- Ch 15

Siri, Elix, and Raven walked towards the village called Westfall in silence. The road was trafficked by merchants, farmers, and soldiers alike.

Westfall was larger than many other villages, but it was still more worn out than most other villages. The road to the capital went straight through the center of Westfall, where it met two other smaller roads but they were well-traveled. The village was a central trading point for farmers and merchants as well as a resting place for traders. It was almost a small town. The surrounding countryside was mostly forest except for some small farms. Stables and small pastures lined the streets, which were wide enough to let wagons through and had deep furrows from the wear and tear of many wheels.

There was no public space and, children played in the wheel wells, habitually slipping away from the wagons and the swearing coachmen when they arrived. The men and women of the village walked quickly and with downcast looks.

Monotonous houses stood in long rows separated by narrow lanes. Many of the houses' heavy windows had been closed so long that the hinges had rusted. Above it all, there was the noise. The clanging of blacksmiths, the shouts of coachmen, the noisy laughter of the town inns.

Siri took it all in with a smile. At last, she would be able to sleep in a normal bed, and here they would be able to find horses. As they came alongside an inn in gaudy colors of yellow and green that caught the eye from afar among the gray houses, Siri turned to the others.

"Shall we go in here?" Siri asked wearily.

Siri stumbled into one of the wheel ruts and then took a quick leap to avoid a heavily loaded cart that came clattering in the opposite direction. The coachman swore loudly at her as the wagon rolled past. A village man hurried past without meeting her gaze.

Raven started walking toward the inn's yellow door and, the others followed. Siri hesitantly followed. It was as if something told her that this place was not the best. At least not for them.

Inside sat a couple of musicians, and the sound of their zither and drum was almost drowned out by hoarse laughter and drunken shouts. Siri didn't bother to look up the host. Men in rough clothes crowded the tables or stumbled across the floor. Some waved their beer mugs and tried to make friends with the maids, who dodged with stiff smiles.

The house shook with the noise and, the smell was sour. It reeked of old wine and unwashed bodies. The merchants with silk, velvet, and lace were nowhere to be seen. Separate dining rooms protected their ears and noses. Siri, Raven, and Elix turned in the doorway.

A little further down the street was another stone inn. It was painted in bright colors, red and white. The way was not as busy here and, there was no shouting or yelling from it. That it was an inn was clear from the sign, The Three Kings. Elix went in first and, then Siri and Raven followed.

Siri thought the taproom would be empty as there was no loud noise from it. But at one of the tables sat half a dozen men throwing dice among their beer mugs. At another sat a few lonely men eating. The dice players wore no weapons or armor, just everyday coats, and dark blue trousers. Yet, there was something about their manner that gave Siri the impression that they were soldiers. She shifted her gaze to one of the lone men. This one was an officer, which was evident from the high collared boots and the sword lying on his table. Over his officer's coat ran a red and white stripe from shoulder to shoulder. The soldiers were short-cropped in the same way. All ten turned to face Siri and her entourage.

The hostess was a thin, wrinkled woman. She hurried forward quickly and took them all in with a quick glance. She then focused on Elix. She recognized cultivators even though she herself had no such ability.

"Good day, gracious lords and lady. My name is Madeline. Welcome to the Three Kings. I understand you have traveled a long way. Do you need any stalls?"

"We don't need it now but later as we don't have any horses at the moment, but we will need it later. Do you know where we could buy three good horses, Madeline?" Raven asked.

Madelen looked at them with inquiring eyes that made Siri's skin crawl. Her gaze rested briefly on Raven and Elix's weapons.

"Master Agustin down the road has excellent horses for sale."

"May I ask where you are from? It's a long way between villages here and, all news is always welcome."

"We come from the direction of Kirson," Siri replied, expecting some reaction. But none came which puzzled her.

"You and your company will want something to eat and a room, I imagine. I have a good table over here and, there's chicken stew on the stove."

Soon enough, Siri and the others were seated at the designated table and, young maids arrived giggling and casting curious glances at Siri, Raven, and Elix. Cultivators generally had the same status as a noble of at least a lower rank for men. But female cultivators had high standing as there were not many female cultivators. When the food was served, Medellin came and chastised the maids.

Siri ate the food with an appetite while Reven just poked at it. "Why aren't you eating?" asked Siri to Raven. "I have no desire to eat." The food was spicy and had a strong peppery taste which Siri had never tasted before. But it didn't smell very good, but she didn't care. Soon enough, Siri had finished her food and looked around. Siri waved at one of the girls who came up to her, embarrassed.

