Espen wove through the crowd of the assembly of people just moments after he hit ground level, letting his nose guide him through the throng. He tuned out the chatter, listening for the clang of pots and pans of the kitchen. His mouth started to water as he caught a whiff of potato soup, and his stomach grumbled.
So out of tune with the world around him, he nearly fell flat on his face when a traveler stuck his foot out, causing him to trip.
"Hey! Watch it!" Espen barked, rightening himself and brushing off his pants. "I don't appreciate being tripped up."
"Aw, look what we have here, fellas! Looks like we've gotta kid here straight out of secondary school!" The hunter bellowed, turning to his friends, who laughed in agreement. "What's wrong, chap? You not used to the big wide world outside of your pampered life in Rayvan?" He cooed.
"I'm not from Rayvan. And I'm not fresh out of secondary school!" He growled, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.
The hunter just laughed. "You clearly ain't from around these parts, chap. You hold yourself like you're above the rest of us-that kinda walk they only got in the 'cap." He snagged an ale mug off the tabletop after his bold statement, and downed the contents with one swig. "Barmaid! Another round!" He shouted, slamming the mug down with enough force that Espen could feel the rattle of the table through the soles of his shoes.
The closest maid, a girl with hair so black it rivaled Scarlet's, swaggered up to them, her tray balancing dangerously in one hand. "Another pint for you, sir?" She asked, her voice laced with honey as she swept the empty mug onto her tray.
"Another round, for us all!" Jibbed another hunter, snagging a slice of bread and shoving the whole piece into his mouth. "We dine like kings tonight, lads!"
"Aye!" The rest of the group shouted, raising massive fists in the air.
"Coming right on up, gentlemen." The barmaid strutted away, the thump of her heeled boots on the wooden floor drowned out under the shouts and cheers of the other travelers.
Espen watched her go, thankful that she had come by so quickly, and driving the hunters attention away from him. Being very careful to not trip over anymore strewn aside bags or outstretched feet, he followed the barmaid's path to the back counter. He inhaled the sweet aroma of onions and steak, and he had to swallow the saliva pooling in his mouth before it could dribble onto the floor.
"You fancying a bite to eat?" A melody-like voice asked, startling Espen into the present. He whipped his head around, and stared at the barmaid standing behind him. Her long honey colored locks fell in curls down to her waist, and her bright emerald green eyes watched him curiously.
"Uh-yeah. I've been traveling for a few days, and I'm craving a hot meal." He stammered, nodding hastily.
The barmaid smiled sweetly, and beckoned for him to follow her. "Well, it's your first night here, ain't it? You've got a free meal, on the house." She threw Espen a glance over her shoulder, and her mouth curled upwards into a smile.
"Yeah...but I need two meals. The first night covers two meals, right?" He stammered, stopping at the bar counter as the maid trailed around to the kitchen side.
"Hm, sorry, sugar, but it only covers one meal." She smiled sympathetically, although she didn't look sorry.
He frowned. "But...I thought it was enough meals for your whole party." He started to fidget with the edge of his sleeve. "Um...just a bowl of potato soup then. With bread and butter."
The barmaid nodded. "I'll be right back with that for you." With the low dip, half resembling a curtsy, she disappeared into the kitchen.
Espen rocked back and forth on his heels, gritting his teeth. What would Scarlet say, if he only came back with one meal? That the barmaid refused to give him two meals on the house? He bit down hard on his lower lip, soon starting to taste the all too familiar tang of blood on his tongue.
"Here you are, soup and bread." The barmaid tapped his shoulder, and Espen looked up from the countertop, up at her warm face. She held an old wood tray in her hands, an olive green bowl filled to the brim with potato soup and a little white plate with a piece of buttered bread perched atop.
"Thanks." Espen mustered up a smile, taking the tray from her. He spun on his heel, and marched towards the stairs without so much as a farewell.
Shesh. I think Scarlet's rubbing off on me.
A shiver went down his spine at this thought, although he couldn't help but let a tiny smile creep onto his face. He clopped up the stairs, being very, very careful not to slosh the soup over the bowl. He carefully made his way down the hall, his shoulders narrowly fitting into the hall.
"Scarlet! Can you open the door?" He hollered, coming to a stop outside of their room.
Scarlet yanked open the door a moment later, her mouth set into a scowl. "You couldn't open it yourself?" She grumbled, eyeing the tray in his hands suspiciously. "There's no way you already ate- so how come you've only got one tray?"
"Ah. Well, funny story." Espen laughed dryly, balancing the tray on one hand so he could rub the back of his neck. "So...the free meal is just for one person...not for two. And I didn't have any coin on me, and I know that we're kinda on a fixed budget, so..." He shrugged. "So I got yours." He nodded down at the tray.
Scarlet's eyes widened, and her brow furrowed. "That can't be right at all." She took the tray from Espen, and set it down on the nightstand with a thunk. "Come on-we're going to go have a little chat with our hosts."
"Scarlet, that's really not-"
"Don't try and argue with me. We're getting you your meal, no matter if they tell us no." She barked, catching his hand in a deadly tight grip.
Espen's eyes widened with surprise, not knowing why she really cared so much. He tripped over his feet as Scarlet dragged him down the hall and to the ground floor.
"Who's the one you spoke with?" Scarlet hissed in his ear, her deep brown eyes darting across the room, landing on each person inside before skipping to the next.
"Uh...she had blond hair?" He stammered, grinding his teeth.
"Espen, half the girls in here have blond hair. I need specifics."
"Uhhhh...green eyes?"
"Oh, you have to be kidding me. Alright, here. Go buy yourself some food. I'm going to track down the barmaid you talked to, and have a chat with her."
"Okay, fine, just please don't go crazy on her and pull your knife." He replied with a worried frown.
Scarlet shrugged. "I left my knife in our room so I wouldn't be tempted."
Sniffling back a laugh, Espen dove into the crowd, weaving in and out of the sparse gaps of crowd. He glanced over his shoulder after a few paces, looking for Scarlet, but she had already melted into the crowd, her mix of green and brown clothing making it impossible to pick her out from the mess of hunters in the inn. A sigh escaped his lips, before he started walking once more, shoving his way through the throng.
Scarlet's eyes darted over each person in the tavern, lingering a moment longer on each barmaid that came into view. She couldn't quite place why exactly she wanted to find the woman who served Espen, but anger bubbled up hot in her chest.
Maybe she was just looking for an outlet for the anger that had been lingering inside her since she and Espen had departed. She was mad that her father always called at the most inconvenient times. She was mad about that attacker in the woods, which had been over a day ago already. And she was mad about losing Astral. She had been her only companion for years, since she found her in an alleyway as a kitten just days after Doctor Jael's funeral.
Focus.
She scolded herself, grimacing as she dragged herself out of her thoughts before the memories of that frightful day could claim her. Returning her attention to the inn, Scarlet turned in a slow circle. There really wasn't a point to finding the barmaid who had only given them one free meal. But, since she was down here, she might as well find a quiet table to slink down in, and listen to the conversations around her. Who knew, maybe a drunken hunter would let some sensitive information slip. Maybe, she would hear some clues about Lilith's kidnapper.
(Author's note-I know, I know, this chapter is crazy boring. It's really just a filler-the next chapters will be more exciting, don't worry :))
YOU ARE READING
A Kindling Flame
Teen Fiction20 year old Espen has a lot on his shoulders. With his little sister under his care, and working two part time jobs, he and Lilith can hardly get by. When he lands a job as the Plague Doctor's assistant, that's when things go horribly wrong. With t...
