Rowan rode until day break and made it to the edge of the Wildwood. She went into the forest a ways, leading Daisy, until she found a suitable place near a small stream to camp for the day. She unpacked a strip of meat, tore off a hunk of the bread, and grabbed her water skin before sitting on a log to eat. Rowan let Daisy wander over to the stream to drink and watched as she grazed on the lush grass. After Rowan had eaten her fill she took a few swigs out of her water skin and then walked over to the stream to top it back off.
She walked over to where Daisy eating up sweet-grass and unpacked her bedroll out of the saddle bag. Rowan laid out her bedroll on the ground, shrugged off her quiver, wrapped herself in her cloak, and fell asleep.
Rowan awoke as the sun was ending its decent into the horizon. She'd slept soundly, in fact she'd gotten more rest than she had for some time.
She sat up, stretched, then put her quiver back on before re-rolling her bedding. As she finished packing it into her saddle bag Rowan heard a faint rustle in the underbrush nearby.
She slowly turned, drawing an arrow as she did and right when she'd knocked it a fat rabbit jumped out of the bushes nearby and before it could even blink Rowan had shot it right through the eye.
Happy with her impromptu hunt Rowan made a small fire, skinned, and gutted her prey before putting it on a stick to cook.
That evening Rowan had a hearty "breakfast" of rabbit meat, bread, and water before saddling up and aiming Daisy back out of the forest, then locating the road, she continued her journey Northward to the town of Warwick.
The forest was quiet in the late evening. The only things stirring were the nocturnal animals coming out of their burrows to hunt, occasionally Rowan would see a pair of yellow eyes staring at her from behind a tree. She wasn't worried, she'd been on many a night ride around the castle grounds and through the trees. She wasn't worried that Daisy might throw her because of the fact that she wasn't a common horse that would simply bolt or rear at the slightest disturbance.
Rowan kept Daisy at a brisk walk, she wasn't in a hurry to kill for Salln yet again. But even though she had to, she didn't have to right away.
Rowan rode through the night again and slept through the next day far enough off the road so that any random passersby wouldn't happen to spot her. She woke up again as night was falling, repacked, ate, and kept moving. By the fourth night she could see the lights of Warwick not far off. She camped at the edge of the forest that morning and after a brief reprise she continued on into the town.
Warwick was fair sized town. It had a 15 foot stone wall encasing it like a fortress, Rowan thought the wall had to be at least 6 foot thick. As she rode Daisy into the town all she could see was the towering arch and gates and then bright sunlight and shabby houses as she entered the outskirts of Warwick. Rowan was slightly surprised at the lack of guards at the gate but she was sure that'd change after her stay there.
The houses were crammed together tightly as she guided Daisy through the narrow streets. She encountered a few people and as the streets got wider more people were milling around going about their business. The streets widened further still and Rowan noticed the houses got progressively nicer, a sign of wealthier inhabitants.
Rowan had to dismount when she came to the Main Street of Warwick. It was extremely crowded. People were milling about everywhere buying and selling their wares. There were stalls lining the street on both sides selling everything from jewelry to iron-forged tools.
Rowan was searching for a stall to buy some oats for Daisy. She walked around through the sea of crowding bodies until she finally heard the bellow of man selling horses. Rowan made her way over to the man's stall.
"Do you sell feed as well?" She asked.
"Of course, of course!" He replied. "How much do you please?"
Rowan handed him a sack from one of her saddle bags.
"Fill this for me." Rowan replied.
The man took the bag she handed him, picked up a wooden scoop, and began filling up the bag with oats.
"Would you mind telling me where there's an inn or tavern?" Rowan asked the man.
"Of course lad, you go down this 'ere street and take a right at the very end. You can't miss it, its called Meregryn's Tavern." The man told her.
Rowan handed the man a few coins, thanked him, and walked away.
As she picked her way through the throng she took notice of every detail around her, the man whose purse was just cut from his belt by a little boy of no more than 7 or 8, every person hawking there wares, every noble sniffing disdainfully into their scented handkerchiefs, the woman hanging her laundry on a line above one of the alleyways, everything. Rowan didn't miss a single movement of the people around her. That's why she was a Shadow.
Before too long Rowan came to the end of the Main Street which ended in the town square and sure enough, on the right side of the square was a two-story building with a hanging sign out front that read "Meregryn's Tavern". The tavern wasn't fit for kings but it was much cleaner than many she'd spent cold nights in before. She tied Daisy's reigns to the wooden rail outside and ducked into the inn.
