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Description
Edit: Updated with softer coloured lines and highlights.

A short piece of background story on Lannie; the fiesty shrew-wife who is determined to keep a roof over her daughter's head, and Lola; the seemingly typical dizty shallow barmaid, who has a few more harsh life lessons to learn. Being argumentative shrews, their relationship is firey, but they mean the world to each other.
These two show up as minor characters in Marina's story, but hopefully reappear again in the future

Lannie swept her dirty-blonde hair out of her eyes and shot a secret hostile glance at Gier, the lizard who was currently the only occupant at the bar. The shrew-wife didn't trust him one bit; she didn't like the way he looked at her daughter, and that snake he insisted on bringing with him had started to scare away other customers.
She decided that she would have to make him leave his cart around the back of the tavern; at least that way the small mice and voles wouldn't run away screaming at the sight of the giant adder. Lannie sighed. She detested Gier, but he was her best customer.
She continued tidying behind the bar. The door opened and a pair of grizzled old hedgehogs entered, muttering to each other in their heavy local dialect. One waved a paw at the shrew. “We be eatin' 'ere tonight, Lannie.”
“Wives are off out at their sewin' club again, or whatever 'tis,” his companion chipped in. “Nowt to eat at 'ome.”
Gier, who had out of drink, turned is attention to the two hedgehogs. He sidled up to their table, cackling gleefully. “Good evening, gentlemen. Are you perhaps in the mood for a story?”
The old hogs looked at each other, then at the lizard. “Aye, we guess so. Be about that there snake of yours, we take it? We been 'earing rumours about he.”
Gier looked meaningfully at his empty glass. “It'll cost you.” One of the hedgehogs nodded.
“Fair enough. Another drink for the lizard as well, Lannie.”
Lannie acknowledged him with a brisk wave. “I'll bring your food right out when it's ready, that's if Lola gets movin' and comes out to watch the bar for me. Lola!” she bellowed. “Get out here, you slow tadpole!”
Lola stormed out of the kitchen, almost tripping over her long skirts. “Don't shout at me, Mother,” she snapped, her eyes scanning the tables. Seeing Gier, she shuddered in disgust. “It's not as if we're that busy tonight.”
“That's no excuse for your laziness. Keep your eye on things here while I tend to the soup.” Lannie disappeared, leaving the pretty young shrew in a huff. Lola slouched on the bar and sulked. Truth be told, she was getting tired of life as a barmaid. And business had been bad lately. There were newer, more attractive taverns actually within the town. The only reason the regulars still came was out of loyalty to Lannie and to see Lola's sweet face – the young shrew smirked at the thought, she was still the prettiest barmaid within five miles of Mudbank, and surely that had to count for something?
Life had taken a turn for the worse for the two shrews when Lola's father had left, leaving Lannie struggling to pay the rent for The Slow Worm – the property was owned by some rich pine marten or other; he was always sending that annoying little vole around to collect payments. Lannie never let on how much she was struggling, but Lola could see it in her face. The shrew-wife would never consider giving up and closing the tavern however, it had been in her family for years. Lola wished desperately that she would change her mind; she wanted a different, easier life, with a fairytale romance and a happily ever after ending, not just for her sake, but for her mother too.
Lola stared mournfully in the direction of the door. 'One day. One day someone will come here, and he will save me. Save both of us.'

Description
Edit: Updated with softer coloured lines and highlights.

A short piece of background story on Lannie; the fiesty shrew-wife who is determined to keep a roof over her daughter's head, and Lola; the seemingly typical dizty shallow barmaid, who has a few more harsh life lessons to learn. Being argumentative shrews, their relationship is firey, but they mean the world to each other.
These two show up as minor characters in Marina's story, but hopefully reappear again in the future

Lannie swept her dirty-blonde hair out of her eyes and shot a secret hostile glance at Gier, the lizard who was currently the only occupant at the bar. The shrew-wife didn't trust him one bit; she didn't like the way he looked at her daughter, and that snake he insisted on bringing with him had started to scare away other customers.
She decided that she would have to make him leave his cart around the back of the tavern; at least that way the small mice and voles wouldn't run away screaming at the sight of the giant adder. Lannie sighed. She detested Gier, but he was her best customer.
She continued tidying behind the bar. The door opened and a pair of grizzled old hedgehogs entered, muttering to each other in their heavy local dialect. One waved a paw at the shrew. “We be eatin' 'ere tonight, Lannie.”
“Wives are off out at their sewin' club again, or whatever 'tis,” his companion chipped in. “Nowt to eat at 'ome.”
Gier, who had out of drink, turned is attention to the two hedgehogs. He sidled up to their table, cackling gleefully. “Good evening, gentlemen. Are you perhaps in the mood for a story?”
The old hogs looked at each other, then at the lizard. “Aye, we guess so. Be about that there snake of yours, we take it? We been 'earing rumours about he.”
Gier looked meaningfully at his empty glass. “It'll cost you.” One of the hedgehogs nodded.
“Fair enough. Another drink for the lizard as well, Lannie.”
Lannie acknowledged him with a brisk wave. “I'll bring your food right out when it's ready, that's if Lola gets movin' and comes out to watch the bar for me. Lola!” she bellowed. “Get out here, you slow tadpole!”
Lola stormed out of the kitchen, almost tripping over her long skirts. “Don't shout at me, Mother,” she snapped, her eyes scanning the tables. Seeing Gier, she shuddered in disgust. “It's not as if we're that busy tonight.”
“That's no excuse for your laziness. Keep your eye on things here while I tend to the soup.” Lannie disappeared, leaving the pretty young shrew in a huff. Lola slouched on the bar and sulked. Truth be told, she was getting tired of life as a barmaid. And business had been bad lately. There were newer, more attractive taverns actually within the town. The only reason the regulars still came was out of loyalty to Lannie and to see Lola's sweet face – the young shrew smirked at the thought, she was still the prettiest barmaid within five miles of Mudbank, and surely that had to count for something?
Life had taken a turn for the worse for the two shrews when Lola's father had left, leaving Lannie struggling to pay the rent for The Slow Worm – the property was owned by some rich pine marten or other; he was always sending that annoying little vole around to collect payments. Lannie never let on how much she was struggling, but Lola could see it in her face. The shrew-wife would never consider giving up and closing the tavern however, it had been in her family for years. Lola wished desperately that she would change her mind; she wanted a different, easier life, with a fairytale romance and a happily ever after ending, not just for her sake, but for her mother too.
Lola stared mournfully in the direction of the door. 'One day. One day someone will come here, and he will save me. Save both of us.'