Savoirs

Jaclyn

 I woke and saw a pillar of smoke rising into the sky from the west and the door slammed open. A small family walked into the inn with the father grumbling about a fire bug. I stood behind the counter and jumped when the man slammed his fist down on the wood in anger.

"I need a place to stay with my family." He grumbled and I nodded. I walked down the hall and up stairs to where the larger rooms were. A door was ajar and quickly walked back to where the man stood fuming about a fire that burned down an entire village. That must have been what the column of smoke was.

"There's a room upstairs, sir." I squeaked. He nodded and slammed a few coins down on the counter. I slide them off the counter and placed them into the leather pouch I had tied around my waist. The man stood with his family waiting.

"Well? Aren't you going to show us where this room is?" He growled. I nodded and walked quickly around the counter and forced myself to walk at a regular pace as I lead the man and his family up the stairs and to the room. The man's wife smiled gratefully at me and I looked down at the floor as I hurried back down the stairs. I sat back in my place behind the counter and emptied the leather pouch and placed the coins in a pouch I had hidden in the basket that held sewing items. I picked up the blouse I was patching and continued to stitch the hole in the shoulder. I heard yelling outside and something like glass shatter but I didn't look up. It was probably another person who had their house burned down in that village who was upset and was taking it out of people who were just trying to make sure they weren't being cheated out of money. It was a while later when the door flew open again and I jumped, surprised by the suddenness of it and stabbed my hand with the needle. I sucked in a breath and pulled the needle out. I stood and faced a rather cross looking man who smelled of smoke. I shrank away and my hair fell into my face. He glared down at me as I stared, terrified, up at him.

"Can I help you?" My voice was barely above a whisper as I resisted the urge to dart into the small room behind me and lock the door. He nodded and for a moment his face softened but then he glared down at me again. I tucked my hair behind my ear and started to move around the table. He moved away and I stopped when I saw him go for his weapon. I noticed a drop of blood on the counter and I looked at my hand. My finger had a small trail of blood on it and I wiped it off on my skirt, staining the fabric.

"I need a room." The man growled and I nodded.

"Follow me." I squeaked and walked silently down the hall to a room. He nodded at me and walked past me into the room and shut the door rather firmly. I went back to the counter and finished sewing my blouse back together and busied myself with tidying the few rooms that were empty and made dinner for the people staying in the inn. I took a tray to each of the residents doors and went outside onto the porch and swept in the dying light of the sun. The last few people were heading home for the night and a cool breeze made me shiver. Winter was coming and I knew that it was going to be bad this year. I sighed and looked over at the small pile of fire wood. It was not enough for the winter. I knew it wasn't and so did the whole town. Sometimes someone would have extra firewood and put some in my small pile but the few pieces they would place in the pile didn't make up for the fact that there just wasn't enough for winter this year. 

I shook my head and walked back into the inn, the things that needed to be done in the morning running through my head. I went around the inn and picked up the empty tray's by the doors and set them in the kitchen. I went to my room and closed the door after locking the inn's front door. I sat down on the cot I had and leaned against the wall. I yawned and slowly I fell asleep. 

I was in a room, my hands bound and then fire raked across my skin and I screamed. Fire licked my back again and the scream ripped out of my throat. I heard a man laughing behind me and then I was lying on the floor, blood staining my back and I feel tears running down my face. Then I was coughing and someone was talking. It was an older woman who dabbed my forehead with a wet rag and hushed my fever induced mumbles. A mark appeared on my wrist and I was confused then a man was breaking in a I saw a man kill the woman. I ran far, for the soldiers and when we got back she was dead and the man gone. Again tears ran down my face and the mark vanished.

I woke to the sound of glass shattering and I cried out. I clamped my hand over my mouth and stared at the door to my room. I remembered the knife I had hidden under my pillow and slid it out from under the pillow. I stood, holding the blade out in front of me with a shaking hand and crept towards the door. Suddenly the door flew open and I jumped. The knife fell from my grasp and clattered loudly on the floor as someone entered the room. I backed away as quickly as they advanced towards me and then I couldn't back up anymore, the wall pressing against me. The person grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the door roughly. Panic rose inside of me and I screamed as the attacker pushed me out of the room and shoved me roughly to the ground. Tears were streaming down my face as I scrambled to my feet and tried to run in what I hoped was the direction of the door. Someone grabbed my arm and a hand was clamped over my mouth as I struggled to get free. I felt the person moving and heard something being crushed under their feet and then under my own feet, cutting my bare feet on the broken glass. I heard a door slam open or closed I couldn't tell but for a moment my attacker let go of my arm and I puled free. Suddenly I was falling forwards and I crashed to the ground. I screamed again and then the attacker was pulling me to my feet and the hand was over my mouth again. Tears were running down my face and I felt something cold being pressed against my throat. 

My eyes grew wide and the person was moving again, pulling me along with them. I heard someone yell and then I was thrown to the ground again. I cried out and heard people struggling. Then everything was quiet and I let out a shaky breath, unsure of what to do. I heard someone walk towards me and I scrambled to my feet again. I darted behind the counter and scooped up the knife I had dropped, spun and held it out between me and the person. My hand was shaking and I saw the face of the man that had come into the inn earlier that day. I fell to my knees and a sob escaped me. I wrapped my arms around myself and sobbed as he stood over me. I heard someone force the door in but I didn't care. I heard someone breathing hard and then people were talking.

"I am not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you." A man said. The man that was standing over me laughed and I wiped tears away as I willed myself to stand. I stood and held the knife carefully at my side. I sniffed and saw the person lying so still on the floor and a sob escaped me and fresh tears ran down my face.

"Leave." The man standing next to me growled. The man standing in the doorway put his hands up and turned to leave.

"Wait!" I called. The man stopped and I glanced at the one next to me.

"Yes?" The first asked. I looked at him and exhaled a shaky breath.

"Can you promise this won't happen again?" I asked quietly. I saw him nod and I moved from behind the counter and walked over to him. The other man followed me and with that the three of us walked out into the night.