A story of Sylestia

Number Seven

ByteMe96 stepped into the spacious reception. The first thing she noticed was the crackling fire opposite the entrance that blazed strongly within the clay fireplace. After a few moments, her mind calculated about thirty people and Sylesties lounging on comfy sofas, waiting in line for a room or ordering food and drinks at the small bar.

The girl looked around cautiously for a moment before joining the queue for a room. Three people were waiting in front of her, so she got to the front after a few minutes.

"Hello! How can I help you?" A cheerful-looking woman stood behind the messy counter. She smiled and rummaged around in the mess before she plucked out a piece of parchment and a pen. She poised the pen above the paper, ready to write down any necessary information.

"One room for the night, please," ByteMe96 said, her voice more confident than she felt.

The woman scribbled something onto the paper and thrust her tanned hand under ByteMe96's nose. "That will be fifty coins." She said.

A wave of panic struck the girl for a moment. I don't have any coins! She thought. After a few tense seconds passed, she remembered she had absentmindedly pocketed a worn leather bag of coins while wandering Esior Haven. She grimaced at the thought that she had stolen someone's money in which they had worked hard to earn. It was too late to reverse her mistake, but she promised herself she would be sure to be more careful next time.

She pulled out the pouch from a hidden pocket of her shirt and emptied the whole contents into her hand. She quickly counted out the required amount and placed what little coins she had left while putting the amount asked into the woman's waiting palm.

The middle-aged woman snatched her hand back and her fingers flew as she rapidly counted to make sure she wasn't cheated. Satisfied, she turned around to get a small, silver key from a metal hook labelled '7'. She dropped the key into the girl's hand was already waving for the next person waiting.

ByteMe96 sighed and walked over to flop down on a scratchy, red couch. She looked down at the key and the looked back up at Starry Night, who was eyeing the large crimson chair suspiciously as if it would suddenly grow legs and bolt away. The dark-haired girl smiled and stood up again, heading towards the stairs that would take her to her room.

After about thirty or so stone steps, she reached the second floor where her room would be. The hallway was painted a placid green and all the doors were an identical shade of red, only differing from the small square of white that announced the room number.

She heard a loud thump from behind her and looked back, startled. She then realised it was the Draeyl, who had accidentally knocked over a small table on which a leaflet stand stood. The Sylesti was trying to get all the leaflets of the inn back on the stand and ended up with one wide open on top of her eyes. She stumbled around, flailing around blindly before the folded piece of paper drifted off and landed on the carpeted floor.

ByteMe96 quickly changed her laugh into a cough and frowned at her Sylesti, who was trying, and failing, to look as if it the mess she made was absolutely unrelated to her. The black-haired girl sighed and began to pick up the leaflets, stacking them neatly on the stand and putting it on the table.

Putting all the drama Starry Night had caused behind her, ByteMe96 took out the small, silver key and fitted it into the lock. She turned it until a muffled click told her the door was unlocked. She pushed it open and beckoned for the purple Draeyl to enter.

The room was decorated with a similar wallpaper as the hall but instead of plain green, beautiful floral patterns covered the walls. A simple bed with white sheets and a pillow were put alongside the wall opposite a window. A bedside table with two drawers sat on the right side of the bed, a brand new oil lamp was placed in the middle of the table. An empty pantry was above a shoe and clothes rack. Opposite of the entrance, there was a white door which ByteMe96 soon found out was the bathroom. The bathroom must have been costly as it was made entirely of gleaming, white marble. The sink was attached to the left wall, a bar of soap pleasantly-smelling like lavender. A toilet was installed on the far wall, next to a deep bath. A shower surrounded by glass walls dominated the wall on the right.

ByteMe96 had no belongings so far so she had no use for the drawers and the racks. She flicked her boots off and collapsed onto the comfy bed. Starry Night walked over and curled on top of a thick woven rug. The pair finally felt the tiredness of the day and fell asleep long before the moon had come out.