DEVILRY [FANTASY LGBTQ]

Chapter Seven:

The tavern was surprisingly crowded for a small mining town. Hendryk shouldering his way through the crowd as he moved deeper into the tavern. Ordering something to eat before taking a seat in an unoccupied corner of the tavern. The chairs' legs scraped noisily against the wooden floor before he took a seat. He let out a short, contented sigh. Glad to be off his feet for a while. He then reached into his pocket and withdrew the map, unfolding it before he scanned it. He was a ways from home now, further than he had ever been. From under his hood his eyes roved over the fine lines and ink on the parchment as his food was placed before him. Without looking up from the map he reached out and picked up a bread roll before taking a bite. He then took a cursory glance around the busy tavern. Some of the patrons looked like your run of mill miners, brawny and dirty. Chewing his food slowly he glanced across the tavern meeting eyes with another.

The gaze in question belonged to a wood elf who was sitting alone at a table, his arms crossed over his chest. His hair a deep umber, messily swept back off his forehead. He looked young, if his face was anything to go by, smooth and unblemished. The elf cocked his head slightly as he met his gaze, his expression puzzled. Hendryk frowning in response to his stare before he looked away, tugging his hood lower on his face. At that moment a hand slapped down on the worn surface of the wooden table he was sitting at. Looking up he came face to face with a grizzled man. The man was flanked by two other men, each of them armed and wearing leather armor. He watched as the man cleared his throat loudly before he spat on the floor. Classy.

"You huntin' the wolf?" he questioned throatily. Hendryk pursing his lips in annoyance, instead of answering he took another bite of his bread roll. "We was here first" the man growled before he again cleared his throat of phlegm. The youth cringing at the noise. Well, wasn't he a classy one? "Clear out" he added threateningly.

"Careful Conner" a voice called coolly. "I doubt even you could take a member of the Ashen order" Hendryk looked up, finding the handsome elf approaching the table. He wasn't remarkably tall, average at best. His lithe form was dressed in dark padded cloth and leather armor. Hendryk watched at the grizzled taller man eyed him, giving his cloaked form a once over before he pushed away from the table. His flunkies followed after. He then turned his attention to the elf who was now standing by his table, his arms folded over his chest. "Afternoon sir knight" the brunette mused with a devil may care smile. "Vaalyun" he introduced. Hendryk assessed him for a moment, peering up at him from under his hood. The man made no move to extend a hand, which he was grateful for. He wasn't accustomed to handshakes.

"...Hendryk" he murmured back hesitantly. The man's smile spread into a grin as he looked down at him. His mossy eyes alight with mirth.

"I suppose it's safe to assume that you aren't here for the wolf?" the elf, Vaalyun, stated.

"Wolf?" Hendryk pressed, cocking his head slightly. Vaalyun gave his shoulders a languid shrug.

"There's been rumor of a werewolf in the area" the brunette explains, unfolding one of his hands to make a gesture. "Apparently, it's been attacking miners from the town when they go into the mountains. There's a bounty for it" Hendryk pursed his lips in response to his explanation. He had read about werewolves. They could be a difficult quarry considering you could only really track it on a full moon, when it was strongest. Outside of a full moon they were ordinary looking humans. Hard to tell by looking at a man what he did when the moon was full.

"You should join me in the hunt. I could use someone to watch my back" he mused. "That. And it would be an honor to fight alongside a member of the Ashen Order" he considered it, he was rather low on funds, what little silver he had was already dwindling despite his efforts to conserve it.

"Alright" Hendryk relented. He'd never hunted a werewolf before, but it couldn't be that hard.

"Excellent" Vaalyun mused. "We've tracked the wolf to a set of old ruins in the mountains" he elaborated. "We are setting out at sunset" Hendryk nodding in response. That gave him plenty of time to rest at least. He could hardly feel his legs as they were. With a wave Vaalyun left him, crossing the bar and disappearing into the crowd. He let out a sigh, leaning back in his seat, taking another bite of his bread. Perhaps he should eat something more substantial considering what he was about to fight. And maybe he should see about getting a room to rest before then. Finishing his meal, he stood up from the table. Spend what little he had left on a room for the afternoon.

The room was small, much smaller than his room back at the order. It was sparsely decorated. A single bed with a hey mattress and an old worn looking wooden dresser. He closed the door behind himself before he pulled down his hood. He then began to divest himself of his cloak, sword and armor. Laying them atop the dresser before he moved to the bed. He crouched down to inspect the thin fabric that made up the mattress. Sprigs of hay poking through the fabric. The fabric itself looked clean enough and the hay didn't look too old. Still, it was a far cry from what he was used to. He wondered if it was better than sleeping on the ground like he had been these past few days. Sitting on the edge of the bed he removed his boots, setting them aside before he laid down. The mattress was lumpy and scratchy. He doubted he'd get much rest like this.

***

The mercenaries crowded the tavern when he exited his room. He had slept poorly and felt more agitated than rested. At least his legs didn't feel weak any longer - a small blessing he supposed. Still, he missed his lodging back home, a warm room and a soft comfortable bed. His own space. The tavern wasn't exactly quiet, with his room just a few steps away from the bar and nothing but thin wooden walls between them it did little to block the noise.

He adjusted his hood, giving the ends a small tug as he left the room, pulling the door closed behind him. A few of the mercenaries glancing at him before looking away again. Some of them going as far as to put their backs to him. Which was all well and fine as far as he was concerned.

"Oh good, you're here" a voice said. Hendryk glancing in the direction of the voice. Vaalyun sauntering up to him, his hands in the pockets of his trousers. A cavalier smile on his handsome face. "We are grateful to have you joining us" he added, a mercenary snorting behind the wood elf. The elf giving a nonchalant roll of his shoulder in response, a subtle smile playing at his lips. "Well, I'm grateful" he added with a chuckle, his hands sliding out of his pockets. Hendryk regarded him quietly before he gave a brief nod. "Not much of a talker, are you?"

"...No" Hendryk intoned. He had a feeling this Vaalyun would do enough talking for the both of them.

"Vaalyun" a rough voice called. The debonair man glancing up, turning his head to look slightly over his shoulder. A tall mountain of a man approaching them from the group. Hendryk recognized him as the man from before. The man who had accosted him earlier. Conner, he believed Vaalyun had called him.

"Right" Vaalyun responded coolly, crossing his arms over his leather clad chest. "Let's get moving then, shall we?" the man mused, giving him a smile and a tilt of his head. Hendryk exhaled through his nose quietly before he nodded. Vaalyun uncrossing his arms, letting them fall to his sides before he turned on his heel to follow the crowd out of the tavern. Hendryk paused momentarily before he followed behind the crowd. His leathery tail swishing beneath the dark blue fabric of his cloak. His last step out of the tavern gave a creak of finality as he left.