I bid the boys an early goodnight and stumble back to my room. Throughout the evening I'd slowly gained a headache as well as the exhaustion of the day catching up to me in waves so much so that I could barely even pay attention to conversation.
Barely keeping my eyes open, I stagger into my room and head straight to the bed, flopping onto the blankets and wrapping them around me tight, my body giving in immediately to my fatigue, sleeping into darkness.
~~~
I awaken to a loud yelp and my eyes fly open. There in front of me, standing in the dark, is a silhouette.
A silhouette of man holding out a knife.
Instinctively I jump up and freeze, adrenaline pumping though my veins.
The figure walks closer, peering at me, then suddenly drops the arm holding the knife down.
"Ella?" Sage's voice echoes out.
"Sage!"
"Oh my god, lassy, you scared me half to death."
I sigh in relief and sit back down, "Why are you in here?"
"Why am I in here?" Sage echoes my words.
I wrinkle my brow, "This is my room,"
"Lassy, this is not your room, its mine." He gives me a look, "Are you okay?"
I look around and see the dark layout of the room and realise that he is right, it's not my room. I internally face palm, letting out a laugh.
"I'm sorry, I was obviously not paying attention."
"I see that, Isabel will be so mad when she finds out you were in my bed."
My expression drops from humour to worry, but suddenly he laughs, "Ell, I'm winding you up, she'll find it funny as."
"At least I didn't end up in Killian's bed, then it might've been game over for us," I say.
"If you had ended up in his bed I don't think you'd exist anymore." Sage is right, who knows what could've happened if I'd ended up in Killian's bed instead.
A cold shiver goes through my body, whether in response to his words or because I'm cold.
"Okay, I'm going to go back to my room now, see you in the morning, and sorry for startling you!" I smile and head out the room.
"Goodnight!" Sage calls at my receding back. For once I'm grateful that I was too tired to take anything off when I got in, because would've been embarrassing.
I take a quick detour and stop in the privy. My flow is slowing down now which I'm thankful about, washing and changing my flow strips has been a nightmare the last few days.
Finishing in there, I tiptoe back to my actual room, laughing, if anyone saw me now they'd think I was doing 'the walk of shame,' a walk that Maud, Anne and I had seen countless people do in the middle of the night at the Gandrick Castle, much to our amusement.
I do wonder how castle life is, my friends, my family, everyone. What the knights from yesterday told me is that the Lord and Lady Golding are still looking for me, maybe even their son now as well, enough time has passed that he should be back now. I giggle, I'd pay to see the look on his face when he's told his wife to be has run away. I am teaching that family a lesson, that everyone beneath them is not just a pawn to be moved around when they wish, we have lives and wishes too.
I make it back into the comfort of my own bed, this time changing into clothes to sleep in before getting under the blankets. At some point the boys from earlier must've come in and dropped off our bags, and I gratefully smile.
Sleep is harder to find this time around, my body is awake and the world seems to be making as much noise as it can. Owls singing calls to one another outside, the creaking of the wooden floorboards out in the passageway as someone moves around, and then the constant cries of the wind accompanied by the strong rain battering against the inn. It is never stopping but finally I drift off once more.
~~~
I wake this time to the sound of kids playing outside. I climb out of bed and peer out the window, a group of them are running around and jumping in puddles, mud covering them. The rain has lessened to a drizzle but the wind is still howling.
Not knowing what time we're leaving today urges me to get ready and go down for breakfast, my body feels slightly achy but I brush off the feeling.
I arrive downstairs and scan my eyes around the room looking for Sage or Killian but surprisingly, don't see either. I head over to a table and sit down, after a few minutes I'm approached by the women from yesterday. I came to the conclusion last night that her and her husband — the one who cooked our meal last night, must run this inn together.
"Good morning!" She greets me, "Are you to have breakfast here this morning?"
"I am, I don't suppose either of my companions have come down already?" I ask.
"No, not yet, but what can I get you laddy? Some fine bread or maybe our famous scrambled eggs?"
I reach inside my money pouch, and draw out ten pennies, "How much is it for the scrambled eggs?"
She grins, "A fine choice, and only two pennies,"
I pass them all to her. Unlike the last place, where we paid for everything on the spot, here it is a pay as you go.
"My fine lad, this is too much,"
"It's for the other two as well, when they eventually come down," I tell her.
"But even then, it's too much,"
She tries to give two bag but I gently push her away, "No keep the change,"
"Then thank you! We shall go make you the finest eggs of the land!" She waddles away smiling.
A few minutes later she comes back out with my food and places it down on the table, "Now if you need anything, and I mean it, come find me."
