Inferno Legacy: Valor of the Dragon (Book One)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

            Blackscales stared at his surroundings with an intense feeling of shock. He was used to seeing one or two people in a tavern at one time, which happened pretty often at his hometown, but the tavern was stuffed with people. All of the tables were completely occupied, and every chair had someone on top of it except for a few at the bar.

            “Keep close to me,” Omen told him. “It appears that we’ll have to talk to the bartender to see if there’s an inn somewhere near or if this is it.”

            Blackscales silently agreed and pressed close to him as they walked towards two empty stools, making him feel like a little child hiding behind his mother. He was relieved when they reached the seats, and three people on either side of them stood up to leave, giving them plenty of space. They began waiting for the bartender, but she seemed to play both bartender and waitress alone, making her very busy. Blackscales quickly grew impatient.

            He huddled closer to Omen when he saw a dirty old man hobbling around to various people with a big bottle of alcohol in his left hand. He would occasionally pass by someone and put his arms around them before he started a big conversation with them, and slipped away when they were in mid-sentence. The rider turned away, but to his great displeasure, the man slowly mad his way over to them and did the same.

            Blackscales felt a scraggly arm wrap around his waist, and the other dropped his bottle on the counter before repeating the action with Omen. He didn’t have to look at the man to know that he probably hadn’t bathed in weeks; a heavy scent of liquor, old meat, and rotting cheese hung around him as well as a thick stench of mud and various animals. The rider forced himself not to vomit all over the bar when he started to taste the nastiness.

            “Name’s Bragg Randy, I was wonderin’ if yah would like ta tell me what yah got planned for yer visit in this here town, whatever it called,” the man said as he took his hand away from Omen, picked up his bottle, and took another swig.

            He suddenly flung it across the bar, shattering against a table where a tough-looking man stood. Bragg Randy didn’t seem to care, just throwing his arm around Omen.

            “Hey, can yah pass Randy a brandy?” He said to Omen.

            The blacksmith glared at him and replied, “If you’re implying that I should buy you something to drink, I believe you’ve had quite enough.”

            Bragg gave him a stern glare back when he slipped his hand away from him, and completely surrounded Blackscales. He repeated the question to him, but got a similar answer. With a big huff of despair, he left them alone again, making both of them sigh heavily in relief and admire the air that was beginning to grow breathable again.

            “Some character,” Omen laughed.

            Blackscales nodded and inhaled deeply, making the blacksmith laugh again. They both beamed with severe delight when the bartender walked up to them with a smile, though she appeared to be incredibly overwhelmed. Blackscales felt a little badly about disturbing her, but quickly decided that they desperately needed somewhere safe to stay and she was the only one that could help.

            “What can I get for you boys?” She asked in the most pleasant tone she could muster, but her hair was jumping out of what probably used to be a neat little bun.

            “Actually,” Omen began, “We really need a place to stay. We were hoping you could put us up, or at least knew someone who could. We also have six horses that need a bit of care for the night.”