The Great Pumpkin Chase

Chapter 6

Lemon had barely managed to make it to the Old Shoe Tavern before the sun set. It had taken her running from he tub station at the speed of light but she had made it.

She grabbed a stitch at her side as she huffed the last few steps up to the old place.

The Old Shoe Tavern was one of the oldest taverns in the city. It was located in the inner ring of the Ever After neighborhood. 

It was a rickey looking building with the lean-to appearance. It was easy to look at the place and keep on walking. On the outside the dirty brown film coating the glass windows coupled with the smoke that wafted out of the door gave the impression of a unkempt tavern with questionable cleanliness. It only looked that way because the Old Woman who ran the taverns hardly had enough time to pour a pint of mead before one of her never ending children came running over to whine about one thing or another. And off she would have to rush to put out the fires at home. 

However, Lemon loved the place. She pulled open the door and stepped inside. The inside of the Old Shoe was cozy. A long bar ran along one side. A giant fire place face the bar on the other wall. Groups of round tables and sturdy chairs dotted the floor space. All of the tables were currently occupied by thirsty and hungry customers. The place was abuzz with boisterous chatter and eating noises. 

Lemon waved a few people she knew as she weaved through the tables. She was heading toward the back staircase. There were a few meetings rooms that could be rented in the back. 

It was only four groats, and for a half crown you could get dinner service as well. Lemon opted for the dinner service since she had called the meeting for sunset. It was the usual supper time for most people. 

She climbed the stairs two at time. She had to stop at the top to catch her breath. She could see the light spilling through the cracked door of the room at the end of the short hallway. Lemon hurried in hoping no one was there yet. She didn't want to give anyone a bad impression. 

She pushed open the door and found of the bar girls setting up the simple dinner. The girl quietly continued her work as Lemon rearranged some of the furniture. She reoriented some of the chairs to face one of the wall so everyone could look at her without having to see the back of someone else's head or strain their neck peeking around someone. Lemon had just finished placing the final chair in place when a girl walked into the room. 

Lemon smiled at the girl, "Please tell me you are here for the race meeting?" She had to be sure that she wasn't going to be the punch line of a joke from some girl looking to see the famous Briar Rose's daughter so she could get a autograph or anything. 

The girl nodded and held out her hand, "Ember." Lemon grasps the girl's hand. Then she wished she hadn't. The girl's hand was rough and calloused like a man's and her grip brought tears to Lemon's eyes. 

She shook her hand to return the feeling back to her fingers. "That's a grip alright." She laughed. 

"Sorry I've got five brothers. You toughen up and run away." She shrugged and looked around the room. "The food for us?" It was really statement as she was already fixing herself a plate. 

"Oh yeah help yourself." Lemon studied the girl as she moved through the little buffet of food. Ember wasn't a tall girl. In fact Lemon guessed she wasn't an inch or two taller than her, but she was built like a tree stump. Her shoulders were wide set and so where her eyes. Lemon guessed her hair was red, but it was hard to tell with the greasy sheen to it. The girl had well muscled arms and legs and a flat stomach. Lemon wasn't a great judge of beauty, but she didn't think Ember would win any pageants. Especially if the judges got a gander at how the girl ate. Lemon wondered if Ember knew no one was going to snatch her fork from her. 

Before Lemon could properly engage Ember in conversation again another girl drifted through the door. The girl leaned against the wall next to door as she peeked out of the door. Lemon raised an eyebrow at the behavior.   

"Can't be too sure you weren't followed right." The girl said. She was wearing a deep green cloak with a fur lined hood. The girl kept her hood up as she properly walked into the room to take a seat. 

"Hello," Lemon said seeing as the girl didn't volunteer anything else.

"Hi," Lemon took the cue that the girl didn't want to talk so she left her alone. Ember's mouth and plate were too full for her to get a word out. She might have to sacrifice her tongue even if she tried. 

Lemon went over to little buffet to fix herself something to eat as well. She hadn't had anything since breakfast and that felt like hours ago. It was simple tavern fare. Bowls of peas, mashed potatoes, corn with a half a ham and a while chicken. Followed by a platter of sliced bread. 

Lemon grabbed some corn and chicken with a few pieces of bread. She was a growing girl she needed her bread. Her mother would have scowled at the bread. Good thing her mother was at some royal function for the Merchant's Guild or something. So Lemon was free to be Lemon. 

The girls ate in silence. For Ember it was a blessed quietness. Dinner time in the Hood household was fast, loud and often times dangerous. Though her brothers had homes and families of their own everyone still crowded back into the Hood house for dinner. Five brothers, plus four sister in laws and a gaggle of nieces and nephews all jockeying to be heard and fed was enough to drive her insane.  

Lemon was finishing up her plate when another girl burst into the room. A tiny gust of wind followed in her wake. The gust propelled her further into the room causing her to trip over her gown. The girl's face flushed beet red. "Sorry," she stammered as she managed to straighten up and save herself a very embarrassing face plant. 

"I say are you alright?" The hooded girl asked.