Chapter 3: 3. The inn
"Rook my boy, good morning. See you already got yourself a little lady to keep yourself company," Boers, the owner of the inn and tavern came over and slapped Rook's back as he heartily greeted him.
"She's not what you're thinking. We just met-" Rook wasn't really bothered by Boers overfamiliar behavior.
"No need to hide it lad. You know it was quite depressing seeing you trotting about town all on your lonesome. I'm glad you found someone to keep you company," Boers glanced at Fey, who was not as calm as Rook feeling somewhat embarrassed by the situation. Boers had to admit she was a beauty and shot a rye smile at Rook.
" Maybe if you're lucky you'll get to seal the deal soon if you know what I-- OWW!" Boers was interrupted by his wife smacking him in the back of the head with a tray.
"Stop disturbing those two. You wouldn't know what the lass has been through but you still run your mouth after disappearing for the whole of yesterday,"
"I'm sorry Gia, was just out with the boys doing some...ice fishing, yeah ice fishing. Lost track of time and ended up boarding at ol' Ted's," Boers tried to give his wife her hug but Gia pushed him away.
"How much money did you lose this time," She was already aware of what Boers and the boys actually did.
"Come on sweetheart, I'm telling-"
"Don't start with me Boers, how much did you lose...You know what, we'll talk about this later. Go clean yourself up, your dirtying my floor," Gia waved him away as the man silently retreated to another room.
"Sorry for that dear, that man just likes to talk and half the time wouldn't know what he was saying himself," Gia apologized to Fey.
"It's alright ma'am. Don't think too much about it," Fey waved off the matter.
"Then what would the two of you like to order? And don't worry about choosing, it's on the house," Fey was surprised by Gia's hospitality.
"It's quite alright ma'am. I wouldn't want to impose on-"
"It's quite alright dear, and you can call me Gia," Fey shuffled nervously in her seat and looked over at Rook. Rook only nodded, giving her the okay to accept the lady's proposal.
"Then if it's alright with you then...Gia," The woman smiled cheerfully hearing the girl call her name.
And soon enough she came back with meals for the two. They two ate silently Fey deep in her thoughts especially now that their plans were in disarray. Mongol's band should have already found their way to their previous locations down in the valley town where they'd began their unsuccessful journey through the mountains.
It wouldn't be long before they caught up. Fey was now thinking maybe they shouldn't have been so rash to take on the quest they were currently on. Finding the location of a treasure long forgotten by many, only known to a few, their mother's life's work, an obsession if you will, finding Etna's heart. The artifact was named after the fallen deity, his creation that brought about his end some millennia ago.
"Hey, hey," The elf was startled when Rook tapped her arm. He'd been calling out to her a for a while but she was too deep in her thought to hear.
"Sorry Rook, I spaced out a bit. What did you want to tell me?"
"I asked if you wanted to go see your brother," Rook wasn't bothered by Fey's little withdrawal from reality.
But from hearing the mentioning her brother she was suddenly filled with a mix of excitement and worry, clutching Rook's hand in her own.
"Yes please, would you take me to him?"
"Sure," Rook was a little surprised by Fey's action and Fey noticing him quickly let go off him.
"Come on then," As they walked out Fey thanked Gia before leaving. Outside the inn doors it was still a snow wonderland. Although the snow fall had reduced it still covered pretty much everything.
"Here take this. It's still very cold here," Rook handed her his cloak.
"What about you?" she asked.
"I'll be fine," Rook shrugged off the cold moving ahead of Fey as they went down the snow filled road. And most of the structures in this little town were made of wood, after all it was established not too long ago when troll hunting started becoming more popularized. Fey took in the scenery, seeing icicles hanging off the roofs, a lot of the people moving about, mostly human with a few members of the beast races also going about their business. A lot of them had weapons, swords, axes, spears, bows slung over their shoulders or for the mage type staffs and wands.
It truly was a town for adventurers. Barely any guards, soldiers or officials of the kingdom of Garlon present. It was strictly governed by the Adventurers Association. They provided and traded everything within the town.
A few horse drawn wagons passed by, while Fey almost bumped into a wolf kin holding a giant axe over his shoulder. A few blocks away she could see the official entrance to the town, an iron gate with two guards overseeing it.
