Elfborn

Gathered Together

Only to find that they had gone far past the central market and its collection of inns and shops where he had expected they would stop. Instead, the driver had taken them far off the beaten path, deep into the narrow streets and blockish buildings themselves to a tiny inn that looked identical to the buildings that stood all around in.

Lash frowned as he looked the building over, getting the impression that it was trying to hide amongst its larger brothers, cowering back from the narrow dirt street front. Instead of being the usual two or three stories, as were most of the inns that Lash had seen before, this one was a mere one story tall, its barn and stable standing taller than it did. It looked to have six or seven rooms at most, its common room cramped and spare in its comforts. By the name on the sign, the Harrowed Bull, the sign itself worn and peeling, the young man was less than reassured.

Of course the sight of no less than a half dozen men and women, all dressed in black like Cassandra, standing in front of the Bull did nothing to inspire confidence in Lash either. They all looked alike: the dark hair, the pale skin, and the grim expressions. Almost as if they had been stamped with the same mold.

The feeling of unease only grew when Cassandra stepped from the carriage and acknowledged those who were obviously her associates with little more than a cold look and a tight nod. She quickly turned away and reached for her bag, which the driver had already taken out of storage and had it ready for her, clutched tightly in one hand.

"Get your things, Lash," she said flatly, not even sparing the young man a glance. "This is where we are going to stay the night. First thing tomorrow morning we set off for Brighton."

"Great," Lash muttered, disappointment flaring. "That's all I need: another long carriage ride!" With a sigh, he accepted his small package of belongings from the driver before turning to follow Cassandra as she walked smartly to the inn's front door.

He gave the others in black a cursory look as he passed by them, trying to find anything interesting about them only to fail. Just as they apparently failed to find anything interesting in him: after looking him over upon his exit from the carriage, the black-clothed people virtually ignored Lash as he walked through their midst. Instead, they chose to concentrate on the carriage and the driver, who was now working to unload what remaining provisions they had.

Lash shrugged and continued on. So far the only ones that had shown even the remotest interest in him, had been Mordekai and Cassandra. And now Cassandra had gone mute, and Mordekai was most likely dead at the hands of the orcs. As far as he was concerned, perhaps he was better off not having any further communication with these men and women in black. Lash frowned as he followed Cassandra inside. Who were these people anyway? Did they belong to some sort of secret society? Or a special arm of this mysterious lord's service? Hopefully, he would find out soon and, with any luck, it would be before he was dead or in danger!

The skinny man behind the short bar didn't even look up as Cassandra strode resolutely through the common room, weaving carefully between the close-set tables. Nor did he say anything when she pushed open the door set along the right-hand wall in the back corner, Lash stepping closely behind her. 'Must be in the employ of these people in black,' Lash reasoned as they stepped through into a short hallway. 'Just like that strange man Cassandra had for a driver.'

The pale-skinned woman in black didn't slow as she walked down the hallway, moving quickly to the last door on the left. There she pushed the door open without a pause, not bothering to announce herself with a knock. Lash stayed close, virtually in the woman's shadow, abruptly curious as to what was in the room. It didn't take long for that curiosity to be slaked.

It was a small room, as inn rooms went, with barely enough room for an equally small bed, a two-drawer stand with a washbasin, and a window that overlooked a courtyard behind the inn. Two more women in black occupied what little room was left. At first glance, they were virtually identical to Cassandra, all the way down to the cold expression on her face. Only a measured study revealed the differences; slightly thinner eyebrows, fuller lips, that sort of thing. Thin, but differences nevertheless.