Jane's Story

Prologue part 3

A good sleep was all Jane needed. Even if she slept only three hours, she still felt great, ready to take on the day properly. She got up, stretching as high as she could before bouncing a little on her feet to get her blood flowing.

A little groan echoed in her head; the sudden movement wasn't to everyone's liking, and sounding groggy, Anna voiced her complaints.

   {- Ugh. Do you need to bounce around first thing after a nap? And who can sleep only three hours and have that much energy?! Let me sleep five more minutes, please...}

A snicker appeared on Jane's lips as she shook her head in slight disappointment. She had a hunch Anna was a bit lazy. It made sense, actually, since she'd spent so long trapped in a necklace without moving at all.

The young redhead looked at her dirty body for a few seconds before changing the plans she had made before going to sleep. She needed to clean herself, and fast. She could just run out of the village to get to a river she had crossed while traveling to this place, but that would just burn all the food she had eaten earlier, and it wasn't her intention to use all her money on food.

   - Okay, Anna. Next time, I'll let you sleep a bit more. Let's find a bath first. I didn't see any in that inn, and I really need one right now. Sadly, running still makes me sweat way too much.

A vague grunt was all she got in response, so she just shrugged her shoulders before donning her robe again and pulling the hood over her head while making her way toward the bar.

Once she stepped foot into the dining room, all sounds stopped for a second. Most of the patrons were the same as a few hours back, and they all remembered the aura Jane had given off at that time.

The redhead frowned slightly before offering a smile to the other customers. She made a small curtsy before speaking in a clear voice.

   -I'm sorry for earlier. Please don't be afraid of me. I'm just a simple girl and only want some peace, that's all.

After saying her piece, she made her way to the bar, where the same middle-aged man from before was standing. Once in front of him, she immediately took out a silver coin and placed it on the bar with a sweet smile.

   - Could you tell me where I can take a bath? Privately would be best, of course.

The man eyed the coin, dragged it across the bar, and put it underneath. He glanced at the patrons behind the young woman to ensure no one was eavesdropping before leaning over the bar a bit.

   - You can use the bath in the back. It's usually for my daughter, but I'll make sure no one bothers you at all. If you can... restrain your aura, please. Business is already bad these days.

That confession surprised Jane, and she raised an eyebrow at his words.

   - What do you mean? I'm not from here, and I'm not up to date on the latest news. Could you tell me a bit more, please?

The middle-aged man seemed uncomfortable for a second but eventually sighed and continued.

   - Well, it's not like it's a secret. There are some rumors about a beast that's terrorizing the area. I don't know much beyond that since I've never seen the beast myself. But anyway, it's making business slow. Not many people come to Vanel now, except maybe the mercenaries. Be careful around them.

Jane nodded her head in appreciation at these informations. Then she turned around to follow the little girl that came out from behind a door next to the bar. That little girl was Belle, the barkeep's daughter.