The Lost Boy | ONC 2024

5 - A village

"Food and shelter for the night," I responded. "We'll leave in the morning."

The two men glanced at each other. And in the dim light I could see their origins. The faint green tint to their skin stretching over their bulky bodies. Brown dark eyes sat deep in their sockets underneath thick brows, pointy ears showed through long dark hair. Both were clad in heavy armour with big swords on their backs. Half-ors, I thought and felt my heart beat a bit faster. Their kind and mine weren't really fond of each other, but I had nothing against them really, they were quite gorgeous in an intimidating way. It was all a matter of history and prejudice. Orcs mixing with elves hundreds of years ago, never accepted by my peers.

"You're a long way from home, elf. "One of them stated as they made room for us to enter.

"Home is where my feet take me," I answered politely.

"An outcast, eye?" The other snickered and I could feel his eyes wandering all over my body, "check the tavern, there might be a few rooms left for you and the halfling."

I instantly placed a calming hand on Tom's shoulder. The insult was clearly made to start something I had no interest in continuing. "You want a roof over your head?" I hissed into his ear and the dwarf nodded, his eyes fixed on the man who was twice as tall as him. "Then let it go."

Without second thought I pushed my friend forward and as we passed I thanked the guards while keeping a close eye on my friend, who kept cursing their existence low in his beard.

We easily found the tavern in the centre of the town. It felt peaceful, most people were probably sleeping by now but despite the lack of villagers outside, the sturdy buildings and the flickering lanterns had a welcoming atmosphere to them. The tavern door was unlocked and we entered the building in silence, greeted by a few eyes who looked up but almost instantly returned to their own business. No one seemed to care about us, and that was a relief in itself.

A keeper instantly walked up to us, a human in his forties with copper hair and clean shaven chin. He had one look at us before offering a hot meal and a bed. "Ya got a hot bath as well, friend?" Tom asked and got a nod in return.

"It will cost you extra though," the innkeeper said and waved at a barmaid to get her attention. "Have a seat and we'll arrange it for you."

All I wanted was to get out of my wet clothes, but our rooms weren't ready so we had to wait. A meal was presented to us and we indulged in the warm broth of the meaty soup. The first floor of the tavern had a bar, rugged wooden tables blacked along the walls and in the middle was a big stair leading to the rooms on the second floor. As I looked around I noticed most of the people inside were locals, drinking or playing card games. None seemed to be travellers like us.

"I'm surprised you made it through the marsh," a young maid said as she filled up Tom's mug with beer. "Especially this time of night."

"Told you the stories are real," Tom frowned at me and gave the girl a thankful smile.

"The stories?" she snickered, "the ones about the fog?" Tom gave her a nod and she continued to laugh. "I wouldn't take you for one to believe things like that, man of the mountain," she teased. "Those are made to scare children and keep them home at night."

"So what were you talking about then?" I asked and handed her a few coins.

"Goblins," she said and shivered. "We had to pay mercenaries to guard the walls. Humans don't stand a chance against them."

That explained the half-orcs, I thought, but decided to ask her more about the vile creatures she mentioned. "Goblins this far west?"

"Yes, they've been seen wandering in large numbers towards the Filling," the innkeeper said, entering the conversation from behind the bar. "Encountered any?"

"Not around here," I said truthfully, "but in the past, yes."

Our conversation ended shortly after that, our rooms were ready and I longed for a bath, a warm bed and some rest. But something told me there was more to it, the topic had made many uncomfortable and it seemed like they weren't keen on continuing. Acknowledging the fact that humans were a weak race wasn't something they enjoyed, they were usually more stubborn than the dwarfs. But this lot clearly had realised they needed help from outsiders and something told me they were going to make us an offer in the morning. Something we did not have time for, but could we really refuse to help them after taking us in?

The room was tidy with a window overlooking the village gate. It held a bed, a small stool and in the middle of the room they'd placed a small bath filled with steaming water. After saying goodnight to Tom I instantly shut the door, locked it and opened my bag to let Frank out. Moments after my dirty clothes were on the floor and I lowered my body into the warm water. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the warmth tending to my aching muscles and cold shivering bones. Frank was enjoying the leftovers I had smuggled with me and I was drifting in and out of sleep in the bath. Until I heard a knock on my door.

"Mr Elf?" a female voice called from the other side.

I cleared my throat and answered. "Yes?"

"Do you want me to wash your clothes?" She asked, "I can bring you some new ones in the meantime?"

I thought about her offer, but decided to decline. The poor girl needed sleep didn't she? It was well past midnight. "Thank you, but it's not necessary," I said and I could hear her hesitate on the other side of the door. "Was that all?"

"W-would you want some company?" she pressed forth, nervousness evident in her voice.

I felt my cheeks burn from her question and I bit my lip to stop myself from saying the truth, that I'd rather have a visit from one of the bulky guards outside than her frail female form. "That's not necessary," I mumbled, "I'm extremely tired from my trip."

"Very well, sir," she answered. "Just call on me if you need anything."

It was clear that was not something the girl usually offered, and I kept wondering why we were treated this way. I sighed and reached for the towel on the stool and decided I was finished washing up, but as soon as I had dried myself I looked reluctantly on my muddy wet clothes. After a bit of pondering I threw them in the bath and washed them in the soapy water, then decided to hang them in on the beams in the sealing to dry.

All cuddled up in bed, covered in double blankets, I let myself drift to sleep, calmed by the sound of Frank's low puffs in the dark and pressing away all thoughts of tomorrow. Whatever the villagers wanted from us, we would find out in the morning.