The Forgotten

Chapter 6

The group found the tavern after a few hours of exploring while getting some strange looks from passers by. A bloodstained old man, a knight in full armour and a boy who looked like he had spent the past week lying in an alleyway. The inn they found was down a street just off the housing district, surrounded by a large garden which seemingly grew a number of vegetables. The tips of carrots and potatoes could be found scattered around the dirt. Encouraged they continued their walk to the inn, hoping that the array of fresh produce would be used in the evening's meal.

Rendall saw the stable on the opposite side of the street. The armour-clad man pulled out a pouch full of gold coins and handed the boy a gold coin and a handful of coppers.

"The gold coin will be more than sufficient to house the horse for a week should I wish. Make sure that he is well cared for. The coppers there are for tips, with anything spare you can keep."

Nodding, Rendall walked over with the horse in hand to the stable master who was sitting on a hay bail outside his home, eating a leg of chicken, the smell making Rendall's nose crinkle.

Standing in front of the man, Rendall says with a little quake in his voice, "Excuse me, I would like to stable this horse."

The man looked back at the boy standing before him with a horse that was double his height.

"Get out of here, I'm not going to hide away your stolen horse. Begone now!"

Startled, the boy quickly responded, "No, you have it wrong. The man over towards the door, it's his."

Looking over where Rendall had pointed, the stable master saw a tall man wearing silver armour, carrying a large, broadsword on the cross of his back. The unknown knight looked back at the man giving him a nod in return.

"Ahem, of course. Jacob, come here and take this horse."

Rendall places a gold coin besides the man. The stable master gasped and stared back at him in bewilderment for a moment.

"How long am I expected to keep this steed? That'll be enough to cover until the end of the month."

"Just tonight I believe, though he didn't say much to me."

Taken back for a moment the man replied, "Jacob, give him the cleanest stall, fresh hay then wash and brush the horse. I'll get some fresh horseshoes and we'll fix them on too."

Assuming that was the standard practice of how a stable master treats his mount when overpaying, Rendall handed the boy five copper coins. Having no idea if that was a reasonable amount, he smiled back at the boy who lowered his head in response before running onto his duties.

As Rendall turned away, he noticed in the corner of his eye the stable boy smiling at the large horse as he stroked it. He couldn't have been older than six winters, but clearly, it looked like he had worked every day since he could walk. Yet as Jacob took the mount Rendall was not sure who was leading who. Rendall smiled at himself before turning again towards the inn.

Walking to the inn, Rendall pulled the ring-like door handle and stepped inside. Busy with people he had to weave in and out of its residents that either had too much to drink or others that clearly hadn't had enough. He found the old man and warrior sitting at a table in silence as they looked around the establishment. Joining the two, he passed the spare coppers back to the man.

The knight raised an eyebrow at him, "I said you can keep it."

"I have no use for money, nor anywhere to keep it," Rendall replied.

Shrugging, the knight put the coins back into his pouch and said, "A popular place it seems."

"Who are you?" Rendall said, immediately changing the subject with a puzzled look on his face.