Jim didn't seem to be the least bit bothered by the noise, nor by the blood slowly trickling from the small cut just above his forehead. His attention was solely focused on Mary, and as she spoke he only shrugged, arm curling tighter and pulling her even closer to him.

"They'll be fine."

They'd been in far worse tavern fights, and right now? Some of them even seemed to be having fun. Jim, on the other hand, just wanted to use the distraction of the fight to drag her away from here.

"Come with me."