The Last Fury's Wish [Discontinued]

Chapter 8

The inn was a large house on the edge of town. After searching for it for some time, they both arrived and changed in the room they were given (with two different beds this time). Allegretta’s only clothing that could be though of as ‘elegant’ or ‘formal’ was a tight-fitting black shirt that tucked into a short, ragged skirt.

            When Argo saw her outfit, his jaw immediately met the floor as he stammered, “H-Hey Alli, do you r-really think that’s an a-appropriate outfit?”

            “Yes,” She answered scornfully.

            “No,” he disagreed, finally pulling himself together. “I’m going to go talk with the innkeeper and his wife to see if they have anything that would suit you. Stay here and wait, okay?”

            Allegretta huffed, “Fine.”

            She watched as he walked out of the room and into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Quickly glancing around the room to see if no one was watching, Allegretta dove for the sack of magic and sprinkled a bit onto her palm. If she couldn’t eat during dinner, why not eat right now?

            As she felt the savory magic slip down her throat, she had a flashback to when Giovanni caught her with the stolen mud magic, that one day in her room. A sort sadness started filling her gut.

            Allegretta slowly attached the sack back onto her bag and sat glumly on the bed, looking out to the blackness that reigned outside. She was in that same position when Argo stumbled back into the room, his face red from laughing.

            Alli turned to see what he brought her, and almost gagged. As Argo laid it on a bed, she felt herself getting more and more sick. The dress was long, and made out of thick grey wool. It seemed like it would fit an older woman, but not her. It was almost as if Argo went out of his way to find the ugliest dress in Spese.

            “Well,” he grinned, stifling his laughter. “Get changed! We have to be down there in a few minutes. I’ll wait out in the hall for you.”

            Allegretta glared at his back as he retreated from the room. When she shut her eyes tightly and tried to pretend this was all a dream, the dress was still there when she opened them.

            So, without complaining anymore, she glumly got out of her original clothing and slipped into the bulky dress, built for a heavier-set woman than she.

            When Allegretta lumbered out of the room, Argo couldn’t suppress it anymore. Peals of laughter bounced off the walls of the hallway as they made their way down to the dining room. No ‘you look good Allegretta,’ or, ‘I’m sorry you had to wear that.’ All Alli knew was that she looked ridiculous.

            He muffled the laughter finally when they stood outside the door to the dining room. Argo turned to her, his eyes twinkling, “Don’t worry about your appearance, Alli. It’s only expected of a fourteen-year-old girl. Just keep your head held up high, okay?”

            Allegretta resisted the urge to strangle him.

            “So… Argo, was it? All right. Your father is the captain of the Argonauts, is he? How…. Erm, how do I put this? Oh, special! How special.” The landlord laughed and raised his wineglass, “Blue! Get out here sweety, I need more wine.”

            Blue? What kind of name is Blue? Thought Allegretta moodily.

When the servant girl entered, every man in the room sucked in their breath, and Alli had to do a double take. The girl smiled innocently, her large brown eyes surveying the room as she poured the wine into the landlord’s glass, who looked quite triumphant.