Chapter 2-Silent Observer8

After forcing down several bites of vile tasting stew, Siene decided that drinking the ale while eating might help wash away the bad aftertaste of the coagulated meat and gravy. Several mugs later, Siene felt full and oddly, very relaxed.

She knew ale could make humans drunk, but she had never considered that a vampire could become inebriated. Trying her best to appear fully functioning, she stood and asked the bar maid for directions to her room.

Snickering loudly, the full-figured bar maid said, "Knew ye was drinking too much fer that little bitty body of yours. Come on, I got a minute to help ye to your room."

Grateful that she didn't have to fend off unwanted male attention, she simply smiled and hiccuped as the bar maid practically carried her up to the second floor.

"What's your name? " Siene said between hiccups.

"Freyja is my name," the maid said as she leaned Siene against the door jam. As the barmaid unlocked the door, Siene heard, "this wench is plastered".

"I'm not drunk. I can't get drunk!" Siene exclaimed.

"Of course you aren't darlin'," the maid said as she pushed open the door.

Helping Siene over to the bed, Freya asked, "A bath is part of the cost of the room, but I'd be afeared you'd drown. Do ye think ye can wait til the mornin'?"

Siene shook her head. She really wanted a bath, but after the barmaid practically had to drag her up the stairs, she thought better not. Unfortunately, she couldn't even say yes or no. Feeling like her legs had turned to lead, she hung onto the barmaids shoulder to keep from falling. Confused as to what was happening, the bar maid simply let her fall onto the bed. "I'm thinking you'll be fine with a bath tomorrow. Do ye want my help wit anything else before I go?"

Mumbling as she snuggled into the pillow, Siene could hear Freyja' s laughter as she pulled off her boots. Siene vaguely heard her as she locked the door and pulled it closed behind her.

******************

The sun seemed obnoxiously bright as it made it's way past the room's curtains. As part vampire, sun was never considered a friendly thing. Luckily, because she wasn't fully vampiric, she could tolerate rather large doses of direct sunlight. Her mother had nicknamed her Sunshine because she'd run naked out into the sun before her maids could catch her. Dancing in the sun was one of her favorite things to do. She had always wished she could dance out in the meadow beside the palace gate with her mother, but her mother was always too busy. It was one of the only good memories she had of her childhood. Her memories after she turned eight were full of training and intense schooling. For some reason, her mother had chosen her to be an Imperial Guardian. Although her royal ranking put her far from the throne, it was considered unusual for a royal daughter to be trained. Siene sometimes still felt she'd done something wrong and being moved out of the palace was her punishment.

Siene quieted the thoughts in her mind, and opened her eyes. Wincing at the pain in her head, she sat up slowly, Siene decided that perhaps a bath first before going down was a good idea. Looking around she couldn't see a bell rope. Confused as to how to contact the maid service, she decided to get up and look around. Considering that she couldn't remember the way to her room, aside from a conversation she had with the barmaid, finding someone to help her was likely to be an embarrassing experience. Pulling on her boots, she felt less inclined to have that bath and more inclined to just get back on the road.

Sighing inwardly at the wonderful image of soaking in a nice hot bath, she thought perhaps no one would remember what happened last night. As she stuffed her things back into her backpack, she paused in alarm. How did everything get out of her bag? Surely the maid hadn't emptied her bag when she brought her to the room. Plus, she was still wearing everything but her cloak and boots. But if it wasn't the maid, then who?

A chill ran down her back. Her inner child was saying she should be worried that something happened here. But nothing seemed rifled through or gone, even her money was just laying out of her bag. Stunned by the fact that she only remembered the barmaid and the stairs after she finished eating and drinking, she silently vowed never to drink that much ale again. The aftereffect headache, muddled thoughts, and a very dry mouth, made her conclude it was probably herself who took everything out.

As she grabbed the key on the nightstand, a second nervous shiver ran down her spine. Had someone possibly been watching her eat and drink, and later watched her sleep, and then had gone through her things? Luckily, her most precious items were in a pouch tucked in the side of her leather vest. The vest had not be taken off before she went to sleep.

Growing more concerned she felt she definitely had to find that maid. What was her name again?