Heartbroken
The innkeeper looked up from the glass that he’d been wiping off with a towel as she approached. He was a man, middle aged, kind of fat and with a curly brown beard. When their eyes met, he smiled, and Evie noticed that he was missing one of his front teeth.
“What can I get ya, love?” He asked and she smiled in return.
“A room, please.”
He snorted and Evie wasn’t sure if she had said something funny or simply stupid.
“How badly do you want it?”
It wasn’t hard to understand what he was after. “I can pay. Sir.” She added that last part mostly to stroke his ego and it appeared to work, because he smiled again.
“How much have you got, sweetheart?”
Well, she didn’t technically have any money on her, right now. What little she’d brought had been given to Miss Mary together with all of the food.
“I have this.” She said and undid her necklace, offering it to him. It had been a gift from her father, one of many. It was indeed beautiful but she could live without it if it bought the prince comfort and safety.
“This’ll do.” The man grinned and put the necklace in the pocket of his filthy apron. “Anything else?”
“Have some food brought to the room as well, please.” Evie smiled pleasantly but he did not return it this time.
“It’ll cost you.”
Surely, that necklace was enough to cover both the room and some food for the prince? “I don’t have anything else right now. But I will come back and pay you tomorrow.”
“I’ve heard that before.” He snorted, again. “How badly do you want it, love?”
The same question again and this time Evie sighed and looked away for a moment before pulling off her cloak. Then, she threw it on top of the counter. It left her standing there with bare arms and her wet dress clinging to her body without any other coverage but she did not care.
“This is from the kingdom of Elore. You can sell it at a black market for a fine price, I’m sure.”
“It will do.” The innkeeper said, his smile having returned and widened as he eyed her chest. Then he turned and brought a key from the wall, handing it do her. “The food will be brought to you shortly, love.”
“Thank you.” Evie received the key and turned around, just in time to find the prince arriving. He, apparently, did not know how to follow orders. She recalled having specifically told him to stay back.
“Here is a room for you.” She said, refraining from using his title in public. She was shivering slightly from the cold of her wet dress but other than that, she felt rather proud of having provided for the prince.
“I have arranged for food to be brought to you as well.” She added, handing him the key. “Now, ordering you around is apparently pointless, but I would kindly advise you to take a warm bath, and eat and rest.” Lest he wanted to get sick.
“What can I get ya, love?” He asked and she smiled in return.
“A room, please.”
He snorted and Evie wasn’t sure if she had said something funny or simply stupid.
“How badly do you want it?”
It wasn’t hard to understand what he was after. “I can pay. Sir.” She added that last part mostly to stroke his ego and it appeared to work, because he smiled again.
“How much have you got, sweetheart?”
Well, she didn’t technically have any money on her, right now. What little she’d brought had been given to Miss Mary together with all of the food.
“I have this.” She said and undid her necklace, offering it to him. It had been a gift from her father, one of many. It was indeed beautiful but she could live without it if it bought the prince comfort and safety.
“This’ll do.” The man grinned and put the necklace in the pocket of his filthy apron. “Anything else?”
“Have some food brought to the room as well, please.” Evie smiled pleasantly but he did not return it this time.
“It’ll cost you.”
Surely, that necklace was enough to cover both the room and some food for the prince? “I don’t have anything else right now. But I will come back and pay you tomorrow.”
“I’ve heard that before.” He snorted, again. “How badly do you want it, love?”
The same question again and this time Evie sighed and looked away for a moment before pulling off her cloak. Then, she threw it on top of the counter. It left her standing there with bare arms and her wet dress clinging to her body without any other coverage but she did not care.
“This is from the kingdom of Elore. You can sell it at a black market for a fine price, I’m sure.”
“It will do.” The innkeeper said, his smile having returned and widened as he eyed her chest. Then he turned and brought a key from the wall, handing it do her. “The food will be brought to you shortly, love.”
“Thank you.” Evie received the key and turned around, just in time to find the prince arriving. He, apparently, did not know how to follow orders. She recalled having specifically told him to stay back.
“Here is a room for you.” She said, refraining from using his title in public. She was shivering slightly from the cold of her wet dress but other than that, she felt rather proud of having provided for the prince.
“I have arranged for food to be brought to you as well.” She added, handing him the key. “Now, ordering you around is apparently pointless, but I would kindly advise you to take a warm bath, and eat and rest.” Lest he wanted to get sick.
Finally, the lady broke the silence but with a question that had him wish that she would have just kept quiet. He kept looking ahead, avoiding her gaze, and did not move a single muscle in his face.
“I figured that it is my duty, My Lady.” He ultimately answered, although it wasn’t necessarily true. “I failed the king by allowing the queen to get her hands on the letter. If I let you go out in the storm and you potentially injured yourself, I would have failed him again.”
He did not mention how the queen’s behavior had likely already cost him his job. Why would she care? He was just a servant and even if he lost his job and failed to help provide for his family, it was of no interest of hers.
“The king cares deeply for you.” He then added, figuring that such a thing would make her happy. Even if the lady did not love the king, he wasn’t convinced that she did, it was quite obvious that she at least wanted him to love her. He would, sooner rather than later. How could he not?
"He would be heartbroken, should anything happen to you."
