After
fifteen minutes of slogging along, the boy pointed at another inn
with lanterns all around it. He held out his hand and Sir Danth
dropped the silver in it. The boy ran off in the direction he had
come.
The inn was three levels, the bottom two
were stone and the top was wood. There was a wooden walkway for its
guests and a large wooden sign out front with a picture of a golden
horse. Two guards wearing white tabards with gold embroidered
horses glanced at them and decided they were potential customers.
It bothered Liselle that regular people would be turned away while
those of means were allowed in.
“This is going to cost a fortune,” Tathan
mumbled when they walked in. He glanced at Anilyia, who had a
pleading look in her eyes. It was obvious she wanted something
resembling luxury even if it wasn’t a royal palace.
Liselle was weary from traveling in the
rain, but the inn excited her. Two lit fireplaces kept it warm
while people ate and chatted. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling on
chains and had polished brass brackets holding the candles.
Sir Danth led them to a counter next to some
stairs. The bar was on the other side of the common room so the
counter appeared to be where people went to rent a room. A
gentleman in fine clothing looked at the knight expectantly.
“My man will handle the arrangements,” Sir
Danth said with an arrogant air to his voice. He waved in the
direction of Tathan and then looked around the common room as
though disinterested in details.
Tathan lifted his chin and stepped past
Liselle to the counter. He took his gloves off with a flourish and
tucked them in his belt. Anilyia remained on his arm, but looked
supremely disinterested in the proceedings. No one noticed Liselle,
a fact that bothered her until Vevin whispered into her ear.
“They’re not paying attention to either of us. Feel free to stare
at people.”
“I have been informed that this is the best
Neveel has to offer,” Tathan said with a deep sigh. “I suppose it
will have to do. My lord cannot be expected to go back into that
miserable rain to rust.”
“I never rust, you fool,” Sir Danth replied
crossly, not turning around.
“Of course, Milord,” Tathan replied with a
bow and a flourish of his arm. He turned back to the innmaster and
rolled his eyes.
“Your eyes make a terrible racket when you
roll them around in your empty skull, you fool.” Sir Danth’s voice
lowered an octave, showing how unimpressed he was.
Tathan looked at him in surprise. “Of
course, Milord.”
The innmaster didn’t react to any of it, or
perhaps he was just too stiff to have a real expression, for when
he spoke, it was deliberate and stilted. “What sort of
accommodations will his lordship require this evening?”
“His lordship will require a suite for two
nights with three rooms, meals, baths, and wine,” Tathan answered.
“I’m certain that’s all the time he will be able to tolerate in
this inbred backwoods village.” Liselle gasped, though Vevin’s
influence prevented anyone from noticing. Anilyia nodded her head,
truly feeling that way. The innmaster’s only reaction to the words
was to raise an eyebrow. That single gesture said plenty about his
feelings. The jaw of a nearby bellhop briefly fell open before he
remembered he wasn’t supposed to react.
The innmaster looked in a ledger. “Of
course. There is a suite on the top floor facing the back court. It
will cost four gold pieces for the two nights.” Liselle was
surprised. The same size suite cost ten gold pieces for a night in
Alluu. Tathan had mentioned that things cost much more in Rojuun
territory than in human cities, but Liselle was sure Tathan would
have a fit about the cost anyway.
To her surprise, Tathan had the coins ready
and spread the four gold pieces out on the counter without blinking
an eye. They were uun, the coin made in great numbers by Rojuun. He
had mentioned wanting to use them in a city to see how people
reacted.
The bellhop
fifteen minutes of slogging along, the boy pointed at another inn
with lanterns all around it. He held out his hand and Sir Danth
dropped the silver in it. The boy ran off in the direction he had
come.
The inn was three levels, the bottom two
were stone and the top was wood. There was a wooden walkway for its
guests and a large wooden sign out front with a picture of a golden
horse. Two guards wearing white tabards with gold embroidered
horses glanced at them and decided they were potential customers.
It bothered Liselle that regular people would be turned away while
those of means were allowed in.
“This is going to cost a fortune,” Tathan
mumbled when they walked in. He glanced at Anilyia, who had a
pleading look in her eyes. It was obvious she wanted something
resembling luxury even if it wasn’t a royal palace.
Liselle was weary from traveling in the
rain, but the inn excited her. Two lit fireplaces kept it warm
while people ate and chatted. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling on
chains and had polished brass brackets holding the candles.
Sir Danth led them to a counter next to some
stairs. The bar was on the other side of the common room so the
counter appeared to be where people went to rent a room. A
gentleman in fine clothing looked at the knight expectantly.
“My man will handle the arrangements,” Sir
Danth said with an arrogant air to his voice. He waved in the
direction of Tathan and then looked around the common room as
though disinterested in details.
Tathan lifted his chin and stepped past
Liselle to the counter. He took his gloves off with a flourish and
tucked them in his belt. Anilyia remained on his arm, but looked
supremely disinterested in the proceedings. No one noticed Liselle,
a fact that bothered her until Vevin whispered into her ear.
“They’re not paying attention to either of us. Feel free to stare
at people.”
“I have been informed that this is the best
Neveel has to offer,” Tathan said with a deep sigh. “I suppose it
will have to do. My lord cannot be expected to go back into that
miserable rain to rust.”
“I never rust, you fool,” Sir Danth replied
crossly, not turning around.
“Of course, Milord,” Tathan replied with a
bow and a flourish of his arm. He turned back to the innmaster and
rolled his eyes.
“Your eyes make a terrible racket when you
roll them around in your empty skull, you fool.” Sir Danth’s voice
lowered an octave, showing how unimpressed he was.
Tathan looked at him in surprise. “Of
course, Milord.”
The innmaster didn’t react to any of it, or
perhaps he was just too stiff to have a real expression, for when
he spoke, it was deliberate and stilted. “What sort of
accommodations will his lordship require this evening?”
“His lordship will require a suite for two
nights with three rooms, meals, baths, and wine,” Tathan answered.
“I’m certain that’s all the time he will be able to tolerate in
this inbred backwoods village.” Liselle gasped, though Vevin’s
influence prevented anyone from noticing. Anilyia nodded her head,
truly feeling that way. The innmaster’s only reaction to the words
was to raise an eyebrow. That single gesture said plenty about his
feelings. The jaw of a nearby bellhop briefly fell open before he
remembered he wasn’t supposed to react.
The innmaster looked in a ledger. “Of
course. There is a suite on the top floor facing the back court. It
will cost four gold pieces for the two nights.” Liselle was
surprised. The same size suite cost ten gold pieces for a night in
Alluu. Tathan had mentioned that things cost much more in Rojuun
territory than in human cities, but Liselle was sure Tathan would
have a fit about the cost anyway.
To her surprise, Tathan had the coins ready
and spread the four gold pieces out on the counter without blinking
an eye. They were uun, the coin made in great numbers by Rojuun. He
had mentioned wanting to use them in a city to see how people
reacted.
The bellhop
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