Gabriel: A 'Fight'

“I said now.” the leader of the little group snarled.

“Okay, just three more sips then we can…what was it you wanted to do? Fight? I’m not very good at fighting, I’m more the conversationalist, oh, and I’m pretty decent at chess. Could we maybe settle this over chess? I’ll even let the three of you work as a team. Doesn’t that sound more fun than bashing up my pretty face and getting blood all over your hands? I quite like my face pretty and just where it is. Though your side of things is probably easier to deal with truth be told. Just a bit of washy wash, a bit of soap, you’ll probably need soap, and hey presto your handies will be all better.” Gabriel took a drink, “Doesn’t that make chess sound more fun. Just sitting, having a drink together, moving the little pawns and horsie pieces around. Let’s play chess instead.”

“You sure do talk a lot, pretty boy.” one of them said, the man with big ears.

Gabriel took another big drink. “I’ve been told it's charming. Is it charming?” he said, flashing a cheeky grin.

“No,” the leader said. “Now get up, or I’ll beat you bloody here.”

“Now, now fellas. You could do that. I’m certain you could. I mean look at me, I’m sat down and relaxed, and very much vulnerable, and frankly a bit tipsy. So you could, and I’d wake up on the floor in a few minutes wondering if anyone got the description of the carriage that just hit me, and the name of the horses. You could, honest. But, now here’s the but, that man over there behind the bar, he might look like a big softy, look at him, he’s got kind eyes, but his knuckles, pretty scared up, rough hands, bigger hands than yours, probably stronger too. Now if you caused trouble for him, and beat someone as gorgeous as me, just here in the middle of his fine establishment, I think he’d take offence to that and return in kind, on my account. So…I’ll finish my drink and you boys can just take a five minute break. Have a drink of your own, maybe cool off a bit, huh, for your girls’ sake. They wouldn’t want to see you be so utterly brutish for no reason.”

“Boss…can I get a drink…” the third, a man with a tall forehead asked.

“No!” the leader snapped. “You can’t get a drink.”

“Aw come on boss,” Gabriel said, “Your friend wants a drink.”

“See boss, the pretty boy gets it…let us have a drink…” Forehead said.

“Yeah, boss let him have a drink. If you let him, I’ll pay.” Gabriel offered.

“Maybe the guy isn’t so bad after all…” Ears said.

“He doesn’t have a point!” the leader said, “You saw him. You watched him flirt with your fiancée,” he said to forehead. “You gonna let him get away with that?”

“I mean…” Forehead said, “I just seent him look her way, don’t mean he flirted…”

Gabriel saw the leader’s left eye twitch, “Oh ho…calm down.” he said, “You’re gonna make your head pop off with all that stress, you’re not a lizard, you can’t just grow limbs back…is a head a limb. It must be right, either way, breath. I didn’t flirt with anyone. Except that guard, and he wasn’t your ‘girl’, far as I could tell he wasn’t wearing a ring.”

“Samual…?” Ears said, “Naw, he ain’t married.”

“Spot on, on my account then.” Gabriel grinned. “So you sure I can’t offer you a drink and a chinwag and not a bruise’em up?”

“I could go for a chinwag and an ale…” Forehead said.

“Me too…I don’t really like fightin’ not really.” Ears added.

“Fine it’s settled.” Gabriel said, “Let’s order another round and have a toast to new friends.”

“No!” the leader snapped. “You. Me. Outside. Now.”

“So…no changing your mind then…” Gabriel sighed. “You fellas, don’t mind saving my seat, eh?” he looked at them, in a sarcastic pout, “I’d hate to lose such a nice spot, plus my set was warm. But your buddy here won’t take no for an answer. Shame that.” Gabriel tipped his mug back one last time then turned it over to show it was empty. “Order us another round boys.” Gabriel said to Ears and Forehead. “I’ll be back like a rabbit.”

“Like a rabbit?” Ears asked confused.

“Hoppity skip.” Gabriel said, “Quick quick.”

“Oh…” Ears said, nodding in understanding “I like that, Hoppity skip.”

“Age before beauty.” Gabriel said to the leader, of one.

The man grunted and headed outside.

“Its awfully chilly out here, are you sure we have to do this?” Gabriel asked.

The man only put his fists in reply. “Take that as a yes…” Gabriel said, standing so his feet were together, slowly nodding in a light rhythm.

The man sprang into action, and when he moved so did Gabriel, taking a sweeping step to the side, just out of the swings range, then another backstep, into a smooth step the other way, moving with elegant steps, twists and back peddles, each time he’d step wide, he’d come back to his feet together. Working his way in a slow circle around the man, all the while keeping eye contact with him. Even when he stepped out of the man’s line of sight, never not watching as he moved with grace, eventually stopping and the man took a wild swinging haymaker. Gabriel was ready moving again, the man’s hand slamming hard against a post holding up an awning. The man spurting some curse and swinging in a half circle, wide and wild, trying to hit Gabriel with a surprise attack, but only managing to make the man flail and stumble. Falling in a frigid trough of water meant for horses, the man pulled himself out shivering.

“Fight me, damn it.” the man, chattered.

“Nobody appreciates a flawless Varlandic Waltz anymore.” Gabriel complained to nobody in particular.

The man charged again. But Gabriel was tired of this machismo bull, and before the man could clear the space between he swung his foot up and a high powerful arc, dancer’s legs sending Gabriel’s shin right into the man’s family jewels, the man stopping dead, taking two steps back before crumpling. “I’m sorry.” Gabriel said, “If it’s any consolation, I could have kicked harder…you’ll…probabably still be able to have kids…probably… Anyway…” Gabriel said, leaning down and helping pull the man out of the dirt, when he was upright the man leaned on the pole he’d punched just seconds ago. “When you catch your breath, if you feel like talking all civil like…come on back inside, I’ll buy you some ice…and a drink…”

Gabriel turned from the man rolling in the dirt and went back in for another round of drinks with his new friends. “At least some of them were reasonable…” he thought, raising his hand and cheering Forehead and Ears for another round of ale and wine.