The bed springs creaked and whined beneath the weight of the enormous man sleeping upon the feather-stuffed mattress. Auburn hair lay in a messy explosion over the pillow, and his craggy features were obscured by the poof of his wild beard, as if he'd spent the night tossing and turning. A bear-like growl announced his waking, and a thick hand slapped against his hairy cheek before scrubbing over his bleary green eyes.
"Ten copper," said a soft, melodic voice nearby.
Aldwyn cracked his eyes open, blinking away the sleep that lingered. The young woman from the evening before stood there, a robe carelessly draped around her form, leaning against the dresser. He said nothing immediately, but simply looked at her. She had hair that was almost light enough to be called blonde. Her eyes were green and not blue, but still...the resemblance was there if he stared hard enough.
His silence forced her to extend her hand, palm open, and flick her fingers expectantly at him. "Ten copper," she repeated, more firmly.
"We didn't do anything," he muttered in reply, throwing off the blanket and sitting up, facing away from her. Both hands rubbed over his face now, while he snuffled and growled at the sunlight poking in around the curtain.
The woman was quiet for a beat, before countering, "How would you even know?" A piece of clothing landed against his bare back with a soft sound. "You were too drunk to know your own name."
"I know because I know," he grumbled, reaching back to take the shirt and slip it over his head.
"You know because you know," she echoed in a gently mocking tone. "All right then. We didn't do anything." She rounded the bed and leaned over to drag his boots out from beneath it, plunking them beside his feet. "I'm an honest woman and I won't lie to you for coin." Straightening up, she walked to the grubby looking-glass over the dresser and proceeded to begin braiding her hair. "But I could have earned more with a more willing man. My time is still worth something."
Aldwyn grunted, yanking on his trousers, and then his mud-splattered boots. The young woman fell silent, turning to watch him with a curious gaze as he finished dressing himself.
"You're right, though," he conceded in a deep, reluctant muttering. His thumb flicked upward, and a silver coin spun through the air, landing in the center of the bed. "Your time shouldn't be wasted on an old man with nothing to show for it."
He yanked the door open, wincing briefly at the blast of chilly, autumn air that gusted through. Behind him, the woman with the not-quite-blonde hair and not-blue eyes reached for the coin, examining it briefly before looking after the strange and detached visitor as he slammed the door behind himself.
