Lost Rider- Book 2

Fifteen

Lorelie's skin marking/tattoo is in the picture.

In the early morning, a shadow quietly walked through the streets of Redfandor. A reasonably sized town not too far from the forest edge, colourful shade sails provided shelter for the many market stalls. Few merchants and sellers were loading their stalls with goods. Travel supplies and clothes were among those goods.

Lorelie approached one of the stalls, a short, plump woman was fixing a corner of the shade sail near the back of the stand. She turned when she heard the dragon-rider's footsteps approaching, a wide smile spread across her rosy face, her blue eyes twinkled with merriment, long chestnut hair was twisted up into a bun on top of her head.

"I have a variety of clothes to choose from. Take a look at the ones on display and I'll be with you in a moment" the woman, Jackie, said. She was the tailor of Redfandor, each year she sold almost all her hand-made clothes to travellers and the like. And at that very moment, she happened to be in a cheery mood, and happy to see her first customer of the day. She was so happy that she failed to be suspicious about Lorellie's arrival time, it was in fact close to six in the morning.

Lorelie glanced, uninterested, at the cheap, plain, clothes hanging from the roof of the makeshift shop. She sighed impatiently, waiting for Jackie to finish with the shade cloth. When the tailor finished with her task, she walked back to the counter-front of the market stall, crossing her arms across her wide chest and leaning on the wooden bench.

"What can I get for you, now?" She asked, taking in the appearance of the rider. Dried blood, mud, dirt, sweat and grime was all she saw coating the young lady. Fiery-orange hair was halfheartedly concealed underneath Lorelie's blue-grey cowl, it was damp and streaked with mud.

"Good gracious! My girl, you need a good scrub in a tub filled with bubbles. Come along!" Jackie screeched, opening the half-door at the side of her humble shop. Liking the sound of a bath, and sensing no danger in this little woman, Lorelie gladly followed. Handing the lady a few coins as payment.

'I'm going to be a while, my friend' Lorelie said to Maylanth through their mind link. The violet dragon, did not ask questions he simply accepted her message.

Jackie's little market stall was built off the front of her shop, and on top of her shop, a small apartment provided Jackie with the home she needed. Lorelie followed the plump little lady through the shop, up the stairs, and into her home on top of it all.

Jackie unfolded a delicately designed screen, stretching it out so that it would completely conceal the wash tub hidden behind it. She filled the tub with hot water, and dribbled in a small amount of bubble potion. She received a towel, and gently folded it, placing it on the small table just outside the boundaries of the screen. She then left, telling Lorelie to call out when she was finished, so that new clothes may be given to her.

Thankful for the hospitality of the small human woman, Lorelie undressed, chucking her muddy boots in the corner, they were now beyond repair. Holes were scattered everywhere up and down the leather material of the footwear, mud had made them stiff and uncomfortable, the small heel had been worn down so low that it could no longer be classified as a heel.

After placing her weapons gently on the ground near the tub, the ginger stepped into the steamy water, sinking down with a sigh of comfort. She sat still for a few minutes, relishing the first warm bath she'd had in months.

Gently clearing the dried blood from her old wounds, Lorelie inspected the shallow cut that ran across her tattoo. It had started to scab over, and the skin marking was mending itself back together. Not all rider markings could be so strong, if the mark was split or the necklace smashed, the bond would be broken if the bond lacked strength.

Scrubbing herself clean, Lorelie called out to Jackie. Popping a few bubbles as she waited for the tailor to return with some new clothes. Jackie returned, and was thanked multiple times by the young ginger half-elf. Lorelie dried herself with the fluffy towel provided, and then slipped herself into her new jacket, trousers, boots, and her original hooded cloak. Her dagger in her boot, her sword strapped to her hip, her quiver of arrows at her back, and the magnificent bow of hers strung across her shoulders.

She left the town in comfort, sneakily nicking some food on the way out of the already busy marketplace. She made her way back to the campsite in the woods, where Maylanth was scratching a map into the ground with his claw. Ky was chatting with Charm, Harold was tending the horses, and Ronyo was, of course, curled up asleep.

"I'm back!" She said in a singsong voice, all attention turned to Lorelie.