A Whisper to the North

Chapter XLVII ✠ The Inn

Una spotted a plume of smoke in the fading light. They had stayed next to Ingrid, praying and remembering her quietly while it snowed. Just moments ago, the soft flakes of snow had ceased, and all was quiet. The wind stopped, but they still shook from the cold. The night was coming, the sun was setting already. Una stood up and gently placed her hand on Alaric's shoulder.

"We'll freeze out here," Una said softly as she took her hand away.

Alaric said nothing but sighed and stood up, paying no attention to Una as he made his way over to the horse. Una clenched her jaw and turned away, staring back at Ingrid one last time. Alaric mounted first this time, and Una sat up behind him.

"The smoke, it must be a village," Una said.

Alaric said nothing but steered the horse into the village's direction and set the horse into a smooth canter through the forest. It gets dark very quickly in the woods, so it was best to push the horse fast and settle into a trot once out. The wolves would be out soon too. Lots of beasts and monsters roamed the woods in the night. Una and Alaric did not want to stick around to see if any legends were true.

Una kept her mouth shut the rest of the way. Alaric was a mute the entire time. This frustrated Una, but she knew he was upset. There was no right way to grieve. She assumed that Alaric wanted to be left alone. She would, but she couldn't separate from him.

They finally made it to the town. No gates were protecting it. It looked like a primitive town. The thatching under the snow appeared new, but the buildings below looked as if they were going to crumble. As they made their way through, no one was out. A pin could be heard in the silence that was in the air. The town stunk of manure and rotting wood. In the end, they could see a small cottage at the end, marked as an inn.

"Let's go there, to that inn. We need to rest. I think we have enough gold to last us for a few nights, but we can just stay tonight." Una said, pointing to it.

Alaric repeated nothing but walked the horse over to the inn. He jumped down and grabbed the bag of gold out of the saddlebag. He didn't wait on Una and walked right into the inn, shutting the door behind him.

"Wait!" Una called out to him as she slid off the horse.

"Ugg, why must you be this way," Una said, feeling her eyes tear up from frustration.

"Why can't he talk to me. He's done it before." Una said, tying up the horse in the decrepit side stable.

"I'm very selfish, aren't I? It wasn't too long ago that my dear brother, Eurion was killed." Una sighed and wiped her tears from her cheek.

Una walked into the inn. A single candle was burning in the window to say that there was a vacancy there. She slowly pushed on the door. It creaked open. The smell of dust and mold permeated through the air. It was a simple inn, nothing fancy but nothing nice either. They're sitting on a seat in the corner was an old woman, dusting a copper cup with an old rag.

"Oh, welcome, sir" She hesitated to look up, seeing their boots caked in soot and mud.

Fright consumed her as she saw the blood-spattered on Una's skin and armor. Una's hair was caked in mud and stunk of ash and sweat.

"Oh my! You're a lady!" She cried out and stood up.

She looked horrified at the sight of Una.

"Yes, may I have a room?" Una asked.

"I'm afraid we only have one room left. Your friend came in and already got it." She said, walking to the door, trying to show Una out.

"Please, it's so cold. You must have another."