The Old Tavern

By

Docker5000

Introductory

This story is set in mediaeval times; it revolves around a Tavern where the two owners try everything.

They can do to keep the Tavern open.

Even if sometimes they must go to extreme measures.

Joseph is the landlord he is a strong ex-soldier who inherited the Tavern from his late uncle when he died.

He is ten years older than his beautiful wife.

He runs the Tavern with his beautiful red headed wife Maria, Maria's temper is as fiery as her hair and her beauty is unmatched in the area, many a drunken Tavern patrons dream of her and her womanly body every night after a heavy drinking session.

Chapter 1

The New Tax

The day began as normally as any other day at the Tavern.

Joseph awoke when a cockerel sounded,

He looked over at his wife who was still sleeping peacefully.

Joseph gently kissed her on the cheek.

She stared in her sleep, but she did not wake up.

Maria his wife could sleep for a couple more hours, as she had worked very hard last night. The weather had turned bad and several parties of travellers had decided to stay the night they did not want to risk the storms.

The night had been profitable for Joseph. He had rented out every one of his rooms and a few people even had to sleep with their horses in the stables.

But Joseph was not a greedy or a mean man and he did not charge those who stayed in the stables.

In fact, he provided them with free food and drink.

People who were able to pay, paid a little bit more at Joseph's Tavern.

Those who couldn't, paid very little or sometimes nothing.

That's why the Tavern was always in need of money.

Maria his wife had told him he was too kind-hearted to be an innkeeper.

Joseph would just smile at his wife.

But Joseph was trying to be kind.

Before he was an innkeeper he served many years as a soldier and in his mind, he committed cruelty on the orders of his superior officers.

Joseph was trying to repent and make amends by being as kind and gentle in his normal life as he could be.

Joseph spent the next few hours doing the daily chores that always needed doing in a Tavern especially a Tavern as old as this one. Joseph was now stood behind the bar he had a cloth in his hands, and he was lovingly polishing the wood of the large bar.

Joseph now looked up when he heard the bell on the front door ring, a small brass bell was fitted to the main door so Joseph could hear when customers came and went out of the Tavern.

Joseph now looked toward the door to see who was coming into his Tavern this early in the morning.

It wasn't unusual for travellers to wander in at this time of the morning, seeking to warm themselves by the fire and maybe have a bit of breakfast.

However, Joseph's face darkened when he saw who had just entered his Tavern.

The man who now entered the Tavern, everyone in the area knew him.

He was 60 years old, scar on his cheek and he was richly dressed in official robes, a gold chain of office around his neck.

And two soldiers wearing the King's uniform behind him, their hands resting to easily for Joseph's liking, on the hilts of their swords.

Joseph knew what kind of soldiers they were, mercenaries who would sell their souls and swords to whoever paid the most.

Joseph forces himself to smile, Joseph now says to the man on the other side of the bar.

“My Lord HighTower, what a pleasure may I offer you and your guards a glass of my finest wine free of course.”

Lord Hightower just looks at Joseph intently for several seconds more, he still says nothing.

Lord Hightower now gives Joseph a smile, but there's no warmth in his smile and his eyes keep locked on Joseph intently.

“My dear Joseph” says Lord Hightower,

“a glass of your wine would be gratefully accepted and maybe a piece of your wife's famous homemade apple pie.

As for my guards they have a job to do for me.”

He now looks at the guards, the guards nod to him. Both guards now turn and leave the tavern.

Lord Hightower returns his gaze back to Joseph.

“I will be sat at the table near the fire please send my drink and food across to me, thank you Joseph.”

He then gets up and goes across the bar room and settles himself near the fire. The people who were sat at that table, quickly dispersed to other tables around the barroom.

Joseph continues to smile at Lord Hightower, but his grip on the bar cloth tightens.

Joseph’s hand now more out of habit than anything else, drifts down to his side. Where he once carried a sword but no more.

Lord Hightower is now smiling at Joseph from his table by the fireplace, Joseph grits his teeth. Joseph now bows respectfully to Lord Hightower.

He then goes into the kitchen behind the bar room to find his wife.

Maria is busy baking and singing a soft little tune to herself when Joseph enters her kitchen. she looks up at Joseph and starts to give him a happy smile.