"What can I do for you, my lady?" She was a redhead, had freckles, and no more than fifteen. Her hair was set in a ponytail and, the girl smiled happily at her. It was impossible not to like her.

"What's your name?" Siri asked.

"Lea," she answered.

"What a beautiful name you have Lea. Lea is there anyone who can play some music?"

"I'm sorry, but the man who was supposed to play tonight got sick and we don't have a replacement."

"Oh well..."

Siri had caught a lyre harp with her gaze. It was lying by a chair in one of the corners of the inn not far from the table where she was sitting.

Siri suddenly had a whim.

"Would it be all right if I borrowed the lyre harp for a while?"

"Uhh, I think so but, I'll have to ask Madeline," she excused herself.

Lea quickly disappeared to come back with Madeline at her heels.

"I heard you wanted to borrow the harp. Are you going to play my lady?" Madeline asked.

"Yes, if that's all right with you. I won't ruin it." Siri smiled and tried to look as innocent as possible.

"It's not much of a lyre harp my lady. It's just a simple..." Her voice died away.

"That's all right," Siri replied quickly.

Siri took off her coat and walked over to the corner. She took the lyre harp, letting her fingers slide lightly over the strings. Elix and Raven stared at her, gaping and, Siri laughed out loud when she saw their goofy looks. Now she had everyone's attention. Siri sat down with the harp in her lap and looked out over her audience without a hint of nervousness. Then she began to play without saying a word.

Elix, looked at her as if he didn't know what she was. It wasn't common to play instruments as a cultivator. There's no time to practice.

Her fingers began to dance over the strings of the lyre with a lightness that was more like a caress. And with it came the music. Music that painted images and emotions that few could recreate. Everyone sat spellbound to the tones of the lyre.

Siri's first song, 'Moonlight Wind Over Mirror Lake', wowed them all. But then she switched to songs she'd heard at other taverns and in the Wind Sky sect.

'Bill's Way to the Mill', 'The Goose and I' and 'The Road to the Bog River.'

The soldiers began to sing along and, their tones were not too far from the harp's notes. But she didn't recognize the words. Apparently, the pieces of music had different names and lyrics depending on local tradition or something like that.

When Siri started to play the last song, which normally had a happy tone, it became something completely different, as the soldiers joined in. 'When the greys break the barrier, the crows will dance. When the demons break the barrier, the crows will dance. When the goddess comes, the crows will come for us.'

What the hell kind of lyric is that? Don't tell me it's referring to me. She didn't finish the song, which surprised the soldiers. But they weren't angry about it and clapped their hands with happy faces.

Siri went back to Elix and Raven and sat down on the chair she had been sitting on earlier and up to them came the officer. "I hope you weren't offended by the soldiers' singing my lady." He looked at Siri with an inquiring look.

"Not at all," Siri replied in a reserved voice.

"My name is Taylor and, I'm captain of the Westfall garrison. I don't mean to be rude but, can I have your name, my lady? Not many people come here so, I take pleasure in finding everyone by name."

Siri said her name and introduced the others.

Siri was vaguely aware that the maids had started to soup the floor and clean up the room.

"May I ask where you are from?"

Without thinking, Siri replied.

"We're from the Wind-sky sect."

Those words made Taylor stop and look at them. He knew they were cultivators but, he wasn't afraid.

"It's a troubled area. The entire Phoenix Sect was destroyed by demons and, it is several miles from the Grey Lands. Almost everyone from the sect died supposedly. Perhaps you come from there and have some news?"

This man was far too curious.

"No..."

"It's a dangerous area even for cultivators," Taylor replied more to himself than to anyone else, and he continued.

"Then you're heading west." He muttered almost unheard.

It wasn't just small talk Taylor was making. It was investigating and understanding.

Elix waved Madeline over.

"We'd like our rooms. Three of them."

"Certainly, my lord," Madeline replied.

"We have traveled far and need to rest, Taylor. May I wish you a good day." Elix stood up and, Taylor replied

"Of course." He smiled a disarming smile at Elix and looked at Siri with a lingering glance.

"Thank you for the wonderful music, my lady."

He bowed deeply, and turned and left without looking back.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Raven had gone out to buy horses while Elix visited taverns to get more information and news about what was happening in the world. Siri had stayed at the inn and taken a hot bath. Evening came and, they had gathered and discussed what to do without success. But finally, they came to the decision to go to the nearest larger town of Salfe.