Yazmin's POV
A storm rolls in, and by the time we reach the local tavern, our horses are coated in mud. I tie them up at the stable as Louis goes to get us a room.
"They only had one available. In the attic. 15 pewters a night," Louis tells me.
"How much money did you bring?" I ask. He only has a small pouch in his saddlebag, not enough to last us for over a month.
"50 pewters and 50 silvers."
"We can work with that," I say, walking with him to the entrance. Our boots are caked in mud, and the mud on the ground sloshes around as we walk. A hanging sign creaks above the door, saying "The Lost Adventurer".
"Mr. Woodsbyn, I'll take you to your room," The barkeep says smiling, revealing a chipped front tooth and a missing canine. The room reeks of sweat and alcohol, with cries from the drunks bouncing off the walls. Numerous men turn to look at me, and I loop my arm around Louis's. He places a peck on my forehead, marking me as his apparent wife.
The barkeep leads up a hallway of thin, rickety stairs up to the attic. Our room has a brick fireplace along the wall opposite us, and a window to our left. Rafters hang low above us, and Louis has to make an effort to avoid them. "Well, 'ere she is. I expect the 15 pewters in the morning." The barkeep leaves, and the creaking of the staircase continues downstairs.
"One bed," I point out. A single queen-sized bed sits on the wall to our right, made of oak with a canopy on top.
"I'll sleep on the floor," Louis volunteers.
"It's going to dip below freezing tonight," I object. He shrugs, making me sigh. "Don't come to me when you get hypothermia."
"We need a plan," Louis says as he sits at the foot of the bed and starts taking off his boots. I sit in a rocking chair by the fireplace and do the same.
"What's our names?"
"Alnan and Azalea Woodsbyn," He answers as he slides his muddy socks of and replaces them with fresh ones from his pack. I take off my cloak, revealing my armor, and start unstrapping the waist plates.
"Azalea, huh? How symbolic," I chuckle.
"First thing that came to my head." As if awaiting my next question, he continues, "Alnan is a boy I met back in Brulon."
After taking off all our armor and changing into nightclothes, I go over to the bed. "You sure you want to sleep on the floor?" I ask him.
"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he objects.
"If it makes you feel better, we can turn away from each other," I suggest. He smiles.
"Fine." I sit on the side closest to the fireplace and set a candle down on the bedside table. Louis rips away the sheets, and we lay down on the mattress and wrap ourselves up. Most of our pewters must be going to the blankets because we have wool, linen, and a fur of some kind. Enough to warm our soaked bodies. I blow out the candle and try to find sleep.
After an hour, my eyes are still glued on the fireplace, where a small ember still burns. This is weird. Should I be getting closer to him? No, that's weird. We are only sharing this bed because there was no other option. But maybe he likes me? Shut up, now is not the time. Get to sleep.
Sunlight glares into my eyes, waking me up with a start. "Yaz, you okay?" a boy asks. Louis.
"Yeah, nightmare," I explain. He sits next to me and wraps his arm around me.
"I had a nightmare, too," He reassures me. I look at him witha questioning glance, which he shakes off. "Don't want to talk about it?" I nod.
"Louis, somethings wrong," I say, standing up. He rises next to me, worry staining his face.
YOU ARE READING
The Queen of Luania
Fantasy"A weak Queen is a dead Queen" When Arabella became Queen of Luania, she thought it was all ballgowns and dancing. 4 years later, she has learned that it is quite the opposite. As she and her allies play a complicated game of love, hate, peace, chao...
