Clockwork Forest

Chapter 3 - A Strangers Aid

Chapter 3 - A Strangers Aid

Alinson could smell beer, smoke and food all mixed into a strange sickening mess as it all filled her noise and that was before she walked in the Inn, the stranger had caught her eye and wondered if it was the same one that would visit her, but she was tired and the thought that she may have seen a tail made her question her own state of mind, she let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes, she had no idea what or who was inside until she took her few inside.

To her the room was filled with a thick layer of smoke, the sound of music being played followed by the loud laughter of groups of drinkers as they told a amusing story or joke, the place was a mixture of men and women all enjoying themselves, her prescience didn't go unnoticed as a few patrons looked at her from either the corner of their eyes or full on with a blunt gaze.

Her hood was up as she walked to the bar at the back of the inn, in front of her was the stranger she first saw walk in, the owner was the mescaline man she had the whiteness of watching throw a man twice his size a build out the door, seemed to show his displeasure to the guest in front of him, he was a oldish man with going gray short hair with a gray stubble around his chin and upper lip, he wore a discoloured cream shirt black shoes and trousers but his apron was remarkable clean.

As she walked up to the bar the stranger in front of her was tall as she waited patiently but the owner of the Inn with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed along with his brow said "look, I'm sorry but I don't serve your kind here"

The stranger sounded calm "oh you humans are all the same, ever since that incident over three hundred years you have always blamed us, but then again you humans have always blamed our kind for one reason or another"

Alinson was confused by the strangers comment but one was for sure, it was a he and what did he mean by our kind, is he human? But the owner of the Inn shook his head "sorry but I have a reputation to uphold"

The stranger sighed "I see how it is; it's a good thing we don't have to worry about how much coin a person has, would twenty coins be enough for a bed and a few drinks for me"

The owner wasn't convinced "let's see it then"

The stranger put his hand into his pocket and drew out a hand full of gold coins, similar to what Alinson had in her back pack and pouch, his hand was large in comparison to hers and even the inn keepers but he placed twenty coins on the counter and spread them out, the owner then took each coin off the counter and counted them, he then began to place the whole lot onto a set of weighing scales and weighed them accordingly, he seemed satisfied but disappointed at the same and even his tone of voice showed it as well "ok fine you can a room for the night and as much drink as you want, but food will cost you extra Serpent"

The stranger slammed his hands on the table "I would appreciate if you bigots would reframe from using that word in my presence unless you're talking about sea serpents or snakes"

The Inn went quiet as all eyes were on the stranger as the Inn keeper stood back with his hands and arms up in defence "sorry about that, force of habit you see, your room will be ready shortly, what would you like to drink in the mean time?"

The stranger had a smug smile on his face as he said "can I have a large Brass Fang please"

The bartender sighed "ok, your kind is lucky that I keep a few bottles in case, I really don't know how you can drink this stuff"

"Well it's quite easy my good man, but it would take a few bottles of Green fairy to even make us tipsy"

"Yeah yeah I know but it don't smell of anything though"