Inside it was a bit hazy from all of the smoke and it was quite loud. There was boisterous laughter coming from all around and in the background a band was playing. Rowan walked up to the counter.
"Excuse me." She half shouted, trying to be heard above all the noise. "Where's the owner of this fine establishment?" She asked a woman of middle height who had a ruddy complexion and long black hair braided down her back.
"Your lookin' at 'er lad! M'names Meregryn how can I 'elp ya?" The woman replied.
"Do you happen to have a vacant room?" Rowan asked.
"I think I can fit ya in, for a price a course." Meregryn said.
"Wonderful. And I'll need a pint of your finest mead and the best food you've got." Rowan replied.
"Kyn will show you to 'yer room. Come 'ere lass!" Meregryn shouted at a small girl hardly any younger than Rowan, who quickly ran over. "Yes ma'am?" She said timidly.
"Show this lad to his room and then get him mead, bread, and stew." Meregryn instructed.
"This way sir." Kyn said to Rowan.
It seemed as though everyone was being fooled by Rowan's facade, which pleased her immensely. She was still disturbed that the old man back in the village had seen through her disguise so easily. Rowan wondered how he knew so quickly, what had given it away?Although he had been a bit odd himself. . .
Kyn led Rowan up a staircase, to the right, and then to the end of the hallway. Kyn pulled a key out of her apron pocket and unlocked the big oak door.
"Ere' we are then." Kyn said as she opened the door and went in. Rowan stepped in behind her. "Would you like me to draw a bath miss?" Kyn asked.
"Excuse me?" Rowan said in surprise.
"I know how good a nice warm bath feels after a long ride. Mighty fine it does at that." Kyn replied as if nothing where the matter.
"That's not what I meant." Rowan said quietly. "How did you know?"
"These young eyes of mine don't miss much, if you don't mind my being so blunt." Kyn replied
Rowan was speechless. The old man at the village had answered in the very same evasive manner. How did they know?
"Well. . . ." Kyn broke the silence of Rowan's puzzling. "Bath or no?"
"Yes please that would be fine. I'll take my dinner downstairs if you don't mind." and with that Rowan turned around and went downstairs.
The hazy smoke-filled bar did nothing to clear her head and the perturbed thoughts within it. It was still loud and smelly down there but at least it was away from that over perceptive girl. As Rowan sat at a table in the corner with her back facing the wall, the main thought that was hollering louder than all others in Rowan's mind was "How did she know?!?". Her mind was a jumble of suspicious questions with ambiguous answers. How did the old man know? Who was he? Who is she? What's going on? Is there something I missed? How come they can see through my disguise and others seem not to have the slightest clue? Is there some connection between the old man and the girl?
Rowan was startled out of her discombobulated thoughts by Meregryn setting down a platter with half a loaf of bread on it, a bowl of vegetable stew, and a mug of ale. Rowan produced a bag of coins from a pocket within her tunic and placed a good number of them on the table for Meregryn to take.
"There 'ya go laddy, an will that be all for 'ye?" Meregryn inquired.
"Yes thank you." Rowan replied. "Are there any stables nearby where I might board my horse?" She asked, remembering that Daisy was still out front.
"Right 'round back, not that we 'ave any stable boys to fetch your horse. Anything else?"
"No that's all, thank you."
"I'll leave ye to it then, give a shout if ye require somethin'." Meregryn said before walking around the room to see if any other people were in need of refreshments or victuals.
Rowan then decided that the girl and the old man figuring her out must be a coincidence, and resolved to not let it ruin her meal.
After Rowan had eaten her fill and drank her mead she went outside to fetch Daisy. She untied the reins from the post and lead Daisy around the tavern to the stable, then into a stall at the far end of the barn.
Rowan started undoing the saddle straps and then lifted the saddle off Daisy's back. Next she took off the bridle and then she searched around looking for a brush. Once she found one in a separate tack room she took out the bag of oats and poured it into the trough. As Daisy started eating Rowan began brushing her coat with great care and attention making sure to get all of the dirt out of her gilded hair. When she was satisfied with her grooming job Rowan bade Daisy goodnight, picked up the saddle and bags, locked the stall, and put the brush back.
Rowan went back up to her room, hoping that during her absence Kyn would've left.
Her wish was granted and she entered her room and saw a tub full of water but no one in sight. She sighed with relief, she didn't want to answer anyone's questions.
Rowan closed the door and locked it behind her then put the saddlebags and saddle on the floor at the foot of the bed. She began to take off her weapons and clothes then relaxed into the nice hot bath.