The Innkeeper's Wife

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi watched as Lyndi flew off to do her recon of the town not far hence. Shrugging to Silvarn, he headed off down the path in the direction of the village. As he walked he contemplated the idea to travel to Blaze Mountain, especially with his current company.

The night before and even earlier that morning it had seemed like the best of ideas. Three people are rarely molested when traveling together unlike one person. Yet, he knew little about the other two: Silvarn, because he seemed not to know much of it himself; and Lyndi, because she was usually too energetic to warrant much conversation. He hoped that he would know them both better...and that the risk was worth it as they continued to travel together.

Kerodi was musing silently as he strode down the path when Lyndi appeared in front of him, causing him to stop. She explained about the village and the lady that had offered to put them up for the evening.

"She is willing to put all three of us up for the night and feed us because you helped her pick up some groceries?" Kerodi asked cautiously. He was sure that Lyndi had meant well, but he was wondering if she had misunderstood. An inn would not stay long in business if people knew that the proprietor was giving away free stays and meals, especially to three people at once.

"I don't mean to doubt you, Lyndi, but the odds of it being that simple are pretty rare. While she might let YOU stay for free, I doubt that Silvarn and I can realistically expect the same treatment. We have done nothing for her and she does not know us...even by sight. Are you sure there is nothing else that you might have missed about payment or something?"

Kerodi did not want to push the issue, but he needed to be sure. He had a sinking suspicion that this was not going to be the easy overnight stay he had imagined.

[jada]

"I know what your thinking, but the woman was very kind. I had the same thoughts when she first offered us to stay. But I saw the place for myself and I think they can afford letting a few people have a free meal or two." Lyndi gave a little wink and stepped inbetween Kerodi and Silvarn. She looked at one and then the other and just kept walking towards the village.

She gave a small happy sigh. She had Friends! People she could trust and care about for once in her life.

Lyndi'a thoughts wanderd and she found herself thinking about love. She had never fallen in love before. The thought of it hardly ever crossed her mind but she had never found a man she wanted before. She had never even had friends before, for god sakes.

She decided to drop the whole thought and think about how far ahead the village was. It was probably about another half an hours walk and by then the sun would be about ready to set. She was ready to sink into a nice soft bed.

Lyndi closed her eyes and pictured it. The inn was cool so she pulled the covers up to her chin. and soon enough she was safe and warm in the soft bed. There was a little bedside table that had cookies on it and a glass of freash milk calling her name. And then Lyndi tripped and fell back into reality.

She fell flat on her face,"DAMN! ugh I wanted to eat to cookies so bad! I could smell them! Peanut better and chocolate chip." She mumbled. She puched herself up and brushed most of the dirt off," Clumsy me..." She half laughed at herself.

[Silvarn]

Silvarn stared with a deep scowl of confusion at his shapeshifting companion.

She is insane! Scorcahr cackled, She rambles about absolutely nothing almost as much as you do!

"Almost." Silvarn emphasized.

Oh, and I took the liberty of wringing her little mind of all information it contained.

"You what?!" Silvarn gasped to Kerodi's shoes.

Do not worry, there was not much received and or lost. Something about friendship, love, and cookies with milk. A very simple person, no?

"I suppose, if you say so." Silvarn entertained his inner demon.

Which I do, thank you. Oh, and if you so desire, I could ensure that the innkeeper gives you and your friends a free stay. Silvarn suddenly got the image of a cruel smile with too many sharp, pointed teeth.

"I think we should rather not." He turned his face to Lyndi. "And I would recommend that you stay away from cookies." He turned back to watch the path. "The sugar might make your little heart explode."

[jada]

"HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE COOKIES?!" Lyndi's heart skipped a beat," Can you read minds or something? and so what if I eat cookies, my heart will not explode! I can handle a few cookies." She gave Silvarn a small glare and kept walking.

she mumble a little something about boys being stupid and she could eat cookies if she wanted too.

[HoudiniDerek]

"Children," Kerodi interjected lightly with a pretend scowling look. "While cookies are very tasty, do you think we could focus on the matter at hand?" He smiled and continued in his pedantic way.

"Lyndi, we know that you mean well, but you have to consider it from our perspective. Did you tell her you were with two men that you did not know that well? If you did not, it will not be hard to tell...especially with comments about Silvarn and his possible mind reading abilities." Kerodi nodded in his direction, but suspected that if it was not the demon, it was powers the demon possessed.

