Table of contents for Tales from Ten Taverns
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Oana
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Reca
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Corina
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Elena
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Maria
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Laura
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Diana
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Oana
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Roua
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Valeria
- Tales from Ten Taverns: Rodica
- Outtake: Author’s Notes on Characters
Yo Corina!
How have you been? Are you bored yet? I told you you should have come with me to the Marshes. Life’s full of excitement here. We just had another goblin raid on the fort today, and I was able to take part for the first time. I’ve been getting one of the archers to teach me how to shoot in my spare time, and today I showed off my new skills. Bagged me a gobbie, little sister! You should have seen it! The flight of the arrow was as smooth as silk and it went straight into his eye! There was blood everywhere, and the little green runt ran screaming from the walls before falling down dead. Later, the soldiers were congratulating me on my first kill, and even buying rounds for me!
Oh, don’t worry – I was perfectly safe all the time! The goblins didn’t have any ranged weaponry, and the fort walls were both thick and high. And it’s not like I would have any patrons in the tavern while a raid was going on, so I just decided to close up shop and make myself useful, that’s all. Besides, there were at least a half-dozen other trained archers up on the platform next to me. They would have easily handled anything that crawled up the battlements. Still, it’s an exciting life. I can’t believe you decided to stay back in that humdrum farming village of yours.
By the way, you get your wine from Latis’ vineyard, right? I’ve been talking to Laura, and between us we’ve managed to find a way to cut costs for all our wine supplies. I’ve become good friends with the winery owners, and I can get a discount if I buy in bulk. I can then ship them out to you and Laura and the rest of the girls who are interested, for free. Some of the soldiers here have to report to White Stone and Portland weekly, and they wouldn’t mind carrying some wine casks for me. It’d be easy for them to drop by your place on their way to deliver the casks to you.
So, interested in having a couple of big, brawny – and most importantly, single – men coming by to visit you every week with wine? I know a couple of young men who are just dying to meet a sister – any sister – of mine. Roua won’t touch them because they curse a lot and she’s afraid of violence, and Laura isn’t interested in romance, so how about you? I won’t tell if you won’t tell. *wink*
Don’t forget, the reunion party’s at Mother Oana’s in a week’s time. I’m getting one of the soldiers to give me a ride back to Nordcarn. Want us to pick you up along the way?
Cheers!
Rodica
