The colors of the sky were brilliant shades of reds and purples with the approaching dusk, as the group made their way into the small village. Immalaine looked along the cobbled street, as brief flashes of memory from when she was a child passed through her mind. The meat vendor's stall, with the slabs of beef on display; the vegetable carts, a vibrant mix of colors, containing whatever was in season at the moment; even the old lady's little tent, where she sold pies and passed out small treats for the children. Her gaze took in everything quietly as they approached the small thatched inn where they'd stay for the night.
Rastellion studies Imma as she looks about the village. "Would there be folks here that'd remember you? That could testify as to who you are, and who your family?"
"Perhaps," she finally replied, turning to him. "But it's been awful long since they seen me. I dun know if they'd e'en remember who I was, much less recognize me now."
He gives her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure there'd be some as remember you, if you were here more than once or twice. But we can worry 'bout that tomorrow. For now, let's just get ourselves some food and a place to sleep!"
Immalaine looks over at Rast with a grin. "What? Th' pies we had earlier when we stopped t' eat not 'nough fer ye Rastellion? I can see I'll spend a lot o' time cookin' in th' future."
"That was hours ago... and riding's hungry work." He winks at her as they start toward the inn. "So I'll need to keep my strength up! B'sides, I'm ready for an ale, and I'm sure our guards are too." The two grunt their agreement with this sentiment, the younger one rubbing his backside and arching his back before trailing along toward the inn's front door and the cheerful chaos echoing from within.
Shaking her head ruefully, Imma followed along, watching as the guards grabbed their bags up to take with them inside the inn. The place was small and cosy, the furniture aged but clean, and the smell of fresh bread and roasted meat competed with the heady scent of ale and other spirits. She stretched and rubbed her back as she looked around for the inn's proprietor.
They all move up to the bar and Rastellion hails the 'keep. "Evenin'" he says, "Be havin' ales all 'round for four o' us - an' what's th' dinner like t' be t'night?" His speech has slipped back into the more rural accent he grew up with.
Tilly looks up from her bookwork, smiling as the approached the counter. "Well, yer just in time for supper too. We've got some fresh roast deer with potatoes and bread. Or, if ye prefer, th' stew is quite popular here." She gazes over at the group, pausing a long spell on Immalaine as she frowns and shakes her head before turning her attention back to Rastellion.
Rastellion gives her a broad smile. "Th' venison sounds right fine t' me, but my companions'll order as suits 'em." He looks around the room, appraisingly. "Seems ya keep a clean place here; tell me, if I was t' want t' rent two rooms for t'night and t'morrow night, how much'd I be payin'? If ya have such, that is, and clean."
Tilly smiles at Rastellion, nodding. "We do have rooms to rent, and I personally make sure they're proper clean as I would me own house." She looks over at the four of them. "Well, seeing as ye got a group here, and ye want two nights ..." Tilly quickly does the calculations before looking back up. "That'd be 8 silver fer both rooms for two nights."
Nodding at him, Immalaine whispers. "Seems fair 'nough," Rastellion counters, "That'll be including meals, of course, and stablin' for our horses?"
Tilly looks at Rast, pursing her lips. "The stabling I can do, but meals ..." she shakes her head. "For that I'll have to charge ye an extra silver per room for both nights. And" she adds, "Ye buy yer own ale while yer here."
Rastellion chuckles. "Any inn that'd charge a flat fee for all y' can drink ale would be an inn on it's way out!" He glances over at Imma, then back to Tilly. "If there's a large tub o' hot water each night or one o' those rooms, you've got yourself a deal," he says.
Tilly nods at Rast's request. "That can be arranged, as I imagine the young lady there'd like t' freshen up." She turns a book to face Rast, handing him a piece of slender charcoal to write with. "I'll just need yer names in the book, for the guest registry."
Nodding, Rastellion takes the book, and shifts to the end of the bar to write in it. He motions the guards forward, toward the ales that one of the serving girls has just set down on the counter.
With a smile of thanks, Immalaine nods to the lady, before she grabs one of the ales for herself, as the guards seem to be waiting for her to take her pick. As she does, they lean in behind her, each lifting a tankard of their own, before heading to a quieter table in the corner where they could all sit comfortably. Immalaine turns to Rastellion, "I'll wait here wit' ye fer the food, if ye want."
"The kitchen'll be more than a few minutes preparin' it, I expect... and th' serving girls'll bring it." One bustles past them moving from kitchen to a table, even as he speaks. He gives her a slightly nudge in the small of the back, to follow the others.causing Immalaine to look over and grin, giving him a quick hug before heading to join the guards at the table.
Once everyone is seated, Rastellion prompts one of the guards to resume the tale he was telling before they came in sight of the village that evening, and soon everyone is laughing at the absurd story. The food arrives near the end of the telling, and the companions' attention shifts to eating. "It's okay?" Rastellion asks Immalaine, looking up from his own quickly vanishing supper.
She pauses between bites and nods, looking down at her own half finished plate as she dips her bread in the thick sauce ladled over the tender roasted meat. "It's rather good I'd say. Almost as good as I would make." She grins at Rastellion and winks, before continuing her meal.
"Now that I doubt. But 'tis good!" He makes short work finishing up his food, washing the last bite down with a final swallow of ale, and stretches, rolling his shoulders. "Mmmm, that's better."
Finishing as much of the meal as she can, she takes a long swallow of the ale as she looks around the table. The two guards seem to have polished their plates off as well, and one of them gets up to get a refill on his ale. Turning to Rastellion, Immalaine yawns. "I think I'll take me bags up t' th' room and see 'bout settling in." she says, leaning over to kiss him before standing.
"I'm done too," he says; "I'll walk up with ya." He nods at the two guards. "You fellows going t' be okay down here?" The nod - and the elder, with a grin, heads over toward a darts game in one corner. If half of what Rastellion has heard is true, that guard's about to make a fair bit of money before the locals catch on.
The couple heads over to the pile of bags, as Immlaine grabs hers, and turns to wait for Rastellion to grab his. Together, they head up the stairs to the bedrooms.
(Credits and love go to Rastellion, who provided the voice of the male characters in this story. *Blows kisses to Rastellion and grins widely*)