"Our best bet is to try and appear as either good friends or a mix of friends and family. Lyndi, you will need to take point. On the edge of the village, we should part. You go first and make sure of everything. Silvarn and I should probably wait for about ten minutes and follow along. That will give us time to intercept each other in case other plans have to be made."

Kerodi looked to each to make sure he had their attention before continuing. "We will need to watch out for each other. Those in the village have no cause or need to do us favors. At the same time," Kerodi glanced obliquely at Silvarn, "they do not have any reason to fear us. It is best if we are all FOUR on our best behavior." Kerodi glanced at Silvarn again.

"We should be to the village soon. Lyndi, you move out and we will follow. Don't shapeshift unless absolutely necessary. I am not sure we could survive against an entire village." Kerodi nodded encouragingly to each and continued walking. In the distance, smoke could be seen reaching the upper turrets of the surrounding forest in the receding sunlight.

[jada]

"Ok I'll meet you there. It's almost in the center of town and you can't miss it. It's the biggest Inn." Lyndi ran on ahead of the boys. She reached the village and went straight for the Inn. She found it and walked in no problem. The Inn keepers wife appraoched her.

"Hello darling, I know I promised you three rooms for you and your companions but I only have two available at the moment. Is that ok?"

"Yeah that's fine. Two of us will share a room."

"Alright, here are the keys;and there is plenty of food to go around. Our Inn has been doing so well. We are the only village for miles so everyone likes to stop. Every now and then I always let someone stay for free. My husband is always against it but I say PISH POSH, helping others is well worth it."

"I can't thank you enough for your kindness!" Lyndi smiled at the woman.

"And I can't thank you enough for yours. People are pretty bitter these days, can't even help an old woman pick up her groceries."

"Yeah." Lyndi laughed," I think I'm going to snatch a few cookies from the kitchen before my friends get here."

"Go right ahead and help yourself. My husband won't be back for another hour so just take what you like. I'll make sufre he doesn't bother you and your friends, you'll have to point them out when they get here."

"Alright, thank you again so much!" Lyndi said disappearing into the kitchen. She grabbed a few cookies and headed upstairs to find the rooms they were going to stay in. She found one opened the door and closed it behind her. She went straight to the bed and layed down and ate her cookies and closed her eyes. She was in paradise. She had it all cookies and a nice comfy bed.

[Silvarn]

"She is making us do what?" growled to a nearby bush.

Are you deaf on the inside? I told you that two of you will have to share a room.

"I will kill her!" he snarled. "That is, after I get a good night's sleep. Transforming into a Solar takes a lot out of a person."

I would not have the slightest knowledge of that phenomenon. Oh, and she is gorging on cookies at this moment.

"I am guessing that the sum of her plus sugar equals disaster?"

You should hear her heartbeat. It is almost fast enough to dance a samba to.

"A what?"

Nevermind. Just be thankful she is not a shrew, or a rabbit, or a gerbil, or a squirrel...

"Or other small rodent with an already accelerated heart rate?" Silvarn cut the demon off, "I get it."

And the nerve of that mortal, thinking he can boss me around!

"Scorcahr, think about who you are speaking to."

I know, but I really have no power against you and your commands, remember?"

"Has it been ten minutes yet?"

Ten...nine...eight...

"Is it that close to ten minutes?"

No...five...I am giving us...four...an upset stomach...three...in two...one...Eh, whatever, you can go in now.

Silvarn gave Kerodi a brief nod, then strode into the town. "And remember, keep your thoughts to yourself, Scorcahr. We do not want anyone going insane within five minutes of our arrival."

Aww...why not?

"Because I said so."

And that makes all the difference in the world, right? How about after a half hour? Please?

"No, even though I will give you a cookie for being polite."

You can take you cookie and jam it into your --

"That will do."

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi watched as Lyndi ran ahead, ever trusting of those around her it seemed. Maybe she had never had a reason to not trust others before. Kerodi wished he remembered such a time in his life. Shaking out of his reverie, he continued to stride down the path, Silvarn beside him.

Silvarn was an interesting character to Kerodi. Not only for his planeswalking abilities and demon possessed mind at times, but because of his personality. It was intriguing to imagine what he might have been like prior to gaining a constant companion. Kerodi grinned as Silvarn began muttering to a bush.

As they reached the edge of town, Silvarn nodded to Kerodi and began addressing his inner demon. Kerodi kept his head up in case they should be spotted by anyone and seem out of place, especially with Kerodi not responding to Silvarn. He saw no one as the conversation concluded, but he did see a high framed house several streets over that had the look of a country inn. Wordlessly, he pointed it out to Silvarn and headed down a side street in that direction.

