The King's Bride

Kindness

Everleigh rides through the woods and arrives at a village, praying that she will be able to find a place to spend the night, needing to rest and work through all that has happened that night. Looking around, she makes her way to the only place she sees is still open at that hour, the local tavern.

She walks into the place, the only patron still there looking back at her for a moment before returning to his mug, and makes her way to the older woman behind the low counter. Everleigh can feel the assessing look the woman gives her as she walks closer to the counter and fights the urge to turn on her heels, afraid the woman might just cast her out. "That would be the perfect ending for this night.", she thinks, snickering at herself.

The older woman gives her a soft smile as she approaches, her eyes softening as well.

-"Welcome, hon. What can I get you?"

-"I'm looking for a place to stay for the night. Do you have any rooms to rent?"

-"Sorry, hon, I don't. The best I can get you is a hot bowl of stew and some brew to wash it down."

Everleigh visibly deflates, not looking forward to get back on her horse, when her stomach rumbles. She places a hand over it, a blush creeping up on her cheeks, and looks back at the woman.

-"I'll take it. Thank you."

-"Pick a table and I'll bring them out to you in a minute."

Everleigh nods and takes a seat on a nearby table. The woman returns a couple of minutes later and places a bowl with steaming stew in it and a mug with brew in front of her. Everleigh thanks her and starts eating, just then realizing how hungry she really is.

Halfway through her meal, she watches the man leaving, biding goodnight to the woman and Everleigh realizes then that the woman probably wants to close so she can go home to her family. But she is surprised when the woman sits across from her, letting out a sigh of relief, before looking at her.

-"So, abusive husband or unwanted marriage?"

Everleigh looks at her, her mouth opening and closing, no words coming out, when she sees the woman giving her a kind smile.

-"Hon, I've seen enough women come through my doors to know that there's only two reasons a woman will be out this late. She is either working, and you definitely don't look like you just left a client, or she is running away from something."

-"Not working, no."

-"Running then. Alright, is he following?"

-"No."

-"Good. That means you stand a chance. I have an empty room in the back where you can stay for as long as you want and need. All I ask in return is a little help when the tavern gets busy. Have you ever worked in a tavern?" - Everleigh shakes her head in response. -"There's nothing to it. Just ask what they want and then tell me. I'll give it to you and you bring it to the table. Simple, right?"

Everleigh nods, for some reason having a hard time forming full sentences and speaking them to the woman across from her.

-"What's your name, hon?"

-"Everleigh." - Her voice almost falters when she answers.

-"Nice to meet you, Everleigh. I'm Lucia. Now, eat up while I close the tavern and when you're ready, I'll show you to your room."

Everleigh watches Lucia stand and in that moment she finds her voice, the sound of it coming out almost as broken as her heart is.

-"Why are you helping me? You don't even know me."

-"Because once upon a time, I was running too."

Lucia smiles at her before walking away, starting to close and lock the door of the tavern. Everleigh finishes her stew and thinks that there are still kind people in the world, anyone else would've probably kicked her out as soon as she was done with her meal.

Everleigh stands and picks up her bowl and mug, placing them on the counter, just as Lucia joins her, tilting her head towards the back of the tavern. She follows and, as they walk, she knows she should say something.

-"Thank you."

-"No need for that. Like I said, I was once running too. If I can help someone in the same situation, then I'll happily help in any way I can."

Everleigh nods, before coming to a stop in front of a wooden door. Lucia opens the door and enters, motioning her to follow.

-"It's not much, but there's a bed, a nightstand and a water bowl. I open everyday at eleven, when the bell chimes, and close every night around midnight, depending on how many patrons I have. If any of them gives you a hard time, let me know and I'll deal with them, alright?"

Everleigh nods again, looking around the room and being thankful to just have somewhere safe to spend the night.

-"Get some rest, hon. You look like you need it. Have a good night."

-"Thank you, Lucia. Goodnight."

Lucia smiles at her and leaves, closing the door behind her. Everleigh sits on the bed, thinking that this is fine. She will stay here for a couple of days, so she can wrap her head around the decision she made and so she can decide where she will go next, and then she will leave.

She stands back up, taking her cloak off before laying in bed, thanking her lucky stars for having decided to stop there for the night, thinking "Just a couple of nights, then I'll leave.", before falling asleep.