"I'm very grateful for your hospitality!" I laugh, "Do you by any chance know where I can find dried fruit to buy?"
"Ah you'll want to head down the road to Mavis's place, it's the one on the corner." She lets out a laugh and winks at me, "You'll find luck there."
"Thank you, ma'am," I bow my head, slightly confused.
"Enjoy the eggs," She bustles off and I dig into the food, forgetting her strange look, my taste buds and stomach celebrating. I take my time enjoying breakfast, probably the last good one I'll have in a long time, but neither of my male companions come down.
I sigh, it is still early and they're probably both making the most of the good beds and warm blankets, I would be too if it wasn't for those kids waking me up. After eating my plate is taken away by the little girl and I venture outside. The moment I open the door, a large gust of wind hurls itself at me, almost achieving to blow off my cap but I manage to grab it first.
I brace myself, then plunge outside, closing the door behind me. The rain has picked up again, the wind causing it to come at me almost horizontally. Holding onto my cap for dear life, I run almost blindly down the street, at least in daylight everything is easier to see so I don't get lost. A few brave souls are also wandering the street, each minding their own business, and focused on their tasks at hand, the children have vanished, probably chased away by the weather.
I find the corner house and knock on the door, a girl, looking to be around my age with long dark braids, opens it and gives me a once over.
"You're not from around here, I'm guessing you're looking for dried fruit, thats what all travellers seem to want."
I nod, "I got the right house then."
"That you did, come in, come in,"
I follow her into the house and she leads me into a room, a blast of hot air hits me as we step in.
"We just dried a new batch of fruit, so you came at the right time."
I look around the room and see tables full of strips of different fruits, sweetly smelling. A large fireplace containing a roaring fire lies on the far side, the source of all the warmth.
"Are you Mavis?" I ask curiously.
The girl laughs, "Nah, I'm the niece, Aunty Mave is out at the moment, she took me in when I was a baby, my ma and pa didn't survive the plague," She goes over to the fire and places a new piece of wood, from beside it, into the fire.
"I'm sorry to hear that,"
"Nah," She takes stands up and takes a step closer to me, "we have all lost people to the plague."
"You're right about that,"
She takes another step towards me, "So what is it that you're looking for?"
"Well," I walk over to a table and take a closer a look, "not looking for one particular fruit, just a variety that will us going through the mountains,"
She comes up behind me and peers over my shoulder, "Then I can provide you with an assortments of dried fruits."
"Thank you,"
She walks over to another table, "Do you need pouches to carry the fruit or do you have your own already?"
"I don't have any. Is it possible to have three of them, one for each of us?" I ask.
"Ooooo and who is a fine lad like yourself travelling with?" She grabs three pouches and walks back over, plonking them on the table.
"I am travelling with my friend, who is a stable hand, and a knight who has decided to accompany us on our journey."
"And where are you journeying to?" She starts placing fruit in the pouches.
"To Sanlowe Manor," I reply.
She looks up, eyes raised, "That's a journey and a half away,"
"Yes, I'm moving there to live with a relative," Not a lie, but neither the full truth.
"I've never been there, but from what I've heard from other travellers, it's a lovely village." She smiles and hands me three pouches filled with fruit. On her fingers she begins to count, muttering to herself, "Five pennies per bag, and thats three bags so thats..."
"One shilling and three pennies?" I'd spent years listening to my father doing trade deals.
"Yes, you're right!" She exclaims, "But because I like you, I'll knock the price down to one shilling,"
"Thank you..." I hand her the money, trailing off because I realise I don't know her name.
"Lily! The name is Lily," She steps closer and passes me the pouches, "and you are?"
"Er, Leon," I start backing away and walking back towards the door. She skips around me and opens in and leads me back to the front door.
"Well, Leon, if you ever come back here, be sure to pay me a visit," She winks and I awkwardly smile at her, realising her intentions and her reason for knocking the price down.
If only she knew that I am actually a girl. I internally laugh at the situation, it hasn't occurred to me until now, that I actually am pulling off the male look well enough to have a village maiden show interest in me.
"Thank you Lily for the fruit," I nod and walk out into rain, tucking the pouches safely under my cloak.
"My pleasure! Do come back and visit some time!" She calls after me.
I wave back with my arm then continue my trudging through the rain back to the inn and hopefully back to some awake men.
A/N:
Early update whoop whoop and we have an accidental longer chapter AND our girl Ella is not only being hit on, but also going to bed in beds that aren't her own ;)
Are you guys fans of the slow burn romance that builds slowly or the quick, dives into it all at once romance?
Vote and comment if you enjoyed!
SouthernAlps over and out...