The inn was very impressive on the outside, especially for a small village like this one. It rose four stories in the air and was roughly a dozen wagons in length. It was a very impressive structure...no wonder that the inn was a tourist attraction. Kerodi led the way, going into the gated front yard and heading towards the steps that would lead inside. Two steps up, he froze.

"What are you doing here?" a voice wheezed. "I don't take kindly to strangers on me land. Get out before I throw ye out!" Kerodi turned slowly, both hands away from his body in submission. He was face-to-face with an old man holding a crossbow in his face...an arrow inserted into the mechanism.

"I asked you what you were doing here." The man's trigger finger wiggled. Kerodi smiled.

"We were merely hoping to stay the night at this inn," Kerodi said, hoping that Silvarn was keeping the demon from aggravating the situation. "We were told this inn is the best for miles around." Kerodi smiled bravely again and waited for the man to decide about their intentions.

[Silvarn]

The man remained unmoved and did not respond, so Silvarn brushed past his companion with a curt, "Leave this to me."

"Do you really think you can hurt me with that mechanical piece of junk?" Silvarn goaded the old man.

"This be the finest crossbow for miles --"

"Whatever. I doubt you could so much as hit the broad side of a mansion, much less my lithe form."

"Oh, a fancy talker, eh? Well, I kin put this arrer through your pretty lil' mouth if I so choose."

"Go on then, if you think yourself able. Go on, shoot me!" Silvarn shouted at the man. Although Kerodi heard only his raised voice, the man's aggression center in his brain spiked from some unknown catalyst. The old man snarled and pulled the trigger.

Silvarn coolly raised his hand to his chin, then flicked his index finger upward. The arrow was knocked spiraling through the air, neatly landing in the crossbow again.

The old man's jaw dropped as his eyelids went the opposite direction, staring wildly at the arrow, then at Silvarn.

"Care to try again?" the grey mage sneered. "Scorcahr, find Lyndi!" he snarled at the crossbow's stock.

And then...? the demon began, ...what do you want me to do? Shatter her self-image, perhaps literally? he finished with malicious excitement.

"Bring her here, you idiot!" he barked.

And if she does not comply?

"Then make her!" he commanded, "...but gently. For her sake."

[jada]

The day was grey, and pitiful. It would rain soon and then maybe pour. Lyndi sat in a tree and wrapped her furry brown monkey tail around the branch she sat on. She sniffed the air about her and it smelled like rain and soon enough it started to sprinkle and the sprinkle grew into a drizzle, which grew into bigs drops until it was pouring.

Wind started rushing around, Lyndi was hit with hot bursts of air and then chilly wisps. Everything started to swirl and get slambed around. The branch she was on snapped and sent her flying in the air!. Lyndi screamed out and then it was over...

Lyndi sat upright in the bed in the Inn, and someone gretted her...It was Scorcahr!

"Ugh thank you so much for giving me that awful dream! Your evil! Well one would only imagine so considering you are a demon...anyway what do you want?"

Lyndi soon learned there was trouble with the boys and she flew out of the room and down the stairs and out of the Inn.
She spotted Kerodi and Silvarn,"What is going on?! Scorchr gave me a bad dream so it better be good! Who is that and why does he have a crossbow?" Lyndi said takeing a step back.

[HoudiniDerek]

"Get off my land!" the man yelled again, his eyes never leaving Silvarn.

Kerodi looked around and saw that a crowd was starting to form from some of the neighboring houses. If this crowd ever got the wrong idea, then the three of them could be in trouble. Especially if Silvarn lost his magic or gained a new talent that he could not remember how to wield.

"Is goading him really necessary?" Kerodi murmered to Silvarn's back as the man with the crossbow silently moved to cover him leaning in.

Before Silvarn could answer, the door to the inn opened once more and a lady stood there. She looked to have just come running from a great distance; her brown hair all disheveled and her face beaded with sweat and bright red. Her eyes took in the situation and she began to shake with rage.

"Henry!" she cried. "I told you to get rid of that crossbow. You scare away half of the guests anymore. Go put it away and take care of the flowerbed...there are weeds everywhere!"

The appearance of this lady had suddenly cowed the enigmatic old man. He grunted an apology, lowered the crossbow, and headed towards the back of the inn. Kerodi turned in amazement to the lady, who was made of sterner stuff than she looked apparently.