Soon they were at the town center having a building with a tower containing a large bell that served as an alarm in case of any attacks.
"That's the association building," Rook spoke, noticing Fey's curiosity.
"Are you an adventurer as well?" Fey asked.
"Not really. I'm not registered with the association, only trade with them," Rook led them past the structure into a narrower road with buildings looking all bunched up together. They took a few steps to their final destination, a small shop with the supposed name already faded away at the entrance.
Rook didn't bother knocking pushing open the door as the chime of a bell signaled new arrivals for the current shop attendant.
"You're back soon. Would've expected you to show yourself at least a week later if not at all," the woman behind a counter didn't even bother turning to face them.
"Is that so? Well I still haven't paid you yet," Rook moved over to the counter. Only then did the woman close the book she had in hand and turn to meet them.
She had a single curved horn sticking from her forehead, long purple hair cascading down her back while her alluring eyes with a reddish hue coloring her irises analysed them. Her skin looked smooth to the touch, having a pinkish tinge to it.
"How's our patient doing?" Rook asked with Fey in tow behind him.
"He's recovering, slower than expected. He lost a lot of blood adding to long exposure to the cold but he will be fine."
"Can...can I see him?" Hearing about her brother's condition she was relieved but still anxious to see it for herself.
"I'll assume she is the sister you told me about?"
"Yes Lina. As you can see she's been worried all this time so if you'd be so kind-"
"You needn't say anymore Rook. Follow me elf," Lina told the fidgeting elf, coming from behind the counter and taking them to the room at the back.
"Thank you miss Lina for helping my brother, and my name is Fey," The girl bowed slightly peeking the demon kin's amusement.
"No need for that. I'm just doing my job as long as I'm getting paid," She directed that to both of them.
Entering the next room Fey was met by the sight of her brother lying on a bed, covered by a warm blanket.
She rushed over and knelt beside him as tears flowed silently from her eyes. Her brother had always been the more confident of the two, the leader and even being twins she looked up to him.
She was so happy he was okay, even looking at his face and his skin that was paler than usual she could feel the breath going in and out of his nose as she reached out to cup his face in her hand.
"Brother, thank Astra's light you're alive..." The girl whispered a little prayer as she gently stroked her brother's cheek.
"We should give the siblings a little alone time don't you think?" Lina hinted as she and Rook left the room and went back to the front.
And Rook took stock of the shelves of vials of potions, books and a few other things he didn't know. He was thinking about stocking up on some healing potions or maybe a few vitality potions as well.
"That's an interesting pair you picked up," Lina spoke as she leaned against the wooden counter accentuating her figure. Truly she was one of the town's rare beauty's though if she wasn't also as cold she'd have many more suitors lining up outside her shop than the current ones.
"What's interesting about them?"
"Honestly, you can't tell just by looking at them that they're high borns, probably elven nobility," Lina pinched at the bridge of her nose surprised by Rook's aloofness.
"And what of it?" Rook didn't see the point of bringing that up.
"If you know about the nobles among the elves you'd know they'd never bother coming to a kingdom like Garlon if it wasn't absolutely necessary. They're a stuck up bunch of a**holes that see especially humans as beneath them," Lina spoke with a lot of contempt.
"I didn't get that feeling with Fey though. So far she's been nothing but the opposite of what you just said," Though Rook wouldn't know, his interaction with elves didn't particularly leave him with such a feeling.
'Maybe I've just never met one of those high society elves,' he concluded to himself.
"I don't know, that girl's just strange but I'm telling you, there's something bigger going on here. You should probably ask them about it."
"Maybe you're right but I honestly don't care about what's going on with there lives. All I did was try to help. But thanks for the warning," Rook moved about looking through the multiple vials of potions.
Lina just sighed, going back to her seat and picking up the book she had been reading.
A while later Fey stepped out from the other room, joining the two and giving Lina a deep bow, thanking her once more for saving a brother. The action itself took Lina by surprise but she chose to wave the girl off.
In the end Rook didn't buy anything and the pair bid their goodbyes to Lina before departing.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
stone