However, she can see by the look on his face that something as upset him.

She stops what she is doing and looks at her husband.

She now asks him in a calm voice.

“What has upset you so much my love.”

Joseph not wanting to upset his wife instantly recovered himself.

He just looked at his beautiful wife.

She was baking, flour was everywhere.

Joseph just stood and admired her womanly figure.

Her breasts were large and nearly falling out of her low-cut dress.

Joseph didn't really like her wearing the dress.

But it was her idea and ever since she did start to wear it their takings had increased. And Joseph turned a blind eye to her flirting with some of the customers.

The more she flirted with them the more gold they spent in the Tavern.

Maria was now looking at her husband intently, this brought Joseph back to the present.

Joseph now informed her that Lord Hightower was in the bar.

When he mentioned the Lord’s name.

Maria shivered, the man gave her the creeps.

She despised him.

Like all tax collectors he was cruel and corrupt, but he was very powerful.

With powerful rich friends to back up his actions even all the way to the king himself.

The king was old and let his ministers virtually run the Kingdom.

Most of the common people hoped his son would be a better ruler when the king finally died.

He didn't seem as corrupt as his father and his ministers, in fact he did seem to be kind and had done many things for the people.

However, the young Prince and three full detachments of royal guards and boarder troops had been sent to a nearby Kingdom to help them put down an epidemic of goblins and orcs. That had come down from the mountains and started to raid villages.

Now it was Joseph's turn to cough, to bring his wife back down to reality.

Maria smiled at her husband, she then said in a reluctant voice.

“And what does my mighty Lord want?”

Joseph informed her a goblet of the tavern's best wine and of course a large slice of her homemade apple pie.”

Joseph quickly added.

“No, she could not put anything in it to keep the Lord regular.”

Maria gives her husband a sort of innocent look, to say what, I never thought about doing such a thing. Too his lordship.”

Joseph left the kitchen smiling to himself he knew his wife too well.

As Maria carried the Lord’s tray to his table, she could feel his eyes on her.

Maria however remained calm and she smiled her best warm friendly smile, as she placed the tray down in front of Lord Hightower.

Maria suddenly realised that Lord Hightower was talking to her she turned her attention to him and smiled.

Lord HighTower was now telling her.

“What a waste of her skills it was for her to work in an old rundown Tavern.

She would find life at court a lot more exciting and a lot more enriching.

As he said the word enriching.”

His hand came up and started to grope her bottom through her dress.

Maria now using all her self-control not to whack him across the head with the serving tray.

Just smiled and said in her best polite voice.

“You are too kind my Lord.”

She then quickly retreated back to her kitchen where she felt safe.

Joseph from behind the bar watched her go, they both exchange knowing looks as she passed him.

Joseph looked at Lord Hightower.

He was eating a piece of apple pie a large smile on his fat face as the pie disappeared down his throat.

After his lordship had finished his meal and drained his third goblet of expensive wine. His guards returned.

He looked at them and they just nodded to him.

Lord Hightower now got up and made his way to where Joseph was behind the bar.

Lord Hightower now said to Joseph.

“If you were wondering where my guards have been, they were putting up a new proclamation from the King.

Around the village, but as you are a good friend of mine.

I wish to give you a copy personally.

Lord HighTower now produced a scroll tied with a red ribbon from his robes and handed it to Joseph.

Before Joseph could unroll the scroll Lord HighTower just nodded to him, he then left the Tavern followed by his guards.

Joseph now with nervous hands unrolled the scroll.

The Scroll red.

To all the citizens of the Kingdom

From His Majesty the king

My dear and beloved citizens a dark shadow has cast itself over the lands.

Evil forces are attacking the neighbourhood kingdoms.

And our brave troops have been sent to help fight the tide of evil approaching our borders.

With great sorrow and pain, I must inform all citizens of the Kingdom that while the state of emergency on the borders remains as from midsummer's day all citizens taxes will be doubled.

And all businesses will be increased by three times to help pay for the army and the supplies it needs to fight the evil Threatening our beloved lands

Yours sincerely King Edward the 8th.

Joseph now finished reading the scroll his hands were shaking. he handed the scroll to Maria.

Maria now took the scroll and read it, when she had read it she just looked at him with complete horror on her face.

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