Dragon of Time Four

Chapter Two - Riding Along

The town of Istahn was shadowed by two tall towers. The battlements were visible from anywhere in town especially at night when the windows glowed by torchlight. Dust kicked under hooves, and the clomping of horses was the only audible sound for minutes. The group of travelers came to a halt beneath a full moon to behold wooden buildings.

They appeared as black, cardboard cut-outs. Something about the constructs brought to Scar a disheartened feeling. "I will rent us some rooms for the night," Akkadian began. "Tomorrow morning, Olaloye and I will go and speak with the mayor."

Akkadian's sudden words spooked the warrior. "That—," Scar was immediately silenced by Lydia.

"You all go on and do your business! Scar and I vill have our own rooms after supper!"

"It's two in the morning, woman!" the giant fired back.

"You have no idea vhat time it is!" she hollered.

"It is closer to morning than evening, lass," Artimis said.

"Vell, you eat vhatever you vant to eat! I vant eggs and coffee."

Scar rubbed his forehead while exhaling in mock aggravation. "I...I don't even care. I'm so tired, I'll eat and drink anything...even sloth wine!"

"None of that," N'Giwah hissed.

The joke was lost on some of them. By the time N'Giwah and Scar stopped laughing, and Lydia stopped glaring, guards on horseback rode into the mix. Akkadian greeted them effusively, explaining their arrival. Being a small town, and a border town, the guards demanded papers, which the strategist produced. The guards eyed the paladins, but paid Scar no heed; they knew him well enough by reputation.

Moments later, the riders followed the guards to a little two-story, wooden building. Outside, there were numerous hitching posts; some held horses in place. Everyone climbed off their mount and tied them. The building was an inn with a small restaurant on the first floor. There was also a bar at the corner and a fire in a hearth with a spit. Candlelight illuminated the dining space.

"Sweetie," Scar whispered into Lydia's ear. "I'll bet there's a nice enough bed upstairs."

She turned to look at him. Her coy and crooked smile was enough. She ran slender fingers through her lustrous, blonde hair. "Eat first?"

"Whatever you like."

She simply stormed over to the bar—soft boots shuffling over wooden floors. My, she has a walk on her, Scar thought. An aged Satronian was asleep, draped over his counter. Lydia poked him in the back of his balding head. When the man perked up, he looked everyone over. He asked if they needed rooms.

Lydia wanted to know if room service was available. The man said such was possible, so she ordered everything before sashaying back to her man. "Food and drinks vill be sent to our room...if you pay."

"Oh! Of course! I'll pay!" he yelled, satirically. "I'm a man...whose job it is to kill Dragons.... People pay big money for that."

"Vell, who is else is going to pay?!"

"I don't know.... How about a princess?"

"I will pay," N'Giwah crowed. "You two just...get away from me."

They all smiled at each other. Akkadian did not know what to make of the situation. Shrikal, the Malababwen soldiers, the paladins; they all avoided eye contact. "I'll sleep on that, lads," Artimis said.

By the time everyone had ordered food and drinks, Scar and Lydia had vanished up the stairs. In their little room, they dropped their weapons and armor. She asked after his hand.