?” The barmaid questioned. Wilbur felt as though this was more of an interrogation than an actual interaction, but he didn’t find himself minding. Perhaps he was still too drunk to be considered sobered enough to deal with this.
“I’m a traveler. Me and my mates, we travel around, doing deals, shows, anything really. As long as we get a bit of coin.”
“Your mates?”
“My friends at my table.” Wilbur jabbed a finger towards the general direction of where he had left his friends. The barmaid nodded at that. She brushed her hair out of her face, a gentle blush upon her face.
“My name is Wilbur.” Wilbur introduced himself, holding his hand out, palm flat.
“I’m Sally.” Sally’s hand extended towards Wilbur’s, which he kissed the top of her hand softly. She seemed to chuckle softly at the action.
“WILBUR!” A name in the crowd made Wilbur jump, as well as Sally. Wilbur looked down on himself sheepishly.
“That would be my friends, I better check up on them.” Wilbur coughed, embarrassed. Sally nodded in understandment. Just as Wilbur was about to walk away, a hand swiftly met his. He glance back towards the barmaid, which now that Wilbur was so close, he realized that she had scales, as well as a fish tail behind her.
“I-I-“ Sally started to speak, and Wilbur gave her all the time she needed, he wasn’t in a rush. “I- Would you play for me one of these days? Depending on how long you’re staying?” Wilbur was surprised by the question. He felt himself go red. A true deep red.
“Of course.” Wilbur nodded, voice as soft as he could make it. The shining lights in Sally’s eyes really made that answer worth it. The way she laughed as she walked back, perhaps to get back to work.
Wilbur made his way through the tavern, only to be stopped by Schlatt.
“Dude! The fuck, you disappeared on us!” Schlatt grumbled, he didn’t seem angry, just drunk.
“What’s the name of this town again?” Wilbur questioned, realizing now that he had forgotten it quite a while ago.
“What? I dunno, L’manburg or some shit, why?” Schlatt answered. Wilbur could tell the man was going to have a horrible hangover in the morning. A grin grew on Wilbur’s face.
“L’manburg, huh?” He glanced around the tavern, his eyes stuck on the red hair that belonged to the wonderful Sally.
“I think…” Wilbur started; a flash of the unknown entered his mind. Actions he hadn’t made yet. Stories he had yet to tell. People he was soon to know. Worlds he was to explore. All of which he had no idea, no knowledge of, until when they appear. “I think…” Wars for worlds. Creatures to fight. Beasts to slay. Friends to kill. Betrayal by friends. Loss. Victory. Happiness. Despair. Anger. Reclamation. Death. Life. Wilbur smiled.
“I think I want to stay.”