Into That Wild Blue Yonder

12. Let Every Man Declare

Colm and Ulan silently snuck into their room in case Idara was awake on the other side of the joining door so Ulan could hide his present. Colm watched with some amusement while the bulky dragon tried to stick his arm under the bed to conceal the bag down below, bumping the bed and moving the entire frame as he forced his arm under. Once he was done, Ulan stomped over to the door and rapped the back of his clawed hand against it a few times to make sure he got Idara's attention.

Something on the other side of the door hit the ground with a distinct thud and Colm could hear scrambling around on the other side. The door opened to reveal a very groggy elf woman somehow looking even more disheveled than usual. Colm cocked an eyebrow at her and nodded his head sideways as if to say it was time to go, earning a confused, asymmetrical blink from his boss. Ulan put it slightly more eloquently.

"Time for food!" Only slightly more.

"Gotcha, gotcha, lemme just change," Idara said with a wave of her hand. She shut the door and left the boys alone for a bit while she got ready to go out.

"Soooooo, what do you think of the city so far?" Ulan asked pushily.

"It's different."

"It sure is! What do you like?"

"It's only been a day."

"I like the mountain scenery."

"I don't care for it." Colm glanced around for a change of subject and settled on getting the plan started. "Where are we eating?"

"There's a little restaurant area not too far from here. I knew you wouldn't want to walk much," Ulan said with a grin. "There should be plenty to choose from right there. We'll be stuffed in no time."

"Good."

"Hey, so I've been meaning to ask-"

"Ready!" Idara declared as she burst through the door. She had changed into a loose red flannel shirt and white undershirt, denim pants, and brown boots. "Let's eat!"

"Is most of what I carried your clothes?" Colm asked flatly.

"Yes!" Idara answered proudly. "Although a bunch of it was armor and gear, too." Colm grumbled his displeasure, but his employer ignored it.

"Alright, off we go!" Ulan said.

Ulan took the lead into town and toward the strip of restaurants only a few minutes away from their hotel with Idara next to him and Colm slinking along in the back. Colm tried to look as little like he was with them as possible to avoid being looked at, but Idara kept turning to tell him to keep up and he couldn't hide. With too many eyes on him, he kept his hands in his pockets and his head down, but kept his gaze shifting constantly from place to place.

They approached the front of a rustic-looking establishment, built of old hardwood and smelling like something Colm wouldn't normally spend so much money on. Even he had to admit it smelled good, though. And if Ulan was paying, he would get something that would help him knock out quickly tonight. Something heavy, like a fat steak and potatoes.

"I like this place," Idara said excitedly. She spotted a menu outside the front door, looked over it once, and practically started hopping in her spot and clapping her hands. "This is where we're eating!"

"She's like a kid," Colm muttered. He and Ulan slowly followed behind as Idara rushed inside.

"She didn't get as much of a childhood as most kids," Ulan said. Colm's brow furrowed and he looked over at the dragon. "So, I always made sure to encourage her to be herself. Even if it looks silly."