"I'm sorry about that," the lady said. "My name is Marisol. I am the innkeeper's wife." She spotted Lyndi and smiled. "You must be this lady's friends, right? I wish we could have made a better impression, but come in." She stepped back and held the door open, waiting for them to go in.

Kerodi stepped up first and apologized to the lady for the misunderstanding. "Thank you for that. We didn't mean any harm. We wanted to thank you as well for the offer to put us up tonight. Is there anything we can do for you in return?"

"There is one thing," the lady said, a faraway look to her eyes momentarily. She regained her composure and continued on, "But we can talk about that later. Come in, come in." And she bustled away inside the inn.

[Silvarn]

Before stepping inside the inn, Silvarn cast a brief glance over his shoulder and glared at the lingering crowd. A ripple of shivers went through them and they promptly returned to their business.

That crazed old man...Ooh, if I had a body, the nasty things I would do to him!

Silvarn ignored the rambling demon for a moment to take in the inn's interior. This main room was squarish. Against one wall, to his left, was a bar for business transactions, and at the opposite wall a fireplace that not seen use for many months. The ceiling was high above them, about three stories. A staircase led up to each storey, a square balcony connecting all of the rooms together. The scent of meat and ale permeated the inn, but of a much finer quality than the trash one would expect to find at a combined tavern and inn.

"Men tend to become crotchety as they approach old age." Silvarn finally answered Scorcahr. "Perhaps something about losing their youth and better days, I suppose. He does seem to love his wife though, if he is the innkeeper." His eyes refocused on his surroundings, and he approached Marisol. "Pardon me, madam, but that man you sent to the garden, is that the innkeeper, and thus your husband?"

[jada]

"I'm so sorry about my husband."She appologized. She ontinued to mumble about how much of a pain he could be sometimes.

Lyndi walked in behind Kerodi and silvarn. She relaxed a little since there wasn't a crossbow pointed at anyone anymore.

"Oh yeah well there are only two rooms so two of use have to share a room..."Lyndi said looking up at her two companions.
"I'll show you the rooms," she said grabbing one of Kerodi's hands and one of silvarn's. She drug them up a flight of stairs and to one of the rooms. Once they were there Lyndi closed the door behind them.

"Ok I figured out a way we can all sleep comfortably. You each get your own room and bed and I'll sleep on the floor in a house pet form. Maybe a little dog. Does that work for both of you?" She asked.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi was amazed at how different the innkeeper seemed from the wife. Of course, if his wife was allowing people to stay free, he would probably be upset too. Business did not always work the same way as charity. Smiling to himself, Kerodi allowed Lyndi to lead him upstairs to one of the two bedrooms. His smile left his face as she outlined her plan to sleep in pet form.

"Lyndi," Kerodi lowered his voice, "we talked about this. We can't afford to do that. Something might happen and you might be spotted. Plus, I don't think the landlady is THAT ignorant. She would probably not think as highly of you if Silvarn and I split the rooms and you stayed with one of us. Does that sound very ladylike to you?" Kerodi sighed and looked around the small room. He knew that Lyndi would have to room by herself, but he was unsure what he and Silvarn should do.

He looked over to Silvarn and saw that he had his normal scowl hooked in place. That could be due to Kerodi and he having to share rooms or the demon. He wished it was easier to tell sometimes what he was thinking merely by his expression. Kerodi paced the room a few times thinking.

"Silvarn?" Kerodi waited until he was directly in front of the man and to make sure he had his attention. "What other powers do you have?"

[Silvarn]

Silvarn raised his eyebrows in response to his companion's question. "Of course I would like a drink!" he exclaimed suddenly, pulling Kerodi close to him. When his mouth was by Kerodi's ear, Silvarn's normal sullen attitude returned. "Not now. Be just a little patient. I do not know if these people take kindly to mages." He let go of Kerodi with a hearty slap on the back. "And do not bother about the drink," he added under his breath, " I cannot stand that poison."

Silvarn collapsed into a well-stuffed armchair by the fireplace and stared at where the flames would have danced, had it been winter.

The master says he can tell you what you like now. a leering voice grumbled inside Kerodi's head. He has very fast reflexes, he is quite strong, he can summon firebolts from a blue sky, harden his skin into bronze. Oh, and he can read other people's minds. Satisfied?

Silvarn looked back at Kerodi with a slight smirk. "Come and sit with me, friend!" he called across the room.