Another day had come and gone - another day where Mazerine’s services had gone unhired. Her lack of work was not for lack of skill - it seemed that no one wanted to hire the elfe. With as skilled of a mage as she was, it had first come as a surprise that her skills seemed to not be in demand… but after time, she had come to realize that the people of Adeluna had a not-so-friendly disposition towards elves, no matter their skill set. Also, the fact that she was female did not help her situation. Racism and sexism ran rampant in the city, and she was now finding herself victim to them.
Begrudgingly, Mazerine returned to the Winking Mermaid, just as the sun was beginning to set in the evening sky. Thankfully, she still had a bit of coin in her pouch, and her room was paid for the next three weeks - this afforded her enough to have a bit of wine before she retired for the evening. The tavern had become her home as of late, with a fairly permanent room held for her (as long as she assisted in helping to keep the riff-raff at bay from time to time). The regular patrons did not make small talk with her, but they left her alone, enough to the point where she was able to peacefully enjoy a drink before bed.
She walked to the bar, sliding herself onto one of the wooden stools that line the countertop. The barkeep came over after only a short wait. ”’Ello, Maz,” he said, with a grin that was missing a few teeth. ”Ya look like ya had a rough ‘un t’day,” he continued. She shrugged her shoulders and watched the friendly man as he filled a stone goblet up with a dark red wine and set it in front of her, without her asking.
She nodded slowly, taking the goblet and pulling a long drink from it before she responded. ”You’re not wrong on that one, Wulfric,” she said, with a sigh. ”Another day without fruition,” she said. She reached into her satchel to pull out a few silver coins, but when she moved to place them down on the bar, Wulfric reached out, grabbing her wrist gently.
”Money’s no good ‘ere tonight, Maz,” he said, the toothless grin persisting. ”Ya helped us out with that were what got outta control night ‘fore last,” he said. ”Yer’ on us t’night.”
”Thank you,” she said, rather quietly. Mazerine gave him a woeful grin and took another drink of the wine, her eyes watching Wulfric as he walked away. Of all the people she had come to know in her time so far in Adeluna, the barkeep (she was beginning to think he owned the establishment) had by far been the most friendly.
The bar was rather empty on that particular evening, and Mazerine found herself feeling a bit disappointed in that. She was in the mood where a brawl that she would have had to break up would have been welcome, as her mood was a bit on the darker side thanks to her failure earlier in the day. With a sigh, she looked to either side of herself, noticing the empty bar stools, and turned her attention back to the stone goblet in front of her, draining it with another long drink Wulfric appeared rather soundlessly and filled the cup, saying nothing before walking away once more.