We have something that makes the day brighten up a bit. It's often some small thing that makes you smile. -- Nonny the Mouse
Even naturally miserable people smile. It's a wonderment when it happens, and many people taunt them about it. Therefore making the smiles even rarer. Kosh had made note of this and chose to defeat it by wearing his smile all the time. An expression all the more intimidating for the fact that all of his teeth were pointed.
Therefore, it was an occasion when that smile dropped.
The regulars at The Trollhead knew this. So when the Tiefling with the broom in his hands ceased grinning, there was a Macedonn Chorus. "Oooooh," chanted the regulars. "You're in the kludgie now."
The arrogant churl in patchwork armour drew his sword. "Oh no-o-o," he mocked, "I'm being attacked by a devil with a broom. How ever can I defend myself against this evil?"
His mates at the table laughed. Half were too drunk to get up, and the other half were merely there for the show.
Kosh lightened his Zemnian accent a smidge. Just enough to let them know that the Stupid Foreigner Act was just an act. "Mein Herr... You have one chance to apologize."
More laughter. The churl made a series of artistic sweeps with his sword. "And what are you going to do about it, Tief? Sweep me off my feet?"
The regulars leaned forward in sadistic anticipation.
The broom became a blur, Kosh moved into a stable stance and used the handle twice. One to disarm the fool and the other to daze him. Now he had a sword and a quarterstaff. He did, at last, literally sweep his feet out from under him, but only after a series of rapid blows that would render him less able to fight back in comfort.
Kosh held the man at the point of his own sword. "Raus. Now. And never come back."
There was some applause amongst the spectators.
"You-- I'll get you fired, hellspawn! I'll appeal to your manager!" He managed to struggle up to his knees. Wincing at the new pains he discovered along the way.
Now the smile came back. Feral. Ferocious. Fueled by schadenfreude. Kosh leaned down, still holding the sword at the churl's throat. "I am the management."
Some spectators exchanged money. The churl and his allies were politely escorted out at confiscated swordpoint. The Watch would likely come around about it later, but Kosh had plenty of witnesses on his side.
Citizen by citizen, he was going to teach this whole verdammt city not to use the word 'Tief'.
And weren't those denouments just glorious?
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Perysty]
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